You are absolutely correct, Ardbeg has sourced their peat from Port Ellen since 1981. Laphroaig on the other hand uses their own peat, if I recall correctly that’s from the area around their distillery.
It’s nice to know that I’m not alone buying a dud. Early on I’d go with what the store clerk would suggest and I stopped doing that (got a couple of duds). As I developed my own tastes and now I’ve gravitated to taking yours and Ralfy’s advice because your advice is far more in depth and I tend to share your taste in whiskey. I bought a bottle of Redbreast Lustau Edition on your recommendation along with a few others that I felt were in my wheelhouse and I wasn’t disappointed even once. As for either of the Connemara whiskeys is a hard no for me. Thanks for the review. It’s appreciated. 👌🏻🥃
You should NEVER have to work at liking a whisky. You are sooo right. If a whisky doesn't "grab" you then I believe to just let it go. So many other whiskies waiting out there for you. Just my opinion of course. Thanks for such an in depth great video as per usual. Take care.
Well, may I just dampen your absoluteness … If I have to work for it, it should be worth it! If the “work” provides some kind of epiphany, I might be inclined to be happy about it. However, in this case, you are certainly right: connemara is not good enough to be worth that amount of effort!
Thanks for the honesty.. We cannot get this connemara version in Portugal (only the old caskstrength botle for 200€) but had de 40% and the Destilers Edition many times and find them wonderful!! If you are not a fan I'll finish the bolte for you for free.. Looking forward to try that Ardbeg (very expensive here - but not many other Islays left to try). The Connemara is one of the most beloved irish whiskeys.. I'm sad that you dont like it..
Sir, THANK YOU again for another FANTASTIC video. Especially the information on how to let the whiskey sit. I know it seems like common sense, but something I had not thought of due to the alcohol evaporation, guessing covering with the coin keeps the alcohol evaporation low. The wierd "petroleum" note in the Connamarra could be from a still problem, might have too much residue build up in the vapor trail, crappy barrel picks, etc. Could be a bunch of issues. THANK YOU, again!
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Thank you for replying to my comment!! I was gonna mention the "blender" but didn't know if it was a single person barrel selection or automated process for this bottling.
The Connemara Cask Strength Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey is sold out here in Europe and I have not heard that there are any plans for new bottlings of the cask strength. That said - this is the whisky that converted me to peated whisky - I did not have any diesel moments - maybe I had a good bottle here in Europe and the Us got a worse batch ?!?
Erik , hats off and cheers to you, this was brutally truthful. Though I don’t quite get the petrol forward notes as intensely as you seem to on this bottling, I do not love this whisky as I usually do most peated or Islay influences bottles.. there are so many $100 bottles in my market that blow this one away, that the 80/100 is in fact generous indeed. Thank you for your forthright and informative video!! Cheers 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃
After airing it out the whisky has come good qualities. If they would get rid of the diesel note it would be closer to 90 points. If I was the ONLY person getting the petrol/diesel note I wold include that I might have a bad bottle or that it was affected by the cork. But, too many others have had similar complaints. The bottle is from September 20, 2012.
Personally I love Connamara. I didn't get any petrol notes at all. The only thing that disappointed me a little was the weakening of the peat that you described. The cask strength goes for 65 by me I'm going to pick it up and hopefully don't have the experience you had. Great review.
I've only had one cork crumble on me, but it's made me save corks. These Irish whiskeys are about the same price as Lagavulin 16, and none of them would make me want to pick them over that ever.
I'm comparing the 12 year old, which is about the same price as Lagavulin 16, here in Washington state. I'm not interested in either of the ones Erik has reviewed. The 40%er or the NAS. Sorry I didn't specify in this comment, the comment was a continuation of earlier comments made to Erik.
Erik Wait Whisky Studies I swear this was a better product 15 years ago. I don’t know what they’ve done to it. Maybe changed the distillation process. Too bad, there isn’t much peated Irish whiskey out there.
Thank you for your troubles! As one that had tasted gasoline learning how to siphon it out of a gas tank when young I’m sure as hell I would not like to experience that taste again! Sorry for your troubles. Do you still have some coins left?
