If you are a Scotchdrinker
12-23-2009, 12:55 PM
#31
I just picked up, among some other things, a nice little gift set of Johnny Walker. Red, Black, Gold and Blue for $65. Not full size mind you. Just the blue shorty is normally that much.
I also picked up some Glen Garioch 8 and 15 and tried them with the 10. 10 has been my favorite for some time but the 8 was excellent, great value. The 15 was nectar. No burn until it is down the hatch, then warm and wonderful. We are going to try the 21 soon. Can't wait.
I also picked up some Glen Garioch 8 and 15 and tried them with the 10. 10 has been my favorite for some time but the 8 was excellent, great value. The 15 was nectar. No burn until it is down the hatch, then warm and wonderful. We are going to try the 21 soon. Can't wait.
12-23-2009, 03:42 PM
#33
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I have a story for all the Highland Park drinkers. Pour yourself a wee glass and read on...
I used to work with a creative agency which handled the global marketing for the Highland Park distillery on the Orkney Islands - it's the Northern-most Scottish whiskey distillery in the World. Next stop north is the Arctic Circle.
I was invited to spend three days on the Orkney Islands a few years ago. The idea being the distillery workers would immerse us in the brand and their culture - sampling the whiskies, discovering how they are made, meeting the people who have worked for generations at the distillery, seeing where the peat is dug, the spring where the water is taken from, and visiting the many ancient sites around the islands which were discovered and actually owned by the Vikings until relatively recently.
One night we were invited to attend a traditional multiple course meal at a local hotel. Each course was accompanied by a Highland Park Single Malt of varying ages. The food was fantastic and the whiskey was flowing very nicely.
At the end of the evening about fifteen of us climbed aboard the bus to take us across the island to our hotel. It was a very cold and dark night - there is no light polution on the Orkney Islands. The sky is very, very black and the stars are very clear and bright.
As we travelled through the total darkness one of the elderly distillery workers stood up at the front of the bus and began telling us an ancient tale. In his broad local accent he spoke about a group of Vikings who were travelling one night across the island. It was a very cold night and they were desperately searching for a place to shelter until the morning.
As they came over the crest of a hill they could see lights in the distance. They were hoping it was their village and they would finally find themselves safe and warm once more.
As the old distillery worker told us the story the bus suddenly stopped. The driver turned-off the interior lighting and the old guy shouted, "Look! Look outside! There are lights!". We all peered into the darkness and he was right. There was what looked like old oil lamps being waved from side to side in the darkness.
Suddenly the bus doors opened, the cold wind blew in and the old guy ran outside. "Follow me!" he shouted.
We all left the bus and as our eyes grew used to the darkness we could make out large silhouetted shapes all around us. We walked towards the lights and discovered they were being held by all the distillery workers we had met on our visit. We were guided to a very large oak dining table which was very surreally placed on the side of a hill in the middle of nowhere. On the table were glasses filled with a very old 1964 Highland Park whiskey.
As we all shared a warming drink and toasted, “Skol!” the traditional Viking version of cheers, we found we could eventually make out what the shapes were all around us. The thirty of us were drinking whiskey, at 1am, in the cold and dark, standing around a 12ft diameter oak dining table in the centre of the 4000 year old Ring of Brodgar, a huge Neolithic stone circle dominating the west mainland of the main Orkney Island.
To this day my favourite whiskey is Highland Park … and probably always will be. I feel I have very special memories of it’s birthplace.
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I used to work with a creative agency which handled the global marketing for the Highland Park distillery on the Orkney Islands - it's the Northern-most Scottish whiskey distillery in the World. Next stop north is the Arctic Circle.
I was invited to spend three days on the Orkney Islands a few years ago. The idea being the distillery workers would immerse us in the brand and their culture - sampling the whiskies, discovering how they are made, meeting the people who have worked for generations at the distillery, seeing where the peat is dug, the spring where the water is taken from, and visiting the many ancient sites around the islands which were discovered and actually owned by the Vikings until relatively recently.
