@@steampunk888 ...a bit delayed for a response.. sorry.. catching up on ralfy reviews, but I absolutely agree... a self imposed lock-up. Not for me. No days off. No mask. Not a whiff of the flu. Keep sane and carry on. Cheers.
Thanks Ralfy for the review, I just bought one bottle of this stuff last week. I can't await the first dram now. I will raise the glass in Germany, and salute your good work over the years.
Impressive review Ralfy. Very encouraging to me as a couple of months ago I picked up a bottle of this at auction for £50. I do like most DL blends it has to be said, and so I took a punt on this. Looking forward to cracking this open in 2022. Who needs a 'Whisky Bible' when you have Ralfy at your fingertips? Good health and happiness in the New Year old chap.
Happy Belated Malty Monday Dear Sir! I just love your love of all spirits. The story about the sister on the Amalfi coast is priceless. Surely an experience to savor as much as the liqueur. Keep these little gems coming!
Great that you review some of these excellent blended malts. People like Douglais Laing or Compass Box really add a new set of flavour combinations to Planet Scotch with their blended malts. My version of this is very golden yellow (bourbon without E150a) and delicious. Very fresh and maritime indeed. And what I learned from your review is that a small drop of water really unleashes the peat which is hidden behind the fruit and the vanilla in the neat drink. Cheers. Ralf
Very glad that I tried the regular Rock Oyster, which has a beautiful smell and dynamic tastes! Very admirable bottler. Btw, this one is said to be natural colour.
So I'm slowly working my way consecutively through the Ralfy reviews (seen every one from 200 on and a bunch before hand) and when I saw this come up I figured I'd watch it with a glass of Rock Oyster 18yo which I have in my cabinet. Even decided to pause it and let the dram sit for 30 mins before continuing - man, what a difference that made! Great tip Ralfy, Cheers!
@@thewhiskybothy Thank YOU for inspiring my whisky journey! It all started about 7 years ago when decided I'd like to have a bottle of single malt so I ordered a bottle of Glenfiddich 15yo and I wanted to learn a bit more about it whilst waiting in anticipation for it to arrive. I found your channel and learned so much! Now I have a really nice hand-made Italian cabinet filled with excellent single malts, most at your recommendation, so huge thanks for your guidance, Ralf.
That is very great! I bought a few bottles two years ago and now it is recommended by Ralfy. Fantastic!!! (By the way: I drank most of these bottles, only one is left. I`m not a collector but on a journey.)
Greetings from Brunswick Georgia USA...my very first view of your channel after seeing you with your brother Clive and another gentleman taste-testing MRE's... I subscribed to your channel...absolutely splendid Ralfy!
I have about 1/3 of a bottle of this left. Regarding natural colour - pretty sure that all of Douglas Laing's regional malts (Rock Oyster/Island, Scallywag, Big Peat etc) are natural colour, although it does not really state this on the label nor the box it comes in. On their website they describe the Rock Island (previously Oyster) "Proudly bottled at a high strength of 46.8% and offered without colouring or chill-filtration, Rock Island, a Blended 100% Malt". I think it is safe to say it is natural colour.
NB: I've read that "Rock Oyster" has recently been renamed "Rock Island" by Douglas Laing. Apparently Oysters are not seen as being very appealing by some people, perhaps they don't want to shell out that much. :-)
Haven’t had a chance to get my hands on a bottle yet, so I can’t confirm what on the packaging, but the Douglas Laing website, it is mentioned “natural colour” and it being Island only, no reason no to specify on the bottle/box though! Great review as always Cheers!
46% has 15% more ethanol vs. 40% (I would argue that in a whisky it has 15% more of the actual whisky). 46.8% has 17% more vs. 40%. It's not obvious on the surface but it's far more than initially seems, more than double. And 46.8% has 1.7% more vs. 46%, again, more that double.
Ralfy, you SHOULD try the orange version of the Big Peat(i live in Amsterdam and this is a limited edition for Dutch people, I am myself French and discovered the Big Peat thanks to you), reminds me cinamon note of the old Jura. Extremely good !
Hi Ralphy pls do a review on Yellowspot 12 Irish whisky. I have tried Glenlivets, JW Greens., Glenfiddichs, Laphroaigs and Old Pulteneys but so far Yellowspot 12 and Lagavulin 16 were my most favourite.
Thanks Ralfy. Lovely review. Perhaps something about Monkey Shoulder, Cooper Dog? They get good reviews but I'm hesitant about expending my pennies in them, I would love to know your opinion on those blended malts.
I am not familiar with Cooper Dog, but have drank a few bottles of Monkey Shoulder. I really like Monkey Shoulder, a blended malt. I have seen no inconsistencies, it is a solid entry-level malt. It is comprised of 3 Speyside distilleries so it is sweet, fruity and fragrant. I recommend trying it, it is $30 where I am in the states.
