So, what are you drinking now?

@paddockjudge

Thanks for the travel wishes. Oh, and when I'm ready to crack my Octomore 4.1 (not anytime soon) expect you to be in the same room.

Benromach Peat 46% (67ppm.) and Ledaig Aged 10 years 46.3%: I'm a big fan of G&M and these are both enjoyable but the Ledaig is, for me, the better drop; mouth-feel, weight and flavour put this ahead of the Benromach and the peat though not stated on the Ledaig seems, to me, about the same with more maritime flavours of salt and pepper. I'm not sure that the Benromach shows as well as it might at 9 yo. perhaps a couple of extra years in the cask might have made a big difference (?); it is spotless, though.

Sanatate.

Attended Trondheim Whisky Festival on Saturday. A lot of people and a broad variety of whiskies available to try, served by friendly and knowledgeable staff. Couldn't really ask for more!

My personal favourites of the evening were Glenfarclas 25 Years Old, The Arran 1998 Sherry Cask #47 and Ardbeg Uigeadail. I also enjoyed trying Linkwood 1984 30 YO Director's Cut, first whisky I've tried that is older than me.

Noticed quite a few people flocking around the bottle of Port Ellen 1984 30 YO Director's cut and the oldest Glenfarclas' Family Cask bottle at the festival (42 YO or so, didn't get the bottling year). I passed both of those, figured I'd rather try things I might actually be able to afford. :P

Interesting strategy @fiberfar, I went the other way at my last whisky expo gunning for the stuff I'm too cheap to buy.

Yes, that could very well be the way I should've gone about things, @Alexsweden. Then again, it's not as much about being too cheap to buy a bottle of Port Ellen, it is the fact that I''m never going to throw £1000 after a bottle of single malt.

I realise I probably missed out on several fantastic drams by not going for the rare and expensive stuff, but at least I've tried several malts I likely can afford to buy somewhere down the line. :P

Springbank 21 yo (2014) The most well-crafted 21 yo core-expression whisky I've had. A real beauty. Consistent from nose to finish, fruitier, but in the best possible way. Picked up the bottle for around $300 U.S. Note: Springbank is one of my 3 favorite distillers, so my opinion is biased ;)

@paddockjudge - yes, being able to have side by side drams of Octomore 4.1 and 4.2 was a lot of fun, but I wish I also had a dram of my long-gone Octomore 2.2 Orpheus to compare to Comus. I think I would rank 2.2 above 4.2, but would love to confirm that with a side by side tasting. I been fortunate to own 5 Octomores (1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 4.1 & 4.2) and taste a few others (3.1, 5.1 & 6.1 Scottish Barley). There's not a bad one in the bunch, but the wine influence on 2.2 and 4.2 make them special.

There is one Octomore that really interests me. It was the 2014 Feis Ile bottling. Quadruple distilled (69.5% ABV), matured for 7 years in Oloroso Sherry butts. Only 1,695 bottles were released. I've seen it on a few auction sites, but no luck getting one yet. I really want to get my hands on one, but I know it will put a huge dent in my whisky budget.

Cracked open a new bottle of the Aberlour A'bunadh #49...Hmmm!

@bwmccoy I wish you luck in your pursuit of the 2014 Feis Ile bottling of Ochdamh-mor. I've not tasted the Orpheus 2.2 version, but @Victor raves about it (and laments the demise of his irreplaceable bottle).

This discussion of Octomore has influenced my choice for a next dram. The only Octomores I've ever owned; 4.2 and 6.1...I'm having some of each.

Slainte!

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve 2009. Saint Joan and I are celebrating her Irish heritage with this delicious liquid that must have been found in the golden pot at the end of the legendary rainbow. Slainte!

@plattvillepeat I had a bottle of that once - it lasted me about three years, I would only drink it on St. Patrick's Day and special occasions. To this day, the greatest Irish whiskey I have ever tasted. It seriously improves in the bottle over time. Slainte!

Teeling Single Grain Irish whiskey. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

@talexander A Happy St. Paddy's to you! Jameson Gold Reserve for a night cap.

Bushmills and a Glen Garioch 20yr from exclusive malts

Tonight, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, Green Spot Irish Whiskey.

After reading @paddockjudge's post, decided a dram of Octomore 4.2 was fitting as a night cap.