One night we were invited to attend a traditional multiple course meal at a local hotel. Each course was accompanied by a Highland Park Single Malt of varying ages. The food was fantastic and the whiskey was flowing very nicely.
At the end of the evening about fifteen of us climbed aboard the bus to take us across the island to our hotel. It was a very cold and dark night - there is no light polution on the Orkney Islands. The sky is very, very black and the stars are very clear and bright.
As we travelled through the total darkness one of the elderly distillery workers stood up at the front of the bus and began telling us an ancient tale. In his broad local accent he spoke about a group of Vikings who were travelling one night across the island. It was a very cold night and they were desperately searching for a place to shelter until the morning.
As they came over the crest of a hill they could see lights in the distance. They were hoping it was their village and they would finally find themselves safe and warm once more.
As the old distillery worker told us the story the bus suddenly stopped. The driver turned-off the interior lighting and the old guy shouted, "Look! Look outside! There are lights!". We all peered into the darkness and he was right. There was what looked like old oil lamps being waved from side to side in the darkness.
Suddenly the bus doors opened, the cold wind blew in and the old guy ran outside. "Follow me!" he shouted.
We all left the bus and as our eyes grew used to the darkness we could make out large silhouetted shapes all around us. We walked towards the lights and discovered they were being held by all the distillery workers we had met on our visit. We were guided to a very large oak dining table which was very surreally placed on the side of a hill in the middle of nowhere. On the table were glasses filled with a very old 1964 Highland Park whiskey.
As we all shared a warming drink and toasted, “Skol!” the traditional Viking version of cheers, we found we could eventually make out what the shapes were all around us. The thirty of us were drinking whiskey, at 1am, in the cold and dark, standing around a 12ft diameter oak dining table in the centre of the 4000 year old Ring of Brodgar, a huge Neolithic stone circle dominating the west mainland of the main Orkney Island.
To this day my favourite whiskey is Highland Park … and probably always will be. I feel I have very special memories of it’s birthplace.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
12-23-2009, 04:35 PM
#35
Professor of Pending Projects
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Pretty cool video.
I am not a hard licor drinker... but I have tried the blue and to be honest, I don't like it... really not into wisky.
I do have to say, the other day a friend gave me some A. De Fussigny Extra cognac and that thing was sooooo smooth! Very nice indeed.
Still, I will stick with my cabs. And let the real men drink the wisky, lol.
I am not a hard licor drinker... but I have tried the blue and to be honest, I don't like it... really not into wisky.
I do have to say, the other day a friend gave me some A. De Fussigny Extra cognac and that thing was sooooo smooth! Very nice indeed.
Still, I will stick with my cabs. And let the real men drink the wisky, lol.
12-23-2009, 07:13 PM
#38
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Nice story Rich, I just picked up my first bottle of Highland Park after it was recommended in this thread. I can unequivocally recommend it.
Wachuko, Scotch is an acquired taste, my golfing buddy while I was in the USAF was an avid scotch drinker. He drank Dewars White Label, and I would have a glass or two as well with him. Although it tasted like dirt, I soon started to really appreciate the taste (And in regards to Dewars, I use the word "taste" loosely) I was 19. If your interested in acquiring the taste I would suggest buying yourself a bottle of Glenmoraing (sp?) or Glenlivet, or Chevas, pour about 1 finger in a rocks glass and top with soda water. Pretty soon you might start to appreciate the subtle tastes and gradually increase the level of whisky.
Or enjoy your favorite cab!!!
Wachuko, Scotch is an acquired taste, my golfing buddy while I was in the USAF was an avid scotch drinker. He drank Dewars White Label, and I would have a glass or two as well with him. Although it tasted like dirt, I soon started to really appreciate the taste (And in regards to Dewars, I use the word "taste" loosely) I was 19. If your interested in acquiring the taste I would suggest buying yourself a bottle of Glenmoraing (sp?) or Glenlivet, or Chevas, pour about 1 finger in a rocks glass and top with soda water. Pretty soon you might start to appreciate the subtle tastes and gradually increase the level of whisky.
Or enjoy your favorite cab!!!
12-23-2009, 08:31 PM
#39
Drifting
Thanks for telling, Rick.
