So, what are you drinking now?

@Nozinan I hear your pain. I'm also taking a night off. I might just try that drink of yours.

@Victor...thanks for the tip about the Glenfarclas 15. One of my Talisker 200 mL bottles should (hopefully) do the trick.

As for the Talisker 18, some of my reaction may be due strictly to the time away from the bottle, which contributed to an unfamiliarity with the profile. This, though, demonstrates the value of a blind tasting wrt the removal of any pre-conceived notions about a particular pour. I will see how a pour in the next couple of weeks will hit me.

@Pudge72

I would recommend against decanting your Glenfarclas into your talisker bottle. I find you can never rinse out the peat completely and it might taint your scotch.

@Nozinan I actually rinse out my 200mL bottles quite frequently (usually, they hold something peaty and strong). We actually use really, really hot water in our house (it can burn you if your not careful). I use that to rinse out the bottles. Then I fill the bottle and let it set for a day or so. I then rinse it about 2 or 3 times. Then I use a very little bit of Tito's Vodka and swirl it around the bottle (careful to coat all the glass including the lip of the bottle). Pour out the Vodka (I use it for something else) and let the bottle air dry. The remaining Vodka evaporates. And since Vodka isn't suppose to taste like anything (and Tito's really doesn't seem to have any flavor what so ever) I am left with a nice clear alcohol seasoned glass ready for whatever I am decanting.

Of course I always do the nose test (and my nose is better then average) and if a bottle doesn't pass I repeat the process.

The trade off is a very small percentage of "taint" from a used bottle vs. the exposure to oxygen that absolutely will happen in a bottle that is less then half full.

I am a big enough dork that I did an experiment with Ardbeg Uigeadail over a two year period of time. At the end I compared 1.) a bottle that had 4 fingers at the bottom after two years open to 2.) a sample I took the day I opened it to 3.) a fresh bottle I opened that day (same exact batch). I found almost no discernible immediate difference in my 50mL sample bottle and the fresh bottle. However, over 30 min the sample lost its vibrancy much faster then the brand new bottle.

My take away: A small sample bottle can really capture a "snapshot" of a whisky (my gut said around 95% of the original). And this was two years in the reused (and cleaned) sample bottle. On the other hand, a bottle of Uigeadail opened for two years was radically different from the fresh bottle. Perhaps 40% of the original intensity – along with a loss of sweetness and discernible bitterness.

After this experiment I began to decant all my beloved malts.

Let me add:
1.) should read: my nose is "slightly" better then average. 2.) this has been my experience, and I'm only trying to share it - not predict yours. Your experience could very well be different.

Glenlivet 18. Always a favorite of mine.

@Nock

It's getting worse... No lime tonight....but a real desire for A'Bunadh. I don't think the tonic will satisfy... But it's so late!

Some more of that awesome Arran 10yr old. :)

@Nozinan hate it for you. Mine was too hard . . . wasn't going to drink tonight . . . but after a night at Parent Teacher Conferences, putting the kids to bed, doing a load of laundry, the wife wanted to watch a recorded episode of Devious Maids. After the first few min I had no choice: one large glass of Ballentines Finest - not something to contemplate or enjoy. It just gets you through the next 45 min.

Glendronach 9yrs Single Cask 46% 2002 Found a sample of it and its kind of exceeding my high expectations :)

@Nock

Funny, one of the things that got me home late was chairing my children's former school's parent council meeting. I stayed long enough to install a new executive then left...but it was still too late. Hopefully tonight, after working out, the kids are in bed, I'll try to make the "effort", if the mood suits me.

Tonight I was drinking the Knockando 12 yr old. Nice to sit back and relax.

Aberlour 16 yr.

Patriots/Jets with a little Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban.

@teebone673, Go anybody but the Patriots!!! : )

@paddockjudge - sorry for the delayed reply. I haven't been on for a couple of days. Thank you for your kind words and for the toast of Octomore 4.2. (Haven't opened my bottle of 4.1 yet and my 2.2 is sadly, almost gone.)

Tonight, started off with Springbank 18, followed by Talisker Port Ruighe

@bwmccoy - all good as long as mama is happy. Of course, you realize that you are now drinking for two. I had a trio of flavourful treats tonight: OP 21, HP 18, and NZ Doublewood 10. I'll be starting the second tierce of Septemberye tomorrow.

What else can I say except tonight is two dogs playing in the back yard while my admiral / wife and I cook steaks on the grill with some Isle of Skye 8yr old ( I don't want to think about anything bout let the weekend begin) blended scotch. I pray all my connosr family can be so blessed as I am. :)

Glenkinchie 12 year old. Visiting the owner of the bottle. Maybe because it was open a few weeks, but it's different thah the last time i tried it. The nose is still good, but the palate, which I found a little bitter and sporty, smoothed out a bit.

I don't usually go for branding whiskies but this is not a bad one.

Dun Bheagan Islay 8 yr (2002) and Dalwhinnie 15, while playing Arkham Horror w/ the Kingsport Expansion...

@paddockjudge - Since I'm drinking for two, I better get busy... :-)

Tonight, Cooley Irish Whiskey 11 year Cask Strength Dstl'd 1/20/2000 Btld 7/25/11 Bourbon cask # 246, the first glass without water - a lot of grass / hay. Second glass with water - now floral notes. Both glasses were a great way to start the night.

Next, 40 year Longmorn (SMWS 7.55 - "Liquid Heaven") First-fill Sherry Butt. Absolutely amazing dram. Could still taste if AFTER eating dinner! Now that's a long finish.

Bunnahabhain 13 year (1997) Port finish-Murray McDavid bottling (2010) - Love port finished Scotch and this one complements the Bunnahabhain flavors perfectly with a slight hint of smoke on the finish.

Finishing the night with Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 9 year (SMWS 127.26 - "Student Party Aftermath"). Not for the faint of heart. Big, Bold Islay!

@bwmccoy - Cognac Pierre Ferrand 1840 45% abv - magnificent - honey, cinnamon, and licorice - before, during and after.

Your line up was very nice. I'm looking forward to reading about more of the double indulgence.

well its sunday and im not overly looking foward to uni so im having a couple of drams tonight, auchentoshan valinch before dinner, GlenDronach 15 (which is lovely!!!), now i think ill have something peaty, so its either talisker, springbank or lagavulin, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Isle of Skye 8yr old while watching football, come on Ravens. :)

watching the bills and enjoying ardbeg galileo.

@misslauren Thank God the Bills won I had them in my office pool. :)

@paddockjudge

I think I have a Pierre Ferrand in a hand blown bottle. I hear that stuff is pretty good. But I think mine is only 40%.

Celebrating the end of TIFF with Royal Salute 21 Year Old. The ceramic bottle is beige, I think it was bottled in the 1980s? (not 100% sure) Delicious.

Last night - Springbank 12 Cask Strength

Tonight - Talisker Port Ruighe followed by 16 year Caol Ila (SMWS 53.173) - “Glowing embers on the tongue”

Killed my bottle of Pappy 15 last night while watching football...it had to come sooner or later...I just...well instead of adding water I just let my tear drops fall into the glass. :(