The more information I gain and retain about every aspect of whisky, the more I appreciate what can only be described as magical malt moments, and the extraordinary thing is that this information doesn’t detract or spoil the mystical experience it actually intensifies it. Without ladling it on too heavily, I feel privileged to be able to extend my knowledge on your site and realise that the obvious way forward is to join your Patreon channel at my earliest opportunity.
I've switched from morning meditation tapes to Ralfy Reviews and my life improved dramatically over just one week! Thanks lots, you Malty Menthos Muncher!! Weiter so!
Superb video, long time watcher, first time commenter. Very informative video, thanks a million Ralphy. As someone who works in the trade, these are the messages I’m trying to pass on to my customers.
One of the best malts I have enjoyed was a 15 yr old Auchentoshan 1999 vintage Signatory Vintage ( unchillfiltered range). Excellent whisky. I shared with my brother and we savored it over time. Little did I know ( locally) I would be troubled to find another of such quality
I tuned in today for whisky wisdom but gained so much more than usual. Thank you for the knowledge gems you shared, the reminder to be humble in all things, and for your positive contribution to the wider conversation, Ralfy.
Good points about how did you let people know if a batch was good or bad in the early 1980s....with no computers? And today word of mouth travels around the world in a minute on social media.
I feel like spirits (whether single malt or bourbons) placed in casks around 2000 to 2005 and stored for ten to 15yrs and finials released around 2015 to 2018 were the last batches of great golden aged spirits! Everything else has been watered down, doesn’t taste the same from those distillery’s I’ve always wondered that, and you bring up the scarcities of good oak barrels. Pumping up the volumes of products and the flavors are suffering. I’m so glad to have found you. You are much appreciated my friend. Cheers from across the pond!
Every drop of Ralfy wisdom fills my cask of knowledge and helps me maintain my focus. Well done maestro - edging ever closer to that magnificent, malty 1K milestone 😺😺.
It's fascinating to hear Ralfy's perspective. Over the past 16 months in Austria, I purchased 8 bottles of Springbank 10 from the supermarket chain called Interspar. Each bottle only cost me 58 Euros.
Your story about tasting whisky at age 4(?) reminds me of chapter one of your biographical book, which I absolutely loved (and identified with your first taste experience, "this stuff is terrible, where is the coca cola"). As I recall, your dad said something to the effect of "well I won't have to worry about this chap raiding the whisky cupboard". Great read by the way, As always thanks for your knowledge delivered in such an entertaining way.
Hi ralfy I just wanted to comment about a subject that you touched on, and that's bad whiskey, I bought a bottle a few years ago (still have it) of Highland Park 12year viking honor, for $50.00 dollars, because I had never had any hp,I came home and a few days later I opened it up,and on first sip,thought something is wrong here,so I let it sit a few minutes, and tried it again, ralfy this stuff is just horrible, I let it sit for a few months, and tried it again, and it was horrible stuff, so I commented to others on TH-cam, and they thought it was cork tant,but I have come to realize it is just garbage that Highland Park thought they'd just bottle it up and nobody would notice, I took it back to total wines, and they asked me to provide them a receipt, which I didn't have, I have bought over $$$$.$$ in whiskey from them inside of 9 year's, I solved 2 problems in one stop,I will never buy another bottle of Highland Park, and never spend another dollar at total wines anywhere, distillers do put out bad whiskey, and don't care, thanks for another great review,as always ralfy your one of my favorite scotch whiskey TH-cam'rs, always informative and spot on,cheers sir and keep the great reviews coming. FH.
I feel for you Ralfy (pub scene), the amount of times I see people in shops, buying truly bad whiskies.... And I am always thinking to myself that they could buy something so much better and at a lower price as well...
