Integrity move, Ralfy. Most would quietly move along and let this one slip by without the trouble of revisiting it. Your immediately revisiting this and revising your score gives us even greater confidence in your word.
This is what we, as Whiskey admirers, need: hard and no-nonsense reviews. Been watching your reviews since 2014, love your insightful and blunt opinions. Thanks, much appreciated :).
Thank you for staying on the case and for leaving the old review up. One of the many reasons we love ya Ralf is because you give us your reviews unfiltered. Bless ye.
oh, Ralfy's a champion... jus because you can see his breathe on occasion doesn't mean that it's cold yet there in the Irish Sea! :) Glad you like the scarf bud!
Thanks for revisiting this one, definitely interesting as I have been reviewing beer for years and recently trying to understand the complexities of whiskey. All the best.
This was the first scotch I ever tried, and I enjoyed it enough to buy a bottle. Have not opened the new one but will watch for this change in flavors. As always thanks for all you do and for having the integrity to go back and correct.
I love you going back to whiskies Ralfy. There are whiskies that I have gone back to and had wildly different experiences based on how much time I give it, what I have eaten or a myriad of many factors. Seeing someone as experienced as you revisit and adjust your opinion helps us see that thinks can change taste to taste. It also gives us a different perspective on the same dram.
Hi Ralfy, I didn't know until now that you revisted the Glenlivet 15. I really enjoy my bottle. I didn't notice that the whisky was hot. This is the difference between a pupil and the teacher. Thank you Ralfy for that lesson. Still love the whisky.
Very amateur scotch drinker here, but here's my take: Glenlivet 15 last year I found too sweet. This year's bottle was better (less sweet), until trying it with a very bitter chocolate truffle to see what would happen, and what happened was the sweetness of this scotch came through to knock me on my ###. Only have one other scotch to compare, Oban 14, and on comparison the Oban 14 was much better, because I don't want sweetness to be part of the scotch experience. To me the more sweet, the more cheap. Sweetness all aside, and their relative low price, these are very nice tasting. I even found the caramel flavour in this Glenlivet 15, and the smoke in the Oban. Why am I going on about this? I'm getting all hyped up about tasting and learning about scotch! These reviews are great and thanks for posting.
I had to try this one myself, and it convinced me that anything I have tasted from Glenlivet has fallen way short of expectations. The only one that was palatable was Signatory’s unchill filtered collection. Great review by the way.
First for everything Ralfy! Very much appreciated too, always happy to hear some hidden gems from your experience and goes to show that you never stop learning.
I'm on to my second dram , tried adding the water etc . Not quite getting the response you mention , but thank you for giving us the second review . ( Can anyone else hear a rooster crowing in the background ,around the 7 minute mark? Maybe it's past my bed time ! ;) )
Went to friends' house for New Years Eve last night and he had this in his stash. He offered me a dram, and honestly I have to say it was great. So Glenlivet must have improved their bottlings since this video, because while I'm still a whisky novice I didn't pick up any harshness or bite. Overall it had a great flavor and was a great dram to have among friends.
I just had that experience with the Bruichladdich Laddie 10yo. I bought two bottles after you had it as your whisky of the year. Both bottles were excellent. Than it disappeared, from the market, for a while. When it came back, I bought two more bottles, the batch #2 is nowhere as as good as the first batch. I opened my last bottle on Monday, it was so hot, I had a hard time drinking it. 😥😥
any tips ralfy on how to get any improvement out of a jura 16-duirachs own? like the glenlivet 15 its a hot one. ive given it a minute in the glass for a year in the cask and beyond. ive added a few drops of h20 and it simply cant take it. no mouthfeel -no finish- all i can taste is a vague bit of hazelnut behind the blanket of e150 and bitter wood. i got it at discounted price so im not heartbroken but theres a lot of the bottle left and i reckon it will outstay its welcome on the shelf.
Ralfy; I also pick up on the "hot" note you speak of. And I've just been bought a bottle. I'm actually used to smokey whiskies therefore im surprised that I've even picked up on this. To me this is actually almost undrinkable even with water. If i mix it with millstone and a bit of water it is made a little better!!! But safe to say after this I will not be buying a glenlivet anytime soon!
