So, what are you drinking now?

Cracked open the Corryvreckan to bring in Xmas w some friends - pleased w the choice. Definitely the type o introduce someone to the peat side of whiskey.

We also touched into the Evolution - much different than prior 40 Creek's (strong taste of plum, no?). Prefer the Double Barrel Reserve and Heart of Gold at first blush

Finished off w a 21 Year Old Napoleon Courvoisier - nice sweet finish to the eve

@A'bunadhman: Wild Turkey Rare Breed New Version @ 56.4% ABV. Bottle Code LL/CH120928 etch to base just above the ridge...Delicious!

Cheers and Good Luck!

Question is....what am I NOT drinking??? Talisker 18, Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength, Glenlivet XXV, Farclas 21, Courvoisier XO, beer, beer, and more beer. My throat is numb! Merry XMas!

@StevieC

So you had everything possible except what you listed? No surprise your throat is numb.

Cheers!

Lark Special edn. Para Port Cask Whisky. How I wish this was a 700ml. or even a litre, alas it is not! An Xmas Gift of perhaps one of the great Whiskies and as good as I've ever tasted. Thank you Santa!

finished a review of OP 21, now cleansing my palate with a tiny measure of Bladnoch 11 YO Sherry matured at 55%. With a few drops of water it releases the taste and smell of rich milk chocolate.

As it is the holiday season, more open bottles than normal. Current cycle is Laphroaig 18, Balcones Texas Single Malt, Jefferson's Reserve - Very Old Batch #152, Forty Creek - Evolution, Highwood Ninety 20 and Ardbeg Corryvreckan.

Still undecided on the Evolution and not loving the Balcones (will cut more water in the next time around ) but appreciating the rest very much so.

Glen Moray 12yo. @ 40% ABV. Not a bot. I would personally choose but a gift and actually not too bad! Medium weight, Honeyed nose and palate with balance, spicy flavour, long oaked finish that persists and dries slowly. This is one of many Whiskies that I have 'stricken' of since being presented at 40% ABV. It is an ideal 'drop' to have as a prelude to a weightier, more engaging Whisky but at 46%, this could have been a rather good medium weight Whisky, at 40%, it is OK. but a little light: It improves slightly with one drop of distilled water, which is a surprise.

Cheers.

Alberta Premium 30 yo, Alberta Premium Dark Horse, and Aberfeldy 12. Watching a lot of American football today. Thank you, Kansas City, for knocking out San Diego.

@Victor, There aren't too many things better than drinking great whiskey while watching your team win. That must be the recipe of success for sports bars. Go team!

Yesterday it was A'bunadh batch 46 and Glenfarclas 105 but today, at a family reunion, I went for Redbreast 12 because I knew that I would have better chance to have them like it (none of them are in whisky) and indeed they did!

@Robert99

Good Call!

Out of curiousity, as I've never tasted the A'Bunadh and 105 side by side....what was your impression?

@Nozinan Yesterday, I was comparing Glenfarclas 105 to A'bunadh Batch 46 and OMG the 46 is so much richer and spicier, nobody should be allowed to compare it, it is not fair to the 105 which is not bad in itself. This is not a H2H but a H2T the T standing for toes as it is a knock out!

I will not write a review of those together but I intend to write a H2H of Farclas 15 yo and 105 as I have both opened and as I found the two profiles similar more than the 15 and 17.

@whiskyJoe and I split three samples that had been kindly provided to me by @Victor and his sister this past summer. Nikka Coffey Grain @ 45% abv, Brenne Single Malt Whisky (finished in Cognac casks) @ 40%, and Clear Creek Douglas Fir (this is not a typo) Eau de Vie @ 47.73%.

The Brenne is an incredible dessert whisky! What I had found to be pure creme brulee in a bottle during the summer had morphed into a great strawberry/vanilla cream shortcake aroma and taste. Some may well find it too sweet as the whisky does get lost. I would say that the whisky serves as the platter that serves up these wonderful dessert notes. The nose is so true to the palate that I would buy a bottle just to nose it. Awesome stuff!

The Douglas Fir is one of those whiskies that you need to experience, just to say that you have tried it. What a trip! WhiskyJoe described it as Sambuca crossed with a mint julep. Very apt as we picked up a strong black licorice note on the nose and the end of the palate. Initially a very floral element that was mixed into the pine notes.

