I think we're a growing minority principally because of how accessible good quality information has become, thanks to the internet. I think people have always cared about the quality of their whisky (more or less) as much as they do now, but they didn't necessarily know how to tell good from bad. We're fortunate now to have resources, like this fine RUclips channel, from which to learn. I know that I, at least, would never have become as knowledgeable or as sophisticated as I am (to the extent that I am either, lol) without Ralfy, or Aquavitae, or Daniel Wittington. So cheers to you fine folks on the internet for providing the education that I wouldn't have found elsewhere or otherwise...I am indeed very grateful!
So much to learn. I watched your videos for weeks before venturing out to purchase my first quality single malt, an Edradour Caledonia. After my first sip I realized I was entering a whole new world. I added an Ardbeg 10 the next month and just recently a Redbreast Lusteau. This past week I went out and bought some cheap stuff...a $20 single malt from Trader Joe's and a basic Bushmills. Going back to the cheap bottles is an eye opener after you've tasted the good stuff. We also have a "limited edition" single malt that we bought at some local distillery a few months ago for as much as I paid for Ardbeg 10. Aged only a few years and a whopping 40%. I won't say what it tastes like for decencies sake, but that's the last time we'll be wasting our money like that.
You're right. It's hard to find anything terrible, besides a fluke defect. I love trying new things and learning more than always trying to find the best there is.
Agreed. I always kind of roll my eyes when someone says a whiskey is so bad they want to pour it down the drain because they just can't handle it. I don't think anything is truly that undrinkable. There are plenty that are not in my tasting preferences but nothing I've gone so far to say I'd pour it down the drain.
@@CorkandJava right! Some cheap whiskey is better than its price point, but sometimes you can't expect too much if your buying "bargain" priced whiskey. Gotta keep things in perspective.
I recently bought a "rare dram" called The Omaruvian. Distilled in New Zealand at the Dunedin Distillery - the worlds southern most distillery until cheeky Aussies bought it , asset stripped it and sold off the hardware. Anyway - from time to time there is a release of the remnant casks. It got my attention because , on the label it stated 18 years old (also stated 10 years in American Oak bourbon casks and 8 years in French Oak New Zealand Red Wine casks....interesting), non chill filtered, natural colour and bottled at 50%abv. How could I say no for Christmas lol. I have only had 1x dram from it so far. Delicious - 91 or 92 I suspect. It really does need time in the glass - and although initially seemed like it didn't need water it really did open up with a 5ml teaspoon full. Quite a treat! I have gone back and bought the remaining bottles - you know , one for now, one for later, one to sell. Not sure if I will sell however. Merry Christmas Ralfy :)
You touched upon buying localy Ralfy. Totally agree, I tend too buy from two small local specialists shops , very rare that I buy online. Supporting shops like these I find important especially in these times and you can have a chat, try a dram or two in a friendly atmosphere. Good Xtra' s video Ralfy.
My own definition of bad whisky: you paid heftily much more than what it's actually worth, and realized it actually tasted inferior to the one next to it which only cost you a fraction of what you paid for the former. And you still cursed yourself after 48 hours. That is bad whisky to me.
Hey ralfy, thx for all the videos during the whole year. Great pleasure to see all of them. Marry Christmas to you and to all of your family. Stay safe and healthy during this time. Greetings from Germany.
Agreed.. I have 3x that I find I am perpetually disappointed in. Dalwhinnie 15, Jura and The Dalmore. All 3 I used to feel had depth and interest and now I find they are generic. Maybe their cask selection has failed somewhat or maybe my palate has become more discerning? I don't know.
Thank you so much for this extra! This is why you return again and again to the source of irrefutable information. Truth doesn’t lie, and practicality always pays. I just felt I needed to be refocused.....and it’s so much easier to accomplish, when you know your source pipes with a clear tone! Thanks Ralfy.
Some weeks ago I bought two Teeling (Irish), very different ones. First is a 10 year blend made only with Teeling Whiskeys. Second is a 16 years old Bourbon cask. What an intriguing difference only by see the colors. The first is bright as acacia honey; the second dark, a mix between amber and caimgorm.
I follow your channel and bought a bottle of Arran 10 year old and I really enjoyed it. My favourite malts so far have been the Deanston 12 and the GlenAllachie 12 and I'm not sure I would have tried these excellent malts without your help. Thanks.
Ralphie I love your excellent attitude and your enthusiasm for life and spirits. Thank you for the effort and hard work you put into your videos. Merry Christmas and happy new year.
One of the few good things to come out of lockdown is "bringing that quality into the home" as you put it so well Ralfy. Started buying less whisky this year, but better quality. I am now a devout fan of distillieries such as Edradour, which I had never tried until this year. Also treated myself to a copy of your book Ralfy, which I shall read with a few drams on Xmas Day seeing as I will be on my own
i have learned so much from this gentleman throughout the years by following and watching his videos. hope you have a very merry Christmas Ralfy! Cheers from Newfoundland Canada!
