Vodka, Rye, Port and Scotch

Howdy y'all.

So I've chosen to get a nice bottle of booze and custom glassware for my groomsmen gifts but I have to admit, I'm a n00b when it comes to buying quality liquor.

For Vodka I'm looking towards a bottle of Ciroc.
For Scotch I'm thinking Glenfiddich.

I know nothing about Port or Rye though.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

Port. Can't go wrong with a Fladgate 10 -the 20 is suuuuuper good for an extra $10. Oh, nevermind. These are groomsmen gifts. Fladgate is in your $20-$30 range. ok so I got nothing in the high end port.

The Glenfiddich and Glenlivet 12's are your basic, introductory non-peaty single malt Scotch. Scotch is kind of hit or miss because either the person likes a peaty/smokey scotch or they like the non-peaty/non-smokey -i've never met too many people who waiver in between. Some people even like the blends (Johnnie Walker Red... I think?). There's a world of difference between the ages too -i.e. the 18 is out of this world when compared to a 12. Some people even prefer a 15 over an 18, but 12 is definitely the most basic.

Some people are downright religious with the peaty vs non-peaty scotches so you might want to double check what dude likes.

good luck and congrats, mark!

 

My budget is upwards of $75 per bottle.

Forgot to include that.

 

Thanks for the tips Wilson.

I know he's a fan of the Glens....so I'll probably end up with that unless I can find a nice and unique bottle.

 

the lcbo is carrying Stoli Elite vodka again.
there's a polish grass vodka that's really nice. can't remember what it's called but it has a bison on it.
wyborowa exquisite is a nice vodka. the bottle was designed by Frank Ghery. it makes a nice gift.

in terms of rye there's

crown royal cask no 16 (haven't tried)
crown royal special reserve which is delicious
canadian club 20yr old and special reserve (haven't tried)
canadian club 30yr old. i haven't tried but i'm thinking of buying and keeping it for a special occasion.

 

Got his wife to do some spy work and found out all the scotches he has are non-peaty single malts.

 

Forty Creek is also an excellent Rye. It's super smooth and not too sweet like most other ryes.

 

There's also the belvedere:

 

I third Zubrowka. I can drink that straight non-chilled, it's so good. It's not necessarily found everywhere, just do an lcbo search.

Spend less on the vodka and put that money towards the scotch. Crown Royal Special Edition also gets my pick.

 

Another vote for the crown royal special reserve.

Seriously a night-and-day difference between that stuff and the normal stuff. I can drink that stuff straight, with ice, with a bit of water or even sometimes with soda.

Always with a squeeze of lime though

 

This is what I got for the Scotch:



Tough finding a good import vodka here in Saskatoon other than Ciroc...

The hunt continues!

 

Good and (somewhat) unique LCBO vodkas that aren't overly gimmicky:

- Ciroc (France, grapes)
- Kissui (Japan, rice)
- Akvinta (Croatia, grain)
- Wyborowa Exquisite (Poland, rye)

 

tried the oakville vodka "tag" it was meh at best, it has a very distinct aftertaste that I don't like that much

 

I'm a vodka drinker, and I've tried everything from bottom of the barrel cheap to top-end stuff. Tito's Vodka is by far the best I've ever had. Blows Belvedere, Grey Goose, Ketel One and the rest out the water (or vodka). I've seen it at the Summerhill LCBO for $35 per 750ml bottle, but I prefer buying it Niagara Falls, NY at Super Market Discount Liquors (the BEST liqour store) for $30 USD per 1.14L bottle.



some reviews of Tito's:

Tito's Handmade Vodka - Austin, TX

 

apologies for the gigantic fucking picture!

 

It's cool, I think it just shows people that you're not fucking around with your recommendation.

 

Yup.

Svedka is by far the best vodka in the $25 price range at the LCBO.

 

I drink a lot of port.

I've tried most ports at the LCBO that you can get without ordering special.

My favourite, which I've been drinking for near on 15 years, is Oporto Anno xxxx. It is deep crimson red which looks fantastic in any glass. It's usually in stock at any LCBO and not too expensive (about $25 for a bottle). You can buy more expensive ports if you want but I think there is a law of diminishing returns. Great with tobacco.

-jM
A&D

 

Found some Tito's in Edmonton and it's purchased!
Now I need to find a decent Rye and a Port.
I'm on the hunt for Poroto Anno...but the Sask Liquor Board sucks because their search website bites donkey dick.

Other than Crown Royal Special Reserve, any suggestions?

 

This is very very yummy

 

Macallan Cask Strength. Closer to $100 but soooooo worth it!