Macallan 10 yr Fine Oak.

Last night The Laddie 10 and Ardmore Traditional Cask.

Elijah Craig 12yo, can't believe it took me this long to try it. Enormous bang for the buck. This might be a cabinet staple.

@yalc Liking your Popcorn Sutton pic.

@maltygirl Thanks! I love me some Ardmore also, just picked up a new bottle.

Masterson's - Masterful. Batch No.3, 90 pf Straight Rye (100)% - floral notes, Christmas cake, cedar plank. maple syrup - it all translates to the palate followed by a smooth, dusty finish with a pinch of white pepper and lingering orange pith. Alberta Distiller's Limited certainly makes more than its fair share of world class rye releases.

Lark Special edn. Para Port Cask Whisky, along with one square of Pana Organic Dark Chocolate (rather expensive but delectable); a lovely combination, and reading Michael Connelly's latest "The Burning Room"

All from Santa! How good is that?

Slainte!

News Year's Eve et-together. 2 veterans and 2 noobs. We all drank the same stuff.

Started with Glenlivet 12 in order to welcome them to the club. Then we moved to Glenrothes 1998 (I was looking for a low ABV bottle).

After this we tried Amrut CS which was a flavour explosion. Then Aberlour A'Bunadh batch 45.

Last one: I cracked my new 1 L Quarter cask. The noobs were not impressed (though 1 liked the taste), and the 2 vets were suitably impressed.

The wife broke her ankle 2 days ago so I'm home for NYE. Started off with Springbank 10, then Oban 14 and to finish off the night I'm going with Ardbeg 10.

And Happy New Year everyone!

Had a couple of friends over and throughout the evening we finished the Jefferson's Reserve, touched a bit of the Highwood Ninety Twenty and took in the New Year w the Balvenie 21 Portwood

Happy New Year to all...

@A'bunadhman Will you write a review of this Lark. A year ago I was curious about this distillery then I realise I will probably never get the opportunity to taste it, but just in case it will become available one day in Canada.

While writing this I am finishing my bottle of Benriach Heredotus Fumosus before the air gets the best of it. I hope To replace it but God knows when...

@JayRain Forgot the Dalwhinnie Distiller's Edition - nicer than I expected+

@Malt-Nuisance Hope the misses is doing alright...Happy new Year!

Last night, celebrating New Year's Eve with my wife's family;

22 year Bunnahabhain (Exclusive Casks Bottling) Distilled Dec. 10th 1990 from an ex-bourbon hogshead. Sweet, with an oily mouthfeel. Reminds me of waxed candy. Great way to start the night.

Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey (While I've tried other product from Husdon that I really liked, this was my least favorite whisky of the night. Not bad, but there are other rye whisky that I like better.)

Westland Distillery (Seattle, WA) Single Cask Release - Cask No. 281. Uses a 5 grain mash bill combination (Washington State Select Pale Malt, Munich Malt, Extra Special Malt, Pale Chocolate Malt and Brown Malt), with an initial maturation of 7 months in a #3 Char New American Oak cask, the final 24 months is spent in a 1st-fill Olorosso Barrel. This distillery is making some really nice whisky.

15 year Springbank (SMWS 27.104) "Cowboy's Delight" from a refill ex-Sherry gorda cask. Distilled May 31st, 1998. Absolutely superb!

17 year Caol Ila (SMWS 53.194) "A Calmac ferry dram" from a refill butt. Distilled August 29th, 1995. A classic example of this distillery. Wonderful dram.

Finished the night with a 9 year Bruichladdich Port Charlotte (SMWS 127.34) “Flying saucers and octopus balls” from a refill ex-bourbon barrel. Distilled August 20th, 2003. A big, bold dram to ring in the new year.

Happy New Year to all of you and your families!

We had a great New Years Party last night.

Lagavulin 12y, Laphroaig 10CS, Oban 18y, Springbank 12CS, Old Pulteny 17y, Ardbeg Corry, Tomatin 15y Tempranillo Cast. EH Taylor, Stagg, Elmer T Lee.

The wife made a perfect Prime Rib, twice baked potato, asparagus. Hot buttered Rum was served with desert.

Great Friends.