So, what are you drinking now?

Tasting for 6 at a party at my sister's house. Tonight's line-up 1979 Johnnie Walker Black Label, Stranahan's Colorado Malt Whiskey Batch # 106, Glenmorangie Ealanta, Stagg Jr., George T. Stagg 2013, and Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey.

Checking on a few long open bottles: Forty Creek Barrel Select, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Powers Gold blended Irish, Evan Williams Single Barrel 2000 and an Evan Williams Single Barrel proprietary 2001, Macallan 10 YO Fine Oak, and Ballantine's Finest. These are all doing quite well after 2+ years open. Tasting good...

Today , Blantons Original , Evan Williams Single barrel 2001 , Arran Tokaji Wine cask. I have had the Arran Tokaji for approx 5 years , found it in the back of the cabinet , still good. I would like to try the amarone and port finishes as they are being discontinued here.

The Glenlivet 18 - listening to Arturo Toscanini direct the NBC Symphony Orchestra - Beethoven Overtures.

Whoda thunk a kid weened on Crown Royal and The Doors would be groovin to Ludwig van B and sippin single malt?

On call on new years eve so tonight is my New Years Eve. Couple of glasses of wine and Bruichladdie laddie10 yr old to finish it off.

Colonel EH Taylor Tornado Surviving bourbon batch... The deep rich color is only surpassed by the complexities in the finish.

Very simple right now - a Rusty Nail made with Grant's Family Reserve.

@talexander - I was getting rid of my Glenrothes 1998 that way. Now after six months the damn stuff actually tastes great on its own.

@paddockjudge Not sure I would make a Rusty Nail with a single malt…no reason not to try, I guess. The most deluxe Rusty Nail I (or anyone) has ever made was with Black Bull 40 Year Old (Batch #1) and Dunkeld Atholl Brose. Wow. Might try it with Three Ships 5 Year Old next...

@talexander - t a , that does not surprise me one bit - and you are exempted from your own advice only by 10%

@talexander Old Pulteney 21 and OP Liqueur for a close second

@paddockjudge Made Rusty Nails tonight with Grant's Family Reserve, Three Ships 5 Year Old Blend (of Scottish and South African whiskies) and Johnnie Walker Black (all with Drambuie) The winner? JWB easily.

An all Whisky Society night tonight. Started with Glenmorangie 11 year (Feb. 2000) SMWS 125.58 - “A picket fence round an orchard”, then Rosebank 20 year (July 1991) SMWS 25.61 - “Lemon and vanilla delicacy", followed by Ardmore 10 year (July 2002) SMWS 66.42 - "Snorkelling in the bath tub" and finishing the night with Caol Ila 16 year (Aug. 1995) SMWS 53.173 - "Glowing embers on the tongue"

@talexander oddly enough, with 100+ bottles in my cabinet I don't own a Drabuie; however, I do have Glayva and Old Pulteney Liqueur ...I have a few 'undesirables' that need to be eliminated - thanks for the incentive.

@paddockjudge Haven't tried Glayva yet, but I do mean to…gotta love Drambuie though...

Clock just ticked over 00:01, 1st Jan Brisbane time. Happy New Year! Started with Wild Turkey and on to the Buffalo Trace shortly before midnight. If I'm still awake after that, a dram of Eagle Rare. All courtesy of @SquidgyAsh - thanks for the samples mate! So Buffalo Trace was both my last dram of 2013 and my first of 2014.

@systemdown Glad to hear that you're starting to dig into your American whiskies! It's a delicious country over there!

Tonight I'm having left over Laphroaig 10yr from my admiral/wife's dram mixed with my Black Grouse and it's 10 seconds old. :)

Glenrothes 29 year (July 1980) SMWS 30.61 - “A Sensitive, intimate experience”

Cragganmore 18 year (March 1993) SMWS 37.51 - “The saloon of a classic yacht” (First fill sherry butt)

Bowmore 14 year (Sep 1997) SMWS 3.194 - “Surf and Turf BBQ”

Springbank 15

Happy New Year!

Balvenie Double Wood 17yr. Happy New Year

ANTIFREEZE it is! -32C here, opening a Macallan Cask Strength 60.1% abv

@paddockjudge, are you watching the Winter Classic while you drink that Mac CS? They are singing Oh Canada right now...

@paddockjudge: High 30's C. here this week in Brisbane, Australia with 40+ deg. C forecast for this Saturday, so the BOM. says, for the hottest day in 50yrs.

Time to try out my 'Tap King' 3.2lt. Beer dispenser; another surprise under the Xmas tree along with some excellent Whiskies - Draught Beer in your own 'fridge, how good is that!

Slainte!

@Victor Yes! Game on!...Randy Carlisle, coach of the Leafs and My (dearly departed) father were good friends...Randy is a hometown boy.

@Squidgyash - I too have been enjoying draught beer on tap - Vitamin H(eineken) to go along with my vitamin W...absolutely fantastic to have a glass of beer on tap FROM MY OWN FRIDGE.

• off to my brother's between periods with a bottle of Eagle Rare...which is practically an endangered species here in Northen Ontario. lol.

CHEERS!!

@paddockjudge BAH!

Those dastardly Maple Leafs defeated my beloved Red Wings in a shootout...Oh well - time for some 14 yr Balvenie Caribbean Cask.

First dram of the year, Talisker 10 followed by 18 in front of the fire, watching duck dynasty. A wonderful evening. Hoping that everyone is having a great evening.

@bwmccoy Thanks! Much pricier than the UK. Will likely take a miss, but continue hunting a sample or wait til this one day arrives in Calgary. I have faith. Thanks for the heads up.

My first dram of the year, not one I usually go to. Laphroaig quarter cask. It's true what the say that it's great for cold winter nights.

Came back from Korean BBQ, minus 16,Celsius, and the only open bottle that could handle that was the QC

Tomorrow is the 10th meeting of the Whisky club. 3 years old and thriving. Exciting stuff to come!

@A'bunadhman, Beer on tap is awesome! 5 Litre can of Heineken in my fridge - good thing the young lad is not home through the holidays.

A la sante.

Here in Taiwan it's a great time to buy whisky. Chinese New Year is approaching and whisky is a common gift at that time. Right now we're seeing loads of gift boxes at reduced prices flood the supermarkets. When I saw the assortment of discounted whisky at the store today I had a Christmas flashback and began chanting "It's the most wonderful time of the year..."

Anyway, in keeping with my Johnnie Walker kick lately I grabbed the Gold Reserve at roughly $10 CAD off. Given that I've recently bought a couple bottles of Gold 18 yo, I figure a side-by-side comparison of the two might be fun. Once the bottles have opened up a bit I'll be sure to post my findings.