So, what are you drinking now?

Ardbeg Oogie...@ $70/bottle, this HAS to be the best value of any malt imho. I'd still but it at just over $100 to be honest. I'm absolutely floored every single time I pour a dram of this nectar.

High West Rendezvous Rye. Marvelously spicy.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Batch # 6, 70.1% ABV. 70% ABV whiskey is kind of its own category, ...well, actually I'd draw the category starting at 68% ABV. Anything 68% abv or above...

@paddockjudge If you are comparing Russell Wilson to a whisky, the only impression I get from that statement is that the whisky in question must be one of the most overrated, useless drinks you have ever tastes. Let's be honest, Russell Wilson is in the top 5 list of worst quarterbacks to have ever won a Superbowl. I think you should give more credit to the AP25!

Knob Creek Small Batch Straight Rye Whiskey.

Loving this rye at the moment: light, fruity, herbaceous, peppery, subtle and elegantly smooth. The heavy oak that is usually associated with American style whiskey is deftly controlled, maintaining a mild oaky tanginess. A long finish ensues that has a lull of barley sweetness.

Eminently drinkable despite the 100 proof with a viscous mouthfeel.

Ever since I started dabbling in rye, this has been the profile that I most enjoyed.

A whisky drinker's whiskey and a fitting introduction to American rye.

@mscottydunc

Just curious as to the facts/rationale behind these statements. From a passer rating perspective, Wilson hovers near excellent (first player to hit 100 in his first two seasons), has a very impressive college resume, upper echelon passing and running statistics, won a Superbowl (defence played a key role but he still had a 120+ passer rating), leader in QB wins for their first three seasons and other assorted accomplishments.

The top 5 worst starting QBs list is an interesting question - Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson and Jeff Hostetler come to mind, don't have the total stats in front of me but recall Joe Namath being over-rated (the guarantee cemented his place in NFL history). I would also suggest that Wilson exceeds Eli and Flacco in their SB winning years. Would probably rate him higher than the Washington boys (Rypien and Williams that is not Theismann) and hard to compare to Griese and Plunkett as he is still very early into his career. McMahon would be an interesting comparison as the team strengths are the same (team defence and Sweetness/Beast).

The talent matches to the system and they win as a team - exactly what you need to do to come out on top.

Individually, using the Sports Guy Trade Value system, Luck would likely be the top QB, Rodgers probably 2nd and then Wilson 3rd (I would finish the top 5 with Ryan and Stafford). Granted age plays into this equation but still, he is an extremely valued commodity.

Again curious as to what stats/facts support your assertions...

No way in hell is Wilson overrated. With that said, Go Patriots!!! :)

Back to whisky.

@KRB80 , I'd drink Oogie all day long at $70/bottle too. Is that the going shelf price by you? Nice. It's $90 here, but if you can receive booze the mail by you, you can also get it for the astounding (by today's standards) price of $54.99 from K&L.

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What I'm drinking now: Last night I lined up four drams—BLIND—of Lagavulin 12, Laphroaig Cairdeas 2014, Big Peat Christmas 2011, and PC Scottish Barley.

•Big Peat was easy to guess because it's nasty, and this blind comparison proved it.

•The one that I thought was the PC, with its little off-note, turned out to be the Cairdeas. So that was a surprisingly poor showing for the Cairdeas. And a good showing for the PC, as I thought it was was of the two best ones.

•Lag 12 was the standout champ.

I might continue the blind Peat Off (yeah, I know) tonight, tournament-style, buy pitting returning champ Lag 12 against Lag 16, the regular Laphroaig 10 CS (which I'm finding superiour to the Cairdeas), and Benriach 17 Solstice. The Lag 16 and the Benriach will probably be pretty easy to guess, but I think the Lag 12 & Laph 10 CS will prove similar in style and quality.

@OlJas Wow, I'd be interested in your further explorations of this!

Also, yes, $70 is the normal rate charged around my area. $55 is an UNREAL price. Wow! Unfortunately, I am unable to receive spirits in the mail in MA/RI. :(

@KRB80 , you're saying the blind head-to-heads sound fun? They are! I just pour them out, label them with a sticker under each glass's base, mix them up Three Card Monty-style, and let 'er rip. My tasting journal is half actual tasting notes and half records of these little mix--em-ups. "Sherried Standoff, Dec 4, 2013" — "Half-Peat Hullabaloo Nov 9, 2014" — "Peat Off Jan 30, 2015" etc., etc. I get a bang out of it.

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No access to mail delivery kinda stinks, but it sounds like you have good shelf prices.

