Whiskey: The Awesome Thread

[Randorama]

Eh, GP, aren't you in "the windy city", now?
We aren't getting any wind, these days, so the cold is very bearable.
I have gone to swim earlier on, with a panoramic view on the woods covered with snow for free.

Said this:

Yoichi 15 could be the next special offer, although I can find Yoichi 10 already (600 SEK, a steal).
I like 10, although it does have that gentler flavour at the beginning that does not make me crazy...
but then again the waifu adores the gentler whiskeys, so I can't say no, can I?

I would add that my older sis-in-law was rather drunk, and she's the woman who becomes ultra-temperamental (and remarkably annoying...) when drunk.
She cried during the scene when Shiro is in orbit, makes the brief discourse and prays, so I can understand her.
Something tells me that the husband had to administer a robust dose of cock afterwards, to calm her down.

[GaijinPunch]

Eh, GP, aren't you in "the windy city", now?
We aren't getting any wind, these days, so the cold is very bearable.
I have gone to swim earlier on, with a panoramic view on the woods covered with snow for free.

Indeed, I am. The wind isn't as strong as I thought but it's just as cold.

Yoichi 15 could be the next special offer, although I can find Yoichi 10 already (600 SEK, a steal).
I like 10, although it does have that gentler flavour at the beginning that does not make me crazy...
but then again the waifu adores the gentler whiskeys, so I can't say no, can I?

Yeah, the prices here are driving me to sobriety. Have one for me.

Something tells me that the husband had to administer a robust dose of cock afterwards, to calm her down.

She's Japanese, right? Hope she's not allergic.

[Randorama]

Yeah, the prices here are driving me to sobriety. Have one for me.

I must say that I do not find prices to be very high, especially if compared to continental Europe.
Do not forget that drinking at the pub, here in Sweden, is criminally expensive, so "only" 700-800 SEK (like, 100 USD?) is roughly the cost of 10 glasses of good (but not outstanding...) beer.


Anyhow, I had my sister-in-law to bring over a very ample assortment of whiskeys from Seoul (see also below), as South Korea has slightly lower prices than Japan.
We will round up the holidays with JW double black, Aardberg and Talisker.
Details are to be disclosed, as sis promised to bring them over tomorrow.
I must also say that Talisker is my ideal single malt whisky, also because of affective reasons: it reminds me of my BA years, when I often went to a pub where they would sell it at bottle price to "spread the good word". I do miss the low prices and more sober, rational consumption style of Italy, though...then again, being a migrant (sorry, "expat") means sacrificing something along the way.
At least I am old enough that I can drink whiskey with the father and not feel embarrassed by it.

She's Japanese, right? Hope she's not allergic.

off-topic musing since I am half-drunk...

She and my wife were born in Osaka as ethnic Koreans, but moved to Seoul a bit after the transition to democracy (1991).
She was already 14, and moved to Germany to study piano when she was 18, going back to Seoul 2 years ago.
She definitely absorbed many European habits and customs, as she is very emancipated and strong-willed (and sports a G cup or something...she's tall and very "matronly", eh).
Judging by my wife and my trips to Korea, though, Koreans (well, people from the city...) have a fairly different attitude and culture from the rest of Asia, especially when it comes to sex: not exactly "western", but certainly much more relaxed and natural. The "either nasty slut or absolutely frigid" pattern seems a Japanese/Chinese thing, from what I have experienced (but don't tell Skykid, eh).

More in general, and regardless of the gender, social drinking is a standard practice, and drinking spirits in the family is a very Christmas/holiday thing to do.
When I met the family before the marriage, her whole family tested me on whiskey, and I was deemed a worthy groom since I out-drank all the males in the family AND my older sister-in-law.

It did also help that I was seen as a "man of the world", though...for most Koreans, the fact that I was white, could speak fluent English and not from UK/Oz/Us was simply an unfathomable abstraction.
My in-laws have been struggling with anything Swedish for 9 days, now, but more than anything with the fact that for me and my father and uncle, language seems to be the only real difference, culture-wise. My sis spent 20 years in Germany while ultimately remaining a foreigner, even though she was completely part of the system...

I take it that rural Korean patterns are different, though, but I have never experienced them in detail.

Ok, back to Tomino's marathon.

[GaijinPunch]

We will round up the holidays with JW double black, Aardberg and Talisker.

Love Talisker. A high end convenience store in my Tokyo neighborhood had it for 3500 yen a bottle. Cheapest I can get it for here is $62. What the fuck ever.

The "either nasty slut or absolutely frigid" pattern seems a Japanese/Chinese thing, from what I have experienced (but don't tell Skykid, eh).