I'm on the other side of the coin. I bought a monkey shoulder and to be honest I can't get rid of it fast enough. I love the whiskies that go into it on their own (though I'm at a point where I don't really buy them anymore - waay more exciting things to enjoy!) For me, Monkey Shoulder is bitter + sour barrel, and a bit metallic. Sure there's whisky in it but for me, it's crossed my mind on multiple occasions to just dump it down the drain. Unfortunately for me, it's a 1L too. Saving it for cocktails, which aren't really my thing... If you want a fantastic blended malt and like an oloroso matured dram, go for the Naked Grouse, I'm 3 bottles into that one (opening #4 pretty soon I'd imagine), and still consider it one of the best steals on the market - first fill oloroso cask final maturation, just delish! On another note, these Laing people are really doing incredible things. I've tried 6-7 or so offerings from them and they've really been fabulous. Pineapples and lemons mmm!!
I FINALLY got hold of the un scriptable Stuiredearrrrrrarerere Bunnahabhain. and it is the PERFECT example of POOR YOUNG SCOTCH sailing under the FLAG of the parents AGED scotches. Heinous... a massive harsh vicious nasty thing.. The best thing I could say is that it swallowed up nearly 4:1 water to Spirit... which made it about the same value for money as .. er.. the cheapest labelled.
Yer Man won't review j.Walker Double Black, very sad times... I've clocked a bottle with my name on it (the price is right... as in REALLY Right.. but I reeeaaaalllly want a Ralfy opinion of it because Ralfy is my BASELINE)
"probably waiting to get back to your whisky" Aye first dram of the Port Charlotte limited (3k bottles) release for the now-virtual Bruichladdich shindig. Lucky for me as I wouldn't travel up there from Italy to get one otherwise. Thanks, COVID!
Ya see, even an NAS budget cheapo Supermarket blend may well have 18-25 year old malts in there... Ignore NOTHING. but DO NOT gamble High Dollar for Fancy names.... But if the price is... surprisingly affordable ?!?!? there may be a reason or it may be just a Stock Management Algorithm so... grab it .. and you never know.... could be amaxing.. ( i would spell check that but it is a nice word..)
mmm, thought I would check out some of the online vendors.. then I just thought.. Piss Takers. look at this.. £36.50 +£18.99 ???? just SAY £50 odd quid and I will politely Decline....
Nothing like a bit of Ralfy to break the monotony of quarantine.
Definitely.
Absolutely, love watching his videos in my down time
True. But you're not in quarantine. Quarantine is the isolation of people who are sick.
@@steampunk888 ...a bit delayed for a response.. sorry.. catching up on ralfy reviews, but I absolutely agree... a self imposed lock-up. Not for me. No days off. No mask. Not a whiff of the flu. Keep sane and carry on. Cheers.
This level of knowledge, intensity, and nerdy-ness, is always highly appreciated
Thanks Ralfy for the review, I just bought one bottle of this stuff last week. I can't await the first dram now. I will raise the glass in Germany, and salute your good work over the years.
Your knowledge is vast, the range of subjects you can talk about is awesome, your style is light and I love all your videos. Thank you
Impressive review Ralfy. Very encouraging to me as a couple of months ago I picked up a bottle of this at auction for £50. I do like most DL blends it has to be said, and so I took a punt on this. Looking forward to cracking this open in 2022. Who needs a 'Whisky Bible' when you have Ralfy at your fingertips? Good health and happiness in the New Year old chap.
Happy Belated Malty Monday Dear Sir! I just love your love of all spirits. The story about the sister on the Amalfi coast is priceless. Surely an experience to savor as much as the liqueur. Keep these little gems coming!
Great that you review some of these excellent blended malts. People like Douglais Laing or Compass Box really add a new set of flavour combinations to Planet Scotch with their blended malts. My version of this is very golden yellow (bourbon without E150a) and delicious. Very fresh and maritime indeed. And what I learned from your review is that a small drop of water really unleashes the peat which is hidden behind the fruit and the vanilla in the neat drink. Cheers. Ralf
For a moment i thought that you were tasting 'everything' on your palate in one single instance (12.06). A pure moment of malt enlightenment!
Thanks Ralfy..
I just picked this beauty up today..
Happy New Year from Cambodia!
Very glad that I tried the regular Rock Oyster, which has a beautiful smell and dynamic tastes! Very admirable bottler. Btw, this one is said to be natural colour.
So I'm slowly working my way consecutively through the Ralfy reviews (seen every one from 200 on and a bunch before hand) and when I saw this come up I figured I'd watch it with a glass of Rock Oyster 18yo which I have in my cabinet. Even decided to pause it and let the dram sit for 30 mins before continuing - man, what a difference that made! Great tip Ralfy, Cheers!
