So, what are you drinking now?

@Nozinan, if I were back in T.O. I'd be there in a flash!

Working on some Glenmo Original right now. It's only $20 a bottle and it goes down so easily. Classic budget dram. I'm debating having PC Scottish Barley or Laph qc next.

Cardhu 12. Spot on.

@Nozinan yes....

@Nozinan Yes, I'm totally in!

Welcoming my uncle back from a south american cruise. He chose Glenrothes 1998. Liked it Jan 2, still like it now.

@Nozinan - it took me about 4 months to give this the thumbs-up. It was not in my wheelhouse before that. It has bloomed beautifully; good value for a nice dram.

OGD 114... ; )

Miyagikyo 12, Taketsuru 17, Nikka Coffey "Single Grain" (Corn), Aberlour A'bunadh batch # 32, and Bushmills 21 yo Malt Madeira Finish, at a little 'staycation' 40 miles up the road in the next city, Baltimore. That Nikka Corn is just about the best corn whisky I have ever had.

After a brutal day of hospital visits and tons of snow removal, I'm having High West Campfire. :)

Just came back from FROZEN. My kids's second time and my niece's 3rd. Let it go! I say...

Good night for a small drop of Heart of Gold, given that it was an act of true love that unfroze the protagonist's heart....

I've been enjoying some Glengoyne Cask Strength Batch 001. It's only the second 'Goyne I've had, but it's a lot better than the 21 yo in taste and price. Really liking this one.

Went to a tasting & dinner last night for Robbie Burns with several buddies. It included four whiskies, all of the IB variety:

• BBR Clynelish 14 yo (1997-2012) cask #6864 @ 46% abv - slight honey nose, slightly smoky palate, with a very nice chocolate finish. Disappointing front end, very nice back end. Missing the signature waxy note, imho.
• G&M Connossieur's Choice Allt-A-Bhainne (1996-2012) @ 46% abv - Wonderful peach/apricot/sweet fruit nose, pepper/salted butter on palate, slightly salty finish. Wonderful front end, pleasant but underwhelming back end.

So, what I did was take equal parts of these first two pours and combine them. As I hoped, this combination ended being greater than the sum of its parts. The weaknesses of both were covered by the strengths of the other. The subtly salted, chocolate finish was especially nice. If I could, I would buy both bottles and decant them together immediately. An interesting experimental experience.

• G&M Strathisla 13 yo (1998-2011) @ 43% - the nicest all-around pour of the four with a sweet salted caramel nose, sherry fruit palate and a very peppery finish.
• Dun Bheagan Tobermory 17 yo (1995-2013) @ 46% - really odd. A decent interesting nose that I really can't describe. The palate I found to be a mess of mint and an oily/sour/farmy twist that I found bizarre. I like interesting whiskies with odd notes (like Tobermory's Ledaig 10 or Connemara Turf Mor), but this one was just too bizarre.

An older bottling of Robert Burns Single Malt (distilled at Arran)

After a walk with my wife on a sunny, but cool afternoon, opened a bottle of North British 21 year Single Grain (corn) Cask Strength Single Barrel (SMWS G1.11 - “Iced mulled wine and Sorrento Limoncello”) from an ex-sherry butt cask.

Very refreshing - sweet and zesty with spices (cloves, cinnamon, etc.)

Enjoying another newly opened bottle now; Kilchoman 4 year (Sep. 2008) SMWS 129.3 - “Unwind and set your watch to ‘Islay Time’”. This is a very subtle expression for it's age. The smoke is there, but it's understated. Very good dram, but it's more refined and sophisticated than I would expect for this age.

Purchased another Telling 'Small Batch' Irish Whiskey bottled 02 / 2013 @ 46% and it is splendid, even better than the first bottle, though I can't see how that could be; perhaps it's me! Rum Cask finished with the most brilliant 18kt. gold color and a big Malt component this Whiskey ticks all the boxes beautifully.

Cheers.

this past saturday quickly turned into one EPIC night. on the menu:

20 y/o darroze Armagnac - best armagnac i've had 1982 22 y/o dallas dhu (G&M) 1988 14 y/o clynelish (single cask, Hart Brothers) 1971 40 y/o glen moray (SMWS 35.71) - to date, best bottle i've opened from my own cabinet 2002 9 y/o miyagikyo (cask 101127 for LMdW) - faultless 8 y/o glen garioch (OB, bottled for italy in the 60's) 1982 21 y/o bowmore (Prime Malt) - practically no peat, a little too floral for my taste four roses 2012 limited edition release 1986 25y/o mortlach (SMWS 76.88) 1966 31 y/o springbank (local barley) - the best whisky i've ever had, and likely ever will kavalan solist (fino) 1988 25 y/o highland park (cadenhead small batch) 1985 27 y/o benriach (cask 7188 - peated/virgin oak finish) 1990 18 y/o ardbeg (ANB)

don't know if i'll ever sit down again to a better line up, but i sure hope so. i look forward to trying.....

@thecyclingyogi i apologize for the formatting, this site really lets me down sometimes.....

@thecyclingyogi: I envy your tasting the '66 Springbank Local Barley! One of our group has this bottle but steadfastly refuses to open it; in fact, he accuses me of cajoling him into opening an Aberlour Cube, which I did not - anyway he managed to 'thimblefull' it out over a few years.

That sounds an extraordinary line-up,

Cheers and Good Luck.

Yoichi 10yr...2nd last dram...I'll have to take more detailed notes with the last one...

Ledaig NAS, pretty nice for the price. I paid only €18 for this young but decent peated malt. Be careful, its a drinker :p

Van Winkle 12 YO Special Reserve, "Lot B". Sweet, light, and a little bit spicy. Better have a very clean palate for this one, though.

W.l.Weller Special Reserve bottled in 1995. Buttery goodness

Tonight - Gordon & MacPhail 8 yo Highland Park (43%). Youthful, spirity, a nice single malt. Similar to HP 12 minus the slight smoke that HP 12 possesses.

Westland Deacon Seat American Single Malt 46% ABV. Distilled in Seattle, WA.

@Wodha, is that WDSASM matured in new charred oak, or something else? The US government regs are weird about naming malt whiskies.

Maker's Mark...while making a batch of pulled pork and BBQ sauce for the weekend...I think I may have actually found a bourbon I like...

Canadian Club, cuz I'm still broke from Christmas and kinda cheap-ass right now.

Glenrothes 1998. Not complicated. Pleasant. Simple.

@ talexander - Glenlivet French Oak Reserve because I'm in a cash conservation mode and it was $60; however, when I reach for Canadian juice it is always the top shelf. That CC is just too hard on the back;)