Would love to know where you buy your actual whiskies from Ralfy. Next year I’ve decided to only buy bottlings from Signatory etc (apart from Springbank) to really taste different cask types. I’ve got no local whisky shops near me at all so only buying online. Where do you find your indie bottlings ?
Been enjoying your reviews and extra 's alot in company of a dram. Wishing you and your loved ones a merry christmas and a happy and healthy New year. Thank you very much 👍
Actually Portugal is the worlds biggest exporter of cork - but no offense taken since most people dont remember that are 2 countries in this peninsula, although we built the first world wide economy.. But that was many centuries and many many drums ago.. Big hugs!
Thanks Ralfy for another great video. Slightly off-topic, but I'd say that the quality of the malt moment itself is a tremendous amplifier, and can make a distinctly average whisky good, and a great whisky phenomenal. Cheers!
In my mumble opinion: Malt marriage must make malt malice musty so that malt mist must appear in our glencairns...That is the sign of a magical malt...might not qualify for a malt mention but mentioning still!!! ;) Wishing A very haaaapy, safe and malty Haappy New Year to all my Maltmates in this world and beyond...!!!
Talisker 10 for me. Not appalling by any means but I personally think it tastes very young and harsh. Got a bottle of Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair and is miles better in comparison. Would love to hear your, or anyone else’s, thoughts on the Bunnahabhain as it seems at the higher end of the non-age statement whiskies.
Ralfy, when you going to take us to a tour on regional distilleries ? 1 or 2 for Region will be great. Highland , Islay, Lowland , Speyside and then your island tour... Isle of Man . it will be a great vacation for you and great knowledge to all of us .
If you fancy trawling the cheaper blends, Aldi’s own brand Highland Black is 8yrs aged and actually very decent drop compared to the swill that the Grouses and Teachers have become in the last few years.,
@@wt8676 there's the land cask which is the one I got. It's peated and reminded me of Ledaig... The sea cask is unpeated which I haven't tried. Let me know what you think.
Some of the better low-end blends are actually quite nice to make a decent cocktail with. JW Red makes a real nice Rob Roy and actually isn't bad to drink neat now and then. It is a bit spicy and peppery and is quite nice if you don't want something more complex or 'robust'. Will it replace my higher-end Scotch? No. But every once in a while, it hits the spot.
Ralfy, I was just reading about saponification of esters in spirits when water is added too quickly prior to bottling. I'm familiar with conventional process (saponification = soap making when alkali binds with lipids to create salts of fatty acids - what we call soap). The claim is that this process is irreversible and ruins whisky, making it taste soapy. And so some producers claim to take up to a month to gradually dilute cask spirit to bottling strength. Personally I haven't knowingly tasted that and I'm not sure how this process can even happen by mere addition of water. I plan to run it by a friend of mine who is an organic chemist. Have you ever encountered that? Nice extras :) I also hope others with understanding of chemistry might respond.
Saponification would only be an issue if they're heating the whisky and adding a stong base (such as sodium hydroxide), and if that was going on you'd certainly know about it in the final product. Esterification is an equilibrium reaction where an alcohol condenses with a carboxylic acid, and is driven in the forward direction by either an excess of one starting reagent or the presence of a dehdrating agent (typically sulphuric acid in a fully organic mixture) to remove the unwanted product molecule (water). As your whisky has been sat in a cask where there is a huge excess of one of the reagents (ethanol) *and* a huge excess of water (anything up to 60% of the liquid in the cask...), I would hazard a guess that the equlibrium point of the ester concentration was reached long, long before it was bottled. Adding water does affect the equilibrium point, it's true, but as water is already present in *magnitudes* of excess (compared to the ester concetration) in the cask the mathematics of the reaction won't be affected in any significant manner. Also, if adding water *did* break down the esters - you'd taste the carboxylic acid remnants in the whisky...
@@grmmmmhpph thank you for confirming my own "hunches", that's what I was thinking too, saponification needs heat and base! Do you have any guesses as to why some whisky might taste soapy when watered to bottling strength "too quickly"? I suppose we don't even know if this really happens, but some do claim it. But even basic knowledge of chemistry is even more scarce than math. I've heard people claim that when you add water to a glass of un-chill filtered whisky, then the oils end up on top (as if it's italian salad dressing), even though it's visibly suspended and distributed as "scotch mist".
