Last night, my friends and I had a whisky tasting. As we neared the end, we were all feeling pretty happy … so I grabbed my silver sharpie and drew this, which I called #whiskyface.
It’s not as funny now as it was after several wee drams of scotch, but I think it's still worth sharing.
Preemptive FAQs: We tasted Caol Ila 12, Macallan Select Oak, Lagavulin 16, Laphroaig 10 and Laphroaig Quarter-Cask. Oh, and we poured our whisky into my Reddit glasses from r/Scotch.
To alcohol! The cause of… and solution to… all of life’s problems.
— Homer Simpson
Wheaton, puts the “sky” in “whisky”!
I see you left a space for the “E” so as to allow those playing at home to fill it in if they wish.
Couldn’t agree more. I review scotches every now and then on the blog, it gives me an excuse to have more.
Anne gets bonus points for loving Laphroaig, that’s about the peatiest of the peat!
I like a good peaty scotch. How does Laphroaig compare to Lagavulin (my current favorite)?
You should check out Denver’s own distillery, Leopold Brothers. They make some amazing whiskey as well as the best gin and vodka EVAH.
“galsses”??
Admit it. You’re drinking now.
Truly, Wil has been touched by His Noodly Appendage! Praise be to Pasta.
Whiskyface reminds me of some of The Oatmeal’s sketches.
I greatly enjoy the Lagavulin 16 and Laphroaig Quarter-Cask. I find the latter to be quite a bit more interesting than the Laphroaig 10.
i love my silver sharpie, too, but they also used to make gold and copper. the ones i had seemed to develop problems early in their lives, but the copper was so cool i was willing to deal with a shorter lifespan to have it. now my gold and copper sharpies are all dead and i can’t find them anymore. i guess i’m not much of a whiskey person, but i loves me some sharpies.
Laphroaig is one of those you either love or hate (like cilantro or marmite). To some, it’s like paint thinner, to others (like me), it’s a lovely, warm (if slightly sharp) peat taste which both intensifies and mellows with age (i.e. stronger peat but less sharpness).
Excellent choices there. :o)
Man who drinks Laphroaig isn’t afraid of any malt.
(to paraphrase Jayne Cobb)
Laprhoaig is very peaty, while Lagavulin tends to have a lot of oakwood smoke in its flavor.
Another really good one for those who like a strong peat with a smooth finish is Isle of Jura’s Prophecy. It is quite lovely indeed.
I’m keeping that. Brilliant!
Talisker is actually peaty-er than Laphroaig, its like a peat fire in a glass. Prefer Laphroaig though, it’s a little milder. Lagavulin is also a b-e-a-utiful whisky, I find it to be the peatiest of them all, but it’s a lot smoother too. I think it’s very hard to go wrong with an Islay whisky. Always remind me of peat fires on cold days (I live a few Islands over :p)
If you enjoy both Whisky and storytelling, I’d recommend ‘Raw Spirit’ by Iain Banks – about his travels around the whisky trail in Scotland.
While I love both, Lagavulin is damn hard to beat!
Can I recommend a week or two on Islay? The the people and distilleries where that great whisky is made are worth a visit.
Bowmore Darkest 15…
I spent a couple days on Islay in Port Askaig during our three week trip to Scotland. Beautiful island. Very nice people. I visited three distilleries in one day (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Arbeg) and was rather mellow by lunchtime.
Bowmore is my favorite Islay malt, but my go-to scotch remains Highland Park (18 yo if you can get it). Orkney is quite magical if you ever have the occasion to visit.
Office Depot carries the metallic markers as a 3-pack set of gold, silver & copper. I don’t know if they still carry them individually or not.
I just checked the availability in my area. Now I know why I’ve not tried it before. The only Laphroaig that is carried near me is the Quarter Cask, or the 25 year. As much as I would love the 25 year, $600 is a little much!
Any idea how the Quarter Cask compares to the 10 or 15 year?
the web site does not have them and my local office depot has not had them in a long time. according to wikipedia they have been discontinued and they are not listed on sharpie’s web site as a color they make. if you like them as much as i do, i suggest you buy up their stock now.
If you ever head to Lewis, we finally have a (legal) distillery here – for the first time in 170 years! Just selling the spirit for now, but this year will be the year they can release it as a Single Malt – as under Scots law, single malt whisky has to be aged in a cask for at least 3 years. Hopefully the Abhainn Dearg (Red River in Scots Gaelic) expressions will one day be discussed by classy geeks in the same way
>Laphroaig [is] about the peatiest of the peat!
Mmm, that’s what all those damn kids on my lawn drink, while they play their hoppity-hip music too loud.
Then they grow up and discover Ardbeg. Aaaaaah, Ardbeg.
My husband really enjoys the Lagavulin Distillers Edition that we picked up when we were in Scotland last fall. At the opposite end of the spectrum I really like Dalwhinnie, which one bartender we met called “a Scotch for the ladies”.
Be my guest.
I haven’t tried the Quarter Cask, I’m afraid. I know a few hardcore whisky buffs, though so I’ll ask around.
600 bucks sounds excessive but I guess you have to add export/import if you’re buying in the US. Seems to be going for avg. 200 pounds Sterling around here.
Bighara, Notimeforfacts and I are on the same page. My 2 days on Islay were extended to 3 with the help of the B&B of Glenmachrie. A great proprietress and magnificent scones.
Wil & Anne, you gotta go there.
Congrats to Lewis. I’ll be looking for Abhainn Dearg.
Oh yes, I have one of those in my cabinet.
Ah, whisky. The water of life.
Really. In old Gaelic “uisce beatha” means water of life.
Sometimes I wish I still drank…
Laphroaig tastes like burning peat bog. I’d prefer my scotch to be woody. Then again scotch is not the not the only thing I like with wood. Ha!
Those are some peaty choices. Might I suggest Aberfeldy 12 for a nice change up. Great with wings/ribs anything saucy.
The 21 is a thing of perfection, but at 3Xs the price, the 12 is my go-to Scotch at home. Harder to find out and about, where Glenfiddich is my “I know they’ll have it and I like drinking it” stand-by.
I’m not a fan of Dewer’s blends at all but the single malt Alerfeldy is tasty stuff.