So, what are you drinking now?

@cricklewood Vegan chicken tikki masala, how does that work? I have yet to find a Foursquare around here but everyone keeps saying it’s good stuff.

@fiddich1980 I was waiting to see if this statement stirred any pots.

The "chicken" should have been put in quotes, I often make Indian dishes that happen to be vegetarian (Aloo gobi, dal and such) but here my goal is really to try and replicate the savouriness and texture of meat without using any. Why, is simply because I'm trying to acquiesce my girlfriend's desire to eat less meat (not that we east so much in the first place) and I don't want to always default to tofu.

So I experimented using different types of TVP and tempeh, I used miso and marmite in my broth and also a bit of fish sauce for umami (we are not vegans, this is just an exercise in restraint). I am happy with the flavours, I just think the texture needs work.

That's way more than was needed on the subject.

@cricklewood At this time of the year risotto is a good bet. Something along the lines of a Pearl Barley risotto with cucumber stock or a roasted butternut squash risotto , or just a basic wild mushroom risotto and finished with a gratin of Parmesan and truffle oil.

To keep in line with this thread, I think it would work with a non-GMO Four Roses bourbon.

@casualtorture I was going to suggest online order but remembered your limbo state, as a Canadian I feel the pain of not always being able to get what you want.

Keep your eyes peeled for Doorly's rum it is also produced at Foursquare and while it is not bottled at high proof it is nonetheless of really good quality and give you an idea of what the distillery is capable of.

@fiddich1980 risotto is a great choice, made one with farro, roasted cherry tomato and a good amount of parm the other night.

Yamazaki 12 yo. If I had it to do again I would have picked up more Yamazaki 12 when I last had the chance. I am down to my last 300 ml of this. I see that the average world asking price is now $ 177. I paid $ 46 total for this bottle in 2011.

@Victor You shared a dram of this with me.Wonderful stuff. I think I I paid 60$ for it from Pine Orchard after that....and that was that.

The Berry/Rudd CI 2007 is really good and maybe better than the William Grant CI of the same age: peated honey, apples. Apples, honey and smoke. Glad I took a chance on two bottles (60$ each).

Started the evening with a dram of Wild Turkey 101 while cooking (braised pork shoulder for tomorrow's tamale pie) the recent talk of a potential increase in price of this beloved expression led me to crack open this bottle. As good as always, I love the spice profile and dusty funky notes that this bourbon has, it sets it apart.

Finishing things off with a smallish pour of Port Charlotte MC-01.

@cricklewood Real pork or fake pork...

@cricklewood Is this the special dinner you were planning? "A Taste From Her Childhood" If it is I want a picture post in the food thread.

@Nozinan real pork I'm no hippy despite my experimentation.

@fiddich1980 It's for a domino night with some old friends. The tastes of childhood dinner has been put on the backburner much to my dismay.

I went to a trivia night tonight and had two surprisingly good drams of Jack Daniel’s. Our team came in 2nd place which was frustrating because some of our “wrong” answers were actually correct. I didn’t make an issue of it because I didn’t want to be “that guy”, but it’s the principle of the matter. And yes, I’m incredibly competitive. Anyhow, I’m winding down with a small pour of Hazelburn 10.

In case you’re wondering which “wrong” answers were correct:

• Question: Where was Queen Elizabeth II coronated? my answer was “Westminster Abbey” and the (supposedly) correct answer was “an Abbey”. No, they did not accept our answer.
• Question: Which football team did Forrest Gump play for? my answer was Crimson Tide (University of Alabama) and the (supposedly) correct answer was “University of Alabama”. No, our answer was not deemed acceptable.
• Question: What imaginary lines run from north to south along the earth? our answer was “Meridians” and the correct answer was “lines of longitude”.

Anyhow. It doesn’t matter. Rant over. Back to the Hazelburn.

@OdysseusUnbound I don't believe that I would be spending much time around those folks administering the trivia night. .

As for your Jack, Old No.7 I assume because it was unspecified, that stuff is all over the place, depending on the batch. I've had everything from very good to horrible. You never know until you taste it.

Tonight, Auchentoshan 16 year (Jan. 2003) from a 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 55.9% ABV.

Finished with a Glenturret SMWS 16.33 (8 year - Dec. 2009) "Melville’s other monster" - Re-charred hogshead - 62.0% ABV.

