Whisky, whiskey, scotch, bourbon, rye .. anything grain mash

[Mike Smart]

I agree on Highland Park, the 12 used to be an ideal "bit of everything" malt. It possibly still is but they've gone so far into Viking kitsch that you can't tell what's what any more. Do you want "Viking scars" (probably not) or "Viking honour" (maybe). TBH the bottles are not unattractive, if busy, but the range is now too confusing and I can't help thinking that hipster marketing is getting in the way of producing solid whisky.

Highland Park to me is a bit like Johnny Walker
as in Whisky for the masses.
iv never really liked it much & iv tried many
mind you i don’t dislike it either it’s just one of them where you can take it or leave it.
Johnny Walker is probably the worst whisky i have ever had. Red label is brutal, Black label far to smokey for me & Green is the best of a bad bunch but i have to agree with the comments about Highland Park not being the same as it once was.
But i would also say was it any good in the first place

 

[Mike Smart]

Eerily enough Mike just poured a "Dads"
Gleliviit in my wee dram glass.

Good on you mate you enjoy
What age would your dad be ?
i’m just asking because mine worked down the pit in Sunderland when he left school

 

[Tonyschin]

By the way Mike @Mike Smart, I can be up the road the morra if it's getting opened.

 

[Mike Smart]

By the way Mike @Mike Smart, I can be up the road the morra if it's getting opened.

To be honest iv been going to open it for a number of years & people keep putting me off.
I genuinely don’t think it will be up to much & i don’t know if they can go off.
It might have been in my family for 30 years but it’s not a 30 year malt
i reckon it’s a 10 year old but i’m only guessing

 

[Tonyschin]

He was an engineer (and staunch union man) went to sea for his apprenticeship then shipyards mainly, blacked on all 3 rivers up here for his young stand up ways, he fell in love with Scotland as he could work there without prejudice then come home a couple if times a month (2 or 3 kids at the time). He then became conveyor down here and then district delegate till he retired after 3 heart attacks. A true man's man who was a brilliant orator, singer and downright good honest fella. My best mate.

 

[Mike Smart]

He was an engineer (and staunch union man) went to sea for his apprenticeship then shipyards mainly, blacked on all 3 rivers up here for his young stand up ways, he fell in love with Scotland as he could work there without prejudice then come a couple if times a month (2 or 3 kids atvthevtime).

You sure we’ve not got the same dad
Mine went down the mines when he left school but soon after signed himself up to the RAF illegally he was to young but forged his mother’s signature lol.
10 years in the RAF then hated civvy street so joined the Navy as an Engineer in the Boiler room.
Off Course he also came to Scotland

 

[Tonyschin]

To be honest iv been going to open it for a number of years & people keep putting me off.
I genuinely don’t think it will be up to much & i don’t know if they can go off.
It might have been in my family for 30 years but it’s not a 30 year malt
i reckon it’s a 10 year old but i’m only guessing

I don't think it can go aff, unless it's been "doctored" for the masses. Only one way to find out. Syringe the Cork. If its gash, syringe water back in, stick it on flea Bay and buy yourself and nice bottle to toast yer Daa!

 

[Tonyschin]

Jesus, I tell ya Mike, the auld man told a tale about him n his mates joining the army when at school, forging his dad's Signature, they got found out, they ran away from home to board a ship in Portsmouth? He made it to Grantham, the other 2 bailed before Middlesborough. It set a fire in him though.

 

[Mike Smart]

I don't think it can go aff, unless it's been "doctored" for the masses. Only one way to find out. Syringe the Cork. If its gash, syringe water back in, stick it on flea Bay and buy yourself and nice bottle to toast yer Daa!

Tony iv actually been thinking that for many a year and more so recothsts why i opened the box.
You actually can’t sell alcohol on ebay unless you have a license so was thinking about sticking it in an Auction
i think it’s worth the risk.
Iv been told by a couple of people in the know that they reckon it’s the only bottle in the world which gives it some value to a collector but it’s not a special whisky by any means so not that valuable
The figure i was giving by two separate historians was around £1000 ish,
As you know at auction that could easily be a lot more or a lot less but think i’ll give it a go

 

[Mike Smart]

Jesus, I tell ya Mike, the auld man told a tale about him n his mates joining the army when at school, forging his dad's Signature, they got found out, they ran away from home to board a ship in Portsmouth? He made it to Grantham, the other 2 bailed before Middlesborough. It set a fire in him though.

Wow very coincidental.
it was the Merchant Navy my old man went to
i’m sure he was on around 3 Ships all coming from Sunderland which was very significant back then with the ship building as you’ll know

 

[Tonyschin]

Probably worth a punt. Gotta be a goidcauction house up there that know who are after such collectibles. I am sure your Dad n Grandad would agree. You could always stick a reserve on it.

 

[Mike Smart]

Probably worth a punt. Gotta be a goidcauction house up there that know who are after such collectibles. I am sure your Dad n Grandad would agree. You could always stick a reserve on it.

I’ll have a look in to it this week but i know of a few good auction houses one specialising in Whisky.
Ok mate bed time for me it’s been nice chatting with you
i’ll tell you how i get on

 

[Tonyschin]

Wow very coincidental.
it was the Merchant Navy my old man went to
i’m sure he was on around 3 Ships all coming from Sunderland which was very significant back then with the ship building as you’ll know

Kinnell Mike the suld man was merchant, failed his Army medical as he did not know he was nigh on blind in one eye, he said it devastated him. Talking with some old timers they got him through his merchant medical through a drunk doc and a bit slight of hand during the eye examination and the rest as they say.

 

[Mike Smart]

Kinnell Mike the suld man was merchant, failed his Army medical as he did not know he was nigh on blind in one eye, he said it devastated him. Talking with some old timers they got him through his merchant medical through a drunk doc and a bit slight of hand during the eye examination and the rest as they say.

We could be brothers lol
Ok pal speak soon

 

[Chris]

Highland Park to me is a bit like Johnny Walker
as in Whisky for the masses.
iv never really liked it much & iv tried many
mind you i don’t dislike it either it’s just one of them where you can take it or leave it.
Johnny Walker is probably the worst whisky i have ever had. Red label is brutal, Black label far to smokey for me & Green is the best of a bad bunch but i have to agree with the comments about Highland Park not being the same as it once was.
But i would also say was it any good in the first place

Have to agree on Johnnie Walker red, I picked up a bottle because it was cheap in Asda but it’s not good. On the up-side it was cheap enough that I can experiment with it, adding a hint of cream sherry improved it a lot, as did a teaspoon of Ardbeg. They were two separate occasions but actually both might work. It’s probably intended to be a mixing whisky but won’t be a repeat purchase.

There is a place for the inexpensive blend but Monkey Shoulder is far and away the best that I’ve tried on that score.