Highly educational history lesson. I have a fond but probably selective memory of my early whisky drinking days in the 1970's but I seem to recall some of the blended bottles had a much deeper and more sophisticated flavor profile than they have today. In those days I was on a tighter budget than now and my choices at the whisky shop was Johnnie Walker red label, Cutty Sark and Dewars all of which seemed to be tastier than now but that mightbe my 75 year old palette today compared to my more acute taste buds at the age of 25. Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
I may be wrong, but first time it seems Ralfy has already taken a peg or two prior to this video. He seems very relaxed and bending on the desk. Most of time he is upright straight sitting while reviewing.
Talking of bad batches, i just bought a Lagavulin 16 in a legit store (big chain supermarket) and it tasted absolutely horrible. My dad tasted it and said "i don't know what this is but that's not Lagavulin". I can't buy another one now knowing that i risk paying 70€ for a bottle that might taste bad.
At this point, Laga 16 has just become too expensive, it's just too close to the Laphi 10 CS (~75€, at least for a short period after the yearly release). I don't know if Lagavulin will go the way of Macallan and ride it's name recognition into the grave or if there is any hope of a return to sanity forced by dropping sales but for now, it doesn't seem worth bothering with.
I have been so discouraged by the price increases on basic malts here in CT in the states I have really pulled back from buying. All the value malts like Glenfarclas, Bunnahabhain or Bruichladdie for example are now outrageous. Maybe I'm getting old and wagging my finger at how expensive things have become these days but the value for the $$$ seems to have irrevocable eroded for me.
Ralfy, thank you for sharing! ...on the subject of lowlands what is there to tell about rosebank? i'm very interested in!! hopefully get more ℹ️ in the future about. Greetings Moses
When I was a high schooler in USA in the mid 70s, my dad used to buy Glenfiddich, which I believe might have been the only single malt available in the US. I would sneak one every now and then, and was not so impressed. LOL. So I figure we all know exactly where you are coming from.
After two bad batches of Bunnahabhain 12 I will never buy again so I can identify with your Father in this respect. Maybe I am being stubborn but why spend $120.00 AUD on a 50/50 chance of a bad batch when I can buy another brand which I know never puts out bad batches.🥃👍
A cocktail doesnt hurt , say ive got some cheep blended whisky i mix it 50/50 in a bigger bottle with elderflower cordial and a squirt of honey. And its great over ice with tonic water or lemonade. This is cs blend we are talking about 😊
I have been on a serious weight loss campeign this summer, I want to be able to get into my (20 year old) made to measure leathers by my 60th birthday, just before Xmas. As a result I have not been drinking - so I need to find something interesting to toast this coming aniversary, but without sampling prospects for myself.
Just the amount of independent bottlers there is, is unreall! You find alot if their bottlings are from the same distillries, with the exception of the ones that have been finished in certain casks.l
I have friends who still happily pay $15 for a cocktail made with a $5 whisky mixed with some sweet mixers and served in a fancy glass with a sprig of something and a giant ice cube.
We all do that with every meal we eat out. You can generally make any dish from any restaurant cheaper than buying it at the restaurant, but we pay for the convenience and the experience
@@AdamPFarnsworth that’s true but I meant bars take a whisky that would be a $5 shot at the bar and mix it with some nonsense and garnish it and charge $15. Sometimes they even use well liquor
Probably not really friends if you feel the need to complain about their personal choices behind their backs. They're probably annoyed too that they're being judged and told that their drink is "wrong"
Talisker, Dakwhinnie, Bowmore. Just three single malts I stopped buying because of waning quality, in my not so humble opinion. Poor cask selection, rushed distillation. Simply not prepared to pay for bad policy.
If the ASM industry is watching this channel, here is my two-cents to the distillers: 1. Require a minimum age duration. For all its warts, at least scotch single malts have one. Quit acting like that hinders creativity. That's crap. 2. Require only pot stills in making it. Quit acting like the hinders creativity. That too is crap. 3. Prohibit chill filtration. 4. Prohibit any artificial color or flavor to be added. I.e., don't add crap to your product. Do those things, and you'll earn far more respect. Because right now, you look like you're all empty hype. The current regulations are pretty lax, you and anyone with awareness knows it. You had a chance to aim higher than scotch single malt, but instead you've aimed lower. Get over yourselves, quit bloviating on about quality and actually commit to it in production and not just in marketing.