Hi Ralfy. This was useful thanks.. it highlights how subjective this all is. There is something else along the lines of alcohol heat that I find tricky to pin down.. and that is too much wood influence. I find bitterness in some malts but am not sure if this is intentional as part of the cask influence or a negative in that poor casks have been used on a spirit that has been matured far too long. Any examples you can talk us through? Cheers
Great re-review Ralfy I did learn a lot about something I've noticed with a couple of bottles in my own collection. PS; Love the Tartan scarf, I'm already searching it out to buy. Slainte'
I really appreciate your opinion, and guidance, and honesty..Coming back to this spirit when you discover something else shows incredible integrity...I thought the 15 was ok, for sure enjoyable..However i had the 14 last night, and i did not like it..I dont know what it was, but for my tatse buds 14 was a loser..I think the 12 Double oak is far more enjoyable..I dont know the reason, im still really new at this...Its time for me to branch out to other makers..Ive had about all the Glenlivet offerings and im happy with the 12 double oak, and the 18 that i cant really afford here in the states at around a $140.00 a bottle lol...Whats next brother, what should i try, knowing that 12 Double oak is to my liking?..Suggestions?
Hi Ralfy. I have sometimes wondered what would happen if you change your mind about a whisky. Well, now I know. Great stuff. I would like to recommend a whisky for you to try and perhaps review. It is completely off the radar. The Tomintoul Old Ballantruan 15 Years. Heavily peated, Ex-Bourbon casks, Non Chill-Filtered. I'd love to know what you think.
I'm currently sipping my first dram right now (2.5ml of water). Its nose is the best I've had (so far). Very nice apple scent but I'm still a novice. I'm not too sure what you meant by "nuttiness" and I'm not too sure if I'm smelling the oak. It would go a long way for people like me if you'd do a deep dive on different flavours involved in scotch. And as a bonus: should I go for Glenfiddich 15, Ardbeg 10, Arran 10 or Ledaig 10 next?
Yeah, that's exactly what I thought as well. 4 points on a 20 points scoring board make a HUGE difference. Glenlivet is generally a little more 'spiritous' in nature (in my perception), but makes up for that with a great distillate character imo, but this re-review has written 'bad batch' all over it.
So, you was raving about this whiskey and potentially could give it 89 if it was 43% etc. But due to a bit more added water it’s now crap and down to 80. LOL
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if what happens with this Glenlivet is what I'm thinking it is, it's a lot more common in single distilled spirits than in double distilled ones, specially when it's unaged. The smallest contact with oxigen makes it hot as hell, it truly burns your throat and your palate!
I get that heat usually oddly enough in 43% bottled whisky. Last one was the new Glen Grant 12 and swear it's a old Sherry cask that caused the heat, although the expression is mostly ex Bourbon Hogheads. Glen Grant should have stuck to the 10, though they are reaching back to Glen Grant's original official bottling with the re branding. In my opinion, that Glenlivet is still better then any Glenlivet from 15 years ago
I have three expressions of The Glenlivet, the 12, 15 and 18. I thoroughly enjoy the 12 and 18 year olds but have never taken to the 15. Maybe it's the French oak influence I don't like, maybe it is the "hotness" that you have experienced.
How can we rule out that it isn't a fluke or production variation? I.e. a poor bottle fill batch. For example in the past I hit the "jackpot" with an extremely harsh and hot Glenfarclas 105. As a control test I (and some fellow malt mates) have also compared it to another bottle of Glenfarclas 105 with different bottle code. The other one was good, no hotness.
@ralfydotcom Could you please suggest a few specific bottlings that you’ve found very hot? I’d love to “practice” my palate to be able to notice this component 🙌🥃
Thanks for the video, Ralfy. Unrelated-any thoughts on the distillery Blair Athol? I searched and it does not seem like you’ve ever reviewed one! I’ve got a 21 Year Blair Athol from Old Malt Cask that I’ve really enjoyed and would love to know your thoughts on any other bottlings of theirs that you’ve tried.