Nice switchup in the 857 Xtras, the review had quite a bit of preachiness going on with some sections of dragging along, then here the Xtras kicked in like David Byrne running around the stage on Life During Wartime in 1983! The Arran was that good? :)
Ralfy your knowledge is phenolimenal (see what I did there!) - yet more fantastic viewing, so interesting. You should make a film about whisky Ralfy talking about the history, crops, peat, distilling, maturation, bottling, marketing, changes in practices, quality v average output etc it would be a best seller in the whisky world! Thank you for the information you provide. Alan.
I've been sipping whiskey 30 years now. I've watched you since the beginning. I've been through every phase and learned a lot. I have a medical condition and take several meds. I enjoy lower proof blends and grain whiskies these days. Just to be clear...I am a customer and not all big brands are bad. That being said I enjoy Four Roses Bourbon and NOT Jack Daniels.
Am I the only one who thinks Ralfy would actually really appreciate a finely crafted cocktail? I suppose its silly of me to think he hasn’t approached one in his long and illustrious career, but I’m always surprised to hear him rail so hard against the concept of the “cocktail” in general. I mean come on, fresh citrus, balanced with the correct amount of sugar and a halfway decent spirit? A good egg white whiskey sour, or an agave margarita? A dark rum old fashioned? You cant tell me someone with Ralphy’s appreciation for taste couldnt dig something like that! Come on!!
I recently falled in love with a last word with mezcal instead of gin and am thinking of incorporating a peated whisky into it... Cocktails when well done can actually be better than the sum of its parts, and while I don't usually approve of highly expresssive single malts in cocktails because I think the nuances can be lost on them, some cocktails can explore quite a bit of what a spirit has got to offer
Pleasant notes as defined by the whisky cardboard sleeves: "Honey, raisins, citrus, flowers, nuts, tofee..." Pleasant notes actually saught after by many a malt mate: "Greasy toolkit, varnish, pickle juice, motor oil, bandages, resin, welding materials, hand cleaning paste - generally anything never even remotely meant to be consumed"
I like the Ten quite a bit. It is a nice change from Islay Scotch, which I usually enjoy. I haven't tried the Storm yet, but I'm giving a bottle to a friend for Christmas. I'm sure that I will get a decent report on it soon.
My current favourites. Bunnahabhain 12 & 18.Wolfburn. Bladnoch 10. Bruichladdie The classic Laddie. Springbank. Kilchoman. Edradour Caledonia.Glencadam 15. Inchmurrin.Glendronach 18. Isle of Arran 10. There's a few others but if I am wracking my brains for inspiration it usually emerges from one of those. I have a Bells commemorative whisky ( the birth of Prince William) - The decanter is nice. But there is a truly bad whisky - only worth a splash of coca cola.
@@simonsherratt1484 Ok Simon... Question for you. My local spirit specialist has two varieties of Kilkerran available. the 12 year old @ 46% or the "Heavily Peated Batch #3" @ 59.7% Two radically different presentations (on the surface of it at least). What's your preference?
@@mikeaddison-saipe5820 I haven't tried the heavily peated but I think it's well respected by online whisky commentators. The 12 year old is wonderful, the best bang-for-your-buck malt out there in my opinion
FYI: 49 % of the world's cork production is in Portugal, around 100,000 tons of a worldwide total of 201,000 tons. 34% of the world’s area of cork oak forest is located in Portugal, representing 736,000 hectares of a total of 2,139,942 hectares. In terms of exports worldwide (2019) : Portugal: US$1.2 billion (60.8% of total cork exports);Spain: $379.8 million (19.4%). France takes the 3rd place: $105 million (5.4%).
I feel kinda bad saying that I absolutely hated Jim Murray’s whisky of the year : Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye. Good lord I needed patience for that bottle. And I’ve tasted well over 100 whiskies. Ugh!
Amazon Tovess Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (70cl). Temporarily out of stock.!!!!!! in Amazon UK. Lucky me that I´m in Spain. 19,48€. 4,5 out of 5 stars 71 ratings. 40% Vol., N.A.S. and E150 but... Let´s see Ralfy... Feliz Navidad !!!!
At your own peril Ralfy, I dare you to try Glenlivet Founders Reserve... I don't know what it is, is it the baby blue bottle, the light colour, the flat taste. Only problem is it's not cheap, it's the only single malt that I just, it's so uneventful I'll never have it again. Had it at a whiskey tasting when it first came out and then my Dad bought me a bottle unaware I didn't like it. It's just awful 😂.
One of my favorites and the best JW expression. I put it up there with all of the single malts at my bar. I just wish that they would come out with a cask strength version, as they did with the Blue a few years back. JW has some new cask strength offering out now. Not sure what it is based on, but I will try it.
