So, what are you drinking now?

Last night, Girvan 31 year SMWS G7.10 (Lowland Grain) "The Texan tea party" from an ex-bourbon refill hogshead. Was in the mood for something on the sweeter side and cask strength. Didn’t have any bourbon open, so this was a good substitute.

Went for coffee with my daughter, ended up in an impromptu supper with her and my brother. We tried this little Carribean joint, had Escovitch chicken and oxtail.

Back home, I decided I needed to trigger more enzymatic activity, so it's rhum to start with, Bielle 2010 Cask strength agricole, 55.4%abv...loads of raisins, lemon pith and allspice collide with grassy and vegetal notes.

Moving on to Aberlour A'bunadh batch 56, I personally enjoyed this one from the starting line...only a few drams left and I didn't buy a replacement as I have the last couple of years.

Started with Glenmorangie 18 - which is such easy drinking. Moved to redbreast 21 - which is so spectacular. Nose reminded me a bit of Old Pulteney 17yo, but with a more fruity palate. Spices are there on the finish, but they’re so subtle. Great dram. Is it wrong that two glasses in I’m already considering picking up another bottle to have on hand?

In a Sherry mood tonight...

Aultmore 14 year (Sep. 2001) SMWS 73.78 "Zingy, effervescent and intriguing" from refill ex-sherry butt. This is more of a “light” sherry influence. While not as thick, the taste reminds me of a Macallan 12.

Bowmore 18 year SMWS 3.296 "Elegance and power" also from a refill ex-sherry butt. Now this is a Sherry bomb. Two completely different sherried whiskies, but really enjoy them both!

A blustery day in Toronto today. I was almost hit by a plastic table or chair that shattered on the ground not far from m and my car as I walked from my mother's apartment, making me glad I told her to stay inside until I brought the car over.

I never thought BBQing on the deck would be dangerous and it would have nothing to do with gas or flame...

So when my uncle agreed to a dram (need to induce the enzymes for SOT), Ardbeg Uigeadail just matched the weather.

After reading the thread Which is your favorite Islay dirillery and why I went for Ardbeg Perpetuum followed by Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015. The Perpetuum had too much burnt rubber and was lacking lemon and salt to be a great Ardbeg, the Cairdeas was way more complex and cleaner, it blew away the Ardbeg at Perpetuum.

@Robert99 that Cairdeas 2015 is truly stunning, it has such depth. I am looking forward to this year's release it's going to be a Fino Sherry finish.

Cinco de Mayo Tequilas, free at a commercial tasting: Pasote blanco, reposado, and anejo; Casamigos blanco, reposado, and anejo, and Olmeca Altos blanco and reposado. @Dramlette and I liked the Pasote blanco and reposado quite a bit. Their anejo was fuzzy and indistinct. The Pasote blanco was sweet and clear. Very pleasant. Casamigos blanco is also quite sweet with quite a thick body. Lovely. The Casamigos Reposado was very caramel-y sweet, good if you like that sort of thing, which apparently George Clooney does. The Casamigos Anejo tequila really blew my mind, because it didn't taste like tequila at all--it tasted like whiskey! Woody, but not that clean woodiness of other anejo and extra-anejo tequilas...this one tasted just like it was aged in a once used bourbon barrel still dripping of bourbon. What I tasted didn't just taste of wood, but actually tasted of a bit of rye grain in there. I have never before seen that with a tequila.

As for Olmeca Altos blanco and reposado, both are unfortunately rather spirity and rough. Don't bother.

I opened a bottle of Uigeadail about 3 weeks ago and after a small dram I decided to let it sit for a while. Had a dram last night and it was everything you want in an Ardbeg Uigeadail. Excellent in every way. Even better with a drop or two of water. I had it shortly after a dram of Tamdhu 10, a tasty sherry monsterette that is becoming a first choice for affordable sherried single malts. I like it better than Glendronach 10 and Glenfarclas 12 in the same price point. The Uigeadail was an almost seamless followup.

The batch # for the Uigeadail is:L65820 24/05/2016. I wish I had another one, 'cause this one is going to go fast.

Opened and now enjoying my Laddie Ten 2nd Ed. A celebration was in order after my football team have pulled off something of a sporting miracle and avoided relegation at the last second . . . A very happy camper here tonight and the whisky's not bad either

@RianC That's a very nice wee Laddie. Enjoy.

Today, the heir has left the family nest. It’ a new time for him and for my wife and I as well. My two kinds are now on their own and I am full of mixed feelings. So I think it is appropriate to finish a bottle and start a new one. That is why I am now finishing my Gerston (there was only one pour left) and will open the Blair Athol 1995 First Edition after (that will be my first Blair Athol).

@Robert99 That is a day I am not looking forward to. I will probably avoid alcohol, I'll be too sad.

Enjoy your now bottle and your new freedom...

Talisker 57 Degrees North. Yummy!