I don't recall Ralf ever reopening a review and lowering a malt mark, I could be misremembering though. If anything, he's rather been inclined to tack on an additional point or two in the same review (which I've found to be stretching things a bit).
Ralfy have you considered normalizing your review process so we can get a better understanding of the difference between different marks? Like converting malt marks into percentiles based on a normal distribution (haven't done the mean/median, but probably centered around 87).
Love your channel, please don’t get me wrong but in my opinion must of us can’t afford those insanely expensive malt whiskeys. Nice if you could incorporate more Scotch blends. greetings from Venice Beach.
Smooth and mellow? What do you mean by smooth? That it doesn't burn going down the throat? Or something else? What do you mean by Mellow? The same as smooth? Or do you mean Layed back and easy drinking like a conversation with an old friend? Or do you mean lacking flavour? Boring?
@@alanh8101 OK. Sounds good. Now what kind of fruitiness were you looking for? Yellow fruits like apples, honeydew melon, pairs, apricots....or red fruits like cherries, raspberries, strawberries, dates, figs? Or don't you mind?
@ralfydotcom Dear sir, I really like what your doing. Your videos helped me alot for understanding whisky. But I do have a question. Why distilleries bottles whisky at a minimum of 43% for the American market and 40% for the British/European market ? Thank you very much and keep up the good work
We tried this at work after hours in Glen Cairn glasses with a drop of water to try to open it up. Sadly, this was no better than their regular 12 year old in not first fill Bourbon barrels. Was a bit flat on the finish and to the 5 of us, including a young lady in our tasting group, not worth the price point here in Northern Virginia. We gave it a 72 out of 100.
Ralfy, is there such a thing as a bad batch making it onto the shelves these days? Surely they are tested and tasted before bottling? Or, is there an element of "sod it, that'll do we aren't throwing away whiskey when we can sell it". My malt journey started in August this year. I have a bottle of glenmorangie lasanta that seems to get cracking reviews from all quarters but I really can't get into it? It just seems so fiery and aggressive and the aftertaste is so bitter. Is it me? Is my palate not developed enough to enjoy it yet? Let me qualify that question by mentioning that my first experience was a macallan gold and a laphroaig 10. I chose them because I knew there would be a massive contrast from reviews I'd been watching. I hated the laphroaig and really enjoyed the macallan. A few months on I still enjoy the macallan but after having bought and sampled things like coa ila 12 and bowmore 12 I find I can now revisit the laphroaig and get more out of it and am starting to get some enjoyment from it. At what point do you say, actually it's not me - I just really don't like X for whatever reason?
so is this dependent on the batch or are ALL the 15's "hot"? I have this malt and seriously, this is not the one id grab instantly in my collection when I want to have some malt moment. Its just weird, cant pick up the distillery character tbh.
Ok Ralfy I’ve generally liked and agreed with all of your reviews. However the 15yo French cask is one of my favorites and you throwing out some fighting words “Malt Mate” lol. Now I’m going to have to go buy another new bottle and see.
Now you know why the price was so on the ""downside"", and I guess it is because they knew at Glenlivet……..btw, I have been at the distillery, and to be honest, I am not a big fan, when they rush the distillation as much as they do the tours these things are about to happen...…..even more so because only 2 men or so do the whole process……...no working men around for miles over there…….owww, how I miss the old days!
@@thewhiskybothy I'v done some distillation and sometime if you do it to fast you get more forshot = acetone, It's really "hot" and sounds more like the thing you are describing.
Ralfy, I'll tell you what my Glenlivet experience has been: repeatedly poor. I've tried several OB's and I can only describe that as watery. Sometimes VERY watery... and thin. I don't like it, not one bit.
I revisited the former review and the Malt mark I'm seeing appears to be 85 with you raving that it could have been 87 with a higher proof and 89 even without chill filtering. I also recall several folks in the comment section advising you that you had really missed the mark on this one, and you replying with stop the presses remarks that there would be a re review. Correcting your mark is fine. Why you feel the need to revise history that you originally gave it an 84 (especially when there was controversy in the comment section) raises more questions then it answers. I would recommend taking down both reviews, taking a break and starting over.
