So, what are you drinking now?

@Nozinan I do! I wrote a review of it on this site, scoring it an 89.

Scapa 16, after dinner. This one is a keeper in my bar!

Could not help myself, picked up a bottle of the Balcones Texas Single Malt and the Octomore 06.1 Edition before heading into work this afternoon

Open in the cabinet: Whiskey - Rock Hill Farms, Balvenie 12 First Fill, Yamazaki 18 (will be finished next weekend w friends): Rum - El Dorado 21 (ditto for the finish next weekend); Gin - Aviation; Tequila - Don Julio 1942, Voodoo Tiki Anejo; Vodka - Double Cross, Youri Dolgoruki

Few finer moments than sharing a sharp drink w friends...

Talisker 10yo. Cailean Maclean Postcard Edn.The last couple of drams from a sample I stashed a few years ago - It was good then and even better now! The mouth-feel is as smooth as silk; I love this 'drop' and I'm lookiing at the last oz. or so... ;-(

Slainte!

Port Charlotte Heavily Peated 10 YO (46% ABV new release). For $50.00 it's pretty good if you're a peat head

After a long weekend at work - I'm treating myself to a very hearty dram of a newly opened bottle of the Balvenie 15 yr Single Barrel...Cask # 2642...Bottle #150...This is one of the best 15 yr SB I've had - easily a 90's rating - a 'Vanilla Bomb' of flavor!

@JayRain

ENVY!!!!

Given the current issues at Balcones, I don't know if the stuff will be available in the future, but it's not cheap! Nor is the Octomore. So I will sadly probably pass.

US Ryes: Willett 2 yo Family Reserve, 54.05% abv., followed by 14 yo MMIX Old Potrero Hotalings Whiskey, 50% abv., Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey, batch H, 62.05% abv, Old Potrero 18th Century, batch N, 51.2% abv, and, yes, 2012 Release Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, 66.2% abv.

My reflection: the mood for enjoying each style of whisk(e)y is its own animal. The mood for rye is much different from the mood for malt, the mood for blended whisky, the mood for standard (rye) bourbon, the mood for wheated bourbon, the mood for Pot Still, the mood for new make, the mood for Oat Whiskey, etc.

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban followed by Ardbeg 10. Paid the same price for both but the Ardbeg was the clear winner IMHO. Problem is that I have read so many reviews of the Ardbeg that I knew what I was getting into. The nose and palate are so well balanced that you knew upfront exactly what it was going to taste like. Superb.

@Jonesz Quinta Ruban could be my least favourite whisky of all time.

@talexander

I liked the QR when I first tried it. The second time it was after I had tried Amrut Portonova, so it wasn't as stellar.

I tried a Belgian whisky once that has been given ratings of 40-50 here on Connosr. The smell and taste of damp locker room was included for the same price. That was probably the worst whisky of all time for me. JW Red comes a close second. I'd not refuse a QR if it were offered (depending on what else I could get...)

@talexander Quinta Ruban is not even close to my least favourite but I'll likely not replace it. Was going to buy another if I had really liked it but won't. Nozinan, I like you really enjoyed this the first go round but after half the bottle is gone won't have any problem leaving the remains to see what a year in the bottle might do. May decant some to get a comparison during a later tasting,

@Jonesz @Nozinan Personally I have an aversion to finishes, particularly port - I've been disappointed by most port-finished whiskies.

Glengoyne 15

@Nozinan , @talexander, @Jonesz. QR must have rally dropped in quality. I bought a bottle 2 years ago and finished a few months ago. My last tasting of it was pretty good, I thought it was balanced. What's the issue with the current bottling.?

@Benancio @Nozinan @Jonesz No, I'm going by what I tasted a few years ago. Anyway, it's a personal preference, just my subjective opinion. Couldn't stand it. Tried it once, hated it. Tried it again a year or two later, hated it again.

@talexander Everyone has their own tastes and I respect that. We all don't have to like the same things.

I see you like Canadian Rye whiskey, I've most experience drinking Kentucky Rye. Do you have a Canadian Rye that you recommend?

@Benancio Some classic Canadian ryes are Alberta Premium, Masterson's 10 Year Old Rye, Lot 40 and Wiser's Legacy. Of course, Canadian rye is of a very different style - and recipe - than American rye. Canadian rye doesn't have to have a majority of rye whisky in its makeup, though both Alberta Premium and Masterson's are 100% rye whisky.

I just had a wee dram of A'bunadh batch 47. Experimenting with added water to lure out some additional good flavors from this very potent whisky

@Alexsweden It takes water exceedingly well. Lovely!

After a weekend were my son qualified himself (with his team) for The Canada Games as the Quebec Team, I indulge myself with a nice Bowmore Laimrig. I will have to visit this bottle more often as it changes rapidly... So, here I go again tonight for another dram.

@Victor Is the Willett 2 yo Family Reserve easier to get than the others? I read your review of it and was intrigued by it.

@Robert99, we still have quite a good supply of the new Willett Family Estate 2 yo rye locally. This is a batch product, and not a private single barrel product, as the previous private sourced individually matured Willett Family Estate bottles were. It remains to be seen how frequently new batches of Willett distilled products will come to market. It also remains to be seen whether we will see a 3 yo from the new distillery next year, a 4 yo the year after that, etc.

So, as of right now, the new Willett 2 yo rye is much easier to get than 'the others' mentioned above. Whether that will last very long, or be soon restocked, is not yet known.

@Victor, Thanks for the answer. I look forward to put my hand on that one or any other Willett whiskey.

Aberlour 18. Outstanding whisky.

@talexander It looks like I can get all but the Alberta Premium. I found JP Wiser's Blended Canadian Rye will have to dig a little deeper to find Wiser's Legacy Rye. I'll pick a few up, thx.

@Benancio Interestingly, Wiser's Rye is not available in Canada; and Wiser's Legacy might not be available outside of Canada (I could be wrong though). Go figure...

Wiser's Legacy is (currently) available in Michigan, Illinois, and New Jersey. And while their website does not show it available, I noticed it on the shelf in the Dallas Texas area two months ago (Total Wine and More, or possibly Spec's).

@cherylnifer Total Wine in Albuquerque has JP Wiser's Blended Canadian Rye but not Wiser's Legacy. I'm going to ask if they can bring it in.

Still experimenting with water in the A'Bunadh. Added about three teaspoons and that really got the spicy notes going. Cinnamon and alot of cloves

Glenlivet 18. Good stuff, but I like the 15 and 21 much more. Still a nice whisky.