Yes, send your mailing address and $20 to erikwait@yahoo.com via PalPal. If you have any difficulties, just send me an e-mail and I'll send you a message from PayPal.
Why do graders grade on a 1 to 100 score and never go below 75 on a rating? It’s so confusing. Erik didn’t like the peated Irish and gave it a 79-80. How bad does something have to be to get a 25? I’m not trying to pick on Erik. They all to it
Good question. The 100 point scale was developed by Robert Parker Jr. founder of the Wine Advocate. It was then picked up by the Wine Spectator and other wine media and then carried over into the whisky world. If a whisky were 25 points it would have serious flaws and be removed from the shelves. Nobody would even bother to review it. The Connemara CS had some positive qualities which I mentioned but the negative qualities were enough to keep it from being a solid GOOD whiskey. So, here is my rating system. 90 - 100 = Excellent. 80-89 = Good, 70 - 79 = Palatable/Quaffable. 60 - 69 = Flawed/Undrinkable. Perhaps I should do a video on this topic? My primary issue with the whiskey is, there are FAR too many that are better for the same price or lower.
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Being a wine person too I've understood your ratings all along, but I think this question shows that the rating system is not so universally understood. I think you should do a video on the topic. Even if other reviewers don't use the system as you do, at least it would give your viewers a base for understanding the scores you provide.
Erik Wait Whisky Studies Thank you for your explanation! But in my opinion this system is very flawed. A 1-5 with decimal points is enough to encompass all variants. Or 1-50 without decimals. But what the hell do I know. Right?! 😁😆😆
Wow. You really parsed out the flavors in each in great detail. This was a instructive and fun experience. Thank you Erik!
You are absolutely correct, Ardbeg has sourced their peat from Port Ellen since 1981. Laphroaig on the other hand uses their own peat, if I recall correctly that’s from the area around their distillery.
It’s nice to know that I’m not alone buying a dud. Early on I’d go with what the store clerk would suggest and I stopped doing that (got a couple of duds). As I developed my own tastes and now I’ve gravitated to taking yours and Ralfy’s advice because your advice is far more in depth and I tend to share your taste in whiskey.
I bought a bottle of Redbreast Lustau Edition on your recommendation along with a few others that I felt were in my wheelhouse and I wasn’t disappointed even once. As for either of the Connemara whiskeys is a hard no for me. Thanks for the review. It’s appreciated. 👌🏻🥃
You should NEVER have to work at liking a whisky. You are sooo right. If a whisky doesn't "grab" you then I believe to just let it go. So many other whiskies waiting out there for you. Just my opinion of course. Thanks for such an in depth great video as per usual. Take care.
Well, may I just dampen your absoluteness …
If I have to work for it, it should be worth it! If the “work” provides some kind of epiphany, I might be inclined to be happy about it. However, in this case, you are certainly right: connemara is not good enough to be worth that amount of effort!
Great review! Appreciate the honesty. Not many whiskey tubers would be this honest. Thumbs up!
I appreciate that!
Thanks for the honesty.. We cannot get this connemara version in Portugal (only the old caskstrength botle for 200€) but had de 40% and the Destilers Edition many times and find them wonderful!! If you are not a fan I'll finish the bolte for you for free.. Looking forward to try that Ardbeg (very expensive here - but not many other Islays left to try). The Connemara is one of the most beloved irish whiskeys.. I'm sad that you dont like it..
I like the 40% ABV NAS Connemara more than the Cask Strength, in fact I gave it 90 points.
Sir, THANK YOU again for another FANTASTIC video. Especially the information on how to let the whiskey sit. I know it seems like common sense, but something I had not thought of due to the alcohol evaporation, guessing covering with the coin keeps the alcohol evaporation low.
The wierd "petroleum" note in the Connamarra could be from a still problem, might have too much residue build up in the vapor trail, crappy barrel picks, etc. Could be a bunch of issues.
THANK YOU, again!
I was wondering if they had a dirty still as well. But I have to wonder, WHO is tasting it before they bottle it? Are they nose blind?
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Thank you for replying to my comment!! I was gonna mention the "blender" but didn't know if it was a single person barrel selection or automated process for this bottling.
