Holy fudge! Went to a meeting of the Scotch Club of Ballantyne (Charlotte, NC) and the liquors we had were: Glenmorangie Campanta, Angel's Envy Bourbon, and the Laphroaig Triple Wood. The theme was "Unique Barrels." Man, the Triple Wood was crazy good! So smooth! Had a butteriness to it that was really wonderful. Not so much on the nose, but the taste and finish. Wow, this super highly recommended. Not as much complexity as some other whiskies, but an overall wonderfulness of the scotch that some other the other Islay scotches lack. Regardless, I will be picking up some Triple Wood TOMORROW! So freaking good... Cadellaw, this is my entry into Laphroaig, and man do I love it.cadeallaw wrote:Got Laphroaig Triple Wood for Father's Day...
World of Whiskey
Wow, Inspirational to the point of me going down stairs and pouring a glass for myself... Cheers! Glad that you enjoyed it.
I've been meaning to ask you cadeallaw...what do you think of the laphroaig 10 year cask strength? I've heard mixed reviews, but so far I haven't really enjoyed any of the barrel strength scotches that I've tried. I mean, they're pretty good when you water them down, but at that point I could just get the standard 10 year...
I'm a fan of it... However I'm in love with the standard 10 yr. If there was one thing that I could change about the standard 10 yr, I would make it somewhere in the 90-100 proof range. I will agree that I find the process of watering down my whiskey slightly annoying as i've definitely been the victim of over-watering (which pisses me off more than it probably should), However the Laphroaig Cask Strength is a nice way of bringing the ABV up on the standard 10 yr to my liking. But that is just me though... I'm sure most people add a drop or two of water to the standard 10 year, and if this is the case, then I would recommend just sticking with the standard 10 yr.mtarail wrote:I've been meaning to ask you cadeallaw...what do you think of the laphroaig 10 year cask strength? I've heard mixed reviews, but so far I haven't really enjoyed any of the barrel strength scotches that I've tried. I mean, they're pretty good when you water them down, but at that point I could just get the standard 10 year...
So in Sum: Get Laphroaig 10 year, and if you fall in love with it, maybe grab a bottle of the cask strength at some point
Fun Fact: Laphroaig Cask Strength isn't really much higher ABV than the Ardberg Corryveckan (which I also add a few drops of water to).
Ardbeg- Corryveckan: 114 proof
Laphroaig- 10 yr Cask strength: 115/116 proof
Laphroaig- 10 yr: 86 proof
Laphroaig Quarter Cask: 96 proof
Laphroaig Triple Wood: 96 proof
So I finally got around to comparing the 5 different Ardbegs I have:
Personal Ranking (based off subjective personal preference): Auriverdes (tied), Corryvreckan (tied), Ardbog, 10, Uigeadail
Quality Ranking (based off objective quality of each): Corryvreckan, Auriverdes, Uigeadail (tied), Ardbog (tied), 10
Note: These are somewhat arbitrary as they are all so good, it is really tough to distinguish honestly. The only ranking I feel confident about is saying that objectively the Corryvreckan is the best. Each has their own flavors and characteristics that vary from nose to taste to finish, and that makes each the right scotch depending on the occasion.
Cost: 10 ($45), Uigeadail ($60-70), Corryvreckan ($70-90), Ardbog ($100+), Auriverdes ($100+)
Light to Heavy (Scale 1 to 10): 10 (3), Auriverdes (4), Uigeadail (7), Ardbog (7.5), Corryvreckan (9.5)
Signature Characteristics ---> i.e. what separates each from the others
10: Vanilla and lighter citrus notes, far more simplistic
Uigeadail: Sherry and sweeter notes (but not as much taste)
Corryvreckan: Complex flavor-wise, uber-briny / salty, pepper, barbecue, brown sugar
Ardbog: More peat, less smoke, wet dampness
Auriverdes: Vanilla and honeyed bacon
Brand Characteristics ----> i.e. what separates Ardbeg from other brands of scotches
- Like all Ardbegs, there is substantial
1. SMOKE
2. PEAT
3. A medicinal quality missing from other Islay scotches
Also
- Far less fruitiness
- DRY
- Medicinal quality
Comments: The Auriverdes is really the true winner in my opinion. Distinctly Ardbeg, but able to accomplish what some of the others have failed at: remaining a lighter Islay while having some level of complexity and unique flavor. Corryvreckan is a BEAST, but it also is tough to casually drink - be prepared for a senses overload. Ardbog lives up to the name and embraces peat so if you are a true peathed, it is for you 100%. Uigeadail is honestly brilliant, but not quite as impressive as the Corry. A little sweet but not overly so. And the 10 is an amazing base, but lacks the diversity of the others.
Overall impressions: I understand why these scotches have been rated all over the board, particularly the Uigeadail and the Corry. I feel like these two are sort of mutually exclusive. But both are amazing in their own right, and deserving of the accoaldes. The Ardbog is more of an acquired taste. To me, the 10 is still the best buy for the quality per dollar comparison. But the overall winner to me is the Auriverdes - warm and inviting but not overly tough to drink, very easy to enjoy.
So if you are just getting into Ardbeg, a 10 is a great buy because of the price. I would also grab an Auriverdes if you can find it before it is gone. After those, if you want more, step up to the Ardbog and Uigeadail. The Oogie, as it is affectionately called, is a bit of a better deal at 60ish than the Ardbog. And finally, for the true Ardbeg fanboys, the Corryvreckan proves you are in for the long haul.
