drams of the month...?

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  • kroman
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    Joined: 16.04.2016Posts: 261Collectionkromans CollectionRatings: 21

    Good day Horst,

    Every morning on my way to work I listen to your "review of the day". Being generous, let's say that Ben does one review a week. This means that you do, at a minimum, 16 reviews a month. That's almost four times more reviews per year than Ralfy! With so much information, it becomes hard to remember the ones you seemed to like more than others.

    With that being said, it would be great if your last review of the month included the three best scotches you tried and why you liked them. This would provide a way for me to know which ones really stood out and possibly buy if I see them on the shelf.

    I understand that not everyone will like and dislike the same whiskies that you like and dislike. However, most people who watch these reviews largely trust your judgment. I really enjoy scotch, but I don't have the money to buy a lot of bottles. A short list of your top drams each month would really help guide me to make more educated decisions while also giving me a better reason to be more adventurous with what to buy.

  • hwchoy Member hwchoy Joined: 28.07.2015Posts: 462CollectionHeng Wah’s CollectionRatings: 3
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    I am going through the reviews and making a list of Horst's Wonderful List... based on various keywords and his facial expressions :biggrin:

  • kroman
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    Joined: 16.04.2016Posts: 261Collectionkromans CollectionRatings: 21
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    Some things that will make your search easier:

    1) "This is one of my favorite drams" means nothing! He says that all the time :lol:
    2) The more sounds he makes as he's tasting, the better
    3) If nods his head up and down while tasting, it is just okay; it tastes predictable and safe.
    4) If he squints his eyes and moves his head side to side while tasting, it's a winner!
    5) The harder and longer he exhales when nosing and after he swallows, the better it smells and tastes :razz:

    In all seriousness, I know that one sip is just okay or even bad, two sips is good, and three is great. However, sometimes he goes quite some time before giving a three sip recommendation. Even after a month of "two sip" reviews, there must be a few that stood out more than others.

    Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that he doesn't score whiskies. I'd just like a summary every once in a while of what his favorite samples.

  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    Thank you for the interpretation. You are quite right. One problem is, that I like Whisky. A whisky has to be really different, that I would not find a good edge on it.

    1) Good is normal :wink:
    2) I have to look after my alcohol consumption over the year. So I pour just 1cl in my glass. But drowning all that will result in a few liters over the year. I have to decide which one to taste a second time and which to empty completely. Life is too short for bad alcohol.
    3) I have a dozen or two of whiskies which I like most. Lagavulin and Talisker Distillers Edition, Glenlivet 18yrs, Macallan 12yrs, old Strathislas, Older Glendronach, ... If I say one of my favorite - I mean it.

    Looking at the numbers of sips is always good. One viewer once said, that also the heftyness or gentleness with which I place the empty glass on the cask shows, if I really respect the content. This might be sometimes true. But some times I am just in a little hurry.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
  • kroman
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    Thank you for the reply and information, but I think I steered this topic in the wrong direction...

    What are your thoughts about identifying the top whiskies you had for the month (please refer to my first post in this thread)?

  • hwchoy Member hwchoy Joined: 28.07.2015Posts: 462CollectionHeng Wah’s CollectionRatings: 3
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    I just look at the total expression and yes how hard he sniffs and then exhale :biggrin:
    I already discounted all those that he just "likes" :biggrin:

  • NotMyJob Member Joined: 15.06.2016Posts: 6Ratings: 0
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    "kroman" wrote:
    Thank you for the reply and information, but I think I steered this topic in the wrong direction...

    What are your thoughts about identifying the top whiskies you had for the month (please refer to my first post in this thread)?


    This is a good idea, I'd be interested to watch a video every month.

