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MKTheVintageBloke
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A few musings on a few whiskies
Throughout the last few months, I had the opportunity to try some good - or at least decent stuff, so I thought I'd share a few thoughts on the various whiskies (and whiskeys, as Scotch and Canadian stuff is whisky, Irish and American stuff is whiskey) that I've checked out.
Bushmills (the basic thing)
I've had some better or worse experiences with another booze - Black Bush - from the same distillery. Black Bush is of the viciously burning sort, while not being 100-proof. Just as a proper Tex-Mex dinner unleashes the full might of Satan's fury in the colon, this thing has said fury unleashed on the throat and gullet. Black Bush is just napalm with spices. The basic, triple-distilled Bushmills is just a wee bit more lazy version of that. It just doesn't feel quite as savage. Make no mistake, though, it does burn a bit.
The only really fond memory of Black Bush that I have is from a cruise two years ago. It was a cold day, and while in port, a hailstorm caught us. And the hail was the size of ice cubes, we were chilled to the bone, and needed to warm up. So, what does our fellow crew member do? Picks up the ice from the deck, throws it into glasses, and pulls out a bottle of Black Bush. While I normally fucking hate the thing, its jungle-torching capabilities actually came in handy for getting the cold, drenched, sorry lot of us sorted out.
Whatever Bushmills you try, have it on the rocks, because having it straight is the epitome of masochism.
Canadian Club (basic) and Canadian Club 12 y.o.
Did anyone here not try Canadian Club? Ever? Wouldn't believe if someone said that that's the case. Just, no fucking way, everyone comes across that booze, sooner or later. Of the two versions of it mentioned, the latter is definitely the better thing. Well, it feels a bit smoother, I'd say. The ordinary Canadian Club is good as it is, but the 12 y.o. one is just that one, little step above.
Crown Royal
Another Canadian whisky. Kind of similar to Canadian Club, only far more intense. I'm inclined to say that it just burns a little bit more, and has a lot of wood and vanilla notes. Mostly wood. It's almost the savoury sort of wood note. Some like it, some say that it just fucking burns. I don't feel like it just fucking burns, but I concur with most reviews on that it's overpriced. Would I buy a proper bottle of this one, with the full awareness that it costs just a hair below the price of a bottle of my favourite, the 15 y.o. Dalwhinnie? No fucking chance.
If, however, you wish to try it anyway, or someone gives you a bottle of it, I think I can safely recommend it as good to a barbecue. The savoury, dominant note of wood will go quite bloody well with grilled meat.
Oban 14 y.o.
Not so long ago, a friend of mine sent me a little bottle of this one to try. And damn good stuff this Scotch is. It's really similar to the Dalwhinnie - sweet, smooth, mellow, only a wee bit more smoky, and thus with a little earthy/savoury note. Doesn't dethrone the Dalwhinnie in my personal ranking, but that's some great fuckin' Scotch, which I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack
This one I've tried today. Was on a discount on all JD stuff at the local market, so I thought, "why the fuck not," and bought it. While I'm fond of Old No.7 (maybe not as much as Wild Turkey, but still...) as it is, this is even better. The double charcoal filtering mojo actually does the trick, and it's smoother than the Old No.7. Which is a good thing, because it just lets the caramel and vanilla notes ring out, as they fucking should. JD recommends drinking it straight, but my glass is my glass, I decide whether I want anything else in it. So, three ice cubes, 75ml of Gentleman Jack, and there we go. That's some damn good Tennessee whiskey, I'd say.
Bushmills (the basic thing)
I've had some better or worse experiences with another booze - Black Bush - from the same distillery. Black Bush is of the viciously burning sort, while not being 100-proof. Just as a proper Tex-Mex dinner unleashes the full might of Satan's fury in the colon, this thing has said fury unleashed on the throat and gullet. Black Bush is just napalm with spices. The basic, triple-distilled Bushmills is just a wee bit more lazy version of that. It just doesn't feel quite as savage. Make no mistake, though, it does burn a bit.
The only really fond memory of Black Bush that I have is from a cruise two years ago. It was a cold day, and while in port, a hailstorm caught us. And the hail was the size of ice cubes, we were chilled to the bone, and needed to warm up. So, what does our fellow crew member do? Picks up the ice from the deck, throws it into glasses, and pulls out a bottle of Black Bush. While I normally fucking hate the thing, its jungle-torching capabilities actually came in handy for getting the cold, drenched, sorry lot of us sorted out.
Whatever Bushmills you try, have it on the rocks, because having it straight is the epitome of masochism.
Canadian Club (basic) and Canadian Club 12 y.o.
Did anyone here not try Canadian Club? Ever? Wouldn't believe if someone said that that's the case. Just, no fucking way, everyone comes across that booze, sooner or later. Of the two versions of it mentioned, the latter is definitely the better thing. Well, it feels a bit smoother, I'd say. The ordinary Canadian Club is good as it is, but the 12 y.o. one is just that one, little step above.
Crown Royal
Another Canadian whisky. Kind of similar to Canadian Club, only far more intense. I'm inclined to say that it just burns a little bit more, and has a lot of wood and vanilla notes. Mostly wood. It's almost the savoury sort of wood note. Some like it, some say that it just fucking burns. I don't feel like it just fucking burns, but I concur with most reviews on that it's overpriced. Would I buy a proper bottle of this one, with the full awareness that it costs just a hair below the price of a bottle of my favourite, the 15 y.o. Dalwhinnie? No fucking chance.
If, however, you wish to try it anyway, or someone gives you a bottle of it, I think I can safely recommend it as good to a barbecue. The savoury, dominant note of wood will go quite bloody well with grilled meat.
Oban 14 y.o.
Not so long ago, a friend of mine sent me a little bottle of this one to try. And damn good stuff this Scotch is. It's really similar to the Dalwhinnie - sweet, smooth, mellow, only a wee bit more smoky, and thus with a little earthy/savoury note. Doesn't dethrone the Dalwhinnie in my personal ranking, but that's some great fuckin' Scotch, which I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Jack Daniel's Gentleman Jack
This one I've tried today. Was on a discount on all JD stuff at the local market, so I thought, "why the fuck not," and bought it. While I'm fond of Old No.7 (maybe not as much as Wild Turkey, but still...) as it is, this is even better. The double charcoal filtering mojo actually does the trick, and it's smoother than the Old No.7. Which is a good thing, because it just lets the caramel and vanilla notes ring out, as they fucking should. JD recommends drinking it straight, but my glass is my glass, I decide whether I want anything else in it. So, three ice cubes, 75ml of Gentleman Jack, and there we go. That's some damn good Tennessee whiskey, I'd say.
I always hope for the best. Experience, unfortunately, has taught me to expect the worst.
Elim Garak, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
No good deed ever goes unpunished.
Rule of Acquisition no.285
Elim Garak, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
No good deed ever goes unpunished.
Rule of Acquisition no.285
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