So, what are you drinking now?

This weekend (actually starting Friday night) I hit The Ultimate Ardbeg Escape so lots of Ardbeg. They were tasting the usual favorites; The Ten, An Oa, Uigeadail and Corryvreckan. I went with work friends on Friday and did it again with non-work friends on Saturday. I tried nothing that I haven't had before but I like Ardbeg so, it was a good time!

Inside the bus.

Bottle engraving.

I wonder how much that custom coach set Ardbeg/LVMH back.

@DaveM No idea. I do know that this is the second year of The Ultimate Ardbeg Escape Tour. I visited the bus in 2018 and it was pretty much the same however, Brendan McCarron of The Glenmorangie Company (Head of Maturing Whisky Stocks) and "creator" of Ardbeg An Oa was there. He was great to talk with and when he found out I was going to Islay later that year, he gave me his card and told me to contact him closer to the trip. He helped setup a really nice tour at Ardbeg for my group. No Brendan this year though. I did tell the brand ambassador that I was hoping Dr. Bill Lumsden would be there.

Last night we celebrated my youngest's 9th birthday. Only two drams were sipped:

• Dalmore 12 (40% abv): This has been my "well scotch" and it has been well received by everyone who's tried it. I'm glad I gave this one a second chance. I really enjoyed it, and there's a good chance I'll be replacing the bottle once it's gone. Never thought I'd say that about a low proof, chill-filtered, and heavily coloured whisky, but aroma, taste, and texture speak for themselves. Review is forthcoming.
• Kilchoman Single Cask (55.9% abv): While my other guests did a number on my Dalmore 12, I had a pour of my Kilchoman Single Cask. This one has changed over time and I'm not sure it's for the better. Not necessarily worse, but different. It's not super heavily peated, but the peat seems to dominate the other notes on the palate. The nose is still pleasantly complex, the flavour development is a little muddled though. Still enjoyable and obviously well made, but not an over-the-top favourite.

EDIT: My 9 year old did not drink any of the scotch. It was my mother, my wife's grandfather, and I who drank the whisky.

I took possession of my new Kilkerran Peat in Progress over the weekend and immediately cracked it open. First impressions? Not good. The young peat has a heavy nasty streak running through it, kinda like Big Peat Christmas Editions. I'm hoping air & time are its friends.

It's only three years old. If this impression holds, I'm probably gonna say they made a mistake in not waiting until it was at least five years old, like the original unpeated Work in Progress releases.

@MadSingleMalt Appreciate the heads up on that one. It’s one I might be tempted to jump on if not for your cautionary tale.

@MadSingleMalt that's a disappointing read... One would have thought that these chaps, if any, would have resisted a jump onto the premature release bandwagon. Their sherry cask strength i tried recently though I still think is something worth waiting for.

@BlueNote & @RikS, it should be noted that the few reviews out on the whisky web so far are generally glowing.

@MadSingleMalt maybe you got a bad... hmm... can't be batch so, not sure bad what it would be in fact...
Though, I'm always a bit sceptical to these GLOWING reviews of independent or otherwise 'genuine' expressions, as I suspect that people's love for the idea of Springbank, Kilkerran, Bimber, etc taints their views. Always more interesting to get people's impressions from blind tastings (my own included, of course).

Last night, I presented a blind tasting of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's November Outturn to 34 attendees at a restaurant in Seattle. We tasted through the following 6 single malts and 1 Society non-whisky bottling.

8 year (April 2011) Glenfarclas (SMWS 1.211 "Ironing a lemon") from a first-fill ex-bourbon barrel. 60.5% ABV. This was an unusual example of this distillery due to not having any sherry influence and its youthful age. Having said that, I was surprised how much I liked it. It was also very popular with the attendees.

8 year (March 2010) Mannochmore (SMWS 64.111 "Pleasing sweetness, playful heart") from a re-charred hogshead. 55.5% ABV. In my limited experience with this distillery, the whisky has been on the sweeter side. Not this one! Ash, wood char, earthy. It reminded me more of a Mezcal than a whisky. Very interesting dram indeed.

23 year (April 1995) Glen Grant (SMWS 9.167 "Part of the furniture") from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. 55.0% ABV. Syrupy dark fruits, resin, old dessert wine.

