Neutral Party Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 "IT" is almost here. I noticed in some other thread that the subject of single malt Scotch came up. This reminded me of some advice that Ron Alderdice gave me after (naturally) he had ritually disemboweled my troops. His advice was basically to have a nice big Scotch to calm the nerves before battle. In my sad and pathetic little life I have pondered long and hard over this very question. What is the "perfect" Combat Mission "hit"? Ideally one requires something that takes the edge off the fear but provides an element of warrior spirit? Here are my suggestions in stream-of-consciousness order: 1. Lagavulin malt whisky - 16YO excellent Islay malt - hint of phenol but not so much as Laphroaig - peaty - gets you drunk - what more do you want? 2. Bombay Sapphire London dry gin - mucho ice + large slice of lime. C'est tres bien. However don't forget Cork dry gin - possibly even better - both are absolutely delicious and far too good for the likes of YOU. 3. Stolichnaya vodka - straight from the freezer - who cares! dosvidanya Mockba 4. Afghanistan black - suck in in blow it out and say a little prayer for Taliban. Still here? I hereby challenge YOU to battle (Ron if you're reading this be gentle with me man). Don't forget to drink large quantities of alcoholic beverages before accepting said challenge. -end-of-message- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Wow, this board never fails. A thread about scotch with a mention of Laphroaig. Talisker, anyone? Would you like something even more controversial? OK: 2 ozs. of Johnny Walker Black will improve your groups with a revolver. NO MORE. 2 ozs. And for snobs, it's mostly Lagavulin anyway. Bombay is a tad perfumey for me, though I quaff it gladly. But the Dutch invented genever, and I'll take a Bokma anyday. Love that stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formerly Babra Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Lagavulin for the peat. Glenmorangie for a smooth ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 I have pondered long and hard as well and am usually brought back to a saying by the Persian poet Omar Khayyam which goes 'Wine, women and song'. It expresses the spirit and elan superbly for a demanding game of CM against a worthy opponent, and win or lose, you are a worthy opponent Joe, I accept your challenge. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott C Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 For sheer naming style, no other scotch can compete with: Old Sheep Dip! ------------------ Questions, comments, arguments, refutations, criticisms, and/or sea stories? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfinder Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 uhmmmm...sheep dip... with or without them sheeps??? ------------------ unca pathy will show ya the path, if only he could find it himself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 A 30" Louisville Slugger. ------------------ "I for one, am pretty damn close to Genius"--Ol' Blood & Maximus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Top shelf Tequilas are my favorite sipping drink for battle. Some would say that the reserve Tequilas are very Scotch like. Patron is a favorite for me. But when I can cough up the money I'll get a bottle of "Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia" It's incredible. And please, don't confuse it with that other crap they make, the regular Jose Cuervo Gold. Blech. Mmmm...wish I had some now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffRaider Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Glen Fiddich is my poison of choice. Anything less would be uncivilized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
von Lucke Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Always thought it somewhat uneven that the Brits would give their Paras a shot of whiskey before a combat jump, and all US troopers got was a candy bar! Where's the justice in that, I ask you? Maker's Mark --- Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey old-style sour mash --- will do just fine by me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrapGame Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Wow, what a great thread. I am relatively new to the world of drinking Scotch, so this is a fantastic learning experience. The old lady is gonna be Pissed when she sees the cost of this trip to the liquor store. Neutral Party, I am a fan of Sapphire myself. If you like it, I highly recommend the Tanqueray "ten" gin as well. It is very smooth and has a nice flavor that I can't put my hands on (maybe a slight citrus). Good stuff. Lagavulin Single Malt? I have never heard of this. Is this how it is spelled? I think I will have to pick some up to try. Mark IV, have you ever tried the Johnny Walker Blue Label? Outstanding, but I have never found it anywhere other than at the duty free shop on the Canadian US border. It puts the black label to shame. Formerly Babra, Glenmorangie - how does this compare with Glenlivet? I see you have also tried the Lagavulin - any thoughts? JeffRaider - Anything you can compare the Glen Fiddich with? Von Lucke - I was a sour mash man myself before I turned to Scotch. Maker's Mark is top notch. Have you ever tried the Knob Creek or Bookers? I'm getting thirsty. Too bad it's 9:00 in the morning. ------------------ CrapGame out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formerly Babra Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CrapGame: Babra, Glenmorangie - how does this compare with Glenlivet? I see you have also tried the Lagavulin - any thoughts? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Lagavulin is fabulous stuff. It will light a fire in your gullet and keep it stoked all day. Lag is my poison of choice for outdoorsy activities and after any meal involving a tasty dead animal. Can't say I have a clear recollection of what Glenlivet tastes like, so I won't make any comparisons, but Glenmorangie is silky smooth with a rich flavour. Very nice for company and before bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrapGame Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Formerly Babra, Outstanding. I guess maybe today won't be so bad even without the game in my hands. Thanks. ------------------ CrapGame out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Crapgame, Glenmorangie - any variety (and there are lots) is good, although for price-taste ratio, I'd go for the basic stuff. Lagavulin, excellent, again it does not matter how old it is. Talisker, from Skye, another excellent Whisky, a bit stronger at 47% and a very distinct flavour of seaweed and peat. One of my all-time favourites. A friend of mine who had never before had whisky, but had visited the Isle of Skye, before seeing the label said that it tasted like the water on Skye. Laphroaig - not for the fain-hearted. This is strong flavoured stuff. It really grows on you though. The first sip I had I wanted to spit out, it tasted almost foul. But the finish... Glenlivet - run of the mill stuff, not smooth enough for my taste. Glenfiddich - run of the mill, not smooth, I would not serve it to a dog, and I don't like dogs. (word of caution, I never tried the 'premium' varieties of GF, but I see no reason to do so, the Japanese and Asians will keep them in business) Bowmore, another Skye whisky, very drinkable. As you might have noticed, I am a bit of a fan of the Highland & Island varieties. Sell the Lowland stuff to the Japanese, for all I care. Orkney Park, the first one I really loved. It pales in comparison to some of those higher up on the list, but still is very good. I visited the distillery, and we were shown around by a girl with completely baffling English (not Scots). Funny language on the Orkneys. A friend of mine swears on Scapa, another Orkney Whisky, relatively young distillery. The Macallan, a very popular and very drinkable Whisky. I suggest you get a copy of Michael Jackson's 'Malt Whisky Guide' (or something along those lines). It is very informative, and no, it is not the Michael Jackson. Hmmm, CM and Whisky. What a combination. ------------------ Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Oberst Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Stoly Cristal, straight from the freezer. So cold it pours like maple syrup. Mmmmmm mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColumbusOHGamer Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Definately Macallan. 18yr. used to be the best bargain, but it went from $60 to $95 about a month ago. I still drink it, just less of it. Dalmore(sp?) is a good (not fabulous), but much cheaper. Good value for the $. Glenmorangie is over rated. Too much $ for the taste. For a blended scotch & rocks when out on a Friday/Saturday night, we stick to DeWar's. Goes down smooth with no nasty morning-after effects. And doesn't break the bank either. COG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfinder Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 welp, da path just like his 'shine...right outta the Mason jar after it been in the crik overnite.... ------------------ unca pathy will show ya the path, if only he could find it himself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS_PanzerLeader Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Uggh Scotchis some NAAAAASTY stuff Id rather have some Stoli, Absolute, Capt Morgan or some Good Brit beer or Cider ------------------ SS_PanzerLeader.......out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrapGame Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Andreas, After a nice lesson like your last post, I don't think I'll need to buy the guide. You just gave me a number of good ideas. Thanks a bunch. I just finished a bottle of the Glenmorangie Port Wood finish I believe. Nice rose color, I thought it was rather tasty. Thanks everyone for the advice, since CM is not here, I'm going to the liquor store. ------------------ CrapGame out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CrapGame: Andreas, After a nice lesson like your last post, I don't think I'll need to buy the guide. You just gave me a number of good ideas. Thanks a bunch. I just finished a bottle of the Glenmorangie Port Wood finish I believe. Nice rose color, I thought it was rather tasty. Thanks everyone for the advice, since CM is not here, I'm going to the liquor store. