So, what are you drinking now?

@RianC, I agree with @Nozinan. Not that I've had the their peated OB CS, but the CS indies I've had are always killer. Caol Ila is soooooo tasty, but soooooo diminished at 43%.

@MadSingleMalt I was able to get a few 200 cc bottles of the OB Caol Ila CS a few years ago. I had a mule who brought them from the UK (cheaper per cc than the 700 cc bottle). It was as good as the indies...

Too late for whisky tonight and I was parched after attending the pre-game (I didn’t stay to watch the Jays lose) Camp Erin reunion. My wife and I split this can I picked up on a whim at the KGBO. It is a “session mead”, whatever that is, made of water, Ontario honey, hops, yeast and sulfites.

Quite refreshing!

@Nozinan Interesting looking can of mead there. It says 'Hopped Buckwheat" at the bottom - does it have buckwheat in it too? I've tried mead before but as honey has become an expensive commodity it may not be very economically viable making it solely from honey.

@Hewie I can only assume that he honey was made from bees that were near buckwheat fields, because buckwheat is not listed in the ingredients. I found that puzzling too.

@MadSingleMalt - From what I've tried I'd tend to agree with you both as well. I picked this bottle up recently for a good price, which swayed me. I still feel though that even being CF and 43% it's still a damn tasty whisky even if the body lets it down a touch; and being such a big distillery the IBs aren't that hard to come by either - I have one sitting in the stash as it goes . . .

As for the unpeated - I'm yet to try any but would probably want a sample first before buying.

@RianC I've only tried the 17 but it's CS and fantastic. I bought it untasted (I got a great deal on it (see my review) and was happy to buy the 15 and 18 untasted as well, also at great prices.

@RianC, you like Campbeltown-style whiskies, you'll like unpeated Caol Ila.

@Nozinan, @Hewie my guess is that is indeed mead made from honey from buckwheat flowers. There is a whole connoisseurship of honey depending upon the source of the pollen used. I prefer Black Locust Honey for a treat and Orange Blossomi Honey is now my standard everyday preference. They are all nice, despite repeated threats to the bee population.

As for Buckwheat, try some Corsair distillery's Buck Yeah whiskey. Interesting and nice. @Nozinan you can get a taste of that one next time you are at my sister's house.

@RianC Unpeated Caol Ila, especially cask strength, is fantastic.

Speaking of Caol Ila....

It's my daughter's birthday today. She turned 12. We had a big party for family and close friends and a couple of her friends came over for dinner.

I BBQed burgers (some stuffed with cheese), and ribs, and we made a red velvet cake that looked like a half a watermelon (who knew I had a talent with fondant?). Some beer, apple cider and radler were consumed (not all by me).

After everything was put away and the kids were in bed, I had an urge for some CI, so I poured a wee dram of Caol Ila 10 YO Cask Strength Gordon and MacPhail 2004 into a miniglencairn. It's down to about a quarter of a bottle and given how good it still is, I will be sad to see it go.

I have another young CS G&M CI in the wings, and some of the OB minis, but FORO will remain an issue for a long time.

I'm in need of a treat tonight so I'm finishing off a sample of Longmorn 15yo 2002 CS (Signatory). The photo doesn't show it but it almost looked grey in the sample bottle. It's fragrant, with floral and pastry notes on the nose, quite spicy and sweet on the palate, and a dry and spicy finish. An interesting one for sure.

A Kilchoman Machir Bay - interesting having this after some Caol Ila 12. I prefer the overall profile of the CI but the mouthfeel on the K is so much better - juicy, one might say - and with a lot more citrus sour grain notes. The peat is also more mentholated as opposed to vegetal/seaweedy in the CI.

Without going too 'Ralfy', this is a good way to see the differences that better quality barley and not chill filtering make. I'd score these similarly but I'd reach for the CI more simply due to the style of peat being more to my tastes.

A Birra Moretti and a JW Black after a long hard day working in the sun. I'd love to say I was on a porch looking at a nice view but I've just been on the phone sorting out my car insurance - although I did manage to chat whisky as the guy was from Glasgow and liked a Laphroaig. Good lad!

Last night I continued my assault on the samples box.

I opened my palate with Gooderham and Worts 11 Souls, this is nearing the end and while the sweetness is more upfront on the palate now, it still delivers this great texture and combo of oak and grain on the finish.

Bunnhabhain 12: (the previous black and gold box version) : I had forgotten how sherried this was, quite complex for it's age, plum/sticky toffee pudding and also savoury touches, there was a bit of sulphur but nothing crazy. I am curious to see what recent batches are like, surprised to see a 12 year old with so much sherry usually at that age they go light in the vatting or edge on refill casks.

Douglas Laing Rock Oyster 18: Tonight this almost felt like a aged Mezcal it was very austere, mineral, earthy peat, sour honey, lemon pith and good quality old oak, a bit of apples. I have had this before but it felt even more minimal than last time, it's an interesting style.

@cricklewood - Sure I heard Ralfy say that they have big stocks at Bunna so can keep the quality up (fingers crossed). And yes, I was also surprised by the level of sherry influence but it really works. I remember there being some peat but nowhere near usual Islay levels - did you find the same?

@RianC good to know, I know Bunna has a pretty large production capacity and Distel has put a lot of money increasing the quality. I hope prices don't get too bonkers but they've already shifted upwards around here.

I didn't get a lot of peat per se but there was a lot of savory and earthy tones that are probably a light peating in action.

Ardbeg Galileo, 49% ABV. Give me only one Scottish distillery and it remains Ardbeg.

@Victor I think It would be hard to choose a single Islay distillery. I think for variety, Bruichladdich aid the most versatile and the 10 and the Octomore are stars.

