So, what are you drinking now?

@Victor

That's top shelf whiskey! A Zombie Apocalypse Dram for sure. I'll join you on the top shelf with a wee pour of WLW 2014 (70.1% abv).

OK, @paddockjudge, I'm now moving on to drinking some 2012 William Larue Weller, 61.7% ABV. One day I will review the sample of the 2014 William Larue Release which you generously gave me. My wife is staying in town for 3 nights with the blizzard for work purposes, so I'm using some very good whiskey to keep me company.

@Victor

My thoughts, if not my glencairn, are with you at this time. May you all weather the storm, and if you happen to enjoy some fine spirits, that will help you stay in good "spirits".

@Victor, I'll journey from 'wheated' bourbon to the finest 90 proof rye whisky on the planet, Masterson's 10 YO Straight Rye.it's Canadian, eh?

@paddockjudge, well, Masterson's Rye is excellent and it is distilled in Canada. Maturation location and decision-making is just as important, or more, in whisky-making as is the quality of the distillate. Just look at Willett Family Estate whiskeys and compare them to whiskeys distilled at the same distilleries and aged at those distilleries. Call Masterson's a North American partnership whisk(e)y, as is WhistlePig. Quite a nice partnership.

@Victor @Paddockjudge

The world of whisky (appreciation) ought to have no borders. Let us say it is well-made and simply enjoy it.

@Victor

Barrel selection is a key component of great whiskEy. WhisltePig has Dave Pickerel selecting their NDP casks. Something to be said for getting one of the best in the business picking barrels for you.

@paddockjudge, it is very true what you say about the selection of the casks being of great importance. Most important of all is the decision about when each of the barrels is at its best for bottling.

@paddockjudge

I'm feeling a bit left out here. If we're talking about NDP casks...shouldn't I be making the decisions?

@Victor,

Agreed, the partnership approach has yielded some great whisky. I'd choose Masterson's if forced to pick only one. Their price point is much more reasonable; however, WhistlePig has a range of proof levels and some extra aging...decisions, decisions....

@Nozinan,

We'll get back to you in five years when you are the Minister of Malt and Spirits. haha

@Victor,

Yes, deciding when to dump the barrel may well be the most important decision of all.

Some more of the older bottling Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera.

images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/…

Talisker 57 Degrees North. This long-opened bottle is in the sweet spot. Fabulous nose, outstanding palate. Big flavours. I would hate to ever run out of 57 North. Guess I'll have to buy more. 2.25 Litres won't last forever.

Had a healthy dram of the old bottling of Johnnie Walker Green. Pleasant but not worth coveting. Followed up by Cutty Sark Prohibiton which is great bang for your buck even in BC. Golden State put on show vs San Antonio though no Duncan.

I've just opened my second ever bottle of Ardbeg 10 and it's incredible. The first bottle of Ardbeg 10 I ever tasted was far from impressive and it's only because I read an article that Dr Bill Lumsden had stepped in to improve the quality of the whisky that I bought another one at a decent price. It seems like a different whisky to the one that I knew. and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another bottle! By the way my bottle was from early 2015!

Old Pulteney 17

High West Double rye

Blackadder raw cask peated Amrut

Highland park 25

Svenska Eldvatten Kildalton 2007

SMWS G13.1 Chita 4 years old

SMWS 3.245 Bowmore 17

Ardbeg Uigeadail

Yesterday I was at a whiskyexpo. One of the bigger ones in Sweden actually with over 30 exhibitors. Many major brands were represented as well as quite many indie-bottlers and importers. I Went with a few friends and we had a great time.

I see the expos as a great oppurtunity to try stuff I wouldn't normally buy, mainly due to price. This is kind of a two-way experience. One the one hand I get to try great and really expensive whiskies for a reasonable price. But if I find something that i really like perhaps I'm not likely to buy it due to high price. Maybe if i win the lotto...

Anyway, this is what I had:

I started with Old Pulteney 17. A really good welcome and first dram. I found it well-mannered and perhaps a little one dimensional at first but as time progressed the Sherry influence came on really strong and it added layers.

High west double rye. Since I have been interested in the ryes not really having any experience with them and since @Victor patiently guided me through the different good ones I decided that I had to try one whilst here. Now I asked for the "Rendezvous" but he didn't have it so this was the one i opted for. I was not super impressed actually. Like a less sweet bourbon with much woodspice and spruce needles in both nose and palate.I did find it quite thin

Moving on I picked something I knew I would like! A blackadder raw cask peated amrut. I found it really similar to my own OB of amrut peated CS but a bit "more" in some aspects. More smoke and more flavour actually. Superb! Also i had a great time speaking with Robin Tucek and his son about all things whisky. Really friendly guys with a true passion for whisky.