. . . happy to help, thanks for watching my channel.
@@thewhiskybothy Thank YOU for inspiring my whisky journey! It all started about 7 years ago when decided I'd like to have a bottle of single malt so I ordered a bottle of Glenfiddich 15yo and I wanted to learn a bit more about it whilst waiting in anticipation for it to arrive. I found your channel and learned so much! Now I have a really nice hand-made Italian cabinet filled with excellent single malts, most at your recommendation, so huge thanks for your guidance, Ralf.
Excellent and enjoyable review Ralfy. I did enjoy the regular rock oyster.
That is very great! I bought a few bottles two years ago and now it is recommended by Ralfy. Fantastic!!! (By the way: I drank most of these bottles, only one is left. I`m not a collector but on a journey.)
Love the Ralfy reviews where he loves the bevy. Good Job.
How is it that you only have 135k subscribers. Should be a lot more. Your reviews are great.
i really enjoy the regular rock oyster from douglas lang. he is doing some great things, but to see an age stated one is something special.
The cask strength version is nice, too.
This review was pure poetry.
Greetings from Brunswick Georgia USA...my very first view of your channel after seeing you with your brother Clive and another gentleman taste-testing MRE's... I subscribed to your channel...absolutely splendid Ralfy!
I have about 1/3 of a bottle of this left. Regarding natural colour - pretty sure that all of Douglas Laing's regional malts (Rock Oyster/Island, Scallywag, Big Peat etc) are natural colour, although it does not really state this on the label nor the box it comes in.
On their website they describe the Rock Island (previously Oyster) "Proudly bottled at a high strength of 46.8% and offered without colouring or chill-filtration, Rock Island, a Blended 100% Malt". I think it is safe to say it is natural colour.
Yes, I think all their blended malts are natural colour, but they don't always write it on the bottles.
even-though i dont drink i still enjoy watching your video's. keep up the good work
NB: I've read that "Rock Oyster" has recently been renamed "Rock Island" by Douglas Laing. Apparently Oysters are not seen as being very appealing by some people, perhaps they don't want to shell out that much. :-)
Has Monkey Shoulder been renamed Monkey Island too then?
Rock Island by Jethro Tull is a decent record too, just saying... 😉
Looking at comments below, I have to agree. This is a wonderful review.
Douglas Laing did a beauty job on these Blended Malts
The sherried Rock Oyster from a few years back was delicious. Their Big Peat is very good too.
Love this one, and picked up a second bottle for the future. Will try the 30 minutes wait now
Haven’t had a chance to get my hands on a bottle yet, so I can’t confirm what on the packaging, but the Douglas Laing website, it is mentioned “natural colour” and it being Island only, no reason no to specify on the bottle/box though!
Great review as always Cheers!
Nice one Ralfy ! Hopefully I can get a bottle somewhere in Melbourne.
46% has 15% more ethanol vs. 40% (I would argue that in a whisky it has 15% more of the actual whisky). 46.8% has 17% more vs. 40%. It's not obvious on the surface but it's far more than initially seems, more than double. And 46.8% has 1.7% more vs. 46%, again, more that double.
Great conversation and insight. Thanks for sharing!!
There's a cask strength version of this that's truly superb.
For us Lowland lovers, will there come a review of The Epicurean? Regards
Ralfy, you SHOULD try the orange version of the Big Peat(i live in Amsterdam and this is a limited edition for Dutch people, I am myself French and discovered the Big Peat thanks to you), reminds me cinamon note of the old Jura. Extremely good !
Good on you Ralfy!
Hello ralfy, and if you cold pick ? Rock Oyster 18 YO or Rock Oyster Cask Strength 57.4%?
. . . for me, the 18
@@thewhiskybothy Thank you, stay safe
Hi Ralphy pls do a review on Yellowspot 12 Irish whisky. I have tried Glenlivets, JW Greens., Glenfiddichs, Laphroaigs and Old Pulteneys but so far Yellowspot 12 and Lagavulin 16 were my most favourite.
Vatted malt was what I used to know them by.
I love the regular Rock Oyster/Island, could not find the 18 over here in Canada, but... also their site mentions natural colour. Do dheagh slàinte
Great video Ralfy!
Time for Timorous Beasties 18yo, Ralfy!
Surprised to see a blend review! I thought there wasn't going to be any! Blends are the main way i can afford anything over 15yr old.
Agestatment is what ralfy wants
This us Blended Malt - different from blended whisky. Blended malt being several single malts Blended together. No grain.
Is scotch cheap in Scotland?
. . . not really, but there's plenty available.
