Picked up a couple new to me pours today. Got a bottle of Ardbeg An Oa...not usually a scotch guy but wanted something challenging. Also got a bottle of Woodford reserve double oaked....I like the regular Woodford so took a couple steps up in price.

Woodford Reserve is one of my favorite bourbons

 

I am enjoying this glass of mediocre Texas bourbon to celebrate this 4 day weekend filled with horrible weather. 
 

I will count my blessings, however. It’s a long weekend for me, and I’m loving life. Cheers Ditch

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Woodford Reserve is one of my favorite bourbons

 

I am enjoying this glass of mediocre Texas bourbon to celebrate this 4 day weekend filled with horrible weather. 
 

I will count my blessings, however. It’s a long weekend for me, and I’m loving life. Cheers Ditch

Mediocre whiskey is still pretty d**n good in my book. I've always liked Woodford...just had a glass of the double oaked and its delicious. Cheers to you as well. Agree on counting blessings and enjoying a long weekend. It was a rough week, started out Monday getting an acid burn at work. But I'm healing up and now I've finally got good weather and open water so its all good.

Ardbeg is awesome , love the strong smokey stuff 

55 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Ardbeg is awesome , love the strong smokey stuff 

It was interesting

1 minute ago, DitchPanda said:

It was interesting

I don’t think I’ve had the one you mentioned, my cousin got me some 12 yr I believe for my bachelor party, that was the first I had heard of it 

An oc is a fairly typical ardbeg. Tons of heavy peat smoke, lighter body underneath. I prefer my peat be mixed with a heavy slug of sherry or other barrel influence. Not sure what’s available in your area, but going to a bigger bowmore adds a lot of complexity and pulls back some peat. There are also Isley scotches that have had a lot of sherry barrel aging. 

I've been trying small batch stuff from obscure distillery places.  

 

we have a few very good local places.  I'm on Rye whiskeys lately. 

10 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

An oc is a fairly typical ardbeg. Tons of heavy peat smoke, lighter body underneath. I prefer my peat be mixed with a heavy slug of sherry or other barrel influence. Not sure what’s available in your area, but going to a bigger bowmore adds a lot of complexity and pulls back some peat. There are also Isley scotches that have had a lot of sherry barrel aging. 

Don’t you go pulling back my peat!

 

more smoke more peat more delicious 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Don’t you go pulling back my peat!

 

more smoke more peat more delicious 

 

If that's what you like then rock and roll.  I don't mind a light body full on peat monster now and then.  Summer around a campfire.  But I much prefer a bit more complexity to it.  

 

if you haven't tried it, Ledaig is a pretty good shout in that realm and less common than the usual Ardbeg, and L-scotches.

9 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

If that's what you like then rock and roll.  I don't mind a light body full on peat monster now and then.  Summer around a campfire.  But I much prefer a bit more complexity to it.  

 

if you haven't tried it, Ledaig is a pretty good shout in that realm and less common than the usual Ardbeg, and L-scotches.

We have a place downtown I bet I could find it by the glass. So far laphroaig is my favorite 

40 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

We have a place downtown I bet I could find it by the glass. So far laphroaig is my favorite 

 

Laphroaig is a solid peat monster.  Ardbeg and Lagavulin are in a similar vein.  They are all significantly peaty with not a ton of barrel complexity.  Caol Isla is similarly peaty in the basic, though they do some cask matured options too (as do the others).  Bowmore has a familiar Islay profile, but it a lot more rich and spicy.  Bowmore 18 is a very nice mass market sipper, though the price on it has doubled over the last 5 years or so.  If you have a local place with a good menu, just run through all of the Islay options.  Bruichladdich is another good one for big peat with a clean flavor under it.  At one time they had the highest peat concentration bottle on the market.

10 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Laphroaig is a solid peat monster.  Ardbeg and Lagavulin are in a similar vein.  They are all significantly peaty with not a ton of barrel complexity.  Caol Isla is similarly peaty in the basic, though they do some cask matured options too (as do the others).  Bowmore has a familiar Islay profile, but it a lot more rich and spicy.  Bowmore 18 is a very nice mass market sipper, though the price on it has doubled over the last 5 years or so.  If you have a local place with a good menu, just run through all of the Islay options.  Bruichladdich is another good one for big peat with a clean flavor under it.  At one time they had the highest peat concentration bottle on the market.

It’s not a menu, it’s as thick as the dictionary haha. My fishing buddy’s girlfriend is in charge of what they buy too!! Lucky me 

 

definitely a fan of lagavulin as well, and I believe I’ve had a bottle of laphroaig cask strength. My brother traveled to the isle of skye and brought back talisker, that was good.

 

now I’m gettin thirsty 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s not a menu, it’s as thick as the dictionary haha. My fishing buddy’s girlfriend is in charge of what they buy too!! Lucky me 

 

definitely a fan of lagavulin as well, and I believe I’ve had a bottle of laphroaig cask strength. My brother traveled to the isle of skye and brought back talisker, that was good.

 

now I’m gettin thirsty 

good thing it’s Friday!  
 

Does the place have an online menu?  I’m curious what all is offered. 

8 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

good thing it’s Friday!  
 

Does the place have an online menu?  I’m curious what all is offered. 

https://jigandreel.com
 

over 1070 whiskeys 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

https://jigandreel.com
 

over 1070 whiskeys 

Yowza ?

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

https://jigandreel.com
 

over 1070 whiskeys 

on top of the brands you already mentioned, the bruichladdich port Charlotte heavily plated and octomore series and the port askaig 8 are going to be up your alley for peat. The laphroaig cairdeas series are more my preference of peat rounded with some other cask. The bowmore 18 for $23 is good also, especially if you get a decent sized pour (because you know the bartender). 
 

cool place. If I’m in Knoxville I’m there. 

1 hour ago, casts_by_fly said:

on top of the brands you already mentioned, the bruichladdich port Charlotte heavily plated and octomore series and the port askaig 8 are going to be up your alley for peat. The laphroaig cairdeas series are more my preference of peat rounded with some other cask. The bowmore 18 for $23 is good also, especially if you get a decent sized pour (because you know the bartender). 
 

cool place. If I’m in Knoxville I’m there. 

Let’s go! The fish n chips are quite tasty as well haha

 

thanks for the recommendations 

On 4/6/2023 at 8:57 PM, DitchPanda said:

Mediocre whiskey is still pretty d**n good in my book.

 

The trick is to drink the good stuff first, then work your way down, kinda like beer goggles...

2 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

 

The trick is to drink the good stuff first, then work your way down, kinda like beer goggles...

I’ve employed this tactic many times. First glass good scotch second/third glass bad scotch. 
 

Flavor is a non factor if you pour the first one right 

On 4/7/2023 at 11:07 AM, TnRiver46 said:

https://jigandreel.com
 

over 1070 whiskeys 

d**n. I would leave that place with an accent. 
 

that’s nuts. 

6 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

d**n. I would leave that place with an accent. 
 

that’s nuts. 

It’s a cool spot! Lots of live music also 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s a cool spot! Lots of live music also 

I’d come out screaming, “you can take my life, but not my FreeeeDoom!”

 

looks like a very cool place. 

The double oak is excellent. 

 

Ardbeg is a great starting point for beginners of scotch. Nice peat, light smoke.