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Post by julesd68 on Dec 22, 2018 19:28:03 GMT
Berry Bros are one of the oldest established wine merchants in the country Paul, an extremely reputable firm!
Not tried their whisky before but been aware of them for years from my wine dealings. Tried it this evening ...
Very enticing caramel on the nose and then delivers on the palate with dark fruits, raisins and rich toffee with a dash of chocolate orange … lingering spicy finish with just a hint of peat.
Outrageously good at the price point now (£32 Amazon Prime) and to think I paid 24 quid for this. An absolute steal if you enjoy the sherried style as I do. Considerably better than the last batch of Aberlour A’Bunadh I had and under half the price …
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Post by Slinger on Dec 22, 2018 20:45:04 GMT
Yes, now that you say that I can make the wine connection, I just wouldn't have linked them with Whisky. Ah well, one lives and learns. I'll just have to suffer and put up with my Quinta Ruban.  |
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Post by MartinT on Dec 22, 2018 21:23:44 GMT
Sherry or Port casked whiskey is supposed to be the best.
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Post by julesd68 on Dec 23, 2018 13:05:21 GMT
I don't think you can say one is better than the other - very much a matter of personal taste I think ...
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Post by Clive on Dec 23, 2018 15:15:55 GMT
In terms of heavy Sherry finish I have two bottles on the go currently. Glen Drondronach 15 The Revival and their 18 Allardice both from Pedro Ximenez barrels. Wonderful compliments to mince pies and an open fire.
I've also a Brandy finish Deaston open. Hmmm, sounding quite boozy.
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Post by Slinger on Dec 23, 2018 16:16:55 GMT
With Glenmorangie, both the Quinta Ruban and the Lasanta spend 10 years in white oak ex-bourbon casks and then the Lasanta gets another 2 years in Sherry casks while the Quinta spends its final 2 years in port pipes. For something a little different, I can also recommend their Nectar d'Or, which is another 12-year-old and is finished in Sauternes casks.
I tried their "A Midwinter Night's Dram," a couple of years ago and was a tad disappointed. I didn't think it was anything special, maybe it was just a gimmick. If it was, it worked, because I bought a bottle.
I'm back on the Quinta again this year, and I'm a Port lover, so it's a match made in some sort of reprobate's heaven. Much like me, it is also noted for being "Sweet and thick."
Off the subject of whisky for a moment, I'm experimenting (this is the bloke who's virtually given up drinking by the way) with a couple of liqueurs this year. I've bought a bottle of Frangelico., which is a hazelnut-based liqueur, and a bottle of Bols Elderflower liqueur, which sort of speaks for itself. I've been using Bottlegreen elderflower cordial in my G&T for years, long before it became "popular" in fact, so I thought I'd up the ante and add the same flavour but increase the alcohol content. I may try it with the Rhubarb & Ginger gin and the Quince gin that I bought back in May and have hardly touched.
The Frangelico I'm going to try mixed with either Tia Maria or Kahlúa. I'm thinking alcoholic Nutella. I've also bought a bottle of something called "The King's Ginger" which was an impulse buy. Oh, and I've got a bottle of Drambuie, obviously, for those times when only a Rusty Nail will do.
Really, I don't drink much these days, and in all seriousness, the majority of that little lot will see me not only up to but probably well past (except the bottle of vintage Port I haven't mentioned) next Christmas. It's nice to be able to offer guests something a bit different though, and it's good to know the stuff is there if I do fancy a drink.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 23, 2018 16:34:09 GMT
People keep buying me bottles of port, because I like the odd one. The latter means that I never even approach getting through half the bottle before receiving the next one. I currently have six bottles of port in the cupboard, four of which are unopened. I'll pour a little on the melon starter on Christmas day, but that's not going to help much.
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Post by julesd68 on Dec 23, 2018 16:34:54 GMT
I used to absolutely love a good tawny port - not had it for a few years now as overdosed on it one Xmas!!
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 24, 2018 10:46:10 GMT
In about 1996 I bought Mischa a special bottle of vintage Port for a Christmas present - a 1975 Delaforce. She's thinking about cracking it open on Boxing Day this year.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 24, 2018 10:52:29 GMT
I hope it's ok, Chris. I've found that port can last well or get completely corked and with bits floating everywhere. Give it a go and enjoy!
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Post by MartinT on Dec 24, 2018 10:53:50 GMT
...back to whisky, I had another two fingers of the Ben Nevis single malt that my son bought me last Christmas and it's still one of the nicest, smoothest, whiskies I have.
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Post by Clive on Dec 24, 2018 11:11:55 GMT
But which way up were the fingers Martin, horizontal or vertical? 🍺
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Post by MartinT on Dec 24, 2018 11:15:41 GMT
Hah! That would be telling (hic)...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 10:11:48 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 10:22:15 GMT
Visit to Springbank Distillery, Campbeltown, Kintyre.
We had a few days in Argyle last week and, on Saturday we took the opportunity to visit Campbeltown for, among other things, a distillery tour. In fact, it turned out to be tours of two distilleries. Campbeltown used to have over thirty different distilleries, which eventually dwindled to just two - apparently the US prohibition laws saw the death of most of them. It was always known as a distinct whisky region but the rules to qualify as a region were standardised and it was agreed that a region should have a minimum of three distilleries within it. The owners of the Springbank company weren't having any of that, so they bought the disused buildings of a former competitor, who just happened to be almost next door and blinkin' well built another one! So making up the required number of businesses and preserving Campbeltown's whiskey region status. ( Please excuse the strange perspective of some of the photos below - I was messing about with a new ultra wide-angle lens)  Springbank whisky is pretty unique in that every step of the process, from malting every last grain of the barley to the final bottling is carried out in-house. All of the others contract out at least one function to someone else. There are three single malt lines made here: Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn (medium peated, heavy peated and non-peated respectively).  J & A Mitchell & Company, the owners, also own the Glengyle Distillery (the one next door), a company called William Cadenhead (the oldest independent bottler), several blended scotch labels as well as a Gin manufacturing subsidiary.     Through the hole in the wall to the Glengyle Distillery, where Kilkerran whisky is produced...  After the tours there was, of course, a sampling session and some freebie minatures to take with us. Then we walked down to the whisky shop in town and bought a bottle of the stuff straight from the cask. HM Customs and Excise won't allow them to call this product whisky because it hasn't been bottled. Still, it looks like whisky, smells like whisky and tastes like it too, so that's OK.  It's....erm...rather strong too!  Cool post - thanks for the pictures. I rate Springbank highly. If you haven’t tried it, their Kilkerran 12 is one of the best value whiskies available today, it’s the best $100 bottle of whisky I’ve tried in Australia. |
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Post by ChrisB on Jan 22, 2019 14:18:27 GMT
It is good, isn't it?
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Post by MartinT on Jan 22, 2019 14:54:23 GMT
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Post by julesd68 on Jan 22, 2019 16:14:16 GMT
Hmm - this has reminded me that I am running rather low on supplies - the BBR sherried malt has been fabulous and will be coming back to it for sure.
I would quite happily always have some handy!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 20:43:42 GMT
Ben Bevis is on my to do list; has anyone tried indie bottlings of that brand?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2019 20:45:29 GMT
Hmm - this has reminded me that I am running rather low on supplies - the BBR sherried malt has been fabulous and will be coming back to it for sure. I would quite happily always have some handy! I might have to give it a shot; especially after your abun’dah comparison - thanks for the heads up. |
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