So, what are you drinking now?

@Victor Tif has found a new friend in the Aberlour 12, I think it's a great dram especially for the money.

@RobertH, it is always most excellent to get one's wife involved!

Glendronach Octarine.... It is fantastic for the price. Rich sherried dram with notes of chocolate, raisins and Christmas cake.

Being able to drink whisky with one's wife is an always awesome and special thing I think :D

Life IS too short! Wise words! I am putting down the Overholt and grabbing my T.H. Handy right away! Thanks for the inspiration.

Highland Park 18. Biggest whisky purchase I've done so far. They weren't kidding about how good it was.

@chickenium - that's one of my absolute favourites. Myself, tonight, it's Canadian Club 20 Year Old. Scrumptious.

Just as I threatened, I pulled the TH Handy rye. Wow! I keep thinking I can find a cheaper Rye that provides the same satisfaction but when I go back to the Handy, I realize how difficult that will be. Only Wild Turkey 101 comes close and now I can't even get that. 81 proof? Really?

Whiskies while dining out with Dramlette tonight: Hazelburn 8 yo, Hirsch 21 yo Rye, and the Alchemist bottling of Highland Park 16 Year Old, finished for two years in Calvados Casks. That Highland Park 16 is silky, very sherried, and, yes, frankly, rather apple-y! Quite good.

@yalc, it is good to hear that you are getting into that Thomas Handy. Why deny yourself the pleasure?

@Chickenium, no they weren't kidding about Highland Park 18.

Shackleton's Replica, been months since I last had it and I have to be honest, minus the bitterness caused by what I think is the Argon that I sprayed early on to some of my whiskies to preserve them, it's opened up lovely with green apples and pears. I JUST might go out and buy a second bottle....I feel sad haha

Currently open, PC An Turas Mor, a Bruichladdich 12 that really isn't doing it for me, and a Sonnalta PX. Plan on doing some major damage to the PC this afternoon.

Enjoying BBQ on the terrace with kids & friends and a good smoke - heavy stuff is required and the task force consists of Linkwood 27 year old single cask in cask strength, Glenfarclas 25, Highland Park 26 and a decent amount of Opthimus Rum 25 years Tomatin Whisky finish - perfect!

Talisker 10 yr after a nice BBQ dinner with extended family, it seems to have gotten smoother since opening a week ago, much more enjoyable than again it could just be the company.

@SquidgyAsh. I like the Shackleton too, but at $195 Can. I ccould get 3 Ballantine 17s.

I just opened a bottle of Wiser's Legacy. It's been about 20 years since I last had a Canadian whisky. Ever since I discovered Scotch whisky, single malts in particular. I got it for my brother in law who lives down in Oregon and likes Canadian whisky. I guess I'll have to get him another one because this baby is a keeper. Very tasty indeed. I had no idea that some Canadian whiskies had got this good.

@BlueNote if you get a chance to sample, you should check out the Forty Creek offerings. The standard 'Barrel Select' is a step up, imho, from the basic offerings of other Canadian distilleries (CC, CR, Wiser's, etc.). The FC Confederation Oak Reserve is really nice and there are a lot of raves out their about the Double Barrel Reserve and John's Private Cask #1 (neither of which I have had the chance to try...though they are on the wishlist!).

Lagavulin 16. I bought my forst bottle of this a month ago. The first time that I tried, I didn't like it. I thought that there must be something wrong with the Lagavulin. After all, the distillers could not possibly intend a whisky to taste like this, could they? I tried again a night later, and still didn't like it. The bottle went back on a shelf, where it has been until tonight. I don't know what happened, but I really like the dram that I'm drinking. This tastes like it's earned a permanent spot on my whisk(e)y shelf.

@BlueNote Agreed. It is an overpriced whisky, which makes me quite sad because it is quite enjoyable. I have quite a few other whiskies higher up on the priority list to pick up before another bottle of that.

From what it looks like over here in Perth I don't think sales for Shackleton's Replica are going well so,fingers crossed that I can find a massive discount on a bottle or can make a ridiculous deal for a bottle and can get a massive discount.

@RobertH If I may ask, was it the regular 43% Aberlour 12 or the 48% unchillfiltered one?

I'll add that tonight was a pleasant evening with friends drinking Ardbeg 10, Aberlour 10, Glenfarclas 15, Spice Tree, Springbank 12 CS. The only downside was a friend's dreadful McLelland's 40% scotch that tasted like a mix of cheap rubbing alcohol and All Bran. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

@Pudge72. I will definately be trying some more upper end Canadians. I would also value your advice, and Victor's too, on where to start exploring American whiskey. It's another area of the whisk(e)y world I have neglected.

@BlueNote...'Victor' is the true expert on all things US whisky on this forum. Most of what I know, and have been fortunate enough to experience from those offerings, is as a result of knowing and corresponding with him. A true gentleman and expert.

A couple of suggestions that I can provide wrt American whiskies:

• On the most general level, you might want to explore whether you are a 'rye guy' or a 'wheater' (or both). To do this on the fairly cheap (if you're able to travel into Washington state - 'Wodha' would likely be able to guide you to store locations) with high quality, I would recommend a bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel ($29 at Binny's in Illinois - $55 (!) at the LCBO) for a 'standard' bourbon that uses rye as its flavouring grain. They are vintage issued each year (I have a 2000 bottle, LCBO has 2001) and are well regarded on a consistent basis from year to year.

For a bourbon that uses wheat as the main flavour grain (not nearly as common as rye), Old Weller Antique 107 is awesome ($25 for a bottle in Michigan, not available in Ontario)! There is a rumour (can someone here please confirm/deny?) that this bottling is going the way of the dodo bird (in 2013/14)...why, I have no clue.

Hope this is helpful. Enjoy the exploration!

@BlueNote, I have sent you a buddy request.

@Pudge72, that rumour about the disappearance of Old Weller Antique 107 is still just a rumour, but it is a rumour with some disturbing characteristics lending it some credence. Time will tell. Like you, I would really hate to see OWA 107 go away. I think of it as "William Larue Weller Light", and in this case, even a 'Light' version is quite wonderful. 53.5% ABV still has plenty of concentration of flavours to make an impression.

@Victor. Honoured to be your buddy. Can't wait for your recommendations. Cheers. @Pudge72. Thanks for your input, much appreciated.

Auchentoshan 'Valinch' 2011 Ltd. Edn. & it is starting to 'sing'! It opened very quietly but that was a couple of months ago and time in a large decanter has it blossoming, especially the nose which is jumping out of the glass - What a transformation!

& I'm doing the chocolatey tongue thing, this time with a double square of Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate (85%). It is softened with Madascan Vanilla and is, I think, more suited to Whisky: The fair Trade 80% Dark is probably the better eater but this is rather special...Yum!

Black Bottle! Always makes me feel like a pirate! I dunno why.

We are Drinking Cask No.17.29! Its tasting notes are stewed apples & pears, marzipan, peppermint, brine, and melon! www.SMWSA.COM

Led a tasting for 8 yesterday, including a couple of youngish whisky newcomers. When I heard that the favourite drams among 20 whiskies of both of them were Ardbeg Uigeadail I knew that these guys were destined to be big whisky lovers.

We are...winning over the world one dram at a time...

Tried out the Balvenie Peated Cask 17 yr last night, was not a fan of Balvenie until this bottle. Smooth honey, smokey with a hint of peat. very nice.