EPIC TASTINGS!

While I'm sorry I missed the epic tastings at @Nozinan's place, the party was truly fantastic. I'm a very lucky man to have such wonderful friends like all of you!! Thank you again!!!

Although it was a wonderful weekend spent with great friends, I've come to the conclusion that I have a dependency that I cannot control. This might impact my ability to continue visiting with these like-minded comrades.

Earlier, in my first career working for a multinational food conglomerate, I had spent more than a decade dealing with this problem. I have come to the conclusion that I might need professional help. During the course of the events of the past few days I have consumed copious amounts of product that could possibly be endangering my health and quite possibly be threatening my existence. I cannot say that I am in control of my actions.

During the surprise birthday party for @talexander (who, by the way, shares the same birthday with me...and was introduced to me by @Victor) we indulged in some delicious offerings, both lean and traditional.The next day, with @Victor, @Maddie, @Nozinan, and his family, and prior to our departure, we visited a local establishment steeped in tradition, an iconic venue, a shrine to gastronomic greatness, where I proceeded engage the manager in a secretive discussion and was able to obtain a generous portion of a highly sought after Canadian classic from the Center Street Deli. This treasure was painstakingly wrapped and carefully transported home where I have now indulged in this magnificent offering numerous times and cannot stop thinking of it. The long peppery finish, salty reminder, the echoes of umami and smokiness have me craving for more of this delicious temptation. My name is paddockjudge and I'm a Montreal Smoked Meat addict.

@paddockjudge you had me concerned for a minute there...

@jeanluc

Me too, but I'm confident he'll come back for more sometime in the future...

@jeanluc,

thank you for your concern. I suppose it is a matter of perspective.

While enjoying a delicious smoked meat on dark rye sandwich, it occurred to me that since my return from an epic tasting yesterday I had indulged in Montreal Smoked Meat thrice and poured but one small dram of whisky. I figured some fun could be had with this.

@Nozinan, undeniable, unstoppable, like a Whisky Terminator - 'I'll be back".

@paddockjudge I'm impressed, Aside from completing the repairs to my cabinet (structure, not contents - thanks again for your help), I've barely been able to even look at a bottle of whisky, let alone drink any.

One thing my liver and I can agree on, after this weekend, thank goodness for snifters and small pours!

@paddockjudge The struggle is real. I am with you brother. I can be your sponsor. Now, where did I put that bag of smoked meat....

@Nozinan @paddockjudge @talexander It really sound epic fun! Good for you all, I am always happy when people appreciate my city, the beautiful Montreal.

Today we are trying to choose the best Canadian Whisky in my collection. Below are pictures of the competition.

Pic 2

Pic 3

@newreverie

Funny that Forty Creek bottlings of Heart of old that are exported to Texas are bottled in Wiser's bottles....

@Nozinan when I finished off my wisers 18 (which might have won thin competition) I didn't have the heart to throw away the bottle. So I refilled it with heart of gold to preserve the bottle's place on the whiskey shelf. Results of the age stated competition coming soon.

@newreverie, that is a very nice line-up of Canadian Juice. Good luck making a decision on the best one. I expect Hochstadter's 16 YO BP to be a finalist. I've not yet tried it; however, based on my experience with Lock Stock & Barrel 13 YO 103 proof, Jefferson's 10 YO, various Masterson's offerings, WP The Boss Hog 13 YO Single Barrel 123 proof, and a few other single barrel and 100 proof WPigs, I expect nothing less than excellence from Hochstadter's 16. For those viewers not familiar with the back story, all of the aforementioned whiskies are 100% rye grain distilled at Alberta Distillers Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta. Wiser's Legacy is always brilliant and I've not met one I didn't like. Jefferson's 21 YO Rye has eluded me. I believe that one is from MGPI and not Alberta.

There is a lot of great Canadian whisky in Texas. I can hardly wait to get back there and take a look around. The Forty Creek Confederation Oak in the photo is Lot 1867, the inaugural release, it is a stunner.

Are you doing elimination rounds H2H or a grading system for rankings?

Get tasting, don't keep us in suspense!

@paddockjudge First round is complete and perhaps it was a little unfair to the Hochstadter's.

Round 1: Age stated Canadian Whiskey Winner: Collingwood 21yr, 40% 2nd: Jefferson's 21, 45.2% 3rd: Hochstadter's 16, 61.9% 4th: Whistle Pig SB 10yr, 58.7% 5th: Pendleton 20yr, 40% 6th: Gibson's Finest 18yr, 40%

Among 3 judges Collingwood was unanimous. Jefferson's beat Hochstadter's 2:1 and Hochstadter's beat whistle pig 2:1.

All of the top 4 were stunning, and I didn't expect Collingwood to carry the day over the Jefferson's. I was particularly impressed by the whistle pig. I've never particularly enjoyed WP, even the boss hog, but this bottle (which @paddockjudge has one of) is a great full flavored rye.

