So, what are you drinking now?

The little one is asleep (hopefully!) and I'm sitting down with Father Christmas' Lagavulin 16. He won't mind

@RianC - now that sounds like a Merry Christmas!

@bwmccoy - It's not bad at all!

Merry Christmas to you and yours and all other Connosrites

@RianC - Thank you and same to you and yours. Merry Christmas!

Since it’s only noon here, I haven’t had a dram yet, but I will raise a toast to you later when I do. However, I did just have a small glass of “adult” egg nog! Yum!

It’s raining Johnnie Walker Blue!

Back at sister in law’s house for hot pot. If I could load multiple pictures it would be a beautiful sight.

BIL offered some more of the blue and I didn’t say no. And then BIL’s dad insisted on topping me up.

This is good stuff. I have a newfound respect for it. But I acknowledge it’s not worth $300 at the LCBO. Unless someone special is buying it for me as a special gift and then I say thank you, it is a heartfelt gift.

That’s in case my favourite NP is reading this...

@RianC - my little one is finally asleep. My wife and I are done getting everything ready for Christmas morning. I’m sitting down now with Springbank SMWS 27.112 (21 year - Nov. 8th, 1996) "A broadside cannon barrage" fully matured in a first-fill ex-sherry butt - 54.7% ABV. What a huge, magnificient dram!

Merry Christmas to everyone here on Connosr!

@Nozinan I've always liked JWBlue a lot - just not $300 worth.

Not now, but last night after Santa came by, I had a generous pour of Kilkerran 12 to celebrate Santa spoiling my kids. Absurd spoilage. But if Santa can’t spoil your kids at Yuletide, then something is seriously wrong. The Kilkerran has lost a bit of its initial waxiness but has gotten peatier with air exposure. Either way, this is an excellent product. I will definitely replace this bottle once it’s gone.

Tried some 1977 Brora today (see review) - very interesting. I also opened Talisker 8 - raw, punchy (smells like a fisherman's welly - yes, welly, as in boot - said my Mother in law) but a lovely sweetness underneath; I think it will do well with air time. Bookers - quite 'smooth' for the abv and intense flavours but a touch on the woody side. Water really brought out the oak as well.

Will have a Pulteney 17 later and think myself a very lucky boy!

Merry xmas all

Tonight, Christmas at my brother-in-law’s house;

20 year (July 1st, 1996) Linkwood (SMWS 39.139) “A most lucious remedy” after being matured in an Oloroso Sherry butt, finished in an ex-Pedro Ximenez cask.

17 year (April, 20th, 2000) Arran (SMWS 121.100) “Pure indulgence” from a first-fill ex-red wine hogshead.

8 year (July 23rd, 2008) Ardmore (SMWS 66.107) “Enjoy the ride!” From a refill ex-bourbon barrel.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

@hewie - I was inspired a while back by your leaf sketch and others' very professional looking photos on this thread. Anyway, here are a few sketches I did - go easy I found doing them very relaxing and realise, end result notwithstanding, that I need to fill that particular hole in my life more often.

@RianC Nice work there. Great perspective on them too, especially the elephant but the shark is my favourite of those. It definitely is good for the mind and soul and good to see them on the fridge door. Your son must think you're amazing!

A Talisker 8 (2018 SR). I've tried this a few times now and would like to offer my first impressions for anyone interested:

Intensely smoky seaweed, salty and fruity nose right off the bat - you can tell it's CS but it's not overly nippy at all. The classic Talisker toffee comes at first on the taste then big chili and pepper unravel and are joined by the smoke and maritime notes into quite a long finish. With a few drops of water it really opens up on the palette and the bourbon casks come through - coconut, pineapple and melon with some honey. I'm pleasantly surprised how much tropical fruit there is. The salt intensifies on the taste and nose and menthol pops up as well.

Very good first impressions I must say. Talisker fans, and those of young CS peat bombs, will like this a lot. #beefy!

Last night, I finished the last of a sample that @Victor gave me. Sazerac Rye 18 year (bottled Fall 2011) 45% ABV. While I've had this one a few times now, last night was the best. The nose blew me away. My wife said she could smell it as soon as she walked into the room. In addition to the typical rye spice notes, I got the most wonderful tobacco leaf note that I had not noticed previously. The palate was as good, if not better, than the nose. I absolutely loved this rye and really appreciate @Victor sharing it with me.

