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  1. #1
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    Let's talk Whisky!

    Single malt?
    Blends?
    Bourbon?
    Rye?
    Scotch?

    What's your posion and why?

    I like a single malt scotch, not too peaty and not to medicine like. Soemwhere in between and I like a quinto rubana where teh scotch has taken on flavour from sitting in a port barrel for a few years.

    How about you? Or do you like lite beer with a nipple on the bottle?
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  2. #2
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    I'll have a milk, bartender.
    For whoso comes amongst many shall one day find that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all.

  3. #3
    crown royal is my staple...

  4. #4
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    mcallen single malt scotch. 15yrs. why because it taste like ambrosia.

  5. #5
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    I've only tried a few single malts-the usual suspects-glennlivett, glenfiddich (sp?) Mcallen..I like Glenlivett thye best so far-smokey and smooth.
    Although one of my students got me a bottle of JWR, and it's starting to grow on me. I think anything I drink for awhile starts to taste better...
    I've also gotten to like Jack Daniels as of late. Again, It seems the more I drink it, the smoother it gets. I've been meaning to try Gentleman Jack. I've heard good things about it.
    "My Gung-Fu may not be Your Gung-Fu.
    Gwok-Si, Gwok-Faht"

    "I will not be part of the generation
    that killed Kung-Fu."

    ....step.

  6. #6
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    Havn't been a whiskey drinker for 40 years. Canadian Mist back then. Alcoholic battles with all the major players when I was younger, not a regular drinker for the last 10 years or so. Saki or Chinese rice wine is the only sauce I truly enjoy to slog around on occasionally now. (room temp, slug from the bottle). Cheers!
    Last edited by PalmStriker; 12-27-2010 at 08:41 PM.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Jamieson View Post
    Single malt?
    Blends?
    Bourbon?
    Rye?
    Scotch?

    What's your posion and why?

    I like a single malt scotch, not too peaty and not to medicine like. Soemwhere in between and I like a quinto rubana where teh scotch has taken on flavour from sitting in a port barrel for a few years.

    How about you? Or do you like lite beer with a nipple on the bottle?
    Just found this thread. This I can talk about. Quito Rubana is good. I prefer 21 year Old Pultney. Very light on the peat and the salty air of the highland coast makes for a smooth and complex finish. But that's when I'm drinking single malt scotch.

    http://www.whiskymarketplace.com/old...hisky#shopping

    Bourbon. Maker's Mark is the best bang for the buck, but my favorite is Elmer T. Lee. Lots of other good ones, but those are my top two.

    http://www.bourbonenthusiast.com/for...isplaybottling
    Last edited by Judge Pen; 05-15-2013 at 11:03 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Oso View Post
    AND, yea, a good bit of it is about whether you can fight with what you know...kinda all of it is about that.

  8. #8
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    WWD is this Saturday!

    This changes everything (at least for Saturday at KFTC25 AF)



    See you all this weekend!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  9. #9
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    $10K for a shot

    Wuxia writing & whiskey. wow.

    Chinese tourist pays $10,000 for a single whiskey shot at Swiss bar
    BY ALEX LINDER IN NEWS ON AUG 10, 2017 4:50 PM



    How much would you pay for a shot of whiskey? $10? $100? How about, $10,000?
    Because that's apparently how much one Chinese tourist forked out to gulp down a shot of Macallan at the luxury Waldhaus Hotel's Devil's Place Whiskey Bar in Switzerland last week.
    The whiskey was made in 1878 by the revered Scotch maker Macallan. As the last of its kind, it could be the most expensive whiskey in the world.



    Meanwhile, the wealthy whiskey enthusiast wasn't just any deep-pocketed tourist, but Zhang Wei, China's highest-paid online novelist, beloved by fans for his series of wuxia novels. Last week, he stunned Weibo with a post describing how he had paid 9,999 Swiss francs ($10,331) for just a single shot of whiskey.
    “I was in Switzerland and saw a 100-year-old whiskey. I didn’t spend long weighing up whether to get it,” he wrote. “In a nutshell, it tasted good. I was drinking not so much the whiskey but a lot of history.”
    Zhang also noted that the 139-year-old whiskey was older than his 82-year-old grandmother who he had brought along for his trip to Switzerland.



