So.. I got home from work and found an envelope in the mail..

Turns out my bosses had sent me a Christmas present without telling me.

Dear David,

May I take this opportunity to welcome you to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Your membership allows you to use the facilities of the Society in the twelve countries in which the Society currently operates, including access to Member's Rooms in Edinburgh, London and Switzerland.

A membership bottle of Society single malt whisky is included with this gift and will be dispatched to you shortly.

We shall be sending you regular invites to our Society events and very much hope that we may be able to welcome you to one of our tastings in the future.

(abbreviated to prevent boredom)

So, basically, my bosses gave me a present which includes access to members-only clubs in various countries, a bottle of single malt whisky (which I collect), and membership to a society that I've been wanting to be a member of for years (but couldn't justify financially).

Colour me stoked (and quite possibly drunk for the near future :D)

wow, sweet boss, seems to have put a lot of thought into it!

By collect you mean drink, right?

If you need any help "collecting" it, just let me know :D

By collect you mean drink, right?

I'm on a diet, and am only allowed 1 drink a week.. I don't waste it on s*** like beer.. ;)

How much makes it hard to justify financially?

$200 for the first year, $75 each year after that..

It's down significantly from the last time I looked at it, which was in 2003.. it was $450 then.

Doable, but at the time, I couldn't justify spending that much on it.

Here's me thinking it's going to be like $10000 a year or something.

Question: They've obviously paid your entry into the club? Are they paying for your contiuing membership or is the $75 fee up to you to maintain?

is it possible to get ur 75 bux worth in 1 year?

I've got a bottle of Glenfiddich 30 year scotch. Is that any good as far as scotch goes?

I'm not much of a scotch drinker, and just wondering how it ranks as I got it quite cheap.

Here's me thinking it's going to be like $10000 a year or something

same

Dunno Whoop.. doubt it though.. still, $75 is about how much I spend on my phone bill every fortnight.. :) I reckon I'll be able to maintain it..

Also, as for whether I'll get $75 worth out of it, considering that I get invited to tasting evenings every few months, I'd say HELL YES from that alone.. The scotches these guys deal with start at around $150/bottle and go up significantly higher.

Should've asked for the money, doesn't seem worth $200.

I've got a bottle of Glenfiddich 30 year scotch. Is that any good as far as scotch goes?

Worth probably around $350-400 for the bottle.

Personally, I'm not that big a fan of Glenfiddich.. it just tastes too processed for me.. My favourites at the moment are the 18yo Caol Ila, the 1991 vintage Glenrothes and the 10yo Lagavulin :)

My girlfriend's father recently gave me a bottle of Chivas Brothers' 21yo Royal Salute.. I'm too scared to open it.. It needs to be worshipped a little first :)

a bottle of single malt whisky (which I collect)

have i got the ebay purchase for you

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESEX:IT&item=180194048183&_trksid=p3984.cSELL.m315.lVI

I got a $95 gift card and 2 free movie tickets from Aus Post.

Pretty good considering I'm only doing 6 weeks work.

There's a society for scotch?!

Sitting next to me I have:
Bruichladdich 15yo single casking,
Allt-A-Bhannie 15yo single casking,
Glenfiddich 15yo single malt,
The Yamakasi (technically not Scotch) 18yo single malt.

The Glenfiddich is just new, I like it, but it is quite soft. I can see how it might seem processed.

All I have is this (relatively) cheap bottle of jim :(

does whiskey count?

my tast buds arnt refined enough to tell the difference

although i did score big at a wine tasting.. but it was mostly because of my abilty to bulls*** to people and find out what the mystry wine was on each table..

won about 9 tables out of 13 lolz

i had chairs and towels and magnums and free wine and unbrellas coming out everywhere

I can tell the difference between an $80 of whiskey and a $40 one, but considering I'm just hammering it down to get pissed I can't really justify paying the difference. Whiskey (like most straight spirits) is very much an acquired taste.