  • Quin Member Quin Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 91Ratings: 0
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    Haha! In the german forum we started the "a second sip of Horst"-Thread in 2012 :lol:

    Its not 100% complete, but here is the list:

    Aberfeldy
    Aberfeldy 12
    Aberfeldy 1991/2012 Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice

    Aberlour
    Aberlour 12 Non Chill-Filtered
    Aberlour 15
    Aberlour 16
    Aberlour A'bunadh

    Ardbeg
    Ardbeg 10 TEN
    Ardbeg Alligator
    Ardbeg Ardbog
    Ardbeg Auriverdes
    Ardbeg Galileo
    Ardbeg Blasda

    Ardmore
    Ardmore 25
    Ardmore 1999 Dun Bheagan
    Ardmore 9J 2003/2013 McGibbon's Provenance

    Arran
    Arran 10
    Arran 16
    Arran 17 (3x)
    Arran Private Cask 1997

    Auchentoshan
    Auchentoshan 14 Cooper's Reserve
    Auchentoshan 18
    Auchentoshan 21
    Auchentoshan American Oak

    Auchroisk
    Auchroisk 30

    Balblair
    Balblair 1979 Gordon & MacPhail
    Balblair 1991 Gordon & MacPhail

    Balvenie
    Balvenie 12 Double Wood
    Balvenie 12 Signature
    Balvenie 12 Single Barrel
    Balvenie 15 Single Barrel Sherry Cask
    Balvenie 16 Triple Cask
    Balvenie 17 Double Wood
    Balvenie 21 Port Wood
    Balvenie 30

    Barton 1792 Distillery
    Ridgemont Reserve 1792 8 Jahre

    Ben Nevis
    Ben Nevis 15 1996 Sherry Finish Càrn Mòr (Clubflasche 2012/2013)
    Ben Nevis 22 1991/2013 Signatory Vintage
    Ben Nevis Sherry 15 Jahre 1998

    Benriach
    Benriach 12 Heredotus Fumosus (PX Sherry)
    Benriach 15 Dark Rum Wood Finish ("Der ist nicht, hervorragend gut, aber so interessant das ich davon einen 2. brauche)
    Benriach 15 Tawny Port Finish
    Benriach 15 Solstice
    Benriach 15 PX Sherry Wood Finish ("Gefällt mir ausgesprochen gut" )
    Benriach 15 Madeira Wood Finish
    Benriach 16 Sauternes Finish
    Benriach Single Cask Pedro Ximenez Finish 18J-1996/2014
    Benriach Authenticus 25 Jahre (*)

    Benrinnes
    Benrinnes 14 1998/2013 McGibbon's Provenance

    Blair Athol
    Blair Athol 12 F+F

    Bowmore
    Bowmore 12
    Bowmore 15 Darkest
    Bowmore 15 Laimrig (3x)
    Bowmore 18
    Bowmore 21 1988 Port Cask Matured
    Bowmore 25
    Bowmore 16 1996 Càrn Mòr
    Black Bowmore
    Bowmore Black Rock
    Bowmore 12 Jahre 2001 Signatory Vintage (*)

    Brora
    Brora 12th Release 35J-/2013 (*)

    Bruichladdich
    Bruichladdich 16 Cuvee A Paulliac Lafite
    Bruichladdich 21
    Bruichladdich 22 The Twenty Two
    Bruichladdich 2007 Islay Barley
    Bruichladdich Black Art 03.1
    Bruichladdich Black Art 04.1 (*) "(...) notieren Sie den als ausgetrunken, das Glas stell ich mir zur Seite, das trink ich heute Abend noch aus, ganz bestimmt"
    Bruichladdich Sherry Classic
    Octomore 06.1: 167ppm Scottish Barley 5J /2013 ("Unter Protest!" icon_wink.gif)
    Octomore 06.3: 258ppm Islay Barley
    Port Charlotte 10 Heavily Peated
    Port Charlotte Scottish Barley (um zu schauen, wie er verdünnt schmeckt)
    Bruichladdich Cuvee 382 La Berenice 21 Jahre(*)

    Buffalo Trace
    Blantons Gold
    Eagle Rare 10
    Charter 101

    Bunnahabhain
    Bunnahabhain 18
    Bunnahabhain 25
    Bunnahabhain 19 1992 Càrn Mòr
    Bunnahabhain 34 1973/2008 Celtic Heartlands
    Bunnahabhain 1997 Heavily Peated Signatory Vintage Cask Strength

    Bushmills
    Bushmills 21

    Caol Ila
    Caol Ila 18
    Caol Ila 25
    Caol Ila 15 1997/2012 Signatory Vintage
    Caol Ila 1982 Signatory Vintage Cask Strength
    Caol Ila 1999 Gordon & MacPhail

    Cardhu
    Cardhu 18

    Clynelish
    Clynelish 12 Friends of the Classic Malts
    Clynelish 1995/2012 Decanter
    Clynelish Distillers Edition
    Clynelish 16 1995 Càrn Mòr

