Your thoughts?

[tsmmiller]

I am not much of a drinker and know little to nothing about fine wines, whiskeys, liqueurs.
Recently I was gifted a 25 year single malt whiskey.
Looking at the price and history of the whiskey, I was/am a bit shocked.
We’ll open it sometime before the gifter returns back home across the big pond.

 

[Funkworks]

Probably worth getting specialized glasses for. Single malts shouldn’t be mixed. Even ice is controversial. Straight or with just a little water. That’s what I was told anyway.

 

[rharshberger]

View attachment 400756 I am not much of a drinker and know little to nothing about fine wines, whiskeys, liqueurs.
Recently I was gifted a 25 year single malt whiskey.
Looking at the price and history of the whiskey, I was/am a bit shocked.
We’ll open it sometime before the gifter returns back home across the big pond.

I would be shocked too! A friend of mine says that is an outstanding whiskey in his opinion.

 

[Steven]

Use it for thinning paint.

 

[NateB]

I was gifted a $60-$70 Scotch when I left a job bartending. I tried it and it was far too smokey for my taste. I ended up regifting it to someone who would better appreciate it. I have simple taste and normally stick Woodford Reserve or Crown.

 

[mpitfield]

I think before you embarrass yourself by regifting a bad bottle, you need to let me do you a favour and verify if it is still good.

 

[Rob702Martinez]

Use it for thinning paint.

Definitely run it through the gun. Definitely.

I was gifted a bottle of Johnnie regular black, not a brown liquor drinker either or alcohol for that matter, but used the opportunity to learn about scotch whiskey and what to appreciate, how it's made etc... Tried it straight, chilled, ice cube, splash of water, club soda and ultimately on diet 7-up.
Do the same maybe? It only takes a splash of it and goes along way.

 

[tsmmiller]

Definitely run it through the gun. Definitely.

I was gifted a bottle of Johnnie regular black, not a brown liquor drinker either, but used the opportunity to learn about scotch whiskey and what to appreciate, how it's made etc... Tried it straight, chilled, ice cube, splash of water, club soda and ultimately on diet 7-up.
Do the same maybe? It only takes a splash of it and goes along way.

I’ll have to try all the ways you mentioned. For what this is I will have to make last a good long time. Keep it under lock and key.

 

[blackjack2564]

Booze is like shoooz....either it fits or it don't.lol One should enjoy what one imbibes. No need to "learn" how to appreciate.

Was at a party many moons ago, about 15-20 peeps. Someone showed up with a 400.00 bottle of scotch. No one cared for it, even the person that bought it, could not give it away. I, as did several, not even wanted to try it. Can't stand the stuff, tastes like burnt wood.

My thoughts are, life is about enjoying the simple pleasures, regardless of cost. If you don't care for it, don't drink it. Just because it cost a ton, doesn't mean it's for you.

It was a wonderful, thoughtful gift. But sometimes gifts just don't fit.....like shoot.

PS who knows you may actually like it.

 

[tsmmiller]

I most certainly agree with you! I do like whiskies, and single malts have always been a little out of my price range so I’ve never tried one.
I also understand about the fit.
Once upon many moons ago I was invited to a wine tasting where the premier wine was a vintage Magnum of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild.
The presenter told us the cost, and I figured it out for the number of people there, it was over $700 per GLASS of wine. To me it just tasted nasty.
This I am interested to see if I indeed have the Champaign taste, to go with my “beer budget” ( that is one drink I have never liked the taste of!)

 

[Rob702Martinez]

Booze is like shoooz....either it fits or it don't.lol One should enjoy what one imbibes. No need to "learn" how to appreciate.

Why not? Guess there's not much to appreciate outside of Coors Light then.

 

[Exactimator]

I'm a bourbon drinker but never got into scotches. I looked yours up, and it appears to average $700-800 a bottle. That's a very generous gift.

A while back I went to a dinner party where the host had two bottles of wine. He explained one cost $25 and the other $75. He poured the $25 bottle first and we all enjoyed it. Then he opened and poured the $75 bottle and asked us two questions:
1. Is the $75 wine better?
2. Is it THREE TIMES better?

We all agreed it was better. But we also all agreed it wasn't 3x better. In other words, having tasted both, we wouldn't pay $75 for the second bottle. It was a fun little exercise and discussion while having dinner.

After tasting your scotch with your generous friend, and after he flies back home, it could be fun to find a special occasion to invite friends over and try the same thing against a bottle of, say, Johnny Walker or Dewars. See if you think the Glenmorangie is better (it most likely is). If so, is it over 200 times better?

I'm not sure I'd be able to taste $700 worth of difference.

Who knows, it could end up being the best thing you ever had and your life is richer for drinking it.

 

[Woody's Workshop]

6 ounce tumbler, add 4 ounces of the expensive brew, and 1 ounce soda water (carbonated).
If you like it cold, store both in the fridge over night.
Start a good interesting conversation with someone, or a game of backgammon and sip away.
A squeeze of lemon, lime or orange slice helps if you don't like the after taste that well.
Enjoy, I sure would!

