So, what are you drinking now?

Ardbeg Uigeadail. This is still from my third bottle of six of L 10 151. God, why has it been over 2 years since I have had a taste of this? 100 other open bottles is the reason. The urge to explore often distracts from the desire to go back to favourites.

@Victor I have an L10 151 tucked away deep in my cabinet. The only Uigeadail I've ever had is from bottles sold in the last 2-3 years, but it's hard to imagine something even better than that for its flavour profile.

@Nozinan, I don't see many serious complaints about the more recent Uigeadails. There was certainly a period in about 2012-2014 when there was a lot of discussion that the then recent releases were not in the class of the 2008-2011 releases. That was a comparison against a very high standard even then, so not really a solid condemnation. It was a relative statement about quality, not an absolute one. Discussion has been more quiet recently. I haven't tasted any Uigeadail releases from after 2013, so I don't have an opinion on that subject.

And, @Nozinan, this is also to say that I do hope that you enjoy your bottle of L 10 151 as well as I have enjoyed mine.

Ardbeg Ten with a new neighbor who stopped by our impromptu backyard fire & fireworks fun last night.

@cricklewood, the good WhistlePigs are great!!

Opened up my anCnoc 22 last night for a taste. The cork broke, Fortunately I have a few spares. The anCnoc was excellent. Full on sherry cask all the way.

That 18 year 9 month old cask strength Tomatin in the above pic is next.

@BlueNote once again, a bag o' corks saves the day!

@BlueNote, perfect timing! I placed an empty bottle of anCnoc 22 YO in the recycling bin yesterday....and the Tomatin?...I'll patiently wait for you to tackle that one. Nice catch!

Been a good boy all week so had the last of my Wild Turkey 101 whilst making dinner. A bottle of Ruby ale (with malt and rye) from St Peter's with dinner - although it didn't go that well with pasta carbonara it was lovely and have just opened a JW Green.

This is the most recent bottling with the updated packaging. I had the 'new' green when it came out a couple of years back and have one stashed. This seems much peatier and I'm getting less complexity, especially the fruits and coffee, on the nose (this is from memory though and a fresh bottle so . . .) . Still very good though. 'Scotchy' if you know what I mean?

@RianC I keep passing up the opportunity to buy the new Green. I liked the original version so much, I just don't want to be disappointed. Good to get your impressions of the latest version, though. Thanks.

I had some ruby ale last weekend. The last of my Wychwood Hobgoblin at 5.2%. Now all we can get here is the canned version at 4.5%. A bit thinner and sweeter than the excellent bottled one.

@BlueNote - Not tried that one but will give it a go - thanks. Craft ale seems to have had a revival over the last few years and has gone more into the mainstream, so we're lucky as most supermarkets have excellent selections. If you like old style IPAs (not overly hopped) look out for Fuller's Bengal Lancer - possibly my favourite beer.

Jack. At a free commercial tasting I just had some standard Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey 47% ABV, some Jack Daniel's Rye Whiskey 45% ABV, and some Single Barrel Jack Daniel's Rye Whiskey 47% ABV. Well, I have been lukewarm on, and sometimes hostile toward, Jack Daniel's since Day 1, but all three of these today were delicious. That was probably the best Jack Daniel's Single Barrel I have encountered, out of maybe 8 total. If I had a couple of hundred fewer bottles in the house I could have been happy owning bottles of all three of them...But I'd never buy Jack SB without tasting what is assumed to be the exact barrel first.

@Victor Tonight my niece was over for supper. I let her choose. She wanted "something different, not peated." She'd never tried a wheated bourbon before so we poured OWA 107 after dinner. I have to say it's much more fragrant and pleasant than I remember. Last pour was 7 and a half months ago...

@Nozinan, I am far from au courant with Old Weller Antique 107. I have tasted from precisely one bottle of it, mine I purchased in about 2009. That one had the then-old label, probably from 2007, and still had the 7 year age statement. I still have some from that bottle. The label has changed twice since then. I also own an unopened bottle with the succeeding label, purchased in about 2011, and an unopened one I bought with the most recent label a few months ago. That 2009 bottle was so intense it took me a long time to adjust to it, but then it became a great favourite. I am looking forward to catching up to what the more recent versions of OWA107 taste like. Some day.

@Victor something we have in common.... I have only ever tasted OWA107 from one bottle... Mine.