    Cooley
    Connemara Distillers Edition
    Greenore 18
    Tyrconnell 18 Single Cask
    Teeling Single Malt 2014 (*)

    Cragganmore
    Cragganmore 14 /2010 Friends of Classic Malts
    Cragganmore Distillers Edition

    Craigellachie
    Craigellachie 17 Jahre (*)
    Craigellachie 23 Jahre

    Dailuaine
    Dailuaine 15 1997/2013 McGibbon's Provenance

    Dalmore
    Dalmore 12
    Dalmore 18
    Dalmore 25 (nach 3 Schluck war das Glas leer}
    Dalmore 2000 Vintage
    Dalmore Tay Dram /2012
    Dalmore Gran Reserva
    Dalmore King Alexander III

    Dalwhinnie
    Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition

    Dufftown
    Dufftown 18 *The Singleton of Duffton*
    Dufftown 27 1984 Signatory Vintage

    Edradour
    Ballechin 2003/2013 Sauternes Cask Matured
    Ballechin 10 (*)
    Edradour 11 2002 Burgundy Finish
    Edradour 12 2000/2012 Port Finish
    Edradour 12 2000/2012 Sauternes Finish
    Edradour 19 1993/2013 Sauternes Finish
    Edradour 10 2002/2013 Signatory Vintage
    Edradour Decanter Bourbon 2003
    Edradour Fairy Flag 15 Jahre
    Edradour Chardonnay - Batch No. 2 2003/2013
    Edradour Barolo - Batch No. 1 2006/2014
    Edradour Super Tuscan - Batch No. 1 2006/2014 (*)

    Fettercairn
    Fettercairn Fior

    Four Roses
    Four Roses Single Barrel

    Glenallachie
    Glenallachie 15 1996/2012 Signatory Vintage

    Glenburgie
    Glenburgie 18 1995 Signatory Vintage

    Glencadam
    Glencadam 14 Oloroso Sherry Finish
    Glencadam 21

    Glendronach
    Glendronach 15 Tawny Port Finish
    Glendronach 15 Revival
    Glendronach 15 Moscatel Finish
    Glendronach 16 Platinum ("ja toll, den muss ich zweimal probieren" )(*)
    Glendronach 18 Allardice
    Glendronach 18 Tawny Port
    Glendronach 21 Parliament
    Glendronach 33
    Glendronach Grandeur 24 (*)
    Glendronach Vintage 1995 19J (*)

    Glen Garioch
    Glen Garioch Virgin Oak
    Glen Garioch 1999/2013
    Glen Garioch Sherry Cask 15 Jahre 3 Schluck

    Glenglassaugh
    Glenglassaugh 26
    Glenglassaugh 30
    Glenglassaugh 35 1976 The Chosen Few
    Glenglassaugh 39 1972/2012 for Germany

    Glen Keith
    Glen Keith 17 1995 Signatory Vintage

    Glenkinchie
    Glenkinchie Distillers Edition

    Glenlivet
    Glenlivet 15
    Glenlivet 21 Archive (*) ("ich werde den jetzt, nachdem ich die Kamera abgestellt habe, ganz austrinken" )
    Glenlivet 25 XXV (3x)
    Glenlivet Alpha
    Glenlivet 21 Gordon & MacPhail
    Glenlivet 1997 Signatory Vintage Cask Strength
    Glenlivet Master Distiller's Reserve

    Glenlossie
    Glenlossie 1995/2013 Connoisseurs Choice

    Glenmorangie
    Glenmorangie 12 Lasanta (46%)
    Glenmorangie 12 Lasanta (43%)
    Glenmorangie 18 Extremely Rare
    Glenmorangie 25
    Glenmorangie Artein
    Glenmorangie Companta
    Glenmorangie Finealta
    Glenmorangie Pride
    Glenmorangie Tùsail(*)


