So, what are you drinking now?

@OdysseusUnbound I think I like that Laphroaig a bit more than you do, but otherwise I totally agree with your assessments. I'll have to try a Lot 40 Boulevardier at some point...

@talexander Don’t get me wrong; I like QC. I used to buy it on the regular back when it was $20 less than the Laphroaig 10. But I find QC much less complex than the 10, and I find the QC’s youth really shows up once the bottle has been exposed to air for awhile. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s something I’ve noticed. The Lot 40 CS was very complex. Lots of dill pickle and spices on the nose and the palate was a spicy mix of pepper, nutmeg, ginger and more, with some great sweet notes on the finish. It really develops nicely. That may be why the QC seemed a bit wanting afterward.

@OdysseusUnbound Yeah, that makes total sense, and I agree with you about the QC vs. 10yo (I keep a bottle of Laphroaig 10 at the club I get my hair cut). I so wish there was more Lot 40 CS out there.....

Wait—you can get your hair cut at some sort of magical club that stocks Laphroaig??? I must be doing something wrong.

@MadSingleMalt No, they don't stock anything (they sometimes have beer), but they keep a bottle of mine for me. It's John Allan's - you pay an annual membership fee and get haircuts, manicures, shoeshines anytime you like, plus other things (shave, pedicure, massage etc) for additional fees. It's feel pretty great having your hair cut, while also getting a manicure and sipping Laphroaig at the same time!

@talexander - how do you get the glass to your lips with your arms trapped under the barbers sheet? And while I'm at it, how does it avoid hair contamination?

Now if there are 'assistants' who perform this service I may well be emigrating

@RianC Well, one arm is trapped by the manicure, but I manage to find a way to get the glass to my lips with the other (where there's a will, there's a way). But yes, a stray hair has fallen into my glass once or twice (but I know it's mine so it's OK).

@talexander - That's a great mental image before I leave work on a Friday!

I get a Sicilian gent talking at me in barely comprehensible English, at what seems like 100 mph, whilst he shaves my head and mocks my bushy eyebrows!

@talexander @RianC My guy is crowding 80, natters away about sports, the bastards in the government, property taxes, etc. with lots F bombs thrown in. You have to get him before he heads to the Legion for beer and snooker. He charges $15, cash only, and the older I get the more I get for my money; I now get my eyebrows and my ear hairs trimmed. I must speak to him about keeping a Scotch stash for a few good customers.

If it was singed hair, it would only add to the Laphroaig's charm.

@MadSingleMalt I'll remember to ask for a curling iron next time!

Having a Glenfarclas 15 to round of a hearty dinner. I've had heart burn flaring up all week though and it's tasting slightly vinegary.

Any other day I'd pour it back but it's Friday . . .

Tasting!

Benromach 10, exclusive malts glentauchers 8, boutique-y invergordon 25, Amrut intermediate Sherry, ballechin 11 manzanilla, ardmore single cask Highland Park valkyrie and Ardbeg An Oa! Good stuff all the way through. Now moving on with another Ballechin - 11yr côtes de provence

A wonderful evening with blind tasting, good food and good company.

@RianC @talexander Before I was bald an old Italian was cutting my hair. He was using a straight razor to finish the job near the top of my ears where my hair had already start there migration. After a while, and a lot of itching, I realized by pulling my ears that I had many little cuts as slim as paper cut. It's a good thing, I didn't let him a bottle, he would probably have cut it too.

Moving on.

Hazelburn 13 oloroso cask

@Alexsweden, that Oloroso Hazelburn is the only Hazelburn I've had. Have you had others? If so, do you think the Oloroso is at all similar to the more standard releases?

A distillery filled Bunnahabhain from an oloroso cask

@RianC, quit coffee (and also cigs, if you smoke) and get some PPI to aleviate the acid reflux and probiotics to reset your gut....I had heartburn from the time I hit puberty...fourth grade...I was held back..

@paddockjudge If that doesn't work, he can scan ralfy's website. Nothing like a whisky site as a source for medical advice...

Not that anything you said is wrong...

@Nozinan was that in the same episode where he started to natter on about Marijuana legalization and use?

@cricklewood Or the one where he counsels on how to screen for alcoholism, or the one where he recommends self screening for prostate cancer, or the one...

@Nozinan When screening for prostate cancer, did he say not to use your drinking hand?

Please forgive the last comment. I am being too much creative tonight like with my vatting of Amrut Kadhambam with a stroke of Laphroaig QC. Actually, it's not bad.

@Robert99 He recommended a latex glove with petroleum jelly. As petroleum jelly breaks down latex, normally I would recommend against it as a lubricant, or not use the drinking hand. But as the whole idea is dangerous, I would recommend NOT HEEDING HIS ADVICE.

@MadSingleMalt yes I've had the regular Hazelburn 10 and I have to say that this one is much better! To my recollection the 10 was quite shy and anonymous while this oloroso matured one was very rich in nose and Palate.

@Alexsweden Have to agree on the Hazelburn 10. I have been waiting for it to give me something for a few months now. When I recently had it head to head with Springbank 10 I realized it was never going to be up to much and relegated it to the back of the cabinet. This is the only disappointing Springbank offering I have had. It's not that it's bad, but it's just as you say; somewhat weak and undistinguished.

@Nozinan I didn't see that particularly edifying video but not using petroleum jelly as lube with latex was an early sex-ed lesson that it seems Ralfy never received.

@Alexsweden , @BlueNote , is the Hazelburn 10 that shy of a whisky? Is this in comparison two it's brethren on taken on it's own merits? I ask as our government stores recently received both the Hazelburn 10 and the 9 Barolo cask. I would like to try one of these for a club pruchase, normally I would go for the CS one (the 9) but it's red-wine finished and that's not always successful.

@cricklewood I think perhaps the triple distillation process leaves it a bit too light for my taste, but I'm sure that lightness appeals to many other Scotch lovers.

@cricklewood But in its defense, it is 46%, un-chill filtered and natural colour. I think it might be just me. I like some bite in my whisky so I know I'm drinking whisky.