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ctt1wbw · Dec 23, 2007, 08:19 AM

I just got a bottle of 12 year old Macallan single malt yesterday. I looked on the box and on the bottle itself for a date. Is there a date or something on there to let me know exactly how old it is? It says 12 years old on the bottle but there is no date. How do you tell?

analogika · Dec 23, 2007, 08:36 AM

The twelve years refers to the time between being put in a cask and being bottled.

I'm surprised there's no label with the vintage on it, though.

ctt1wbw · Dec 23, 2007, 08:57 AM

Tell me about it. I was just wondering because there was bottle of Macallan that sold for a crap ton of money a few weeks ago. It was bout 50 years old, iirc. I wonder how they could prove the age.

ctt1wbw · Dec 23, 2007, 09:00 AM

Here she is:

http://members.cox.net/ctt1wbw/TheMacallan.JPG

OreoCookie · Dec 23, 2007, 09:21 AM

JFYI, even if you wait 20 years, a 12-year scotch will remain just that. The vintage doesn't increase with time. I've learnt that in the Scotch museum in Edinburgh

There is no vintage on my bottle of Glenmorangie either, although the bottle wasn't exactly cheap either.

ghporter · Dec 23, 2007, 11:09 AM

Aging in the cask is what gives the whiskey character. Once it's bottled that stops.

I haven't tried The Macallan, but I have at least sampled all of the "Glenns" I know about (gee, why would that be?

) I'm partial to Glenfiddich and Glenmorangie myself. Not "cheap" at all, and worth every penny. Get a bottle (the same age) of a different single malt and compare tastes. Do this carefully and with tiny sips-you really want to appreciate the subtleties of them, not find out that they contain a substantial amount of alcohol.

analogika · Dec 23, 2007, 11:14 AM

Glenrothes is my personal favorite, though I haven't tried all too many of them.

Mastrap · Dec 23, 2007, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Do this carefully and with tiny sips-you really want to appreciate the subtleties of them, not find out that they contain a substantial amount of alcohol.

Add just a tiny quantity of water. It will open the flavour like you would not believe. Many whiskies were actually distilled to be drunk that way.

ghporter · Dec 23, 2007, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Add just a tiny quantity of water. It will open the flavour like you would not believe. Many whiskies were actually distilled to be drunk that way.

Good point. But it's good to try it straight first, so you get the contrast between that and the slightly watered version. It'll make up your mind about that particular whiskey right away.

ctt1wbw · Dec 23, 2007, 12:16 PM

I'm partial to the 18 year old Macallan, but at 160 per bottle... Maybe later. You should try Lagavulin. That's the second best single malt I've ever had.

Tiresias · Dec 23, 2007, 01:16 PM

You have a Dell?

OreoCookie · Dec 23, 2007, 01:22 PM

… running 10.5

iMan G5 · Dec 23, 2007, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

… running 10.5

And it is cooled with scotch

ctt1wbw · Dec 23, 2007, 01:55 PM

Yep, I love Dell laptops. Because Dell doesn't make them.

And it's running Ubuntu Gutsy with that Avant Window Navigator dock installed. Snazzy, yes?

nonhuman · Dec 23, 2007, 02:42 PM

The Macallan's a nice whisky. I just bought a bottle of the 18 the other day, love that stuff. The 12 is a good mid-price whisky, although I personally find that the 15 is a much better deal as the flavor seems to increase far faster than the price.

My personal favorite single malt right now is Cragganmore, however. It's a decently cheap bottle of whisky, but I love Speysides and it's got a nice harshness to it that I like.

Shaddim · Dec 23, 2007, 05:31 PM

One of my favorites this winter has been Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, a ruby port cask 12 y/o. Has a beautiful blush glow and a dark chocolate finish.

Of course, there's also the "official whiskey" of this house, Talisker 18 y/o, has been my #1 choice ever since I started drinking single malts. Most people don't care for the strong peat and spice flavors, but I love it.

Others around here are fond of the Isle of Jura Superstition, but it's not my taste and I think they drink it because of the nifty bottle.