We’re here for you Ralphy, if you need to take a break from spirits for a while, do some reflecting, do whatever you need to do and come back, the many true fans will still be here and ready to resume our whisky journey with you!
The molecular formula of ethanol is C2H6O, indicating that ethanol contains two carbons and an oxygen. However, the structural formula of ethanol, C2H5OH, provides a little more detail, and indicates that there is an hydroxyl group (-OH) at the end of the 2-carbon chain. Are you saying there there is a 3rd carbon? That’s just bs
Just visiting Life A question from sb with zero background in chemistry: why does the H6O change to H5OH, with a focus on numbers, I get the hydroxyl group. Would love to learn more. Thx in advance 😎
Just a guess here: I think it is these residual alcohols that form from a quick distillation and are also responsible for more severe hangovers and a cheaper drink. That is what this very amateur scotch drinker (myself I mean) is taking from this review, which I think is a great one that inspires one to learn more about what they drink.
I disagree with your assessment. The tannic flavors you speak of come from the re-re-reused ex-bourbon casks, not the extra carbon PROTON in the Ethanol molecule.
Why drink this overpriced shite just because it spent 15 years in some sort of cask and comes from Scotland? I used to be a Scotch man then I discovered good bourbon and I never looked back since.
Integrity move, Ralfy. Most would quietly move along and let this one slip by without the trouble of revisiting it. Your immediately revisiting this and revising your score gives us even greater confidence in your word.
This is what we, as Whiskey admirers, need: hard and no-nonsense reviews. Been watching your reviews since 2014, love your insightful and blunt opinions. Thanks, much appreciated :).
Thank you for staying on the case and for leaving the old review up. One of the many reasons we love ya Ralf is because you give us your reviews unfiltered. Bless ye.
Unfiltered but a lot of colour added.
Rowland Hempel are you suggesting that our Malty Senpai visits tanning salons?! ;)
Absolutely
Love the scarf Ralfy, but light a fire if its getting chilly in the Bothy, we don't want you getting a cold!
oh, Ralfy's a champion... jus because you can see his breathe on occasion doesn't mean that it's cold yet there in the Irish Sea! :) Glad you like the scarf bud!
Thanks for revisiting this one, definitely interesting as I have been reviewing beer for years and recently trying to understand the complexities of whiskey. All the best.
love this video, It shows some of the best evidences of integrity i'v ever seen.
This was the first scotch I ever tried, and I enjoyed it enough to buy a bottle. Have not opened the new one but will watch for this change in flavors. As always thanks for all you do and for having the integrity to go back and correct.
As soon as you criticized this French oak, you could hear the rooster complaining and yelling at you!
I love you going back to whiskies Ralfy. There are whiskies that I have gone back to and had wildly different experiences based on how much time I give it, what I have eaten or a myriad of many factors. Seeing someone as experienced as you revisit and adjust your opinion helps us see that thinks can change taste to taste. It also gives us a different perspective on the same dram.
Teaching moment 😎 glad I caught this video. It’s almost worth buying it now so I can identify the hotness myself thank you!
Yes, I had the same thought.
Ralfy, this is the integrity-est 😉 way you could have possibly communicated this to us. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I've learnt something more today.
Hi Ralfy, I didn't know until now that you revisted the Glenlivet 15. I really enjoy my bottle. I didn't notice that the whisky was hot. This is the difference between a pupil and the teacher. Thank you Ralfy for that lesson. Still love the whisky.
Very amateur scotch drinker here, but here's my take: Glenlivet 15 last year I found too sweet. This year's bottle was better (less sweet), until trying it with a very bitter chocolate truffle to see what would happen, and what happened was the sweetness of this scotch came through to knock me on my ###. Only have one other scotch to compare, Oban 14, and on comparison the Oban 14 was much better, because I don't want sweetness to be part of the scotch experience. To me the more sweet, the more cheap. Sweetness all aside, and their relative low price, these are very nice tasting. I even found the caramel flavour in this Glenlivet 15, and the smoke in the Oban. Why am I going on about this? I'm getting all hyped up about tasting and learning about scotch! These reviews are great and thanks for posting.