@OdysseusUnbound - Outrageous! The special constabulary have been deployed to 'reeducate' on matters of the Crown

Tonight I warmed up with a Hazelburn 14 Olorosso Cask. It's taken a few months of being open but I'm starting to really dig the dark, tannic sherry in this. Lots of old leather, cigar tobacco, dark brown sugar, espresso, dark bitter chocolate, spices, with a typical a la Springbank slightly dirty aftertaste. Then moved on to a little Benriach Peated Port Cask side by side. 2008 9yo 63.2% vs. 2005 12yo 53.9%. Both big, bold, bright and deep - but the younger a bit brighter and sharper and shows more high notes compared to the older which is rounder and softer with more low notes.

Had a mini flight last night of ends and unfinished samples.

Arran 10 JMcT Ed - last few pours of this were the best. Simple, honest bourbon matured whisky with bags of fruity character and creamy malt. Glenrothes 17 Cadenheads. Forgot I had some left in the sample but really enjoyed it - more sour than the Arran with marmalade and lemon. SMWS Ardmore 12 'Deerstalkers and Hillwalkers' - probably my favourite from this bottlers I've tried so far. Shone in this line up and was quite an elemental malt, raw and grainy with a sharp hit of woodsy peat on the palate. (87-88). All three were malt driven, ex-bourbon (?) and went very well together.

For desert, a wee pour of Redbreast CS. Much richer and seemed to have a slight saltyness after those three, which surprised me. The difference in grain notes was immediate, with the more 'dusty' barley and sherry notes coming through along with some pencil shavings, in a nice way. Best mouth feel of the night.

For various reasons I've not drank much these last few months so it's really nice when ones taste and smell are on point and you can compare and contrast like this. Sounds a bit sad but I'd have loved to have shared these - hey ho, the life of a new Dad has its drawbacks ha! Still, after four CS pours I was certainly ready for bed ...

Starting with some Four Roses Small Batch.

My wife and I did some “catching up” tonight, as our weeks are crazy and we don’t see each other much from Mon-Thurs. I sipped from a tumbler, so I have no extensive notes to offer, but I did enjoy the following:

• a glass of Izadi Rioja 2014 (from a wine glass, not a tumbler)
• Clynelish 14
• Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino
• Ironworks Rum Boat Rum
• Hazelburn 10

Tonight, a couple of beautiful drams.

Glenmorangie 15 Year Sauternes Wood Finish-Distillery only bottle.

Followed by Linkwood 15 Year Old from Gordon & Macphail.

@OdysseusUnbound, your Trivia Night is what Steely Dan tagged Deacon Blues (Aja 1977)

_"They got a name for the winners in the world

I want a name when I lose

They call Alabama the Crimson Tide

Call me Deacon Blues"_

Hahahaha

(bing.com/videos/search/…)

@paddockjudge, ah 1977! It seems like only yesterday...

@paddockjudge - My favorite band and one of the best albums of all time in my humble opinion!

@bwmccoy, Becker and Fagen are excellent composers! They are also great musicians, who surrounded themselves with great musicians, I never minded that. They have a unique "sound" and a great vibe. Seeing them live only reinforces their genius. When not surrounded by the creme de la creme of studio musicians their playing still creates a great vibe. Steely Dan is in a music category of its own.

.....and they are the only musicians who can make Michael McDonald tolerable lol ...blue-eyed soul is not always enjoyable....the Doobie Brothers were great before M Mc

@Hewie I really enjoyed that Hazelburn. Unfortunately, it's not available here. Have you tried Hazelburn bourbon cask releases like the 10? I'm considering it, given how much I loved the 14 Oloroso.

I'm having a tiny dram of OGD 114. Too good for school. I'm still loving scotch whisky, but there's nothing like fine bourbon and bold rye.

@paddockjudge - my wife and I saw Steely Dan in concert a few years ago and to start the concert, they played the Aja album in its entirety and the songs were played in the order that they are on the album. It was awesome!

The Doobies are coming to the Seattle area later this year with Michael McDonald! We’re not planning on going.

@Jonathan to be honest the Hazelburn 14 Olorosso is the only hazelburn I've had. I enjoy the Springbank, Longrow, and Kilkerran offerings so much I hadn't delved into the Hazelburn (as I thought it would be lacking in the Springbank funk that draws me to them).