Not tried that Japanese stuff.

Laphroaig is very heavily peated and smokey not my cup of tea dont like most island stuff too peaty for me but its subjective all this malt lark.

An opened bottle will last years maybe slightly change due to the air getting in but if stored out of sunlight in a cupboard in its box preferably and not laid flat with the cork getting into the liquor it will definitely last years with no ill effects.

The only thing you should put in a malt, is another measure.

Very very very occasionally, I may put a TINY amount of filtered water (the water round here is DISGUSTING) into something that's around 48% or over.

Thanks for the answer mate, to me i think it would just water the flavour down, think i will stick to having it neat.

Took a whiff of some Monkey shoulder at a bar the other night and thought my face was going to catch fire.

I like the idea of being a whiskey drinker. What's a good whiskey for a "man" who likes Southern Comfort coke.

Do you just have to perservere with it?

Monkey Shoulder aint that bad, Ulster.
My dad bought me a bottle of it, last Christmas, and I was underwhelmed when I found out what he's bought me. However, when I opened it on the Boxing Day, I was very surpried....good stuff. Pity the greedy bugger helped me put a big dent in the amount left in the bottle

Does anyone know where i can get any empty beer bottles from for home brewing.

I hve tried my local pub but there are not many bottle drinkers in there.

Many thanks