So, what are you drinking now?

Kilkerran WIP #1

To me, this is the Kilkerran that is the most "special" for what it is, beyond just what offers in the glass. I've been holding onto it for quite a few years.

Alas, the cork broke and required some emergency interventions.

And worse, it wasn't nearly as good as I remember from my first bottle years ago. More dirty & sour, like that other WIP I mentioned earlier this week. In my memory, that first bottle was beautifully fresh, salty, clean—and zippy! I'm hoping it's one that improves a lot with air. (And if so, all of last night's agitation to filter out the cork pieces and whatnot might be blessing in disguise.)

@MadSingleMalt did you give it the ole Ralfy, pour out and back in?

Sucks that the whisky doesn't match your recollection, hopefully time will be on your side.

Tonight was the annual Whisky Extravaganza in Seattle. Instead of attending the event as normal, I worked the event for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. I sampled the four bottles that I was pouring before the event so I would know what the attendees would be tasting.

10 year Balblair (SMWS 70.27 - Fire and Earth) after 9 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, this was finished for a year in a second-fill French eau-de-vie barrique cask. 60.6% ABV. This is a big, bold Balblair. Fruity nose with a Oak-fermented Chardonnay palette. Spicy and Dry.

25 year Longmorn (SMWS 7.204 - Wined & dined) after 24 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, it was finished in a first-fill charred red wine barrique cask. 49.5% ABV. Nose; cedar wood cigar boxes, cherry, bourbon vanilla ice cream. Palette; dark rum, black tea, nutmeg. Deep, rich and dried fruits. This is a stunningly beautiful whisky!

21 year Laphroaig (SMWS 29.248 - Creeking ships lost in the fog) after 20 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, it was finished in a second-fill charred red wine barrique cask. 49.8% ABV. Nose: sweet wood smoke, fruitcake. Palette: orange oil essence, liquorice, salty. Oily and coastal. This was also a beautiful whisky. The Laphroaig house style is present, but not as “in your face”. This is possibly the most perfectly balanced Laphroaig that I have ever tasted.

12 year Ardmore (66.122 - Never-ending lazy lunch) spending entire maturation in an ex-bourbon hogshead cask. This was bigger and bolder than the Laphroaig. Nose: pot-roasted venison loin, black pepper, pork crisps. Palette: chili peppers, honey-roasted cashews, Tia Maria liqueur coffee. Lightly peated. A very good representation of this Distillery.

All in all, four wonderful whiskies! Everyone seemed to enjoy them a lot.

Wild Turkey 101. I did a blind tasting of three different years of WT 101 to see how variable the bottlings were. I was particularly interested in this as Bruce Russell says the 2018 bottling contains older whiskey (7-10 yr compared to the normal 6-8). I had a 2018, 2017, and a sample from 2011-2015. Turns out I found these very, very similar. I rated the 2018 and the 2011-2015 at 84 points and the 2017 at 83. The 2018 was the most brash and funky. The 2011-15 was the most refined and "smooth" with more vanilla. The 2017 was a bit more "watery" and had a bit of acetone in the finish. Takeaway: any WT 101 is good WT 101.

I did another back to back of 2017 & 2018 Lot 40 CS tonight. Both excellent whiskies, but I still prefer this year’s version.

Date night with my lovely wife was a complete disaster in the whisky department. At the restaurant, I first ordered High West A Midwinter Nights Dram Act 6 Scene 1. It tasted like paint thinner. Next I ordered a whisky that I’ve had before and enjoyed; Hudson Maple Cask Rye. It tasted like furniture polish. After we got home, just to make sure that there wasn’t something wrong with my palette, I had a dram of 11 year Caol Ila (SMWS 53.252 - Smoky Incarnations). Much better. My palette is fine. Despite the disaster with the whisky that I ordered, it was great to have a night out with my beautiful wife.

@bwmccoy, nice. I take it your wife doesn't mind a little bit of peat breath? :)

Having a dram of JP Wiser Dissertation in honour of Dr. Don Livermore's birthday today.

@MadSingleMalt - No, she doesn’t mind. :-)

Last night, Glenmorangie 10 and Laphroaig 10.

Tonight, finished off my bottle of Aultmore 18 year (Feb. 1997) SMWS 73.72 "A ray of sunshine".

