So, what are you drinking now?

The standard Aberlour 12 yr...IMHO it's a great intro into sherry cask matured single malt whiskys.

@FMichael

I'll raise you 17% of ABV (unless you have the 40% in which case I'll go higher) with A'Bunadh batch 36. Not my favourite batch, but something to help me push through the writer's block for a presentation I'm doing Thursday..... At least I was able to paraphrase the leader of a major political party....not bad for a talk on palliative medicine .....

Alternating between Ballantine's Finest and Maker's Mark (both on the rocks in this humid weather) while cooling off to Chaplin's The Gold Rush.

Macallan Sherried Flight of 12 YO, Cask Strength, and 18 YO. It is my good fortune to have all three available at one time. I don't foresee this occurring again, so I am making the most of it.

Tyrconnell single malt 10 year old Irish Whiskey Port finish - an easy drinking dram that I really enjoy. Great quality / value for the cost.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan (batch L13 240) - I normally prefer my Whisky without water, but this one opens up nicely with a few drops.

Glenfarclas 15yo. 46% and it is lovely! It did open a little subdued, mild mannered, if you like but by the bottom of the first glass, it is singing my kind of song in perfect pitch. 3 drops of rain in 2oz. I have had 15's that were more sherried, more boisterous and with a little more aroma but I have seen none better than this bottling for flavour, balance and persistence!

Slainte!!

Having some of the recently acquired Chivas Royal Salute 21 Years Old World Polo Limited Edition.

Lovely bouquet and has a very subtle palate with the oak prominent but not dominant. Very smooth delivery with a warming glow down the throat.

Finish is rather short but does have a lingering nuance that does compensate. Increased profile integration and complexity with time in glass - an essay in balance, complexity and subtlety. Certainly not one for the lovers of the stronger and bolder styles of whisky.

A good blended malt for the discounted price but I would struggle to pay full price for it, which is nearly double where I am at.

@sengjc I've never tried that one, but I have had the standard Royal Salute 21 (an older bottling from the '80s). One of my favourites, a stunning whisky.

Working on a bit of Laddie 10. It's my first bottle, open for about two months now. Still in the process of getting to know it, though. I like it, but it's not 'approachable' in the traditional sense. Very interesting stuff.

@hunggar Yeah - I know what ya mean...I really like the Laddie 10 yr...It has what I think is a malty-rich cheese-vanilla flavor...Unique whisky indeed!

Having a Audny Norwegian Single Malt, a single cask 2012 by Agder Brenneri. It's the first Norwegian single malt, matured in an old sherry cask for three years. I don't have that much experience with young whiskies at all, but I'm impressed by the sherry influence for its age, both on the nose and taste. There's also the faintest hint of smoke on the nose, but I can't quite describe it.

Not a bad first attempt!

JW Gold on ice. Nice.

@FMichael, definitely very malty. I'll have to look for that cheese flavour though. Certainly one of the more unique 10 yr olds I've had.

@Onibubba, are we talking 18 yr old or reserve? Big difference between those two...

The thread concerning the use of American White Oak barrels that aged sherry prompted me to dive into a hearty dram of the HP 15 yr.

@hunggar When I say 'rich cheese' - I had to reflect what I really meant...

Long story short - I'm thinking of a plain homemade cheesecake...Not the crust mind you, nor any toppings, but the actual sweetened cheese filling, or center mass...Rich, hearty, filling, and very pleasing is how I'd describe it (and the Laddie 10 yr as well).

@talexander

Nice. You should give this a go if you have the chance.

@talexander

BTW, this is currently cheaper than the standard Royal Salute where I am at, makes sense to get this instead. ;)

@sengjc Interesting - if I get the chance, I definitely will!

My first dram ever of Macallan Cask Strength...thanks @paddockjudge for the bottle trade!

This will not be my last dram of it.

Nikka Coffey Grain. A pleasant surprise.

Compass Box The Peat Monster Reserve, 48.9%. This monstrously huge 1.75 L bottle certainly lasts a very long time. I especially like the peaty/smokey nose here. Kind of a slow burn on the tongue follows, as though you have live coals of charcoal in your mouth. This John Glaser special has plenty of Clynelish in it, as do many of his concoctions.

For an unconventional follow-up, and out of curiosity, I am now having some Rebel (Yell) Reserve 45.3% Bourbon. This is one of the few wheated bourbons. Tonight this long-opened bottle tastes quite good, maybe the best it has ever tasted. Riches manifest in many disparate varieties.

@Victor I have a bottle of the 10th Anniversary Park Avenue Liquor Shop exclusive (54.7%) but haven't opened it yet. I would love to do a 3 bottle side-by-side comparison between this, the 48.9% 10th Ann. and the standard Peat Monster...maybe one day!

@talexander, that will be a fun three-way comparison. My remaining 1.25 L of Peat Monster Reserve will probably last me another year or two. The huge tall bottle is a show in itself.

Mr. Murray was very lukewarm on some earlier batches of standard Peat Monster. So was I. I have tried a more recent more robust version though, and I am interested to see what a very recent batch tastes like. And, of course, a 54.7% abv bottling sounds like a lot of fun. That Park Avenue Liquor Shop exclusive sounds like a very small vatting.

@Victor Very small indeed - something like only 300 bottles were produced.

@Victor I just purchased a bottle of Rebel Reserve for $14 at Woodman's (not expecting anything great but thinking it might qualify as a good deal). Should I decant into a 200 ml bottle and leave the rest to improve with opened-bottle aging?

@plattvillepeat, I had some very good standard Rebel Yell 6 years ago, but then the bottle I later bought, about 5 years ago, was one of the weakest bourbons I've ever had. My bottle of Rebel Reserve, now open at least 4 years, was always better than the standard Rebel Yell (including being a little older and at a little higher ABV), but it was always on the subtle and understated side. See what you think of your new bottle. This one is more for mellow moods and subtle flavours. It has always been smooth, and fine if you are in the minimalist mood. For most moods, though, it is awfully light. Truly, this latest dram of it surprised me by how good it was...up there with the really good wheated bourbons like Van Winkle and the better Wellers. But you aren't likely to want to wait 4 years to get it this way.

That said, experimenting is both fun and educational.

after a long, enjoyable day (including a 100+ km bike ride this morning), i'm sitting down to a healthy pour of four roses yellow label - on the rocks..... refreshing!

Compass Box Spice Tree, and it is superb!

Ardbeg Uigeadail

Manhattan made with George Dickel Rye while watching Orphan Black, with a dinner of Italian sausage, spinach, tomato and feta.