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Whisky to oil the wheels of commerce!


Chancer

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It is my weapon of choice when repaying favors such as borrowing equipment or to give (usually with flowers) to the host of a party etc and is always well received.

However I don't touch the stuff myself so would like some advice from any seasoned whisky drinkers, I usually try to buy it when I am in the UK and go for good brands that are not sold here, as I find most for the brands on the shelves here are created or renamed for the French market.

It seems to me to be cheaper to buy here, but not being a drinker I cannot make a comparison, any thoughts or recommendations?

As an aside I was recently invited to an inaugauration of a Salon du Thé where the majority of visitors were English, the few French who came all brought gifts, aside from me no-one else did.

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Our SuperU has quite a wide range of whiskies on sale, ranging from the usually dire "French" brands in two litre bottles, through to decent malts like Laphroaig, Glenkinchie etc.

I find J & B to be a very nice blend at a reasonable price, as is Glen Grant (a nice 8yr old single malt) at just 14 euros a bottle.  Johnnie Walker Black label is a quality brand as well.

There are also some good Irish whiskeys such as Bushmills, Black Bush and Jamieson.

Anything with a misplaced apostrophe (Sir Edward's or Sir Paddy's, for example) is a French brand and best avoided by serious whisky drinkers.

Whenever my plumber calls by of an evening to collect his cheque, we always sit down with a bottle of scotch.  He's never dropped the price, though........  [:(]

 

 

 

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[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Our SuperU has quite a wide range of whiskies on sale, ranging from the usually dire "French" brands in two litre bottles, through to decent malts like Laphroaig, Glenkinchie etc.

I find J & B to be a very nice blend at a reasonable price, as is Glen Grant (a nice 8yr old single malt) at just 14 euros a bottle.  Johnnie Walker Black label is a quality brand as well.

There are also some good Irish whiskeys such as Bushmills, Black Bush and Jamieson.

Anything with a misplaced apostrophe (Sir Edward's or Sir Paddy's, for example) is a French brand and best avoided by serious whisky drinkers.

Whenever my plumber calls by of an evening to collect his cheque, we always sit down with a bottle of scotch.  He's never dropped the price, though........  [:(]

Thanks S.D.

The recognisable brands that you mentioned, are they cheaper here than in the UK?

I am now going to have to reread the Lyn Truss book (eats, shoots, and leaves) to understand how the apostrophes are misplaced  as I am the confused product of a trendy 1970's comprehensive education which did not include such "irrelavancies" as grammar and spelling!

 

[/quote]
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I discovered yesterday a local commerciant that sells wine direct from huge stainless steel cylinders into your own containers or he sells up to 20 litre reusable wine boxes, he also has a great selection of spirits and unusual gift ideas like shotgun shaped bottles.

Anyway I digress, he told me he went on an organised tour of the major scottish distilleries including some of the islands and he confirmed that he never saw any of the brands which he is supplied with and that they are all made (or perhaps packaged) for the french market.

What I need is a real whisky connaisseur to tell me if the French branded stuff is better or worst than a good single malt.

I understand that it will be cheaper but are we comparing eggs with eggs?

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I am whisky drinker and there is nothing to compare with a good single malt.  There are a number of different varieties of single, depends on the area that its made, different tastes, textures, colour.

Buy good label singles - much cheaper here - and dont ever buy the French stuff, ok for pickling eggs or walnuts in or stripping back woodwork for revarnishing.

If you want to buy a blend, Famous Grouse, Bells, Johnny Walker Red.

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