So, what are you drinking now?

Finishing off my Talisker Storm this Sunday afternoon listening to music and reading a book. In my opinion not as good as the ten yr but decent enough. There however will not be a replacement of this bottle in the near future.

Macallan Cask Strength, N. American release. I should have bought 4 more of these 3 years ago at $ 60 each.

@Victor, Lottery for N. American Macallan Cask Strength - just forward your application to: Paddockjudge and Associates:)

Yesterday I opened my latest addition, the Ardbeg Uigeadail. What a trip it was, my first really heavily peated whisky. I'll be having a couple more tastings before I might consider writing my first review. I find it safe to say that I'm very happy with the purchase though.

@paddockjudge yes, I hear you were able to get a few of these at an astounding price recently.... what's your secret?

@Alexsweden, when you review your bottle of Uigeadail, please be sure to include the batch information...the little faint white letters on the back, beginning with L ..... (e.g. L 14 028 0857 6ML)

We've come a long way in this club in identifying just how individual and distinct the batches are of the highly peated (and other) whiskies. Many of us will want to know WHICH BATCH of Ardbeg Uigeadail you are reviewing.

N.B. @Nock's growing library of Uigeadail and other Ardbeg reviews, BY BATCH NUMBER.

@Victor and @Nock I just got a bottle of Ardbeg Corryvreckan with the code L13 324 08:10 6ML. How is this code read?
What is the leading "L" and the ending "6ML"? Is the rest, year, day of year, time, ?

;10 ML

@Benancio, L 13 = 2013; 324 = 324th day of the year, whatever that is; 08:10 = time of day. Don't know about 6 ML. This is the bottling date information.

@Nozinan, A complicit network of global operatives so very protective of its identity that revealing any information about it could bring immeasurable harm to those who learn of it......that's who obtained the Macallan Cask Strength on my behalf....the same group that go some for you;)

@paddockjudge You do enjoy your hobby don't you! Wish I could afford to deal with the "operatives" with whom you associate. Sounds like fun. Jonesz

@Jonesz, it is a lot of fun. The kids have been running barefooted lately and I've heard grumblings about the bologna salad and klik-ka-bobs.

@Jonesz

If you got Macallan CS for the steal price that @paddockjudge got it for, you'd be able to afford to deal with those "operatives" too.

Pleasure doing business with....oops!

@Nozinan I hear Ya! Maybe I can look forward to another sample of Mac CS coming west, Just sayin.

That's relative...seen iOS8

@Jonesz

The irony, of course that restive to the source of the Mac CS, you're to the EAST..

Darn! I meant to say "darn iOS 8". It keeps changing my words"

Masterson's Rye Batch No.3 followed by CC 100% rye. The char is accentuated in CC 100R when it follows the Masterson's...both delicious!

Just had some Glencadam 10 and 21 side by side. In my book they beat out the rest of the range, including the popular 15 yo. Great distillery overall though. And while we're on it, those of you in the States might be interested in this:

thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/10/…

For a change of pace and palate Flor de Cana 12 year old Nicaragua rum. Decadent!

Cracked open a new bottle of Talisker 10 yr that's been sitting in my closet for the past 10 months.

Small dram of Scapa 16 this eve, very enjoyable listening to music helping me unwind tonight.

@Jonesz

I first tasted Flor de Caña in Nicaragua, where I tried the 5 year old. I brought home 3 mini bottles of the 7 year old. One I gave to a nurse I worked with and it produced a lasting friendship. She was a medic in the army before coming here. She had to interrupt her medical studies when the contras started their rebellion.

It's bottled at 35% in Nicaragua but the expressions here are at 40%.

At my wedding we had guests who had been with me in Nicaragua so we arranged for a bottle to be available at the bar.

There was a sale at the LCBO on the 12 year old 3 or 4 years ago and I bought 2. One I gave to her as a goodbye gift when I left the hospital. The other is waiting to be opened.

How does it compare to younger expressions?

NZ Double Wood !0. A blend of 10 to 13 yr-old whisky matured 4 years in ex-bourbon barrels and ten at least 6 years in barrels that held NZ Pinot Noir - 70 % single malt and 30 % grain. This whisky keeps getting better in the open bottle. Two years after opening, I am now scrambling to find a couple more.

@Nozinan Good tale! I am not a rum expert so can't help you re the younger expressions. Prior to this my favorite sipper has been El Dorado 12. The Flor de Caña 12 is slightly better in my opinion. A bit mellower with no rough edges,rich,relatively sweet with that "muscovado nose". The 12 is less than $34 here and great value. I do see that we also have an 18 year old for just under $50. Going to try that one next as a treat for a rum drinking friend that I can't seem to switch over to scotch yet. I had first tried the Flor de Caña 12 at his place. Also thanx for correcting my spelling, made me search out how to type spanish accented letters-who knew?

Ardbeg Still Young, 56.2% abv, a sample from @Nock. I'd love to review this whisky, but this bottle has been open for 6 years now...way too long to trust to do a review. It still smells and tastes good, though.

@MaltActivist, I hope that you've got a fresher sample put away for me for when you and I taste together some day.

Five hours later, I just had a commercial tasting with regional rep for Castle Brands. I had some Jefferson's and Jefferson's Reserve. He gave me some information I haven't seen elsewhere. He told me that current standard Jefferson's is "3 to 6 years old" and that current Jefferson's Reserve is "9 to 12 years old". So, by customary age statement criteria, Jefferson's is a 3 yo and Jefferson's Reserve is a 9 yo. He was a little vague when I asked him at which distillery(ies) each was made. He seemed to be saying that Castle Brands sources and blends bourbon from at least 2 distilleries, and that MGP/LDI in Indiana is one of them. Just about 3 or 4 years ago Jefferson's Reserve was a 15 year age statement bourbon.

@Victor LDI is doing a pretty good job. My liquor guy cut me a deal, $14, so I bought two. I like it, pleasant bourbon. I'm betting a 15yJefferson's must have been pretty dang good.

@Paddockjudge I hope you are right about NZ Double Wood. I opened a bottle a month ago and I still don't know what to do of it. It is really weird and the f'avors are not integrated, so I do hope it will improved. It is even more important to me since I have a second unopened bottle. I guess time will tell me what to do.

@Robert99, That second bottle will come in handy if you take a liking to the NZ Double Wood; and if you don't, I'll trade you for your back-up bottle;)

Poker and whisk(e)y night with my wife's family; started off with Macallan Fine Oak 10, followed by Bruichladdich X4+3 Quadruple distilled 3 year old, then Tyrconnell 10 year old Single malt Irish whiskey finished in Madeira casks. Next, 15 year Springbank (SMWS 27.104 - "Cowboy's Delight") from a refill gorda, ex-Sherry cask and finished the night with an 18 year Laphroaig (SMWS 29.146 - "Bright and uplifting").