There's far more competent whisky being made in terms of volume, but also less exceptional whisky being made in terms of supply and accessible pricing. It's quite easy to buy something that someone, somewhere will rate between 80 and 90/100, but "great" whisky is being redefined in terms of the younger expressions that most people can now afford and buy and so "great" whisky simply isn't what it used to be.
well now I know how to find the good stuff, now I need to learn how to actually drink the good stuff and taste something more than pure alcohol and vague hints of flavor i can barely describe
Portugal is a credit to cork production. Spain west region nearby the Portuguese border is also a good cork producer but at a distance. Feliz Natal!!! Feliz Navidad!!!
Can I have you general location so I can keep the time ...if not be ts fine...don't give details too detailed....but I drink in The morning were I am but I'd like to think I was tasting at a decent time
OMG....Can we deflect AWAY FROM the corporate manufacturer any FURTHER??? HE asked what a bad whiskey was not what was a mishandled , misproccessed contaminated, deteriorated or an adulterated whiskey was.... and I gave up on hearing WHAT was actually wrong WITH HIS purchase......, actually , although I am no friend of the manufacturer, by far by far the biggest problem with ALL whisky is the price , and that means the TAX....if it all wasn't abusively taxed a bad bottle here or there wouldn't matter at all as long as it didnt MAKE you sick.
I think we're a growing minority principally because of how accessible good quality information has become, thanks to the internet. I think people have always cared about the quality of their whisky (more or less) as much as they do now, but they didn't necessarily know how to tell good from bad. We're fortunate now to have resources, like this fine RUclips channel, from which to learn. I know that I, at least, would never have become as knowledgeable or as sophisticated as I am (to the extent that I am either, lol) without Ralfy, or Aquavitae, or Daniel Wittington.
So cheers to you fine folks on the internet for providing the education that I wouldn't have found elsewhere or otherwise...I am indeed very grateful!
The insight this dude has is impressive, informative and entertaining. 👍🏼
So much to learn. I watched your videos for weeks before venturing out to purchase my first quality single malt, an Edradour Caledonia. After my first sip I realized I was entering a whole new world. I added an Ardbeg 10 the next month and just recently a Redbreast Lusteau. This past week I went out and bought some cheap stuff...a $20 single malt from Trader Joe's and a basic Bushmills. Going back to the cheap bottles is an eye opener after you've tasted the good stuff. We also have a "limited edition" single malt that we bought at some local distillery a few months ago for as much as I paid for Ardbeg 10. Aged only a few years and a whopping 40%. I won't say what it tastes like for decencies sake, but that's the last time we'll be wasting our money like that.
You're right. It's hard to find anything terrible, besides a fluke defect. I love trying new things and learning more than always trying to find the best there is.
Truth
Agreed. I always kind of roll my eyes when someone says a whiskey is so bad they want to pour it down the drain because they just can't handle it. I don't think anything is truly that undrinkable. There are plenty that are not in my tasting preferences but nothing I've gone so far to say I'd pour it down the drain.
@@marcwhiskey usually they bought the cheapest crap they could find, too
@@CorkandJava right! Some cheap whiskey is better than its price point, but sometimes you can't expect too much if your buying "bargain" priced whiskey. Gotta keep things in perspective.
@@marcwhiskey you just use it to add to another whisky you have and make a blend up. I've only done it once with tulamore dew as i found it so boring.
Thanks for helping me on my single malt journey.
I recently bought a "rare dram" called The Omaruvian. Distilled in New Zealand at the Dunedin Distillery - the worlds southern most distillery until cheeky Aussies bought it , asset stripped it and sold off the hardware. Anyway - from time to time there is a release of the remnant casks. It got my attention because , on the label it stated 18 years old (also stated 10 years in American Oak bourbon casks and 8 years in French Oak New Zealand Red Wine casks....interesting), non chill filtered, natural colour and bottled at 50%abv. How could I say no for Christmas lol. I have only had 1x dram from it so far. Delicious - 91 or 92 I suspect. It really does need time in the glass - and although initially seemed like it didn't need water it really did open up with a 5ml teaspoon full. Quite a treat! I have gone back and bought the remaining bottles - you know , one for now, one for later, one to sell. Not sure if I will sell however. Merry Christmas Ralfy :)
"..... because this is our gig .... " made me chuckle , awesome insight into the mind of the avid whisky fan :)
Such awesome and very useful information! I enjoy your presentations and approach. Keep them coming my friend.
You touched upon buying localy Ralfy. Totally agree, I tend too buy from two small local specialists shops , very rare that I buy online. Supporting shops like these I find important especially in these times and you can have a chat, try a dram or two in a friendly atmosphere. Good Xtra' s video Ralfy.
My own definition of bad whisky: you paid heftily much more than what it's actually worth, and realized it actually tasted inferior to the one next to it which only cost you a fraction of what you paid for the former. And you still cursed yourself after 48 hours. That is bad whisky to me.