Caol Ila, peated or not, is fabulous at CS. Bowmore Laimrig and Tempest are excellent.

And so on. So hard to pick one. Thankfully we don’t have to.

I recently realized that I have several (9) open bottles that I haven't rated. I knocked off 4 of them last night.

Standard Jameson - rated 75. It's fine for an Irish Coffee or other mixed drink. While you could sip it neat, there is really no need or in my case, no desire to do so.

Linkwood 15 Year Old / Gordon & Macphail - rated 92. Even at only 43% ABV, this is a solid quality, lovely dram.

Old Grandad 114 - rated 89. I actually raised this from my previous rating of 87. A classic!

Teaninich SMWS 59.56 (10 year - Feb. 2008) "Gardener's question time" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 56.2% ABV - rated 89. This is in the "Sweet, fruity & mellow" flavor profile, which is not my favorite, but this would be perfect for a hot day.

I will attempt to get the final 5 rated over the next few days.

@Nozinan, d'accord. If I could have only six Scottish distilleries, they might well be Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Bruichladdich, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, and Kilchoman.

@Victor @Nozinan only 6? Oh the horror! I’d have to go:

• Laphroaig
• Lagavulin
• Springbank
• Ardbeg
• Bruichladdich
• Talisker

But that’s just how I’m feeling today....

I hit the SAQ tasting this evening, an interesting line-up.

-Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso: a hot raw mess.

-lagavulin Distillers editon: lovely, menthol medicinal and sweet.

-Ardbeg Drum: rough not fun like the tropical vibes on the box. Diesel fumes and exaggerated banana on the nose. A fusel note too. Ashy and bitter Palate, loads of new plastic...

-Kilchoman single cask an 8 yr old Madeira cask finish, bottled especially for the SAQ: once it opens up, nutty, yeasty, tarry smoke, with a nice waxy side good but $$

It was a roller-coaster of a session but fun.

@cricklewood - Nice! Was the Laga the PX one, 2001/17?

It's nice to not have to take any medication recently and I've been much more able to enjoy whisky. Currently enjoying a Ben Nevis 10 and will hopefully make my way through a small nip of each of the following this evening.

Been working (super) early today (and tomorrow) so had a Caol Ila 12 after a huge English breakfast before a little nap this afternoon as well. It's the little things . . .

A bit too much drama and tumult at work has made for longer hours at work than expected or wanted. A slight heat wave this weekend has prompted more beer than whisky, though I expect to pour some Knob Creek and Bookers #2 for a couple of friends coming over to "cool off" where it's 95-degrees where they live and a comfortable 75 where we are...

Since I got off of the pain meds (but not the pain) a few days days ago, I've started tasting from my collection. All of these bottles are newly opened.

1) Finlaggan Old Reserve: it's really not bad, not just for the peat fix. Then again, I like McLelland's Islay...] I'll need to come back to it after tasting some of the better stuff.

2) Benriach 10: I like it. There's depth and some sherry. But at times it reminds me of The Compass Box Artist Blend, and the Benriach costs a bit more.I don't know if I'll get it again.

3) Laphroaig 10: perfection. I need to bunker these at the current price.

4) Laphroag QC: excellent. I am out of practice, so in some ways I prefer the 10. I'm sure I'll come to love the higher ABV again. Higher abv used to be something I wouldn't notice.

5) Glenfarclas 10: it's getting better since I first tasted it and let it have some oxygen, but the 12 was much better, And the 15, the one time I tried it, was the best. I'd easily take the Macallan 12 over this (probably not a popular opinion). I still have a 'farclas 105 to open, but I'm waiting until my taste buds become more acclimated to higher proof whisky.

6) PC10 I like this! I like the that the funky Bruichladdich notes are also there, with some wine influence. Not the bruiser I expected. Also, I barely noticed the 50% abv. If I could sum the whisky up with one term, it would be "character.' The Bruichladdich house style can also be tasted below the peat. Lovely and complex.

7) Talisker 10: just opened it and sniffed/drank a few tablespoons, but it seems like a very good bottle: the pepper, fruit and peat are there--and white pepper for sure. Superb finish, and I don't usually focus on that. Just had another sniff and smell: this a great bottle, or maybe they have upped their game in general. I did see the Tali 18 for a relatively decent price (!10, I think), so I may have to save my pennies,

Pro tip for self: I should NOT have had the PC 10 before the Talisker. I had to wait a good thirty minutes before I could discern the fruit in the Talisker (and it's fairly prominent in this bottle).

Rediscovering whisky after a couple of months, little dram by little dram, is a great experience. I look forward to going back to Finlaggan after I have become more used to tasting my favorites. I'm curious to see if the Fin is still as good as I thought it was at first taste. If it is, I'lll pick up another bottle (at about 20$). Yes, I'm decadent like that :) .

@Jonathan I also prefer Laphroaig 10 (43%) to the QC. I like the QC, but I find its balance is not quite as good as the 10. To draw a musica analogy, the QC is a little too bass heavy, still really good but not what I’d call “balanced”. And for the record, I like young Bowmore...errr, I mean McClelland’s. And unlike most Connosrs, I like Bowmore in general.

A few friends over to celebrate June birthdays.

After BBQ and some beer and mead, after dessert we went down to what my wife refers to as my “drinking room”, and after some deliberation, we settled on Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Hazmat batch.

@OdysseusUnbound @Victor - May I join your game?

Benromach, Ardbeg, Springbank - would be the three I could probably live with at the expense of all others . . . but seen as I get to pick three more . . . Talisker, Ledaig and Arran. I'm keeping my eye on the latter though as recent developments aren't all to my liking! (I'm still upset about the 14!)