So, what are you drinking now?

Just poured the very last dram of my Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve 2009 during the final period of tonight's game. This bottle lasted me a few years, and is one of the greatest whiskies I've ever had. BTW rooting for the Blackhawks, who are winning so far...

My brother in law is in town and we and our nephew cracked a bottle of Mortlach 13 YO G&M exclusive bottling for COOP in Calgary. It's a 13 year old bruiser that clocks in at a cask strength of 59.7%. Bottled in 2012.

It's Not bad. The reason we opened it was to determine if he should try to get more when he goes back. The concern, of course, is the effect of the new OBs on the availability or price of the IBs.

It's a refill sherry hogshead. I don't taste the sherry. I think I'll sit with this and write a full review sometime.

The Mortlach was enough to bring on a buzz. Let's face it, a weekend of camp kids and mosquito bites to deal with, little sleep and a long drive home decreases the tolerance for alcohol.

Anyway, I'm done but I was able to let my brother in law try the Forty Creek Heart of Gold. He has a bottle I brought him but now he's had a chance to drink it here.

Right Now:

A 12yr old Old Pulteney single barrel (bottled by 'The Whisky Agency')... a perfect 50%abv - sweet, salty - superb!

Very Soon:

I just obtained a 21 year-old (1990-2011) Macallan 'Whisky Trail' bottling. One of the better independent bottlings of the sherry matured Macallans, apparently

Tonight after a long hard day.... oh yeah I went there, lol. Glenfiddich 15yr old Solara. :)

Glenlivet 21 Archive. Outstanding whisky. Have a great night, guys.

Last night I made it back to the G&M Mortlach. I even reviewed it but it looks like there have been more than a dozen reviews since, so I doubt anyone saw it.

Though it's "ok", I gave it the lowest mark I've given a bottle since I joined. I think I was expecting a heavy bruiser and some sherry, and I just couldn't taste it....

Old Pulteney 12 yr on a lovely early summer evening.

Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey, Batch N, a newly opened bottle. Wow! What a NOSE!

Crown Royal Reserve with the hockey game. The last time I tasted this, I found it too sweet and almost cloying. This bottle is much more rye forward and is delicious! Quite dramatic batch variation.

Tom of Malt, George Dickel No.12 into OT NY vs LA

@Nozinan - what did your brother-in-law think of the H of Gold?

Buffalo Trace. We like to say, if you've had too much you're "Buffalo Faced!" It's popular in the studio sessions.

@JBeckmann Brora 30. You lucky bastard. That's my favorite.

@paddockjudge

He liked it. This way he doesn't need to open his bottle to find out what it's like.

Willett Family Estate Rye 24 yo barrel 637, Pappy Van Winkle's 20 yo Family Reserve... these two were very easy choices, two of the best whiskies I've ever had. The third is extremely difficult, but I think I'll go with... Ardbeg 10 yo. That's a whisky I have never been disappointed with!

Haha! Woops! Just realized I posted an answer to a different question! I meant to post on @Jules' 'if you only had 3' discussion...

@CanadianNinja - LOL, thought you were drinking Willett Family Estate Rye 24 yo barrel 637 AND Pappy Van Winkle's 20 yo Family Reserve all at once there :-D

I wish @Jules! I do still have a little left in my bottle of 24 yo Willett Rye but this will not last very long I'm sure! This stuff is just so damn good I can't help but go back to it again and again ; )

Uncle over to visit. I decided to offer him the Mortlach G&M. It's probably good to try it in different settings over a short period of time(weeks, not hours). It's decent, but I think it underwhelms for a $100 bottle. But it clouded out more than any other whisky I've seen when my uncle added ice, so clearly not chill filtered.

I think I'll go after something from another open bottle next time...

My Star-Wars-obsessed 10 year old daughter insisted on watching Episode IV (again). To help me through this ordeal, I made a Rusty Nail with Drambuie and a mix of Ballentine's Finest, Aberlour Abunadh Batch 47, Kilchoman Single Cask (for Kensington Wine Market in Calgary) and Douglas Laing Talisker/Craigallachie Double Barrel. It's a very nice mix, though not as good as if I simply had some Johnny Black to mix with the Drambuie. It helps me cope with Luke Skywalker's whining about power converters and C-3PO's passive-agressive narcissism.

Convocation Dram - Lagavulin 16 YO yesterday afternoon. A Gorgeous Northern Ontario spring day - temperature in the high '70's (25C). A moment when the world stood still for new grads and their families. A Happy time when everyone was smiling, hugging, and shaking hands. A celebration for the completion of a successful quest and the launch of a new and unknown journey, Congratulations to all the new nurses and to a new beginning.

Laphroaig PX finally! Got it for only €73,- at Schiphol airport on my way to Naples. The whisky is like the city; a vibrant smoky core, volcanic intensity with lots to explore in the periphery and lots to remember afterwards. There was a decent whiskybar/shop in the Via Trubunali who sold a 2004 Lagavulin 12 CS for €90,- Both the whisky and the city are highly recommended

@paddockjudge

Congrats on your daughter's graduation! You must be a proud dad. My son graduates next week....from SK!

@Nozinan - Proud Dad Indeed! Thank you.

Talisker 10 year old. I think I bought a bottle or two of this back in the 90s, when I was quite young - early 20s. I bought a bottle of Talisker Dark Storm at an airport a few months ago and wanted to try the real thing.

It's more smoke than peat. Better than the Dark Storm - the bottle of which is still waiting for me to complete at my mother in laws house.

@PeatyZealot how is the selection at Schiphol. I'll be flying from Schiphol to Sicily next month and are in doubt wether to buy a bottle at the airport or just bring one with me from home to enjoy.

Also, since Italy was your destination, can you or anyone else tell me something about the availability of single malt in Italy?

Not sure what happened to my previous post...

@paddockjudge - congrats on your daughter's graduation!

Tonight, Tyrconnell 10 year Irish single malt Port finish

Laphroaig 18 year (SMWS 29.146 - "Bright and uplifting")

Bruichladdich Octomore 4.1

Congratulations, @paddockjudge!

@talexander - You'll need a large jug of both Johnny Black and Drambuie if Maggie takes a shine to Harry Potter. Thank you.