Who is your daddy and what does he do?

@SquidgyAsh Have you had a opportunity to try any of the Aussie whiskies? I read about them from time to time, but haven't come across any in person.

@CognacFan Henessy XO has got to be my favourite, Delamain XO for it's dry oak quality, and although it's mass produced and full of caramel Courvoisier is fantastic. A barman showed me the method of leaving the cognac balanced on another glass. The other glass has hot water in it and a napkin covering the contacting part of the cognac glass. Brings out a quality Taste everytime.

Hi. I just joined Connsr and this seems like the perfect place to insert my first contribution here.

My first love was Laphroaig, and it's a lover I keep coming back to time after time. We first med when I was in my early 20s and ever since then she's been a part of my life. Occasionally I would quick fling with Lagavulin or Talisker, but for the price, the medicinal qualities, and the peat, I'd always come back. Now, almost 20 years later, I know a little bit more about whiskey, and yet I keep coming back to Laphroaig, although now I'm just as likely to go for the quarter cask, which is an incredible whisky. Deep down I'm a devoted Isaly freak, but I've learned that there is love to be found elsewhere (just recently I tried Old Pulteney 17 yr old and that is an absolutely exquisite dram, I love the Balvenie 12 year old and Aberlour a'bunadh is just pure candy). Having said that, I think that the best whisky I've ever tried has to be the Port Charlotte 8.

I'm from Iceland, but I've lived most of my adult life away from my homeland, including Ireland, England, Spain and for the past 8 years I've been in NYC, working on development issues and public policy. My handle is my first name. I look forward to participating in this forum, learning from you all and sharing what little I know. Next spring, me and a friend or two are looking to the Islay festival, so I'll be looking out for anyone who can share info. B.t.w. has anyone gone camping there? Traveled by bike? Cheers.

@EvaRees: The Aussie Malts are good, some excellent! They are, however extremely expensive and most of our group share a bottle and in the main avoid them. The last Aussie I bought, about 18mths ago was superb, but at Au.$120.00 for 500ml. is is very expensive. There are quite a few more expensive than the Sullivans Cove which had some lovely flavors, but...

Have a look at this site and you will get the idea. BTW. the Whiskies from Lark distillery and Bakery Hill are superb.

www.theoddwhiskycoy.com.au/catalogue.php

@Mountrain I must say I haven't try Hennessy XO yet. I do have a bottle waiting for the right time, along with a bottle of Delamain XO Pale & Dry. One I did try is Courvoisier, liked it alot, nice complexity and fruityness, one of my fav. Even if the Big Houses are a must try, I love discovering smaller producers. Château de Montifaud is very well priced. They have a Special Réserve Michel Valet witch is about 12-15 YO for around 90CAD and a 30 YO XO at 130 CAD and all of the flavors are there. I'd say it's quite reasonable for my part of the world, seeing Uigeadail sold for 70USD, when it sells for near 150CAD here. Other favorites of mine are Château Fonpinot XO and Château de Beaulon Napoleon 20 YO, but they are a little bit pricier.

@broddi - Welcome! Glad that you are here. My wife and I had the pleasure of flying through Iceland on our last trip to Scotland. While we never made it out of the airport, what we saw of it flying in and out both coming and going impressed enough that we are planning to explore Iceland at some point in the future. We loved the rugged beauty. I know that you said that you spent most of your adult life away from your homeland, but if you have any personal insight or suggestions, we would really appreciate it. Again, welcome. This site is filled with fun, friendly people. I hope you enjoy it here as much as I do. Bryan

Hi folks

I recently stumbled on this site while looking for reviews online and I absolutely love it.

I'm a Montreal based engineer and I've been interested in whisky for about two years now. I started off with a Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or that seduced me with its light character. I went on to talk with a knowledgeable friend of mine that steered me towards Balvenie and Johnny Walker Black to show me other facets of the wide world of whisky flavors.

I design car structures for a living and it's a lot of work. Chances are, if you are driving a certain Japanese car starting with a "H" built in the last 5 years, I've worked on it. I don't really have time to do much outside of the office so learning to appreciate whisky kind of fit right in with my schedule. I just love to get home after a big day and sit down with a nice Ardbeg, Springbank, Port Charlotte, ... and let my taste buds go wild. It definitely made me more perceptive of flavors in almost everything I taste.

