So, what are you drinking now?

@Nozinan, it's just that I limit my whisky spending to "extra money"—like if I sell something, or I get a cash gift, or whatever. That's the whisky piggy bank I refer to. So don't worry: I'm not overstretching myself to buy whisky. :)

That said, I'll take your comment in the spirit of "why buy that Octomore if you already have a PC7 in the vault?" Fair point, I think.

And you know, if you keep being so generous with your invitations to Toronto, one of these days a swarm of malt-hungry Connosr buddies are going to descend onto your house and clean you out! I hope to be among them.

@OlJas

Bring it on....my wife complains I buy more than I drink....

peated Bunnahabhain again, I'm growing more and more fond of this. Such nice roasted nuts and chocolate notes, yummie

Had a couple of friends over and went through the following:

1) Laphroaig 18 2) Balcones Texas SIngle Malt - with water and Sriracha Bitters, this actually came across quite nice 3) Old Weller 12 - beautiful finish and one that is far superior to the nose and even the initial taste

Tonight a friend invited several people over to watch the football playoffs and share some of his amazing whisky collection.

Started with a 27 year Longmorn (SMWS 7.22) Distilled Aug 1976, Bottled Oct 2003

Arran "The Devil's Punch Bowl" - The Fiendish Finale (The third in the trilogy)

29 year Glen Moray (SMWS 35.101) Distilled Feb. 19th, 1974

25 year Brora (SMWS 61.14) Distilled Feb. 1977 Bottled Oct. 2002

23 year Caperdonich (SMWS 38.12) Distilled Nov. 1979 Bottled Mar. 2003

15 year Bowmore (SMWS 3.94) Distilled May 1989 Bottled Sep. 2004

All bottles were opened for tonight's tasting and they were all absolutely amazing. What a special treat.

After I got home, finished the night with a 29 year Glenrothes (SMWS 30.61) Distilled July 1980

@Robert99 I must have missed your beer recommendation earlier. Thanks a bunch, this sounds very interesting and I do love barley wines.

Had a sip of Talisker 10YO out of a 20cl bottle the other day. First thing that hit me was that I remembered a completely different taste profile than what this bottle had, which is kind of strange, since I had it a couple of months a go. Perhaps my previous drinks of the evening had something to do with it.

Van Winkle 10 yo, 107. The start...for this long afternoon of US football playoffs, Van Winkle is its own little world, sort of a dessert buffet world, which doesn't follow other whiskies well, even if it is the dessert. Van Winkle has to be the first.

To follow? Cutty Sark Prohibition 50% abv blended Scotch. God I like blended Scotch so much better at 50% abv. I tell you all again, bluntly: what you don't like about blended Scotch (other than 40% abv) is the taste of wheat.

Third: William Larue Weller, 2011, 66.75% abv. My God, how thick, lush, and rich. Even though a little bit of WLW goes a very long way, you can't have too much William Larue Weller in your cabinet.

@bwmccoy

That reads amazing - cheer's to your friends good nature and generosity...

@JayRain, @bwmccoy has absolutely the best pour list (of Scotch) on Connosr.

A small sip of Laphroaig Quarter Cask.

Happy 200th Birthday, Sir John A. - the 1st Prime Minister of Canada - he was known to tip a glass in his day.

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Having CC20 YO, Wiser's Legacy, and Pike Creek 10 YO Port Finish.

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These current iterations are direct descendents of active distilleries from Sir John A. MAcDonald's time. Walker's, Wiser's, and Gooderham & Worts...all three are now produced under one roof in Windsor (Walkerville), Ontario.

Despite the harsh criticism of MacDonald's drinking, he was a pioneer of Canadian politics, becoming a father of Confederation and a strong advocate and champion for women's rights.

Watching The Golden Globes with my 10-year-old daughter Maggie - had a Jack Daniel's Master Distiller #1 while making roast chicken and potatoes, now Kilbeggan 18 Year Old with my meal.

Pour List Champ is @bwmccoy, without a doubt. Left Coast swagger, in a good way.

Moved on to Wiser's Legacy. Very happy that three of our films have won Golden Globes so far tonight!

Booker's

@talexander

where can you go from there?

@Nozinan It's over soon - and it was a big pour - so no more after this or it's going to be a very rough Monday! Especially since, with the Oscar noms on Jan 15, there's gonna be bloodshed fighting for more theatres for Foxcatcher, Whiplash and even Boyhood.

