Comment by corin_ | Hacker News Reader

Comment by corin_ | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

Based on how you describe yourself you're right not to have tried JD, you probably wouldn't like it - personally I only drink it with coke when I'm out drinking, not for taste.

But I think limiting yourself to Speyside is foolish. The fact that you do this makes me assume you've tried single malts from other areas, and I also presume that you didn't just try one once and jump to the conclusion that everything not Speyside sucks. So maybe you don't need this advice, but I'll give it anyway.

I'm a big Speyside fan, and most of the time I buy a reasonably expensive bottle that's where it's from, but there are some great bottles from other areas, in particular (for me at least) Islay and the Islands. Talisker for example is like no whisky I've ever drunk, but is pretty fantastic. Laphroaig and Ardbeg are two Islays that have some really nice releases, and even Bowmore, despite being a brand best known for cheap and average bottles in supermarkets, have a few decent ones.

Oh, and even outside Scotland you might be surprised. Ever tried Yamazaki from Japan?

The speyside was a nod to anyone out there that can pronounce Edinburgh and doesn't think that Scotland is in londonshire ;-) And yes Islay malts are wonderful.

I could never understand the "knocking back a drink with a grimace" type drinks though.

Heh, I've spent 95% of my life living in Oxford, I got pretty used to "excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Oxford University?"

What sort of thing are you talking about with the "knocking back.."? For most people the first time you drink any whisky is like that, for many so is the first time you drink beer.

Things like tequilla or vodka. The way people seem to drink the stuff despite the taste - rather than inhaling a good scotch

There are plenty of tequilas that are eminently drinkable on taste. Try some top-shelf anejo tequila, it will surprise you.

Same with vodka, there are vodkas out there that aren't horrible to drink.

In response to excuse-me, personally I drink nice scotch when I want to enjoy a drink, but if I'm drunk and getting drunker, why waste money on something good when I'm not going to appreciate it?

Can you please explain to this dumb American what's wrong with, "excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Oxford University?"

It's not a dumb thing, just lacking a piece of information. Oxford University, and Cambridge too, is not a campus university, it is spread out all over Oxford. When you're stood somewhere near the centre of town (and the centre of Oxford isn't really that big) - which is where most tourists ask the question - chances are if they look around 40% of the buildings will be part of the university, and another 40% will be buildings owned by the university, or by a college, and rented out for profit.

40% is a random figure and probably an exaggeration, but here's a map of the centre of Oxford (i.e. Oxford without suburbs) showing university buildings and colleges in red: http://www.planetware.com/i/map/ENG/oxford-map.jpg (note also how the majority of green spaces are owned by colleges for sport, as well)

Edit: looking closer at that map I see some missing buildings that should be on there, and at least a couple that are smaller than they should be. But I don't know the whole university well enough so maybe there are also some shown too big, or some that shouldn't be on there at all.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com