So, what are you drinking now?

@maltygirl , which Ballechin did you have? What did you think?

And was that DVD "Bard Hair Day"? Funny! I took your mention of it as inspiration to check my library for it. No dice, but it is on Amazon...

@A'bunadhman , good to know the Teelings come in batches that are worth paying attention to. I have an open bottle right now that I thought was bad at first, but it's been much better on my last couple glasses. It's been open just couple weeks. I'll have to check the batch ID.

This Saturday I am planning to open my BTAC rye with friends. I am pretty much a rye newbie.

So I am drinking some standard Alberta Premium 100% rye. Next, if I draw up the courage, I'll crack a sample of AP 25 YO then if I have time ( I mean before the weekend, not necessarily today) I will try the 30 year old.

@A'bunadhman I have the 05/14 batch of Teeling small batch Rum cask finish and with air the rum flavors are really expanding, so is the pear flavor, but the sugar candy stay the biggest flavor. The pear is beautiful on the nose. I hope your bottle will improve with air as mine did.

@Nozinan which BTAC rye do you have? The Sazerac 18yo or the Thomas H. Handy? And what year is it? It will be interesting to hear your take.

@Nock I think it's the Handy. To be honest I convinced many friends to let me set up accounts at the LCBO and submitted 8 orders. One bottle in the lottery. I picked it up and then kindof forgot about it after Boxing Day. It was the cask strength expression from the 2014 release.

I'm planning to open it on Saturday with a group. If there's any left, I will try to do a review...

By the way, the AP30 was a revelation! Who knew Canadian whisky could be so awesome?!

@Robert99: That sounds like my 10/ 2013. The 3/14 opened hugely different and is now in a tube, has a safer foil capsule (one less likely to amputate) and is still in the lovely 19th. Century style black bottle: All it needs to do is open up. It is so different...fingers crossed! I've had Whiskies that were as obstinate as this one and came good. It is such a good feeling when they do; it's not a bad bottle just tough!

Cheers.

@Nozinan I think I'll be swapping you a bit of 2014 Stagg for some 2014 Handy...mmmmm....

@OlJas It was the Ballechin #7 Bordeaux Cask Matured. It was my first Edradour. I have an Edradour 10yo that I haven't opened yet. The #7 was much more peaty that I expected. I enjoyed it. And yes, it was from "Bard Hair Day"..funny stuff. My fav was Rantin Rovin Robin. This is a pretty version www.youtube.com/watch

@talexander

Sounds like a great idea....

@talexander, @Nozinan, what am I, chopped slivers?...Well, er, you know what I mean.

@paddockjudge Nope, we were just waiting for you to join in! :)

@talexander, I'm all in...and an extra WL 12 to boot

@Nozinan I will be very interested to hear your take on the 2014 Handy. I have a bottle myself of the 2014 Hand that I opened on New Years Day. You and @talexander really need to do a sample swap. One of my college buddies picked up a 2014 George T. Stagg and he and I did just that! It makes for great fun.

And @paddockjudge if you managed to get your hands on a 2014 William Larue Weller . . . that is amazing! There seemed to have been very few of those this year.

Tonight with very cold temperatures I decided to do a little peat and sherry tasting. I started off with Benromach 10yo 46% (c.2014) followed by Bowmore Darkest 15yo 43% and then Talisker Distillers Ed. 45.8% (1992-2005). I wrapped things up with Laphroaig Triple Wood 48% and Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% L14 028.

I must say that air has REALLY helped some of these bottles. I was very disappointed with my Laphroaig Triple Wood when I first opened it over 3 years ago. However, tonight the nose was amazing! Further, the Bowmore 15yo Darkest has been open for a year now. At first it was very funky and disjointed. However, tonight the nose was deep, complex and amazingly well balanced. It was simply the best I have seen it.

My tasting tonight seems to only confirm my “opinion” that any whisky with some sherry influence will vastly benefit from some serious air (oxidization) time.