@talexander,, I've got you covered buddy, with a large pour of Macallan Cask Strength from Houston, TX.The next bottle will be from Calgary, AB, courtesy of @Nozinan. It seems to me those cowboys get all the good whisky...if they live in an oil town.

@paddockjudge Thanks! Drink to our six wins - 3 for Boyhood and one each for Still Alice, Leviathan and Whiplash!!!

WhistlePig 10 yo Straight Rye, first. First rate Canadian fare deceptively marketed for a long time as US product. Pity it is relatively expensive,...so WhistlePig is quality whisk(e)y, but not very good value for money.

Second, Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey, Batch N. Outstanding pungent nose, this batch N. @Nock, have you opened your bottle of Batch N yet? Fantastic nose, excellent palate. This rates up there with Batch J, and has an even better nose. Oh no! I'm down below half a bottle.

JD Single barrel, a very nice nose but it was quite weak on the palate and the finish. I got it at a bar so who knows how long the bottle is open? I remember this to be better than it was but yeah, in a bar :p

@JayRain What did you think of the Laphroaig 18?

@Victor Yes! I have been very busy of late, but still have managed to open Old Potrero Batch N, PHC Wheat Whiskey 13yo, Sazerac 18yo (2014) for New Years Eve, and the Handy (2014) for New Years Day. Obviously, I have been on a bit of a Rye kick of late. The Batch N has been open for a few weeks now, and drinking a small dram last night it seems to be improving. What I was shocked by was how fantastic the Sazerac 18yo nose is . . . easily one of the top 10 noses I have had the privilege to own.

Tonight I have been sipping a beer watching the College Football National Championship. Now that it is over, it might be time to switch over to a rye.

Hey, @Nock,...regarding your new bottle of Sazerac 18 yo Rye, yes, whiskies at a mere 45% abv are not always terrible. I tried to tell you.

Glengoyne 12yo. @ 43%: Not a Whisky I would choose but a gift and quite good; balanced, fragrant and delicious with a persistent Sherry / Oaky finish that 'hits the spot'. Of the current expressions the Cask #1 is the only other Glengoyne I've seen - It was very good, indeed. Despite the 43%, the 12yo. is very good in both quality and value. What a wonderful introduction to the world of Whisky this Glengoyne would make!

Cheers!

@JayRain - Thanks! Yes, this friend is one of the nicest, most generous people I have ever met. This was the first time that I've been to his house. I knew he had a nice collection, but didn't realize to what degree. I took along a couple of Society bottles from my cabinet to share, but they weren't anywhere as special as what I was offered. Next time, I will pick something a little more appropriate for the occasion.

@Victor and @paddockjudge - Thanks. You both are too kind. However, I think you both have had some epic pour lists as well. I feel very fortunate that through the years, thanks to some amazing friends that I've met through Connosr and the Whisky Society, I've had several opportunities to sample some amazing whisky. I hope one day that I will have the opportunity to share a dram with each of you.

Enough dry wood to stoke a fire - enjoying Alberta Premium 30 YO and Delord Bas-Armagnac 1981, 33 YO. Listening to Joe Bonamassa, "Blues DeLuxe".

@PeatyZealot As I finish off the bottle w a delicious Wild Boar from Sanagan's Meat Locker, the balance strikes me again and again (in fairness, much more so after the bottle being open for six months). Complexity is a word that is often over-used but the movement from sweet to peat in one mouthful is a lovely sensation.

Anytime I am in Europe, a bottle will be coming home with me

Has anyone tried Lismore or Lismore 15yo? Not much info. available other than some say it's an uneventful but not bad Speyside and could be Glenrothe cast offs. Didn't want to start a new discussion just for this question thus the reason I posted in this thread.

@maltygirl I tired the Lismore 15yo that a friend brought over one night . . . it didn’t make an impression on me. I think you hit the nail on the head – not bad, but uneventful.

@Victor, I never doubted you . . . but it has been hard to take a chance on a 45% bottle from the BTAC when you have bottle proof options (GTS, WLW, and THH). Lets face it, you take what you can get your hands on with the BTAC. So I am very happy to finally get my hands on a Sazerac 18yo. And it really has impressed me beyond what I expected!

Tonight started off with Talisker 25yo (2005 release) and moved on to Longrow 11yo Rundlets & Kilderkins.

This Talisker reminds me of a lightly peated Brora. The Longrow is wonderfully peaty and farmy (with some rubber tires). To me these are “old style” single malts and I am really enjoying them. What to follow these up with? Maybe a BenRiach . . .