So, what are you drinking now?

@sengjc, shucks! I thought there would be a picture of you smoking it...sort of like Pappy Van Winkle.

@Benancio

Find a bottle of EH Taylor cask strength? Easy, in Ontario?

Just got invited to represent my party in a Toronto-wide debate in 2 weeks. Star candidate or sacrificial lamb?

So pumped I'm drinking soda water. Any alcohol would put me over the edge now!

Later, when my uncle comes, I'll try to have something extra good!

@Victor

Funny you should say that, cigars and bourbon - especially those full bodied non-Cubans, go really well together, probably better than malt whisky. Now I have been smoking cigars and drinking malt whisky for a while now but have only started on bourbon and have only come to realise this.

Tonight I'm taking the wife to a friends house. I imagine he'll offer up a good bottling of Glenrothes (his favorite) and I will in turn bring my bottle of glenlivet nàdurra with me. Looks to become a pleasurable evening

A tiny update... tonight I'm having; Cutty Sark prohibition, yamazaki 12, glendronach 21, an 11 year old caol ila from Douglas Laing, big peat, and jura diurach's own.

It is a pleasurable evening indeed

Started with a Renaissance Grandmaster IPA, then The Belvenie 12yo Doublewood, Kilchoman 2015 release Loch Gorm and finished with a Lagavulin 16yo. Pre drink before the kick off to the All Blacks Rugby World Cup defence against Argentina at 3.45am NZ time. Go All Blacks!!!

Caol Ila CS 58%.

13 months ago I opened this 200 cc bottle with @talexander. It blew me away! When my cousin said she was going to London I found some of the same batch online and ordered 5 more (4 were the same price as a 700 cc bottle for some reason). Then her trip fell through and the bottles have been waiting at the parents' of her friend.

I didn't allow myself another dram. I only poured it for friends to try and they loved it. I gave away a sample. No one got seconds. This had to last until I could get more.

Well, today the ship came in. My cousin is back from her trip and she brought them over, as well as 50cc of Arran 100 degrees proof (57%) that I had forgotten I had ordered.

A year open, preserved each time with gas, I can't say if the peaty punch is as strong as it was then, but this remains an awesome, fantastic dram!

Just poured some Elijah Craig Barrel Proof for me. A little hot though it is 139.2 proof. Pretty delicious juice especially for the price . A lot of caramel and oak , almost thick mouth feel. Good stuff

@kfhene ECBP is a favorite. It really opens up with a little water. Enjoy!

Having some kilkerran 7, really good stuff. Quite an interesting dram, for 55€ it's a bargain!

Kilchoman European Tour tasting today by the two sons of the distillery manager. The line up was: 100% Islay new make, Machir Bay 2015, 2008 7yo Vintage, Madeira Cask, Machir Bay cask strength 2015 and a Bourbon single cask 2010-2015 All very good stuff, but the single cask was the clear winner

Popped by the nearby Society whisky bar after work for some quick ones while waiting on the wife to swing by with the car - focusing on the distilleries of the Lowlands that are currently no longer in production:

Rosebank: images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/…

Bladnoch: images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/…

Couldn't resist a couple more:

Glen Moray, probably an experimental toasted cask: images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/…

images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/…

These two are certainly the standouts for me this session.

Beer tonight! Ayinger celebrator. A pitch black lager from Bavaria, Germany. Powerful doppelbock with coffee and bitter chocolate on the palate.

It was a lovely warm day out with mates. Now back home after dinner and having some Redbreast 12 Year Old.

images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/…

Happy weekend to all.

Happy weekend! Celebrating here with connemara, kilkerran 7, a'bunadh 47 and longrow red

Having a break tonight got the Rioja out for a change. Been off all week and tried lots of firsts Knob Creek 9, A'bunadh batch 50, HP12 and Laphroiag 10. Loved the oak from the KC9 and the sherry from the Ab was not so sure on the HP12 nose was pleasant but nothing to shout home on the palate and enjoyed the 10 when I got past the medicinal smell and actually tasted it.

@Pete1969 @Alexsweden

How were your respective A'Bunadhs? I still have most of a year before I taste the 47 and 3.5 years before the 50.

@Nozinan loved the sherried fruit my only reference point is Aberlour 10 but batch 50 is so far removed it is a totally different beast. Tried it neat was fine with the ABV but found a few drops of water just helped with easing up on the drying effect on the palate. Have a bottle laid away for my 50th in Feb 2019, hope you enjoy yours when you reach the milestone. Will be looking for a different batch to give me a better idea of the profile.

@Nozinan, the 47 is stellar! Really powerfull with an all-out attack on your senses on the arrival.

Akashi White Oak! Nothing to write home about but I am starting to warm up to it. I like the simple bottle.

Had the Aberlour double cask matured 12yo then the Aberlour a'Bunadh batch 48 in my new Canadian Glencairn glasses. In fairness, must call myself a bit of an Aberlour man

@Tom92

Rally gave this one a lower mark than the others he has reviewed. Have you tries other batches and if so how do they compare?

My friend Rick Culver, my girlfriend Pam and I just went to WhiskyFest NY (and her and I then spent the next few days in NYC). So I'm going to attempt a comprehensive list of everything I tried (I may miss one or two):

Laphroaig 15yo Laphroaig Cairdeas 200th Anniversary Edition Laphroaig 21yo Laphroaig 32yo The Notch 10yo Dewar's 18yo The Dalmore Selected By Daniel Boulud Ardbeg Supernova Committee Bottling Balvenie 12yo Single Barrel Few Spirits Rye Glenfarclas Family Cask 1974 (sorry, don't know the cask # nor age) Glenrothes 1992 Vintage 2nd Release Hibiki 17yo Hillrock Estate Bourbon (I think port cask finished) Kavalan Vinho Barrique Macallan Rare Cask Redbreast 21yo Stranahan's Diamond Peak Westland Single Cask Single Malt WhistlePig 15yo Wild Turkey Master's Keep 17yo bourbon Samples of two different Glenmorangie experiments Bowmore Dorus Mor III (aka Tempest V, I think) Bowmore Devil's Cask III Laphroaig An Cuan Mor

Plus some I tasted that I had had before: Glenmorangie Original Glenmorangie Signet Glenmorangie Lasanta Laphroaig PX Cask

Apologies for the run-on list - I forgot that you have to hit "enter" twice to get it to list down properly....grrrrrrr.....

@talexander, I am glad to hear that you are still with Pam. Julie and I both think that she is great.

@talexander, nice run! Lots of good Islays ther that I'd like to hit up myself.

@Victor Thank you, sir - yeah, she's pretty great!

Watching the debate on what may be one of the most important elections since Confederation, what could I possibly choose other than Forty Creek Confederation Oak, Original batch?