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Author Topic: Whiskey  (Read 181008 times)

Offline fredthecat

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1350 on: February 01, 2023, 02:35:15 pm »
just fyi, especially for mdixon. i do read this thread, and appreciate it if simply for the edification and descriptions. i love whiskey but almost never buy it anymore, i have to avoid spirits. but for the rare occasion i get a bottle its a good resource to check for me.

Offline jeffy

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1351 on: February 01, 2023, 02:48:19 pm »
just fyi, especially for mdixon. i do read this thread, and appreciate it if simply for the edification and descriptions. i love whiskey but almost never buy it anymore, i have to avoid spirits. but for the rare occasion i get a bottle its a good resource to check for me.
I also look at this thread for references even if I don't contribute much.
By the way our new favorite gin is Barr Hill.  It's great straight up with a twist.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline HopDen

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1352 on: February 01, 2023, 02:58:23 pm »
just fyi, especially for mdixon. i do read this thread, and appreciate it if simply for the edification and descriptions. i love whiskey but almost never buy it anymore, i have to avoid spirits. but for the rare occasion i get a bottle its a good resource to check for me.
I also look at this thread for references even if I don't contribute much.
By the way our new favorite gin is Barr Hill.  It's great straight up with a twist.

I haven't had a taste of gin since 1982 whilst in Chicago. My first and last taste. I can't say that it was good, great or horrible at this point but something kept me from trying it again. With that said, what are considered to be great gins? I may have to take another go at it!

Offline jeffy

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1353 on: February 01, 2023, 03:16:50 pm »
just fyi, especially for mdixon. i do read this thread, and appreciate it if simply for the edification and descriptions. i love whiskey but almost never buy it anymore, i have to avoid spirits. but for the rare occasion i get a bottle its a good resource to check for me.
I also look at this thread for references even if I don't contribute much.
By the way our new favorite gin is Barr Hill.  It's great straight up with a twist.

I haven't had a taste of gin since 1982 whilst in Chicago. My first and last taste. I can't say that it was good, great or horrible at this point but something kept me from trying it again. With that said, what are considered to be great gins? I may have to take another go at it!
It kind of depends on what flavors you prefer.  Here’s a link to a map or matrix https://cwginjoint.com/the-gin-matrix/
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline MDixon

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1354 on: February 01, 2023, 03:22:55 pm »
Gin is not my thing, but my wife loves it. What she doesn't care for is the straight up London Dry Gin.

Some of the ones she likes are:
Hendrick's (standard, Orbium, Solstice, Neptunia, and Lunar)
Roku
Conniption Navy Strength

Some we have, but she hasn't tried yet, and therefore I haven't tasted:
Botanist
Bowling & Burch
Drumshanbo
Monkey 47

There may be a few others. I really like the Conniption Navy Strength and the Roku and could sip either.

It's not a popularity contest, it's beer!

Offline HopDen

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1355 on: February 01, 2023, 03:30:05 pm »
just fyi, especially for mdixon. i do read this thread, and appreciate it if simply for the edification and descriptions. i love whiskey but almost never buy it anymore, i have to avoid spirits. but for the rare occasion i get a bottle its a good resource to check for me.
I also look at this thread for references even if I don't contribute much.
By the way our new favorite gin is Barr Hill.  It's great straight up with a twist.

I haven't had a taste of gin since 1982 whilst in Chicago. My first and last taste. I can't say that it was good, great or horrible at this point but something kept me from trying it again. With that said, what are considered to be great gins? I may have to take another go at it!
It kind of depends on what flavors you prefer.  Here’s a link to a map or matrix https://cwginjoint.com/the-gin-matrix/

Hey, thanks for the link. I will check that out!

Offline HopDen

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1356 on: February 01, 2023, 03:35:42 pm »
Gin is not my thing, but my wife loves it. What she doesn't care for is the straight up London Dry Gin.

Some of the ones she likes are:
Hendrick's (standard, Orbium, Solstice, Neptunia, and Lunar)
Roku
Conniption Navy Strength

Some we have, but she hasn't tried yet, and therefore I haven't tasted:
Botanist
Bowling & Burch
Drumshanbo
Monkey 47

There may be a few others. I really like the Conniption Navy Strength and the Roku and could sip either.

Thanks for the choices. I am a bourbon and scotch drinker myself.  My palate gravitates towards those flavor compounds of whiskey and the closer it gets to Friday the more gravitating my tastebuds do.

Offline MDixon

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1357 on: February 01, 2023, 03:49:47 pm »
Connipton Navy Strength may be difficult to find in some states. It's won best American Navy Strength gin for the past 4 years. It really is good.
https://craftspiritsmag.com/2021/04/07/durham-distillerys-conniption-navy-strength-gin-named-best-in-u-s-at-world-gin-awards/

Here's their distribution:
https://durhamdistillery.com/pages/where-to-find
It's not a popularity contest, it's beer!

