Whisky / Whiskey / Bourbon

Either work for me.

which is closer to your bike lock up?

i had my stag do in edinburgh last weekend (don't start, i'm from there) and at one point went on the comically terrible edinburgh whisky experience "ride". a snail's pace ghost train past a hammy out of work actor waffling on a flat screen while light bulbs stand in for "AMAZING!" yeast and "INCREDIBLE!" barley, represented by a wall covered in well, barley. It was total risable bollocks. BUT, afterwards you got really nice little talk about the different regions and characters of the various styles of single malts followed by a tasting and a look round the world's largest private collection of scotch and then into the bar for four free samples and the opportunity to buy more from a menu of hundreds. i ended up really enjoying it.

shame i was painfully hungover over from having rinsed most of a bottle of glenmorangie with a few mates before lunch the previous day.

I did that ride/tour in January of 2006 on my first trip to Scotland. I actually loved the cheesiness of the ride and I bought the tray of samples and then a bottle from the shop.

That was when I really got into Scotch. I'd always liked whisky, but coming from the States mainly drank bourbon and a smattering of Irish whisky.

which is closer to your bike lock up?

They're only about a block apart from the looks of the map. My work is just up Shaftesbury by the theatre.

Work is here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=WC1V+7AA&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=London+WC1V+7AA,+United+Kingdom&gl=uk&t=m&z=16

Damn. No way I can make this now: crunch deadline at work.

Just got an email from the Whisky club.

Dear members,

We have Colin Dunn of Diageo coming in on the 22nd of February for a tasting. The whiskies for the evening will be Caol Ila & Talisker.

As numbers are limited please RSVP asap. Members can bring 1 guest on the evening.

Kind regards,
Patrick

Damn. No way I can make this now: crunch deadline at work.

Sorry to hear. We'll do more, hope you can make the next one.

I did that ride/tour in January of 2006 on my first trip to Scotland. I actually loved the cheesiness of the ride and I bought the tray of samples and then a bottle from the shop.

hehehe. i was in stitches for most of it. and the girls who did the talk were lovely and obviously genuinely into the whisky. when we ordered something a bit special they'd pass the empty measure between them to sniff and hang around to see what you thought and compare notes. loads of fun.

They're only about a block apart from the looks of the map. My work is just up Shaftesbury by the theatre.

Work is here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=WC1V+7AA&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=London+WC1V+7AA,+United+Kingdom&gl=uk&t=m&z=16

3 greyhounds it is then.

Sounds good. What time?

I'm on foot (a bit against cycling when drinking these days). I'll head to the 3 greyhounds for 6ish

I reckon I'll be there about 23 minutes past 6

Cool. See you all there.

Sounds good, see you guys there.

hella jel

I'll be down for seven or shortly after.

*Quote:
Dear members,

We have Colin Dunn of Diageo coming in on the 22nd of February for a tasting. The whiskies for the evening will be Caol Ila & Talisker.

As numbers are limited please RSVP asap. Members can bring 1 guest on the evening.

Kind regards,
Patrick*

FUCK ME, diageo are still going? For all intensive purposes I thought they had binned it, or at least, the noises coming from them seemed to suggest this, or they had sold off loads of sites / downsized and renamed. Or am I thinking of another drinks company?

That was very, very fun last night gentlemen. Thanks very much for the invite and for the company. My Bromach and my Yamazaki were very nice discoveries.

I'm a member now as well. We could get in more next time.

Thanks to all but especially Dale and Richard for hosting. I ticked the following off my 'must try' list:

Yamazaki 12 (fantastic, like all of the other Japs I've ha)
Kilchoman 2009 Release (age unknown. Liked it at first but got bored of it by the end of the glass. A bit unrefined somehow)
Talisker 18 (Talisker remains a favourite)
Glenfarclas 15 (very classy)
Smoky Islay (some strange looking bottling... was this a blend?)

This was the Japanese whisky blog I mentioned last night.

http://nonjatta.blogspot.com/

That was a good night.

Josh, I think the Smoky Islay was the Blackadder bottle and I believe it is a blend of various Islay whiskies.

The ones that stood out for me were:
Laphroaig 18 yr - Laphroaigy yet very smooth.
Caol Ila 30 yr, Independent bottling, don't remember which - Very nice, smooth and smoky

Great seeing you guys and we should do another one soon.

That was a good night.

Josh, I think the Smoky Islay was the Blackadder bottle and I believe it is a blend of various Islay whiskies.

The ones that stood out for me were:
Laphroaig 18 yr - Laphroaigy yet very smooth.
Caol Ila 30 yr, Independent bottling, don't remember which - Very nice, smooth and smoky

Great seeing you guys and we should do another one soon.

Laphroaig is what got me in to nice whiskey.. Well that and Makers Mark ;)

Lovely evening thanks guys. Giving membership serious consideration myself.

Certainly up for a repeat performance when I'll be staying a little later.

This was the Japanese whisky blog I mentioned last night.

http://nonjatta.blogspot.com/

I've been reading this while pretending to work.

Glenfarclas 15 (very classy)

shh... don't tell everyone

The wall of 1952-1996 collection of Glenfarclas was impressive BTW.