Being an engineer, I really appreciate all the work and planning to create this nectar of the Gods. I am amazed of all the possible flavors that are created with such limited ingredients. I'd almost want to try making my own but I just don't have the patience!

I'm really liking all the reviews here, they're making me want to try a lot of new bottles. Too bad the selection over here is less than stellar and the prices are sky-high. Oh well, I'll just finance our healthcare system that much more with the upcoming Corryvreckan and Alligator that should arrive in stores any week now!

@EvaRees You're welcome! I noticed so many people living in Australia and in my old hometown (So need to meet up with some Connosr members when I visit home again!) among many other places that I became curious as to what did everyone do, why did they join etc. I'm glad so many people joined into the conversation though!

As to your question I have had a couple chances to sample some Aussie whiskies. One that I didn't care for too much who's name slipped my memory and a couple that were excellent! As my friend A'bunadhman already said so many of the Aussie whiskies are extremely expensive and especially since I'm trying to build up my collection for tastings with other members and friends I find the money better spent on other whiskies. I hope though that once I get my cabinet up to a respectable level I'll run across a really nice Aussie one that I'll decide that I MUST own haha. Nant's is brilliant, but can be heinously expensive. I do believe a while back I saw a 500 mil for $250 or so. Blew my mind.

@Mountrain love the avatar picture. Being an animal trainer if an extremely fun and challenging job, the problem with it is that so many people think it's easy and most trainers don't get alot of respect from a large portion of the public. Add on to that crappy to decent pay, difficult working conditions and oftentimes employers who only see dollar signs when they look at their animals and it can be a heartbreaking job at times. After over ten years at it due to my last job I'm seriously debating getting out of the industry sadly.

@Broddi Welcome My Friend!! Do you know of a person in Iceland named Turid Rugas? If you don't mind me asking what made you decide to join the site? For me it was the reviews and the hope to find lots and lots of whisky friends!

My Handle is my name Lars and I live in Wpg, Mb, Canada. I work as an hemodialysis RN in one of the teaching hospitals in the city. I stumbled across this site about a year ago while researching whisky. I liked the personal reviews and more importantly the comradery amongst the membership.

I have been drinking Cdn rye whisky for about 10 years or so and only in the last year have gotten into single malts and bourbons. I don't think I have a favorite type of whisky for me it's more what I feel like I want to drink that day. I am a true Manitoban at heart I love a great deal and spend far too long looking/finding that best bang for my buck.

@Lars Manitoba (great place!) maybe different but there selling the Tullamore Dew cheap as chips over here in the UK. Best bang for your buck, the 12 yr is sold out in alot of places.

@cpstecroix: Me too! The 'Border Trilogy' comes together with a special McCarthy magic; they all have something non-mainstream and endearing. That was a lot of border Spanish to hack through, though!

Slainte!

@talexander, for films that resonate, I have to think that you have some Peckinpah in there too, maybe The Wild Bunch or Cross of Iron.

@Victor - haven't seen Cross of Iron - but The Wild Bunch is a masterpiece. Peckinpah films are good to drink whisky to.

@talexander, Cross of Iron is truly grim, but, on the bright side, of a sort, has shockingly realistic battle scenes. One could use some whisky to accompany.

Does anyone think that Apocalypse Now would be an awesome movie to drink a really good Islay to?

@SquidgyAsh

Charlie don't surf!

Without a doubt a great film to be accompanied by a nice Islay. Which would you choose though? Or would you have a variety on hand?

@sepsism I think you'd need a good selection of Islays, but I think I'd likely start off with a Talisker 10 yr old or if I can snag it a Talisker 18 yr old. If I had it a Ardbeg Corryvakin would be I think brilliant to end the night though!!!

@SquidgyAsh

Good calls. I'm extremely keen to try the Talisker 18 (as a big fan of the 10) but it's extremely expensive here, ah well one day the opportunity will arise. Quite interested in the 57 degrees north offering as well.

I've ordered a bottle of Corryvreckan for my 30th birthday in July, so I may just have to crank up my Apocalypse Now Redux DVD shortly thereafter.

