Here's a recent purchase...

A couple of bottles of whisky:

• A bottle of the 1992 Glen Keith, a 24 year old single malt that has been matured in ex-bourbon barrels no. 120579 & 120580. Bottled at cask strength by independent bottlers: Signatory Vintage for their Cask Strength Collection series.

• A bottle of the SMWS 73.83, dubbed 'Anzac biscuits and cricket bats'. A 2001 Aultmore that has been matured in a refill sherry cask. Bottled at 15 years old to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society - Australian chapter.

@paddockjudge I do like my barrel proof as well, Bookers, Blantons SFTB etc are all in my wheelhouse as is WTRB. It is just I like the 112 a lot but loved the 108 but came too late to the party and my first bottle was also my last.

Although I was asking for advice I know the 116 will end up in my cabinet as I am a sucker for just one more bottle as my bank balance for last 2 months attest. 2 Cairdeas a CS batch 9, and 3 bottles of Octomore (6.1 and 2 x 7.3 got another after tasting first) do tend to make a dent but hey ho I can't take it with me.

And then there is the 8.2 at travel retail and I go on holiday in 2 weeks I wonder if that might join the wifes perfume in the basket. Luckily work has been hectic and pulling a lot of overtime so I have been putting money away even though spending a small fortune and not really drinking much. That should end soon and will reign in the buying and start enjoying the fruits of my labours.

PS the holiday was the wifes perk from the overtime along with an Appleton 21 she loves rum.

@Pete1969 Excellent attitude. Life's too short......etc.

@sengjc A nice pair. I can practically smell the leather wrapped, sweat impregnated handle of that cricket bat.

@BlueNote Unfortunately, I don't plan to open it soon. Like many, I have too many bottles opened and want to finish a few before opening a new one. But what a read about it is that it has more fruit notes than usual Mac and maybe less leather and sherry notes than the first Edition. All reviews are good but depending on how close to the hearth of the reviewer is the traditional Mac profil some will like it more others will like it less. If you like it bold, the first edition seems the one to get. If you favor balance over power the second will suits you.

@Robert99 Thanks, I'll look up some more reviews of both editions before deciding if they are worth the money.

@Pierre,

As promised, Brothers' Birthday Blend containing 12 YO Lot No 40, 30 YO Canadian Double Distilled, and a drop of New Oak Barley Whisky.

Cheers!

@paddockjudge

Wow.

@Nozinan An Ardbeg Addition introduced at a "continuing education lecture" by Brendan McCarron , aka Lumsden's right-hand man, at the Depot in Naperville, Illinois this past Thursday evening. Touted as a smoke resilient, PX sherry wood, first fill bourbon wood combination married in a French oak vat, the samples were well received by the gathered students. McCarron was a delight, entertaining, knowledgeable, and approachable. Saint Joan, a professed smokaphobe, liked it. She picked up several flavors which remain unrevealed. I had not realized she was into complexity. The comparison dram of Oogie is still my favorite. Love that bacon! Price? About $60.

To the uninitiated, 'Saint Joan' = @plattvillepeat's wife. @plattvillepeat, please give my regards to Saint Joan.

I've been on a cruise for the past month and so haven't posted much, but today we stopped in our first major American port: Boston

Having been to Boston a few times before I didn't much care about doing the regular touristy things, so I decided a trip to Total Wine would be in order. I'd heard good things about this chain of stores and I wasn't disappointed. Selection is great, prices are great too.

Unfortunately the budget is a titch strained at the moment, but this is what I came away with:

• Jim Beam 11 YO Triticale bourbon
• Henry McKenna 10 YO BiB bourbon
• Pikesville 6 YO Straight Rye
• High West Double Rye

I've heard great things about all of these, some of which I can't get at home and some of which are vastly cheaper here. Pikesville was had for a little more than 1/3 of what I would've paid at home.