In my teens, I never cared for it. Then a buddy and I went on a spring skiing trip to Whistler and found out there was no liquor store open (this was a long time ago). The only alcohol we had was his mickey of scotch, which he kindly shared with me, and which, in the circumstances, tasted mighty fine.
Scotch is an acquired taste...941MXVET
12-23-2009, 11:53 PM
#40
Drifting
...just picked up my first bottle of Highland Park...941MXVET
This is a very nice Scotch.
I'm going to print that account...mojo
12-24-2009, 11:41 AM
#41
Professor of Pending Projects
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...Wachuko, Scotch is an acquired taste, my golfing buddy while I was in the USAF was an avid scotch drinker. He drank Dewars White Label, and I would have a glass or two as well with him. Although it tasted like dirt, I soon started to really appreciate the taste (And in regards to Dewars, I use the word "taste" loosely) I was 19. If your interested in acquiring the taste I would suggest buying yourself a bottle of Glenmoraing (sp?) or Glenlivet, or Chevas, pour about 1 finger in a rocks glass and top with soda water. Pretty soon you might start to appreciate the subtle tastes and gradually increase the level of whisky.
Or enjoy your favorite cab!!!
Or enjoy your favorite cab!!!
But man! That cognac, A. de Fussigny Extra Cognac , I had was gooooooooood... Not sure how it ranks, and it was the first cognac I ever had but I can see myself trying a few more...
What is the difference between whisky (or whiskey) and Cognac?
Whisk(e)y is made from grain (generally barley, but other grains may be used, such as corn of wheat) while Cognac (and Armagnac) is produced from grapes.
The fabrication process is however similar: all the art consists of extracting sugar and transforming it into alcohol.
Cheers!!
12-25-2009, 12:58 PM
#42
I have a few Chivas Regal bottles here, along with some JW Green and Blue, but that is for when we have friends over that drink it... I have tried it, with and without 7-Up, straight and over ice... now and when I was in college... so my taste buds are just not there.
But man! That cognac, A. de Fussigny Extra Cognac , I had was gooooooooood... Not sure how it ranks, and it was the first cognac I ever had but I can see myself trying a few more...
What is the difference between whisky (or whiskey) and Cognac?
Whisk(e)y is made from grain (generally barley, but other grains may be used, such as corn of wheat) while Cognac (and Armagnac) is produced from grapes.
The fabrication process is however similar: all the art consists of extracting sugar and transforming it into alcohol.
Cheers!!
But man! That cognac, A. de Fussigny Extra Cognac , I had was gooooooooood... Not sure how it ranks, and it was the first cognac I ever had but I can see myself trying a few more...
What is the difference between whisky (or whiskey) and Cognac?
Whisk(e)y is made from grain (generally barley, but other grains may be used, such as corn of wheat) while Cognac (and Armagnac) is produced from grapes.
The fabrication process is however similar: all the art consists of extracting sugar and transforming it into alcohol.
Cheers!!
Now, I could stand to learn a few things about cognac.
12-26-2009, 01:25 PM
#43
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I will keep an eye out while in our local liquer stores for a bottle.
12-27-2009, 06:07 PM
#45
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Good video (and I like Robert Carlyle) - most interesting however that the dialogue mentions Kilmarnock at the begining but fails to mention they plan on closing the whole operation down and thus make so many workers redundant.
Johnnie Walker used to be the heart of town and now the suits are moving it away - very angry about that (and yes I originally come from Kilmarnock)
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle6689359.ece
Anyway if you guys like Highland Park I really suggest you try out Bunnahabhain - very very nice!
http://www.bunnahabhain.com/index.php
http://www.scotchwhisky.net/malt/bunnahabhain.htm
Johnnie Walker used to be the heart of town and now the suits are moving it away - very angry about that (and yes I originally come from Kilmarnock)
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle6689359.ece
Anyway if you guys like Highland Park I really suggest you try out Bunnahabhain - very very nice!
http://www.bunnahabhain.com/index.php
http://www.scotchwhisky.net/malt/bunnahabhain.htm