So, what are you drinking now?

@nooch What would be your choice(s) at the KGBO?

@Robert99, they did say "arguably"; therefore, I am inclined to agree that we should argue with them....gloves off!

@nooch Do tell !! Not that I want to go out of my way to spend that kind of money...

I’m revisiting my Glenfarclas 12. I haven’t had it since late November or early December. I’m curious to see what’s going on.

Wow!! The Glenfarclas 12 has been much improved with time. The nose is a blast of red fruit (red grapes, raspberries, cherries), citrus and a bit of oak. The red fruit blast continues on the arrival, but then a lovely oily walnut texture and taste develops. I believe I rated this an 85 in my review, but it was easily an 88 tonight before dinner. Maybe I’m more sensitive since it’s my first whisky since last Sunday, but wow.

Currently enjoying an after dinner sip of Ardbeg 10. I forgot how much malty sweetness is in this whisky. It reminds me of the cigars my friend’s dad used to bring back from his business trips to the Dominican Republic. Smoky, yes, but with some very seductive sugar notes. I miss smoking cigars...

@OdysseusUnbound, laudable Glenfarclas 12 air improvement after three months open. Great.

The better question is "what am I not drinking right now?". Going through the royal sampler of my collection tonight.

@Robert99 Toronto Life is a shit-rag good for lining the birdcage with.

Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. Makes me feel like a British Antarctic Explorer! I read about the case found and wanted to taste 100 year old whisky. So, here we are: It’s tasty, nice mouth feel, wee bit spicy, easy drinking. I imagine it must have been amazing to have cases of whisky back at base while you’re 10,000 miles from the nearest civilization. The little wooden shack with no insulation, a few surviving dogs, a slab of seal fat and a bottle of Scotch.

@Wodha I too have been intrigued since trading about it and watching a video about the reproduction process. Cool back story and neat to have something truely styled on something old. Pleased you enjoyed it - I hope to try it some day even though friends said it wasn't spectacular in and of itself.

I donated blood today and now replaceing with some with Laphroaig Cairdeas Madeira. The colour was the impulse for a dram. I'm not in an analytical mood but, got this feedback from a friend that got a sample from me. Purely, subjective and entertaining

Nose: Clinic corridors, hospital fog, Dettol, sick ‘em peaty.....cinnamon

Taste: Hot, cool, smoky cinnamon, mouth pinching-fruity-flint

Finish: charcoal, silky butterscotch and fruitcake

Having an after dinner sipper of Knob Creek Single Barrel 9 Year Old. First impression: meh. It’s ok. Tastes like bourbon. Very generic. Doesn’t feel like 120 Proof. Not bad, by any means. Toffee, vanilla, maple syrup and oak on the nose. Some cherry chewing gum, coconut and caramel on the palate and a surprisingly short-ish finish. Decent, but not mind-blowing. Wild Turkey 101 is $20 cheaper and tastes more interesting to me. But this is a new bottle, so we’ll see how this develops with time.

I’ve decided to do a comparison, so I’ve opened my Wild a Turkey Rare Breed. We’ll see what happens.

No contest. WT Rare Breed is richer, fruitier, more complex. Despite being bottled at a slightly lower proof (116.8 Proof), it’s also a bit hotter on the palate, and it has a much longer finish than KC Single Barrel. The Knob Creek is oakier, but the Wild Turkey is simply better, in my humble opinion.

@OdysseusUnbound I've had similar thoughts about the KCSB. Attracted by the ABV, age statement, but it really doesn't have anything that makes it memorable. It's good, just not memorable. I picked up 2 n 2016 expecting the 9 to drop off. I don't think that's happened yet.

May need to trade one or both back to the KGBO. I originally thought it would be something to allow me to stretch my supply of Booker's, but I have plenty of Booker's now.

@Nozinan I guess that’s the risk with a Single Barrel offering; you never know if you’re going to get something incredible or mediocre.

