So, what are you drinking now?

@paddockjudge Can it really get any better than the 2015-01?

@Nozinan, @Talexander Now that I bought Booker's 2015-1, I will allow myself to finish my opened bottle. And just before the end, I will compare the two batches. I'm in for a lot of fun.

Made my own little blend of 2/3 Glenfiddich Reserve Cask (100% sherry casks), 1/4 Teeling Single Grain and a bit of Lagavulin 12 Year Old 2014 release. Ummmm....not great but very full bodied with the right touch of mouth-coating smoke. This while watching Episode 13 of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1980 15 1/2 hour miniseries (for German television) - 13 episodes plus an epilogue - of Berlin Alexanderplatz. Film/whisky nerd.

@talexander I will patiently wait for the cask strength delight to be opened and hope that I am present when this treasure is uncorked.

@Nozinan Perhaps lightning will strike twice.

@paddockjudge

It did, but the second time it only caused a warning.

I also got in on the 2015-01 Booker's action. Looking forward to that...

Elijah Craig 12 yr.

Wonderful bourbon indeed.

Holey Dollar Rum Cask Strength @ 75.9%: Not as fierce as you might expect, in fact sippable in a careful (unhurried) way. I remembered, today what we used to do in Fiji when I was a 'Jolly Jack Tar' so off to my local Fruit Shop but, alas, no coconuts to be had. Anyway, off to Coles for what preports to be 'Pure' Coconut Water and as it has a three day lifespan with an uncertain period of spritzig after opening I'll have to drink a lot of Rum or discard a lot of Coconut Water: This is so moreish!

2 Parts Rum @ 75.9% with 1 Part Coconut Water; 75.9% x 2/3 = 50.6% abv. and to my mind a perfect drinking strength!

Pohjanmaan kautta!

finishing some charting and writing up a grant request. So exciting!!!!

My desktop computer is a small bod that is slightly larger than an old external hard drive. It has a fan outlet which blows warm air across my desk from left to right. Any covered glencairn eventually in its path becomes a mini still. This would (by the way) be perfect for Amrut peated cask strength which explodes with flavour when warmed.

As it is, I'm enjoying Smith and Cross. It's got a pretty FULL flavour itself and is just what I need to reward me as I work hard...

@Nozinan Thank you again for introducing me to Smith and Cross at Tom's house several weeks back. Best rum that I have ever tried.

Ardmore Traditional Cask @ 46% Alc/Vol. A magnificent 'drop' but, alas, this is probably the last bottle of this expression around these parts...and the tide is going out!

Slainte!

A hearty dram of the George Dickel No 12.

@Robert99 Don't deprive yourself of the Booker's 2015-01 any longer. Open it and compare frequently the two iterations of Booker's. One head2head tasting will not be enough. By waiting too long, you may forgo the opportunity to acquire an additional 15-01.

Celebrating @paddockjudge starting on his vacation with a 15 cc measure of Alberta Premium (NAS) rye. It is light, sweet, and suits the mood tonight.

@A'bunadhman what is a "period of spritzig"? Not just how long is it, WHAT is it?

@Nozinan, you know me too well, that is exactly what I have in my glass, Alberta Premium...preceeded by Rittenhouse BIB, Wiser's Legacy, and Booker's '15-01.

@Nozinan: It is a period of light, fresh, effervesence which is usually applied to the light fizz in wines that is a residual of malolactic (or secondary) fermentation; it's most apt when describing the gentle sparkle of fresh coconut water: Green coconuts, freshly picked have it in abundance but even so, it soon dissipates!

Cheers!

@A'bunadhman

It's great to learn something new every day, and considering you're writing from across the international dateline, does that mean I just learned something tomorrow?

Thanks for definition.

Ardbeg 10yo. @ 46%: This is 1/2 a 100ml. glass flask; a good size dram and a great 'drop' - This Whisky was opened last year (May?) and amazed me then with its' huge nose and equally weighty palate. I think I described it then as the palest of Whiskies (even for an Ardbeg), punching well above its' weight: That was true then, even more so now! My local has Ardbeg 10yo. on special for Au.$69.50 which is good value for a top Whisky, in these parts, anyway! I'll replace this bottle, hopefully with the same batch!

Cheers.

@A'bunadhman, I've always found Ardbeg special in that sense. While other peated whiskies tend to lose their "weight" as time goes on, Ardbeg has the strange ability to keep consistent, or even improve.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old. Love this easy drinking little Japanese malt whisky.

@hunggar: I wish more Distilleries had the same dedication to Quality as Ardbeg - They have had, and will continue to have, my whole-hearted support.

Slainte!

Introduced a friend to his first bourbon today. He's an experienced Scotch drinker. I gave him some Booker's 2015-1. He was extremely impressed.

I followed up with some Smith and Cross rum which he really liked.

This is the way to get more throughput in my collection...get other people to drink it for me!!!

Attended a friend's birthday party last night.

GlenDronach Revival 15 year

An unknown whisky that was given away at this year's "The Nth" whisky tasting in Las Vegas called "High Roller"

A 35 year St. Magdalene (1975) from Gordon and McPhail's Rare Old collection

A 10 year MacDuff from A.D. Rattray (Sherry cask # 5786)

Talisker Distillers Edition (2013 bottling)

27 year Longmorn (SMWS 7.94 - Sep 1985) "Silk Sarong Seduction" from an ex-bourbon hogshead)

@bwmccoy Wow! I think you can surely say that you had the Real McCoy!

@Robert99, @bwmccoy doesn't do whisky half-way!

I am settling down to some Eagle Rare 17 yo (Spring 2012) 45% ABV. The convention among American distillers seems to be that for the public, i.e. not for us hard-core connoisseur types, 45% ABV is considered the ideal sipping strength for the spirit...or at least the best compromise strength. (and 46% ABV among the UK distillers, with, apparently, much reinforcing feedback from malt whisky drinkers)

For a long while I really resented any whisk(e)y being offered for sale below 50% abv. But, you know what, whisk(e)y really can be enjoyed at 45 or 46 % ABV. It is like the difference between a wine, and a wine-spritzer. That light stuff is ok once in a while.

Booker's and WL Weller for a head2head.

Booker's 2015-01 128.7 pf scores 96 (it wouldn't be difficult to tweak these numbers to gain another half or full point) 24's across the board - Big, Brilliant, Balanced. Fred Noe has honored his father with an exceptional blend of choice barrels. This is one for the ages.

WLW 2014 140.2 This Wheated masterpiece is weak on the nose and strong on the finish...at 70% abv, it is almost unbelievable it could taste so good. Perhaps not the Monster of recent years, but another BBW - Big Beautiful Whiskey. Excellent taste and excellent balance. This scored 94 points - hard to beat, but today it was up against a candidate for Bourbon of the Year.

@paddockjudge

I have tried that WLW from the same bottle. I may have to redo that head to head some time.

@Nozinan I was very tempted to give the WLW a 25 on taste, but I didn't. Time has been kind to this one. This whiskey needs a chance breathe, in the glass and in the bottle. At 70% abv it is hard to believe that something so big can be so beautiful.

Tasting this 2014 WLW h2h with Booker's 2015-01 has demonstrated to me how special both of these bourbons are.