Macallan 18 and Willett Pot Still Reserve on St. Patrick's Day. Seeing 89 yo Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit made me feel like a young whipper-snapper.

Bunnahabhain Cruach-Mhona. A younger, cleaner, peatier version of the Bunna we know and love. Very good stuff!

@Victor We're you in Toronto? Isn't that where she's performing?

@Nozinan, Blithe Spirit was recently in Toronto. DC is the last stop on this production's tour. Word is Angela Lansbury might retire after this run.

Teeling Single Grain 46% Californian Cab/Sav. barrels: Freshly opened, this is looking promising indeed with loads of spice and fruit, weighty lucious mouth-feel, balance, gentle tannin grip (a nice surprise) and a nose and finish that are entirely appropriate - I suspect the Irish are less restricted than the Scots in what they may or may not do in maturation. A lot of Winemakers ferment Chardonnay in new Nevers Oak which gives structure and removes splinters from the raw oak before filling with their best Cabernet Sauvignon. I'm guessing this may be the case here as everything is beautifully understated with a just a hint of berry and cask. It's now in a large decanter which is, in my experience, always fruitfull though, at times, in ways least expected.

Skål

I am in a whisky desert. 2 week holiday - currently east of Scotland so closer to there than to my own collection. Travelling with a spouse and 2 small kids doesn't lend itself to relaxing with a malt anyway.

What I haven't been drinking is coffee, and the equivalent of less than a can of diet coke a day. Just not able to have my usual am coffee that I have after the kids go to school and before I head off to work. Headaches and felt lousy for a couple of days. This may be a game changer for me. A Neurologist once told me that if you go caffeine free for 3 weeks your brain resets to as if you never had caffeine and you can safely have some again with no withdrawal. That means I just have to stay clean through jet-lag and con-call for another week after I get back. Then I can start putting decaf beans into the grinder for my am coffee.

Maybe a dram or 2on my return will divert my attention from caffeine....

@A'bunadhman I was iffy on this one - but hopefully with some oxidation it will improve for me.

Hello everybody, Last friday I picked up a bottle of Miltonduff Speymalt 10 y.o. Interesting whisky, not special, but with pleasant notes of sweet malt, liquorice, erica.

@talexander: The bottle I have open is the later batch than you have (10/14) and while it opened rather well and was decanted, the jury is still out! I'm nibbling away at it with small nips being mindful of its' progress and I do like what I see but it iis changing dramatically - I don't have the right words to describe this interesting but unusual drop; what I've found, so far, is how well it improves in the glass over a half hour, this tells me all is well and the funky Bacon nose and palate just splendid. It likes a couple of drops of distilled water and to sit a while.

Cheers.

@whiskygoalie, welcome to Connosr.

@paddockjudge Thanks. Looking forward to some great discussions and to learning a lot more about whiskies.

Got a chance to try the new laphroaig select. A NAS laphroaig aged in every cask they could find..Oloroso sherry butts, American white oak, PX hogsheads, quarter casks and first fill bourbon casks. reminiscent of the amrut kadhambam one wonders if it's hype or if it actually adds to the spirit to be poured so many times..

It's bottled at 40% and that probably contributes to the somewhat thin mouthfeel. The taste however is quite pleasant. Smoke, but without overwhelming attack, citrus, a bit herbal, black pepper and more. Nice, not too pricey either...

Got a chance to try the new laphroaig select. A NAS laphroaig aged in every cask they could find..Oloroso sherry butts, American white oak, PX hogsheads, quarter casks and first fill bourbon casks. reminiscent of the amrut kadhambam one wonders if it's hype or if it actually adds to the spirit to be poured so many times..

It's bottled at 40% and that probably contributes to the somewhat thin mouthfeel. The taste however is quite pleasant. Smoke, but without overwhelming attack, citrus, a bit herbal, black pepper and more. Nice, not too pricey either...

Ardbeg 10yo. @ 46%: Bottle code. L5937431072014 / 14008155 07:50

That's a lot of code but it has opened splendidly, better even than the last one we finished - This really is good and freshly opened looks a winner; the flavour and balance are remarkable! I've long held the view that a cabinet without Ardbeg 10yo. is incomplete; I've never had a 'dud drop' from Ardbeg.

Sláinte!

Tonight it's watching the Cricket Semi final to see who will play the Black Caps in the final :)

Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or