Whiskey anyone?

[Cigarlover 1]

I don't do whisky but I love bourbon.   Woodford and Rip Van Winkle is what I drink the most of. Bakers if I'm feeling frisky. That stuff is about 120 proof so you have to be careful. Unfortunately I live in a pretty rural area of New England and good bourbons are hard to come by up here.

I love a glass of bourbon on the rocks and good cigar. It's almost as good as being on a lake.  

[roadwarrior]

I don't do whisky but I love bourbon.

 :

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Makers on the rocks for me.

X2

I've tried all the more expensive single barrel bourbons but always come back to Makers. Sometimes I enjoy a bit of McCallans scotch.

LOL

You should see this guy's kitchen.  More well stocked than a lot of bars in PA    

I think I gave about 10 "no thank you's" to different liquors before I had a beer   ;D

Steaks weren't too bad either  

[Cigarlover 1]

I don't do whisky but I love bourbon.

:

hey what can I say, it must be a Kentucky thing. Horses, UK basketball and bourbon is all we've got. LOL

[roadwarrior]

This could be an old wives tale, but here's how I remember the story:

All "whisky" was once scotch, imported from Great Britain (Scotland and Ireland) during colonial days. Scotch (malt whisky) is derived exclusively from barley. American "whisky" is derived primarily from corn and was aged in wooden barrels that were originally used to transport fish. In order to re-use the oak barrels, the insides were burned leaving a charcoal residue. "Whisky" aged in these barrels retained a "smokey flavor" which came to be know as bourbon, named for Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Both Scotch and Bourbon are whiskies. Canadian whisky is another seperate distinction, derived primarily from rye, i.e., Rye whisky.

8-)

[.ghoti.]

Not an old wive's tale, RW.

Bourbon is, by legal definition, distilled from corn mash, and aged in charred oak barrels.

If it's not made from corn, and aged in charred oak, it ain't boubon.

[Cigarlover 1]

and the corn must make up at least 51% of the mix. And I think there's a certain proof that you can't exceed and still be considered a bourbon.

Die hard Kentuckians will argue that it has to be distilled in Kentucky, particularly Bourbon County to be considered a bourbon but that I believe is a wives tale.

[roadwarrior]

Well, that may be true, but anyone who drinks Bourbon

isn't going to turn down a Jack Daniels on the rocks!

8-)

[Daiwa]

From a human

perspective, they're

like twinkies.

[Popeye]

Pinch's is some of the smoothest scotch that I've ever had but it is expensive. I prefer to stay with "pizza and beer")

[Yakfish]

Glenlivet rocks please. NO twist!

[jasone]

This could be an old wives tale, but here's how I remember the story:

All "whisky" was once scotch, imported from Great Britain (Scotland and Ireland) during colonial days. Scotch (malt whisky) is derived exclusively from barley. American "whisky" is derived primarily from corn and was aged in wooden barrels that were originally used to transport fish. In order to re-use the oak barrels, the insides were burned leaving a charcoal residue. "Whisky" aged in these barrels retained a "smokey flavor" which came to be know as bourbon, named for Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Both Scotch and Bourbon are whiskies. Canadian whisky is another seperate distinction, derived primarily from rye, i.e., Rye whisky.

8-)

But did you know that Scotch is aged in used Bourbon barrels?  Irish Whiskey may also, not sure.

J

[jasone]

and the corn must make up at least 51% of the mix. And I think there's a certain proof that you can't exceed and still be considered a bourbon.

Die hard Kentuckians will argue that it has to be distilled in Kentucky, particularly Bourbon County to be considered a bourbon but that I believe is a wives tale.

I don't believe it is law, I know it was proposed at one time. It is more of a respect thing. To my knowledge though there is no whiskey called Bourbon distilled outside Kentucky.

It should also be noted that no Bourbon is currently made in Bourbon county and said county is in fact a dry county.

J

[FishTank]

Crown and Coke for me. It's just simple and smooth.

[Dan:]

I believe Bourbon has to be at least 80 proof as well.

[fourbizz]

This could be an old wives tale, but here's how I remember the story:

All "whisky" was once scotch, imported from Great Britain (Scotland and Ireland) during colonial days. Scotch (malt whisky) is derived exclusively from barley.  American "whisky" is derived primarily from corn and was aged in wooden barrels that were originally used to transport fish. In order to re-use the oak barrels, the insides were burned leaving a charcoal residue. "Whisky" aged in these barrels retained a "smokey flavor" which came to be know as bourbon, named for Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Both Scotch and Bourbon are whiskies. Canadian whisky is another seperate distinction, derived primarily from rye, i.e., Rye whisky.

8-)

But did you know that Scotch is aged in used Bourbon barrels?  Irish Whiskey may also, not sure.

J

So Scotch came first, from the old country, yet somehow it requires bourbon barrels to make? Chicken and the egg huh?

[jasone]

This could be an old wives tale, but here's how I remember the story:

All "whisky" was once scotch, imported from Great Britain (Scotland and Ireland) during colonial days. Scotch (malt whisky) is derived exclusively from barley. American "whisky" is derived primarily from corn and was aged in wooden barrels that were originally used to transport fish. In order to re-use the oak barrels, the insides were burned leaving a charcoal residue. "Whisky" aged in these barrels retained a "smokey flavor" which came to be know as bourbon, named for Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Both Scotch and Bourbon are whiskies. Canadian whisky is another seperate distinction, derived primarily from rye, i.e., Rye whisky.

8-)

But did you know that Scotch is aged in used Bourbon barrels? Irish Whiskey may also, not sure.

J

So Scotch came first, from the old country, yet somehow it requires bourbon barrels to make? Chicken and the egg huh?

