So, what are you drinking now?

@Onibubba, I had some Black Art 2nd Editon with @CognacFan a year ago which was completely fantastic. I very highly recommend that one. It was my favourite whisky from among @CognacFan's collection which I sampled. The one I'm drinking now is a bottle I split with @Nock of Black Art 2.2. This one is a little different from the 2nd Edition (or "2.1", I suppose). This Black Art 2.2 is quite interesting but not as compelling for a bottle purchase as the 'first' 2nd Edition. The 2.2 is well worth sampling and is quite thick and unusual, but the 2nd Edition, is, as far as my memory permits (as to its proper name; I am referring from @CognacFan's cabinet history at this point), the the one I would much more recommend for a bottle purchase. I do expect to do a review of the 2.2 sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.

Tried for the first time Blanton's single barrel & Buffalo Trace and like very much.

also...never thought I'd say this about a whisky, but I am sick to death of looking at this Snow Grouse bottle. Just want to be rid of it, fortunately a friend kindly polished off 1/3 of the bottle for me.

Glenmorangie 'Quinta Ruban'. Truly 'mothers' milk' singing to my taste buds...best I get some more; this is so easy to drink. Some good Whiskies are like that! It was there and then, lickety- split it wasn't!

Cheers.

@Victor My only problem with the Black Art is that it is so damn expensive, even the more recent batches

@Pandemonium, I am of the same mind as are you about price. There are many whiskies under $ 100 which are excellent, so it had better be spectacular to be worth twice that price. In this case @Nock found a bottle being discontinued at 50% off, something like $ 110-120 total. We split the bottle, with me taking 300 ml.

I have only exceeded $ 163.50 once, and that was for some Balvenie Tun 1401, batch 9. I haven't opened it yet. Part of the reason I bought the Tun was the "bargain" price of $ 223.50. The jury will be out for awhile about whether it was worth it.

@Nozinan - Thanks for the future toast to my family's happiness with Macallan CS And Alberta Preium 25 year old. I really appreciate it. @paddockjudge - the next time I am in some of my favorite whisky bars in the area, I will see if any of them have the Alberta Premium 25 on the menu. If so, I will be sure to order a dram.

Last night, family poker night at my Brother-in-law's. All of the following were courtesy of his whisky cabinet.

Macallan's Director's Edition - It has that distinct Macallan character. Great nose, but the taste seems "watered down" compared to their 12 year old. It's a good, very drinkable dram, but I think Macallan "light" would best describe it.

SMMW 27.100 - 12 year Springbank (ex-bourbon cask) "Superb Sweet and Salty Symbiosis". The sweet and salty description is spot on. Excellent dram.

SMWS 66.46 - 11 year Ardmore (re-fill Sherry butt) "Pretty Woman’ in a new Maserati". I'm not usually a fan of Ardmore, but I love this one. It's the second time I've tasted it and it was as good, if not better, than I remember it.

SMWS 3.206 - 15 year Bowmore (re-fill Sherry butt) "Dark and mysterious". I'm also not a huge fan of Bowmore and while there was absolutely nothing wrong with this one, it just didn't do anything for me.

SMWS 127.34 - 9 year Bruichladdich Port Charlotte (Refill barrel) "Flying saucers and octopus balls" (takoyaki). Another superb Port Charlotte. Good thing I have an unopened bottle of this one.

A great night of cards, family and whisky.

@A'bunadhman- I plan on grabbing a bottle of Quinta Ruban tomorrow. I've been wanted to try it. If you get a chance to add it to your cabinet, please give it a rough score for reference. Thanks!

A Vesper Dry Martini.

Memorial Weekend, BBQ, NASCAR, and Lagavulin 16. Doesn't get much better

@bijalon: Did that! When you do acquire a bottle, Try this...1) Don't swirl the Whisky; simply tilt the glass to about 40deg. and gently rotate through 360 deg. thoroughly coating the inside of the glass. 2) Allow the legs to fully form then nose the Whisky 3 times. 3) Drink your dram giving it a good chewing over, the odd whiff and paying attention to the mouth-feel, the wow factor on the tongue and with this 'drop' the flavor and outstanding length of the finish.

When you have finished your dram cover the empty (but wet) glass with any clean lid, even a china plate will do - You may have a lid. Set it aside...4) Next morning, uncover the glass, a large droplet of Whisky will have formed in the bottom of your glass. Tilt the glass to 90 deg. and wind the droplet most of the way to the top. Wait a few seconds, stick your nose in: You will experience the most beautiful perfume which, with this particular Glenmorangie is as good as any Whisky you will ever 'sniff'!