#4 is the most important one, and unfortunately, this does not appear to be included in the standard. If this isn't fixed, at least the United States has the "straight" and "bottled in bond" designations that should cover it. Hopefully, distilleries that are doing things right will make use of this. There is one bottle in my collection that has both "straight" and "single malt" on the label. Going forward, I hope we see more of this.
Away you go Ralfy, tell the world (actually a very very small world) about how they should think. In the meantime companies that exist to make profit will Ignore your inane ramblings and grow and grow. They ain’t a service they’re a business. When 46%, NCF and natural colour start to make them more money that’s what you get. Get over yourself.
![เป็นไปได้ไหม - WanMai [Performance Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Eh5hItD4Mr0/mqdefault.jpg)
The regular whisky reviews are great but these extras vids are pure gold. So much fantastic info.
I've got a hilarious vision of four year old Ralfy plundering the kalua stash! 😂
The more information I gain and retain about every aspect of whisky, the more I appreciate what can only be described as magical malt moments, and the extraordinary thing is that this information doesn’t detract or spoil the mystical experience it actually intensifies it. Without ladling it on too heavily, I feel privileged to be able to extend my knowledge on your site and realise that the obvious way forward is to join your Patreon channel at my earliest opportunity.
Ralfy Extras are very helpful and I am sure I echo the opinion of many when I say many thanks 🙏 kindest regards, S.
I've switched from morning meditation tapes to Ralfy Reviews and my life improved dramatically over just one week!
Thanks lots, you Malty Menthos Muncher!! Weiter so!
. . . your M-mention is now on the M-mention list, thanks !
Superb video, long time watcher, first time commenter. Very informative video, thanks a million Ralphy. As someone who works in the trade, these are the messages I’m trying to pass on to my customers.
One of the best malts I have enjoyed was a 15 yr old Auchentoshan 1999 vintage Signatory Vintage ( unchillfiltered range). Excellent whisky. I shared with my brother and we savored it over time. Little did I know ( locally) I would be troubled to find another of such quality
I tuned in today for whisky wisdom but gained so much more than usual. Thank you for the knowledge gems you shared, the reminder to be humble in all things, and for your positive contribution to the wider conversation, Ralfy.
Good points about how did you let people know if a batch was good or bad in the early 1980s....with no computers? And today word of mouth travels around the world in a minute on social media.
I feel like spirits (whether single malt or bourbons) placed in casks around 2000 to 2005 and stored for ten to 15yrs and finials released around 2015 to 2018 were the last batches of great golden aged spirits!
Everything else has been watered down, doesn’t taste the same from those distillery’s
I’ve always wondered that, and you bring up the scarcities of good oak barrels. Pumping up the volumes of products and the flavors are suffering.
I’m so glad to have found you. You are much appreciated my friend.
Cheers from across the pond!
Every drop of Ralfy wisdom fills my cask of knowledge and helps me maintain my focus. Well done maestro - edging ever closer to that magnificent, malty 1K milestone 😺😺.
Good to listen from your experience, Ralfy!
It's fascinating to hear Ralfy's perspective. Over the past 16 months in Austria, I purchased 8 bottles of Springbank 10 from the supermarket chain called Interspar. Each bottle only cost me 58 Euros.
Amazing can’t get it in whisky shops here
Nice time with your company. _Thanks
Your story about tasting whisky at age 4(?) reminds me of chapter one of your biographical book, which I absolutely loved (and identified with your first taste experience, "this stuff is terrible, where is the coca cola"). As I recall, your dad said something to the effect of "well I won't have to worry about this chap raiding the whisky cupboard". Great read by the way, As always thanks for your knowledge delivered in such an entertaining way.