Hey ralfy, thx for all the videos during the whole year. Great pleasure to see all of them. Marry Christmas to you and to all of your family. Stay safe and healthy during this time. Greetings from Germany.
Thank you Ralphie for another year of fantastic reviews, it’s a real pleasure listening to you , I so look forward to hearing soon.sean
Agreed.. I have 3x that I find I am perpetually disappointed in. Dalwhinnie 15, Jura and The Dalmore. All 3 I used to feel had depth and interest and now I find they are generic. Maybe their cask selection has failed somewhat or maybe my palate has become more discerning? I don't know.
Thanks Ralfy for the wonderful info
Thank you so much for this extra! This is why you return again and again to the source of irrefutable information. Truth doesn’t lie, and practicality always pays. I just felt I needed to be refocused.....and it’s so much easier to accomplish, when you know your source pipes with a clear tone! Thanks Ralfy.
Thanks Ralfy! You’re wonderful too :) Cheers from Canada!
Very pertinent advice. I sometimes postponed my malt moment because of me feeling too stressed out to enjoy a good dram to its full.
Very enlightening Ralfy - an excellent message to end 2020 with - too many malt machinations mean mischeavious manoeuvrings my malty mate 😀😉🥃
Never had a bad arran , the master of distilling range is very nice too
Some weeks ago I bought two Teeling (Irish), very different ones. First is a 10 year blend made only with Teeling Whiskeys. Second is a 16 years old Bourbon cask. What an intriguing difference only by see the colors. The first is bright as acacia honey; the second dark, a mix between amber and caimgorm.
Thanks Ralfy! The extras are my favorite!
I follow your channel and bought a bottle of Arran 10 year old and I really enjoyed it. My favourite malts so far have been the Deanston 12 and the GlenAllachie 12 and I'm not sure I would have tried these excellent malts without your help. Thanks.
Those are very nice malts. Also try Arran 14, Kilkerran 12, Springbank 10.
Try alsoTobermory or Ledaig!
Ralphie I love your excellent attitude and your enthusiasm for life and spirits. Thank you for the effort and hard work you put into your videos. Merry Christmas and happy new year.
Have a Merry Christmas and an awesome New Year !
One of the few good things to come out of lockdown is "bringing that quality into the home" as you put it so well Ralfy. Started buying less whisky this year, but better quality. I am now a devout fan of distillieries such as Edradour, which I had never tried until this year. Also treated myself to a copy of your book Ralfy, which I shall read with a few drams on Xmas Day seeing as I will be on my own
If you can find Siganatory versions of Edradour 10 year old...they are amazing! One of my favourites. Merry Christmas and Cheers!
"Appallingly bad Whiskeys are pretty rare"
Wanna try one? buy the Glenlevit's "Founder's Reserve"
I have tried quite a few whiskies. But this one was young, rough, and lacking any complexity. You can get better blended whiskies for less.
i have learned so much from this gentleman throughout the years by following and watching his videos. hope you have a very merry Christmas Ralfy! Cheers from Newfoundland Canada!
imagine having the ear of ralphy on personalized whisky advice.
Would love to know where you buy your actual whiskies from Ralfy. Next year I’ve decided to only buy bottlings from Signatory etc (apart from Springbank) to really taste different cask types. I’ve got no local whisky shops near me at all so only buying online. Where do you find your indie bottlings ?
Been enjoying your reviews and extra 's alot in company of a dram. Wishing you and your loved ones a merry christmas and a happy and healthy New year. Thank you very much 👍
Actually Portugal is the worlds biggest exporter of cork - but no offense taken since most people dont remember that are 2 countries in this peninsula, although we built the first world wide economy.. But that was many centuries and many many drums ago.. Big hugs!
And you had the world's strongest slave trade business going too
@@tolga1cool and were the first country to abolish it aswell..
Thanks Ralfy for another great video. Slightly off-topic, but I'd say that the quality of the malt moment itself is a tremendous amplifier, and can make a distinctly average whisky good, and a great whisky phenomenal. Cheers!
Thank you very much for your help this year, its been educational, entertaining, and fun, have a great Christmas and new year, kind regards, G
In my mumble opinion: Malt marriage must make malt malice musty so that malt mist must appear in our glencairns...That is the sign of a magical malt...might not qualify for a malt mention but mentioning still!!! ;)
Wishing A very haaaapy, safe and malty Haappy New Year to all my Maltmates in this world and beyond...!!!
Such a pleasure to watch this video over a dram of The Arran Port Cask Finish. Thank you Ralfy for sharing your words of wisdom and experience.
Merry Christmas Ralfy and thx for the lovely reviews and more of 2020!
Merry Christmas, Ralfy!