Dam wright Ralfy I started with a dram of Glen Garioch 12 year old then moved on to half a dram of Laphroiag 10 year old.
What’s the deal with Rock Oyster vs. Rock Island...did they change the name again?
The name change is confirmed to Rock Island. The name Rock Oyster put some people off trying the range. Rock Oyster is the old name.
Stingrae Clear, thanks
Where can i get those cool jackets that you wear Ralfy?
. . . e-bay, brands like Blue Castle. Good luck.
@@thewhiskybothy cheers!
Thanks Ralfy. Lovely review. Perhaps something about Monkey Shoulder, Cooper Dog? They get good reviews but I'm hesitant about expending my pennies in them, I would love to know your opinion on those blended malts.
I am not familiar with Cooper Dog, but have drank a few bottles of Monkey Shoulder. I really like Monkey Shoulder, a blended malt. I have seen no inconsistencies, it is a solid entry-level malt. It is comprised of 3 Speyside distilleries so it is sweet, fruity and fragrant. I recommend trying it, it is $30 where I am in the states.
Monkey Shoulder is a good buy, nice fruity apples and a hint sherry
I'm on the other side of the coin. I bought a monkey shoulder and to be honest I can't get rid of it fast enough. I love the whiskies that go into it on their own (though I'm at a point where I don't really buy them anymore - waay more exciting things to enjoy!) For me, Monkey Shoulder is bitter + sour barrel, and a bit metallic. Sure there's whisky in it but for me, it's crossed my mind on multiple occasions to just dump it down the drain. Unfortunately for me, it's a 1L too. Saving it for cocktails, which aren't really my thing... If you want a fantastic blended malt and like an oloroso matured dram, go for the Naked Grouse, I'm 3 bottles into that one (opening #4 pretty soon I'd imagine), and still consider it one of the best steals on the market - first fill oloroso cask final maturation, just delish! On another note, these Laing people are really doing incredible things. I've tried 6-7 or so offerings from them and they've really been fabulous. Pineapples and lemons mmm!!
Douglas Laing don't add colouring to any of their whiskies.
Scallywag is another of there amazing line same as big peat
I agree, Scallywag is amazing.
Ralfy! Review Glenmorangie Signet please
Over priced and ralfy dont do NAS
I FINALLY got hold of the un scriptable Stuiredearrrrrrarerere Bunnahabhain.
and it is the PERFECT example of POOR YOUNG SCOTCH sailing under the FLAG of the parents AGED scotches.
Heinous... a massive harsh vicious nasty thing..
The best thing I could say is that it swallowed up nearly 4:1 water to Spirit... which made it about the same value for money as .. er.. the cheapest labelled.
Yes! I thought the same. Probably my worst malt moment of the past 5 years for me.
Enjoyed your book Ralfy
Yer Man won't review j.Walker Double Black,
very sad times...
I've clocked a bottle with my name on it (the price is right... as in REALLY Right.. but I reeeaaaalllly want a Ralfy opinion of it because Ralfy is my BASELINE)
I was expecting at least a 91 from it
$163 cdn in Ontario :( by Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd.
Baillie Nicol Jarvie from Walter Scott's epic novel Rob Roy.
That was Walther Scott? I never knew. Interesting ...
"probably waiting to get back to your whisky"
Aye first dram of the Port Charlotte limited (3k bottles) release for the now-virtual Bruichladdich shindig. Lucky for me as I wouldn't travel up there from Italy to get one otherwise. Thanks, COVID!
Centilitres? What the hell are they?
. . . one-hundreth of a litre.
Hello, Ralphy, you Malt Havyweight
Limoncello - an Amalfy review
Ya see, even an NAS budget cheapo Supermarket blend may well have 18-25 year old malts in there...
Ignore NOTHING.
but DO NOT gamble High Dollar for Fancy names....
But if the price is... surprisingly affordable ?!?!? there may be a reason or it may be just a Stock Management Algorithm so... grab it .. and you never know....
could be amaxing..
( i would spell check that but it is a nice word..)
So much for the clicker angle
💚
Dum De Mum De de Diddy de Deeee,
It wasn't a ROCK , it was a ROOOOOCK
OYSTER!!!!!
(I am not the first to make this gag am I)
👍❤️🥃
Subscribed
As a rule of thumb 10drops = 1ml
Then your drops are incredibly small. Did you mean 1 cl = 10 ml = 10 drops?
Tried Monkey Shoulder with big hopes. Not so impressed.
mmm, thought I would check out some of the online vendors..
then I just thought..
Piss Takers.
look at this..
£36.50
+£18.99
????
just SAY £50 odd quid and I will politely Decline....
I'm finding it priced between £85-90!! + delivery £4.95
But you didn't say "buh byyye"
The last time I was this early Pappy Van Winkle was in nappies.
First
First