So, what are you drinking now?

@Victor - sounds like a great event. Glad you and @Dramlette had a great time together and some great weather as well.

Last night, I had a dram of Talisker Skye (travel retail from 2016) not because it’s a great whisky, but because I had salmon for dinner and Talisker always seems to go best with salmon. This bottle has been open for 1-2 years and while not bad, I have never tasted any peat or smoke until last night when I finally got a hint of peat. No smoke, but at least some peat.

Tonight, Aultmore 18 year (Feb. 1997) SMWS 73.72 "A ray of sunshine" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead.

Followed by Caol Ila 11 year SMWS 53.252 "Smoky incarnations" also from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead.

Laphroaig 10 43%

Despite all the peaty dramming mileage under my belt and my love for some Laphroaig products, this was my first-ever bottle of the basic 10 that I owned myself. I really only bought it because (a) K&L had it on some ridiculous markdown last year, like $32 maybe; and (b) I wanted it as a "comp" for the Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength that my club is opening this month.

And I remember now why my previous tastes of it never compelled me to buy a whole bottle: It's so damn weak. Nice flavors, but totally washed out.

I remember slagging a bottle of Caol Ila 12 a couple years ago as "peaty water," but this is way worse.

I think I'd score it around 65-70.

@MadSingleMalt - Don't ever buy a bottle in the UK then It's 40% here and while I think it is decent there are better peaty whiskys at similar (or less) cost.

I imagine the 10 CS is excellent but rarely seen over here, unfortunately. My last bottle of the 10 was bought a couple of years back on offer for £25 - which is about right for a 'traditionally presented' malt whisky, in my opinion. No doubt it would shine at 46, NCF etc etc

@RianC @MadSingleMalt ha ha I was thinking the same thing - also bottled at a lowly 40% here in NZ and no CS in sight. There are much more attractive heavily peated options for a similar price - but they don't have that Laph signature profile.

On my way into the office this morning, I slipped on a wet, hilly street. I either sprained or fractured my foot (awaiting x-ray results), so while my foot is elevated with an ice pack in place hoping the swelling goes down, I’m self medicating with a peated Bunnahabhain 10 year (SMWS 10.118) "Enthralling pink and peat intensity" that spent nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead before being finished in a 1st fill Port barrique. This is some darn tasty medicine. :-)

I'm on holiday and trying to make a conscious effort to wind down. This afternoon I dusted off a pad of drawing paper and started a picture - accompanied by a Springbank 10. Ahh, that's better.

@Hewie Ah, curiosity has been stirred... so, I one hopes that once said picture (and dram(s)) is finished, one shall hope that the artist makes a photo and shares the piece with his brothers and sisters on here?

@RikS as long as you don't expect too much - it is quite honestly the first time I've done anything more than a doodle for years. I'm only part way done so maybe tomorrow

@Hewie I shall keep an open mind and reasonable expectations, promise. However, always nice to see what people create. I used to do quite a bit of drawing and painting too, but in recent years i've moved firmly into photography as my main expressive medium. Look forward!

@RikS OK so Kilkerran did a Work In Progress range, so here is my WIP. I've always been fascinated by the leaves of one of our native trees called mahoe - on the ground the leaf tissue decomposes to leave behind an intricate lace-like skeleton. So, here is my attempt to capture that. Although somewhat simplistic, I really enjoyed the stillness of drawing (with a dram at hand) and no other interruptions - no TV or music. It was quite therapeutic! What else do you fellow Connosr's enjoy doing whilst dramming?

@Hewie, thanks for sharing that!

I write in my (non-whisky) journal.

@Hewie it's really nice. Complex and yet the totality is very serene. Like the diagonal composition to add to the balance. Thank you for sharing @Hewie! You do know that youll also have to show the final product now I presume.

@Hewie My favourite is to dram while talking with a friend or friends.

When alone, I have been known to have a dram while:

• preparing a review (duh)

• watching TV / Netflix / Korean Dramas / similar

• reading

-Charting (no, that is not a euphemism, @bluenote)

• Preparing presentations or other admin work

But just to be clear, most of the time I do any of the above it is without a dram... like now

@bwmccoy, I hope you are doing well, how is the foot...and what style of medicine are you considering for this evening?

@paddockjudge @bwmccoy

OK, I have to make an intervention.

Scotch is a great tasting spirit.

Canadian whisky has something in it that some people find useful for dermatitis.

But if you sprain or break something, NSAIDS are probably better, and they don't mix with alcohol.

