"It's a little harder to do these one after the other" - Kevin putting in the graft for us. Enjoyed this ep while finishing off a Ardbeg 10, loved the captions an editing on this. Great tone on the intro, thats a beautiful PRS - I felt that last bend
Brilliant guitar solo there on your beautiful Les Paul. I really enjoyed your video because it was real and honest. I ordered a shot of Lagavulin 16 at a restaurant last week and the following weekend I bought a bottle. Today I bought a bottle of Laphroaig 10 and I cannot wait to sample it tonight.
Thank you so much! That’s my PRS CE 24 and I love how it gives me a rich, Les Paul humbucker sound. Laphroaig 10 got me started on my love of Islay Scotch. Enjoy!
Interesting. The Laphroaig 10 also got me into Islay whisky. Usually that is not the case from what I understand as you correctly stated there is a lot going on in that whisky. I can still remember the very first whiff. I was laughing so hard out loud because nothing I ever sniffy sniffed was quite like that. BUT I LOVED IT.
About 2 years ago I was having an Ardbeg shootout with a friend of mine. We were sampling 13 different Ardbegs and he slipped in an independent bottling of Laphroaig. And I failed to identify the odd one out. That was also a little embarrassing. In the end Uigeadail won and the podium was completed by the Corryvreckan and the Dark Cove.
That sounds like a fun tasting session. I tried an independent bottling of Laphroaig last month at a World of Whisky show in San Francisco. The rep said it was available and not too expensive, but I can only find the crazy high price bottles. I may revisit this type of tasting again with similar bottles. Cheers!
Four great Islay Whiskies and a awesome riff! You are a very brave man, to do a blind tasting in front of a camera! I once got some samples from a friend, he made the set to be a blind tasting. And with one sample I was quite of a loud-mouth: "Oh this is a perfect example of a Scottish single malt with Sherry -Cask influence." And in the end it was a Buffalo Trace Bourbon :D But at least it was an eye opener not to underestimate the American Whiskey! Greetings from Poland! Edit: he he, it is a "peaty" you couldn't identify the Islay Whiskies correctly... ;-) But I am pretty sure I wouldn't perform much better.... :D
@@WhiskyRiffs You are welcome. I really enjoy your tastings with a own glas of Whisk(e)y. But first time I hear this phrase, but it makes scenes :D I heard once the phrase: being constantly unreliable is also a kind of an reliability. ;-)
while watching - at 8:24 I paused and noted how I thought you did. I think you got tricked by the color - Lagavulin 16 has a nice darker color - while Lagavulin 8 is very light. I knew you had switched Laphroaig 10 and Lagavulin 8 just by the color - but I also thought you probably could pick out the Wee Beastie vs Ardbeg 10 - the Wee Beastie does have quite a bit more pop. I usually do my blinds with colored glasses so I can't see them - for whatever reason I seem to recall whisk(e}y shades. Enjoyed the video. I have done various head to head blinds, and it will often surprise me what I find and what I think. Often my 'favorites' don't always come out on top (: When I did a head to head of Lagavulin 8 / Ardbeg 10 / Laphroaig 10 / Highland Park 12 I was able to figure out which was which - but it was not easy. For 'budget' Islay - I'd say I like An Oa slightly more than the 10 - and really Wee Beastie is great if I'm in the mood for something a little more rough. But all of them are good enough to keep stocked in my opinion. Cheers ! ! !
Ow if the "punishment" is drink all the Islay whisky's I'm in for that too.🤣 That was great vid. And it's not easy with smokey whisky's close afther each other.
Thank you for the compliment. ☺️ Laphroaig and Lagavulin are very different Islay whiskies, which is why I wasn’t happy when I got them confused in the video. The smoke and peat are more intense on the Laphroaig with a hint of iodine on the palette. This can turn some people off to Laphroaig, but I like the many layers of flavors in it. Lagavulin is tamer and easier for some people new to peated whisky.
You should take your time and maybe clean your pallet after each sip. But this is nice way to learn. I saw from the colour that Lagavulin wasn`t right :D
I agree that I could have taken more time, but I think I was too worried about getting them wrong. 😄 Looking back at the video, I could have done this so much better. Cheers!
In hindsight, I should have seen that color as well. But that was a couple of years ago and I was pretty new at blind tastings and recording videos. I've learned to be better at both over time. ;) Cheers!
