World of Whiskey

[suchanoo]

I'm not what you would call a whiskey connoisseur, but I enjoy this with my dad from time to time.

I bought a bottle of The Glenlivet 'Master Distillers Reserve' over Christmas, it was fantastic. On offer at UK airports at the moment, £60 for 2 x 1 litre bottles. Total bargain.

[jesseindisguise]

Picked this up today, it's been hard to find for a the last few months. Easily one of Japan's best whiskies and the dram of choice for this fellow...

[suchanoo]

Picked this up today, it's been hard to find for a the last few months. Easily one of Japan's best whiskies and the dram of choice for this fellow...

Japanese whisky is fantastic. Japan have won best whisky of the year a couple of times, trumping scotland (even though they own some of the top Scottish whisky brands now).

The whisky bars in Japan are some of the best I've ever seen (and priciest). Certainly the biggest selection of whisky I've encountered, even in the tiny back street bars. They usually have all the standard Scottish whisky, as well as rare bottles and of course all the Japanese and, sometime, other east asian brands (blueugh!).

[jesseindisguise]

I've been dying to visit Japan for years just to check out some of these bars/pubs. I do a fair amount of biz with various sake producers and it's just a matter of time before I get there. There's a great bar here in NY that predates much of the wankerish speakeasy joints and still has some of the best drinks in town, Angels'Share of course. They've got a full suite of brown spirits and all the Japanese whiskey you could hope for.

[fredo]

They're waterin' down the Makers!!!!
The distillery behind Maker’s Mark bourbon is reducing the amount of alcohol to meet a rise in global demand, company officials said today.
Maker’s Mark is distilled to 45 percent alcohol by volume — or 90 proof — and, after the change, would go down to about 42 percent ABV or 84 proof.
“Lately we’ve been hearing from many of you that you’ve been having difficulty finding Maker’s Mark in your local stores,” Maker’s Mark executives Rob Samuels and Bill Samuels Jr. wrote in a joint email to clients.

“Fact is, demand for our bourbon is exceeding our ability to make it, which means we’re running very low on supply.”

[mistersmith]

“Fact is, demand for our bourbon is exceeding our ability to make it, which means we’re running very low on supply.”

So raise the price, dicks. I hate that for so many companies, supply vs. demand is resolved via shittier product. But companies don't care about the product, they care about profit. So it goes.

Every distiller does this though. Jack most notably changed their ratio what, 5 years ago?

[fredo]

“Fact is, demand for our bourbon is exceeding our ability to make it, which means we’re running very low on supply.”

So raise the price, dicks.

Odds that the price will drop with the proof?
I wonder whether this isn't a marketing ploy. I've never been in a liquor store that carried but was out of MM.

[mistersmith]

I've never been in a liquor store that carried but was out of MM.

...because everything available now was created years ago. This stuff has to age, so they're making projections for the future. A bad season or two now means a small supply in like 5-6 years...coupled with level or even increasing popularity, I think that's what they mean. We won't see a diluted batch for something like 6 years, they're hedging their bets for the future.

[geezer]

l always liked Knockando

[mtarail]

“Fact is, demand for our bourbon is exceeding our ability to make it, which means we’re running very low on supply.”

So raise the price, dicks.

Odds that the price will drop with the proof?
I wonder whether this isn't a marketing ploy. I've never been in a liquor store that carried but was out of MM.

I got that email and I agree with both of you. Don't change a product that's been out for 50+ years at that proof. Raise the price.

And no, I also have never seen stores selling out of MM.

I think it's a pure cost-saving measure. But it seems like a downright silly idea to be lowering your proof when there are so many really good new bourbons being released now at 100+ proof. In the bourbon world 100 proof is just about getting to be the standard, instead of 80.

[fredo]

I've never been in a liquor store that carried but was out of MM.

...because everything available now was created years ago. This stuff has to age, so they're making projections for the future. A bad season or two now means a small supply in like 5-6 years...coupled with level or even increasing popularity, I think that's what they mean. We won't see a diluted batch for something like 6 years, they're hedging their bets for the future.

Indeed. But unless I missed something they weren't talking about a smallerthanusual supply, only increased demand. Same thing? Possibly. Pretty optimistic though thinking that people will drink more at the same price and a lower proof. I'm certainly done with buying it.

[mistersmith]

Too much good bourbon in the world to worry about a middle-of-the-road brand like MM.

[jesseindisguise]

Too much good bourbon in the world to worry about a middle-of-the-road brand like MM.

Agreed. MM is shite compared to others you can find for the same amount or less.

[fredo]

To each their own. I dig the high-grade/small batch bourbons, but always considered MM way above average. Then again, I get my complexity kicks from scotch and my go-to bourbon is Wild Turkey.

[duckyhoward]

here's another article on the Makers mark issue.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/arc ... lf/273037/

As for a good whisky i dont think you can go past a good Islay single malt including these two fine drops:




^^ my personal favourite

As for a go to whisky for all occasions then the trusty Glenfiddich 12yo is the one.