    After reports of Zhang's extravagant purchase went viral, rumors started to circulate that the Macallan was, in fact, a forgery, prompting the hotel to submit its bottle of 1878 Macallan for "extremely rigorous" testing, a process which could take several months.
    Gene Ching
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  10. #10
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    The very best I've had was the Macallan cask strength.
    It was like suckling on the goddesses nipples really. Divine!
    It was from an old Scots mate of mine who had it for a long time.
    I have never had anything like that before or since.

    It was a 25 yr old that he had had for a while.
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  11. #11
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    $10K for a blend!

    NOT 10K after all.

    World's priciest whisky bought by Chinese millionaire revealed to be fake


    Zhang Wei, centre, splashed out £7,600 on the world's most expensive whisky shot in the Waldhaus am See hotel in St Moritz, Switzerland CREDIT: SANDRO BERNASCONI

    Nicola Smith, taipei
    2 NOVEMBER 2017 • 12:48PM

    When Chinese millionaire, Zhang Wei, splashed out £7,600 on the world’s most expensive whisky shot in a Swiss bar, he boasted to his fans that it was the same age as his great, great grandmother would have been – 139 years old.

    Unfortunately for the martial arts fantasy writer, the headlines generated not only admiration, but suspicion by experts who doubted the authenticity of the spirit’s true provenance when they spotted discrepancies in the bottle’s cork and label.

    An analysis from Scottish experts has now confirmed that Mr Zhang was unwittingly duped into buying a fake dram, and the Waldhaus am See hotel in St Moritz has recently flown its manager, Sandro Bernasconi, to China to reimburse him, reported the BBC.


    Analysis has shown the whisky was not as advertised CREDIT: DAVID CHESKIN/PA WIRE

    The whisky had been poured from an unopened bottle labelled as an 1878 Macallan single malt, and Mr Zhang’s shot is believed to have been the largest sum ever paid for a poured dram of Scotch. Had the bottle been genuine, it would have been worth £227,000.

    When doubts emerged about its provenance, the hotel sent the whisky to specialists in Dunfermline who carried out carbon dating tests that showed it was probably made between 1970 and 1972. Further lab tests revealed it was probably a blended a Scotch and not a single malt.

    Mr Bernasconi flew to China to break the bad news to Mr Zhang and to pay him back but he said the author was not angry. “He thanked me very much for the hotel’s honesty,” he told the BBC.

    Wuxia writing + whiskey = fake
    Gene Ching
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  12. #12
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    Deregulate = lower quality

    24th January
    Secret plan to change the formula for Scotch whisky
    Stephen Naysmith



    WHISKY traditionalists are fighting a rearguard action against plans to shake up production of Scotland’s national beverage – with suggestions including maturing malts in tequila casks, using chocolate malt in the mash and even marketing low-alcohol “infusions” under big brand names.

    Diageo, the world’s single biggest producer, has confirmed the existence of documents exploring ways to create more innovative products, as Scotch whisky faces increasing pressure on its market dominance.

    Scotland exports around £4 billion worth of whisky annually, but while Scotch used to make up 60 per cent of the world market, that has declined to less than 50 per cent amid intense competition. Uncertainty over how Brexit may affect the £1.2 bn of exports that go to Europe is adding to the concern.

    Diageo’s proposals, first unveiled by the Wall Street Journal, come from a secret task force seeking to change the laws and rules which govern how whisky is made, but are likely to face resistance from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). The trade organisation oversees the rules about how whisky is made helping produce guidelines to police innovations and clarify ambiguities.

    Suggestions put forward in the documents prepared by the task force include ageing and finishing the spirit in old tequila barrels – rather than the traditional oak casks previously used only for wine, sherry or port.

