So, what are you drinking now?

@Victor After the year they've had they deserve some happiness. Stagg 2012 is one of my favourite bourbons, ever.

Like @Victor, I’m celebrating a great World Series and Houston Astros’ victory. I’m originally from Texas and my first baseball game was an Astros’ game many, many years ago.

Tonight, the last dram of Glenlossie 14 year (SMWS 46.43) - "If I were a carpenter..." from a second fill Oloroso Sherry butt. I didn’t care for this one when I first opened it, but it really opened up over time and I grew to love it.

Sticking with the Sherry theme. A recently opened bottle - Bowmore 18 year (SMWS 3.296) "Elegance and power". A big, complex, meaty, wonderful dram.

Congrats Astros!

First dram of my new bottle of Benromach 10 Imperial Proof. WOW, this is class! I'm gonna have to grab a couple more of these. It actually touches a lot of bases on the bourbon spectrum with the orange, tobacco, leather, spice on the palate and big oakiness & mint on the finish. Throw in a dash of sultanas, sherry, toffee, clove, and subtle smoke and this dram HAS IT ALL...and in perfect harmony. Way to go G&M!

PS - This whisky pairs extremely well 85%+ dark chocolate.

Tonight, watching Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS playoffs with a dram of Old Grand-Dad 114.

@KRB80 _ take the leap to 90% cacao - it requires a slow melt. Lindtt is my default brand and at a reasonable price!

Tonight a couple of my current faves. Kilkerran 12 and Kilchoman Machir Bay. At that, or any price point, it doesn't get much better.

@paddockjudge Lindt 90% is also one of my favorites! Smooth and smoky.

Bruichladdich the Laddie 10 year old tonight. I'd forgotten how good this one is.

@BlueNote As good as it is, the Laddie Classic (not to be confused with the Classic Laddie) was superb. I'd happily trade one of my bottles of the former for one of the latter.

@Nozinan Agreed. I remember that one. Hasn't been around for about 5 years now.

@BlueNote I have one dram left. Might save it for a review.

Loch Lomond att a friend's house sweet stone fruit arrival with a bitter finish

My wife and I had a fun night last night with two other couples who we often do dinners with. I've begun to pique their interest in whisky and this was the second whisky tasting night that we've organised together. We just bring along a bottle or two each and work our way through samples of each while grazing on some tasty food. Last night, for fun, they wanted to taste them blind, rank them and compare our tasting notes to the official ones. The bottles aren't orchestrated and so last night we had Benromach 10, Glengarioch Founders Reserve, Benromach Sassicaia, and Glen grant 10. At the end I brought out some Springbank 12 CS as a comparison. Food wise we had a range of cheeses, crackers and fruit paste etc.,scotch eggs, smoked salmon on mini bagels, chocolate truffles, rhubarb cake....... My contribution was pumpernickel with beetroot and feta creamed dip and a slice of medium rare marinated venison tenderloin. This combo was as good as I hoped it would be! All in all a good fun and not too serious night with good friends, food and whisky. Oh and the rankings - everyone had a different opinion!

@Hewie Good food, good drink, good friends; sounds like a great Friday night. Was there any consensus on any of the whiskies?

I think tonight I will start with another taste of the Hazelburn 10 and then move on to some serious peat. I'm thinking Uigeadail or another check on the Lagavulin 8.

@BlueNote One of the ladies comes from a Scottish family, When we sampled the first malt for the night, the Benromach 10, she said it smelt like her Grannies house! The general consensus ranked either the Benromach 10 or the Sassicaia as number 1 or 2 - opinions were mixed on the top placing. I really enjoyed the Benromach Sassicaia but trying it on the back of the standard 10 I didn't notice the peat smoke at all. It was full of christmas cake flavours. The Glengarioch had a thick and oily mouthfeel but it paled in comparison after the duo of Benromachs. The Glen Grant 10 was not unpleasant but it was unremarkable. Very light and simple. Easy to drink without having to think too much about it. It was the only one without much sherry influence too. The Springbank 12 CS was a clear favourite though. I was a little unsure how they would find a cask strength whisky but after a warm up on the others they all really enjoyed it. I must say that pumpernickel makes a fantastic base for bite sized nibbles to go with whisky.

