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By *erces LetiferMan
over a year ago
Somewhere off the edge of the map... 'ere there be monsters |
There are several differnt types of whisk(e)y, with the main / most popular type being scotch (has to come from a Scottish distillery), which can range from light and floral, sweet and spicy, or smokey and challenging (and everything inbetween). My favourite scotch (so far) is Highland Park 12 single malt.
Next up is bourbon. Comes from the US (mainly Kentuky), tends to be sweeter but also less 'smooth' or 'complex', instead having a slighly more punchy or harsh finish. Mostly due to having to be distilled in brand new charred oak barrels, whereas scotch can be aged and finished in a wide variety of barrels for additional layers and flavourings (like cherry casks). My favourtie bourbon (so far) is Maker's Mark, or Woodford Reserve.
Irish whiskey used to rule the world until it all but disappeared and the Scots took over... thankfully they've had a revival since and have come back swinging. Irish is maybe my favourite whisk(e)y overall so far. It can be as simple and sweet as the most basic bourbon or it can be as deep and complex as a single malt scotch. My favourites (so far) are Red Breast 12 followed closely by Green Spot.
Then there's Canadian, Rye, Japanese, even English whiskies have started to emerge... there's never been as many distilleries as there are today, and more spring up every day, it seems. I've not got into Japanese whiskey yet, but what little I've researched is that they started by imitating single malt scotch as closely as possible, before making it their own, but still very floral or fruity or peaty. You pay a premium for it over here, though, which is the reverse of Japanese folk getting scotch in, I guess.
I'd happily recommend any of my favourites I mentioned above, alongside any that you'd find in the supermarket. Just get some and try them out, everyone's different with their own tastes, etc. Drink it neat, with ice, in a cocktail, whatever you want. Don't let anybody tell you you're wrong for enjoying it the way you want to, or that there's one twue way to drink it, or that there's only one twue type or brand, etc. |
I only ever drink it straight with ice, it’s very smooth, and quite sweet, similar to a Glenmorangie, just a fuller flavour with that extra ageing 