I was trying to ignore the color and focus on taste, but the Laphroaig was much darker than the rest and hard to not see. And that was my biggest error, I should have noticed that the cask strength whisky would typically be darker.
Out of those four bottles? I’d have to say the Lagavulin 8. The 16 year is even better and very classic Islay Scotch, with a nice balance of smoke and other flavors.. I’d pick an Ardbeg Uigeadail as my favorite expression from these four distillers because of the sherry cask finish on it.
@@WhiskyRiffs Thanks - I have the Lagavulin 16, probably my favourite currently, and had actually ordered the Uigeadail yesterday coincidently - so your endorsement is great to hear. Others I keep are Caol Ila 12, and Port Charlotte Heavily 10 peated. Also Bunnahabhain 12 is great, but that misses the smoke that I crave for. Its so hard to find the perfect one, for price, nose (with great smoke), and a complex taste and finish, where I also like that sherry touch. Hoping the Uigeadail performs!!
@@WhiskyRiffs Hi - finally tried the Ardbeg Uigeadail - and I think it may now be my favourite whisky. High ABV - but I didn't feel the need to add water - and had a great complexity, with sweetness and peat there. Its the Sherry cask that makes it so right! It didn't have quite the level of smokiness I was hoping for - but that might be that I have become more accustomed to that nose, and so it doesn't have the same impact as the first time I had Islay Whisky. It did remind me a lot of the Bunnahabhain 12, which I had been able to get at half the price of the Uigeadail - so that is better value, if I can get it again at that price. Also now ordered the Ardbeg Wee beastie, as I want to compare to the Uigeadail - and will order an Ardbeg 10 as well. I need to narrow it down to fewer choices that I like most, but the journey to getting there is fun!
Too many dirty Glencairns in the sink for just us two... You got me wonderin baby who in the hell is makin dirty Glencairns with you.. Damn, that was some wicked blues you were playing...You sure have the blues deep into your soul... I would be singin the blues if I tried that blind. I could tell my Lagavulin 16 from my Laphroigs...But, I do not have Ardbegs here in Siem Reap. I bought a bus ticket this morning and am riding 6 hours to Phnom Penh tomorrow morning to buy Whisky...He has Ardbegs! A liter of 10 is $52us...the Uggi is $80...I am leaning towards the ten... He has many other whiskies I cannot find here and will be buying a variety...I may be forced to alter my list once I see his shelves... I will buy some whisky and hop in a tuk tuk back to the bus station and catch a bus back home.. 12 hours by bus for whisky... I hope Albert Collins forgives me for changing the lyrics a bit... Cheers...
Thank you, Jeff, for the kind words about my riffs. My first guitar teacher taught me the blues and I guess it just stuck as my favorite type of music to play on guitar. Good luck on your whiskey search, that sounds like a lot of work to find a dram. Cheers!
@@WhiskyRiffs it will be worth it...and I have not been out of this town in early two years. I just moved to a new house and a road trip will be fun.. Your teacher sure had a great student.
@@jeffmill999 Oh, then a road trip sounds great. Enjoy it! Unfortunately, I was a dumb teenager when I was taking guitar lessons and didn't listen to my teacher enough. It took me until my 50s to get serious about it again, but the initial lessons did keep me focused on the blues. Cheers!
@@WhiskyRiffs I was a goofy kid who took a few guitar lessons...But, I am left handed and wanted to be Tony Iommi and Jimi Hendrix...My teacher was right handed and told me the left hand did all the work...I quit after a couple of lessons...I was a terrible student. When I first started out as a cook I had a hard time learning basic knife skills because everything was backwards to me. I had this Japanese Chef who took his paring knife in his left hand and deboned a chicken for me and a few other basics...He was such a bad ass... 20 years later I finally had an apprentice who was left handed and it really helped him to work with me and learn basic knife skills. I had that Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter live album back when I was a young dude working building roads in Kansas. I would sing those tunes as I jackhammered or shoveled all day long.. But, my 8 tracks of Tina Turner singing all of the standards really captivated me. My Khmer lady is going with me today...Bus leaves at 6:30am....She will go visit her family while buy whisky and we will meet back at the bus station for the trip home. The capitol is too busy for me. I should have a number of 2021 whisky of the year candidates just in time to judge. Right now, my whisky of the year is Craigellachie 13...For some reason a few reviewers have also chosen it. I found my bottles gathering dust last month in a small Asian market..probably been on the shelf over 5 years....like the rest of the inventory. Take care!