60% Ardbeg 10 and 40% Caol Ila 12 I've been marrying together for about 2 weeks.Its excellent and is surprisingly much better,in my opinion, than the malts on their own. Tastes like Ardbeg 10 with a layer of fruit on top.

OGD 114...love it.

Bowmore 12 Enigma, getting better each dram

Tasting tonight hosted hosted by @talexander (thanks again)

A great ad hoc lineup anchored by 3 of the 5 BTAC expressions from 2014. There were some variations in what everyone had but this sort of was the order for me:

1. Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso cask NAS - not a fan, lots of sulfur.

2. Hazelburn Rundlets and Kilderkins.

3. Springbank Society 15 YO (5 years in Madeira cask) - excellent!

4. Berry Brothers and Rudd Invergorden Single Grain 24 YO - deliciously creamy

5. Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey ( malted barley) - quite nice

6. McKenzie Rye whiskey - effervescent on the palate

7. W.L. Weller BTAC 2014 (70.1%) - I recommend a few drops of water to open it up

8. George T. Stagg 2014 69.05% - awesome - amazing mouthfeel

9. Harwood's Blended Canadian Whisky - whisky history - the youngest whisky in this distilled in 1946.

10.Thomas Handy BTAC Rye 2014 - Like no Rye I've ever had before.

1. Bowmore 10 YO Devil's Cask - Good, with similarities to the Laimrig, but nothing compared to some of the BTAC offerings of the night.

Thanks again to all who attended for great whisky and even greater conversation.

@Nozinan you're a very lucky boy indeed. Just once in my life I'd like to have a lineup like that in front of me!

@maltmate302...me too!

Whistlepig tonight. Excellent stuff. I wish Canadian whiskies would use specs like this for the domestic market once in a while. In general I like the style of American rye more.

@A'bunadhman @maltmate302

It was a fun night....great company, but I have to admit this a.m. was not too pleasant. When a lightweight like me takes on too many cask strength offerings...

The only thing worse than this morning's headache would have been to miss out on any of the BTACs, especially the Handy rye and the Stagg.

@Nozinan Yes, a few too many cask-strength whiskies for my poor little head....ouch.

@mscottydunc, I think you should g f y .

@talexander, I got your voice mail from last night, but I didn't notice it until today, after @Nozinan sent me a message. When it came in I was still driving back from Mary Anne's house having presented a whisky tasting for 8 people there all afternoon. We had about 15-20 whiskies. If I had noticed the message right away I would have called you guys right back, while you were still in the full glory of the moment. Thanks guys!

@mscottydunc, should go find yourself a football board to bitch on.

@paddockjudge, ah the soothing voice of Al Michaels. @Dramlette has dealt with him a number of times at work and says that he is quite a nice guy. He stays at 'her' hotel when he covers 'Skins games in DC.

Last night it was a pour of Auchentoshan Valinch 2011, sandwiched between the last pours of Glengoyne 10. The Valinch is hot on cinnamon hearts without water. This one for me is a 'must add' for a few drops of water. It responds beautifully, bringing chocolate notes and a mild creme brulee note. The Auchentoshan 'grassiness' is there in fine form, with and without water.

@paddockjudge Dude, was just pointing out how bad Russell Wilson is, and how good the AP 25 probably is (never tasted it). Sorry if you took that completely the wrong way....

Relaxing at home after a turbulent couple of days that culminated with the furnace breaking down on one of the coldest days of the year.

Toasty warm inside the house and now to warm the inside of me with a 15 cc measure of BLADNOCH 11 year old, shery cask matured, 55%

Thank you, Raymond Armstrong, for what you created.

@mscottydunc, I think we can agree to disagree. I'm hoping to see more of both Wilson and well-aged Alberta Premium.

I remain neutral on this Wilson character, but I definitely would love to see another release of the rye.

@Nozinan, Toronto cold, hmmmmph. -40C in Timmins ON...and they didn't call in the army.

Glenfiddich 15yo. Distillers' Edn: The last generous pour from a sample I put aside a few years ago, when it was drinking at its' absolute best. I can't remember the ABV. only that it was the version before the 51%bottling, maybe 52.5% and a gift ex. NZ. Duty Free.

Sad to see this one go, as it has been most memorable. The last 100ml. over 3 nights of one of the most delicious and exciting Whiskies I've ever tasted!

Slainte.

@A'bunadhman, I wish that Glenfiddich made the 15 yo DE more available. It is a great whisky, and my favourite Glenfiddich. It shouldn't be a difficult task for Glenfiddich to sell more 15 yo whisky at 51 or 52% abv.