Yeah, I don't doubt that. I have no stats to back it but I always attribute 20 years of economic stagnation as having at least some effect on people getting laid.


Sounds like you're having a great holiday though. That's awesome. I'm indulging a bit, but mainly working. New job, and I'm thankful for it so no problem. I'll take some time off after I get a project into. Besides, it's cold. If I took time off I'd just sit at home watching TV and swimming. I raised my rank a little bit and got a pad with a gym/spa/steamroom. I'm being honest with myself about the implications of the Chicago winter.

[Randorama]

Do you have protectionist laws on spirits, by chance? Talisker is 400 SEK (50 USD) here, and 36 EUR (43 USD) back in my home-town.
I am perplexed on where the difference in price can come from, aside poor distribution networks aimed at adding as many middle-men as possible...wait, I probably answered myself.

Not that the situation is any better here, though. One interesting option that the locals use to "save" money on alcohol is taking ferries to the Baltic states, and buying tons of alcohol in e.g. the duty-free shop(s) in Tallinn. I must say that Scandinavians seem to easily go bananas if they can find ways to save money, so this peculiar behaviour is not limited to alcohol.
I have been told that the experience seems like a modern version of fear and loathing, so I steer clear of it.

Said this, there is an Aardberg embassy in Stockholm, which turns out to do thematic nights at least once per month, promoting other whiskeys as well: here.
This is a place for the rich (as in: 45 SEK for a cl of the cheapest whiskey they have...a glass being usually at least 6cl), but I think that one day we will have saved enough money to enjoy a night there (...and buy a house, too).

re: Asian matters. I'd say that economic stagnation/recession can create toxic social environments: it is hard to establish good social relations when one works 18 hours per day, and has stab others in the back on a daily basis. Italy and Italians have become nothing short of toxic, although in my opinion the country has always been a huge steaming pile of shit, judging from its history.

What is weird about Korea is that people also work "a lot" (efficiency is another matter...), but they can certainly be open and establish connections beyond their immediate next-of-kin members, something that simply does not exist in other Asian cultures. Then again, Korea had a fairly different story from other countries from the region, although I do not know all the details.

Aside all of this, the waifu is a bloody pervert, so I am the one who pretends to play the part of the innocent soul!

[GaijinPunch]

Do you have protectionist laws on spirits, by chance? Talisker is 400 SEK (50 USD) here, and 36 EUR (43 USD) back in my home-town.
I am perplexed on where the difference in price can come from, aside poor distribution networks aimed at adding as many middle-men as possible...wait, I probably answered myself.

I would think that for Talisker it's both, as the price is almost double what it costs in Japan. But, I can find it almost anywhere. For the record, Laphroaig 10 year is more or less the same price in Texas or California, but 20% more in Illinois. So yes, obviously Illinois fucks drinkers over with taxes.

I must say that Scandinavians seem to easily go bananas if they can find ways to save money, so this peculiar behaviour is not limited to alcohol.
I have been told that the experience seems like a modern version of fear and loathing, so I steer clear of it.

Sounds like a blast to me!

re: Asian matters. I'd say that economic stagnation/recession can create toxic social environments: it is hard to establish good social relations when one works 18 hours per day, and has stab others in the back on a daily basis. Italy and Italians have become nothing short of toxic, although in my opinion the country has always been a huge steaming pile of shit, judging from its history.

It definitely wears you thin. I think a lot of Americans got a taste of it from about 2009-2011, but are generally a bit happier now. Japan has been a bubble leaking air since longer than I lived there. For the foreign banking world, it's even more depressing.

Aside all of this, the waifu is a bloody pervert, so I am the one who pretends to play the part of the innocent soul!

Well bless her heart.

[Randorama]

I would think that for Talisker it's both, as the price is almost double what it costs in Japan. But, I can find it almost anywhere. For the record, Laphroaig 10 year is more or less the same price in Texas or California, but 20% more in Illinois. So yes, obviously Illinois fucks drinkers over with taxes.

I just realized that we have the same type of fuck-ups in EU, once one factors in the differences across countries on alcohol taxation, which brings me to the point below...

Sounds like a blast to me!

I am too scared to try, to be fair. I am too normal when I get drunk, so I would probably stand out too much (although this would be irrelevant, I guess...)
It is also true that the mathematics does not really add up. Unless I buy, like, bulk-buy 20 bottles of whiskey, the tickets are expensive enough.
These holidays have been an exception, but I usually drink little, on week-ends, and I try not to buy too many liquors at once.
At the moment, we will end up having enough leftovers to last through the winter, I guess.
I am certainly taking the Yoichi 15 years if the offer materializes, though: I will need some more time to get used to this gentler style, but I generally like sweet liquors (hell, I like Biancosarti...).


