18 year old "from-cask" MacCallem (SP)

[TheEngineer]

I know this is not wine...but I rarely drink scotch and rarely something like this...but when in Scotland....

Here is my reaction

"COUGH COUGH GAWK GAWK HOLY CRAP!!! AAAHH@#$#@"...BTW, my friend's was more descriptive...

Specs. 10 year old scotch direct from the cask. 58.8% alcohol.(117 proof). Wow...initial nose of chocolate with a density that just barely suggests the intensity of the drink coming in. added in 4:1 parts water (just a bit) to bring out the nose.......then took a sip and let it sit at the tip of the tongue......HOLY CR@P!!! The alcohol uses the heat on your tongue and EXPLODES into your consciousness...you will never forget this...the flavours fortunately come almost immediately after but you are having a huge battle with your body to (1) no eject the liquid, (2) not cry (3) somehow still show some semblance of manhood to the scot that just bought this drink for you (23 Pounds oer servince..or about $50 USD per drink) (4) actually try to enjoy it as you know you'd never subject your body to this type of intensity without monetary rewards......

Glad to have had it....but wow.....every other scotch that I tried after was so tame compared to this fire breathing beast.........

[This message has been edited by TheEngineer (edited 02-18-2005).]

[hotwine]

Sounds like my reaction to Lagavulin back in September, at the insistence of a 30-yr-old Scottish lawyer, husband of our former exchange student. I stayed with him in trading water-glass shots, but sure regretted it for two days after.

[TheEngineer]

That was a long night.

for example, also tried

MacCallem 13-16 year old from Burgundy barrels,
MacCallem 13-16 year old from Port barrels,
18 year old Glenlivet
15 year old Glenlivet
XX year old Glenmorgan
Then some really cheap stuff with was just all heat.

Interesting in that he took me backwards through the tasting from best to worst..

[winoweenie]

Where was the Weener when needed most??? I personally love single malts but go for the smoother Highland variety. At present am finishing my 1-bottle-per-year of Highland Park 25 yr old. Normally drink the 12. WW

[This message has been edited by winoweenie (edited 02-18-2005).]

[Bucko]

Bunch of sissies around here! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

Islay it is! Talisker 10 y/o, Bowmore 21 y/o and Lagavulin 16 y/o are our favorites. If forced to drink Highland, I chose Macallan 12 y/o or Cragganmore 12 y/o.

BTW, I think you mean Macallan, not MacCallem, which is a highland malt, usually sold as 10 y/o, 12 y/o, and 25 y/o.

[hotwine]

IMHO Islay is gasoline-powered swamp-water. Just can't get there from here. But that's only my not-so-humble, and admit to not having been exposed to a whole bunch of the stuff.

[TheEngineer]

Yes, your right Bucko, My bad spelling. It was also a typo...it should have been 10 year old cask strength.

At the store, they also has MaCallan's at 10, 12, 18, 25, and 30 year bottles....some were older but bloody expensive......

[This message has been edited by TheEngineer (edited 02-18-2005).]

[Kcwhippet]

Bucko, If you really like the Islay malts, you should be drinking the Ardbeg, or even better the Caol Ila. On the last we have the distillery's 12 and 18 as well as Gordon and MacPhail's 10 and 15. My personal favorite (at the moment)is the Gordon and MacPhail 14 year Rosebank bottled in 2004 - a wonderful Lowland that's smoother than any Highland I've ever had.