So, what are you drinking now?

@OdysseusUnbound I had a couple of drams and then it kind of fell to the wayside. It wasn't as exciting as I remembered it last spring at SOT.

But what I think I need to do is have some a few nights in a row to really get to know it. That worked with Dissertation and Union 52.

@Nozinan that's a good way to get to know any whisky or spirit is to spend some time with it.

I liked some of what the seasoned oak had going for it but also felt like they could have leaned into it more.

My SO and I wanted to go our favorite taqueria for supper and were foiled it was busting full and had a line up. Settled for an ok rotisserie chicken joint.

Having a small measure of Stagg Jr. Batch 10 (63.2%). I find this one blooms well with a tiny drop of water, cherry, sweet oak, a bit of tobacco, I love the texture. I'm grateful that @Nozinan busted out a bottle of Stagg Jr. at my first meeting. I might have missed the boat completely had I not tried it then

Tonight, 17 year (October 2000) Auchentoshan (SMWS 5.69 "Triple whammy!"). Previously in an ex-bourbon hogshead for 13 years, it spent the next 4 years in a 1st-fill Pedro Ximenez hogshead - 58.1% ABV. Without the water, the nose reminded me of bourbon in addition to the nuttiness that you would expect from the PX Cask. On the palate, it had some aged rhum or aged calvados characteristics. I tried it with water as well. It was just as good with water as without, but I don’t think it needs it.

Next, compared two young Caol Ila’s;

7 year (October 2010) Caol Ila (SMWS 53.283 "A smoky smooch"). After 6 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, this was transferred to a heavy toast, medium char hogshead - 60.2% ABV

Caol Ila SMWS 53.241 (6 year - April 2011) - "Dense smoke over a tarry deck" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 60.3% ABV

While both had similar noses (typical Caol Ila astringent medicinal note), the 7 year old that was finished in the heavy toast, medium char cask had a more creamy, velvety mouthfeel. While both are great, I prefer the 6 year old from the standard ex-bourbon hogshead.

@bwmccoy interesting observation of the two Caol Ila's, I love having the opportunity to make comparisons of distillery character like that. It comes along too infrequently.

I remember reading somewhere that John Glaser of Compass Box has a preference for Clynelish and Caol Ila from recharred or toast/char Hogsheads

I am trying to catch up on samples and heels, I am doing notes on the last two bottles from my Bruichladdich Wee Laddie Barley Exploration pack. Islay Barley 2010 and Bere Barley 2008, two young but really juicy and fresh expressions.

@cricklewood, I too have a backlog of samples....... now in the 200+ range. Clearing those will some day become a retirement project, right now the big bottles are getting in the way.

@paddockjudge That's impressive.

I only have 91 samples (2 are blends you made), 52 of which I have tried, and only 19 of which I've reviewed. I also have 2 dozen minis I need to attend to.

What a job!

Well gentlemen, I am nowhere near that level, perhaps 20 or so things to attend to, maybe one day I too can aspire to reach those levels

@Nozinan that would be excessive for me, not the numbers of samples, but the keeping track of them. I don't bother to keep track of sample bottles once I pass 20 of them, which was a while back.

@Victor I just enter them in my database when I get them, and remove them when I finish them (and indicate when I try or review them). At other times I lose track.

Tonight, 11 year (March 2007) Old Pulteney (SMWS 52.23 "Ice-cream and gorse by the sea"). After 9 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, it was transferred to a 2nd fill Pedro Ximenez hogshead for 2 years. Tried it both with and without water. It’s great without, but like it better with.

Nose: Candy, grapefruit peel, marmalade and vanilla ice cream.

Palette: Sweet and spices; cloves and cinnamon.

Finish: Dry with a hint of aniseed.

@Nozinan I also keep a database. I try and keep it up to date. Once or twice a year I will do an inventory to balance the database. I almost did that on my spring break . . . but I wasted my time do other things. Probably get around to it during the summer. I am always off a bottle or three. Here is my current list:

375 mL – 9

200 mL Bottles – 41

125 mL Bottles - 12

100 mL Bottles - 3

60 mL Bottles - 6

50 mL Bottles - 72

40 mL Bottles - 16

30 mL Bottles - 53

15 mL Bottles - 5

Doesn't everyone do this?
And now that I have 15 mL sample bottles I never seem to ever "finish" a bottle. I just have less and less liquid slowly approaching infinity.

