So, what are you drinking now?

Last night, Glen Scotia SMWS 93.112 (14 year - Feb. 2004) "Sweet and grubby" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 53.7% ABV.

Tonight, my wife, both of my sons, my older son's wife and some of my whisky friends met up at my favorite whisky bar to continue my birthday weekend celebration. I had the following;

Bladnoch 15 year Adela 47% ABV. Really strong Oloroso sherry influence. Loved it.

Bladnoch 25 year Talia 49% ABV. Sherry cask with a port finish. The 15 year was wonderful, but this one blew the 15 year away. This dram as well as the next one was hand selected by the owner who presented them to me as a gift as long as I tasted them blind. I originally guessed Port, but decided it was a PX cask. Wrong!

Glenmorangie Signet 46% ABV. Again, a gift from the owner tasted blind. I wasn't initially getting the chocolate that this dram is known for. I was debating whether it was a Speyside or a Highland. I guessed correctly that it was a Highland, but I couldn't nail the cask. I got a lot of French oak as well as new oak. Doesn't matter; a beautiful dram!

Highland Park 18 year Full Volume 47% ABV. This was my least favorite of the night. Very astringent.

Next up was an Octomore flight made up of 9.1, 9.3, 10.3 and the 10 year. My preference in order was the 10.3, followed by the 9.1, then the 10 year. The 9.3 was very astringent. I liked it, but it was my least favorite of the 4. The 10.3 was stunningly balanced; beautiful whisky!

Ardbeg 10 year SMWS 33.137 60% ABV "Campfire marshmallows on singed sticks" from a 1st-fill barrel. This was easily the best peated whisky of the night and rivaled the 25 year Bladnoch for 1st place overall. Not sure I could pick between the two!

Finished the night with Ardbeg Supernova 2019 Committee release 54% ABV. I've owned both the original Supernova as well as the 2015 release, but hadn't tasted the 2019. While it was very good, it wasn't anywhere near the Society Ardbeg. I should have had these in reverse order.

What a wonderful night with my wife, both of my sons, my older sons wife and several of my best whisky friends celebrating my birthday together. A very special night indeed!

Nikka From The Barrel.

@CanadianNinja - nice! I might open my bottle of this later ...

You will not be sorry you did @RianC.

This is by far my number one ‘bang for your buck’ whisky. I have yet to come across a better whisky in its price range.

Tonight, a couple of glens;

Glen Ord SMWS 77.57 (9 year - Apr. 2009) "Down the old wax mines" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 59.1% ABV.

Glen Scotia SMWS 93.106 (13 year - March 2005) "Red diesel". After 12 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill Port hogshead - 58.6% ABV.

Which one did you prefer @bwmccoy?

@CanadianNinja - the Glen Ord. My palate must have been taking a night off because I LOVE that Red Diesel, but last night, it didn’t taste as good as it normally does.

@CanadianNinja re: liking Nikka Whisky From The Barrel, Also Sprach Whisky Advocate Magazine, listing NWFB as the # 1 attainable whisky worldwide one year ago.

Last night, Linkwood 15 Year Old from Gordon & Macphail. Stunning whisky!

Having a pour of Four Roses Single Barrel (HW 21-3V) while watching Ad Astra. It'll be my second time with the movie, and my first pour of this whisky in quite a while. The movie is great, and the whisky even greater. It is for sure one of my all time favourites, I really ought to have it more often. But then again, maybe then it would cease to be so special to me.

Sipping some Maker’s 46 while watching the Habs vs Bruins (spit) game. I don’t normally drink through the week, but it’s the only way my Canadiens are tolerable these days.

I’m now having a small pour of Glenfiddich Fire and Cane. The peat and smoke are very subtle on the nose and palate, and a touch more present on the finish. Tons of bright fruit though: pears, sour green apples, pineapple. Much better than I was expecting, to be honest.

You could just become a Leafs fan and make life easier on yourself @OdysseusUnbound! ; )

@CanadianNinja You must be drunk to even suggest that...

@Nozinan

Tough week at work. Several issues and I have 7 employee annual performance reviews that are due by the end of day Friday. I'm working on reviews now and fortunately, I have 7 great employees so that makes the reviews easier to write. Anyway, all of this calls for peat and these are my two favorite open peated bottles.

Caol Ila SMWS 53.305 (10 year - Sep. 2008) "Totally tropical smoke" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead" - 59.8% ABV.

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

Looking forward to the upcoming 3-day holiday weekend (President's Day here in the states).

@Victor - just a shame about the small bottles ...

Having a glass of Johnnie Walker Green. It’s been a long day.....

Started off with a sample that @jordytropp gave me earlier today. Edradour Caledonia (46% ABV). Got sherry, red wine, leather and a little bbq on the nose. BBQ char (not bbq sauce), charred slow-cooked meat, brisket on the palate. A big, bold, beautiful whisky. Thanks @jordytropp for the sample! It’s been a long time since I’ve had an Edradour. Brings back great memories.

Finished with Glenallachie SMWS 107.16 (7 year - Apr. 2011) "Truly a fairy tale" from a 2nd-fill toasted oak butt - 67.0% ABV.

Forgot to mention last night that the Edradour Caledonia is a 12 year old.

Tonight, Girvan SMWS G7.15 (34 year - May 1984) "Mind-altering hugs" - After 32 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a new oak hogshead, heavy toast/medium char for the final 2 years - 57.2% ABV. One of the best grain whiskies that I’ve ever had. Reminds me a lot of a wheated bourbon.

Finished with Caol Ila SMWS 53.298 (11 year - September 2007) "Tokaji and tug boats" from refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 60.0% ABV.

Last night I had some long drinks, inspired by Dave Broom’s Whisky: the Manual. I’m a fan of cocktails and I’m not averse to using a good quality whisky in a highball. I had the following in a 2:1 (club soda:whisky) ratio.

• Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino: easily the best combo of the night. It wasn’t simply diluted, but rather much softer and vanilla forward. The medicinal notes were toned down, which isn’t always a good thing (depending on your mood). Last night this was like drinking marshmallows toasted over a campfire. Delightful.
• Johnnie Walker Black 12 Year: I enjoy Black and soda as a summertime drink pretty often. It’s fruity, sweet and refreshing with just a hint of smoke.
• Glenfiddich Fire and Cane: this one didn’t work as well with soda. It wasn’t bad per se but the finish had an awkward bitterness that seemed out of step with the rest of the band.

Just poured opened and poured some Maker’s Mark Cask Strength.

On the nose....oak, oak and more oak! Cherries...black cherries....cola.....

Check your PM @paddockjudge.

Check your PM @Victor.

Check your PM @Nozinan.

@OdysseusUnbound, I often add water to whisky at varying ratios, it helps me to understand it better. Sometimes at 20% it is much more delicious than the bottled strength.

@paddockjudge I’ve been on a real neat kick lately, but I definitely want to try varying levels of water with the Cairdeas Fino now.

@OdysseusUnbound I've not read Dave Broom's books, nor had the chance to peruse them. I found his prose in Whisky Advocate Magazine to be generally incoherent and extremely self-indulgent. That said I heard him live on a panel at The Tales of The Cocktail in 2017, and he is extraordinarily entertaining and is great fun in person. I'd go out of my way to listen to him, his allusions, and his humour. His written prose I can do without. I expect that he is more disciplined in his writing in book form than for magazine articles.

@Victor I really enjoy the prose in his books. I’d love to listen to him live, as I’ve seen a few videos of tastings he’s lead and he seems really entertaining and funny...