    Glen Moray
    Glen Moray Port Cask Finish

    Glenfarclas
    Glenfarclas 10 105
    Glenfarclas 15
    Glenfarclas 17
    Glenfarclas 18 (*)
    Glenfarclas 20 105
    Glenfarclas 21
    Glenfarclas 25
    Glenfarclas 30
    Glenfarclas 40
    Glenfarclas 1962/2011 Family Casks
    Glenfarclas 1990 No. 17 Alexander Selkirk
    Glenfarclas 1993/2012 Oloroso Sherry Cask
    Glenfarclas 1996/2011
    Glenfarclas 1997 Cask Strength
    Glenfarclas 2000/2013 Vintage
    Glenfarclas 2000 Oloroso Sherry Cask
    Glenfarclas Christmas Malt 1995/2014 (*)
    Glenfarclas Vintage Port Pipes 1981/2014 (*)

    Glenfiddich
    Glenfiddich 18
    Glenfiddich 19 Age of Discovery Bourbon
    Glenfiddich 19 Age of Discovery Madeira
    Glenfiddich 21
    Glenfiddich 30
    Glenfiddich 1973
    Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary
    Glenfiddich 40 Jahre (*)

    Glengoyne
    Glengoyne 15
    Glengoyne 18
    Glengoyne 21

    Glen Grant
    Glen Grant 1955/2005 Gordon & MacPhail
    Glen Grant 1967/2008 Gordon & MacPhail

    Glenrothes
    Glenrothes 23 1988/2011 Vintage
    Glenrothes Select Reserve
    Glenrothes 17 1995 Signatory Vintage
    Glenrothes 25 Jahre

    Highland Park
    Highland Park 15 Freya
    Highland Park 18
    Highland Park 21
    Highland Park 25
    Highland Park 30
    Highland Park Dark Origins ("der ist schon jung, tut mir leid..." )
    Highland Park Drakkar ("in der Nase, im Abgang im Geschmack sehr stark verbesserungswürdig" , ich wäre gespannt wie der schmecken würde wenn man ihm 6% Apothekenalkohol zusetzen würde" )
    Highland Park Einar
    Highland Park Harald
    Highland Park 23 1988 Signatory Vintage
    Highland Park 24 1987 Signatory Vintage

    Imperial
    Imperial 17 1995 Signatory Vintage (Neugier/Interesse)

    J.B.G.
    J.B.G. 2010/2014 Münsterländer Sherry

    Jack Daniel's
    Jack Daniel's Silver Select

    Jim Beam
    Baker's 107 Proof 7J
    Booker's 7J 63,7%
    Knob Creek Rye

    Jura
    Jura 16

    Karuizawa
    Karuizawa Asama (*)

    Kentucky Bourbon Distillers
    Willett Pot Still Reserve

    Kininvie
    Kininvie 17 Jahre 1996

    Knockando
    Knockando 18 1994 Slow Matured
    Knockando 21 1989 Master Reserve
    Knockando 25 /2011

    Knockdhu
    AnCnoc 22
    AnCnoc 1999/2013
    AnCnoc Peter Arkle Limited Edition No. 1
    An Cnoc Flaughter
    An Cnoc Rutter

    Koval
    Millet

    Lagavulin
    Lagavulin 16
    Lagavulin Distillers Edition

    Laphroaig
    Laphroaig 18
    Laphroaig 25
    Laphroaig An Cuan Mór
    Laphroaig 1996 Signatory Vintage Cask Strength
    Laphroaig Select
    Laphroaig PX Cask (*)
    Laphroaig Vintage 1991 23J

    Linkwood
    Linkwood 15 Gordon & MacPhail
    Linkwood 25 Gordon & MacPhail

    Loch Lomond
    Inchmurrin 21

    Longmorn
    Longmorn 16
    Longmorn 12 Gordon & MacPhail

    Macallan
    Macallan 18 Fine Oak
    Macallan 21 Fine Oak
    Macallan 12 Sherry Oak
    Macallan 18 Sherry Oak
    Macallan Amber
    Macallan Gold
    Macallan Ruby
    Macallan Sienna
    Macallan 1990 Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt
    Macallan 2000 Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt

    Midleton
    Jameson 18
    Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve
    Midleton Very Rare
    Redbreast 15

    Mortlach
    Mortlach 16 F+F
    Mortlach 18
    Mortlach 25
    Mortlach 15 Gordon & MacPhail

    Nikka
    Nikka Coffey Malt (*)

    Oban
    Oban 14
    Oban Distillers Edition

    Old Pulteney
    Old Pulteney 21
    Old Pulteney Duncansby Head
    Old Pulteney Noss Head ("weil er so gebrannt hat"icon_wink.gif
    Old Pulteney Pentland Skerries