Gerry Tosh at Highland Park knows his stuff. 'Worth a look!...

www.youtube.com/watch

Cheers and Good Luck.

Glass vatting of the last few drops of PC6 that have turned extremely salty, along with a healthy dollop of Springbank 14 Fino, and a little Longrow CV for good measure. It's actually quite good. Really a delicious vatted single malt dram.

Ballantine's 17. I picked two bottles up on a trip to Salt Spring Island, BC Canada. This will go well with today's BBQ of assorted meats.

Tasting for five: Casa Noble Anejo Tequila, Smith and Cross Tradional Jamaican Rum 57%, Old Pulteney 12, Hazelburn 8 yo, TryBox Corn Unaged Spirit, Evan Williams 2001 Single Barrel Bourbon(what Trybox Corn spirit becomes), Old Rip Van Winkle 10 yo 90 proof bourbon, 2012 Sazerac 18 Rye Whiskey, Aberlour A'bunadh Batch # 32, Amrut Intermediate Sherry Batch # 5, Ardbeg Uigeadail L 10 151 and L 11 028, Talisker 57 Degrees North, Johnnie Walker Double Black...

...And to finish off, much thanks to @Maltster, 30 yo Port Charlotte 1982-2012, Single Malts of Scotland. single cask, 58.6%, sherry hogshead.

Sounds like a lot, but it went very quickly.

...make that Port Ellen 1982-2012....

@Victor that sounds like a fantastic tasting!

Tonight I am keeping it simple: beer, burgers, and a glass of Van Winkle 12yo Lot B beside my new pool . . . in my new house . . . very relaxing.

@Victor - how was the A'Bunadh?

If I recall, it's been a while, the 32 was a pretty good batch of A'Bunadh. I still have a preserved sample bottle of it and a reserve bottle stashed away from when I first got into single malts ( I was buying two of each batch - and I ended up with three of 33, my first batch).

Right now I have a third if my 36, but not keen on working at it, and about half a 45 from my birthday tasting in April. I think that should last me till next birthday when I crack the 46. It's not that I like it less, itt's just that I have so many more different whiskies to open (try and then consume) now, so I don't get to it as often as I might like.

Tonight was 27 degrees indoors. We had to start the AC, and my wife made fresh squeezed lemonade. So it was that ice and soda. Refreshing, if not so complex...

Oh...what the heck. I still have work to finish, I'm not looking forward to it. I might as well give the A'Bunadh a go tonight....batch 36.

With a capful of water into a 20 cc pour, and a good half hour of airtime, even the A'Bunadh batch 36 becomes quite an above average dram...

@Nock, good times! I'm looking forward to seeing that new pool and new house of yours...

@Nozinan, # 32 is a great batch of A'bunadh. Jim Murray is the only person I know who is lukewarm on it. Everyone I know who has personally tasted it loves it. The # 32 is almost gone now. I have an open bottle of batch # 26, which is also a fantastic batch. I probably won't open either of the 2 bottles of batch # 45 I have on hand until the bottle of batch # 26 gets low.

@Victor wow, a batch 26! My lowest batch is a 28. Unopened. If only I had interested myself in spirits one or two years earlier I might have snagged a 26 (which corresponds to my birthday....)

A hearty dram of the Tullibardine 225 (sauternes finished)...Very sweet, and light, but has a wonderful richness to it...A must for the warmer weather!

Arran "The Eagle" 1999, and Caol Ila Distillers edition 1995-2007 after beating a Zelda game

@ the Vesper bar? @talexander

@PeatyZealot Oh, that would be nice! No, I can make them at home :)

Opened my bottle of Blanton's Straight from the Barrel last night and I was surprised by how much I like this stuff! Big, bold flavors for sure. I'm really looking forward to see what air will do to this one. The Blanton's Gold Edition, for me, was dreadful when I first opened it. However after a number of months spent getting some air, it has developed into one of the best bourbons I've had up until now!

I'm expecting some great things from the Straight from the Barrel ; )

Celebrated my birthday on Monday with some E. H. Taylor Jr Single Barrel bourbon. Had some neat and also made a very tasty Manhattan with it. Also opened a new bottle of Deanston Virgin Oak. Just my humble opinion...I think it needs a little more time in the barrel.

@maltygirl, a late Happy Birthday to you. I'll raise a glass of this Laga 12 CS 2011 to you!

@hunggar Thanks! Laga 12 CS 2011 sounds delish!

@maltygirl, yes, a BIG happy birthday to you!

@maltygirl - Happy Birthday! I agree, the Deanston needs more barrel aging, but not too bad for the price.