So, what are you drinking now?

@ajjarrett, @talexander, I am not much on the Greenore 8 yo, but I once tried the Greenore 15 yo and it was outstanding. I hear just the same about the Greenore 18 yo.

@Victor Well, I am usually a try it before I buy it, type of guy, so if I can do that I will do it. It is a good way to avoid spending money on a bottle you end up thinking, "I could have bought something I know I liked...ugh."

@ajjarrett, there isn't much that I will buy any more without having tried it first.

@ajjarrett You'll have to be very lucky to get your hands on a bottle of the Laddie Classic. I haven't seen a bottle of it in years. Don't confuse it with the newer CLassic Laddie, which I have not tried.

@Nozinan One of the things I cannot stand about Bruichladdich (besides being very hit-and-miss on their whisky) is the confusing names and vast number of releases they have. Drives me nuts.

@Nozinan Thanks for the clarification. I didn't know there was a difference.

@talexander Technicaly, that's 2 things you can't stand.

A third, I believe, is the note of baby puke (that I don't notice in this).

Luckily, the LCBO solves the problem of multiple expressions by carrying very few of them...

My son bought a house and yesterday we gutted it right to the studs. After dinner with our crew of family and friends, the four young lads and I knocked back a well deserved assortment of beer and spirits including a 14 whisky line-up from a pair of Virginia Six-shooters. Wiser's Legacy received the highest praise followed by Highwood Ninety 20 YO, Macallan 12 YO, Maker's 46 and Masterson's 10 YO Straight Rye batch #015....not everyone needs cask strength to enjoy a whisky.

In order of tasting...

John J. Bowman Single Barrel 50% abv.

Maker's Mark 45% abv.

Maker's 46 47% abv.

Maker's Mark Private Select Single Barrel 55.7% abv. Selection by Liquor Locker of Hagerston, MD Barrel # 66 (750ml)

Wiser's Legacy 45% abv. L16 175

Highwood Ninety 20 YO 45% abv.

Lot No 40 Rye 43% abv.

Corby's Lot No 40 Rye 12 YO Cask Strength 55% abv

Masterson's 10 YO Straight Rye Batch 015

Buffalo Trace Stagg Jr 64.75% abv.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 12 YO Batch No. 6, 70.1% abv.

Macallan 12 YO Sherry Wood 43% abv.

Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 YO 43% abv.

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Heavily Peated 50% abv.

@paddockjudge I think I would need more than Zantac 150 to protect me from the heartburn associated with so much alcohol at once (those of you who do not suffer from GORD - GERD in the US - will never understand).

You picked a great line-up. That Stagg Jr. is my favourite of the 3 I have tried so far, and my recent tasting of the Hazmat ECBP reinforces my decision to pick up an extra bottle (Thanks @Victor for helping with that).

When you go, you go big!

@paddockjudge, lookin' good! You did a great job of finishing those A. Smith Bowman stave glassholders. That's a pretty picture.

As to Wiser's Legacy being popular, well, it's good to hear that the young men have some taste. It is harder to understand that not enough Canadians will buy Legacy to keep it in production.

I haven't commented here much lately, life has been busy. But i still try to follow threads and conversations when I have a free moment to myself.

A friend of mine that tracks all of the spirits he drinks in the mother-of-all spreadsheets came over the other night to partake in a small tasting session. He tried 3 new expressions, the 3rd being his 1000th spirit in which we opened my bottle of Wiser's 35yo to celebrate! I'm not sure where you go from 1000....2000? Doesn't seem to have the same impact. Nonetheless, it was fun to celebrate that milestone and to reflect on where we both were 35 years ago (him in diapers and me, not conceived or even a thought in my parents mind). The other two spirits we drank were Torres Jamie I 30yo Solera Brandy and Bowmore Laimrig Batch IV (he'd previously sampled batch III).

Anyway, a memorable evening with good conversation and drink; the quintessential tasting :)

Whisky club whisky, rum-cask whisky, & whisky-inspired rum, with my whisky club.

@MadSingleMalt looks like another great night - I love the way you theme your club nights. So whicj whiskies (and rums) stood out on the night?

Last night, had supper and late conversation with an old friend. Knob Creek Rye was the lubricant for the conversation. Bazooka Joe bubblegum,oak, allspice, peanut brittle, sunflower oil, silky and dangerously easy drinking.