After all the talk of Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, and Henry T. McKenna bourbon shortages I decided to crack my bottle of Blanton’s Single Barrel tonight. I also haven’t visited with a few of my lower proof bourbons lately so I decided to throw together a little hodgepodge of bourbons for a 6 flight line up.

Blanton’s Single Barrel 46.5% (Barrel 864) 93 proof dumped 7/30/2018; Warehouse H; Rick No. 5; bottle 11 375mL. I opened it tonight 3/30/2019. I haven’t tried any Blanton’s in a while. And now I remember why. It is so bland and boring to me. Yes, it is everything you want in an entry level low proof bourbon. If you find 50% bourbon too hot you might enjoy this. Not me. = 79

Knob Creek Small Batch 9yo 50% (100 Proof) 375 mL bought and opened 3/15/2017. This is one of those I bought when I heard the 9 year age statement was going away. My opinion? Not a great loss. This one is heavy on cherries and sour lemon and there is a bitter edge that can emerge. Not a fan. Give me the Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve 120 Proof all day long. Very unenjoyable = 76

Colonel E. H. Taylor Small Batch Bonded in Bond 50% 100 Proof (bought and opened 12/14/2017). When I first opened this bottle I was totally underwhelmed. Tonight it really shone well above the Blanton’s and Knob Creek. I was very impressed with its sweetness and balance. It doesn’t have the cherry or sour notes you typically find in more inexpensive bourbons. Well done. = 85

Old Grandad 114 57% (bought and opened 10/10/2017) – this is a good batch. I know our very own @Nozian is a huge fan (as are many others like @Victor). My opinion is that OGD114 is very “batchy”. I have gone through more batches than I can remember. Most have issues. They can be overly sour, or thin, or bitter, or they can have a harsh edge. However, when I find a particularly good batch I try and buy as many as I can. How do you tell the batch? Simple the laser etching right at the bottom of the bottle nearly dead center either on the front or the back (by the embossed 750mL). Batch L7110CLA was fantastic (I have two bottles left). This batch L7153CLA was good (second row reads: 165962226). I only have 3 fingers left after a year and a half of being open and it is still very good. Most OGD114 scores in the low 80’s for me. What do I score a really good bottle? = 88

Stagg Jr. 63.95% (#11) 127.9 proof 2018 Fall (bought and opened 11/22/2018) – I have to say that I believe the quality is slipping with the Stagg Jr. releases. Is this still a great bourbon for $55? Absolutely. Thankfully that is still what I am paying here in Virginia. In my opinion batch 11 is quite as good as batch 9 . . . which isn’t anywhere near as good as batch 6 . . . which isn’t as good as batch 5, 4, 3, and 2. Is that just “old-man-stuff-was-better-back-in-the-day” talk? Sadly no. How do I know? Blind tasting. My wife put 6 of the batches of Stagg Jr. in a line up for me. I didn’t know what-was-what. But my favorites literally were in descending order. This one was last in that tasting scoring 87. Tonight, it came in first place, but not by as much as you would think over OGD114. I think a score is always affected by what else you are tasting. = 90

Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel 64.1% (Barrel 922) 128.2 proof – 30mL from Master of Malt – I only have 15mL left now. I tasted the first 15mL back in September blind against the likes of Stagg Jr, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Four Roses Single Barrel, and Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve. In that flight it came in last place. Tonight it was my clear favorite on the nose. So I decided to wait and try it again blind. Maybe I had an off night in September? Just the nose score alone was an A.

Really wanted to 'get stuck in' and have a wee flight of my opened bottles last night but felt so tired after dinner, and felt heartburn symptoms coming on, so ended up having a small and quite heavily (for me) watered pour of Powers 12. Well, it can take the water, no problem, and I am loving the sweet toffee, honeyed, spicy pot still character. This might be my favourite pot still so far.

@RianC better than redbreast or green / yellow spots? I wanna try one of these Irish and debating which one (and the RB 12 CS is just annoyingly expensive in the UK as you know...)

@Nock, interesting read, as always.

In my 8 years on Connosr I have repeatedly driven and championed two observations about whisk(e)y:

1) the batches and even individual bottles often vary enormously with the same label on the front

2) whisk(e)y usually changes enormously over time with air exposure and when the bottle is sampled in the air and heat exposure history of the bottle has everything to do with what it will taste and smell like at the time of its tasting, and its appeal or lack thereof

It took 5 years for these observations to become well accepted on Connosr. I am glad that they now have, and that your current observations fit in well with them.

