So, what are you drinking now?

@Victor Impressive lineup! Im a little jealous XD.

Talisker 18 with homemade Spanish slice cake! Life does not get any better than this.

Just got home from a day trip to Chicago with the family.

On the way home I stopped off at the Binny's in Highland Park to pick up a few Ancnoc Peter Arkle editions #2, and #4.

Few Spirits Rye 46.5%, WhistlePig Rye 11 yo 55.5%, Redemption Rye 10 yo 60.5%. The Redemption Rye really surprised and impressed me. It was SO much better than their young rye, and the alcohol was all but imperceptible. I don't know anyone who sells the 60.5% version by the bottle, though.

after a long day on my bike, and a wee bit of world cup action, i'm sitting down to a dram of smws 26.89 - "An exotic tearoom experience". a 27y/o clynelish from a refill sherry cask, life is good....

Last night we did some tastings at a local store. Highland Park 30, Highland Park Freya, Glenmorangie Campanta, Kavalan Solist Fino, Balblair 1990, Balblair 1997, Glendronach 16 Platinum, and Frapin XO cognac. I enjoyed them all, but the two HPs were definitely the standouts.

WATER... last night I enjoyed a session with a very interesting selection of whisky styles - some incredible expressions and some shelf-fillers. A most entertaining and enjoyable event with @talexander and his (new-to-whisky) brother.

• SINGLE MALT
• Macallan 12 YO, 40% abv
• Macallan 18 YO, 43% abv
• Macallan Cask Strength, 60.1% abv

-BOURBON
- Four Roses 125th Cask Strength, 51.6% abv - Jefferson's Reserve, 45.1% abv - Smooth Ambler Yearling 2 YO, 46% abv - Forester's Signature, 50% abv

-CANADIAN
- Danfield's 10 YO, 40% abv
- Danfield's 21 YO, 40% abv - Highwood 25 YO Calgary Stampede 100th Anniversary Ltd. Edition, 40% abv
- Alberta Premium 100% Rye 30 YO, 40% abv - Alberta Premium 100% Rye 25 YO, 40% abv - Collingwood (standard) 40% abv - Collingwood 21 YO, 100% Malted Rye, 40% abv

Tonight as I unwind from family fun and visit it is Bowmore Legend, just trying to finish the bottle to get it out of my cabinet. (:

Ardbeg Corryvreckan L10 168!

@paddockjudge, did you make the 4 hr drive?

Today I just did a tasting with my next door neighbor:

Auchentoshan Valinch 2011 57.5%, Van Winkle 12 yo 45.2%, TryBox Corn unaged 62.5%, Evan Williams Single Barrel 2001 43.3%, Rittenhouse Rye 40%, Black and White Blended Scotch 40%, and Ardbeg Uigeadail L11 028 54.2%.

@Victor - Not this time and 5 hours. Maggie must have orchestrated some ice-cream stops along the way. That is a nice line-up you offered. How was the new make?...you know how fond I am of that stuff.

A disappointing dram of glenfiddich 12. Sigh, have I become a snob to expect more? Cake was great however!

@paddockjudge, I like the TryBox Corn (which is unaged Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon) because even though there is some rye content, the corn is very clearly tastable. As unaged spirit goes, it is rather tasty.

@paddockjudge, something struck me when reading your list of whiskies (a great list by the way!)... What the heck do Canadian distillers have against bottling stronger than 40% !?

@CanadianNinja - Low abv condition due to taxation/profit maximization...37 million Canadians can't possibly drink all that whisky. The Canadian producers rely on international markets...apparently Free Trade Agreements will eliminate protectionism (wink, wink). It's always about the money. 40% abv = fatter bottom line for producers...or in some cases, allows them to keep their doors open.

5,000 replies!

Ballentine's 17 yo.

Typo: Ballantine's 17. World Whisky of the Year a couple years back. I actually asked this question as a test when I first signed up. I never thought it'd run to 5,000 replies. Apparently we like whisky and telling others just what we are trying. I hope the new Connosr allows this question to live on somehow.

Let's have another round. Cheers!

What you say is quite true @paddockjudge. It's too bad though, once again the importance placed on the bottom line leads to, in my opinion, an inferior product. Just think of how much better so many Canadian expressions could be if bottled at higher ABV...

@Wodha - They are such sweet words! - So, what are you drinking now?

@Wodha Congratulations on being 5000 for your own question.

Tonight I introduced my niece t some recent history, Bruichladdich "the Laddie classic" . Wish I had a sealed spare tucked away. This is good stuff. I know it can still be found in Calgary. I opened it in March 2011 at my whisky club's second meeting. Seems well-preserved. It's not something I go to often but it seemed like the next appropriate step for her from what we have open.

Now I have to prepare an entire new 1 hour presentation for Thursday. I'll need the rest of this dram to fortify me...

@CanadianNinja - There is hope! Wiser's Legacy 45% is absolutely brilliant as is Wiser's Red Letter 45%. Forty Creek Port Wood 45% 2012 Limited Release WAS stunning. Forty Creek Heart of Gold 43% WAS delicious. Highwood Ninety 20 YO 45% is real lip-smacker...I've left out a few.

Masterson's Rye 45%, Whistle Pig 10 YO 50%, 11 YO 55%, and 12 YO 6?%...all Canadian whisky bottled in the U.S....there are more

Finishing off my bottle of Talisker 1999 Distiller's Edition tonight. It was down to a couple of drams, and I haven't sampled it since late last year when I gassed it. Maybe it's because I haven't been drinking much lately, or maybe it's one of those that benefits from bottle time, but it tastes exceptionally rich and delicious tonight. I'm even willing to forgive the caramel coloring and chill filtration--even if such things shouldn't be forgiven, especially for a DE.

@paddockjudge you're making me thirsty my friend! ; )

@paddockjudge, it was an amazing tasting, thank you so much! And my brother was talking about bourbon the following day, so we made an impression on him! To you comments re: Canadian whisky at 40% ABV, I don't think it is only about profit and taxation; I think Canadian whisky has always been of a light, approachable and mixable style that lends itself to 40%. Having said that, the conservatism of Canadian distillers has taken that a little too far, and we need more variety.

@talexander - very true, many factors contribute to the lower abv realm of Canadian whisky.

Celebrated 51 years of marriage with my parents today (them, not me). So we toasted with L'Acadie Vinyards Prestige Brut sparkling wine. Not whisky, but delicious, and very bubbly.

Interesting point @talexander!

Congratulations to your parents @Nozinan!

@Nozinan, A very special occasion indeed!

Johnnie Walker Green Label. Lucky Taiwan.