Moving on I hit the jackpot and my favourite of the night. Highland Park 25. I actually bought it from Martin Markvardsen of Highland Park, unfortunately he wasn't as talkative as the Blackadder crew. Luckily the whisky spoke well for itself. On the nose was a very, very mild aromatic smokey spice with intense sherry sweetness. The palate offered a very drying sherry sweetness with the same aromatic notes. Amazing drink!

Svenska Eldvatten Kildalton 2007. Swedish indie bottlers who are always a true pleasure to talk to. Good folks with exceptional whiskies. This was a Lagavulin of about 6-7 years. Really creamy with layers of smoke, oystershells, tar, salt, butter and poached pears. Not especially reminiscent of lagavulin 16.

SMWS G13.1 Chita from Virgin oak. Extremely sappy in both nose and palate. very mild.

SMWS 3.245 Bowmore 17 refill butt. Quite good, barely any smoke, seafront, mildly floral, Creamy

Ardbeg Uigeadail. Compared to my own bottle it was much more seafront and much less sherry. Didn't come Close to the one i Bought in 2014.

balvenie 15y/o single barrel, distilled 1989. VERY drinkable, doubt she'll last long....

GRANT’S ALE CASK FINISH WHISKY! I'm a fan of Grant's so was happy to find this, something new to me. It's great.

over the weekend...

Highland Park 21 Highland Park 1990 (bottled in 2010. This was a duty free release) Nikka from the barrel Bowmore 12 Ardbeg Oogie

Last night I attended a (belated) Robert Burns celebration at a friend's house. Tasted the following;

21 year Glenfarclas SMWS 1.189 "High on the hills with a lonely goatherd" from an ex-bourbon hogshead

27 year Glenfarclas SMWS 1.179 "The Artist's studio" from an ex-bourbon hogshead

Aberlour 16

10 year Springbank Single Cask (distillery bottling)

7 year Springbank SMWS 27.46 "Ferrero Rocher chocolates and talcum powder" Bottled October 2000 from an ex-sherry butt - This was one of the most unique Springbank's that I've ever tasted. Loved it.

30 year Linkwood Distilled 1972 Bottled 2002

26 year Bowmore SMWS 3.229 "A mermaid in a meadow" from an ex-bourbon barrel

25 year Highland Park Cask Strength (Cadenhead bottling)

15 year Imperial (D&M bottling) - My favorite whisky of the night. Wonderful dram!

25 year Glen Moray Port Cask finish

10 year Port Charlotte SMWS 127.38 "Enticing fume of a peat reek" from an ex-sherry butt

Octomore 6.3

A night of great food, awesome whisky and wonderful friends.

The Society bottling 85.30 "Tropical exotical" - a 1999 Glen Elgin 15 Year Old from a refill hogshead.

images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/02/…

Forty Creek Confederation Oak special release 2010 Lot 1867. In a small Laphroaig mini-glencairn which most closely resembles the glass I first tried it in when I picked up my bottles in Grimsby. This one is heavy in vanilla and caramel.

More of the SMWS 85.30 - It's very honeyed with a mineral like note.

A few lightly peated quality drams namely Springbank 12, Kilkerran WIP7 Bourbon Cask and to finish Benromach 10 100 proof. I adore these profile types!

@maltmate302, wish I could join you. I've only tried the first of those.

@maltmate302

Is that the Springbank 12 CS? I found my last bottle to be quite peaty. Even more so a single cask 12YO that I tasted in Calgary a while back.

nikka taketsuru 17 - so much to love about this whisky. if readily available at a reasonable price, i reckon this would be my "everyday" drop. sadly, my newly opened bottle might be my last (thank you, @paddockjudge). i don't write reviews, or rarely even score, but i consider this to be a "line in the sand" whisky for me. anything i consider to be better is truly great, in my humble opinion. anything i consider to be less? well, i wish i could just always pour another glass of this....

@thecyclingyogi

I'm starting to think the same way about Bowmore Tempest. Though it might be because I went a month without whisky before last night... I'm glad I was there for the trade. I think you both won.

@thecyclingyogi,

A powerful statement and one that I agree with. "Line in the sand " is a fitting way to pay tribute to this magnificent whisky, a benchmark dram indeed.