 

[Andrew_ASC]

I'm a bourbon drinker but never got into scotches. I looked yours up, and it appears to average $700-800 a bottle. That's a very generous gift.

A while back I went to a dinner party where the host had two bottles of wine. He explained one cost $25 and the other $75. He poured the $25 bottle first and we all enjoyed it. Then he opened and poured the $75 bottle and asked us two questions:
1. Is the $75 wine better?
2. Is it THREE TIMES better?

We all agreed it was better. But we also all agreed it wasn't 3x better. In other words, having tasted both, we wouldn't pay $75 for the second bottle. It was a fun little exercise and discussion while having dinner.

After tasting your scotch with your generous friend, and after he flies back home, it could be fun to find a special occasion to invite friends over and try the same thing against a bottle of, say, Johnny Walker or Dewars. See if you think the Glenmorangie is better (it most likely is). If so, is it over 200 times better?

I'm not sure I'd be able to taste $700 worth of difference.

Who knows, it could end up being the best thing you ever had and your life is richer for drinking it.

Yeah but I had experiences with firearms. Some $100-300 guns wouldn’t make it through the first magazine without just horridly failing. Once you spend like $700+ they just go thousands upon thousands of rounds and don’t jam as easier. I dunno. Never had that experience with booze but not knocking somebody that finds a high dollar stuff that just drinks smooth.

 

[Peartree]

Yeah but I had experiences with firearms. Some $100-300 guns wouldn’t make it through the first magazine without just horridly failing. Once you spend like $700+ they just go thousands upon thousands of rounds and don’t jam as easier. I dunno. Never had that experience with booze but not knocking somebody that finds a high dollar stuff that just drinks smooth.

I don't think that he was "knocking" anyone. He said that it wasn't worth three times as much "to him" and that the people at that gathering wouldn't pay three times as much for the experience. He then went on to say that the OP should try it because it might just be "the best thing you ever had and your life is richer for drinking it." None of that is criticism.

 

[Jim Hinton]

OK, I don't drink, and I haven't in over 25 years. When I did, I thought that all scotch tasted like peat moss. That being said, Glenmorangie is considered to be one of the very finest scotch whiskeys available, along with it's unblended brethren Glenlivet, and Glenfiddich. For what it's worth.

Jim

 

[AfterBurners]

I'm not familiar with the brand but again I don't drink much

 

[dr wogz]

My opinion?

I've had a few of the offerings from the '12 men of Tain'.. I"m more of an Islay man myself actually..

Try it. if you like it, you have something, and savor it for you may not get it again. Each barrel is slightly different, and the same "brand / line" can vary, from barrel to barrel, year to year.

If you don't, let your friend know. He is your friend, and being honest shouldn't be an issue between friends. Let him know it's not quite your taste. He may think it's the best thing in the world [his taste / his palate], but you don't. Ask him if he wants it back, that you feel he would appreciate it more than you. He (if he was me) would appreciate the honesty, and take it back. And, I assume, he would then try to get you something that's more to your liking..

I'd much rather someone be honest with me, say they don't quite appreciate the time, but do appreciate the thought. And let me make it right. I'm giving you something I want you / think you might enjoy. I don't want it to sit & collect dust..

 

[tsmmiller]

My opinion?

I've had a few of the offerings from the '12 men of Tain'.. I"m more of an Islay man myself actually..

Try it. if you like it, you have something, and savor it for you may not get it again. Each barrel is slightly different, and the same "brand / line" can vary, from barrel to barrel, year to year.

If you don't, let your friend know. He is your friend, and being honest shouldn't be an issue between friends. Let him know it's not quite your taste. He may think it's the best thing in the world [his taste / his palate], but you don't. Ask him if he wants it back, that you feel he would appreciate it more than you. He (if he was me) would appreciate the honesty, and take it back. And, I assume, he would then try to get you something that's more to your liking..

I'd much rather someone be honest with me, say they don't quite appreciate the time, but do appreciate the thought. And let me make it right. I'm giving you something I want you / think you might enjoy. I don't want it to sit & collect dust..

My first experience with scotch was again a gift. This was a bottle 18 YO Glenlivet from one of my wife’s friends, for my BD last year. I enjoyed it very much. Much more so than the American whiskies.
The gift is from Dr Bouniver, my SIL.
Since I really do want to savor this and experience the full effect, I did reach out and find a set of scotch glasses. When they arrive fro that company that starts with an A in time for Christmas, then I will open the bottle and share.
I have enjoyed reading up on scotches, folks opinions and pointers.
As I mentioned, this is a new one for me, and one I will cherish, even if it ends up not to my liking.
As I mentioned above, I also was able to sample a world premier wine, that to me was just nasty!
I will most definitely let everyone know how I liked or disliked and my thought on on it.

 

[dr wogz]

My favorite single malt:
Caol Ila. Hands down! (Bowmore is my 2nd favorite.)


I had a bottle of Scapa that was delightful..