Acceptable Single Malt for Established Gentlemen Aviators

[PT20J]

53 minutes ago, jlunseth said:

Hey, I started the thread so if I say rum gets to play, that’s the way it is.  And I say rum gets to play. Bourbon too if it wants. Even Irish. Looking for straight up sipping stuff though, your local average screwdriver, mai-tai, etc. etc. adulterated stuff will have to start another thread. I can’t imagine any established gentleman aviator wanting to stick other stuff in a perfectly good distilled drinkable.

Okay, fair enough. I lean toward the fuller bodied Cuban types. My current favorite is Matusalem Gran Reserva 15 year old.  And don't knock a Mai Tai. Victor Bergeron created it in 1944 when mixed drink were creative masterpieces. The original formula is 2 oz of 17 year old J Wray and Nephew rum, juice from one fresh lime, 1/2 oz DeKuyper Orange Curacau, 1/4 oz rock candy syrup, 1/2 oz French Orgeat syrup. Note there is NO fruit juice or other noxious components .

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[RLCarter]

Scotch always tasted like diesel to me, I was a Bacardi Limón guy, but haven't had but maybe 2 beers in the past 20yrs

[gsxrpilot]

I don't often drink Bourbon, but when I do, it's Laws. A grain to glass distillery right here in Denver.

[gsxrpilot]

But my favorite drink comes from just south of the border. A fellow Mooney driver (Bravo)  and one some of you might have met at the last Caravan to Oshkosh, El Jefe, brought me this bottle from his home town. It is the smoothest tequila you'll ever have the privilege to taste. This is what comes out when the good friends and fellow aviators come by.

EL DESTILADOR LIMITED EDITION CRISTALINO ANEJO

[Eight8Victor]

This speyside beauty does not bite. The only problem is finding her as she is elusive.

[McMooney]

Just Sayin

[HIghpockets]

A wee dram of Laphroaig does it for me. Woe be to the man who adds ice (gasp) any other contaminant other than a drop of water. 

[Hank]

1 hour ago, HIghpockets said:

A wee dram of Laphroaig does it for me. Woe be to the man who adds ice (gasp) any other contaminant other than a drop of water. 

What's wrong with adding a wee drop of solid water to cool it off? Alabama is much warmer than Ireland ever gets . . . .

Used to live with some Irishmen (in Japan) who still got the Dublin newspaper. One has 4" headlines about a heat wave that was killing people. (Those happen here, too.) Temps were as high as 81°F . . . . or a fine Alabama spring morning . . .

[Oldguy]

Okay, if we are adding non-Scotch drinks, here is my sipping clear liquor.

And this is my "sit on the back porch with a Cohiba" bourbon.

[jlunseth]

4 hours ago, Hank said:

What's wrong with adding a wee drop of solid water to cool it off? Alabama is much warmer than Ireland ever gets . . . .

Used to live with some Irishmen (in Japan) who still got the Dublin newspaper. One has 4" headlines about a heat wave that was killing people. (Those happen here, too.) Temps were as high as 81°F . . . . or a fine Alabama spring morning . . .

He was saying you can add a wee drop of water.  It is supposed to bring out the bouquet. Ice is the problem. Ice in a good single malt is, well, let’s just say poor form and leave it at that.

[bonal]

Way way back in the day my old friends would always drink single malt scotch definitely as far from a bunch of yuppies as any group can get. Typical was Glenlivit 22 bucks for a 12 year old back in the 80's. Macallan has always been my favorite along with  Bunnahabhain. Back then a couple of them went to visit Scotland and came back with a bottle of Macallan royal marriage it was a blend from Charles and Diana's birth dates. One of the best I have ever had. Don't see those guys any more since moving away but I am sure the tradition of single malt is still the case when they get together. I don't drink much at all anymore but if my wife and I go out and I see a bottle of Macallan behind the bar I will always treat myself to a shot, neat of course.