Etc:

It definitely wears you thin. I think a lot of Americans got a taste of it from about 2009-2011, but are generally a bit happier now. Japan has been a bubble leaking air since longer than I lived there. For the foreign banking world, it's even more depressing.

I can guess...I grew up in a rudderless country, surviving on the lucky bubbles of the '50-'60s for as long as I can remember.
The quality of human relations (and beings) was appalling, to put it in a mild manner.
I would add that the basic quality of the local cultures (ITA, JP), wasn't too great to begin with, though, judging from their respective histories.
I am more than keen to pay a lot for drinks, here. Tenured jobs don't grow on trees (chances are now very good, though...), but we are doing fine, perverted wife notwithstanding.

[Eaglet]

I must say that Scandinavians seem to easily go bananas if they can find ways to save money, so this peculiar behaviour is not limited to alcohol.
I have been told that the experience seems like a modern version of fear and loathing, so I steer clear of it.

Sounds like a blast to me!

If you think of it as Fear and Loathing featuring almost exclusively alcohol (probably some amphetamine thrown in for good measure) you'd be pretty right on the money.
If your interests are watching Downs Syndrome karaoke and hunting some big ol' alcoholic chain smoking Moby's then you'd feel right at home.
My old platoon used to go on short cruises as a way to blow off steam and brain cells (Rangers lead the way, Hooah!) and it always ended in whale hunting competitions.

[GaijinPunch]

I am too scared to try, to be fair. I am too normal when I get drunk, so I would probably stand out too much (although this would be irrelevant, I guess...)

I've been known to wear a jump suit and a tutu.

I am certainly taking the Yoichi 15 years if the offer materializes, though: I will need some more time to get used to this gentler style, but I generally like sweet liquors (hell, I like Biancosarti...).

Anxious to hear your thoughts. Protip: If you know anyone coming from Narita, Terminal 1 has one shop that has it for 5500 yen I believe. Crazy bargain! I was hoping the weakened yen would reflect some of the J-whiskey prices here, but it hasn't yet, unfortunately.

I am more than keen to pay a lot for drinks, here. Tenured jobs don't grow on trees (chances are now very good, though...), but we are doing fine, perverted wife notwithstanding.

I like to do things on the cheap when at all possible. However, note that I was drinking several nights a week, and that shit adds up.

EDIT: It's Terminal 2, actually, just after immigration (to the right).

[rtw]

Anxious to hear your thoughts. Protip: If you know anyone coming from Narita, Terminal 1 has one shop that has it for 5500 yen I believe. Crazy bargain! I was hoping the weakened yen would reflect some of the J-whiskey prices here, but it hasn't yet, unfortunately.

Warning, Narita does not have tamper proof bags. If you are flying direct from Narita to your destination all is good. However if you have a connecting flight at f.ex Copenhagen your alcohol will be confiscated.

[mastercello]

I really love a nice Laphroaig from time to time, but also Talisker, Lagavulin and Oban Double Cask are some of my favourite whiskey (besides some other of course).

This one I got for my birthday the other day:


Really looking forward to try it...I hope is as good as the surroundings!

[GaijinPunch]

Anxious to hear your thoughts. Protip: If you know anyone coming from Narita, Terminal 1 has one shop that has it for 5500 yen I believe. Crazy bargain! I was hoping the weakened yen would reflect some of the J-whiskey prices here, but it hasn't yet, unfortunately.

Warning, Narita does not have tamper proof bags. If you are flying direct from Narita to your destination all is good. However if you have a connecting flight at f.ex Copenhagen your alcohol will be confiscated.

This depends on the lay over I presume. You can't store liquor in a carry on (brought from the outside) anywhere worth flying too any more. Thus, it must be rechecked. For example, at LAX, you go trough immigration and customs, and then put all your duty free crap in your luggage and recheck it. A very streamlined process.

[rtw]

This depends on the lay over I presume. You can't store liquor in a carry on (brought from the outside) anywhere worth flying too any more. Thus, it must be rechecked. For example, at LAX, you go trough immigration and customs, and then put all your duty free crap in your luggage and recheck it. A very streamlined process.

Or you use tamper proof bags. I bought some spirits at the taxfree at Oslo Airport when traveling to Japan. The bottle was sealed in a tamper proof bag and I could hand carry it through Copenhagen with no issues.

[GaijinPunch]

Or you use tamper proof bags. I bought some spirits at the taxfree at Oslo Airport when traveling to Japan. The bottle was sealed in a tamper proof bag and I could hand carry it through Copenhagen with no issues.