@RianC set some of that Powers 12 Johns Lane aside to be sampled 6-12 months from now. Why? My first exposure with Powers 12 was with @Maddie's bottle. I was severely disappointed with it at first. After it took a year's air time it became and remains fantastic. Sounds like you like yours fine at first. Great. You might even like it better later on.

@RikS do not overlook standard Redbreast 12. It is wonderful, and quite different in its effect from the CS version. There are definitely times when I, high proof lover that I am (and who named my review of Redbreast 12 CS The Irish Whiskey Kingdom of Heaven), prefer what standard Redbreast 12 offers over the CS version. For my taste I prefer both Redbreast 12s over the Redbreast 15 year old every day of the week. I want those robust grain flavours. Redbreast 15 is to me an "old wood" trip, which is not my favourite trip. Redbreast 15 is to me half-dead compared to Redbreast 12 yo, both the standard and the Cask Strength. .

@RikS - I've had Green Spot and Redbreast 12 and, yes, I'd say that this Power's 12 is more rewarding than those. GS seemed a little too young to me (being hyper critical as it was still a nice dram) and RB 12 would have benefited from a higher abv but was more enjoyable than the GS.

@RianC thank you. And yes, I wish there was a RB at 50% which seems to become my 'swet spot'

@Victor Yes, I read your comments on the 15 actually, and they sort of steered me away. I believe that you also included the Glenmorangie 18 in that 'tired wood' category if memory serves me well.

Seems that selfbuilt's is also reflecting your views (I find this site a nice guide, suppose you all know it, as it aggregates reviews from all over the internet) whiskyanalysis.com

@RikS yes, Redbreast 15, Glenmorangie 18, and Jameson 18 all fit into that category for me. To me these all tend to taste a little moribund. The grain zip has been lost. Others like them a lot. I can enjoy a dram of any one of them, but I'd rather spend my money on bottles with a different flavour profile. Re-used wood flavours don't dominate a(unpeated) barley-malt whisky until it has received long maturation, usually starting around 18 years and longer. At that point the quality of the wood flavours becomes the most important factor in judging the quality of the taste of the whisky. By this point the grain flavours have been eclipsed in favour of the wood flavours. In the case of these whiskies I just don't enjoy these flavours as well as I enjoy others. Taste is, of course, highly individual. I am not now nor have I ever been in the business of telling other people what they should like.

@Victor thank you Victor. No one can tell me what I like - and I do like some odd things - but the aggregated scores and reviews are helpful. I know e.g. that 'my annoying opinion" website and I tend to disagree... and that Whiskyjug and I tend to agree. :-) With Ralfy I have a hit'n miss relationship and well, Daniel and Rex as well as Horst seem to think that everything is "gargle gargle.... niiiiice"

@RikS yes, finding those reviewers whose taste is closest to one's own is the most direct way to get useful information from reviews.

You want "everything is nice" reviews? Read Davin de Kergommeaux on Canadian whisky. All the Canadians love the guy, but I don't believe anything he writes. He is a promoter, not a critic. I cannot relate to whisky nationalism.

@Nock, that Ardbeg Drum CR was bad. The nose was a glaring beacon of underripe banana that shriveled my soul, and the taste & finish were just ordinary mild Ardbeg.

Opinions at the table were pretty mixed on it, but I suspected that other guys were being polite for the sake of the generous fella who brought it over to share. But I, at least, panned it and would probably score it around 70 or lower, with the nose on its in own down in the "below 50" basement.

Benrinnes 8y 46% Bottled for a discounter in Germany nice and easy drinking dram What I miss is the fruitiness I normaly get with Benrinnes.

@MadSingleMalt a bad review is just as valuable - and sometimes more - than a good one!

@MadSingleMalt Thanks for the response! All of my careful "reading-between-the-lines" of online reviewers who have reviewed it has led me to the conclusion that this is one to pass on for me. Everyone seems to agree that is a mild Ardbeg release. That is the last thing I am looking for when "Ardbeg" is on the label.

That's three more bottles slipping through my fingers.

Old Pulteney 17 bottling from 2014. The best parts: The creamy sweet, floral, flowery nose and the spicy, peppery tongue tingle.

Poured a bit of Laphroaig 10 and watching the fog roll in before I unpack from that trip - Good to be home and not immersed in dust and heat.

Croftengea SMWS 122.23 (7 year - Feb. 11th, 2011) "Highly a-musing" from a second-fill ex-bourbon hogshead - 57.7% ABV.

This peated, southern highlander’s nose has the smokiness of sweet bacon, followed by liquorice. The palate is “in-your-face” smoke but, considering how young it is, well balanced and quite satisfying.