I completely agree. A year ago, I was just learning how to edit videos to tighten them up. I think my most recent videos have a faster pace and much cleaner editing. Cheers.
@@WhiskyRiffs SO I just went through a few of your newer videos and I would definitely say you've gotten better. I especially enjoy you really describing every single note you're getting. Now the one criticism which I have and I feel would get your channel more consistent views aswell....cut the music at the start and maybe therefor extend the riff at the end. That way the people that want to listen to your music are able to still enjoy it, while others who are just coming for a quick review or to do research can do so without feeling like they are wasting time. All the best to you!
"It's a little harder to do these one after the other" - Kevin putting in the graft for us. Enjoyed this ep while finishing off a Ardbeg 10, loved the captions an editing on this. Great tone on the intro, thats a beautiful PRS - I felt that last bend
Thanks, Russ! I appreciate your compliments.
Another great and unique Islay video! Nice!
Thanks, David. I've tried to improve the quality and pacing of my videos since those early ones, so I'm glad that you enjoyed it. Cheers!
Always in the mood for Laphroaig 10!!
It's good to know what you like. Cheers!
I’m now getting into Islay scotch and it’s nice to come across this video comparing all of these 👍🏽
I’m glad I could help. Let me know if you want more comparisons. Cheers!
Brilliant guitar solo there on your beautiful Les Paul. I really enjoyed your video because it was real and honest. I ordered a shot of Lagavulin 16 at a restaurant last week and the following weekend I bought a bottle. Today I bought a bottle of Laphroaig 10 and I cannot wait to sample it tonight.
Thank you so much! That’s my PRS CE 24 and I love how it gives me a rich, Les Paul humbucker sound. Laphroaig 10 got me started on my love of Islay Scotch. Enjoy!
Interesting. The Laphroaig 10 also got me into Islay whisky. Usually that is not the case from what I understand as you correctly stated there is a lot going on in that whisky. I can still remember the very first whiff. I was laughing so hard out loud because nothing I ever sniffy sniffed was quite like that. BUT I LOVED IT.
Thanks for sharing! It's one of those polarizing drams. Thankfully, I feel on the love side of it. Cheers!
About 2 years ago I was having an Ardbeg shootout with a friend of mine. We were sampling 13 different Ardbegs and he slipped in an independent bottling of Laphroaig. And I failed to identify the odd one out. That was also a little embarrassing. In the end Uigeadail won and the podium was completed by the Corryvreckan and the Dark Cove.
That sounds like a fun tasting session. I tried an independent bottling of Laphroaig last month at a World of Whisky show in San Francisco. The rep said it was available and not too expensive, but I can only find the crazy high price bottles. I may revisit this type of tasting again with similar bottles. Cheers!
Haven't had the Dark Cove yet but Corryvreckan is my favorite so far.
Nice PRS at the back, good to see a fello Islay lover that plays too!
Thanks! Do you own a PRS?
Four great Islay Whiskies and a awesome riff! You are a very brave man, to do a blind tasting in front of a camera!
I once got some samples from a friend, he made the set to be a blind tasting. And with one sample I was quite of a loud-mouth: "Oh this is a perfect example of a Scottish single malt with Sherry -Cask influence." And in the end it was a Buffalo Trace Bourbon :D But at least it was an eye opener not to underestimate the American Whiskey!
Greetings from Poland!
Edit: he he, it is a "peaty" you couldn't identify the Islay Whiskies correctly... ;-)
But I am pretty sure I wouldn't perform much better.... :D
Flawed people are more relatable, right? 😆 Thanks!