Clynelish 14 half way through a bottle purchased last year. I seem to have different experiences with this particular single malt. I’ve abused this bottle over the last year gassing, not gassing, storage in a cabinet and storage in the fridge. Yet, the main backbone of waxiness, sweetness coupled with sourness, remain in tack. For tonight: Nose: Bees’ wax candle, musty, clover – floral, creamy, honey with a hint of toffee, hint of smoke with points of sharpness, background of sandlewood and soft oak Taste: Sweet/Sour, faint mustard, sage, black pepper, tart sharp tangerine, cardboard, mild honeytreacle coating sweetness/creamy, touch of peat, some heat - lighter fuel, bitter. The waxy character is always present in the background Mouth feel: starts oily changing to drying Finish: long with black pepper, mild comforting heat, drying salt flavour Flavours develop and ALTER with time in the glass with a couple drops of water. After storage in the fridge there is an off putting flavour, give it time to come to room temperature and it’s back to normal. I’m finding Clynelish 14 to be best drunk when one wants to contemplate the nuances of flavour in a single malt.

@fiddich1980 In a completely non-judgemental way can I ask the purpose of storing in the fridge?

I've heard this can keep an open wine drinkable for a couple days more, but never heard of this with spirits (other than vodka in the freezer).

@Nozinan There was a AHA moment when I first opened this bottle last year. I had a couple of bottles of other single malts which started great and faded overtime when they were consumed and the fill level went down. Researching this I ran across Breaking Bourbon's article of what happens to bourbon when stored over a year in different conditions. Bottle storage in the fridge helped to preserve flavor according the article so, I gave it a try. The result for the Clynelish 14 was that it made the flavours "tight" which I attribute to temperature. In my opinion, using a wine preserve works better. I one is anal, add wrap with Parafilm and store in dark cool basement cabinet. By the way earlier on in a post. Where you referring to Bruchladdich Laddie 10 or Classic Laddie?

@fiddich1980 On any given day I either love Clynelish 14 or I am completely nonplussed with it. I think it depends on what I've had to drink right before it.

@Nozinan I was wondering about the reason for refrigeration too. I keep my gin in the freezer always on the ready for a martini and my vodka in there in case the urge for a Caesar comes over me, but I've never refrigerated Scotch.

Enjoying Four Roses 125th Anniversary Small Batch 2013 Barrel Strength 51.6%, marking the end of two entertaining days of watching some of the best thoroughbred horse racing on the planet, the Breeders Cup Championship from beautiful Del Mar, California.

breakingbourbon.com/bourbon-storage-experim…

Here is the link

@BlueNote I find the Clynelish variable and changing as it evolve in a glass. For me, it is a challenging dram, something to contemplate.

Change of plan tonight. Decided on Caol Ila 12 instead of Uigeadail or Lag 8. Still an enjoyable, not too intense Islay dram.

@fiddich1980 I think I made reference to wishing I could get my hands on the "Laddie Classic", now long gone. The "Classic Laddie" is in the same colour tin but I have no idea if it has any flavour similarities to the Laddie Classic, which came out as a precursor to the original 10.

@Nozinan Thanks for the clearification. My knowledge of Bruichladdich is lacking.

@Nozinan The one I was referring to was the Laddie Ten Second Limited Edition. I know there is a Laddie Classic Scottish Barley which I think is not up to the original Classic Laddie that you are talking about, or the Laddie Ten. These Laddie's are getting confusing.

Tonight, after assembling my Tempo, I treat myself with BenRiach 15 yo PX. This one is pure pleasure for me. There is other whiskies that get me more exciting but this one is easy and fun and I am just a fan of PX finish.

@Robert99 What's a Tempo?

That is a temporary carport for the winter made of a galvanized metal structure cover by a canvas. Tempo is the brand that start its in Quebec. That is the kind of chore you have in fall that call for a reward after it is done.