16 year (March 2001) Glenturret (SMWS 16.39 "Sweetness and spice laced with mystery"). After 17 years in a port pipe, the whisky was re-racked into a second-fill, high-toast/medium char puncheon made from European oak. 55.2% ABV Dusty, chocolate cake, toffee, orange peel, leather. With water, the orange peel becomes Grand Marnier and even some Tiramisu. I preferred this one with water. Probably the favorite of the night for the non-peated / smoky whiskies. A very complex dram.

13 year (March 2005) Inchmoan from the Loch Lomond distillery (SMWS 135.14 "Tripping the light fantastic"). After maturing in an ex-bourbon hogshead, it was transferred to a first-fill charred red wine barrique cask. 55.4% ABV. Salt on the nose without water, but not on the palate. With water, salt on the palate as well. Also, some mint, lapsang souchng tea, brine, sandalwood and coal. A really good peated Highlander!

11 year (December 2007) peated Bunnahabhain (SMWS 10.176 "Tea-smoked salmon"). After 9 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, it was transferred to a second-fill ex-Oloroso Spanish oak hogshead. 59.2% ABV. This was a home run for me (even my wife liked it) and it was very popular with the attendees as well. Burnt fuse (fireworks) and maple on the nose. Smoke salmon with soy and ginger on the palate. For me, this one was interesting in that I preferred the nose with water, but the palate, I preferred without water.

We finished the night with a Society rum from Nicaragua.

12 year (December 2004) Flor de Cana (SMWS R8.4 "Campfire in Nicaragua") from a refill ex-bourbon barrel. 57.5% ABV. I do not claim to be a rum expert, but I would say this is a whisky drinkers rum. It was very dark in color. It was not overly sweet, nor was it overly funky. To me, it was pretty balanced between the two extremes of green banana and overly-ripe banana. It was sweeter without water (Toasted marshmallows), but more vegetative with water. It also had some sweet wine tannins with a peppery finish. Not something that I would drink often, but I did enjoy it. The attendees to the event seemed to like it as well.

@RikS I agree. I love most of what I've had from Springbank and I'll freely admit that it clouds my perception of their bottlings. However, I've got a bottle of Hazelburn 14 Olorosso and despite raving reviews about it I'm really disappointed in my bottle - it just dosn't measure up to what it could/should be. Made me really wonder if there was an issue with my bottle. Blind tasting is very enlightening.

Lot No. 40 Cask Strength 1:1:1 blend of 2017, 2018, and 2019. The 2019 NAS version dominates the nose, palate, and exit. 2019 is a BIG whisky. I'm not sure if I like it.

@paddockjudge I need to try this...

@paddockjudge That’s interesting. It was one of the Canadians on the B.C. Liquor Stores annual spirit release. I was just on the verge of having them hold one for me. I’m going to pm you for some advice on what to go for. I’ll let you know what’s available.

Cheers

@BlueNote, I like my whiskies clean. I prefer sweet to "dry". Vegetal and Funky Fodder are not my cup of tea. I may find them interesting and entertaining, but not desirous. Lot No. 40 CS is complex and intriguing, just not my style of whisky. I'll be coming back to this one on a regular basis to see how it evolves.

Looking forward to your list....I prefer AP20 (42% abv spicy, sweet) over Lot No 40 CS 2019. I would love to try J.P. Wiser's Seven Rebels.

Kilchoman 100% Islay 8th edition, I just cracked this one open last night. First impressions it's a much lighter peated style than their usual expressions, slightly grassy, lemons, a nice richness from the Oloroso casks vatted in.

@TracerBullet I was right there Sunday! Didn't go in because I know the line up and had a brunch reservation. I did check out the prices in Vino and they were standard, okay considering that they came with Glencairns. At least now I can see the inside of the bus...

Last night, I had the last dram of Glenallachie SMWS 107.17 (7 year - July 2011) "Kissing a rainbow" from a 2nd-fill ex-Bourbon barrel. 62.3% ABV

I also finished off the last dram of 8 year (April 2011) Glenfarclas (SMWS 1.211 "Ironing a lemon") from a first-fill ex-bourbon barrel that was left over from Monday night's tasting. 60.5% ABV.

Making some room in the whisky cabinet before some new bottles arrive next week.