I had to try this one myself, and it convinced me that anything I have tasted from Glenlivet has fallen way short of expectations.
The only one that was palatable was Signatory’s unchill filtered collection.
Great review by the way.
First for everything Ralfy! Very much appreciated too, always happy to hear some hidden gems from your experience and goes to show that you never stop learning.
I'm on to my second dram , tried adding the water etc . Not quite getting the response you mention , but thank you for giving us the second review . ( Can anyone else hear a rooster crowing in the background ,around the 7 minute mark? Maybe it's past my bed time ! ;) )
Went to friends' house for New Years Eve last night and he had this in his stash. He offered me a dram, and honestly I have to say it was great. So Glenlivet must have improved their bottlings since this video, because while I'm still a whisky novice I didn't pick up any harshness or bite. Overall it had a great flavor and was a great dram to have among friends.
This year ( 2021 ) i became 60 : my son gave me a bottle Glenlivet 15 Y : i liked it a lot !
Ralfy even the rooster in the background agrees with you interesting
I just had that experience with the Bruichladdich Laddie 10yo. I bought two bottles after you had it as your whisky of the year. Both bottles were excellent. Than it disappeared, from the market, for a while. When it came back, I bought two more bottles, the batch #2 is nowhere as as good as the first batch. I opened my last bottle on Monday, it was so hot, I had a hard time drinking it. 😥😥
Bruichladdich is not what it used to be under the previous master blender, Jim Mcewan. Sad to say.
Ralfy you are a man of integrity. Sorry you got a bad bottle. Glenlivet is my Favorite but I am sure you can not get a zero error rate
any tips ralfy on how to get any improvement out of a jura 16-duirachs own? like the glenlivet 15 its a hot one. ive given it a minute in the glass for a year in the cask and beyond. ive added a few drops of h20 and it simply cant take it. no mouthfeel -no finish- all i can taste is a vague bit of hazelnut behind the blanket of e150 and bitter wood. i got it at discounted price so im not heartbroken but theres a lot of the bottle left and i reckon it will outstay its welcome on the shelf.
Ralfy; I also pick up on the "hot" note you speak of. And I've just been bought a bottle. I'm actually used to smokey whiskies therefore im surprised that I've even picked up on this. To me this is actually almost undrinkable even with water. If i mix it with millstone and a bit of water it is made a little better!!! But safe to say after this I will not be buying a glenlivet anytime soon!
Watch the scarf, Ralfy ... E150 in the dye, 40% cashmere, no doubt it will filter all the chill.
Hi ralfy, have you tried the Label 5 classic black? It's a delicious blend, and cheap as well.
Ralfy underrated this one methinks.
Hi Ralfy. This was useful thanks.. it highlights how subjective this all is. There is something else along the lines of alcohol heat that I find tricky to pin down.. and that is too much wood influence. I find bitterness in some malts but am not sure if this is intentional as part of the cask influence or a negative in that poor casks have been used on a spirit that has been matured far too long. Any examples you can talk us through? Cheers
Great re-review Ralfy I did learn a lot about something I've noticed with a couple of bottles in my own collection. PS; Love the Tartan scarf, I'm already searching it out to buy. Slainte'
@8:55 which documentary is that? Would love to watch it during this quarantine period.
I really appreciate your opinion, and guidance, and honesty..Coming back to this spirit when you discover something else shows incredible integrity...I thought the 15 was ok, for sure enjoyable..However i had the 14 last night, and i did not like it..I dont know what it was, but for my tatse buds 14 was a loser..I think the 12 Double oak is far more enjoyable..I dont know the reason, im still really new at this...Its time for me to branch out to other makers..Ive had about all the Glenlivet offerings and im happy with the 12 double oak, and the 18 that i cant really afford here in the states at around a $140.00 a bottle lol...Whats next brother, what should i try, knowing that 12 Double oak is to my liking?..Suggestions?
Hi Ralfy. I have sometimes wondered what would happen if you change your mind about a whisky. Well, now I know. Great stuff.