@Hewie

The whiskies were all old friends except our new one for the month, the Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask, which I found totally nice and tasty, but nothing special. My favorite whisky from that group you can see on the table (one of the old friends) is probably the Talisker DE.

As for the rums, I have no idea. They were all very different, but as I guy who hadn't tasted a single rum in years and never any respectable aged ones, it was all rather hard to keep tabs on—even despite the fun little map our host made. I liked this one "Plantation" something-or-other that was the freshest and most whisky-like, but that's probably not helpful because there were at least three different Plantation bottles on the table that night.

@Hewie - Agreed! Every time @MadSingleMalt posts about them I get thirsty

I went to a Rum and Crab 'shack' on holiday a while back and tried some very decent sipping rums. I bet that was a great and interesting night they had!

@Hewie & @RianC, thanks! The themes picked up steam over the past year or so, since our first big one, ARDBEGGEDON. They make it more fun. This month's theme was RUMBELLION.

It's maybe reached the point, though, where if I just showed up to one of our club nights with a plain-Jane bottle of (say) Clynelish 14 and said "enjoy," there'd be some minor disappointment in the room. But that's good—it keeps a little spring in our step.

@MadSingleMalt - Fair play though - it sure beats supping a nip or two in my basement after the nipper and my Mrs have gone to bed

Started the evening with wood fired pizza and a local organic lager. Back home my girlfriend presented me the following for my b-day.

Bas-Armagnac Delord 1978 (bottled May 2018) 40%abv. Great nose, there's a yeasty oxidized character, like oloroso along with lots of oak and currants.

We then had a dram of Compass Box Flaming Heart 2015, so rich and sooty at once.

Lastly a freeform peach pie, using Four Roses single barrel to macerate the fruit. I'll definitely be trying this again.

@cricklewood Ha! Awesome stuff! My girlfriend bought me a Delord armagnac once too! We gotta love our booze-lovin' ladies.

@talexander

At least my wife lets me have my collection (though she doesn't think I need any more and who can blame her?

And I have received some nice gifts from the in-laws - some XOs that I occasionally sip, and a Fiddich 18 that made for a great trade...

@cricklewood, That Armagnac looks fabulous. I hope you enjoy it well. @paddockjudge has gifted me a Delord and I have tasted a few with him. Nice stuff. And @talexander's Delord was a real treat too.

@Nozinan Well, as I always say (I'm sure you're sick of this now) - The only thing worse than a wife-or-girlfriend who hates whisky, is a wife-or-girlfriend who loves whisky. And mine sure does love the whisky.

@cricklewood that peach pie sounds divine - and nice sounding birthday bottles too. Happy Birthday!

@Hewie thank you

@talexander @Nozinan I quite enjoy Armagnac as I find it tends to be drier, a little more rustic and not as overly sweet as most Cognac, also being able to try spirit as old or older than oneself is a great experience!

It's a a such a great contrast from my previous relationship to have someone who enjoys whisky as much as I do, I see it reflected in the level of my bottles too

A dram of Kilkerran 12 after a dinner of Fish and Chips (fish supper). Lemons with pith and sweet caol smoke, makes a good palette cleanser. A few drops of H2O brings out the sweetness of lemons and a dark Panda liquorice note on the nose.

@MadSingleMalt - Just noticed some Pusser's gunpowder rum in that above image? How did you find it? I've not much experience with rums but had a bottle of that a couple of years back and thought it was excellent.

@fiddich1980 - I bet that went well with fish and chips!?

Last night I opened my Lot 40 Rye - very nice, if a tad closed, but a bit more rounded and sweet than I found my last (Bulleit) rye. Label says it's aged in virgin oak, which I wouldn't have guessed on first contact.

Also had a Benriach 10 - this one gets better with air and has a lovely balanced sherry note to it. If folk want to try this I'd look to buy soon as the quality at that distillery may soon take a dive (but who knows?). Great vfm!

Enjoyed that pairing so much I'll be having a wee sample of each a little later as well

@RianC Why do you think the quality may take a dive? Also, what is "vfm"?

@talexander - ah, apologies! vfm = value for money.

Benriach were recently taken over by Brown-Forman so I'd worry they may change things up a bit. As it is, this 10 year is a delight; it would be a shame if they messed about with it which, well, you know . . .