Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban...

[W3MIV]

Twelve year-old Scots SM matured in used American white oak bourbon casks, then over-matured to finish in used ruby port casks from estates in Portugal. It is bottled at 46% alcohol, and it is not chill-filtered.

I never really understood the "woods" issue before tasting this very interesting whiskey. It seems sacrilegious to some purists of the old school, but I found it a distinctly refreshing and complex alternative. It has opened a new window for me, and I plan to explore a few other alternative "wood" finishes, like sherry and the one that originally captivated my interest: Jamaican rum.

The color is bright amber, and it shows good legs in the glass. I did not ice it, tasting only neat at room temperature, but I suspect it may go a bit cloudy when well chilled -- if that is your wont. I am strictly a neat person, so did not taste it with water, either.

The nose is very full and very romantic. Strong notes of chocolate and vanilla vie with other familiar, yet mysterious hints -- maybe a slight suggestion of almond or other nuts. It is complex, and very inviting.

In the mouth, it is a series of slowly maturing surprises that defeat any attempt to swallow this whiskey quickly. It feels somewhat thick, the banal term "velvety" leaps to mind, and all of the sensual delights of the nose reach their fulfillment as the warm whiskey continues to work every lever of taste. Swirl it over the tongue and let it work its magic; the soft ghost of the port cask imparts a distinct and inviting hint of sweet, and there is little or no burn on the palate -- a pleasant surprise, itself, in a 92-proof whiskey.

I like this stuff!

[kc7jty]

The oak and olive trees are the gifts of the gods, glad to see you enjoying some of the greatest pleasures known to man.
There are Tequilas made of 100% blue agave and aged in oak that are phenomenal as well.
I've never understood those who prefer the white (clear) spirits. ALWAYS been the golden oak aged for me.

http://www.klwines.com/images/skus/1033609l.jpg

the color of the stuff is enough to get me poppin a w.....

[kc7jty]

http://www.tariquet.com/images-vins/produits/alliances/xo.jpg

this is my fav, in a snifter after a meal with a big Cabernet. Very exotic, a bit wild and untamed. Seems to exhibit a new facet every time I visit it.

[W3MIV]

Ah, the Armagnac. A subtle thumb in the eyes of the Cognac, eh mon ami? ;)

I fear I am but a piker. I dote on the dark, flavorful rums, neat; I revel in a vintage port, settled quietly in an over-stuffed wing chair; I also gefell in an old solera sherry, soft and sweet as the maiden's kiss. My newest infatuation is an adolescent love affair.

I am fairly new to most of the whiskeys, though at one time in a now distant past I did share a small passion for Pikesville Black Label Rye before that venerable distillery went into the hands of Old Overcoat. Not much for most bourbons, and most of the blended Scots' always put me in mind of iodine for some reason. This "woods" thing has brought me round to a whole new perspective, and I am venturing to sample more of the Single Malts over-matured in cast-away casks.

I have not sampled a brandy in a good while. All I have on hand is some stock I use for cooking, and would never think of actually drinking the stuff (Napoleon comes to mind). No Armagnac in the house, though I do have a quality calvados stuffed in a cabinet somewhere; a friend loves the stuff and I keep it for him on those rare occasions when he deigns to drop by.

I must pace myself, ere I shall find myself standing in front of you all, "My name is Albert, and I am an... "

Don't want to go there just yet. I am taking these medicinally, for my back which has been out of kilter ever since the pirouette so altered my gait. That's my story, anyway, and I'm sticking to it...

[kc7jty]

Bless thee Albie, thy presence here is a gift.

But yes of course, medicinal, cursed is the man who enjoys such divine pleasures simply for their own and his selfish sake. That which keeps one from more corrosive and addictive prescriptions is a goodness, and should be pursued with vigor.
It is the levy, and levy alone which imposes the greatest restriction upon the occupant within these quarters, but an indulgence, be it only but twice a year, can be that possessing the ability to make this life far more endurable.

[w3bny]

Phht.... Grappa FTW

[kc7jty]

Phht.... Grappa FTW

Armagnac has a grappaesque quality about it.

[W3MIV]

Wouldn't it be fair to describe just about any brandy as basically "grappaesque?"

[kc7jty]

Wouldn't it be fair to describe just about any brandy as basically "grappaesque?"

I think not, some Cognacs can be smooth as silk, creamy, highly refined. There is a crude, rudimentary quality to Grappa & Armagnac.