    Another suggestion is a new category of blended whisky, to be sold under existing brands, but made to be flavoured or lower in alcohol content. One document warns of “overreach” on the part of the SWA.

    However the rules governing the production of Scotch dictate that it has to be distilled in Scotland from water and barley, has to be aged for at least three years in oak casks and must be at least 40 per cent alcohol.

    Diageo insists it is “unwavering” in its commitment to the integrity, history and tradition of Scotch. But a spokeswoman added: “As champions of Scotch, we are always looking at ways to innovate to both protect and secure the future success of the category.

    “In doing so, we work with the Scotch Whisky Association on a range of ideas that seek to strike a balance between tradition and innovation, in a way that ensures consumers get the great products they want.”

    Others are also seeking a loosening of the rules, to allow a more varied range of products. They point to the success of craft breweries and craft gin in seeking a wider customer base by offering more unusual drinks.

    Paul Miller, of Eden Mill Gin abandoned plans to incorporate chocolate malt in the mash used to make his new Scotch, after the SWA told him it might “lead to the production of a spirit which differs from traditional Scotch Whisky.”

    Mr Miller, whose first single malt Scotch will be produced later this year, says he too understands the need to protect the uniqueness of Scotch Whisky.

    He added: “I respect the job the SWA does in upholding the value of Scotch.” But he added: “It it has always been a pioneering industry. The challenge is to uphold the Scotch Whisky Act, while not restricting creativity.”

    Mr Miller thinks the act – which sets out in detail how Scotch should be produced – should be subject to periodic review.

    “We have the best educational institution for brewers and distillers in the world at Heriot Watt university. It would be a real shame for these people not to have an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity.”

    There is also an economic imperative, to allow diversification while not losing the uniqueness of Scotch whisky, he said. “To ensure there is not a limitation on the potential growth of the business we need to manage that tension rather than ignoring it. If we are not prepared to innovate, we risk becoming obsolete.”

    Mr Miller also called for a relaxation of the rule which prevents distilleries from being identified in the marketing of blended whisky. “We need that transparency. If we use our creativity to produce a blended whisky we ought to be allowed to attach our credible name to it.”

    A spokesman for the SWA said: “Scotch Whisky is a product renowned for its quality, craft and heritage. The regulations which govern the production of Scotch Whisky are the solid foundation on which the industry’s success is built, generating over £4bn in exports to almost 200 market worldwide in 2016.

    “The SWA regularly engages with our membership on a broad range of ideas to ensure that the category is well-placed to grow in an increasingly competitive global market place.”
    I gave up Scotch. Well, I'll still drink it for sure, but ever since Into the Badlands took me to Ireland, I'm only buying Irish Whiskey for myself.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  13. #13
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    Johnnie walker® blue label year of the dog limited edition design

    JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL YEAR OF THE DOG LIMITED EDITION DESIGN



    Celebrating this Chinese New Year, Johnnie Walker Blue Label announces the launch of Year of The Dog.



    This limited edition design is inspired by the Dog as a symbol of prosperity. This unique and intricate design tells the story of Johnnie Walker and his clever canine companion journeying around the world, bringing good fortune to all as they rejoice in the arrival of the new year.
    Personally I find Johnnie Walker a little overrated for the price. But I wouldn't say 'no' to a taste of this.

    Thread: 2018 Year of the EARTH DOG
    Thread: Let's talk Whisky!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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  14. #14
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    Indian whisky

    India’s Craft Distillers Are Shaking Up the World’s Biggest Whisky Market
    David Fuhrmann-Lim
    4 MINUTE READ

    Close your eyes and imagine a distillery making exceptional, single malt Scotch.

    You might envision gray Islay or scenic Speyside. Or perhaps the fecund woods of Kyoto, where Yamazaki is made. A cooler climate locale, certainly, where distillers wear wool sweaters to brave the chill.

