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Just about two years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a tasting of Rare Editions malts, a small collection of older bottlings from Diageo's Classic Malts portfolio. Although I normally only write about American whiskey, these are bottles that retail for $200 to $300 each, and there was a four-course lunch at the University Club thrown in too, so how could I say no?

To warm up, we sipped some 10-year-old Talisker, 12-year-old Gragganmore, 14-year-old Oban and 14-year-old Dalwhinnie. Then they rolled out the big guns: 20-year-old Talisker, 25-year-old Talisker, and 32-year-old Oban.

While bourbons become heartier with age, scotches become more subtle. The rough edges are smoothed off, the flavors are more balanced and myriad new flavors appear.

The 20-year-old Talisker was aged in sherry casks, but the other two were in second refill bourbon barrels. In other words, the barrels were used for bourbon when they were new. The first refill was with scotish grain whiskey. The second refill was with malt whiskey. Now bourbon makers would regard a second refill barrel as little better than stainless steel for its aging properties, but the difference between the standard and extra-aged versions of the Talisker and Oban was striking, so I gained a new respect for used cooperage.

Anyway, in case you were wondering, the lunch consisted of salmon with heart of palm and caviar creme fraiche, roasted halibut with leeks and morels, duck breast with sweet potato gnocchi, and a cheese tray for dessert.

I don't have a lot of experience drinking very old scotch, for obvious monetary reasons, but I can say that this experience was sublime and I would gladly repeat it, since it was free.

Many years ago I was given a 25-year-old very fine blended scotch as a gift. It was a lovely package and a very good drink, but the person who gave it to me really should have known I didn't drink scotch, since she was married to me at the time.

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(image goes to yahoo news page)

Bottles of Chivas Brothers Ltd's new scotch whisky, Royal Salute 38 Year Old: Stone of Destiny, are displayed during a launch ceremony in Seoul March 10, 2005. The whisky in the 700ml bottles will be sold at 1,700,000 won ($1,700) and was launched in the South Korean market on Thursday for the first time in the world. REUTERS/You Sung-Ho

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RIP LTH.

Hmmmm, I'm up for some of that Chivas if somebody else is buying but my desire for that high-end of a whiskey has yet to properly intersect with the curve of my discretionary income.

I fear that were I to arrive home with a $1,700 bottle of booze it would quickly be wasted as Mrs. Kman would no doubt smash it over my head.

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Finally bought a bottle of Laphroaig 10 yr. This may be the best liquid, of any type, that I've tasted.

Way too smokey for my palate but a couple of my work partners love it.

=R=

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Darren,

Like you I enjoy smokey, peaty scotch. Another of my favorites in that style is Ardbeg. They have several bottlings and I like them all.

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Thanks for the recommendation for Ardbeg. I'll check it out. I remember being served a very peaty scotch about 10 years ago and couldn't drink it. (I don't remember the brand.) So I wasn't really sure if I'd like the Laphroaig, but I'm very happy I did.

I also picked up a couple of Glencairn glasses. These were recommended on the Sour Mash Manifesto and I bought them for Bourbon, though they are actually more popular for Scotch. They only are designed to hold about an ounce or so of liquor and really accentuate the aroma.

The Ardbeg Uigeadail, in particular, is especially good and affordable @ around $60 a fifth. I love the peaty Scotches, and this is probably my favorite.

A glass of Talisker, neat, is what I crave, while sitting in front of the smoky warmth of a fireplace, on a chlly winter evening. Add a dish of Scottish shortbread cookies, and I'm back in the Highlands.

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I bought a bottle of the Laphroaig 10-year pretty much exclusively to make Penicillins, the perfect winter cocktail, which I'd been making sans Laphroaig. I made a proper one for my wife, with a tiny splash of the 10-year, and she accused me of trying to poison her. I liked the complexity it lent to the drink, though.

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$35 for Oban is an outrageously good price I think. I used to pay over $50 but I have not bought it since I lived in Detroit over five years ago.

I am also primarily a bourbon drinker, especially since Lagavulin went from $50 to $90 or whatever it is now. I usually keep a bottle of it in the cabinet and I'll take any Islay and be happy. Lagavulin is the one I go to when I get the fireplace bug. Otherwise, Cutty Sark on the rocks always hits the spot on the kind of night that calls for a grocery store steak, mashed potatoes, and some steamed broccoli.

I just bought a bottle of Bruichladdich 10yo. Very nice not so peaty as Argbeg but you can taste some of the peat. I would say this is my new favorite Scotch. I still prefer bourbons, but this one is a very nice whisky.

I really enjoy Ralfy's reviews, below is his take on this whisky.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdelFC4K ... ure=relmfu

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Ardbeg, to me, is almost a parody -- so much peat. It's like craft beers that go overboard with the hops. Too much of a good thing.

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As a deliberately obsessed American whiskey drinker I hold the cask strength non chill filtered Aberlour A'Bunadh in high regard. No doubt still a scotch but it is light on the peat, sweet from sherry barrels and with a rich oily texture from the pot still.

Great Scotch. If you want to take the next step up on the smokey/peaty stairway try the Lagavulin 16.

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Oh, they get even peatier than Ardbeg, despite Ardbeg's claim that it's the peatiest malt.

Lookie here.



To give you an idea, Ardbeg's offerings are usually around 50-55 ppm phenol concentration (although they do have a peat monster called "Supernova" that clocks in at 100 ppm). Laphroaig usually in the 40s. Caol Ila and Lagavulin in the mid-30s.

I've never had any malts peated beyond Ardbeg's 55ppm, personally. Man, this thread is making me want to run to Binnys for a bottle of the Uigeadail.