[NQ6U]

Do any of you remember the yuppie craze for "Fine Grappa" about ten years ago? Cracked me up--grappa is what poor Italians made (illegally) from the leftovers of their home winemaking; calling any of it "fine" is an oxymoron if ever there was one. Grappa was completely a utilitarian home-brew distilled spirit, intended for no other purpose than to get you drunk as fast as possible for as cheap as possible--taste be damned. Even Italians would make bad faces and down the stuff as quickly as possible. The whole thing was nothing more than a scam that played on people who didn't know any better.

[kc7jty]

I don't know if the better Grappas qualify. They are "hip" but have a redeeming quality. I think one needs to develop a taste for them.

I used to mix Benedictine with cheap Cognac and thought it pretty good till I drank Armagnac. Now Benedictine tastes like a child's candy drop to me, totally boring.

[NQ6U]

I don't know if the better Grappas qualify. They are "hip" but have a redeeming quality. I think one needs to develop a taste for them.

You could probably develop a taste for Sterno if you drank it long enough but that doesn't mean it deserves the title of "fine"! ;)

[kc7jty]

Squeeze, shit! You haven't lived until you drank hairspray with a bunch of native Americans in North Dakota.

[W3MIV]

Do any of you remember the yuppie craze for "Fine Grappa" about ten years ago? Cracked me up--grappa is what poor Italians made (illegally) from the leftovers of their home winemaking; calling any of it "fine" is an oxymoron if ever there was one. Grappa was completely a utilitarian home-brew distilled spirit, intended for no other purpose than to get you drunk as fast as possible for as cheap as possible--taste be damned. Even Italians would make bad faces and down the stuff as quickly as possible. The whole thing was nothing more than a scam that played on people who didn't know any better.


Grappa is now strictly controlled, apparently, by the eye-tye gummint.

Extracted from Wikipedia:


Grappa is now a protected name in the EU, just like Barolo wine and Parmigiano cheese. To be called grappa, the following criteria must be met:
(1) Produced in Italy
(2) Produced from pomace
(3) Fermentation and distillation must occur on the pomace—no added water
Criterion 2 rules out the direct use of fermentation of pure grape juice, which is the method used to produce brandy (http://forums.hamisland.net/wiki/Brandy). Criterion 3 has two important implications. First, the distillation must occur on solids. Thus, it is carried out not with a direct flame but using bain-marie (http://forums.hamisland.net/wiki/Bain-marie) or steam distillation; otherwise, the pomace may burn. Second, the woody parts of the grapes such as stems and seeds are co-fermented with the sugar-rich juice, producing wood alcohol (http://forums.hamisland.net/wiki/Wood_alcohol), which is toxic. This part must be removed first during distillation and it requires care and skills. In fact, this is why there is now an Italian law requiring winemakers to sell their pomace to grappa makers; even if moonshine operations will never completely disappear, they are now very rare.


Like any other wines and spirits, I guess grappa can run the gamut of quality. I love good Chianti, for example, and I think particularly of the odious stuff that so often hides under a shirt of reed.

[kc7jty]

Chianti is wonderful stuff. It's what got me into red wine. Had many a homemade Italian dinner with unlimited Chianti.

[W3MIV]

I have a pleasant buzz going this evening, thanx to GQR. Really works wonders on the back pain. Works wonders, too, on the outlook. ;)

[kc7jty]

I'm hittin the oxys tonight. Tried wine last night and it worked for a while, but wore off as I tried to get to sleep. Left shoulder's been real bitchy lately.

[NQ6U]

I have a pleasant buzz going this evening, thanx to GQR. Really works wonders on the back pain. Works wonders, too, on the outlook. ;)

Could you e-mail me a couple of shots? My current outlooks needs some wonder-working.

[kc7jty]

Could you e-mail me a couple of shots? My current outlooks needs some wonder-working.

Just strap on your entrenching tool.

[NQ6U]

Just strap on your entrenching tool.

Can't. I haven't been allowed to carry it since they let me out of that place with all the heavy screens on the windows.

[kc7jty]

that place with all the heavy screens on the windows.
bug problem?

[W3MIV]

I'm hittin the oxys tonight. Tried wine last night and it worked for a while, but wore off as I tried to get to sleep. Left shoulder's been real bitchy lately.


I have about a dozen or so of the Limbaughs left from the infamous pirouette on the stairs. They give me constipation. Druther the buzz.

[kc7jty]

Metamucil OM, wonder agent to the rescue.

[W3MIV]

Metamucil OM, wonder agent to the rescue.

Druther open a vein with a a ten-penny nail than take that stuff. Sauerkraut's as good and tastes better, particularly if you make it with kielbasa instead of a hock.

[n2ize]

I'll take cheap vodka. Get's thhe job done at rock bottom cost. That much more money left to spend on sumthin else. :-P:-D:-D:-D