Can't say that I am a Scotch/Whiskey/Bourbon drinker. Ask me about Vodka or Rum, and I might have an insight or twelve. Never the less, I would have to agree on the mention of Crown. Granted it isn't American, but it is NORTH American, so that counts.

 

Its time for you to man up and admit that you want to be Canadian.

 

In Michigan we use Black Velvet (it's canadian though).  8)

 

Yay Michigan! I live next door to Michigan, and went to school there (sorry, completely off topic I know)

Kivam, what is your prefered scotch? Also, how do you compare Blantons to something like Laphroaig?

 

I'm partial to the Balvenie 21 Doublewood (got it as a gift at my son's Bris . . . boy did that work well  ;D).  Right now, I'm slowly draining a bottle of Macallan 18, and had a Glenfiddich 18 last week that was very nice (I'd love to try that recently released Glenfiddich 50 . . . but I don't have a spare 16 grand lying around  ;D).  Blue Label is always a crowd pleaser, especially since I got it at a great price, years ago (thank you, Canadian duty free!).  A few weeks ago, I had a cask strength of something - I think Tomintoul - that almost knocked me over (the person pouring didn't warn me it was a cask strength, so I ended up with a double that was the equivalent of a triple+ in alcohol on a relatively empty stomach), but was absolutely delicious.

 

I'm honestly not a huge fan of smokey scotch - I'll drink Laphroaig over almost all blends (basically, Blue Label is the one blend I'll take over some single malts), but if you give me a choice between an Islay and a smoother scotch like Balvenie, I'll take Balvenie every time. So I really am not the best person to compare smokey scotch to smokey bourbon  ;D

Wow, those are some nice whiskies, especially that Balvenie. I've never had it... but I guess I would like to. ;D What are your thoughts on vatting or blends of single malts, as opposed to blends of single malts and grains?

 

(I have a bottle of Compass Box Canto Cask 37, which is a blend of single malts at cask strength and one apparently only available in NZ. Haven't opened it yet since I was dared to keep it unopened all summer. I'm nearly there...)

 

To answer Pandy, I love the Laphroig 10 yr. It sounds crazy, but I prefer the "rougher" espression over the more mature 18. I'd give alot to try the Cairdeas, but by alot, I don't mean 500 pounds. heh

I do crave the smokey flavor above all others, but I'm also not afraid to drink a Glenmorangie - especially if it's been aged in a Madeira cask.

 

Which brings us to this very moment - where I am sampling a new small batch bourbon (new to me anyway). It's called Black Maple Hill, and after a taste I have to say that this is a very traditional bourbon. Blanton's and Booker's have more distinct flavors, but this one is not showy or complex. Now, I have to let it roll around my tongue for a little while to get to know it, so I'll be back later with another report.

 

We just got a few inches of snow and its a perfect night for a bourbon. ;D

You may be interested in this, Wes:

 

http://whiskyshop.co.nz/afawcs0131678/CATID=35/SUBID=/ID=1375/SID=55098948/productdetails.html

 

Cairdeas is apparently not the roughest Laphroaig, but I'm pretty sure that they would ship that to you for a lot less than 500 pounds. Bear in mind it's NZ dollars so more like $135 USD + shipping.

 

Dayam!!! Nice find Pandy - I may just order that bad boy.

 

The Black Maple Hill fiished nicely and did not lose its flavor or personality.

 

I'm finishing up a story for my website, so I gotta run..

Glad to help, Wes. I've purchased whisky from them before so I would vouch for them. They're generally too expensive, though - I saved quite a lot of money once by ordering direct from the UK.

Hello there pandy!

 

Sorry to hijack your whiskey thread, but today on "Cooking Vith ze Aust" we are going to be making a nice "Slow-Roast pandy Surprise!" And the best part? You get to have that Balvenie because we're going to marinate you with it pandy! :D

 

*cues cooking show music*

 

 

Yorn desh born, der ritt de gitt der gue,

Orn desh, dee born desh, de umn bork! bork! bork!

 

First, ve takken ze pandy and ve pour ze nice whisky all over, ensuring to get all ze fur nize and vet. Next, ve taken ze pandy and make ze shikebobski. Oh little pandy don't you squirm! Hold still vile we getten ze skewer in place!

 

*poke poke poke with the skewer*... and *pop* Yay, ze pandy iz skewered! Bork bork bork!

 

Now ve takken ze kebbobzied pandy and placez it ooover the great big fire! Don't scream leetle pandy! Orn Desh!

 

Okie dokies. Now, ve pourz more of ze whiskey all over ze pandy, slowly slowly turning ze shichkebobski over ze fire. Wooo look at ze big flames char ze pandy's fur! Hearen ze poping noises? This means ze pandy is cooking nice and slow over ze fire. Oh! *pop* zer goes der eyez!

 

Now, all ze fur eez burned off, ve start to poke-poken ze pandy to releasen ze juices. *poke poke.. HIIIiiissss* Ah! Heren ze juices hitting zer fire? Vhen ze juices all stoping ze hissing, ve start spinning zer pandy over ze fire faster and faster. This vay, all ze pandy gets cooked the same! Add more of ze wisky liberally. Drinken some of ze whiskey too! *guzzle* Ahh!

 

Mmmm Mmm smell ze roasting pandy! See ze golden colour of ze skin now, nice and ze golden! Pour more of ze whisky, and double ze amount you drink. *hic* Start tenerizing ze pandy meat by whack-whack-whacking ze pandy vith ze rolling pin. *vack vack vack* Keep on vacking ze pandy until is nice and tender. pandy meat can be ze quite tough, so vack liberally.

 

Ze pandy should still be alive, so keep vacking until nice and tender. Pour more of ze whisky, and drink more *hic* Oh! don't getting too close to zer fire! Org! der ritt de gitt der gue!!! Fire! Fire on ze apron!!! Pour more of ze whisky quick!

 

*poof*

 

 

AnD ...Zerr  .. pAn dY ....zuRpr iz..E..

 

Yorn desh born, der ritt de gitt der gue,

Orn desh, dee born desh, de umn bork! bork! bork!

 

 

(clearly my activity in the blight has left me unhinged, but voila! one slow-roasted pandy ;) )

omg...this has to be one of the best ones I have seen.

:D

well done!

 

Which is a shame, because I prefer him medium rare.

I bet burnt Pandabear fur smells terrible

well done!

 

Which is a shame, because I prefer him medium rare.

 

Thanks!!! The secret is all in making sure you vack liberally with the rolling pin ;)

:-\

I couldn't say what the best whiskey I've ever had was, but the worst I ever had was some Canadian brewed that my friend bought for 2 dollars... Handle o' whiskey, 2 dollars...

 

Canadian...

 

Very likely the worst thing I've ever tasted.

Just had this, which was quite nice

 

Sounds really nice

crown royal xr. its kinda sweet with a vanilla flavor. its worth the price if you can spend it.

Sounds really nice

 

It was.  Did you ever try the Bookers/Blantons?

 

Did somebody recommend Van Winkle? How is it? Everybody raves about it...

Sounds really nice

 

It was.  Did you ever try the Bookers/Blantons?

 

Nope, I'm not 21, so everything I try is what my dad feels like giving me from his private stock when I visit home.  Otherwise it's my roommates really cheap party liquor and I tend to stay away from that.

 

I do enjoy a good whiskey or bourbon when I get the chance though.  I'll check it out next January  ;D

I'm 20  :-\

 

Can you not buy alcohol at 21 where you are?

you have to be 21 to buy alcohol in the US and I'm 20

Incidentally, I didn't notice the word 'not' in your previous post.  ;D

And that is why America is lame.