Since there wasn't a lot of the Sazerac, I decided to have some of another sample from @Victor. Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye Barrel Proof 63.1% ABV (2016 bottling). This was lovely as well, but even at the higher ABV, it got a little lost in comparison to 18 year. I'm glad that I have a little of this sample left, so I can try it again on its own.

Thanks again @Victor for your generosity with the samples that you gave me. I would have never had the opportunity to experience these whiskies if it weren't for you!

@bwmccoy, it was great to be able to introduce you to these BTAC and other whiskeys.

The sad thing is that it would be great for everybody to be able to have a chance to drink whiskeys like Sazerac 18 yo Rye. Getting that taste has become scarce and expensive- current average world price $ 1,144 per bottle.

wine-searcher.com/find/…

Last night, had a few small drams in order to start catching up on rating my open bottles...

Glen Grant SMWS 9.155 (22 year - Apr. 23rd, 1996) "Witches' night" finished in a first-fill ex-Pedro Ximenez hogshead after being matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead - 58.1% ABV. Rating: 92

Glen Ord SMWS 77.47 (10 year - Aug. 7th, 2007) "Delicatessens and old libraries" finished in a 2nd-fill fine grain French oak hogshead after maturing in a refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 59.2% ABV. Rating: 93

Laphroaig SMWS 29.224 (18 year - May 13th, 1998) "We arrived!" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 55.3% ABV. Rating: 88

Last night we went over to a sister-in-law’s home for dinner.

My nephew, the “secret Santa” who gave me the travel retail Hibiki Harmony master’s blend, offered a dram of the standard Hibiki Harmony.

While I don’t condone the NAS trend, this one was quite nice. Sadly my wife decided we had to leave and I couldn’t enjoy the entire dram.

Now, if it was Lot 40 and ginger ale my cabinet wish list would be fulfilled.

Yesterday 12/30 was my 65th birthday. My wife and I and another couple went to the local steakhouse. The whiskey/bourbon list was limited but I had Knob Creek 100 and when we got back to our house, a glass of Hennessy XO to smooth things over.

Kilkerran 12 at 46% noticing that the background aromatic and core palate share close familiarity to Loch Dhu 21 at 40% - pickled lemons, coal, orange zest oil/vanilla with hint of coal smoke with fresh sage.

Thanks to @Nozinan. A correction to the above post comparison of Kilkerran 12 to Campbeltown Loch 21.

Would you like smoke with that? An Ardbeg 10 to finish New Years Day while the kids toast marshmallows. Unfortunately it was like a magnet for small flying insects.

New Year's Eve with my brother-in-law;

Macallan 12 year Sherry Cask

20 year Linkwood SMWS 39.139 "A most luscious remedy" finished in a first-fill Pedro Ximenez butt after being matured in an Oloroso sherry butt.

8 year Glenallachie SMWS 107.10 "A fortress of darkness" from a refill ex-sherry butt.

8 year Ardmore SMWS 66.107 "Enjoy the ride!" from a refill ex-bourbon barrel.

Happy New Year!

Happy new year gents!!! Had Macallan 18 and glenlivet 21 to celebrate. Cheers!

@Hewie Apparently, a fire like that is illegal in Toronto city limits... Sad...

@Nozinan That's a shame. We do have strict fire regulations but until it gets too dry (and a total fire ban) we can still light a backyard fire.

@Hewie And we had bought those jumbo marshmallows to roast, too...

@Nozinan That's unfortunate. Here's the makings of our version of 'smores' - Choc Thins and marshmallows

OMA elections are approaching. This year I wasn't acclaimed. 8 people for 6 positions. The deadline for position statements is tomorrow.

I need something big and bold to get the very few who care to read my page and actually support me.

For that, I needed something big and bold.

I poured a small measure of OGD 114, one of my favourite bourbons, and then left it open to air while I put the kids to bed. It is fantastic tonight!

Enjoying Little Book #2, and it's so good - splash of water has made something I didn't know could get better so sublime. Perfect for this evening of catching up on year-end reporting metrics.