    Royal Lochnagar
    Royal Lochnagar Selected Reserve

    Slyrs
    Slyrs Oloroso Finish
    Slyrs Pedro Ximenes Finish

    Springbank
    Hazelburn 10 2003/2014 Rundlets & Kilderkins
    Longrow 11 Rundlets & Kilderkins
    Longrow 14
    Longrow 18
    Springbank 12 Calvados Wood
    Springbank 18
    Springbank 21

    Strathisla
    Strathisla 40 Gordon & MacPhail
    Strathisla 1960 Gordon & MacPhail

    Talisker
    Talisker 10
    Talisker 18
    Talisker 25
    Talisker 30
    Talisker Distillers Edition
    Talisker Port Ruighe

    Tobermory
    Tobermory 15

    Tomatin
    Tomatin 30
    Tomatin Cù Bòcan
    Tomatin Legacy
    Tomatin Decades

    Tomintoul
    Old Ballantruan 10
    Tomintoul 12 Port Wood
    Tomintoul 21

    Tullibardine
    Tullibardine 1993/2011 Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice

    Wild Turkey
    Wild Turkey 101
    Wild Turkey Rare Breed
    Wild Turkey 12 Jahre
    Russell's Reserve Rye 6 Jahre (*)

    Woodford Reserve
    Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select

    Yamazaki
    Suntory Yamazaki 18
    Suntory Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 (*)
    Suntory Yamazaki Puncheon

    Diverse: Blends, Liköre, unbekannte Brennereien
    1776 Rye (*)
    Black Bull 12
    Black Bull 40
    Cutty Sark 25
    Dewars Signature
    Fireball Cinnamon Whisky Liqueur
    Ginger Tam's
    Johnnie Walker Platinum
    Johnnie Walker Blue
    Johnnie Walker Odyssey
    MacKinlay's Shackleton The Journey
    Smokehead 18 Extra Black
    The Six Isles

    (*) drunk up

    regards.. ..and sorry for bad english
    hwchoy liked that
  • hwchoy Member hwchoy Joined: 28.07.2015Posts: 462CollectionHeng Wah’s CollectionRatings: 3
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    haha do you have a list for "wonderful", "I like it", and "if you see this bottle, take it."

  • kroman
    Topic creator
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    Joined: 16.04.2016Posts: 261Collectionkromans CollectionRatings: 21
    , edited July 8 2016 at 4:27PM
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    "Quin" wrote:
    Haha! In the german forum we started the "a second sip of Horst"-Thread in 2012 :lol:

    Its not 100% complete, but here is the list:

    ...
    Balvenie 12 Double Wood
    ...

    (*) drunk up


    Thank you for the post, but this kind of proves my point. he samples so many whiskies, that something like a list of "two/three" sip whiskies doesn't tell me a whole lot. Although there is nothing wrong with the Balvenie 12 year, I don't think at the end of a month of tasting whisky, he would say "This is one of the top three whiskies I sampled in July," if he had it in that month for example.

    However, let's say he does have a month where every whisky he tastes is only "one sip". At the end of the month, he'd still have to say which of the "one sip whiskies" he enjoyed the most.

    I watch the videos every day and enjoy all of them. I just wish that every once in a while, we could get some kind of list of the ones he has enjoyed, not of all time, but over the course of a period of time

  • horst_s_2 Administrator horst_s_2 Joined: 01.07.2014Posts: 507Ratings: 661
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    "kroman" wrote:
    With that being said, it would be great if your last review of the month included the three best scotches you tried and why you liked them. This would provide a way for me to know which ones really stood out and possibly buy if I see them on the shelf.

    It is hard for me to remember the details of all these whiskies I had over the time. But it will be possible to do it for a month.

    Unfortunately I take the videos a few days and up to a few weeks in advance. E.g. I did not answer in the forum for quite some time, because I was on vacations. This will make it a little difficult to establish a border between the month I took the videos and the month you've seen them.

    I always put my open bottles aside for some weeks in front of spreading them between my friends. In the future I will separate my personal favorites of the month from the others. And then I can do the asked video. I will give this a try. Hopefully it will develop into something I am able to keep to.

    Kind regards, Horst Luening, Master Taster, Whisky.com
    hwchoy liked that
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