I'm thinking an Islay or three would suit "cold weather films" as well, perhaps the likes of Fargo, The Shining, The Thing (although you should probably drink J&B with this) and The Empire Strikes Back et al.

Apocalypse Now: Jack Daniel's Fargo: Canadian Club The Shining: Johnny Walker Black The Empire Strikes Back: Ardbeg Supernova

"I love the smell of Uigeadail in the morning."

@EvaRees Sorry to take so long to reply. I guess I would agree that Uigeadail is a "filthy" devil. My preference is still the Ardbeg 10. But I only tried a "side by side" once, and usually would try them a few times before giving more of a judgement.

Hey Ash, this thread was a great idea. Well I'm Shawn, and the handle seems pretty straight forward knowing that I would guess. In the non digital world I am employed as a "Certified Low Voltage Digital Communications Technician". I'll give anyone a point for figuring out what that all breaks down too.

In the real world I have a dog and a girlfriend both of which are the most dear and precious things I have. In the 2 years I've had my girlfriend we have never missed an opportunity to be with one another and have never missed a single night of talking to one another. Currently we are trying to buy a house together and get our lives in a place where seeming one another isn't such a pain.

I couldn't honestly tell you why I am attracted to whisky. I think I was initially attracted to it because growing up watching movies, that just what a real man ordered. You didn't see John Wayne drinking a Cosmo or Clint Eastwood ordering a some vancy vodka. They were tough and mean and could kill you with a look. They were men, and they drank whisky. Guess that probably played a large part of why I found myself attracted. As for this site and me, as I got passed my "I'm 19 and can drink everyone down! Lets do shots!!!" phase of my life a friend got me into the more finesse side of the drink and the rest is just my obsessive personality when it comes to a hobby.

This has been a great opportunity to re-introduce myself and I'm curious what the guesses will be for my simple job title.

@talexander I concur on Empire, happens that I am watching it drinking some Ardbeg ANB... how did you know that...?

@ssmith84 - I knew that through that which binds all things in the universe together.....May the Ardbeg be with you, ssmith84. Always.

@ssmith84 Welcome Shawn!!! It's good to have you with us!!

"Certified Low Voltage Digital Communications Technician" I'm going to guess my friend that it means something along the lines of electronics that are low voltage (no idea what that would be) you are able to tear apart, break down, figure out what might be wrong with it and fix it? How wrong am I? :D:D:D

Once again my friend Welcome to Connosr!! I look forward to many fun and entertaining conversations with you!!!

Great idea for a discussion Ash.

Must confess I'm usually a "lurker" on forums, but hope to participate more as my experience grows.

My love of consuming youhurt as a "quick lazy food" started my forum name and it's dotted around a number of sites now.

I'm an insurance broker, working near Cambridge UK and in London and got into whisky about 20 years ago courtesy of my bosses, who were both Scottish! My 1st whisky ever tasted was Lagavulin so a nice introduction!

I have a good group of 5 friends and we always meet up in the local pub on a Friday night to wind down and we persuaded our local landlord to stock a few of our favourite whiskies and keep our own whisky glasses too!

Tasting sessions then continue "after hours" at a designated home (usually mine!) and this is where our recent interest to try new whiskies has developed my need for more knowledge.

I'm looking forward to my 1st whisky based trip to Edinburgh in the summer, to try some of the specialist shops and generally immerse myself in the full whisky experience!

I look forward to widening my experience over the coming weeks and months!

Steve

@talexander That was an over fancified way to just say cable guy. but nice try and creative thinking

@ssmith84 awww epic fail for the ashman!!!

@SquidgyAsh My tastes still run most heavily to the Islays (just finished a dram of Lagavulin), but summer here in the Deep South makes one's palate crave something lighter. Especially with the Kentucky Derby right around the corner, dreams of bourbon and mint juleps abound. Warm humid evenings have me turned more to Glenmorangie than to Ardbeg, more to Macallan than to Laphroaig. And definitely bourbon on the rocks with a big grilled steak!!

OK. Another film question...what is the whisk(e)y and what is the movie? In what movie, in the penultimate scene, do two brothers open for the first time an old bottle of whisk(e)y they have been saving for a special occasion, take a sip, and then simultaneously say "Pretty good!" ?