Also, as for whether I'll get $75 worth out of it, considering that I get invited to tasting evenings every few months, I'd say HELL YES from that alone.. The scotches these guys deal with start at around $150/bottle and go up significantly higher.

what point are these tastings if you can only have 1 drink a week? :/

heh, I've got

1 x 12 y/o Jamieson brewery 'select' custom labled number (read touristy shyte ;P)
1 x 12 y/o Bushmills brewery 'select' custom labled number (read touristy shyte ;P)
1 x 16 y/o Bushmills single malt
1 x 25 y/o Bushmills single malt

I don't even drink 'whisky' (the irish dont call it scotch :p) I got suckered in while on the brewery tours, but I will one day own a mcmansion with a bar in it and these will go well there :)

The Yamakasi (technically not Scotch) 18yo single malt.

Tell me more? I google but all I get is a bunch of parkour s***.

I am still amazed there is a The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

no women allowed

Lol stinky :)

I mistyped. The Yamazaki, suntory distilleries.

And that movie was s*** :)

I don't even drink 'whisky' (the irish dont call it scotch :p) I got suckered in while on the brewery tours, but I will one day own a mcmansion with a bar in it and these will go well there :)

Actually, the Irish call it Whiskey, the Scots call it Whisky (note the lack of an "e" in the spelling). Both of which are derivations of uisge-beatha/uisce-beatha, being the original Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic terms for it.

"Scotch" is a descriptive label added to make it distinguishable when spoken (unless you're good enough to be able to pronounce whiskey and whisky differently :P)

It also has a legislative application much the same as Champagne, Cognac or Bourdeaux, which determines that a beverage cannot be labelled as such, unless it meets strict criteria (most predominantly, that it is actually produced in that region)

last edited by Gesthemene at 10:41:17 19/Dec/07

lol

Yes.. I am a scotch nerd :(

mmm, caol isla is a lovely malt. i too have a habit of spending too much on scotch...well, most kinds of booze, but mainly scotch. my birthday present to myself was a bottle of lagavulin distillers edition 1990, from specially selected casks. i tasted it side by side with the standard lagavulin 16yo and by god is it worth the extra 90 dorrah. also have in my cupboard: glenmorangie 10yo, balvenie 1990 port wood cask, talisker 10yo and aberlour 10yo.

there's also a local chapter of the queensland malt whiskey society that meets on the last wednesday of every month at the grand central hotel. $25 per meeting for non members. if i didn't have to close the bar every goddamn night of the week, i'd be there. :(

I have a suspicion I may be attending those meetings and skipping my drink the other weeks :)

As for my current collection, here goes:

Lagavulin 16yo
Caol Ila 18yo
Chivas Brothers Royal Salute - Ruby
Laphroaig 10yo
Glenrothes 1991 vintage
Ardbeg 10yo
Tamdhu 10yo
The Glenlivet 18yo
The Glenlivit French Oak Cask
Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish (like molten caramel!)
Glenmorangie 10yo
Glenfiddich 15yo Solera Malt
Glenfiddich 12yo
Hankey Bannister 12yo (hey, it was a gift!)
Johnny Walker Black Label (also a gift)

I have recently run out of:

Cardhu :(
Glenmorangie 18yo

The Glenlivet 18yo

My dad had a bottle of that in his cupboard (He drinks maybe 1-2 drinks a year)
So I convinced him to crack it open for my Little Bro's 21st (Even though he's a Rum boy)

So My Older brother, myself, and 1-2 mates drank the bottle. Dad got 2 drinks out of it too :p

Dont feel too bad though;
Last christmas, Our rubbish collection fell on Christmas Day... so Dad grabbed 'some old bottle' from the cupboard to give to the Garbo...
He handed over a Bottle of Johnny Black >.<

So now I drink Dad's good stuff whenever I get the chance.
He has heaps of old bottles he gets as gifts from various imployers (He's a Chippie)

so Dad grabbed 'some old bottle' from the cupboard to give to the Garbo...
He handed over a Bottle of Johnny Black >.<

Yeah Johnny Black is trash I heard so all good then?

What is everyone's opinion on Johnny Blue?

scotch is the best s*** ever, i just wish i could actually try to get a collection going... but it tastes to good and therefore doesnt usually last too long haha

Yeah Johnny Black is trash I heard so all good then?

What is everyone's opinion on Johnny Blue?