Edit: Oh, as an extra treat, I strongly recommend Macallan Amber liqueur, made from aged single malt. It's sweet and smooth and delicious on ice. We've already went through 3 .750ml bottles of this since Thanksgiving.

Shaddim · Dec 23, 2007, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Add just a tiny quantity of water. It will open the flavour like you would not believe. Many whiskies were actually distilled to be drunk that way.

This is especially true of the more "peaty" whiskeys, a drop or two really opens them up.

(literally, just a couple drops)

nonhuman · Dec 23, 2007, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

One of my favorites this winter has been Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, a ruby port cask 12 y/o. Has a beautiful blush glow and a dark chocolate finish.

Of course, there's also the "official whiskey" of this house, Talisker 18 y/o, has been my #1 choice ever since I started drinking single malts. Most people don't care for the strong peat and spice flavors, but I love it.

Others around here are fond of the Isle of Jura Superstition, but it's not my taste and I think they drink it because of the nifty bottle.

Ooh, yeah. Talisker is a beautiful whisky. It was definitely my favorite until I found Cragganmore. I'll have to pick up a bottle of it and give it another try.

I absolutely can't stand the Jura malt though. Goes completely against the grain for me.

I'll have to see about trying the Quinta Ruban.

Mastrap · Dec 23, 2007, 05:51 PM

Talisker is great, but my personal favourite has got to be Ardbeg. As peaty as taking a bite out of a bog and as salty as the sea.

nonhuman · Dec 23, 2007, 05:59 PM

I've never tried Ardbeg before, but it's definitely sold all over the place. Another one for my shopping list, I guess.

Shaddim · Dec 23, 2007, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Talisker is great, but my personal favourite has got to be Ardbeg. As peaty as taking a bite out of a bog and as salty as the sea.

Have you tried Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist? I had some at a party last week and it's fantastic. Nice smoky finish, great with a quality leaf of your choice.

ghporter · Dec 23, 2007, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

One of my favorites this winter has been Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, a ruby port cask 12 y/o. Has a beautiful blush glow and a dark chocolate finish.

Oooooo. I gotta find that! It sounds great!

OreoCookie · Dec 23, 2007, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

One of my favorites this winter has been Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, a ruby port cask 12 y/o. Has a beautiful blush glow and a dark chocolate finish.

I know exactly what you mean: I've had two glasses of this fine stuff today!

Shaddim · Dec 23, 2007, 06:47 PM

Yeah, after talking about it I had to go pour a glass. I'm sitting here enjoying the last dram from the bottle, but I'm comforted with the knowledge that I have another in the cabinet.

How DO they get that wonderful cocoa flavor in there?

Shaddim · Dec 23, 2007, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Oooooo. I gotta find that! It sounds great!

I've seen it in most package stores, it seems to be widely distributed.

(and an incredible bargain, to boot.)

Mastrap · Dec 23, 2007, 07:00 PM

5:59

waiiiiit for it.......

6:00 now. Sun's over the yardarm. Drink time.

olePigeon · Dec 23, 2007, 07:05 PM

I like Maker's Mark.

Shaddim · Dec 23, 2007, 07:08 PM

Bah, when the sun's vertical, it's drink time.

well, during the weekend, that is.

Bourbon's nice, but I tend to drink it more in the spring.

OreoCookie · Dec 24, 2007, 03:27 AM

It's always 6 pm somewhere on this planet …

(That's what my hostmom used to say

)

vexborg · Dec 24, 2007, 10:48 AM

Ok, just a wee word: It isn't Scotch, it's whiskey...

But oh well, not everybody can be from the US.

What kind of whiskey do I have on the shelve here in the living room?

Highland Park, 12 and 18 years old.
Glenfiddich, 12 years old.
Glenturret, 18 years old.
Bunnahabhain, 12 years old.
Glenburgie, 10 years old.
Deanston, 12 years old.
Glenmorangie, 10 years old.
Scapa, 18 years old
Old Orkney, 18 years old.

driven · Dec 24, 2007, 10:53 AM

I inherited two bottles of Scotch from 1969. Both from Europe. (I'll have to go look for the exact origin.)