Interesting subject for a bunch of aviators remember it's not just 8 from bottle to throttle but any level of impairment be safe but more importantly be smart.

just googled the 1981 bottling of the Macallan royal marriage, average current price 6000 pounds. Looks like you can still get a 12 year old Livit single malt for under 25 dollars.

Edited February 8, 2020 by bonal

[Volare]

5 hours ago, Hank said:

What's wrong with adding a wee drop of solid water to cool it off? Alabama is much warmer than Ireland ever gets . . . .

I certainly hope this is a joke. We are (mostly) talking about Scotch, not Irish Whisky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yLa8rirQMI

[Volare]

21 hours ago, GeeBee said:

... I found I liked mostly Highlands and. Islay Scotch, vanilla and pepper finishes. The Lowlands is just too peaty for me. Once you identify your Scotch type you can zero in on brands. That all said, I am particular to Macallan. ...

The Scotch Whisky Experience is a must-do for anyone who visits EDI.

That being said, and to offer clarification to anyone who is wondering, the Islay scotches are all Peated. (think Talisker and Laphroig)

Highland and Speyside are not. Lowlands are few and far between- not many distilleries in that region anymore, but they weren't peated either. (You can always find a few examples of peated Whisky in the other 3 regions, but they are one offs and not to style for the region.)

[Hank]

2 hours ago, Volare said:

I certainly hope this is a joke. We are (mostly) talking about Scotch, not Irish Whisky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yLa8rirQMI

Sorry, I was one island West. Scotland isn't any warmer than Ireland, both are part of Great Britain, separated by the rather small Irish Sea. 

Found on the interwebs (emphasis added):

The main difference between scotch and whisky is geographic, but also ingredients and spellings.

Scotch is whisky made in Scotland, while bourbon is whiskey made in the U.S.A, generally Kentucky. Scotch is made mostly from malted barley, while bourbon is distilled from corn. If you’re in England and ask for a whisky, you’ll get Scotch. But in Ireland, you’ll get Irish whiskey (yep, they spell it differently for a little colour).

So it seems there really isn't a difference between your Scotch and my Whisky . . . .

[carusoam]

Oops, I’m a bit late to the party...

88V’s bottle...

cheers!

-a-

[gsxrpilot]

6 hours ago, Oldguy said:

Okay, if we are adding non-Scotch drinks, here is my sipping clear liquor.

 

Oh, I'm gonna have to try some of this!

[gsxrpilot]

I think this was mentioned earlier, but if you're attending Oshkosh, plan to bring your bottle and meet up at the Mooney Caravan tent either Monday or Tuesday evening (watch the schedule) for a Scotch/Whiskey (and since the Texas Wing joined, Tequila) tasting party. I don't think any bottle younger than 12 years old can attend. So bring the good stuff.

[Wistarmo]

Lagavulin 16 poured from my Lagavulin decanter into one of my Lagavulin glasses, sometimes wearing my Lagavulin sweatshirt and scarf.  I had the privilege of visiting Islay last May, and as my wife said, I bought out the gift shop. I have enjoyed Islay Scotch for fifteen years, and Lagavulin is clearly my favorite.  In one of the photos you can see Iain MacArthur, the master distiller who retired last year after fifty years in the  business, but not before teaching me a Distiller's Masterclass.  In another picture is a piece of peat moss, cut from the bogs, which is used to roast the barley.  Went to  some of the other distilleries, had a wonderful time, but for me, nothing beats Lagavulin.  There are other versions of Lagavulin; the Distiller's Edition is wonderful.  A bottle of Lagavulin 25 costs one AMU.  By the way, ice does not belong on airplanes or in single malt scotch, and if I thought there was more than a drop of water in the fuel, I would sump it.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by Wistarmo

[gsxrpilot]

Just like visibility is determined by the pilot looking out the window, the best way to enjoy a Scotch, Whiskey, Tequila, Bourbon, or Cachaca, is determined by the drinker. I wouldn't allow anyone to tell me how to enjoy my Laphroaig anymore than I'd allow anyone to tell me how to fly my airplane. :-)

[Pete M]

2 hours ago, Hank said:

Sorry, I was one island West. Scotland isn't any warmer than Ireland, both are part of Great Britain, separated by the rather small Irish Sea. 