I would like to recommend a whisky for you to try and perhaps review. It is completely off the radar. The Tomintoul Old Ballantruan 15 Years. Heavily peated, Ex-Bourbon casks, Non Chill-Filtered. I'd love to know what you think.
. . . sounds interesting, I will look out for it !
Your a better malty than I Ralfy. I would have never caught that as a dram has never seen a minute passed 15 for me.
A toasted stave is sometimes very effective to remove those harsh finishes. I look forward to see what you do with that bottle of Glenlivet. Cheers!
I'm currently sipping my first dram right now (2.5ml of water). Its nose is the best I've had (so far). Very nice apple scent but I'm still a novice. I'm not too sure what you meant by "nuttiness" and I'm not too sure if I'm smelling the oak. It would go a long way for people like me if you'd do a deep dive on different flavours involved in scotch. And as a bonus: should I go for Glenfiddich 15, Ardbeg 10, Arran 10 or Ledaig 10 next?
Ardbeg 10 or laphroaig 10 ledaig os olso good bud my favorite from the 3 sorry hahha the laphroaig 10 ❤️😂
Nice Scarf
4 grades down...oooooops...
I hope that it is just a bad bottle. This one is 85-86 in my opinion
Yeah, that's exactly what I thought as well.
4 points on a 20 points scoring board make a HUGE difference.
Glenlivet is generally a little more 'spiritous' in nature (in my perception), but makes up for that with a great distillate character imo, but this re-review has written 'bad batch' all over it.
Yeh, even the well established brands are not guaranteed to provide consistent quality from batch to batch. Everything is going to shite these days...
Integrity rules. Great video.
Strangely I think I will buy a bottle to see if I can find this fault.
BTW: love the rooster saying his piece about Glenlivet 15...
I used to live with an old famous french photographer...she always had a bottle of this in the cubbard....
I love Ralfy’s clickerface lol
So, you was raving about this whiskey and potentially could give it 89 if it was 43% etc. But due to a bit more added water it’s now crap and down to 80. LOL
if you would have actually listened you would have heard him mention he discovered the issue in the finish... after he finished the clip...
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if what happens with this Glenlivet is what I'm thinking it is, it's a lot more common in single distilled spirits than in double distilled ones, specially when it's unaged. The smallest contact with oxigen makes it hot as hell, it truly burns your throat and your palate!
I get that heat usually oddly enough in 43% bottled whisky. Last one was the new Glen Grant 12 and swear it's a old Sherry cask that caused the heat, although the expression is mostly ex Bourbon Hogheads. Glen Grant should have stuck to the 10, though they are reaching back to Glen Grant's original official bottling with the re branding. In my opinion, that Glenlivet is still better then any Glenlivet from 15 years ago
Well in this case a bottle code is rather relevant don't you think? Which batch did you try?
I'm hearing roosters in the background. From my headphones
Price of Mass production
That ending got me laughing 😂😂😂
I have three expressions of The Glenlivet, the 12, 15 and 18. I thoroughly enjoy the 12 and 18 year olds but have never taken to the 15. Maybe it's the French oak influence I don't like, maybe it is the "hotness" that you have experienced.
How can we rule out that it isn't a fluke or production variation? I.e. a poor bottle fill batch. For example in the past I hit the "jackpot" with an extremely harsh and hot Glenfarclas 105. As a control test I (and some fellow malt mates) have also compared it to another bottle of Glenfarclas 105 with different bottle code. The other one was good, no hotness.
@ralfydotcom Could you please suggest a few specific bottlings that you’ve found very hot? I’d love to “practice” my palate to be able to notice this component 🙌🥃
Thanks for the video, Ralfy. Unrelated-any thoughts on the distillery Blair Athol? I searched and it does not seem like you’ve ever reviewed one! I’ve got a 21 Year Blair Athol from Old Malt Cask that I’ve really enjoyed and would love to know your thoughts on any other bottlings of theirs that you’ve tried.
. . . off my radar at the moment !
