Whisky / Whiskey / Bourbon

I'm a complete novice when it comes to Whisky. Is there a tasting evening I can go to learn the basics, near NW1?

Apparently @youramericanlover has plenty of stuff to try at the moment...

Missus got me this for crimbo. It's really really good. Had no idea they made whisky in India, too.

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I've had a bottle of Amrut too. I liked it.

#csb

It came as part of my 35th birthday haul. Me and about fifteen friends booked a couple of cottages at the seaside for a November weekend. I asked each of them to give me a bottle of whiskey for my birthday.

Lots of food, music, fireworks and whiskey. Result.

Plus it left me with an awesome collection that lasted til nearly my next birthday.

Shit, I need to do this again.

Just cracked open a bottle of The Ileach. It's not subtle...

I've followed a Jura Supersition with an Ardbeg Uigeadail, the Oogie is kicking my arse in a nice big smokey bacon crisps way!

Oooh, been promising myself a bottle of that for ages.

Happy New Year, me.

It's bloody lovely, probably my joint fave Islay (with Lagavulin 16)

You know my exgirlfriend's dad picked up a bottle of lagavulin distillers edition 1992 in John Lewis for £30. He didn't really know what he had and found it a bit peaty so encouraged me to pile into it over a christmas break when I was sequested at their house. The joy I feel of being out of that relationship is inversely proportional to the despair I felt looking at the empty bottle at the end of that December. God I loved that whisky.

On another note I had the Glenfarclas 2003 / 10 year old and it was great. Bread and butter speyside, like if you could construct a mild, caramel and tingly/fruity whisky with back massage for a finish. Islay whiskys are like dirt track 4x4 ride in comparison.

Wild Turkey best off the shelf all rounder beginner bourbon hands down!

Ocado were doing Woodford Reserve for £22 just before Xmas!
And those Old Fashioned were my downfall on New Yrs.

House whisky stocks have been depleted. Must regain...

If this sends you on a journey of discovery through Indian whisky, for the love of god never by Signature or Antiquity Blue.

No Aberfeldy in Belfast International Airport, year ruined.

Took a punt on a couple of Lidl scotches before xmas - a 22 year old sherry cask one, and a 28 year old Speyside.
Only tried the 22 so far, and it was rather lovely.
Pretty good value, I think.

It sounds like we have similar tastes in whiskey. Laphroaig An Cuan Mor kept me very happy this christmas. It's aged in a bourbon barrel and the resulting sweet notes work very well with the classic Laphroaig peatiness.

Next on the hit list: Ardbeg 10 years old, Ardbeg Uigeadail, and Ancnoc Rutter. Any preferences from those?

I rate the Ardbeg Uigeadail over the standard Ten, although that is still fantastic whisky! Have you tried Bruichladdich Port Charlotte?

Hipster scotch ;)

I drank plenty of Crown Royal Northern Harvest (the so-called best whisky of 2015) over the holidays. Insanely overrated, but probably unavailable in the UK at a reasonable price anyway. Just a warning, don't go out of your way or much out of pocket to try it.

I tried Port Charlotte and found it unremarkable. For the money, I'd get a Glenfarclas 15. Islay vs. Highlands, I know, but not dissimilar in terms of peatiness and smokiness.

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Hipster scotch ;)

I don't know, I've never tried it - heard good things though

I was just kidding around, it's a good scotch. It's new-ish distillery and had "new approach" to traditional branding and market placement. They are sort of like the Brewdog of scotch but in the good ways.

Suggestions for a single malt at the £40 mark? I've just finished my Laphroaig 10 and some Bunnahabain and enjoyed both, so thinking of something in a similar vein.

Not averse to Speyside though....

Think Uigeadail is the one. Cheers. Never tried Bruichladdich - intrigued though