I was once on the fence with Bowmore 15yo Darkest . . . after tonight I realize that it is a dram that requires a ton of air with a half full bottle. I will buy another.

Willet Family Reserve 6yr old Bourbon. An incredible bourbon. Probably one of my top five whiskies and once gone, impossible to replace. Savor in the last of this bottle.

Practicing for my date with destiny (BTAC Handy 2014).

Tonight I cracked a CC 100% Rye. Good. But not as good as AP30.

@A'bunadhman , my Teeling is a 02/2014. At first I found it kinda gross and sour, but a couple weeks into the open bottle I now find it pleasantly full of "mid-tone" (rather than high or low) flavor, plenty of nice prickle, no real off-notes, and much more character than I've typically found in Irish whisky. Nice!

Tonight, in addition to the Teeling mentioned above and some Writers Tears, I'm drinking some of that damned Leviathan. It's my first time coming back to it since I initially opened it and found it so gross. I left it in a red wine decanter for almost two weeks to blow off the nastiness. I was afraid that all the alcohol would have blown off too (especially 'cause I pretty much forgot about it and left it in the decanter about a week longer than I'd planned), but my sample taste was still plenty prickly and it still gets plenty bubbly when I shake the bottle. I'm vatting it with a bit of Teeling Irish and a bit of Big Peat Christmas CS, which is a totally palatable mix. The nastiest stuff really did blow off. I still can't recommend it or imagine ever buying a second bottle, but I think I'll be able to blend this crippled bottle into drinkability now.

@Nock, I am indeed fortunate to have secured a bottle of WLW. I could tuck it away and save it for those 'special' occasions; however, I'll be sharing it with half-a-dozen interested whisky buddies this weekend while we savor a couple more BTAC 2014 expressions.

@Nozinan, there aren't many as good as AP30

@paddockjudge @Nozinan AP25 is superior to the AP30, IMHO...

@paddockjudge that is a good man. There is nothing like sharing an amazing whisky with good friends (especially when they can appreciate it!). I hope you enjoy your time, and look forward to what you have to say about the WLW (2014).

@Nozinan, I'll be with you guys in spirit. The body will have to wait a few months, although I WAS standing right next to you and egging you on when you tasted your first George T. Stagg 2012 last May 3rd.

@talexander, I do not think that the @paddockjudge (or I) disagree(s) with you about Alberta Premium 25 yo vis a vis Alberta Premium 30 yo.

@talexander...I'm with you on the AP 25...a little more of a 'fruit forward' profile than the AP30, iirc. To me the AP30 picked up just a smidge too much of a woody note. Both are still excellent!

Jura Prophecy, after many years of waiting, well worth it, best Jura

Jeffersons 100% Rye .... delicioso!

@Pudge72 @talexander @Victor

I agree the AP 25 is more fruity and delicate than the AP 30, and at cask strength maybe I would prefer it. I did like it. But I think I enjoyed the AP 30 just a little more at its 40%. When I review the samples I'll take a closer look....

Glenmorangie Original: This has been in and out of various containers over a 12mth. period. It was a disappointment then and nothings changed (but in all fairness it improved a little in the glass); 1.25 lt. ex Duty Free this should have been way better; in fact, I much prefer the BNJ. which is light but has great flavour. The current version (Australia) of BNJ. is reportedly very good, more body, richer and with a load of flavour...We'll see.

AP25 & AP30 - to use a football analogy, or rather to personify these magnificent rye whiskies; AP25 is Russell Wilson and AP30 is Marshawn Lynch. How could you choose a favorite between them? One is elegant, refined and poised. The other is powerful, assertive and persuasive. It is amazing for both of these iterations to command the respect they do while being bottled at only 40% abv.

Willet straight Rye (bbl 1101) 55% Bottle 161/190 4 YO. MAGNIFICENT- courtesy of Alberta Tim. Thanks buddy.