    India probably does not immediately come to mind. But that might change, once you open your eyes.


    Credit: Instagram.com/amrutmalt

    India’s centuries-old whisky history is evolving, from record-breaking import figures to high-quality homegrown expressions. Two distilleries, Amrut and Paul John, based in Bangalore and Goa, respectively, have spent the better part of the last decade quietly and quickly gaining an international reputation for their spirits.

    Last year, Whisky Advocate named Amrut Spectrum the World Whisky of the Year, and the U.K.’s Independent called Amrut Fusion, a single malt made with Scottish and Indian barley “a wonderful whisky.” Meanwhile, among the many accolades for Paul John Single Malt was a Double Gold at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

    In other words, India isn’t the world’s next big whisky market. India’s modern whisky movement is already well underway.

    CENTURIES OF WHISKY

    The British Raj is believed to have brought Scottish whisky to India as early as the middle of the 19th century. Among the earliest records of India importing the stuff is from 1909 (though many locals strongly opposed the introduction of this “foreign poison”).

    Fast-forward to 2018, and the Scotch Whisky Association reports that India is currently its third-largest export market. Over the past five years, whisky sales in India grew by 15 percent, according to the IWSR. Indians consumed 1.5 billion liters of whisky in 2014, versus America’s 462 million liters.

    India’s homegrown whisky distilling began more recently. Bangalore’s Amrut Distilleries, a rum and brandy producer founded in 1948, began producing single malt whisky using locally grown barley. The company introduced its Amrut Single Malt in Glasgow, Scotland in 2004, before selling it in India. Amrut now sells in 22 countries worldwide.

    Paul John followed suit, launching its first whisky in the U.K. in 2012, and in India in 2013.

    EMBRACING THE ELEMENTS

    The country’s tropical humidity doesn’t strike one as ideal for whisky making or, more importantly, barrel aging, because, well, heat. But Amrut and Paul John have found success by embracing what is unique about their weather conditions, and using it to their advantage.

    Let’s start with angel’s share, the mysterious portion that disappears from barrels as the spirits lay sleeping. In cooler whisky regions, the loss rate might be 2 percent per year. According to Amrut’s head distiller, Surinder Kumar, its barrels in the Bangalore warehouses lose up to a whopping 15 percent a year into the ether.

    “I think as much as the heat creates problems in terms of angel’s share, it also helps us to bottle the whisky at an average age of five years,” he says. “This can be compared easily with some 15 year olds in Scotch scale.” In other words, Bangalore’s heat speeds up the aging process, resulting in beautifully matured spirits in a fraction of the time. In 2013, Kumar estimated that “one year of maturing in India would be equal to three in Scotland.”

    In these compressed timespans, Amrut, which is the Sanskrit word for “nectar of the gods,” has been able to produce intense and mature whiskies that, coupled with its six-row barley, soil conditions, and creative use of casks, are now being sought by collectors.

    “We use varieties of American and European casks. The former is both virgin oak and ex-bourbon barrels,” Kumar says. “A specialty from Amrut is the Spectrum barrel (a hybrid barrel made with five different types of oak staves, the first in the world). The Spectrum barrel is something we are proud of and no one else has done this before.”

    Amrut Spectrum has bold flavors of butterscotch, nuts, rum, licorice, and chili-spiked chocolate.


    Credit: Facebook.com/AmrutMalt

    THE NEXT WAVE

    While Amrut has been the pioneer in creating Indian single malt whiskies, younger upstart Paul John is no less creative or competitive.

    The distillery is based in Goa, an area better known for raves and gap-year hippies than culinary culture. But from the get-go, the plan was to make full-bodied, world-class whiskies; so Paul John’s distillers imported peat from Scotland to get a head start.

    Because Paul John faced the same climate issues as Amrut, it decided to focus on the flavors of the whiskies, and not the age statements.

    “We decided to work with the environment,” Michael D’Souza, master distiller, says. “We designed two warehouses, one underground and the other above ground level, we chose our casks carefully, and our brewing and fermentation procedures had to be tailored differently.”