Talisker 10 for me. Not appalling by any means but I personally think it tastes very young and harsh. Got a bottle of Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair and is miles better in comparison. Would love to hear your, or anyone else’s, thoughts on the Bunnahabhain as it seems at the higher end of the non-age statement whiskies.
malt mention: Minister of Malty Magic
Ralfy, when you going to take us to a tour on regional distilleries ? 1 or 2 for Region will be great. Highland , Islay, Lowland , Speyside and then your island tour... Isle of Man . it will be a great vacation for you and great knowledge to all of us .
Actually Portugal is the largest cork producer in the world, Spain second, at a distance.
That is correct, albeit something thatbis commonly overlooked
Thanks for highlighting it. I didn't know it until I watched a documentary film a couple of years back.
That’s absolute true. My family is in that business.
This video is one of the reasons i subscribed your channel, congratulations...
The five m's of a malt mention. : Malt Mouthers Must Maintain Moderation
Mother's mouthing imasculated me into moderation
Easy Ralfy. I listen to you. We only disagreed on the Glencadam. lol.
Bought a Famous Grouse few weeks back for the hell of it. Couldn't touch it. Happy Christmas Ralfy.
If you fancy trawling the cheaper blends, Aldi’s own brand Highland Black is 8yrs aged and actually very decent drop compared to the swill that the Grouses and Teachers have become in the last few years.,
@@wt8676 a gem I found for 20 quid was the Aerstone 10.
@@digitaldemocracyai-rob I’ve been wondering about this one, it’s still £20 in Morrisons actually so think I’ll join you in a punt this weekend!
@@wt8676 there's the land cask which is the one I got. It's peated and reminded me of Ledaig... The sea cask is unpeated which I haven't tried. Let me know what you think.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and God Bless Ralfy
Some of the better low-end blends are actually quite nice to make a decent cocktail with. JW Red makes a real nice Rob Roy and actually isn't bad to drink neat now and then. It is a bit spicy and peppery and is quite nice if you don't want something more complex or 'robust'. Will it replace my higher-end Scotch? No. But every once in a while, it hits the spot.
Ralfy, I was just reading about saponification of esters in spirits when water is added too quickly prior to bottling. I'm familiar with conventional process (saponification = soap making when alkali binds with lipids to create salts of fatty acids - what we call soap). The claim is that this process is irreversible and ruins whisky, making it taste soapy. And so some producers claim to take up to a month to gradually dilute cask spirit to bottling strength. Personally I haven't knowingly tasted that and I'm not sure how this process can even happen by mere addition of water. I plan to run it by a friend of mine who is an organic chemist. Have you ever encountered that? Nice extras :) I also hope others with understanding of chemistry might respond.
Saponification would only be an issue if they're heating the whisky and adding a stong base (such as sodium hydroxide), and if that was going on you'd certainly know about it in the final product.
Esterification is an equilibrium reaction where an alcohol condenses with a carboxylic acid, and is driven in the forward direction by either an excess of one starting reagent or the presence of a dehdrating agent (typically sulphuric acid in a fully organic mixture) to remove the unwanted product molecule (water). As your whisky has been sat in a cask where there is a huge excess of one of the reagents (ethanol) *and* a huge excess of water (anything up to 60% of the liquid in the cask...), I would hazard a guess that the equlibrium point of the ester concentration was reached long, long before it was bottled. Adding water does affect the equilibrium point, it's true, but as water is already present in *magnitudes* of excess (compared to the ester concetration) in the cask the mathematics of the reaction won't be affected in any significant manner.
Also, if adding water *did* break down the esters - you'd taste the carboxylic acid remnants in the whisky...
@@grmmmmhpph thank you for confirming my own "hunches", that's what I was thinking too, saponification needs heat and base! Do you have any guesses as to why some whisky might taste soapy when watered to bottling strength "too quickly"? I suppose we don't even know if this really happens, but some do claim it. But even basic knowledge of chemistry is even more scarce than math. I've heard people claim that when you add water to a glass of un-chill filtered whisky, then the oils end up on top (as if it's italian salad dressing), even though it's visibly suspended and distributed as "scotch mist".
Merry Malty Christmas Maltmate!
Nice switchup in the 857 Xtras, the review had quite a bit of preachiness going on with some sections of dragging along, then here the Xtras kicked in like David Byrne running around the stage on Life During Wartime in 1983! The Arran was that good? :)
skating, thin and ice spring to mind
I’ve been with you for your very first video all them years ago thank you for taking me on my journey and look forward to carrying it on with you.sean
Happy Christmas and a peaceful Hogmanay Ralfy!
Well most corks came from Portugal.
Yo ralfy, how about extras on how distillers select casks ??
I still wonder why Ralfy doesn't talk about sulfured sherry casks. That's the biggest problem of scotch single malts and it's getting worse.