Found on the interwebs (emphasis added):

The main difference between scotch and whisky is geographic, but also ingredients and spellings.

Scotch is whisky made in Scotland, while bourbon is whiskey made in the U.S.A, generally Kentucky. Scotch is made mostly from malted barley, while bourbon is distilled from corn. If you’re in England and ask for a whisky, you’ll get Scotch. But in Ireland, you’ll get Irish whiskey (yep, they spell it differently for a little colour).

So it seems there really isn't a difference between your Scotch and my Whisky . . . .

Uh, yeah, not sure what idiot wrote that...

[Denver98]

3 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

I think this was mentioned earlier, but if you're attending Oshkosh, plan to bring your bottle and meet up at the Mooney Caravan tent either Monday or Tuesday evening (watch the schedule) for a Scotch/Whiskey (and since the Texas Wing joined, Tequila) tasting party. I don't think any bottle younger than 12 years old can attend. So bring the good stuff.

Now I want to go to Oshkosh and bring, what feels like, bootlegged Tequila from Casa Sanchez in Leadville, CO.  It is by far the best Tequila I’ve ever had! We drove to Leadville on Super Bowl Sunday, just to get our previously bought bottle refilled!  So, for those of you looking for an “excuse” to fly into Leadville, when the airport reopens this summer, this is it!  

As for Single Malt Whiskey, we like Stranahan’s from right here in Denver.  Michelle (wife) and I were part of their volunteer bottling crew in January.  Each bottle of Stranahan’s is bottled from start to finish by hand.  These two bottles were part of our “thank you” for bottling.  Yes, we bottled both these bottles.  If you get a bottle of Stranahan’s batch 234 odds are I put the label on the bottle.  

For those of you visiting Denver, the Stranahan’s and the Laws Whisky tours ARE GREAT!  Both distilleries are within about 2 miles of each other.   (Quick note about LAWS, their tours have been suspended until April due to upgrades to their distillery) 

https://www.stranahans.com/tours/

http://www.lawswhiskeyhouse.com/tours/ 

[ohdub]

This is one of my favorites...

 

[jlunseth]

Having read all of these very edifying posts, I have come to a tentative conclusion concerning my original query, namely, what single malt Scotch must one drink to check-off one of the qualifications for ascending to the status of established gentleman aviator.  My tentative conclusion is that it is not the Scotch.  It is independence of thought, gently but firmly held, regardless of the equally independent thoughts of others of equal PICtitude and experience.  Some are sadly not guided to single malt at all,  which is misguided and a tragedy, but nevertheless it is possible to learn a great deal from those opinions, gently and firmly held. I am going to try me some sipping tequila I think, just for the sake of discussion and further progression towards the goal of becoming an established gentleman aviator of course.

Oh, and I know to a certainty that no Mooney pilot ever flies in any condition of impairment, at least not any condition of impairment greater than he or she was necessarily in at the moment of their purchase of the heretofore above-named aircraft.

Oh again, where the heck can you find a Lagavulin that is more than 16 years old? That would be a treasure.

[Volare]

19 hours ago, Pete M said:

Uh, yeah, not sure what idiot wrote that...

You can find anything on the interwebs.

As far as the bit about Ireland being part of Great Britain, I can only assume there are no Irishmen on MS or World War 3 would have started already...

[Pete M]

If you order whisky in the u.s. or canada you will get rye. Scotch is barley. No brewer or distiller would agree that irish whisky is scotch:)...and bourben, is, well, bourben. No way to confuse it with rye or scotch. Gin is what? Juniper berry. What the hell is a juniper berry?

Edited February 10, 2020 by Pete M