    In 2012, the first Paul John Single Malt was produced and was quickly followed by new flagship expressions Brilliance and Edited. Brilliance has a sweet, spicy smoothness offset by cocoa and slight saltiness (Goa is known for its beaches), and Edited is a peaty, smoky spirit with hints of mint and mocha.

    The accolades started flowing faster than the distillate: Gold awards at both the International Whisky Competition as well as at the World Whisky Masters. Whisky authority Jim Murray of “The Whisky Bible“ also gave the Edited a rating of 96.5. (To compare, the Laphroaig 10 Years is 90, the Talisker 12 Years is 86.)


    Credit: Instagram.com/PaulJohnWhisky

    THE VALUE OF TASTINGS

    The tropical climate and humidity helped in a quicker extraction of certain wood compounds such as Demerara sugars, vanilla, orange blossom honey, and chocolate, giving the distillers a more intense and richly flavored spirit in a much shorter timespan.

    But the two brands still had to overcome one prejudice: the fact that they were making Indian whiskies.

    “When we started there was no benchmark,” Kumar says. “Indian single malt was unheralded and Indian whisky [thought to be] IMFL.” (That stands for Indian Made Foreign Liquor, which comprises rum, brandy, or whisky. Such products are often made from molasses and considered crude.)

    Much in the way that the Judgement of Paris put American wine on the global stage, blind tastings helped both master distillers get their single malts noticed.

    “We believe blind tasting is the best way to crack the myths and prejudices,” Kumar says. “Consumers are more open to the idea of world whiskies now, but we still have a long way to go in terms of education.” The heat is on.

    Published: March 12, 2018
    I must make a point to try some before pre-judging it.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  15. #15
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    George Dickel Tabasco Barrel Finish whisky

    Yes I would try a shot.
    No I don't think it will be good.

    This Tabasco Whisky Will Make You Forget All About Fireball


    COURTESY OF GEORGE DICKEL
    George Dickel teamed up with the hot sauce brand for this pepper barrel-aged whisky.

    ADAM CAMPBELL-SCHMITT May 14, 2018

    Sure, there are quite a few cocktails that incorporate a splash of hot sauce—Bloody Marys and Micheladas come to mind. And when it comes to whisky, if spicing things up was your jam, you could always opt for a cinnamon whisky, including the infamous Fireball brand. But one of America's classic whisky distillers is kicking it up a notch with the help of one of America's classic hot sauce makers as Tennesee's George Dickel launches a Tabasco Barrel Finish whisky in collaboration with Lousiana-based McIlhenny Company's Tabasco brand, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

    The whisky is aged for 30 days in barrels sourced from Tabasco which are used to age the peppers used in the iconic red sauce. Then actual Tabasco sauce is distilled into an essence and blended into the batch. The final product apparently offers imbibers a 70 proof whisky with a spicy kick with a smooth finish.

    The company recommends enjoying the Tabasco-flavored whisky as a shot with a celery salt-rimmed glass, with pickle juice, or with an ice chaser. If you're wondering how well a "Hot Dickel" will be received by the distilling community, apparently the spiced-up whisky also won a gold medal at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

    “George Dickel Tennessee Whisky and Tabasco are two of the most iconic brands the South has to offer for a reason—the craftsmanship that goes into creating these products is the real deal,” Jeff Parrott, Director of American Whisk(e)y Development at Diageo (George Dickel's parent company), said in a statement. “Both brands have such a rich history, and we’re proud to collaborate with our friends at McIlhenny Company to marry their unique flavor with our quality Tennessee whisky.”

    George Dickel Tabasco Barrel Finish is hitting shelves nationwide this month, and will retail for $24.99 for a 750-milliliter bottle, but will also come in 50-milliliter and one-liter sizes.
    THREADS
    Let's talk Whisky!
    Hot Sauce!
    Gene Ching
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