@Victor Oh, yeah!

Since I've just come back from a few days off in Islay for distillery tourism, I've brought back a lot of samples. So now, I'm finishing my Octomore 5.1 167 PPM - enjoyable, explosive peat with a long lingering finish, but I've been a bit disappointed - it feels a bit unidimensional, as if something was missing. But I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to taste it. To my great surprise, I'm not that fond of that level of peat. I prefer more balanced drams.

I'm also finishing a sample of Ardbeg Uigeadail. At first sip, tr got me a bit confused with all that massive sherry, but eventually I have to admit this is a very good dram, better (and slightly heavier) than the Bowmore 15, in the same style. My only regret: I wish it was a bit less sugary.

Sipping some Gooderham & Worts 17 Year Old. This whisky is so confusing for me. I’ve rated it highly, called it a “bottle of disappointment”, and now I’m enjoying it as a “background sipper”. I realize one’s taste for a particular whisky changes with all kinds of factors, but I’ve never experienced it to this extent with any whisky. Oh well, bottom’s up !

@OdysseusUnbound I noted a similar change over time with the standard 4 grain. Interesting. I appreciate the sample of the 17...I will do a H2H with the standard when I review it.

In a Sauternes mood tonight;

Glendullan 14 year SMWS 84.18 "Sneezing in the sun" from a second-fill Sauternes cask.

Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured

Last night I had a dram from my all-Islay solera bottle to make room in there for a healthy dash of Ardbeg Dark Cove CR 55%. My all-Islay mix is good stuff: quality in, quality out!

That Dark Cove is about one glass away from biting the dust. It went fast. I nearly missed my chance to preserve a homeopathic portion of it forever in my all-Islay bottle.

@MadSingleMalt "preserve a homeopathic portion" ha ha I love it Its life force shall live on.......

Tonight, Glendronach 12 year The Original Double Cask; Spanish Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks

Followed by Bunnahabhain 10 year SMWS 10.118 "Enthralling pink and peat intensity". After nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, the remainder of the maturation in a 1st fill Port barrique.

Finished the night by killing of my bottle of Bruichladdich Octomore 07.1 (5 year old) 208 ppm Scottish Barley matured in American oak. Going to miss this one!

@bwmccoy - Similar to @paddockjudge and his shelf of treats . . . your posts on this thread always make my jaw drop a notch or two

Getting further acquainted with the Laddie 10 2nd Ed - It's beginning to open up a bit now and the smell from the bottle was just lovely. You'd be forgiven for thinking this was slightly peated but I think it's a really tangy saltiness with some barrel char that I'm getting, unless some comes through with the water?

Lovely though; very coastal but sweet, herbal and sour all at once with it. Some leathery notes in there as well. Yesus pleaseus.

I’m sipping some more Gooderham & Worts Little Trinity 17 YO. I take back calling this “a bottle of disappointment”. Mea culpa . As this opens up, some serious richness shines through. I’m kicking myself for being overzealous with this one. I may have to purchase another bottle, drink just past “the shoulders” and then hide it from myself for at least 3 months. My enjoyment score is currently in line with my “perception of quality” score of 88-89 pts.

To end the night (while watching the Jets agains the Predators) I am having a small poor of Rock Oyster 18 yo. It is my first poor but as a first impression, I only have one word: Wow! They say it has Arran, Jura and Orkney in it. In a blind taste, I would have guess Bruichladdich from the nose and a vatting of Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Bruichladdich on the palate. Lemon, seaweed, salt and coal; I cannot ask for a better mix of flavors.

@RianC - Thanks! You are too kind, but my Whisky shelf pales in comparison to @paddockjudge! :-)

Tonight, Dry Fly (Spokane, WA) Triticale Straight Whiskey Port Barrel Finish Aged 4 years - 45% ABV

Followed by my Mother-in-laws bottle of Tobermory 10 year (July 2005) heavily peated From Single Cask Nation, Cask #10.

Finishing the night with Bowmore 18 year SMWS 3.296 "Elegance and power" from a Refill butt, ex-sherry.

Friday evening after a long week. Started light with Arran 10. Barley sugar fading to something floral with lingering spice. Moved onto something from Campbelltown: Kilkerran 12. Lively but with definite peat after the Arran sweetness. Then continuing my travels towards the West onto something from Islay: Port Charlotte HP. Salted caramel on the nose and sweet smokey finish. Maybe I should finish off with some Ledaig from Mull?

Last night after a looooong day at work: Talisker 10. The Platonic ideal of scotch.

Last night, finished late, had a few tacos with a friend and came home with much on my mind, I had the right dram to accompany that feeling, Compass Box Flaming Heart 15th anniversary.

When I first opened this in company of @Nozinan and @paddockjudge over the weekend, I found it a little tight and it paled in Comparison to "the judge's" superb vattings that followed. Last night it was the right companion to my thoughts, it has a great nose and the palate is starting to come along.