Dobber Sports Wine and Spirits club

[NoWayOut]

I wouldn't assume a newbie would not appreciate Islay scotch right out the gate. Personally, I don't drink much hard liquor unmixed and yet I love a nice Laphroaig or Ardbeg. So different from anything else.

I only based it on the fact he said he's yet to develop a taste for Scotch. Sort of playing the odds, but then again maybe a really smoky Islay would be more to his tastes. It's just that in my admittedly limit interactions with new whisky drinkers most tend to be put off by the peat-monsters at first.

Good input though and gives Percy and others another option to consider.

[Thunder]

Actually, I believe I'm gonna go upstairs and pour myself a couple of fingers of Laphroaig right now to watch the rest of the second period of The Ducks-jets game.

[NoWayOut]

I'm leaning towards Kilchoman Machir Bay. Fantastic craft Scotch from a very young distiller. Get it while it's reasonably priced because this one is destined to take off as their stocks age and develop a fanatical following. There's already a huge buzz around them, with just cause, and prices will skyrocket since they only produce small batches. The Machir Bay I have is a combination of 3, 4, and 5 yr. old vintages and is every bit as smooth and flavorful as a 12 yr old Highland Park. Once they build up their aged stocks to the point they can offer 12 yr and older expressions, look out!

This is one that's likely to follow Lagavulin and 18 yr old HP into my once in a blue moon purchases. I love 'em, but I do have limited funds to spend on these indulgences.

[ztking]

Just about to pour myself some Fireweed. It's a delicious cherry bourbon I recently picked up from Glacier Distillery in Montana when I was down there a few weeks ago. I tend to stay away from fruity or flavoured spirits but after trying this stuff at their little tasting bar I was shocked. The cherries are from the nearby Flathead Lake, and give a subtle sweetness to it but definitely doesn't overpower in any way. It's a rich tasting bourbon with subtle vanilla notes and a bit of spice. Unfortunately I don't think they have the production to be able to distribute most of their lineup outside of the northern Montana area.

[Bomm Bastic]

I wouldn't assume a newbie would not appreciate Islay scotch right out the gate. Personally, I don't drink much hard liquor unmixed and yet I love a nice Laphroaig or Ardbeg. So different from anything else.

Maybe "appreciate" comes across too snooty. To draw an analogy, it's similar too cheese. For me I had to start out (wayyyyy back when I was a child) with bland, processed american, worked my way over to mozeralla, then over parmesan. Now my father used to buy blocks of pecorino romano and that transitioned me at a very early age to the sharper cheeses. Being brought up in a predominately Italian family I'd snack on extra sharp provolone and eventually xtra sharp cheddar. Now it took me a long time to get into the blues of the world but eventually gorgonzola, stiltons, and maytag blues became a 'must have'. The stinkier the better, I say!

Point being, I think most people have to grow into the sharper heavier cheeses much in the same way the heavier or peatier single malts. I tasted Oban right outta the gate and it was overwhelming, to say the least. But I can definitely see myself growing into it.

You're lucky to be able to jump right in and enjoy the full palate that the single malts have to offer.

[Thunder]

Maybe "appreciate" comes across too snooty. To draw an analogy, it's similar too cheese. For me I had to start out (wayyyyy back when I was a child) with bland, processed american, worked my way over to mozeralla, then over parmesan. Now my father used to buy blocks of pecorino romano and that transitioned me at a very early age to the sharper cheeses. Being brought up in a predominately Italian family I'd snack on extra sharp provolone and eventually xtra sharp cheddar. Now it took me a long time to get into the blues of the world but eventually gorgonzola, stiltons, and maytag blues became a 'must have'. The stinkier the better, I say!

Point being, I think most people have to grow into the sharper heavier cheeses much in the same way the heavier or peatier single malts. I tasted Oban right outta the gate and it was overwhelming, to say the least. But I can definitely see myself growing into it.

You're lucky to be able to jump right in and enjoy the full palate that the single malts have to offer.

Yeah. Maybe I'm just odd.

But to me, it's not like cheese. Processed American is bland and pretty much anyone can deal with it. And I agree you can make your way up to brie, and then further up to a stilton or whatever.

A blended like a Chivas, or a less peaty single malt to me is not like processed American cheese. It's quite strong in it's own right and not all that accessible. I for one was never able to enjoy it. Much like I don't really enjoy bourbon or cognac.

It's not that my palate is sophisticated. Quite the opposite when it comes to liquor. But for whatever reason a peaty single malt is so very different for me that I really really enjoy it, even though I don't truly enjoy any other hard booze unless it's mixed.

[Bomm Bastic]

lol...well, good point. I didn't mean to liken processed cheese to Chivas. It was just more an attempt to describe the maturing of my particular palate. In fact, now that you brought it up, I actually started with the blended before I made my way into the single malts. Being a bartender afford me early access to the higher ends like Chivas and JW's.