@OdysseusUnbound true, though I've noticed some whiskies, while not exactly the same, are consistently excellent.

I was inspired by you to go back to my open KCSB yesterday. Unfortunately, as has been happening lately, I was just too tired to do it. Maybe today?

@Nozinan Do it !

@OdysseusUnbound If I have the energy...I will

@OdysseusUnbound

I poured it, and decanted the last 5th of my bottle. I agree with you. It tastes like bourbon. Nothing offensive, just not outstanding.

Air time (a given with 2 children vying for my attention) seems to bring out some sweetness and fruitiness and opens it up.

But I don't think I'll be able to finish it. This caffeine taper has really taken a toll on my energie levels in the evening.

Last night, a dram of 18 year Royal Brackla (Sep 1997) SMWS 55.40 "Playful mouth-tingles" originally from an ex-bourbon hogshead before being finished in a first-fill American oak Pedro Ximenez hogshead while watching Westworld.

Sampling and comparing Kilkerran 12 /2017 and Benromach 10 /2015. Probably, not a fair comparison but, l kept noticing a common theme. Nose: K12 fruity, lemon, apricot, defined aromatic : B10 brown sugar long extended aromatic nose. * Both share a musty/dunnage aroma with a bit of smoke Palate: K12 lemons, salty, powered sugar, mint/green, sooty/coal, nuanced drying mouth feel B10 sweet/sour, waxy bitter coat, intense vanilla, floral/spicy notes, citrus - tangerine, syrupy oily textured mouth feel *Both have a Turkish delight aspects with a rose water element. Finish: K12 medium/salty ashy clean B10 long/smoky slight heat burn *Both have a coastal/marine/brine notes on finish The B10 in appeals to contemporary palate and the K12 harkens back to an "old school" scotch. In my opinion, these are both well made and tasty single malts.

@fiddich1980 nice comparison there - interesting how the proportion of bourbon to sherry cask in both of their make up is very similar, but the finishing in sherry for the Benro really comes through. These are two malts that I hold in high regard and both have an old school feel to me. Excellent value for money (where I am).

@Hewie Great point on the Sherry cask. I was not taking that into consideration when tasting them. I added more H20 to the K12 because of it's higher ABV to bring it closer to the 43% of the B10. The B10 maintained a bolder flavour. The K12 has subtle nuanced flavours.

Last night, a birthday dram.

Girvan 31 year SMWS G7.10 (Lowland Grain Whisky) "The Texan tea party" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead.

Talisker Skye (50ml bottle) - Not a bad nose; seaweed, some smoke, peat and toffee. Tastes a bit thin, some peppery spice with the seaweed dominating. Not much of a finish, a little bitter char, pepper and that's about it. It's youthful/spirity and clean.

If I was rating this it would be mid 70s. Considering the cheap price this is usually at (UK) it's OK but Talisker fans would no doubt feel let down. Classic NAS, I guess?

@bwmccoy Happy Birthday!

Casa Noble Blanco Tequila, not my first alcohol consumed today, and quite likely not my last.

@Nozinan - Thank you for the birthday wishes. While I am 20+ years older than the 31 year Girvan, it was the oldest bottle that I have open at the moment, so I figure it was fitting for a birthday dram.

Last night, Aultmore 14 year (Sep. 2002) SMWS 73.81 "Dark chocolate destiny" from a refill ex-sherry butt. This is an interesting dram in that some times it blows me away and other times, it is fine, but nothing special. Last night, it was tasting really good! The following SMWS tasting notes were well represented; "Dark chocolate sauce drizzled over fresh raspberries. tangerine segments soaked in Grand Marnier, plums steeped in dark navy rum".

Opened Green Spot tonight as I had a lack of easier going whiskies and have had a lot of young peaty ones recently. It's good to get that pot still thing after nearly a year without any.

Preparing a little little flight . . . BR 15, PC SB HP and will finish with the JD single barrel.