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A trick with Scotch Whisky

OK.....it's the Holidays so let's lighten things up a bit.

When I listen to music I often like to garnish the experience with a good glass of Scotch or American single barrel whisky.

One of my favorite Scotch whisky's is Lagavulin 16 year old. It is very good Scotch with a pungent smoky flavor. That's the good part. The bad part is it costs about $65 to $80 a bottle. Recently, on a lark I tried to get the basic flavor of Lagavulin by altering a much cheaper Scotch whisky. The results were suprisingly good. I got about %75 percent of the flavor of Lagavulin for about %30 of the cost.

Furthermore all audiophiles have two things in common; they like to experiment and love to change things. So in the spirit of experimentation I offer the following "ersatz Lagavulin" recipe.

2 - "level" teaspoons of "Colgin Liquid Smoke, natural hickory orginal recipe.

1 - 750ml bottle of Aberlour 10 year old Scotch.

Blend them both together and be careful to only add two level teaspoons of the liquid smoke. Pour into your favorite whisky glass. Enjoy.

That's It! The "ersatz Lagavulin" has a smoky taste with hickory overtones and a smooth sweet finish. My friends and I drink this more than the real thing now.

I welcome any and all similiar experiments (for any liquor) or recipes for a favorite drink.

Cheers and Happy Holidays Audiogoners.

hank
mimberman
299 posts
 
Edesliva,

I think I had the very springbank you mentioned, and my dear god was it good. I recently was given a bottle of the spring bank bourbon finish, but I'm not much on cask finishes myself. I have to say that I was impressed with the cask strength Arran when I was last drinking it. This is just a personal gripe, but I think Glen Rothes is a bit of nonesense. Sure, it's packaged nicely, but it's mighty thin, IMO.
edesilva
768 posts
 
I've never been a huge fan of the bourbon finishes--think Macallan intro'd some of those as well. The goal seems to be to convert bourbonites into whiskyites. But, like Transnova, I had one of those bad experiences that leaves me unable to appreciate the finer points of bourbon. Or any other points of bourbon, for that matter.

On the other hand, I'm a big fan of aging whisky in old Madeira casks from Spain, the way Macallan does it. Seems to smooth things out very nicely--Springbank is aged in sherry casks as well. If I were to experiment with altering scotch, in fact, it would probably be to add a small dose of sherry to it... (I like lagavulin on occasion as something different, but the islays are too iodine-y for me. Hence adding liquid smoke doesn't do much for me, even if it was a perfect solution.)
dirtyragamuffin
213 posts
 
I'm leaving the flavor to the fine folks in Scotland. Lagavulin 16 is my favorite. What I do, is keep a lighter "house scotch" around at less than half the price--currently have the Balvenie--and that's for general consumption. That way we don't drink up the Lagavulin too quickly. Plan to add the Macallan and a couple others that don't break the bank as I can afford it. Maybe even Laphroaig should I crave smoke and peat--though Laph honestly isn't totally my cup of tea.

That way there will still be something left when I just *have* to take out the fire but leave in the warmth *drools*
unsound
7,313 posts
 
Perhaps instead of liquid smoke you might try blending your own. I personally don't care for Laphroaig. I don't know if it's true, but, I've been told it's favored in many blends. Perhaps something like that and a less expensive malt might be a better albeit more expensive compromise.
mimberman
299 posts
 
If you like the madeira finish, look for the Isle of Arran port finish. It was a little flavored for my taste in terms of every day drinking, but it was impeccable after a rich meal.
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