I also got a couple of minis of two expressions of Winchester, a Total Wine store brand using TerrePURE's artificial aging process. I've been curious about this process ever since I first heard of about it, so it'll be fun to try some products that have been created using it.

@Nelom nice haul, I look forward to hearing about the Winchester.

My wife came home from Iceland with this. I guess Brennivin and Aquavit are synonymous, but at least I get to try two different types at 2 different ABVs. The Crowberry liqueur is hers (she'll open it with me I hope).

I'll need some Connosr support on this one. Ontario summit anyone?

@Nozinan When in Rome, drink what the Romans drink....Let us know the verdict on the Icelandic tipple.

@Nozinan I like how the middle bottle has a bit of Japanese on the label. かんぱい！

I am looking forward to hearing what you think of them.

Talisker 57 N. Surprise!

Remember this little tale of woe:

connosr.com/what-is-the-next-bottle-you-pu…

Of course the travel retail had none of those, and the salesperson commented on the interesting choices.

So my sister in law's room-mate gave me the address of their hotel on Saturday night and on Sunday am I used a gifted preloaded credit card to order a 700 cc Talisker 57 N from Master of Malt. I also included the following 30 cc samples of grain whisky:

• Port Dundas 12 YO North Star IB 58.8%

• Invergordon 25 YO batch 9 (That Boutique-y whisky company) 49.8%

• North British 27 55817 MoM 3cl Sample 57.3%

• North British 27 YO cask 57081 MoM 3 cL sample 60.3%

The last two will likely need to be reviewed in a H2H sometime.

And I also picked up a 30 cc sample of the one below, the oldest spirit that will have come into my possession. But it is not for me.

In order to get it there before she checks out tomorrow I had to pay a little extra, and unfortunately the card didn't accept the charge (likely because it was a second charge from the same seller on the same day) so I had to call in a different card.

So all of this ended up costing me $10 Canadian plus the cost of checking luggage from Calgary this winter (but that will include other bottles...)

My error...looks like with exchange and fees the above will cost me $13 Canadian.

@Nozinan It looks like you made out well after all! You have a lot of very interesting choices, looking forward to hearing about each of them. Drinking something half a century old will be a very special experience indeed, enjoy!

@Mancub It will be, but it won't be consumed by me...

Some recent Society orders:

• a bottle of the SMWS 64.73 'A most splendid reception', Mannochmore 26 year old.

• another bottle of the SMWS 73.83 'Anzac biscuits and cricket bats', Aultmore 15 year.

• a bottle of the SMWS 46.44 'Life is but a dream', Glenlossie 23 year old.

I'd love to get your thoughts on these beauties. I have a friend who is a Society member. Sometimes 2 or 3 of us will do shares in a bottle and these sound interesting (if they are still available).

My wife has been travelling again. Here's another duty free gift. She's a good woman!

@Pierre, hear, hear, for good women!

@Pierre It's always nice to have someone who cares enough...

Just a little something my brother in law was able to come by in Calgary...

@Nozinan How is this possible? A rep from Corby told me it wasn't for sale until October 8th !!! Is Ontario getting ripped off again?

@OdysseusUnbound maybe it's a fake.

Obviously that photo is taken from the internet, but @Nosebleed did find a few of them and another of the releases at World of Whisky in Calgary. It is associated with Coop of calgary. He was nice enough to make one available to me.

It may arrive in Toronto next week with his family, and your Uigeadail (I asked the latter be prioritized for muling).

For those with agents in Alberta I would recommend browsing liquorconnect.com.

That and the cheap for its age but still pricy wiser's 35 are listed, and sometimes you can pin down the store they distributed to...

Wiser's Legacy L16175 - 2 consecutive bottles.

My first bottles of Legacy. Bought because it is discontinued, and I anticipate my appreciation of Canadian Whisky to increase as I've gotten to like some other FC and Wisers products.

If I open one and like it, I may get another.

Look what I found! This is the last one in the shop because I asked if they had more.

Without the blur, dog and chinese girl haha