Hi ralfy
I just wanted to comment about a subject that you touched on, and that's bad whiskey, I bought a bottle a few years ago (still have it) of Highland Park 12year viking honor, for $50.00 dollars, because I had never had any hp,I came home and a few days later I opened it up,and on first sip,thought something is wrong here,so I let it sit a few minutes, and tried it again, ralfy this stuff is just horrible, I let it sit for a few months, and tried it again, and it was horrible stuff, so I commented to others on TH-cam, and they thought it was cork tant,but I have come to realize it is just garbage that Highland Park thought they'd just bottle it up and nobody would notice, I took it back to total wines, and they asked me to provide them a receipt, which I didn't have, I have bought over $$$$.$$ in whiskey from them inside of 9 year's, I solved 2 problems in one stop,I will never buy another bottle of Highland Park, and never spend another dollar at total wines anywhere, distillers do put out bad whiskey, and don't care, thanks for another great review,as always ralfy your one of my favorite scotch whiskey TH-cam'rs, always informative and spot on,cheers sir and keep the great reviews coming.
FH.
These reviews equal best quality ! Cheers Ralfy .
I feel for you Ralfy (pub scene), the amount of times I see people in shops, buying truly bad whiskies.... And I am always thinking to myself that they could buy something so much better and at a lower price as well...
Highly educational history lesson. I have a fond but probably selective memory of my early whisky drinking days in the 1970's but I seem to recall some of the blended bottles had a much deeper and more sophisticated flavor profile than they have today. In those days I was on a tighter budget than now and my choices at the whisky shop was Johnnie Walker red label, Cutty Sark and Dewars all of which seemed to be tastier than now but that mightbe my 75 year old palette today compared to my more acute taste buds at the age of 25. Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
Ah I read that about the 4 year old ralfy's first taste of rose bank in his excellent book .
Decades later Ralfy eventually “fesses up” to raiding his Dad’s drinks cabinet! 😮
I may be wrong, but first time it seems Ralfy has already taken a peg or two prior to this video. He seems very relaxed and bending on the desk. Most of time he is upright straight sitting while reviewing.
Talking of bad batches, i just bought a Lagavulin 16 in a legit store (big chain supermarket) and it tasted absolutely horrible. My dad tasted it and said "i don't know what this is but that's not Lagavulin".
I can't buy another one now knowing that i risk paying 70€ for a bottle that might taste bad.
At this point, Laga 16 has just become too expensive, it's just too close to the Laphi 10 CS (~75€, at least for a short period after the yearly release).
I don't know if Lagavulin will go the way of Macallan and ride it's name recognition into the grave or if there is any hope of a return to sanity forced by dropping sales but for now, it doesn't seem worth bothering with.
Ralfy needs to review a Laphroaig quarter cask soon..
THIS IS THE LONG LOST EPISODE I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME : OLDEN DAYS RECOLLECTION BEFORE MY TIME . . .
I have been so discouraged by the price increases on basic malts here in CT in the states I have really pulled back from buying. All the value malts like Glenfarclas, Bunnahabhain or Bruichladdie for example are now outrageous. Maybe I'm getting old and wagging my finger at how expensive things have become these days but the value for the $$$ seems to have irrevocable eroded for me.
Ralfy, thank you for sharing!
...on the subject of lowlands what is there to tell about rosebank? i'm very interested in!! hopefully get more ℹ️ in the future about.
Greetings Moses
When I was a high schooler in USA in the mid 70s, my dad used to buy Glenfiddich, which I believe might have been the only single malt available in the US. I would sneak one every now and then, and was not so impressed. LOL. So I figure we all know exactly where you are coming from.