@RikS thank you, you're too kind. I'm well aware my drawing is no masterpiece but as I said I'm enjoying the process. Now I just have to wait for the family to be otherwise occupied so that I can spend some time and finish it off. I wonder which dram will help with that? I do enjoy the signature dank, funky, forest-floor type notes of Springbank. Maybe it's cousin Kilkerran, or even some Ledaig for next time. @MadSingleMalt I can see how journaling would pair well with whisky. I found myself quite contemplative in the stillness of drawing. @Nozinan I too, like most, enjoy sharing whisky with friends - but I generally drink more frequently solo - and I really enjoy that aspect too. Any other quiet activities you enjoy while dramming?

@paddockjudge - Thanks for checking in on me. I was going to see if @Nozinan would mind doing a house call. :-) The foot is doing much better today. Still swollen, but I am walking much better and the pain while walking has greatly reduced. I think I'm on the road to recovery. I'm on my way home from work now, so I haven't decided what to prescribe myself this evening after dinner.

@Nozinan - all joking aside, please know that I would never mix alcohol with medicine. I was kind of surprised that my doctor not only didn't prescribe something for the swelling / pain, he actually suggested not taking anything at all (even over the counter medicine) unless the pain became unbearable, which is wasn't. I prefer not taking any kind of medicine unless absolutely necessary. Elevating the foot with an ice bag on it helped a lot. After walking on it all day today, I plan to repeat that process tonight.

@Hewie that's a lovely drawing! When enjoying a dram solo, I like to read, or watch the sunset. On lovely weekend afternoons, I sit in the backyard and just relish in a quiet moment.

@bwmccoy Given your usual "what are you drinking now" posts , I SOOOOO want to do a house call !!!

None of my house calls generally leave me unable to drive home...

@Nozinan, except maybe for your "house calls" to @talexander.

@Victor In a case like that, I'm the one visiting someone putting on a "clinic"

I see! You have defined the situation apart from being considered a "house call".

@Victor but preserved the medical theme...

@Victor, one of the few times snake oil actually works, during a house call to @talexander 's

@Hewie - that drawing is awesome! Well done. My creativity is limited to playing drums and photography. I couldn’t draw anything recognizable to save my life.

@Nozinan - you’re welcome to stop by any time. It’d be great to share a dram or two or three...

@paddockjudge - tonight’s prescription is 30CC’s of Glenmorangie 10, followed by 30CC’s of Ardbeg 9 year (May 24th, 2007) SMWS 33.135 “Peat-reek and barbeque char” from a second-fill Oloroso Sherry Butt. Wet campfire and ash with some citrus. Just what the doctor ordered!

@Hewie I completely understand you - the process is sometimes the most pleasurable part of the creation itself. I find myself relaxing most when I just take my gear and go for a long walk, aimlessly capturing interesting people or locations, and then have some material to sit down and work on with a dram as I do some post-processing and development. I travel quite frequently in periods, so it's also a way to "better see" the places I go to as the process forces a more present observation, and maybe even bring some impressions back to share with friends - over a dram maybe. I'll reciprocate and share a recent one of mine that I like that I shot a while ago as I went down very early in the morning to a local fish market to pick up some clams.

@RikS Wow, what a stunning image - I find myself completely drawn in and wondering about him and his life. What part of the world were you in when you photographed him? I really appreciate what you say about being more intentionally present in a place too. Thanks for sharing!

@Hewie thank you my friend. This is shot at around 06:10 at the local fish market in downtown Athens, Greece. A noisy bustling place (a few hours later) which every morning receives the fresh catch. It's a fairly big place, and I love to go there for the mix of people - everything from the economically hard-up immigrant grandmother scouting for a special offer on fish for her young grandkids, to the head chef of the town's most fancy restaurant securing the premium fresh slices of yellowfin that his particularly selected fishmonger had kept hidden under the counter. It's an East-meets-West, Poor-meets-Rich venue that breaks all social and cultural divides, and hence a dream location for someone who likes street photography.

@RikS & @Hewie - Excellent images, thanks! I've always fancied getting into photography and that's inspiring! I also used to love drawing 'pen and ink' style but haven't put pen to paper for years. Again, inspiring stuff there, gents!

I had a very long day, as I had a conference/meeting all day in Hamilton, which is about a 200km drive from home. I left at 6:30am, went to my conference, and got home at about 6pm. Many have it worse, so I’m not complaining, but I wasn’t really in the mood for a drink. That said, I have a tradition of sipping something on “Whisky Wednesday”; the day I try to publish my weekly blog post. I had a small pour of Wiser’s Dissertation, and it went down quite well, so I poured myself a dram of A’Bunadh Batch 53. It was superb. They were small pours, so I thought about having a third, but it’s a weeknight and I have to work tomorrow. Thankfully it’s only a 45km drive tomorrow.