I don't recall Ralf ever reopening a review and lowering a malt mark, I could be misremembering though. If anything, he's rather been inclined to tack on an additional point or two in the same review (which I've found to be stretching things a bit).
How early in the morning was this video made :p
Ralfy have you considered normalizing your review process so we can get a better understanding of the difference between different marks? Like converting malt marks into percentiles based on a normal distribution (haven't done the mean/median, but probably centered around 87).
Ralfy can you please tell me which one is your preference between old pulteney 12 and balvenie 12 doublewood?
. . . OP 12
Is the scarf chill-filtered?
Great Review!!...... Will try it.
Ralfy, is this likely to be just a fault in a single 'batch' or a shortcoming which is likely to recur in many such batches?
. . . it will probably affect multiple batches over time !
certainly interesting, useful and informative!
Love your channel, please don’t get me wrong but in my opinion must of us can’t afford those insanely expensive malt whiskeys. Nice if you could incorporate more Scotch blends. greetings from Venice Beach.
What is the best whiskey for its price??
Medium Bodied and Fruity..??
Smooth and mellow? What do you mean by smooth? That it doesn't burn going down the throat? Or something else?
What do you mean by Mellow? The same as smooth? Or do you mean Layed back and easy drinking like a conversation with an old friend? Or do you mean lacking flavour? Boring?
Jameson’s
Reb Mordechai what I meant Medium Bodied and Fruity that’s light to taste..
@@alanh8101 OK. Sounds good. Now what kind of fruitiness were you looking for? Yellow fruits like apples, honeydew melon, pairs, apricots....or red fruits like cherries, raspberries, strawberries, dates, figs? Or don't you mind?
Cragganmore 12yo !
4:55 Yeah Glenfarclas is one I've always noticed is hot, well perhaps not always but certainly with 105.
Ailios, same feeling here with the 105. All in all I stretched it with 3 different malts and a bit of sherry to get rid of that bottle.
Hey Ralphie, are the threads in that scarf unchill filtered? LOL. Love the reviews.
@ralfydotcom
Dear sir, I really like what your doing. Your videos helped me alot for understanding whisky. But I do have a question. Why distilleries bottles whisky at a minimum of 43% for the American market and 40% for the British/European market ?
Thank you very much and keep up the good work
. . . simple answer, the American market expects, and gets more product !
We tried this at work after hours in Glen Cairn glasses with a drop of water to try to open it up. Sadly, this was no better than their regular 12 year old in not first fill Bourbon barrels. Was a bit flat on the finish and to the 5 of us, including a young lady in our tasting group, not worth the price point here in Northern Virginia. We gave it a 72 out of 100.
Whats the difference with the 15 years Solera ?
Isn't the 15 Solera a Glenfiddich not Glenlivet?
@@tonicipriani oh man I must have been tired when I did that comment your right haha.
Quality takes time
Ralfy, is there such a thing as a bad batch making it onto the shelves these days? Surely they are tested and tasted before bottling? Or, is there an element of "sod it, that'll do we aren't throwing away whiskey when we can sell it".
My malt journey started in August this year. I have a bottle of glenmorangie lasanta that seems to get cracking reviews from all quarters but I really can't get into it? It just seems so fiery and aggressive and the aftertaste is so bitter.
Is it me? Is my palate not developed enough to enjoy it yet? Let me qualify that question by mentioning that my first experience was a macallan gold and a laphroaig 10. I chose them because I knew there would be a massive contrast from reviews I'd been watching.
I hated the laphroaig and really enjoyed the macallan. A few months on I still enjoy the macallan but after having bought and sampled things like coa ila 12 and bowmore 12 I find I can now revisit the laphroaig and get more out of it and am starting to get some enjoyment from it.
At what point do you say, actually it's not me - I just really don't like X for whatever reason?
so is this dependent on the batch or are ALL the 15's "hot"? I have this malt and seriously, this is not the one id grab instantly in my collection when I want to have some malt moment. Its just weird, cant pick up the distillery character tbh.
. . . I can only comment on what I taste, so it is batch only, as far as I am aware !
