Paxarette barley spirit

[Pete Smoke]

I don't know how long this has been around but i just came across this. I figured this was the place for it as it stopped being whisky when someone poured paxarette in to it. It may be worth a try, i wouldn't buy a bottle though.

The ancient practice is decidedly cheeky, but it is on that fine line between mischief and genius that Professor Cornelius Ampleforth loves to tread. Basing his next concoction on this old fashioned style of Paxarette-flavoured whisky, he started with the very finest 10 year old cask strength single malt whisky from Speyside (aged exclusively in the very best sherry casks – devoid of Paxarette of course). He then made his own version of Paxarette by reducing deliciously creamy Pedro Ximenez sherry and he began using it to “season” the whisky.

http://www.masterofmalt.com/barley-spir ... rit-drink/

[The Third Dram]

It may be worth a try, i wouldn't buy a bottle though.

You're very wise.

Here's a better alternative... Buy yourself a top-quality Pedro Ximénez Sherry (such as Gonzalez Byass Noe, which is aged for 30 years or more in oak casks and can be readily found in a ½-bottle format). Take one of your favourite cask strength whiskies (no matter the provenance, but one that has been matured in ex-Bourbon and/or 'plain oak' barrels would be preferable). Pour the merest drop (and I mean an amount along the lines of an eye-drop only) of the Sherry into the bottom of your tasting glass. Then top it up with a dram's worth of the whisky. Swirl everything together. Taste. Enjoy.

This way, you won't have to waste your hard earned cash on a risky purchase. And if, perchance, you don't like the combination, you can still continue to enjoy your whisky as is while saving the Sherry either to drink on its own or to pour over vanilla ice cream (trust me... the latter is absolutely delicious!).

[Mr Tattie Heid]

I used to do similar when I was enamored of the Lagavulin DE, and bought a bottle of PX out of curiosity. Love the stuff, but it's very very sweet...the best ones have a complexity and raisinosity (alert: made-up word) that keep it from being too tooth-achingly cloying. But I'd have a small glass of that, and then a dram of Lagavulin (either the DE or the 16) in the same glass without rinsing.

[The Third Dram]

I used to do similar when I was enamored of the Lagavulin DE...

This is precisely where my 'experimentations' with adding very small amounts of fortified wines to my drams began. In fact, my first such 'experiment' consisted of adding a tiny bit of Gonzalez Byass Noe to the regular Lagavulin 16 Year Old. And this predated the initial release of the Lagavulin Distillers Edition! When I got around to cross-comparing my 'doctored' Lagavulin with the DE, I was surprised at how the similarities far outweighed the differences. Not identical, of course. But darn close. Since that time I've tried many different combinations along these lines.

[C57]

Just read about that in your book Doug (easy reading ) and was wondering about the availability of these PXs these days - must do a google on it tonight.

[The Craw]

I'd recommend the drop PX experimentation too

I bought a 35cl bottle of the 30yo NOE Gonzalez Byass PX a few years ago after discussions back on the old place (I paid about £10 for it in Jenners) and I use it to 'sherry up' some insipid drams with a great deal of success.

In the past few years I've spiced up many a bourbon-casked CS dram - the most recent notable success being with a large dram of Pulteney WK499 and I find it works particularly well with Caol Ila from an old/tired cask to hide the blemishes.

A huge for the PX experimentation from me

[Mr Tattie Heid]

In the past few years I've spiced up many a bourbon-casked CS dram - the most recent notable success being with a large dram of Pulteney WK499....

Well, there's one I wouldn't do a thing to...but it's your bottle!

[Jolly Toper]

I have procured a bottle of the Paxarette spirit drink and will pour it eventually as a mystery dram at a tasting, it is full-on and I expect rebellion mixed with some noises of appreciation from the masochists/sweet heads.

Come on willy where is this 30yo PX?