@paddockjudge The top two of each round will advance. If you have proof that the Jefferson's isn't Canadian then the Hochstadter's can advance. Everything I've seen about it indicates that it is Alberta Juice. (Either way I consider Alberta in the finals).

@newreverie, My oh my, Gibson's 18 YO didn't stand a chance against all of those BIG flavour whiskies. COLLINGWOOD 21!!?? WOW!! That whisky could start a brawl in a brothel. Not my cup of tea, but many like it, a lot.

@newreverie, the Jeff 21 should have a sticker on it stating "Imported By Castle Brands, Produced In Canada" and likely combined with the Surgeon Generals Warning and UPC Code.

@paddockjudge Gibson's was a very distant last. I've had three different bottles of Collingwood and mine is exceptional to the point I'd rate it 5 points over the other 2.

On a good day any of the top 3 could have beat the others. Btw I had the Hochstadter's at number 2, but I understand why Jefferson's won.

@newreverie, All good info, keep it coming.

Have a look on the Jeff 21 Bottle. Does it state "North American" whisky anywhere?

@paddockjudge It is a presidential reserve and they do not list the source. Given their relationship with AD and the age of the rye, they are the likely source. The bottle lists it as a North American rye as opposed to a US or specific state which further supports the AD theory.

@newrever, It is possible, but I'm leaning towards a blend of ADL and MGPI...especially if it has the floral nose happening.

Results of round 2, the Corby showdown: Winner: Gooderham &Worst Naturally Small Batch Lot 4, 45% 2nd: Lot 40, 43% 3rd: Wisers Red Letter, 45% 4th: Wisers Legacy, 45% 5th: Gooderham & Worst 4 grain, 44.4% 6th: Pike Creek, 40%

Lot 40 was the biggest surprise for me. I recall not liking it near as much the last time I sampled the bottle. This was also my first time trying GW4grain and it was good, but not great. Pike creek remains one of my least favorite Canadians and it was ranked last by two out of three judges.

One of our tasting group regulars headed off to Scotland on June 10th along with his non-drinking wife. They are a younger couple in their mid-thirties (quite a bit younger than the rest of us) and this is their first trip to Scotland. Kevin has 12 distilleries lined up between Islay and Skye and Speyside. I guess Jen will find ways to amuse herself. Anyway, Kevin, who is a member of the SMWS, invited three of us up for a session on his patio.

1. Started out with a Gordon McPhail Balblair 10 at 43%...very tasty and punching well above its ABV.

2. Bruichladich the Laddie 10, 50%. The new Limited Edition...Excellent

3. SMWS 54.40 Carefree Entertainment. Aberlour 9, 1st fill ex bourbon, 59.8%

4. SMWS 41.76 Sunshine in a Glass. Dailuaine 11, 1st fill ex bourbon, 60.4%

5.SMWS 3.270 Surf 'n' Turf in a Camel's Saddle Bag. Bowmore 18 refill ex sherry cask, 55.8%

1. SMWS 36.96 Chocolate Cake Cookie. Benrinnes 9 1st fill ex bourbon, 58.1%

7.SMWS 35.138 Miss American Pie. Glen Moray 20 1st fill hogshead toasted oak cask, 56.4%

1. Laphroaig 15, 200th anniversary edition.

All wonderful stuff, but we had to stop there and save a few for next time. We didn't get to the SMWS Smoked Beer, Laphroaig 20, 56.8%, or SMWS Ginger and Honey Sweet Tea, HP16, 58%, or SMWS Peat Roasted Pig Hawaiian Style, Ardbeg 8, 60.9%. Just as well as my head was pretty thick the next day. Fortunately I am within walking (staggering) distance from Kevin and the other two had drivers.

That is the best tasting session I have been to after a lot of years of drinking single malt Scotch. The SMWS offerings were universally excellent.

Cheers.

@BlueNote, sounds great! Congrats on tasting a lot of great whisky among friends! (what's with the numbering?)

@Victor The numbers are the SMWS designations. I believe if you understand the code they tell you the source distillery and some other information that I am not sure of, but possibly the number of bottles. The descriptions (Surf 'n 'Turf in a Camel's Saddle Bag for the Bowmore 18 for instance) are quite apt. No resemblance whatsoever to the OB 18. I'm told it is very competitive among members to get these bottles, and they ain't cheap.

@BlueNote I think @Victor was referring to the three Number 1 drams you had.

@BlueNote, I meant the sequence, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 7, 1. I am guessing that that is accidental. If not, I am curious about that to which it refers.

@Victor, @Nozinan Oh, haha. Yes, my mistake. Missed it in the reread. Too excited about the whisky I guess.

@Victor Suffice to say, there were 8 excellent whiskies tasted.