@@thewhiskybothy will go back to this again and comment back
Ok Ralfy I’ve generally liked and agreed with all of your reviews. However the 15yo French cask is one of my favorites and you throwing out some fighting words “Malt Mate” lol. Now I’m going to have to go buy another new bottle and see.
When are the special edition ralphy.com bonnets available.
. . . waiting for them to be delivered by the hat-maker !
Aaahh...that's maybe why i wasn't impressed with highland park 14 yo...but this one i still liked
I had a similar journey - at first it was surprisingly good then after a day I thought it was just 'ok' - not a rip-off though at least
Now you know why the price was so on the ""downside"", and I guess it is because they knew at Glenlivet……..btw, I have been at the distillery, and to be honest, I am not a big fan, when they rush the distillation as much as they do the tours these things are about to happen...…..even more so because only 2 men or so do the whole process……...no working men around for miles over there…….owww, how I miss the old days!
Stay tuned for Ralfy review 803: 30 yo Rosebank 😉
Never heard about hot alcohol. What is the name of that molecule?
. . . carbon
@@thewhiskybothy I'v done some distillation and sometime if you do it to fast you get more forshot = acetone, It's really "hot" and sounds more like the thing you are describing.
RALFY, pls review SCAPA SKIREN......
Water... Ach! Water...
top lad ralfy
Ralfy, I'll tell you what my Glenlivet experience has been: repeatedly poor.
I've tried several OB's and I can only describe that as watery. Sometimes VERY watery... and thin. I don't like it, not one bit.
Here we go again! Ha!
My man.
nonsense, Glenlivet 15yo is very good, If you don´t like it just say it straightforward. Changing the grade from 84 to 80 is just silly
I revisited the former review and the Malt mark I'm seeing appears to be 85 with you raving that it could have been 87 with a higher proof and 89 even without chill filtering. I also recall several folks in the comment section advising you that you had really missed the mark on this one, and you replying with stop the presses remarks that there would be a re review. Correcting your mark is fine. Why you feel the need to revise history that you originally gave it an 84 (especially when there was controversy in the comment section) raises more questions then it answers. I would recommend taking down both reviews, taking a break and starting over.
We’re here for you Ralphy, if you need to take a break from spirits for a while, do some reflecting, do whatever you need to do and come back, the many true fans will still be here and ready to resume our whisky journey with you!
Alan Licht I think youre overthinking this. He just recognized that the whisky changed for the worse with time and some water. Thats it.
hold the headlines...
The molecular formula of ethanol is C2H6O, indicating that ethanol contains two carbons and an oxygen. However, the structural formula of ethanol, C2H5OH, provides a little more detail, and indicates that there is an hydroxyl group (-OH) at the end of the 2-carbon chain. Are you saying there there is a 3rd carbon? That’s just bs
Right. No third carbon. Not ethanol if 3 carbons
Just visiting Life A question from sb with zero background in chemistry: why does the H6O change to H5OH, with a focus on numbers, I get the hydroxyl group. Would love to learn more. Thx in advance 😎
The third carbon would make it propanol, which is one possible after shot feint which could be “hot” in the spirit.
Just a guess here: I think it is these residual alcohols that form from a quick distillation and are also responsible for more severe hangovers and a cheaper drink. That is what this very amateur scotch drinker (myself I mean) is taking from this review, which I think is a great one that inspires one to learn more about what they drink.
The rooster is to loud😂
yuks, that's like diesel
GlenVelvet
It’s always a personal opinion lol.
Never liked Glenlivet. Prefer The Macallan much more.
At my own risk.... ok
Request less mediocre big brands and more quality independent bottlers. Blackadder perhaps
I disagree with your assessment. The tannic flavors you speak of come from the re-re-reused ex-bourbon casks, not the extra carbon PROTON in the Ethanol molecule.
haha don't add water to the scarf or you will get an orange glow yourself ralf ;-)
I hope Glenlivet wasn't declaring victory on Monday............
clearly disagree.
First
.
. . . verified as Fisrt !
.
Why drink this overpriced shite just because it spent 15 years in some sort of cask and comes from Scotland? I used to be a Scotch man then I discovered good bourbon and I never looked back since.