Never heard of that in America, and due to our trust issues with anything from communist countries (which is all of them except us), I assume you have to do the recheck thing. It's a hassle, but I like it better as you don't have to rely on anything other than an archaic system.

EDIT: How much does Scotch run in Norway? From what you've told me over the years, I'd stay at home and drink. Then again, I now live in a city with an infamously horrible winter.

[rtw]

EDIT: How much does Scotch run in Norway? From what you've told me over the years, I'd stay at home and drink. Then again, I now live in a city with an infamously horrible winter.

Well a Talisker Single Malt 10 Years Old 70cl would cost me: 67 USD at the Vinmonopolet. The same bottle would cost: 54 USD in Sweden according to Systembolaget.

So it's not cheap, I never drink whiskey any other place than at home or at friends

[antron]

[Randorama]

Another drunken post...

Eaglet, quoque tu? I was swindled into taking one "Yul cruise" (or whatever they are called) during December 2013, full of drunken Russians who were clearly into whale-hunting, too.
I was assaulted by some Estonian old hag sporting a Z cup or something who was wearing all pink, and had clearly snorted too much cocaine.
Never again, not even under torture...

Anyhow: The Yoichi offer will materialize soon, although it will probably be expensive. I am happy to buy it, as my older brother-in-law (a whiskey elitist!) says that it's excellent.
He will bring some bottles from Tokyo once he has a chance, which probably means February, since he travels *a lot*.
He will leave me two bottles of Talisker and one of Johnny Walker Platinum label, which seems to be an Asian-only variety.
I suspect that he is trying to dump me the Johnny walker, as he certainly does not drink blended whiskey...

I'd add that I am getting old enough that I'd rather stay at home to drink, mostly because we like watching anime and eating rather different types of food when drinking.
Last night we had home-made kimchi, hommus and mushroom+elk bruschette, and various types of cheese with crackers (and Korean Shin Ramyun...).
As much as food is good in Stockholm pubs, we are so used to eat "fusion style" that we are finding ourselves uncomfortable to eat a specific variety of food (I know, I sound pretentious but still...).

Speaking of which: Talisker, Venchi 90% cocoa chocolate and a dark, snowy night are better than pussy (the waifu was drunk, anyway).
Luckily I work from home, tomorrow (well, 7.30 hours from now).

[GaijinPunch]

Anyhow: The Yoichi offer will materialize soon, although it will probably be expensive. I am happy to buy it, as my older brother-in-law (a whiskey elitist!) says that it's excellent.

Congrats. Not sure when but it got first place one year in some Scotch competition, or so I've heard.

I'd rather stay at home to drink, mostly because we like watching anime

Hahaha... just sounds funny.

Talisker, Venchi 90% cocoa chocolate and a dark, snowy night are better than pussy (the waifu was drunk, anyway).

Well, if you're referring to all the impending drama surrounding it, only Talisker alone wins that one. If you've somehow split the atom and can get one and the other, then we've got a serious competition.

[Randorama]

GP: it won an award for single malt peaty whiskey or so in 2009, I think, if memory serves.
I booked one bottle for next week, 750 SEK.
My hunch is that the waifu will love it, as she loved Yamazaki and in generally loves softer flavours.

re: Saturdays...we tend to have busy weeks, so being able to catch up with reading, video games, anime and other past-times (e.g. MFF/MFFF action) rather than going to the pub to eat and drink overpriced goods strikes us more entertaining. Going out and meeting random human beings is overrated: Talisker and double maid action are the new black.

This platinum label stuff is fiendish, anyway; I need a new liver, if only because of its bizarre flavour.

[GaijinPunch]

I'm actually healthier than I've been in a long time. I don't really have a party network here, and am kind of riding on cruise control. I assume that will change when it warms up. So, enjoying the ride for now. No anime here... other than christening the TV and sound w/ Akira. I have a few movies on my laptop I never saw. 5cm pre second, Paprika, and another one I can't remember now. Might give them a go.

[rtw]

Enjoyed a wee dram of Dalmore 15 years old last night, very pleasant.

[Randorama]

Ok, I bought Yoichi 15 yrs and it's certainly a winner. It is very sweet for my tastes, but this is actually a good thing: I love either bitter or sweet liquor, so it falls to the latter side of the spectrum.
It has a remarkably complex bouquet, which makes me think that the brewers went through a fairly complex "distillation design", for the lack of a better term.
The wife adores it, so we're set. It seems to match well with not so sweet ice-cream and chocolate, but I will try other other matches next week-end.
I will be looking for my older brother-in-law's gift, since he will bring two bottles of Yoichi next 10th of February.