@@WhiskyRiffs You are welcome. I really enjoy your tastings with a own glas of
Whisk(e)y. But first time I hear this phrase, but it makes scenes :D I heard once the phrase: being constantly unreliable is also a kind of an reliability. ;-)
while watching - at 8:24 I paused and noted how I thought you did. I think you got tricked by the color - Lagavulin 16 has a nice darker color - while Lagavulin 8 is very light. I knew you had switched Laphroaig 10 and Lagavulin 8 just by the color - but I also thought you probably could pick out the Wee Beastie vs Ardbeg 10 - the Wee Beastie does have quite a bit more pop. I usually do my blinds with colored glasses so I can't see them - for whatever reason I seem to recall whisk(e}y shades. Enjoyed the video. I have done various head to head blinds, and it will often surprise me what I find and what I think. Often my 'favorites' don't always come out on top (: When I did a head to head of Lagavulin 8 / Ardbeg 10 / Laphroaig 10 / Highland Park 12 I was able to figure out which was which - but it was not easy. For 'budget' Islay - I'd say I like An Oa slightly more than the 10 - and really Wee Beastie is great if I'm in the mood for something a little more rough. But all of them are good enough to keep stocked in my opinion. Cheers ! ! !
Cheers! 🥃
Great review buddy.
Glad you liked it. Cheers!
Ow if the "punishment" is drink all the Islay whisky's I'm in for that too.🤣 That was great vid. And it's not easy with smokey whisky's close afther each other.
Thanks. 😂 I think I'd be better at that blind tasting now after more experience, but it was stressful at the time. Cheers!
I love your guitar riff!!!
How would you compare the Lagavulin 8 to the laphroaig 10?
Thank you for the compliment. ☺️
Laphroaig and Lagavulin are very different Islay whiskies, which is why I wasn’t happy when I got them confused in the video. The smoke and peat are more intense on the Laphroaig with a hint of iodine on the palette. This can turn some people off to Laphroaig, but I like the many layers of flavors in it.
Lagavulin is tamer and easier for some people new to peated whisky.
I would love to know what you think of Ledaig 10
I have it on my list to buy for an episode. There's more than one comment asking about Ledaig 10. Cheers!
That was fun. Never done a blind tasting before. Maybe next in person dub dub :)
Thank you! Cheers. 🥃
You should take your time and maybe clean your pallet after each sip. But this is nice way to learn. I saw from the colour that Lagavulin wasn`t right :D
I agree that I could have taken more time, but I think I was too worried about getting them wrong. 😄 Looking back at the video, I could have done this so much better. Cheers!
Great try! It’s very difficult to get blind tasting picks right. You definitely need to drink more whisky 😁.
Two years later, I think I'd be better at this blind tasting… but I will keep up my "homework" so I continue to improve. ;)
I have drank all of these and I think the colour of the Laphroaig stood out from the other three for me...but good luck next time
In hindsight, I should have seen that color as well. But that was a couple of years ago and I was pretty new at blind tastings and recording videos. I've learned to be better at both over time. ;) Cheers!
The colour difference helps me when I try to differentiate between whisky blind.
I was trying to ignore the color and focus on taste, but the Laphroaig was much darker than the rest and hard to not see. And that was my biggest error, I should have noticed that the cask strength whisky would typically be darker.
@@WhiskyRiffs it's very hard to do. Good video 👍
Which did you like the best? And why?
Out of those four bottles? I’d have to say the Lagavulin 8. The 16 year is even better and very classic Islay Scotch, with a nice balance of smoke and other flavors.. I’d pick an Ardbeg Uigeadail as my favorite expression from these four distillers because of the sherry cask finish on it.
@@WhiskyRiffs Thanks - I have the Lagavulin 16, probably my favourite currently, and had actually ordered the Uigeadail yesterday coincidently - so your endorsement is great to hear. Others I keep are Caol Ila 12, and Port Charlotte Heavily 10 peated. Also Bunnahabhain 12 is great, but that misses the smoke that I crave for. Its so hard to find the perfect one, for price, nose (with great smoke), and a complex taste and finish, where I also like that sherry touch. Hoping the Uigeadail performs!!
I love the Port Charlotte 10 Heavily Peated. I don’t drink Caol Ila enough and should change that. Let me know how you enjoy the Uigeadail.
@@WhiskyRiffs Hi - finally tried the Ardbeg Uigeadail - and I think it may now be my favourite whisky. High ABV - but I didn't feel the need to add water - and had a great complexity, with sweetness and peat there. Its the Sherry cask that makes it so right! It didn't have quite the level of smokiness I was hoping for - but that might be that I have become more accustomed to that nose, and so it doesn't have the same impact as the first time I had Islay Whisky. It did remind me a lot of the Bunnahabhain 12, which I had been able to get at half the price of the Uigeadail - so that is better value, if I can get it again at that price. Also now ordered the Ardbeg Wee beastie, as I want to compare to the Uigeadail - and will order an Ardbeg 10 as well. I need to narrow it down to fewer choices that I like most, but the journey to getting there is fun!
