best/favorite gypsy guitarist in the us? your opinion

Jack

Michael Bauer wrote:

Great guitarists are like great single malts: I want to hear different ones in different circumstances. I have my favorites, but at any given time, I might want to hear/drink any one from the famous to the obscure.

Great simile!

Bob Holo

Michael Bauer wrote:

...Great guitarists are like great single malts: I want to hear different ones in different circumstances.

And with that in mind, time to cap the evening with a dram of Ardbeg Uigeadail and head upstairs for bed. Gawd... last dram in that bottle - a true tradgedy. Ah well, they've probably made more of it... ;-)

thrip

Ardbeg - now that is poetry in a glass.

CalebFSU

another vote for the Ardbeg!

Michael Bauer

Ardbeg is excellent, but of the 40 some single malts I keep around, my current favorite is Longmorn 16 year old. Hard to find, but worth the search. Like a symphony of tastes! The most complex single malt I have ever tried. If Laphroig is a Busato, loud and direct, Longmorn is a Selmer all the way, not overpowering, but with layers of subtleties. Anyone else tried it?

On the other hand, I could list fifteen others that are tied for a close second!

Bob Holo

Haven't tried it - getting to the end of my 40th birthday gift (Bowmore 25) sounds like that... never taken that long to drink a bottle but I thought - hey - hang on to 40 as long as is possible, right? I'll look for Longmorn.

OK then - about players - how about this... if it's not about who is best, then how about what you like most about them? Or in scotch terms... which scotch are they? I'll stay away from vintages and just allude to the basic character of the distillery. For me:

Bergara is Ardbeg... Strong, soulful & spicy with a sweet finish
Ponticelli is Oban... Bold and traditional but bringing in other influences (flamenco/spice)
Spisic is Clynelish... All heart, baby... truly the Djelem Djelem of scotch
Mehling is Lagavulin...Full-on hardcore traditional old-school flavor
Andersson is Bowmore...Smoky smooth and immaculately balanced
Chapman is Caol Ila... Balanced and spicy with that long sustaining finish
Pena is Laphroaig... Amazing young scotch (the 10) gets even deeper as the vintage ages
Wrembel is Talisker... Incredibly spicy and each sip gives you something new

Jazzaferri

10 year old Taisker is great
18 year old Talisker is superb
25 year old Talisker is IMO the real Ne plus ultra. :shock:

One would successfully conclude that i like peaty scotch

For scotch fetishists who are coming to DFNW this year I travel with a reasonable stock of 18 yr old.

AS to players well truly that comparison is beyond me.

thrip

That could almost tempt me over!

Phil

Hey Thrip - you and your English buddies should come on over for DFNW - it's a blast and you'd have a great time - you're a quality player who it would be good to see on the roster of artists. Plus you could do some lessons.

Perhaps I misinterpreted the original post? - I interpreted the question as who is your favourite US born GJ guitarist and therefore I excluded Wrembel, Gonzalo, Kruno from my response. But I agree with the replies, they're all great - not sure about comparing them to single malt though, as none of them are made in Scotland!

...but I have to chime in on my current favourite Scotch: Aberlour 16 year old - it's like honey, with a hint of Sherry from it's double maturity, really smooth - a classic malt.

Slainte -

Phil

thrip

Thanks for your kind words Phil. Of course I'd love to come in any capacity, I know I'd enjoy it, basically because I like to play the guitar! Maybe one day..

Interesting you should mention Aberlour, its where the excellent luthier Rob Aylward lives and works. Perhaps he should offer an exclusive bottle to go with his guitars. That would be a good marketing ploy!