Anyone else enjoy a nip o' the barley?
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Okay, you need to come to our next Gathering.
Yeah, we do ... not a ritual, but a certain pattern. We uncork the bottle (good single malts usually don't have no stinkin' twist caps) and pass it around for everyone to sniff it and get the Sneak Preview of Coming Attractions. We pour, and we don't start until everyone has a dram. Some guys put a little water in it right away (I don't). We swirl it, warm it up, and sample the bouquet. The seaweed, the peat, the smoke, the sherry or oak, the vanilla are already lining up. Then we sip. It sounds pretentious, but it's not. It's appreciation, not pretension.
How about a nip of the agave? I've had people tell me they've had so much trouble with tequila, they'll never touch it again. Well, they've probably had the more common stuff, and drinks like margaritas (which I like) are simply effective delivery vehicles for cheap tequila. You get into the nice reposados, anejos, and they can be as varied and sublime as any bourbon or scotch or microbrew beer.
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Not to encourage the idea that you or anyone else needs to try Scotch, your post reminds me of my introduction to the drink. I had been trying a variety of popular liquors (one at a time) and it was Scotch's turn. I looked forward to seeing what the fuss was all about, did a bit of research and chose an affordable single malt, McClelland (note: not Macallan, which is far more expensive).
At first I couldn't drink it without adding some kind of soft drink (relax aficionados). The taste was just too, well awful. But I'd bought the damn stuff and damn if I wasn't gonna finish it. Soon, I found that my taste for it began to change, and I was able to start adding just water.
Having completed that experiment I was ready to dry a different type of single malt, called Islay, which is produced on an island, the process for which involves the burning of peat. The resulting flavor was quite interesting in a disgusting way. I think I donated what remained, choosing to stay with one of the other four types of single malt Scotches. But by now I'd become a Scotch drinker.
Then the Islay became hands down my Scotch of choice.
So, my experience has been that a person's taste for Scotch can strangely change; a phenomenon somebody might understand scientifically.
But then I decided to give up Scotch because I tended to drink way too much of it to become someone else who would be responsible for my misbehavior, not me. And while this was a handy setup, it was also frightening. I was afraid I'd lose all my friends and loved ones. I ended up switching to Irish Whiskey (please see the Irish Whiskey thread).
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The Nameless
M-O-O-N - That spells Nameless
Not an uncommon story with scotch, some people can turn nasty on it. My brother likes Irish whisky, Jameson's in particular.
My dad used to like a scotch, his favourite was Glen fiddich, but maybe that's just as much as he was willing to pay for a drink (it was about £23 a bottle compared to about £13 for a generic brand)
I've learned to like sweet potatoes and squash just recently, too, so know what you're saying about tastes changing but think I'll stick to adding vegetables I never used to care for rather than acquiring a taste for other alcoholic beverages.
At least I can be reasonably sure I won't do anything silly or get a headache after ingesting those and the occasional glass or two of wine or beer is enough for me. I know you're not suggesting I suddenly take up drinking so not meant to be a rebuke--just explaining why I probably won't bother giving Scotch another shot (no pun intended). 
lol... I keep trying to learn to like lima beans. I've read they're spose to be very healthy. I still don't like them but they no longer make me gagI've learned to like sweet potatoes and squash just recently, too, so know what you're saying about tastes changing but think I'll stick to adding vegetables I never used to care for rather than acquiring a taste for other alcoholic beverages.
lol... I keep trying to learn to like lima beans. I've read they're spose to be very healthy. I still don't like them but they no longer make me gag
Oh, I hear you on that one! *gag* That's one vegetable I have decided will stay in the not going there again category!
I decided to try it. Poured a little bit, because when I try a promising taste, I don't mix it.
My, that is tasty. On the edge of a dessert drink, and there are certainly worse desserts. It's good enough that I don't want to mix it with anything. Thank you for a new bad habit!
Yeah, I wouldn't recommend mixing it. If you want to mix something, I would choose an inferior product.
Mixing is why we have Bacardi, and J&B, and Cuervo, and Seagrams, and Absolut, and so on.
You so crazy Nate!! Don't ya know anything besides Morgan is an "inferior product??!!"
Am I gonna haffta start calling you Captain?You so crazy Nate!! Don't ya know anything besides Morgan is an "inferior product??!!"
If I'm going for a whiskey to drink neat I reach for Irish Mist. Irish whiskey with honey and spices. Smooth going down while it warms the cockles. And the sweetness of the honey combined with the secret mix of spices, you'd almost swear there be a hint of chocolate, but there isn't.
)
So... do you know why the rum is always gone?Gaaaaaahr!! Righty-oh-matey!!
Noooowwwww, wait a minute. There's rums I haven't tried, and two of them have really grand names - Cockspur and Mount Gay - so my judgment is withheld until a proper sampling is .... well, sampled.You so crazy Nate!! Don't ya know anything besides Morgan is an "inferior product??!!"
To: Rum Folks
Try Myer's and good pineapple juice on ice.
Liquid vacation.
Try Myer's and good pineapple juice on ice.
Liquid vacation.
Last time I was in the store, one of the guys checking inventory had good things to say about Mount Gay. One of his favorites apparently. I haven't tried it (Not much of a liquor guy), and I haven't heard of Cockspur...