Hot Chocolate + Peppermint Schnapps = MMMM!

[Naked Gents Rut]

it was just your basic charred-oak tinge, almost indistinguishable from bourbons like Jim Beam (even though JD's charcoal filtration makes it technically not a "bourbon"). Even Wild Turkey would taste damned near the same if it weren't a higher proof.

I don't like Jim Beam or Wild Turkey, either.

[Asher]

I only recognize 6, though the ones in back are hard to see.

Anyway, after this whole spiel about "bite" you come and admit to drinking Crown Royal? As tasty as it may be, and as comfy of a speedo the bag may make, CR's still the same long, cool drink of water from Canadia I was talking about. Those Walkers back there are 40 proofs too, but at least the peat mans them up a ways over others.

Now I know Balvenie & Dalwhinnie are at 86 and IIRC Glenmorangie hits 100, so no wonder any 80 tastes sweet to you by comparison. Everything's relative.

*pours some Balvenie, though only a pathetic 10-year reserve *

I did not buy that Crown Royal, it was a gift I got years ago. You can see how much I drink it. I'm keeping it for when the JW Red runs out for use in mixers.

It's not the proof that makes the bourbons and Canadian whiskies sweet. It's the rye (Canadian) and corn (Bourbon).

I don't consider the JW Red or Black (I also have the Green, in the box there -- it's no longer carried in Canada!) to be sweet at all.

[Asher]

For the record, the current breakdown is:

Crown Royal
JW Red
JW Black
JW Green
Glenfiddich 12yo
Glenmorangie Original 10yo
Balvenie DoubleWood 12yo
Tomintoul Limited Edition 12yo Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish
Dalwhinnie 15yo

I have a Macallan 12yo going also, but my brother and I opened that a few weeks ago in Calgary and it's only got a third of a bottle left so I just left it in Calgary til the next time I'm back, rather than taking it on the plane.

[Darius871]

I did not buy that Crown Royal, it was a gift I got years ago. You can see how much I drink it. I'm keeping it for when the JW Red runs out for use in mixers.

Ah.

It's not the proof that makes the bourbons and Canadian whiskies sweet. It's the rye (Canadian) and corn (Bourbon).

I don't consider the JW Red or Black (I also have the Green, in the box there -- it's no longer carried in Canada!) to be sweet at all.

I was always under the impression that that's an old wives' tale, seeing as A) the vast majority of any mash's flavor is lost during distillation into almost pure ethyl and B) while corn's made of slightly simpler carbohydrates than other grains, rye and barley are about equal in complexity. My understanding was always that the percentage of malted grain (if any), whether peat was used as fuel to dry the malt, and the proof decide bite far more than whatever miscellaneous carbohydrate sources are in the mash. But I ain't no scientician.

For the record, the current breakdown is:

Crown Royal
JW Red
JW Black
JW Green
Glenfiddich 12yo
Glenmorangie Original 10yo
Balvenie DoubleWood 12yo
Tomintoul Limited Edition 12yo Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish
Dalwhinnie 15yo

I have a Macallan 12yo going also, but my brother and I opened that a few weeks ago in Calgary and it's only got a third of a bottle left so I just left it in Calgary til the next time I'm back, rather than taking it on the plane.

If there's ever a polymeet up there you can kiss that whole table goodbye. (Except the Crown Royal.)

[Asher]

I was talking to a Maker's Mark ambassador at a whisky show a few months ago and he said the reason Bourbon tasted much sweeter was because of corn. rye is about somewhere inbetween.

From sweetest to non: Bourbon -> Rye -> Scotch

I've no doubt there's other factors as well (including peat), but I'm fairly certain the corn is a major aspect.

[Darius871]

I was talking to a Maker's Mark ambassador at a whisky show a few months ago and he said the reason Bourbon tasted much sweeter was because of corn. rye is about somewhere inbetween.

From sweetest to non: Bourbon -> Rye -> Scotch

I've no doubt there's other factors as well (including peat), but I'm fairly certain the corn is a major aspect.

Seeing as he made that comment while attempting to sell a bourbon, I'll have to take his word for it. Nobody selling whiskey (anywhere other than a sorority house or "young professionals" dance club) would emphasize his brand's sweetness voluntarily.

[Darius871]

I don't like Jim Beam or Wild Turkey, either.

A) Then as I'd said before, your beef is with bourbons, not with JD.

B) The discussion wasn't whether you "like" X or Y, but whether X or Y is "girly." If you think Wild Turkey is girly, then I can only conclude that you've either never had it, or you're one of the rare souls who has stumbled across an endangered 80 proof WT. Outside of the wimp states it's almost universally 101. We're talking flammable here. If you seriously find WT 101 girly, then your cojones must have their own zip code.

[Naked Gents Rut]

Then as I'd said before, your beef is with bourbons, not with JD.

Why do I drink Maker's, then? I just don't like bad bourbons...

If you think Wild Turkey is girly

When did I say that? I just don't like it.

[Asher]

You like Maker's because they have some of the coolest bottles ever. I love me the hand-dipped wax.

[Naked Gents Rut]

The bottle is indeed awesome.

[Darius871]

Then as I'd said before, your beef is with bourbons, not with JD.

Why do I drink Maker's, then? I just don't like bad bourbons...

You'll note that Maker's is sold only at 90 proof, which goes back to my earlier points. It's an apples and oranges comparison. (That, and legally speaking Maker's isn't even a bourbon, but that's really splitting hairs...)

If you think Wild Turkey is girly

When did I say that? I just don't like it.

Implication of vaginas was the original context of the discussion (a context you started incidentally). Not my fault if you make a gear-stripping 180 into what's tasty.

[Naked Gents Rut]

I'm sorry that you couldn't follow the conversation.

[Darius871]

It never changed. First it was about girliness. Then it slightly meandered into whether there's "bite," but "bite" is simply a precondition of non-girliness, ergo, the underlying theme remains the same.

[Darius871]

And just look how far society has come - where the gay man and the straight man can come together to chastise the girly man with one united front. This is how it should be. And Balvenie is making me happy. I love you guys. But not like that. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Naked Gents Rut]

"bite" is simply a precondition of non-girliness

Bite has nothing to do with girliness. There's nothing wrong with liking a smooth whiskey.