Johnny Walker Black isn't trash, but it's a very boring, generic blended malt (meaning, they use multiple different scotches and grain spirits to make it - in the case of JW Black, it's roughly 42 different scotches).

Johnny Walker Blue is like Johnny Walker Black, but scaled up. For the price, it's still pretty boring and somewhat generic.. When you consider that they incorporate a 60yo scotch into the mix, it seems somewhat sacriligious :(

Also, they've recently changed the recipe for JW Black.. The Heart of the Blend (malt that makes up the greatest portion of the blend) used to be Cardhu, but they've stopped making it now, so they're having to find an alternate source.

I love my scotch, but not enough yet to start a good collection, however every time I go overseas I help a mate out with his collection. I got him a Glen Livet Archive 21 which tastes like an angel pissing on your tongue, and a 25yo Glen Fiddich. I usually get myself something around the 15year mark, but then drink it over a few short weeks.

I got him a Glen Livet Archive 21 which tastes like an angel pissing on your tongue

i never knew drinking scotch could be so hawt!!!!!!

This thread has made be think about trying scotch.....be like on the movies with the drink of scotch etc!

Worst thing you could do would be to just try tossing it down straight.

I'd suggest finding a mate who appreciates it (and by that, I mean drinks it neat or with a small amount of water/ice), and ask them to educate you.. It makes it *so* much more enjoyable and gives you a far greater appreciation of what it is you're drinking.

I just got a 10 grand bonus for chrissy from the boss out of the blue... first time ever its not just a box of chocolates and a "thanks for working so hard this year"

Congrats mate! You must've done some pretty serious work to get that :)

Sif put ice in good scotch :(

Water if it's cask strength, sure.

And drinking from a tumbler is no good either :)

Sif put ice in good scotch :(

Water if it's cask strength, sure.

Nah mate, lots of keen scotch/bourbon drinkers will drink it with one or two ice-cubes. Normally let the cubes half melt before drinking.

It's supposed to change the taste in a different way to just adding a bit of water, but I'm not a nerd enough to taste the difference.

Really? I was under the impression that room temperature was best, and that warming it a little in the hand helped with the bouquet... I suppose it's a matter of personal preference.

yeh Bushmills is ok. I got a litre of 10yr and a litre of 50 proof absolut vodka for sixty bucks in duty free on my return from Japan. I also snaffled a hipflask of bacardi in to slip under the limit. only half of the bushmills left lol

Sif put ice in good scotch :(
Water if it's cask strength, sure.
And drinking from a tumbler is no good either :)

I agree with the sentiments about adding ice to the scotch.. it *should* be drunk at room temperature, but let's not forget that the average "room temperature" in the native climate of Scotland is a damned sight colder than it is here.

A few drops of water into a scotch (cask strength or otherwise) really does help bring out the nose and gives the scotch (depending on the individual scotch) a more complex and enjoyable taste and smell.

Drinking from a tumbler should only be considered under the following circumstances:

1. It's either a tumbler or you're swigging straight from the bottle
2. All other containers are plastic
3. It's someone else's scotch and they've served it to you.

Otherwise, you should really get some Reidel Single Malt Glasses (like these) or some nosing glasses (like these).

The other thing to remember, is that there is the perfect way to drink scotch.. and that's however you damned well want. The whole purpose of it is to enjoy it.

If people say the "done thing" is to drink it served in a stupidly expensive glass, whilst smoking a cigar in a leather wing-back chair whilst wearing Armani, that's all well and good. But, if you don't enjoy that, or aren't comfortable with it, then there's no way you're going to enjoy the scotch..

Drink it however you want, but if you insist on adding coke to it, please don't do so to anything more refined than JW Black Label.. you'll just be throwing money away as you won't taste the individual characteristics of the scotch.

I got me some waterford crystal whiskey glasses whilst I was over here :)

not sure if you'd class them as a tumbler or not...

I dunno.. better send them over to me to taste test and I'll let you know ;)

No, thats not a tumblder heardy.

I just finished a bottle of glenfiddich 21yo gran reserva, was vnice, and have a special reserve glenlivet 21yo un opened, probably there for xmas day :P.