Are they still good?

ctt1wbw · Dec 24, 2007, 10:53 AM

You're a raging alocoholic!

Mastrap · Dec 24, 2007, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by vexborg

Ok, just a wee word: It isn't Scotch, it's whiskey...

Actually, no, it's whisky, not whiskey. Whiskey is only ever from Ireland, never from Scotland. The word scotch is perfectly acceptable to describe Scottish whisky, whiskey isn't.

Irish Whiskey is a whiskey made in Ireland. There are several types of whiskey common to Ireland: Single Malt, Single Grain, Pure Pot Still and Blended Whiskey.
The word whiskey is an Anglicisation of the ancient Gaelic term "uisce beatha" which translates as "water of life". (The Craythur is a modern Irish term for whiskey, from 'the creature', as in 'created'...[1]) The Irish spell the drink "whiskey" while the Scottish drop the "e".
Although similar to scotch whisky in many ways, the main difference is that Irish whiskey is distilled three times, whereas Scotch is distilled only twice. Another way Irish Whiskey differs is that peat is almost never used in the malting process, so the smoky, earthy overtones of Scotch are not present. A notable exception to this is Connemara Peated Malt whiskey.

yakkiebah · Dec 24, 2007, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by driven

I inherited two bottles of Scotch from 1969. Both from Europe. (I'll have to go look for the exact origin.)

Are they still good?

If they are still full or near full, yes. You might lose some alcohol % if there is a lot of air. Also the air in the bottle interacts with the whisky and taste might change a little. Something i noticed from bottles that where nearly empty and tried again a year later.

The last bottle i finished was an Ardbeg Uigeadail, definitely one of my favorites. Smoky as hell.

If you like whisky's from Islay(Ardbeg, Lagavulin etc.) check out Laphroaig.

Just got this one to celebrate christmas/new years eve

Laphroaig Quarter Cask (another favorite).

vexborg · Dec 24, 2007, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Actually, no, it's whisky, not whiskey. Whiskey is only ever from Ireland, never from Scotland. The word scotch is perfectly acceptable to describe Scottish whisky, whiskey isn't.

Do'h! Duly noted, just ignore me...

nonhuman · Dec 24, 2007, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

I've seen it in most package stores, it seems to be widely distributed.

(and an incredible bargain, to boot.)

From New England, are we?

Or is there somewhere else with packies that I haven't heard of before?

Shaddim · Dec 24, 2007, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

From New England, are we?

Or is there somewhere else with packies that I haven't heard of before?

Tennessee

We call them package stores and liquor stores. I just wish we could buy the stuff at the supermarket like normal people.

ctt1wbw · Dec 24, 2007, 04:06 PM

Yeah, same here in the Communist, I mean Commonwealth of Virginia. We have ABC stores, aka package stores. We are not considered mature enough to buy beer, wine AND Jack under the same roof.

nonhuman · Dec 24, 2007, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

Tennessee

We call them package stores and liquor stores. I just wish we could buy the stuff at the supermarket like normal people.

Tell me about it. After moving to Boston from San Francisco I really miss being able to go down to the 24 hr. grocery store down the street to pick up a six-pack or a bottle of whisky.

It took me forever to figure out that when people kept talking about 'packies' they weren't referring to the people who ran the liquor stores...

driven · Dec 24, 2007, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by yakkiebah

If they are still full or near full, yes. You might lose some alcohol % if there is a lot of air. Also the air in the bottle interacts with the whisky and taste might change a little. Something i noticed from bottles that where nearly empty and tried again a year later.
[/IMG]

They are un-opened. They were apparently gifts to my grandfather when I was born. Since he didn't drink the stuff they were in his toolbox in his basement since that time. When he died two years ago I inherited the toolbox. When I went to clean it out this summer I found the bottles.

nonhuman · Dec 24, 2007, 05:39 PM

If they're unopened they should be fine.