I would love to hear his insights on this topic too
I believe he has in a previous xtras, but I cba to find which one
I heard him talk about burning sulfur candles in casks to kill bacteria and fungus. Can’t remember which in which videos.
@@alehhandro1 what ever happened to flaming the casks?
@@captainchaos3053 What did happen to it?
Ralfy your knowledge is phenolimenal (see what I did there!) - yet more fantastic viewing, so interesting. You should make a film about whisky Ralfy talking about the history, crops, peat, distilling, maturation, bottling, marketing, changes in practices, quality v average output etc it would be a best seller in the whisky world! Thank you for the information you provide. Alan.
Thanks Ralfy
I've been sipping whiskey 30 years now. I've watched you since the beginning. I've been through every phase and learned a lot. I have a medical condition and take several meds. I enjoy lower proof blends and grain whiskies these days. Just to be clear...I am a customer and not all big brands are bad. That being said I enjoy Four Roses Bourbon and NOT Jack Daniels.
Try Jack Daniels Single barrel - barrel proof.
Am I the only one who thinks Ralfy would actually really appreciate a finely crafted cocktail? I suppose its silly of me to think he hasn’t approached one in his long and illustrious career, but I’m always surprised to hear him rail so hard against the concept of the “cocktail” in general. I mean come on, fresh citrus, balanced with the correct amount of sugar and a halfway decent spirit? A good egg white whiskey sour, or an agave margarita? A dark rum old fashioned? You cant tell me someone with Ralphy’s appreciation for taste couldnt dig something like that! Come on!!
Try making an old fashioned with a peated whiskey like the peat monster. Blows my mind!
Wow thats never occurred to me. But ues i am most definitely curious about that as well. 👍🏼
I bet he would enjoy a nice sazerac made by Charles McMillan at some bar in New Orleans and I could only dream about what these two would chat about
Agreed...I love a good whisky cocktail. Buffalo Trace bourbon makes such a great whiskey sour. Cheers!
I recently falled in love with a last word with mezcal instead of gin and am thinking of incorporating a peated whisky into it...
Cocktails when well done can actually be better than the sum of its parts, and while I don't usually approve of highly expresssive single malts in cocktails because I think the nuances can be lost on them, some cocktails can explore quite a bit of what a spirit has got to offer
Merry X-Mas and Happy New Year, Sir Ralfy.
Pleasant notes as defined by the whisky cardboard sleeves:
"Honey, raisins, citrus, flowers, nuts, tofee..."
Pleasant notes actually saught after by many a malt mate:
"Greasy toolkit, varnish, pickle juice, motor oil, bandages, resin, welding materials, hand cleaning paste - generally anything never even remotely meant to be consumed"
Spot on again Ralfy!
Merry Christmas Ralfy! Stay safe
According to me current Takisker 10yo batch available is top notch
That's interesting given that their more recent batches were becoming more and more $hitey compared to old ones, from noughties.
@@rasklaat2 You can try it. I didn't find any rough edges or unnecessary bitterness. Got all the flavors and planning to buy couple of more
@@raghavramon2051 I bought my first btl of Talisker 10 and its gr8
I like the Ten quite a bit. It is a nice change from Islay Scotch, which I usually enjoy. I haven't tried the Storm yet, but I'm giving a bottle to a friend for Christmas. I'm sure that I will get a decent report on it soon.
Buying quality is totally worth it!
Aye good to hear ralfy. I can't get anything delivered in Texas. Some bull shit laws I reckon. So no online shopping for me dram bros.
Can't you freeze the cask and scrape off the water ice to increase the alcohol content?
My current favourites. Bunnahabhain 12 & 18.Wolfburn. Bladnoch 10. Bruichladdie The classic Laddie.
Springbank. Kilchoman. Edradour Caledonia.Glencadam 15. Inchmurrin.Glendronach 18. Isle of Arran 10.
There's a few others but if I am wracking my brains for inspiration it usually emerges from one of those.
I have a Bells commemorative whisky ( the birth of Prince William) - The decanter is nice. But there is a truly bad whisky - only worth a splash of coca cola.
Get some Kilkerran, you'll not regret it
@@simonsherratt1484 Ok Simon... Question for you. My local spirit specialist has two varieties of Kilkerran available. the 12 year old @ 46% or the "Heavily Peated Batch #3" @ 59.7% Two radically different presentations (on the surface of it at least). What's your preference?
@@mikeaddison-saipe5820 I haven't tried the heavily peated but I think it's well respected by online whisky commentators. The 12 year old is wonderful, the best bang-for-your-buck malt out there in my opinion
So true. Very well said.
Interesting....is it just me but outside unaffordable stuff... Is Macallan a bit crap for the money.
Ralfy: If (as you say: 9:22 - 9:45 ) chill filtering can strip out flavors, why do it?
