TechRepublic Tech Conference

If you and I had applied ourselves on Friday and Saturday, there would have been dregs, if that.

Being the magnanimous soul that I am.

I've avoided alcohol after the funeral, save for a couple of glasses of Cointreau (two separate occasions). I'm not one for drowning one's sorrows.

James

Just wanted to thank you for your "how to drink Scotch" lesson, I never cared for it before. I also learned how to drink and appreciate Bourbon on that trip as well!

Actually, maybe I shouldn't be thanking you, if my $ is going to be spent on Scotch more often now. :)

But never even took it out of my bag. And even an addict like me used my smartphone more for GPS and to resolve debates than anything else.

so magnanimous as to allow you to help.

finding information or directions was probably 90% of what I saw you use it for.

Did't that used to be TiggerTwo?

"...?" looks like that.

Fingers crossed, here.

ewww....scotch...straight up tyvm

Glenfiddich or Highland Park : I'm just not a big fan of mixing any of my spirits with water. I did try Ballentines blended a while back ago (it was given to me), it was OK, but not near as nice as the other two I mentioned. OH, and I did try Glenlivit before as well, very smooth :)

More body, better aroma.

dilute. (pure water only)
It's ok, the scots do it too, so it's not wussing out or being inauthentic or whatever macho cripe...

At the proper dilution, you'll notice that it's not burning at all, and you'll find tastes in there that you would've never expected. Plus, it's less expensive that way too.

But this is coming from someone who doesn't take alcohol at all any more. So... either way?

for one, not so much.

The reason it has more 'body' is because they add a thickener. Agar or guar gum, I don't remember which. That aside, I think the flavor is kinda flat.

Tabasco Chipotle is my current favorite. Dave's Insanity is -way- overrated; heat but no flavor.

It's "whisky". Irish is "whiskey".

If you're ever in Scotland, try and get some that hasn't been chill filtered. Way back, when Americans started putting ice in everything, the Scottish distillers started chill-filtering their malts to stop the drink turning hazy with ice or when stored in the cold.

Alas, remove the congeners and some of the taste goes!

:)

But you see... you haven't been spouting any macho crap. So you're not under the thumb of my remark.
Some people do think that it's sacrilege to water scotch, having never tried it.
If you try, and like it better straight, that's ok. It's a preference, not a prejudice.
But the people with prejudices are full of macho cripe, and they don't mind throwing it around.
You are not, neither of you, and I hope you don't assume I think so.

is one thing I can never remember.

"At the proper dilution, you'll notice that it's not burning at all, and you'll find tastes in there that you would've never expected."

At the risk of starting an alcohol-fueled flame war, what's the 'proper' dilution?

That makes for around 21 volts, obviously.
For cask, diluting to that strength takes about one part to two.

I assume y'all are tossing around the term 'volts' in a humorous sense, right?

More to the point,

"For cask, diluting to that strength takes about one part to two."

* What do you mean by 'For cask'?
* How does one to two get me fifty-fifty?
* One part of water or one of whisky / whiskey / wyski (the last being the California Girl spelling).

beotches if you type whisky instead of whiskey.

If for no other reason than to make the red line go away..... :)

Besides, I am part Irish, so I can get away with it! :p

Or, even better, an English English English sepll chceker rather than an American English English psell hcekcre and your whisky problem will go away. Well, your whisky spelling problem, not your drinking one.

But then you will be typing neighbour, colour and, making me happy, doughnut! And everyone will be thinking, "Hey! That JD is a bit cultured, isn't he?" and only we will know the real truth.

:p

But then I don't drink blends. If I have to drink a blend, I'll have it over ice, but I will go out of my way to not drink a blended whisky, so it doesn't happen very often.

You going public?

I'm a tough cookie to offend anyway ;) .

I have, over the years, tried to drink different types of spirits mixed with what other folks say I should try them with (ever trying to keep an open mind when trying new things), but often end up going back to what I mixed (or not mixed) things with. People cringe at me when I say "dark rum and oj please"...mmmm...one of my favorite things. Darryl on occasion has nudged me into trying crown royal mixed with water and I just can't acquire the taste for it. So to each their own, and enjoy responsibly :)

Edit: for spelling

I've never been nuts about being anonymous, but the 'Palmetto' identity is established here, I use it a couple of other places, and I don't want to abandon it.

The new name is longer than I like. I'd remove the spaces around the dash but new members might think I had a hypenated first name.

pretend to be nice! :p

unfortunately, with the cutbacks in my hours, whiskEy fits my budget much better than scotch does. I typically drink a Canadian Club and coke, hold the coke, when out with friends.

Not to mention, the bars around here have such NASTY "scotch", I wouldn't dream of having it. Still working on my personal stash as home though, so that should get me through! B-)

Am I going to use it on you? You know me better than that!

:D

I am in the process of developing a palate for vintage port as befits my current and ongoing status as an Old Git.

GOD!!!, the HANGOVERS that that stuff can give.

percentage of volume = % vol > "volts"

Cask is a special tapping, it's not diluted before bottling, so it's 60% vol straight out of the bottle.
So you'll need to thin it more to get to the sweet spot.

But it's probably an individual taste matter, to what % to dilute no matter the starting point. I'd advise starting with the ~20% and going up or down from there.

You are working on the Old English Tradition f becoming a Gout Sufferer right?

Col

I know that gout is caused by the inability of the body to break down and excrete purines. If not excreted, the purines break down to produce uric acid which can crystallise in a joint, causing inflammation and acute pain.

Consuming more than the recommended levels of alcohol does cause dehydration, which increases the likelihood of a gout attack.

But of COURSE I'd never, ever do that.

Me?

The very thought...

I did a distillery tour of Maker's Mark and I fully anticipated finding the tasting at the end to be disgusting (I've never cared for bourbon), but they instructed us to breathe in the flavor with our mouths open prior to drinking. I was shocked to find I actually could smell and taste the caramel flavors quite vividly, I always was skeptical when wines or other alcohols are described as "peaty", "oaky", "chocolaty" etc. It also should be sipped, which I never knew, vs. drinking it like water or soda.

Maybe it was the bourbon. That brand is supposed to be less bitter than others. Or maybe they just put something extra in it to zombify us. All I know is I like it.

I've never understood that. Who eats oak and knows what it tastes like? Termites? Same goes for 'mossy' or 'earthy'; I hope to never know what either tastes like.

I claim it tastes like thunder rolling between the sea and the mountains.
But it's definitely smoky... has to do with Islay not having peat.
Seaweed they have though, so they put that in the kiln.
It's something else than imagery, you can actually taste the smoke. Salty oceany smoke.

But the thought of you drinking Port made me think of the [b]Great Old English Tradition[/b] of Gout. :^0

It's like smoking you know it's no good for you but what the hell it's good at the time and who cares about latter it hasn't come yet. ;)

Col

To be true to Scotland, you are correct in your spelling.

I visited the Glenlivit distillery near Moray many years ago -- nearly every time we had visitors to our small NATO detachment.

One time, I listened as the kilted giant behind the counter chastised a Canadian forces member for requesting ice with the complimentary dram of Scotch at the end of the tour.