Bonus night. Since my niece is staying over, we decided to try something with contrast, so we decided on the Lot40 CS. This one continues to impress. Now that the fill level is inching down, I may have to reserve it for people who haven't had a chance to try it.

Rainy, windy night calls for sherry and port...

Aultmore 14 year (Sep. 2001) SMWS 73.78 "Zingy, effervescent and intriguing" from a refill ex-sherry butt.

Finishing with a peated Bunnahabhain 10 year (Dec. 2006) SMWS 10.118 "Enthralling pink and peat intensity". After spending nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, the remainder of maturation was in a 1st fill Port barrique. So perfectly balanced! This is only the second dram out of this bottle, but I am loving it!

There’s a snowstorm happening here right now. That calls for some high strength hooch. I made an Old Fashioned with the Knob Creek Single Barrel that left me feeling somewhat ambivalent. This bourbon is working fantastically in my cocktail. I may have to have another one later...

Luxco IB bourbons at a free commercial tasting : David Nicholson 1843 wheated bourbon 50% ABV, David Nicholson Reserve (rye) bourbon 50% ABV, and Yellowstone (rye) bourbon 47% ABV. All straight bourbons, all NAS, none Bottled in Bond, so all assumed to be 4 years old. I had high hopes to find another decent inexpensive wheater in the 1843, but that one was rather spirity and rough on both nose and palate. Too bad, since they probably sourced their wheated bourbon from Heaven Hill. I certainly don't recommend that batch I tried. Maybe a later batch will be better. The David Nicholson Reserve seemed rough on the first taste, but better on the second, and rather good with a little ice. It had a lot of flavours tucked away, coiled like a spring. I suspect that that one might develop well with extended air exposure. A person could work with a bottle of that David Nicholson Reserve. The two Nicholsons were each priced below $ 30. The Yellowstone is apparently a blending of whiskeys from several distilleries and ages. It was very drinkable and easy-going, with a big emphasis on caramel. Not much going on but the caramel, though. Pleasant for sure, but priced high at around $ 50. Yesterday's Jack Daniel's offerings left me liking all three tasted at the prices asked; today's Luxco offerings led to a tepid reaction with limited, conditional enthusiasm. As Luxco bourbons go i still recommend Ezra Brooks at local prices. The batch of Luxco's Rebel Yell wheated bourbon I tasted 7 months ago was also far more desirable than anything I tasted today.

@OdysseusUnbound, I am loving hearing about your snowstorm. It has gotten to 30 C here both yesterday and today. We had to run our air conditioning in both car and house. 600 miles away we are from you, so near, yet so far.

@OdysseusUnbound It's a beautiful spring evening. My wife asked me to make a warm chocolate pudding cake (I haven't made it since we were married almost 12 years ago but my mother mentioned it yesterday).

Personally, the weather is encouraging me to work at finishing off my Laphroaig QC. After tonight there are about 3 full size drams left.

@Nozinan dang. It's hitting 80F in Nashville now.

@casualtorture I feel feel your pain...

@casualtorture - We've gone from snow to shorts and T shirt on the golf course yesterday in about three weeks!

Opened Ardmore Legacy earlier and had a small sample. Not bad, not great and not a patch on the 8 IB bottle I'm working through. It's filling in the job of a blend in my open selection though and will do the job just fine.

Onto a post Sunday roast Talisker 18. I feel 91 points may have been underselling this. Only two pours left

It's even worse today than the picture from yesterday. I shovelled snow the texture of fine beach sand this morning. One would not know that I had done anything based on current conditions.

No question about going anywhere (though my wife took our niece and nephew to lunch). She has allowed me the liberty of a review before I am set to preparing a hearty beef stew for tonight's dinner.

Macallan 12 yo Sherry Oak, OB. A few years ago I would have laughed at the thought that I would become a fan of this once-commonplace malt whisky. Times have changed, and at this point I see Mac 12 Sherry Oak as one of the few trustworthy Scottish sherried malts available. It is available at a good price here as well. So now I own several bottles of this as a staple to consume over the next several years.

@Victor, I'll be looking for a bottle or two next month...it is my son's favourite single malt and I have been encouraging him to accumulate. His modest cache is growing.

@paddockjudge, I think that it is a good move to put a few Macallan 12 Sherry Oak bottles away. That is why I did it.

@Nozinan Has an Easy York/West Scarborough feel to it

@JayRain Nothing easy about trying to get that snow/ice off my driveway...

@JayRain - my bad - East York