Too many dirty Glencairns in the sink for just us two...
You got me wonderin baby who in the hell is makin dirty Glencairns with you..
Damn, that was some wicked blues you were playing...You sure have the blues deep into your soul...
I would be singin the blues if I tried that blind.
I could tell my Lagavulin 16 from my Laphroigs...But, I do not have Ardbegs here in Siem Reap.
I bought a bus ticket this morning and am riding 6 hours to Phnom Penh tomorrow morning to buy Whisky...He has Ardbegs!
A liter of 10 is $52us...the Uggi is $80...I am leaning towards the ten...
He has many other whiskies I cannot find here and will be buying a variety...I may be forced to alter my list once I see his shelves...
I will buy some whisky and hop in a tuk tuk back to the bus station and catch a bus back home..
12 hours by bus for whisky...
I hope Albert Collins forgives me for changing the lyrics a bit...
Cheers...
Thank you, Jeff, for the kind words about my riffs. My first guitar teacher taught me the blues and I guess it just stuck as my favorite type of music to play on guitar. Good luck on your whiskey search, that sounds like a lot of work to find a dram. Cheers!
@@WhiskyRiffs it will be worth it...and I have not been out of this town in early two years.
I just moved to a new house and a road trip will be fun..
Your teacher sure had a great student.
@@jeffmill999 Oh, then a road trip sounds great. Enjoy it! Unfortunately, I was a dumb teenager when I was taking guitar lessons and didn't listen to my teacher enough. It took me until my 50s to get serious about it again, but the initial lessons did keep me focused on the blues. Cheers!
@@WhiskyRiffs I was a goofy kid who took a few guitar lessons...But, I am left handed and wanted to be Tony Iommi and Jimi Hendrix...My teacher was right handed and told me the left hand did all the work...I quit after a couple of lessons...I was a terrible student.
When I first started out as a cook I had a hard time learning basic knife skills because everything was backwards to me.
I had this Japanese Chef who took his paring knife in his left hand and deboned a chicken for me and a few other basics...He was such a bad ass...
20 years later I finally had an apprentice who was left handed and it really helped him to work with me and learn basic knife skills.
I had that Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter live album back when I was a young dude working building roads in Kansas.
I would sing those tunes as I jackhammered or shoveled all day long..
But, my 8 tracks of Tina Turner singing all of the standards really captivated me.
My Khmer lady is going with me today...Bus leaves at 6:30am....She will go visit her family while buy whisky and we will meet back at the bus station for the trip home.
The capitol is too busy for me. I should have a number of 2021 whisky of the year candidates just in time to judge.
Right now, my whisky of the year is Craigellachie 13...For some reason a few reviewers have also chosen it. I found my bottles gathering dust last month in a small Asian market..probably been on the shelf over 5 years....like the rest of the inventory.
Take care!
@@jeffmill999 Good on you for paying it forward to your left-handed apprentice. 👏🏻
Blind tasting is known for being unpredictable )))
You speak the truth. Cheers!
It’s ok, after 4 or 5 I cannot taste the difference either.
Thanks. I’m better now than I was back then. Cheers!
You could've cut out 5 minutes of the video and we would've missed nothing
I completely agree. A year ago, I was just learning how to edit videos to tighten them up. I think my most recent videos have a faster pace and much cleaner editing. Cheers.
@@WhiskyRiffs Right on! I'll go check it out then
Thanks! Let me know if there is anything else you want improved.
@@WhiskyRiffs SO I just went through a few of your newer videos and I would definitely say you've gotten better. I especially enjoy you really describing every single note you're getting.
Now the one criticism which I have and I feel would get your channel more consistent views aswell....cut the music at the start and maybe therefor extend the riff at the end. That way the people that want to listen to your music are able to still enjoy it, while others who are just coming for a quick review or to do research can do so without feeling like they are wasting time. All the best to you!
Cheers! Thanks for the feedback.