GP: Paprika is good, if only because it has an oniric theme and plenty of psychedelic, well-designed scenes.
We have been spending plenty of time watching Anime and drinking this week-end too, given the ghoulish weather and well, a seemingly long streak of waifu's horniness.
I might as well as start writing about the Anime I watch...academia stuff on this topic is terrible, so might end up publishing something useful, who knows.

[GaijinPunch]

Glad you like it! It's a winner for sure. Really hoping I can get someone to lift me a bottle next time they come over from Japan. I did a quick Google search and there's a place in NJ that does it mail order for $88. Even w/ the tanking yen I think that's cheaper than the discount shop in Japan, and certainly cheaper than retail. I get my bonus in a few weeks. Might have to grab a few bottles.

Also glad to hear that your waifu is horny and watches anime with you. Livin' the dream! I'll eventually watch Paprika. I have a handful of other things to watch on Netflix that are backed up. In due time.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I usually just get Evan Williams because I'm always down and out. Refuse to lower my standards to Old Crow levels though. Old Crow is so awful.

[Randorama]

Yoichi 15 years is closer to a "sweet" extreme of a flavour continuum, thus it has a clear, definite appeal for me.
Again, I tend to like clear, definite flavours, so its sweetness is actually an advantage.
In this regard, Talisker and/or the longer matured varieties of Aardberg are my favourite whiskeys, when peatiness is involved.
On a completely different matter, two favourite liquors of mine are Petrus Boonekamp and Unicum, and one of my favourite beers is the Bambergian Shlenkerla (here).
Speaking of which, I tried the Yoichi/Shlenkerla combo with roasted salmon, and it feels divine: the smoked-salty fat-sweet sequence is a bliss of the gods I will never believe into!

re: horniness and anime...horniness is overrated, but I'd rather say "no" than having to fight to get it.
The trick was to calmly explain to the waifu that sometimes it's a partner duty to say "yes" when the other partner could use some sex/intimacy/etc.
That, and my exceptional skills in creating senses of guilt in just anyone (being a Machiavellian bastard is a useful skill).

Just for the records: the Johnny walker silver label is better than a kick in the teeth, and that's about it.
I wonder how I could properly recycle unused alcohol drinks...

EDIT:

today I went to buy drinks at the bottle shop, and the new clerk asked me for I.D. I thanked him for thinking I am young enough to be checked

[GaijinPunch]

You sound like a woman.
A lady from my office said she was at a bar not long ago and they ID'ed the dude, but not her. Haha.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Man, Fireball is delicious. Probably has a ton of sugar in it though.

[Randorama]

You sound like a woman.
A lady from my office said she was at a bar not long ago and they ID'ed the dude, but not her. Haha.

...but we're in old Europe. Asking for ID is like telling someone that they lack the credentials to drink booze.

I am in Dublin for work, and will be touring the local whiskeys today. Wish me good luck!

[GaijinPunch]

Best of luck!

Something popular to do here in Downtown Chicago is charge and arm and a leg for "top shelf" whiskey. Note that anything that costs more than $30 USD in the stores is considered top shelf. So, unless I see a list w/ prices, I don't order. I learned my lesson after having a $23 glass of Laphroaig 10 year. (wut?!) Having said that, I found a few places that have a decent selection for a good price, and one place that has a good selection for good prices. They have Yamazaki 18 year and Yoichi 15 year - both for about $14 a glass, which is very reasonable. Dirt cheap even I'd say. The only places in Tokyo that serve these are usually high end cigar bars and they'll run you somewhere around 2500 yen.

[KindGrind]

I rarely go to bars, but I happen to have a few friends who are also enthusiasts. We try to buy different products so we all can taste something different.

I've had a couple new drams this week. A friend came home to play a few games and brought...

Highland Park Dark Origins

Loved it. Very sherried, reminded me of a bottle of Macallan 10 Cask Strength I had last year and loved, but with a subtle peat underneath the sweet sherry. A truly excellent dram. (I'm a sucker for HP though, my non-Islay favourite distillery after Talisker.)

Bowmore Tempest 10

My friend poured me a dram. After the first whiff, which quickly led to the first tiny sip, I ask him the ABV. He tells me 46%. I kind of frown (thought it would be cask strength?), but go what the hell. I taste again, and my tongue is stung - assaulted by fire. I find it rough around the edges. We both wonder if that's the result of the Highland Park being too sweet and too good a dram. Said friend visits me yesterday, he tells me it was indeed 56%. Gave it another go, and with a dash of water it tames the beast. Gone is the sting, the fiery peat remains but it heats my tongue instead of burning it. Much better.