Yeah, I always wondered about that.  I don't know the specific timeline per se.  Maybe before Bourbon, they put the Scotch in Irish Whiskey Barrels??  Who knows.

J

[jasone]

This could be an old wives tale, but here's how I remember the story:

All "whisky" was once scotch, imported from Great Britain (Scotland and Ireland) during colonial days. Scotch (malt whisky) is derived exclusively from barley. American "whisky" is derived primarily from corn and was aged in wooden barrels that were originally used to transport fish. In order to re-use the oak barrels, the insides were burned leaving a charcoal residue. "Whisky" aged in these barrels retained a "smokey flavor" which came to be know as bourbon, named for Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Both Scotch and Bourbon are whiskies. Canadian whisky is another seperate distinction, derived primarily from rye, i.e., Rye whisky.

8-)

But did you know that Scotch is aged in used Bourbon barrels? Irish Whiskey may also, not sure.

J

So Scotch came first, from the old country, yet somehow it requires bourbon barrels to make? Chicken and the egg huh?

Yeah, I always wondered about that. I don't know the specific timeline per se. Maybe before Bourbon, they put the Scotch in Irish Whiskey Barrels?? Who knows.

J

From Cigaraficionado.com

Bourbon barrels were unknown on Islay or anywhere in Scotland until the 1930s. That's when Prohibition ended in the United States and Kentuckians were again creating a steady supply of used barrels (by law they can use them only once) to sell to the Scots. Before that, Scotch was aged in whatever barrels were at hand, some of which presumably were Port, Claret and Sherry casks.

[fourbizz]

This could be an old wives tale, but here's how I remember the story:

All "whisky" was once scotch, imported from Great Britain (Scotland and Ireland) during colonial days. Scotch (malt whisky) is derived exclusively from barley.  American "whisky" is derived primarily from corn and was aged in wooden barrels that were originally used to transport fish. In order to re-use the oak barrels, the insides were burned leaving a charcoal residue. "Whisky" aged in these barrels retained a "smokey flavor" which came to be know as bourbon, named for Bourbon County, Kentucky.

Both Scotch and Bourbon are whiskies. Canadian whisky is another seperate distinction, derived primarily from rye, i.e., Rye whisky.

8-)

But did you know that Scotch is aged in used Bourbon barrels?  Irish Whiskey may also, not sure.

J

So Scotch came first, from the old country, yet somehow it requires bourbon barrels to make? Chicken and the egg huh?

Yeah, I always wondered about that.  I don't know the specific timeline per se.  Maybe before Bourbon, they put the Scotch in Irish Whiskey Barrels??  Who knows.

J

From Cigaraficionado.com

Bourbon barrels were unknown on Islay or anywhere in Scotland until the 1930s. That's when Prohibition ended in the United States and Kentuckians were again creating a steady supply of used barrels (by law they can use them only once) to sell to the Scots. Before that, Scotch was aged in whatever barrels were at hand, some of which presumably were Port, Claret and Sherry casks.

Nice. I love completely asinine information like that. That isnt sarcasm, My head is full of trivial junk just like that. Pretty interesting though. It seems like alchohol is one of those places where people are all about the old school way of doing it, but the distillers of scotch just up and changed to bourbon barrels. Weird.

[justfishin]

Jack and water on ice or Turkey with coke chaser.

[Tokyo Tony]

I usually drink beer, but if I'm drinking whiskey, I'll usually go Jameson or Crown.

I've had a couple bottles of Japanese whisky, *****, and that was really good...

My dad used to be a huge drinker, and he said the best scotch he's ever had in his life was Ballantine's 30 year old...he got me a bottle for my college graduation, which I still have not cracked...still waiting for a special occasion, but this stuff is gonna be amazing  

[Grandpa]

To calm down a long day Makers Mark in a cup of good strong coffee is a good choice. It makes a great aperitif too.

On the rocks it goes, Makers Mark

                              Jack Black

                              Crown

[Dean]

Gonna have to go with Pepsi....maybe alcohol in a few years... ;D

[Davis]

I don't drink anymore. Haven't for almost three years. But when I did drink whiskey I would get really really mean and aggressive. Never hurt anyone but it got to the point where it woke me up for sure.

Same with my father and brother. We just can't handle whiskey really well....especially in large quanities.

I thank the good Lord that I'm free of that stuff now.

[Zel]

I prefer Blended Scotch Whisky.

Blended Scotch whisky constitutes over 90% of the whisky produced in Scotland. Blended Scotch whiskies generally contain 1050% malt whisky, blended with grain whisky, with the higher quality brands having the highest percent malt. They were initially created for the English market, where pure malt whiskies were considered too harshly flavored (the main two spirits consumed in England at the time being brandy in the upper classes, and gin in the lower ones). Master blenders combine the various malts and grain whiskies to produce a consistent "brand style". Blended whiskies frequently use the same name for a range of whiskies at wildly varying prices and (presumably) quality.

To be called Scotch whisky the spirit must conform to the standards of the Scotch Whisky Order of 1990 (UK), which clarified the Scotch Whisky Act of 1988, and mandates that the spirit:

1. Must be distilled at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley, to which only other whole grains may be added, have been processed at that distillery into a mash, converted to a fermentable substrate only by endogenous enzyme systems, and fermented only by the addition of yeast,

2. Must be distilled to an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8% by volume so that it retains the flavor of the raw materials used in its production,

3. Must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for no less than three years (oak casks come from Bourbon production, which has a nearly inexhaustible generation of used oak barrels, due to a regulation requiring the use of only new oak barrels in the production of Bourbon),

4. Must not contain any added substance other than water and caramel, and

5. May not be bottled at less than 40% alcohol by volume.

Special Note: New legislation is expected in the spring of 2008

My two favorite Blended Scotch Whisky brands are Johnnie Walker and J&B.