All scotch is good, and you can get just as much out of trying many different 40 - 60$ (glenlivet 12yo, glenfiddich 12yo, Highland park 12yo 3 very different bottles) scotches when you start as you can trying to get into mc callan 15yo's and s*** that start at about 90. just try and find "single" malts. i've found most blends to be better put with dry and just hammered down than actually tasting them.

Most of the scothces put out by the suntory distillers are very very awesome. And Lost in translation is an awesome movie and bill murray makes me hot.

I always drink scotch with ice, no matter the "age", not a lot, but i personally think it tastes nicer cooled down.

Most of the scothces put out by the suntory distillers are very very awesome. And Lost in translation is an awesome movie and bill murray makes me hot.

This line confuses me.. I can't tell if you're serious or not..

still, I refuse to drink anything labelled as scotch (note the breach of the labelling legislation - made in Japan != scotch) when it's made by the same company that produces radioactive waste and calls it Midori..

I don't believe that on the ACTUAL suntory bottle it's labeled as a scotch.

ANd yes i'm serious, lost in translation rocksit.

wow, you scotch guys are grade a spankers

Poor Spook..

Jealous that you'll never be better than a third class anything? :)

If you've ever had sparkling white and called it champgane you're an even bigger spanker.

I'd agree with that :)

Yeah but spook didn't bite so it doesn't count :(

I have the Yamzaki in front of me, it is billed as "The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky", nowhere does it describe itself as Scotch.

And I like this one. Not as much as the Highland Park single casking I ran out of months back :) But it is very nice.

In that case, I guess they're legal.. sneaky bastards :(

Is there actually a *thing* about scotch like there is about champagne?

Or is it equally bad to eat french fries here in aus?

Also whats the go with Bailey's "Irish" Cream?

last edited by Any at 17:44:08 20/Dec/07

i only drink red wines team, and even them im not a spanker

im quite happy with my 10/15 dollar bottles of red and buy them regularly

On the shelf atm:

Glenmorangie 10y/o Port Wood Finish
Cragganmore 12y/o
Balvenie Doublewood 12y/o
Macallan 12y/o
Dalwhinnie 15y/o

I f***ing love me some scotch. That present kicks ass.

Is there actually a *thing* about scotch like there is about champagne?

You mean, is there legislation to protect the "Scotch" label as there is with Champagne? Yes there is. Hence my (ill-informed) disgust with Suntory - now I just think they make s*** booze :P.

Also, sorry Spook.. with an attitude like that, you're still a spanker :)

Best work Christmas present EVER

Can an admin please remove this thread title for:

a. failing to deliver
b. breach of rules by using excessive caps

The Yamazaki isn't s***, Gesthemene :) Well not in my opinion anyway.

What are the rules for something to be Scotch again? Scottish, aged for no less than three years, and all malt?

For those who are curious about single malts I liked this page when I was first looking to try some:
http://www.maltmadness.com/

last edited by StopShootingMe at 19:35:07 20/Dec/07

last edited by StopShootingMe at 19:35:29 20/Dec/07

Member's Rooms in Edinburgh, London and Switzerland

GIVE IT TO ME! im in edinburugh next week, and swissy in feb for boarding!

Personally, I'm not that big a fan of Glenfiddich

same

My girlfriend's father recently gave me a bottle of Chivas Brothers' 21yo Royal Salute.. I'm too scared to open it.. It needs to be worshipped a little first :)

yeah i got one. and a bottle of johny blue. outside the EU (like egypt) you can get a bottle of johny blue 1ltr for $100us... or £50 :D

On the shelf atm:

johny blue, chivas regal 21year and glenlivet 15year. of to scotland in a week but all the distils are closed : ( the stuff is so cheap here.

last edited by mooby at 21:58:49 20/Dec/07

spanker!? anyone who disrespects the spook-man like that needs to be schooled..

mates in town from canda, will be heading here on sunday after we win a poker tourny http://www.saltbar.com/

aged for no less than three years

That's part of it.. the full legal requirements can be found here.

Also,

spanker!? anyone who disrespects the spook-man like that needs to be schooled..

Feel free to educate me.. my comments are entirely in reaction to his posts in this thread.

last edited by Gesthemene at 22:19:43 20/Dec/07