The Connemara Cask Strength Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey is sold out here in Europe and I have not heard that there are any plans for new bottlings of the cask strength.
That said - this is the whisky that converted me to peated whisky - I did not have any diesel moments - maybe I had a good bottle here in Europe and the Us got a worse batch ?!?
Erik , hats off and cheers to you, this was brutally truthful. Though I don’t quite get the petrol forward notes as intensely as you seem to on this bottling, I do not love this whisky as I usually do most peated or Islay influences bottles.. there are so many $100 bottles in my market that blow this one away, that the 80/100 is in fact generous indeed.
Thank you for your forthright and informative video!! Cheers 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃
After airing it out the whisky has come good qualities. If they would get rid of the diesel note it would be closer to 90 points. If I was the ONLY person getting the petrol/diesel note I wold include that I might have a bad bottle or that it was affected by the cork. But, too many others have had similar complaints. The bottle is from September 20, 2012.
Personally I love Connamara. I didn't get any petrol notes at all. The only thing that disappointed me a little was the weakening of the peat that you described. The cask strength goes for 65 by me I'm going to pick it up and hopefully don't have the experience you had. Great review.
Wonder which state you are in, in Houston, I can’t find it anywhere.
I've only had one cork crumble on me, but it's made me save corks. These Irish whiskeys are about the same price as Lagavulin 16, and none of them would make me want to pick them over that ever.
Connemara is 2 times cheaper than Lagavulin 16. If you want to compare this CS, than compare to Lag 12 CS, which is once again more expensive.
Totally agree!!!!!
I'm comparing the 12 year old, which is about the same price as Lagavulin 16, here in Washington state. I'm not interested in either of the ones Erik has reviewed. The 40%er or the NAS. Sorry I didn't specify in this comment, the comment was a continuation of earlier comments made to Erik.
Great video 🤘🏻
Can you please review Cask Islay?
It isn't sold in the USA and The Whiskey Exchange does not ship to the USA.
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Ohh.. Okay. Thanks
Does Connemara have an octane rating? I’m guessing at least 88.😏
lol
Erik Wait Whisky Studies I swear this was a better product 15 years ago. I don’t know what they’ve done to it. Maybe changed the distillation process. Too bad, there isn’t much peated Irish whiskey out there.
Thank you for your troubles! As one that had tasted gasoline learning how to siphon it out of a gas tank when young I’m sure as hell I would not like to experience that taste again! Sorry for your troubles. Do you still have some coins left?
Yes, send your mailing address and $20 to erikwait@yahoo.com via PalPal. If you have any difficulties, just send me an e-mail and I'll send you a message from PayPal.
Erik Wait Whisky Studies, Got trough with PayPal!
Why do graders grade on a 1 to 100 score and never go below 75 on a rating? It’s so confusing. Erik didn’t like the peated Irish and gave it a 79-80. How bad does something have to be to get a 25? I’m not trying to pick on Erik. They all to it
Good question. The 100 point scale was developed by Robert Parker Jr. founder of the Wine Advocate. It was then picked up by the Wine Spectator and other wine media and then carried over into the whisky world. If a whisky were 25 points it would have serious flaws and be removed from the shelves. Nobody would even bother to review it. The Connemara CS had some positive qualities which I mentioned but the negative qualities were enough to keep it from being a solid GOOD whiskey. So, here is my rating system. 90 - 100 = Excellent. 80-89 = Good, 70 - 79 = Palatable/Quaffable. 60 - 69 = Flawed/Undrinkable. Perhaps I should do a video on this topic? My primary issue with the whiskey is, there are FAR too many that are better for the same price or lower.
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Being a wine person too I've understood your ratings all along, but I think this question shows that the rating system is not so universally understood. I think you should do a video on the topic. Even if other reviewers don't use the system as you do, at least it would give your viewers a base for understanding the scores you provide.
Erik Wait Whisky Studies Thank you for your explanation! But in my opinion this system is very flawed. A 1-5 with decimal points is enough to encompass all variants. Or 1-50 without decimals. But what the hell do I know. Right?! 😁😆😆