Sadly, once you open a bottle it will eventually go bad. I discovered this when someone gave me a very expensive bottle for a gift and I decided to drink it slowly and keep it for as long as possible. It was probably still about 1/3 full when I discovered that it had become pretty much undrinkable.

yakkiebah · Dec 24, 2007, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by driven

They are un-opened. They were apparently gifts to my grandfather when I was born. Since he didn't drink the stuff they were in his toolbox in his basement since that time. When he died two years ago I inherited the toolbox. When I went to clean it out this summer I found the bottles.

In his toolbox? Hmm, i dunno but it sounds like they have been lying on their sides. If so then the whisky had lot's of time to interact with the cork and probably has a very corky taste. Unless you enjoy the cork flavour this is something you really don't want. So hopefully they have been standing up straight all those years.

abbaZaba · Dec 24, 2007, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Tell me about it. After moving to Boston from San Francisco I really miss being able to go down to the 24 hr. grocery store down the street to pick up a six-pack or a bottle of whisky.

It took me forever to figure out that when people kept talking about 'packies' they weren't referring to the people who ran the liquor stores...

here in Pennsylvania we can only buy wine and liquor at state-owned liquor & spirits stores and we can only buy beer in cases at beer distributors or in 6- and 12-packs at bars.

that means there are only two stores you can go to, and you have to go to both if you want liquor/wine and beer for the night.

around me there is only one State store and 2 beer distributors that would be considered close.

On-premise retail licenses and off-premise wholesale licenses are distributed via a quota system. Under this structure there is one retail license granted for every 3,000 inhabitants and one wholesale license granted for every 30,000 inhabitants within a given county. There are over 20,000 businesses in Pennsylvania which are licensed by the PLCB to handle alcoholic beverages. Restaurants and food operations that are licensed to serve or sell drinks in Pennsylvania must purchase their liquor from the PLCB. If a wine or spirit is not on the list of registered brands, then it cannot be bought or sold in Pennsylvania.

The PLCB holds monopolistic rights to the distribution of all wines and hard liquor in the commonwealth. To this end, the agency owns and operates Wine & Spirits retail locations, commonly referred to as "state stores," in all 67 counties. This government corporation is the largest purchaser of wine and liquor in the United States and, after the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, which operates in a slightly more populous Canadian province, the world.

CMYKid · Dec 25, 2007, 12:23 AM

...friends that come vsit me are also fascinated by the fact that o-HI-o has drive through beer/wine/liquor stores...apparently one of the few states in the union that do. people always insist on taking photos.

Atheist · Dec 25, 2007, 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by yakkiebah

In his toolbox? Hmm, i dunno but it sounds like they have been lying on their sides. If so then the whisky had lot's of time to interact with the cork and probably has a very corky taste. Unless you enjoy the cork flavour this is something you really don't want. So hopefully they have been standing up straight all those years.

If that's the case, why doesn't wine stored on it's side get "corky"?

driven · Dec 25, 2007, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by Atheist

If that's the case, why doesn't wine stored on it's side get "corky"?

I was wondering that too. I thought you wanted the cork to stay moist so it doesn't dry out.

red rocket · Dec 25, 2007, 07:03 AM

Wine doesn't just get corked like that. The cork actually has to have a mould infection for it to contaminate the wine.

Mastrap · Dec 25, 2007, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by yakkiebah

In his toolbox? Hmm, i dunno but it sounds like they have been lying on their sides. If so then the whisky had lot's of time to interact with the cork

Don't all whiskies come in screw top bottles? As far as I know, cork tops are generally unsuited for liquor with a high alcohol content.

nonhuman · Dec 25, 2007, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Mastrap

Don't all whiskies come in screw top bottles? As far as I know, cork tops are generally unsuited for liquor with a high alcohol content.

In my experience it's only the low-end whiskies that have screw top bottles. The nicer ones are always corked.

abbaZaba · Dec 25, 2007, 06:09 PM

when I first saw the title of this thread, I thought it was about Scotch tape.