What is your favourite "Regular" Sipping Liquor - (Neat No Mixers Except Perhaps Ice)

[Jim59]

DW got me a bottle of Glenfiddich 21 YO for my 60th a few years ago. It will be opened on the 6 May for my last official day ( non working) before my vocational freedom commences.

 

[disneysteve]

At some point, you do hit the point of diminishing returns, but on the low end things can be different.

Very true. I've said that for years. There is a huge difference between super cheap liquor and good liquor. There is a much smaller difference between good liquor and "premium" liquor. At some point, it's more about personal preferences and status.

 

[Winemaker]

I would need to take a collection to buy that $900 bottle. I can fund the lesser bottles myself.

Again, count me in! More than glad to BTD in a group of folks wanting to pay for a possible great experience. YMMV I have funded friends/acquaintances who entered into spirit lotteries for a chance to taste the best.

I do prefer the Wellers Special Reserve (80 proof) over the Wellers 107 (107 proof), but enjoy Woodford over Buffalo Trace. Eagle Rare is on parity with George Stagg, in my book.

But I do relish a good rye whiskey now and then.

 

[disneysteve]

I do prefer the Wellers Special Reserve (80 proof) over the Wellers 107 (107 proof)

I've never had SR. I do prefer 107 to Full Proof though despite typically preferring higher proofs. I've also never had CYPB.

 

[GravitySucks]

Perhaps, but often less entertaining. [emoji3]

Very few good stories start "We were sitting around eating a salad when..."

 

[captain3d]

I would say best value Scotch $/experience is in the $75 (GlenScotia 15,lagavulin 16, Oban 14, Clynelish 14) to $150 (Bunnahabhain 18, Arran 18, Highland Park 18) range

Having said that Smokey Ardbeg 10 at $50 is excellent value. As are many independent bottles of well known distilleries.

Old age works well with cold weather and reused barrels in Scotland but not so much in fresh oak cooking in a hot Kentucky Rick house.

 

[Koolau]

On the average, my option selling in a single trading day gets me more than enough to buy such a bottle. And the option selling is extracurricular to the gain I get from conventional buy-and-hold activity.

I am not bragging, because I am sure you and others can also easily buy this $900 bottle. But we do not allow ourselves this indulgence. Why?

I cannot explain it. Perhaps I don't care that much about an alcohol drink? Perhaps I am afraid that it will be a let down, that it is not that good? Then, I would ponder if it is really me who suffers from "pearl before swine"?

Somehow, spending that much for a bottle just does not feel right for me. If I had $100M, would I then buy one of each of the most expensive bottles from all makers, just to check them all out. Can a guy do that, to commit that much time to just sampling spirits? Will he have time left to do anything else in his life?

See how you cannot be greedy and try to check out every pleasure in this world. You just don't have the time, even if you have the money.

I think for me it is the knowledge that $900 (or a bit more) will send a deserving young person to a year in a post-secondary school program in Indonesia. The pleasure of a $900 bottle or other extravagant expenditure pales in comparison to a changed life that I can have a hand in. I do not criticize anyone else's spending. I know I waste money and could live much more inexpensively. So spending for what you want is the way to go. But one of my "luxuries" is to make a difference in at least one person's life. $900(+) to do that is a bargain and it will last long after I'm gone. YMMV as always.

 

[captain3d]

Aww make us all feel bad now

 

[NW-Bound]

Nah, a guy has to indulge in something, even if he is frugal or charitable.

My post earlier was that one could not go after every pleasure in this world. There is not enough time for it, even if you have the money.

I don't see myself spending $900 a bottle because I don't appreciate it enough. If I were so rich that $900 was small change, it did not mean that I knew to enjoy it.

 

[NW-Bound]

We went on a grocery run today. I said to my wife I wanted to stop by Total Wine to pick up another bottle of Napoleon Armagnac by Marie Duffau that people liked so much at my brother's Christmas party. I left the half-finished bottle at my brother's.

In the store, there were 3 bottles on the shelf. I was going to buy just one, but my wife said if I liked it so much, why not grab all 3. She said as long as I do not drink myself to a stupor, why not stock up. I was really taken aback that she would talk me into it. I guess she'd rather me buy 3 bottles of this than 1 bottle of XO, which I said I could not tell the difference from the Napoleon.

And so, the 3 bottles are now ensconced in the liquor cabinet, where the other 50 bottles are. Oh boy, is that greed or what?

 

[RobbieB]

Nine hundred is more than I've ever paid and I'm the "BTD" guy.

Two fifty, yeah, I'll do that. One fifty I do all the time. But there's my ceiling for now...

 

[Winemaker]

NW-Bound, no, it is not. just like the opportunity arose when Mama asked if you wanted another biscuit, or roll or whatever. Greed to me is hoarding and/or deceiving to acheive a favorable outcome. You paid the fair and asking price of a product that met your standards as a favorable product. The vendor was satisfied, the other consumer who came after you, was not because they didn't have the time invested to get there earlier. No greed involved.

 

[RobbieB]

Sigh...

I used to have 50 bottles...but then I had to make the bar go away

 

[NW-Bound]

NW-Bound, no, it is not. just like the opportunity arose when Mama asked if you wanted another biscuit, or roll or whatever. Greed to me is hoarding and/or deceiving to acheive a favorable outcome. You paid the fair and asking price of a product that met your standards as a favorable product. The vendor was satisfied, the other consumer who came after you, was not because they didn't have the time invested to get there earlier. No greed involved.

