Q – Lloyd, since you’ve spent significant time in Scotland and now the States, what are your favorite pours?
A – To be honest when I lived in Scotland I didn’t drink much Scotch. I was a bartender, though, so I saw plenty. Over the years I’ve gone from loving the peaty Islay malts like Laphroaig to preferring a slightly less intense flavour. But I am no Single Malt expert – if I’m in the mood I’ll usually order a MacCallan.
Irish whiskey I’ve always liked and the Commotions, collectively, got through a fair amount of Jameson’s. My favourite is called Redbrest and I think it is actually made by Jameson and called something like 18 year old special in Ireland.
For Bourbon I like several depending upon mood but here are a few you can’t go wrong with –
Can’t go wrong with – Maker’s Mark – because it was the first high quality bourbon to make it into regular bars, long before the bourbon fashionistas, many folk have forgotten (I confess I did for a while) how good a whiskey this is.
Smooth – Woodford Reserve – I can no longer keep this stuff in my house as it goes down too easily.
Well Balanced – Blanton’s – I asked Michael at my local bar to stock this instead of Woodford. He apparently can tell when I’ve been in because nobody else around here thinks $6 is OK for a bourbon (it’s a steal – it’s $10 – $12 a glass in NYC)
Aggressive – Booker’s – You just need to sniff this to know you need to tread lightly. It has much more alcohol front to the taste, which makes sense because it has a much higher proof! Great stuff though and still has a good balance between fire water element and flavour. For full on firewater vibe I recommend Baker’s.