Confused

  • Simonzenith
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    Joined: 13.07.2016Posts: 2Ratings: 0

    My regular scotch is Chivas 12 yr. I find the 18 yr even nicer. I would describe it as having a smokey aftertaste, something I love. I have been lucky enough to try the Sullivan's cove French oak and loved it, also finding it smokey. I also like john y blue, hence the confusion. Looking at different tasting notes, i don't rate Johnny black or double black but looking at the tasting notes, these are described as smoky, but Chivas not really smokey at all! Given my preference for Chivas, Johnny blue and even the Sullivan's French oak, any suggestions for others that would appeal. Looking at the smokies ones like laphroig, I've seen them compared to Johnny black so I'm totally lost!

  • kroman Member Joined: 16.04.2016Posts: 261Collectionkromans CollectionRatings: 21
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    This is a common area of confusion so don't worry!

    First of all, everyone's sense of smell/taste is different; this is one of the joys in tasting scotch! Two people can sample the same whisky and get totally different flavor profiles. If you nose a Lagavulin and legitimately smell rose petals and blueberry pie, you'll be in the minority for sure, but no one can tell you that you're WRONG!

    What you sense from the Chivas Regal which you call "smoky" may actually be the spiciness and influence from the oak in the casks as opposed to actual peat smoke. This can sometimes be hard to distinguish, especially in more...affordable blends like Chivas. blends can have so many different whiskies in their mix that it can be hard to distinguish what is truly in their makeup.

    It's hard to tell from the way you wrote your post, I'm guessing you haven't had JW black or double black yet. If I was you, I would buy miniatures of both the Chivas 12 and JW black and compare the two.

    My guess, though, is that you say you like smoky whiskies, but you haven't actually had a traditionally smoky whisky. I would recommend you try a Talisker 10 year. It has both smoke and spice (which I think you might like). Plus, it is reasonably inexpensive (less than $60). If you like it, you might be a peat head and can move on to smokier scotches (Lagavulin, Ardbeg...save Laphroaig for last!). If you don't like it, then you might have to re-evaluate what you consider smoky versus what the "industry" considers smoky.

    Bottom line, who cares if you're lost!!! That's where some of the best journeys and discoveries happen 8)

  • Simonzenith
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    Joined: 13.07.2016Posts: 2Ratings: 0
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    Thanks for the reply. I was in fact going to try one of the peaty ones but wasn't sure where to start so I'll go with your Talisker recommendation. I have tried JW black and double black several times and don't think much of either of them. I have a mate you loves Jw black but won't touch Chivas so as you say, everyone's tastes differ. I guess the reason for my post was to find some other whiskies that have more of whatever it is I like about Chivas!

  • hwchoy Member hwchoy Joined: 28.07.2015Posts: 462CollectionHeng Wah’s CollectionRatings: 3
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    "Simonzenith" wrote:
    Thanks for the reply. I was in fact going to try one of the peaty ones but wasn't sure where to start so I'll go with your Talisker recommendation. I have tried JW black and double black several times and don't think much of either of them. I have a mate you loves Jw black but won't touch Chivas so as you say, everyone's tastes differ. I guess the reason for my post was to find some other whiskies that have more of whatever it is I like about Chivas!



    I am confused too. you like Chivas but you like smoky, so as the previous poster said, you might be confused with what is "smoky". in which case it might be a mistake to try a Talisker? Perhaps you should try a miniature Glenlivet or Glenfiddich?

  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    "Simonzenith" wrote:
    My regular scotch is Chivas 12 yr. I find the 18 yr even nicer.

    As said by kroman above, there is some kind of confusion between light smoke and oakiness. This is normal. You can look up the 'general' rating of the taste of bottles in our Whisky-Database. Here is the link to the Chivas 12yrs.

    39 users gave ratings about this bottle. And if you expand the icons two times (Button: show more), than you find the light smokiness detected by others. With the Chivas 18yrs the smoke is better detectable by the 16 tasters which rated this bottle. The smore is rated at position two with ratings between three and 5.5.

    It is always a good idea to look bottles up in our Whisky-Database prior to buying them.

    With the Johnnie Walker Blue Label the smoke is dominant. But please be careful and always look at the number of ratings. The blue only collected 10 detailed ratings.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
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