Ended the night with a dram of Highland Park 13 year (12/04) Matured in a 2nd-fill ex-Pedro Ximenez Sherry Hogshead from Single Cask Nation. Cask #76-294.

Having a dram of freshly opened Laphroig 10 CS while watching Outlaw King, a Netlix movie about Robert the Bruce and the Scottish Wars for Independence.

@casualtorture I'm looking forward to watching that one too. How was it? Wish I had some of that Laph CS to go with it too

@Hewie It was fun, plenty of violence. A tad more historically accurate than Braveheart haha. I didn't care for the way they made Robert seem 'soft' but otherwise I enjoyed it. The Laphroig CS is frekin' amazing!

Last night, Ardbeg 9 year SMWS 33.135 - “Peat-reek and barbeque char”. Distilled 05/2007 from a Second-fill Oloroso Sherry Butt.

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

Bunnahabhain 10 year SMWS 10.118 "Enthralling pink and peat intensity" finished in a port barrique.

Finally got a chance to sit down with my political mentor to catch up over a dram. He likes Irish whisky. I gave him the choice between Redbreast 12 CS and @Astroke's Tyrconnell, he chose the Redbreast. He also likes my coffee. Halfway through both he combined them. I continued to sip mine.

Now I'm working on my first review in over 2 months. Tyrconnell 16 YO. Thanks @Astroke.

I have been drinking Arran 10 for the last 2 weeks and have found it was tasting a bit young and would have deal well with more peat, even rough peat and I was going for a vatting but finally opted for a very oxidized Corryvreckan. I have way more fun than with the Arran 10.

@Nozinan I look forward to it. I’ve been waffling back and forth on that Tyrconnell 16, although the 10 Year Port Finish also looks interesting...

I am on the mend from a cold I got at the beginning on the week, I have my sense of smell back today so I had a tiny dram of Stalk & Barrel Canada 150 blend, I won't comment as everything is still out of whack.

@Nozinan I second the vote on the Tyrconnell 16, what a fresh and elegant whisky.

@Robert99 Hmmmm....I have an unopened Arran 10 as well as an unopened Corryvreckan.

Et avec notre Premier ministre provincial qui vient de sabrer les services offerts aux Franco-Ontariens, j’ai le goût de boire!

Rather than open 2 bottles, I’m having a generous pour of Lot 40 CS 11 Year (2018 release). I’m too fired up to sleep right now.

@OdysseusUnbound et avec Buck-à-bière tu peux en boire beaucoup!

@Nozinan If you thought my whisky snobbery was bad, don’t get me started on beer! Buck-a-Beer... de la pure merde!

@Nozinan @OdysseusUnbound Buck-a-beer?

Beer snobbery... Now that sounds like a contradictions in terms

Last night I was rating some open bottles.

High West American Prairie Bourbon Batch No. 18B14. I’m not a huge bourbon fan, but I have been enjoying this one. 84/100.

Westland Distillery Cask No. 3824 Rum cask finished. Bottle #62 of 168. 88/100

Westland 5 year SMWS 133.1 "Speakeasy sneaky peeky" from a virgin oak barrel, heavy char. 90/100

Finally, I finished off my bottle of Laphroaig 10. 88/100

@bwmccoy, I've recently had some Westland (peated) and was quite taken with it. Have you had any of their standard line-up? If so would you recommend I try the sherry or regular single malt next?

@cricklewood - I have tasted all of their standard lineup. Of the 2 that you haven’t had, I would recommend the Sherry. I’m not a huge fan of their flagship bottling. The Sherry one is not a sherry bomb, but is quite nice.

Currently enjoying The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Y/O. What a pleasant treat! Packs all the goods and punch of a high ABV into a 43%. Very nice and well rounded. Getting moved up my list of favorites.

@OdysseusUnbound I really wanna try the port finish.

Dry Fly (Spokane, WA) Port Finish Wheat Whiskey

Finishing with Caol Ila 11 year SMWS 53.252 "Smoky incarnations" from an refill ex-bourbon hogshead

A Bengal Lancer IPA with an Ardbeg 10 as a treat for just winning a golf scratch KO match against the current Club Champ - the days of getting 'loose' after a round with the lads are long gone so this will have to do In fairness, and to not sound quite so boastful, I'd be having the same to drown my sorrows had the result not gone my way!