I think I am hoarding. It will take me a long time to drink all these bottles. Later, I told my wife I might give one bottle each to my son and son-in-law.

I do not worry about the next customers. Total Wine can order to restock when they see this is a hot item.

 

[NW-Bound]

As mentioned on my earlier post #150 on this thread, in an informal taste test by a panel of life-long but non-expert brandy/cognac drinkers, this Napoleon Armagnac (aged 6 years) beat two other popular VSOP Cognac (aged 4 years). And I found it very close to a much more expensive XO Cognac (aged 10 years).


But how can I write a review like the following that I found on the Web?

Are these reviewers talking about the same bottle?

The opening nosings find smells of roasted chestnut and baked pear; later sniffings pick up succulent notes of pineapple, caramel, black raisins, prunes and old oak. The palate entry is creamy textured and semisweet; at the midpalate the flavor becomes integrated and very nutty/woody. Concludes oily, semisweet and oaky. Best Buy.

It smells a bit immature on the nose. It has some spicy, peppery notes, caramel, and some interesting fruit – dates, mainly and some vanilla. The palate continues on, a bit dry, with those spicy peppery notes (it is in some ways akin to tequila), the lightest touch of caramel, and light raisin. It’s ok…nothing special. The tannins from the oak are present, and linger on to the finish. The finish is woody, with typical spices of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg and a touch of bitterness.

Appearance: Auburn with thick, heavy legs.

Nose: Pungent, rustic, but rounded nose. Solera sherry, prunes, plum eau de vie.

On the palate: Very full-bodied, boozy and sweet. Raisins, prunes, star anise, clove. A tiny tannic hit of oak.

Finish: Warm and dry with a little more oak. Plenty of heat that seems to get more intense after a swallow.

Appearance: Beautiful, like a Grade A Medium Amber maple syrup and with long even legs that hang to the edge of the glass. Yes, I used Maple syrup as my reference point, I’m from New Hampshire.

Nose: Full of rich fruit, spiced apple, apricot and even a bit of citrus, backed with a dash more spice, maybe nutmeg, and a hint of vanilla from the oak with just a light wisp of alcohol. My mouth is watering.

Taste: Enter orgasm joke here. Warm and sweet, fine and mellow with the baked apple and lush fruit the nose hinted at, backed by caramel or even honey, and finishing with a very light spice and vanilla that lingers effervescently on the tongue. Liquid divinity—like my above asinine metaphor warned you.

 

[RobbieB]

The reviews are all correct. The tastes of the reviewers differ. You have to try for yourself!

 

[NW-Bound]

I suspect that they have wild imagination. Of course, I cannot prove it.

 

[Winemaker]

The reviews are all correct. The tastes of the reviewers differ. You have to try for yourself!

Correct. As we have discussed on other threads about wine tasting, our tongues can only taste salt, sweet, sour, bitter, and sometimes umami. Everything else depends on your sense of smell, your health, and your own knowledge of what scent you recognize/distinguish.

The reviews are somewhat similar, caramel is mentioned 3 out of 4, wood, oak 4 out of 4, raisins 3 out of 4, and 4 out 4 have a way with words.

 

[Gumby]

Now I have a hankering for some Armagnac.


The reviews read much like the little descriptive placards in the modern art museum.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

DW likes her vodka marties. I got her to try the Costco French stuff, and it replaced Gray Goose in our house. O happy day ...

 

[disneysteve]

DW likes her vodka marties. I got her to try the Costco French stuff, and it replaced Gray Goose in our house. O happy day ...

I never saw the appeal of Gray Goose. I've tried it on a few occasions. I like Absolut or Skyy better, both of which are half the price.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I never saw the appeal of Gray Goose. I've tried it on a few occasions. I like Absolut or Skyy better, both of which are half the price.

For awhile we were getting the Costco American vodka. It has a little more heat than the French stuff, but at $13 for 1.75 liters it's a good option to some of the cheaper imports like Svedka or Three Olives. Kirkland French is $19 per 1.75 around here, so DW can enjoy the indulgence

Hey, maybe a cheap booze poll is in order.

 

[rwdflynavy]

Rye Whiskey

 

[Koolau]

For awhile we were getting the Costco American vodka. It has a little more heat than the French stuff, but at $13 for 1.75 liters it's a good option to some of the cheaper imports like Svedka or Three Olives. Kirkland French is $19 per 1.75 around here, so DW can enjoy the indulgence

Hey, maybe a cheap booze poll is in order.

I've occasionally wondered how common it is to buy a decent (but inexpensive) liquor and put it in a saved high-end bottle to serve to guests. I would think you could get a way with that - especially if you started serving the cheap stuff toward the end of a party. After all, who is going to say anything about free booze?

 

[Luvtoride]

I've occasionally wondered how common it is to buy a decent (but inexpensive) liquor and put it in a saved high-end bottle to serve to guests. I would think you could get a way with that - especially if you started serving the cheap stuff toward the end of a party. After all, who is going to say anything about free booze?

Koolau, maybe that idea should be moved to the thread “do you hide (or flaunt) your financial success from others” thread? LOL