As you can tell, I am a huge fan, hope y'all enjoyed reading and try this amazing scotch.
Personal Ranking (based off subjective personal preference): Auriverdes (tied), Corryvreckan (tied), Ardbog, 10, Uigeadail
Quality Ranking (based off objective quality of each): Corryvreckan, Auriverdes, Uigeadail (tied), Ardbog (tied), 10
Note: These are somewhat arbitrary as they are all so good, it is really tough to distinguish honestly. The only ranking I feel confident about is saying that objectively the Corryvreckan is the best. Each has their own flavors and characteristics that vary from nose to taste to finish, and that makes each the right scotch depending on the occasion.
Cost: 10 ($45), Uigeadail ($60-70), Corryvreckan ($70-90), Ardbog ($100+), Auriverdes ($100+)
Light to Heavy (Scale 1 to 10): 10 (3), Auriverdes (4), Uigeadail (7), Ardbog (7.5), Corryvreckan (9.5)
Signature Characteristics ---> i.e. what separates each from the others
10: Vanilla and lighter citrus notes, far more simplistic
Uigeadail: Sherry and sweeter notes (but not as much taste)
Corryvreckan: Complex flavor-wise, uber-briny / salty, pepper, barbecue, brown sugar
Ardbog: More peat, less smoke, wet dampness
Auriverdes: Vanilla and honeyed bacon
Brand Characteristics ----> i.e. what separates Ardbeg from other brands of scotches
- Like all Ardbegs, there is substantial
1. SMOKE
2. PEAT
3. A medicinal quality missing from other Islay scotches
Also
- Far less fruitiness
- DRY
- Medicinal quality
Comments: The Auriverdes is really the true winner in my opinion. Distinctly Ardbeg, but able to accomplish what some of the others have failed at: remaining a lighter Islay while having some level of complexity and unique flavor. Corryvreckan is a BEAST, but it also is tough to casually drink - be prepared for a senses overload. Ardbog lives up to the name and embraces peat so if you are a true peathed, it is for you 100%. Uigeadail is honestly brilliant, but not quite as impressive as the Corry. A little sweet but not overly so. And the 10 is an amazing base, but lacks the diversity of the others.
Overall impressions: I understand why these scotches have been rated all over the board, particularly the Uigeadail and the Corry. I feel like these two are sort of mutually exclusive. But both are amazing in their own right, and deserving of the accoaldes. The Ardbog is more of an acquired taste. To me, the 10 is still the best buy for the quality per dollar comparison. But the overall winner to me is the Auriverdes - warm and inviting but not overly tough to drink, very easy to enjoy.
So if you are just getting into Ardbeg, a 10 is a great buy because of the price. I would also grab an Auriverdes if you can find it before it is gone. After those, if you want more, step up to the Ardbog and Uigeadail. The Oogie, as it is affectionately called, is a bit of a better deal at 60ish than the Ardbog. And finally, for the true Ardbeg fanboys, the Corryvreckan proves you are in for the long haul.
As you can tell, I am a huge fan, hope y'all enjoyed reading and try this amazing scotch.
Last edited by jrsheppa on Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Nice writeups...... Keep it up
Thanks for the info. I'm gonna grab a bottle or two over the weekend. Looks like the only Ardbegs besides the 10 that I can find in AZ are uigeadail and auriverde.cadeallaw wrote:I'm a fan of it... However I'm in love with the standard 10 yr. If there was one thing that I could change about the standard 10 yr, I would make it somewhere in the 90-100 proof range. I will agree that I find the process of watering down my whiskey slightly annoying as i've definitely been the victim of over-watering (which pisses me off more than it probably should), However the Laphroaig Cask Strength is a nice way of bringing the ABV up on the standard 10 yr to my liking. But that is just me though... I'm sure most people add a drop or two of water to the standard 10 year, and if this is the case, then I would recommend just sticking with the standard 10 yr.mtarail wrote:I've been meaning to ask you cadeallaw...what do you think of the laphroaig 10 year cask strength? I've heard mixed reviews, but so far I haven't really enjoyed any of the barrel strength scotches that I've tried. I mean, they're pretty good when you water them down, but at that point I could just get the standard 10 year...
So in Sum: Get Laphroaig 10 year, and if you fall in love with it, maybe grab a bottle of the cask strength at some point
Fun Fact: Laphroaig Cask Strength isn't really much higher ABV than the Ardberg Corryveckan (which I also add a few drops of water to).
Ardbeg- Corryveckan: 114 proof
Laphroaig- 10 yr Cask strength: 115/116 proof
Laphroaig- 10 yr: 86 proof
Laphroaig Quarter Cask: 96 proof
Laphroaig Triple Wood: 96 proof
UK Member? Reclaim some VAT... http://forum.expressobeans.com/viewtopi ... =8&t=85994
shut your mouth and open your mind
shut your mouth and open your mind
I highly recommend Four Roses Small Batch... It might just be my favorite bourbon. It might not be to everyone's liking, but it is definitely distinctive.
wizdom wrote:new acquisitions
Awesome... Well, what do you think? That Hakashu is so crisp tasting... And my feelings for Laphroaig are well documented
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sidewaysscott
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pay via paypal, use credit card,file dispute at the 20 day mark if suspicious. don't deal with noobs. don't trade with noobs. request feedback ahead of time. there are lots of good people 'round here.
...and it is still (just) under $30 a bottlesidewaysscott wrote:i ought to pick up a 4 roses next stop...been a while