Offline Ron756

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1358 on: February 01, 2023, 07:37:02 pm »
Connipton Navy Strength may be difficult to find in some states. It's won best American Navy Strength gin for the past 4 years. It really is good.
https://craftspiritsmag.com/2021/04/07/durham-distillerys-conniption-navy-strength-gin-named-best-in-u-s-at-world-gin-awards/

Here's their distribution:
https://durhamdistillery.com/pages/where-to-find

Gin in my wife's preferred beverage, with tonic.  I generally keep Hendricks around for her.  I will be in Stateville, NC tomorrow and the ABC store there has the Connipton, I may have to pick her up a bottle.  30 years in the Navy and I never heard of "Navy strength" gin or rum. 

Offline fredthecat

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1359 on: February 02, 2023, 03:20:40 pm »
Connipton Navy Strength may be difficult to find in some states. It's won best American Navy Strength gin for the past 4 years. It really is good.
https://craftspiritsmag.com/2021/04/07/durham-distillerys-conniption-navy-strength-gin-named-best-in-u-s-at-world-gin-awards/

Here's their distribution:
https://durhamdistillery.com/pages/where-to-find

Gin in my wife's preferred beverage, with tonic.  I generally keep Hendricks around for her.  I will be in Stateville, NC tomorrow and the ABC store there has the Connipton, I may have to pick her up a bottle.  30 years in the Navy and I never heard of "Navy strength" gin or rum.

it just means 57% (though i think most of the "navy strength" rums are simply mid 50s or something, so that if it spills(er.. spilled) on cannon wicks they would still light properly. or at least thats the old tale.

baiju in china is generally 56/57%. im guessing historically it was the dilution level at which a flame was still detectable and so the quantity of ethanol in water could be known easily.

Offline erockrph

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1360 on: February 04, 2023, 09:33:05 am »
Gin is not my thing, but my wife loves it. What she doesn't care for is the straight up London Dry Gin.

Some of the ones she likes are:
Hendrick's (standard, Orbium, Solstice, Neptunia, and Lunar)
Roku
Conniption Navy Strength

Some we have, but she hasn't tried yet, and therefore I haven't tasted:
Botanist
Bowling & Burch
Drumshanbo
Monkey 47

There may be a few others. I really like the Conniption Navy Strength and the Roku and could sip either.

I dabble in gin, and rather enjoy it when I'm in the mood for it. I just can't get into Hendricks. Cucumber drinks don't do it for me. Roku is nice, but I always come back to Bombay Sapphire. That bright lemon peel note is right up my alley. And Tanq and tonic is a go-to cocktail for me.

I tried Empress Indigo gin on a whim, but it didn't do much for me flavor-wise. The color is awesome though. I mix it with homemade pompelmocello and a splash of lime bitters and it's a damn pretty cocktail.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline pete b

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1361 on: February 04, 2023, 05:32:55 pm »
I actually was going to suggest Bombay Saphire for the person who wasn’t sure if they like gin. It’s my go to, especially for G&T in summer. So smooth and easy but it still has the gin juniper/herbal/citrus complexity.
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Offline fredthecat

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1362 on: April 30, 2023, 09:14:26 pm »
canadian club is pissing me off.

have had 2x375ml bottles of CC 12 years old because its price point is cheap and the first one was admittedly simple but i felt it had a significant wood character. second bottle was incredibly meh, flabby, one dimensional pish.

stupidly bought canadian club rye the other day because i thought i'd heard a few years ago how CC rye blew some expectations away and was a solid rye whiskey at a good price point.

it's absolute crap lol. incredibly bland. i wont even get into it.

Offline erockrph

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1363 on: May 02, 2023, 07:55:57 am »
canadian club is pissing me off.

have had 2x375ml bottles of CC 12 years old because its price point is cheap and the first one was admittedly simple but i felt it had a significant wood character. second bottle was incredibly meh, flabby, one dimensional pish.

stupidly bought canadian club rye the other day because i thought i'd heard a few years ago how CC rye blew some expectations away and was a solid rye whiskey at a good price point.

it's absolute crap lol. incredibly bland. i wont even get into it.

I honestly haven't had it in years, but I have a soft spot for CC dating back to my (much) younger days. Back when I would sneak drinks from my parents' liquor cabinet, it was CC that made me realize that I enjoy whiskey more than most of the other stuff.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline MDixon

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Re: Whiskey
« Reply #1364 on: May 17, 2023, 07:13:48 am »
I bought the Benchmark lineup they recently released. All are good to outstanding with the exception of Single Barrel. The Single Barrel I picked up is terrible. So much so I am giving it away.
For the record the good Benchmarks are Small Batch, Top Floor, Bonded, and Full Proof. Some Single Barrel bottles might be good, but I'm unwilling to try it again.

Recently a RY3 Rum Cask was on closeout. I'd heard good things so I picked up a bottle. It's freakin terrible. Awful. Fusel. Blah. Giving that one away as well.

Another closeout was The Whistler Irish Honey. Oh my word was it sweet. Crazy sweet. Unbelievably sweet. Then later I actually read the label and it's a liqueur. I actually like a little of it as an end of night kind of palate cleanser/dessert. Anyway, it pays to actually read the label. I'm not going to part with it.

A final bottle I've not loved is Good Times Chocolate Cherry. A guy in a group made it with Good Times and was super excited. It's enough to bore your pants off and not worth the price of admission. I know folks who are Good Times fans, but I'm out unless someone wants to give me a pour.
It's not a popularity contest, it's beer!