@cricklewood Not sure if that’s the one I had, or the previous edition. Whichever it was it was very good. I’m hearing good things about the ninth edition so I think I’ll grab one. Kilchoman is unique in the way that peat influences their whiskies. I’ve liked everything I’ve had from them.

Cheers.

My niece came back to town for her formal graduation in Nursing. We had her, her brother and my nephew over for dinner.

I introduced my Albertan niece to Shelter Point Rye, and afternoon dinner we compared it to AP cask strength. Wow! That is Bold.

Hmmm! I had a dram from my half full bottle of Talisker 10 and it did not taste very good. I then opened a fresh Ardbeg 10 and ditto. It seemed thin and lacking the usual bold flavour. I’m putting it down to tired or tarnished taste buds. I’ll re-visit them both another day.

Tonight, 16 year Auchentoshan from a 1st-fill ex-Bourbon barrel. Distilled January 2003. 55.9% ABV. I’m not an Auchentoshan fan and didn’t initially care for this one at all, but with a little water and some time in the glass, it’s better, but not great.

15 year Clynelish from a 1st-fill ex-Bourbon barrel. Distilled February 2004. 54.4% ABV. I’m a huge Clynelish fan and this is an absolutely beautiful example of what this distillery can be.

13 year (March 2005) Inchmoan from the Loch Lomond distillery (SMWS 135.14 "Tripping the light fantastic"). After maturing in an ex-bourbon hogshead, it was transferred to a first-fill charred red wine barrique cask. 55.4% ABV. For a new to me distillery, this is a really good peated Highlander!

I'm having a small pour of Booker's 2018-01 "Kathleen's Batch". I added a small splash of water (0.5 teaspoon) and it's like a completely different bourbon. Of course, the bottle has been open for a week so it may be settling down a bit too. I'm not entirely sure water improves it, so much as changes it. It's a lot funkier with water and there's less oak presence. There are some herbal notes appearing mid-palate (rosemary? sage?) and the nose definitely has a syrupy cherry quality to it with water. I'd almost say cough syrup, but it's definitely not the "it tastes awful, and it works" type of cough syrup. Tonight, the nose reminds me of cherry nibs, dark corn syrup, and vanilla icing (or frosting for my American friends). Very interesting stuff.

Tonight, 23 year (April 1995) Glen Grant (SMWS 9.167 "Part of the furniture") from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. 55.0% ABV. Syrupy dark fruits, resin, old dessert wine.

Next, I did a head to head tasting between two whiskies from the same distillery; Glenturret. The first one is unpeated. The second is heavily peated.

18 year (March 2001) Glenturret (SMWS 16.39 "Sweetness and spice laced with mystery"). After 17 years in a port pipe, the whisky was re-racked into a second-fill, high-toast/medium char puncheon made from European oak. 55.2% ABV. Dusty, chocolate cake, toffee, orange peel, leather. A very complex dram.

Glenturret SMWS 16.33 (8 year - Dec. 2009) "Melville’s other monster" - Re-charred hogshead - 62.0% ABV. Nose: Blast of peat from the glass, pepper, frying bacon, bonfire ash and tart berry fruit. Palate: Massive, sooty, antiseptic and iodine. Also, a very complex dram.

These two drams from the same distillery could not be more different.

@OdysseusUnbound Yes, I find Bookers tends to change (for the better) with water.

@talexander Funny. My experience with Booker’s is that it becomes hotter with water then settles down to the way it was after a half hour or so.

I noted that with my first batch. I should probably “reassess”. Hard to imagine a really good Booker’s batch or blend getting better than it already is.

@Nozinan Maybe you'll get a chance to run the experiment with a sample from "Kathleen's Batch"......

Last night, two single cask Westland’s in a Westland Glencairn glass;

Westland Distillery (Seattle, WA) Cask # 2549 Single cask release, cask strength (4 years 2 months) - 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon (Heaven Hills) cask - 60.1% ABV. Grain Bill: Made exclusively with Washington Select Pale Malt. Bottled: June 2019.

Westland Distillery (Seattle, WA) Single Cask #3824 (Rum Cask Finish) Maturation time: 4 years 10 months. Grain Bill: Washington Select Pale Malt, Munich Malt, Extra Special Malt, Pale Chocolate Malt and Brown Malt. Cask types: New American Oak (55 months) and Ex-Rum (3 months). 54.7% ABV. Bottled: Summer 2016.