After two bad batches of Bunnahabhain 12 I will never buy again so I can identify with your Father in this respect. Maybe I am being stubborn but why spend $120.00 AUD on a 50/50 chance of a bad batch when I can buy another brand which I know never puts out bad batches.🥃👍
A cocktail doesnt hurt , say ive got some cheep blended whisky i mix it 50/50 in a bigger bottle with elderflower cordial and a squirt of honey. And its great over ice with tonic water or lemonade. This is cs blend we are talking about 😊
My dad would let me lick the whisky cork! The taste was very intriguing.
Much love from New Zealand!
@ralfy i have opportunity to by Auchentishan in CS from "the ultimate" indi...should I?
Been watching you for years so I figured I'd better contribute a malt mention: "mythological malt mooching mastodons" :)
. . . now on the M-mention List, thanks !
I have been on a serious weight loss campeign this summer, I want to be able to get into my (20 year old) made to measure leathers by my 60th birthday, just before Xmas. As a result I have not been drinking - so I need to find something interesting to toast this coming aniversary, but without sampling prospects for myself.
I enjoyed this video even more than the last one.
Hence why the better distilleries should put what bourbon the cask held. Simple, yes?
Looking forward to the 1000th video!
Allan, June & Allan ex 92
ps enjoyed Life, Death & Whisky
He's already gone way past 1000 videos
Just the amount of independent bottlers there is, is unreall! You find alot if their bottlings are from the same distillries, with the exception of the ones that have been finished in certain casks.l
true ralfy🤔
Would you consider reviewing a bottle from the Milk & Honey distillery in Israel?
You. Are. A. Legend. Have a great day.
Nice one Ralfy ✨👍✨
I have friends who still happily pay $15 for a cocktail made with a $5 whisky mixed with some sweet mixers and served in a fancy glass with a sprig of something and a giant ice cube.
We all do that with every meal we eat out. You can generally make any dish from any restaurant cheaper than buying it at the restaurant, but we pay for the convenience and the experience
@@AdamPFarnsworth that’s true but I meant bars take a whisky that would be a $5 shot at the bar and mix it with some nonsense and garnish it and charge $15. Sometimes they even use well liquor
Probably not really friends if you feel the need to complain about their personal choices behind their backs. They're probably annoyed too that they're being judged and told that their drink is "wrong"
@@ben7932 you assume to much, stranger.
Teacher’s!🇿🇦
How about Medicinal, moshpits of malty methodical, madness for a malt mention
. . . now on the M-mention List, thanks !
Slante Laddie!
Talisker, Dakwhinnie, Bowmore. Just three single malts I stopped buying because of waning quality, in my not so humble opinion. Poor cask selection, rushed distillation. Simply not prepared to pay for bad policy.
very nice : )
🤔😁
If the ASM industry is watching this channel, here is my two-cents to the distillers:
1. Require a minimum age duration. For all its warts, at least scotch single malts have one. Quit acting like that hinders creativity. That's crap.
2. Require only pot stills in making it. Quit acting like the hinders creativity. That too is crap.
3. Prohibit chill filtration.
4. Prohibit any artificial color or flavor to be added. I.e., don't add crap to your product.
Do those things, and you'll earn far more respect. Because right now, you look like you're all empty hype. The current regulations are pretty lax, you and anyone with awareness knows it. You had a chance to aim higher than scotch single malt, but instead you've aimed lower. Get over yourselves, quit bloviating on about quality and actually commit to it in production and not just in marketing.
#4 is the most important one, and unfortunately, this does not appear to be included in the standard. If this isn't fixed, at least the United States has the "straight" and "bottled in bond" designations that should cover it. Hopefully, distilleries that are doing things right will make use of this. There is one bottle in my collection that has both "straight" and "single malt" on the label. Going forward, I hope we see more of this.
First?
You are very cool.
Away you go Ralfy, tell the world (actually a very very small world) about how they should think. In the meantime companies that exist to make profit will
Ignore your inane ramblings and grow and grow. They ain’t a service they’re a business. When 46%, NCF and natural colour start to make them more money that’s what you get.
Get over yourself.
You are right, but keep on dreaming of better times. Cheerio from Germany