"There is no such thing as a bad whisky. Some whiskies just happen to be better than others." William Faulkner
Ralfy, 49% of cork produtction in the world comes from Portugal.
Did I just see an advert for Woodford Reaerve bourbon there? Wow!
Quality is quality, because it is rare
FYI: 49 % of the world's cork production is in Portugal, around 100,000 tons of a worldwide total of 201,000 tons. 34% of the world’s area of cork oak forest is located in Portugal, representing 736,000 hectares of a total of 2,139,942 hectares. In terms of exports worldwide (2019) : Portugal: US$1.2 billion (60.8% of total cork exports);Spain: $379.8 million (19.4%). France takes the 3rd place: $105 million (5.4%).
Ralphy you forgot Portugal as the major producer of cork .
I've had one appalling whisky : modern JW Red label
I feel kinda bad saying that I absolutely hated Jim Murray’s whisky of the year : Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye. Good lord I needed patience for that bottle. And I’ve tasted well over 100 whiskies. Ugh!
I have had it compared to unleaded gasoline.
The first clue that De Age Eo is a hoax.
Words of wisdom
Ralfy, have you ever tried American corn moonshine?
Amazon Tovess Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (70cl). Temporarily out of stock.!!!!!! in Amazon UK. Lucky me that I´m in Spain. 19,48€. 4,5 out of 5 stars 71 ratings. 40% Vol., N.A.S. and E150 but... Let´s see Ralfy... Feliz Navidad !!!!
Ralfy could talk about whisky for 100 years,never repeat himself,and always be totally interesting!!!
Seriously. I got a four roses barrel pick 57 percent obsf but I got an eagle rare bourbon for less than half the price that I like so much more.
At your own peril Ralfy, I dare you to try Glenlivet Founders Reserve... I don't know what it is, is it the baby blue bottle, the light colour, the flat taste. Only problem is it's not cheap, it's the only single malt that I just, it's so uneventful I'll never have it again. Had it at a whiskey tasting when it first came out and then my Dad bought me a bottle unaware I didn't like it.
It's just awful 😂.
I am equally not impressed. Works with ice in summer...a bit
I must admit, for me, JW Green, a blended whisky, is one of my favorite whiskies. Had myself a JW Red last week, that was not so good haha.
The pedant in me points out It’s a blended Malt , with no grain added , so it’s not a blended whisky , which is a mix of malt and grain
@@bishopburnboy416 I also like it, because it has an age statement, and it shows on the package where they get there malts from.
But of course taste comes first.
One of my favorites and the best JW expression. I put it up there with all of the single malts at my bar. I just wish that they would come out with a cask strength version, as they did with the Blue a few years back. JW has some new cask strength offering out now. Not sure what it is based on, but I will try it.
JW Green was my favorite.
Any online vendors you'd recommend for ordering in US?
There's far more competent whisky being made in terms of volume, but also less exceptional whisky being made in terms of supply and accessible pricing. It's quite easy to buy something that someone, somewhere will rate between 80 and 90/100, but "great" whisky is being redefined in terms of the younger expressions that most people can now afford and buy and so "great" whisky simply isn't what it used to be.
Hello, all you "Malty MGP Mash Mis-labelers" :)
. . . now on the M-mention List, thanks !
His friend has to have bought Glenlivet Founder's Reserve.
Actually more cork comes from Portugal than Spain...but close enough.
How to find good whisky? Move to Scotland 🏴 of course.
well now I know how to find the good stuff, now I need to learn how to actually drink the good stuff and taste something more than pure alcohol and vague hints of flavor i can barely describe
Portugal is a credit to cork production. Spain west region nearby the Portuguese border is also a good cork producer but at a distance. Feliz Natal!!! Feliz Navidad!!!
How to find you Ralfy sir?
Bowmore 10 Dark & Intense is the only appallingly bad scotch I've owned. Can't finish the bottle.
I think the scotch whisky society should ban ncf and colour adding! Can you imagine what producers could make then ralfy!
Can I have you general location so I can keep the time ...if not be ts fine...don't give details too detailed....but I drink in The morning were I am but I'd like to think I was tasting at a decent time
Typical , Ralfy waxing lyrical over a bottle of 21 year old single malt .👍👏👏👏👏👏
OMG....Can we deflect AWAY FROM the corporate manufacturer any FURTHER??? HE asked what a bad whiskey was not what was a mishandled , misproccessed contaminated, deteriorated or an adulterated whiskey was.... and I gave up on hearing WHAT was actually wrong WITH HIS purchase......, actually , although I am no friend of the manufacturer, by far by far the biggest problem with ALL whisky is the price , and that means the TAX....if it all wasn't abusively taxed a bad bottle here or there wouldn't matter at all as long as it didnt MAKE you sick.