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> CG, you're most welcome. Have on on me. I have to give that Port Wood a try at some point. SS_PL - Single Malt is generally accepted to be an acquired taste. Your wallet will thank you if you don't acquire it. A friend of mine once described a sip of really good stuff as 'Cat Piss'. Needless to say, the next time she got served tab water. On the topic of actually drinking the stuff, opinions vary greatly. I prefer it straight, or with one or two drops of still mineral water. I find adding ice or soda to be a barbarous act worthy of immediate disembowelment. In Japan, Whisky is often consumed as 'Mizu-Wari', with 8 parts water and one part Whisky. And you wonder why I did not like it there... Has anyone here ever had decent Irish Whiskey? (Note the 'e') I had one, but I have no clue about who produced it. My brother got it as a present for me, and it was a non-branded single-malt. Very smooth. Irish Whiskey is distilled four times, methinks and there are claims it is generally smoother thanks to that. I on't think so, but then again, that's just me. One good use for the cheapo trashy stuff (e.g. Johnny Walkeror any Irish Whiskey) is 'Hot Whiskey', an Irish recipe. Take Whiskey, hot water (let it cool down a bit after boiling), cane sugar, a slice of lemon, and cloves. Guaranteed to knock you out fast, full of goodies (Vitamin C), known to cure all ailments, or at least, in sufficient dose, make you forget about them, and generally a very advisable drink in winter, seeing the quality of housing insulation in the UK and Eire. I survived a cold Irish winter in student accommodation thanks to that stuff. I shut up now. Maybe I should go and get a bottle... ------------------ Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurtz Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 A quote from Samuel Johnson seems to be appropriate: "Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy." ------------------ Four things greater than all things are; - women and horses an power and war. - Kipling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 There are reasons for blending that go well beyond cost. The blender tries to achieve a subtle balance of flavors and smoothness. Johnny Walker Black is a tribute to the blender's art, and more drinkable than many single malts. Dewar's is another, though it's too light for me (I think Oban is one of the main ingredients). I have tried the JW Blue but no way is it worth the money, IMO. And money matters. I am not a casual scotch drinker; I don't drink much beer, so scotch is a serious thing, like CM. Applying "cheapo, trashy" to Johnny Walker Black is like saying only real-time wargames are valid. Now, the Red is best served in coffee, for fishing, or after a fair amount of the Black. But the Black is a fine whisky and fit to take its place in the Pantheon of noble spirits. I have forgiven the UK much for producing it. Be kind to it, Germanboy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiftymicrolitres Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 I have the following sitting 4 feet away from me: -Laphroaig (love the smokiness) -Talisker distiller's edition (16 yr old) -Bowmore -Cardhu (a bit light for my taste) -Lagavulin (almost empty) -Balvenie They're all single malts, which I think the epitomy of the distiller's art. However, there are a few blends that I like, such as Teacher's Cream or Black and White. But, I specifically like them for the smoke attributes. How consumed? Straight up in a brandy snifter. I also have a bottle of Bookers single barrel bourbon, but at 63% abv, I found it conducive to extreme heartburn. Although it did have some serious vanilla, port and currant overtones. One of these days I'm gonna get me a 25 yr old bottle of Macallan's. 5m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mark IV: There are reasons for blending that go well beyond cost. The blender tries to achieve a subtle balance of flavors and smoothness. Johnny Walker Black is a tribute to the blender's art, and more drinkable than many single malts. Dewar's is another, though it's too light for me (I think Oban is one of the main ingredients). I have tried the JW Blue but no way is it worth the money, IMO. And money matters. I am not a casual scotch drinker; I don't drink much beer, so scotch is a serious thing, like CM. Applying "cheapo, trashy" to Johnny Walker Black is like saying only real-time wargames are valid. Now, the Red is best served in coffee, for fishing, or after a fair amount of the Black. But the Black is a fine whisky and fit to take its place in the Pantheon of noble spirits. I have forgiven the UK much for producing it. Be kind to it, Germanboy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hmm, I haven't tried the black label, so my comment was aimed at the red. I have heard that said about blending before, but somehow don't trust it. I know that is irrational though. With the prices in the UK, maybe I should give it a try. When I was much younger, I quite liked 'The famous grouse' (IIRC), but I went off it as soon as I discovered decent single-malts (started on Talisker). So maybe I should give the Black Label a try. ------------------ Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark IV Posted June 17, 2000 Share Posted June 17, 2000 Sounds like you and 50ml both go for the smokeys. Johnny Black should be right up your alley. If your experience with blends is "Famous Grouse" you are in for a treat. The Grouse was highly recommended to me (could only get it at duty-free back then) and I was disappointed. I would rather sip the Lagavulin, Talisker, or Laphroiag, to be sure, but due to cost I reserve them for special occasions and nights out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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