So, what are you drinking now?

Also last night: Collingwood 21, similarly sourced. This was gross. It reminded me of this awful perfumy ceremonial potion that the shamans in Peru gave us before our ayahuasca ceremonies a couple years ago. Blechk.

@MadSingleMalt

There you go again... maligning Canadian Whisky!

Collingwood 21 is a unique part of our heritage. That you can denigrate it so says a lot more about you than it does about the whisky.

What it says about you is that your tastebuds seem to be working well....

@Nozinan, :)

I can't say I knew (or know!) a thing about it, other than it was a sample-bottle surprise from a club buddy recently. I could look up reviews, but what's the consensus here? Garbage? Gold? At all representative of older Canadian whisky?

@MadSingleMalt

connosr.com/canadian-mist-collingwood-21-y…

connosr.com/canadian-mist-collingwood-21-y…

Any questions?

On the other hand...

connosr.com/canadian-mist-collingwood-21-y…

@MadSingleMalt, those who truly appreciate Canadian Whisky, not the industry shills and blogger-phants, agree that Collingwood 21 YO Rye is CRAP!

It possesses a myriad of flavours and scents, but on its own, as a whisky it is an EPIC FAILURE! Coincidentally, a panel of, 10 or so, "experts" chose this as Canadian Whisky Of The Year (when it was released). Good is good, regardless of age, price, origin, or constituent parts. Collingwood 21 is not "GOOD" whisky; however there are at least a handful of experts that will argue the point, yawn.

There is a lot of very good Canadian whisky, perhaps some day you will be able to enjoy a few pours.

@MadSingleMalt I would not describe Collingwood 21 yo as representative of anything, which is a good thing. Brown-Forman owns that Collingwood Distillery. The distillery is closed to the public.

I’m sipping some Maker’s 46. I was going to reach for a Scottish malt, but I’m in a real bourbon kind of mood lately. It might have something to do with the well-above-average bottle of standard Maker’s I’ve got. I normally rate standard Maker’s 80-83 points, and this one is easily 86-87 points for me. The Maker’s 46 is a bit more enigmatic. Sometimes I get mocha and coffee notes, and other days it’s oaky almost to the point of being too much. Almost.

I’m currently enjoying a postprandial dram of Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino. I’m really liking this...

@OdysseusUnbound I really need to get to my bottle of this....

Instead of rummaging in my cabinet for my bottle of Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino Sherry, rescued from the LCBO for me by @talexander in 2018, I’m on call tonight. I woke from a pre-call unexpected nap, and seeing that the rest of the family was to have supper I had some too.

My kids were keen on trying a radler, so we cracked this one. It tastes like a radler, that’s about all I can say except it is the best alcohol-free radler I’ve ever had. It sure beats the alcohol free Hoegarten (not a radler) from last time.

Last night, I finished the second-half of the sample of Edradour 12 year Caledonia from @jordytropp. Thanks again @jordytropp for sharing this one with me! That was a great whisky!

Also had the next to the last dram of heavily peated Glenturret SMWS 16.33 (8 year - Dec. 2009) "Melville’s other monster" from a re-charred hogshead - 62.0% ABV. Should have bought more of this one!

I forgot to add that last night before dinner and before the two Scotches listed above, I made my wife and I “smoky” Manhattans using Old Grand Dad 114. Before pouring, I smoked the empty martini glasses by burning a chunk of oak that was previously an Ardbeg cask. I later used more of the former Ardbeg cask oak chunks (and some pecan wood) on the charcoal grill while cooking a New York strip steak.

Lots of Laphroaig! This Saturday was the Third Annual Laphroaig Kilt Walk in Baltimore. Had the standard 10, 3 different Càirdeas selections (Fino, Quarter Cask and Triple Wood), the Select and the 25 year old. There were others from the standard releases as well. A bit cold and windy for a kilt but most of the time was spent inside establishments with short walks in between lead by a Piper. Great fun with plenty of good whisky. I went home with a bottle of the 10 and a bottle of the Càirdeas Triple Wood. I also won one of the raffles and got a Laphroaig scarf (I already had one so my wife got the scarf). It was also my first time wearing a kilt!

Dailuaine SMWS 41.121 (14 year - Aug, 2004) "There will be blood orange" - After 12 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, finished in a medium charred, fine grain 2nd-fill French oak barrique - 58.9% ABV

Caol Ila SMWS 53.304 (11 year - Sep 2007) "Rose petals on a rock pool" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 59.5% ABV.

We attended a Companions of the Quaich dinner with some Hunter Laing bottlings:

Benrinnes 19yo (Old Malt Cask) 50% - quite nice

Blair Athol 8yo (Hepburn's Choice) 46% - fruity, malty

Deanston 23yo (Old Malt Cask) 50% - fantastic stuff

Caol Ila 9yo (Hepburn's Choice) 46% - surprisingly weak for a Caol Ila... too weak

Glenburgie 20yo (First Edition) - didn't note the ABV - off-putting.

Having some Ardbeg An Oa: This is a jammy and smoky dram that (to my mind) beats the Triple Wood. I love the Triple Wood (especially the Cairdeas version). Both are examples of contemporary cooperage--and both are interesting on their own merits, NSA orphans that they are.

@talexander Nice. Hope to see some reviews on these sometime.

@BlueNote I'm afraid not - I tasted them at the dinner, and did not buy any of the bottles....

After a long, mentally draining day at work, breaking out the big guns.

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. Funky, Campbeltown, diesel nose. Sweet port and peat perfectly balanced on the palate. This one has it all.

@talexander I miss those CoQ dinners - not for the stuffy old boy network and over the top sexist jokes - but some really fine drams served. Its the closest thing I've ever come to visiting Kensington Wine Market (where I suspect the majority of the bottles come from) and sampling before buying.

@65glenfarclas Yes - I don't go super often, and given it is cost-cutting-March this month I'm gonna have to skip the St. Patricks Irish tasting.

I’ve had this bottle for awhile, so I guess it’s finally time to see what it’s all about.

@OdysseusUnbound Nice glassware!

My BIL got a good deal on a bottle in Calgary. One of these years he'll open it and I'll try it...

@OdysseusUnbound nice choice, will be curious to get your impressions

@Nozinan Well if you’re interested in a sample....you know.

@cricklewood First impression is very positive. Not quite as good as the 12 Year CS, but not as far off as I would have expected. It’s a bit of a shame the standard 12 Year is 40% instead of 46% or even 43%.

Balmenach SMWS 48.42 (10 year - Nov. 2002) "Grown-Up Ice Lollies" from a first-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 56.7% ABV. Tastes like juicy fruit chewing gum.

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

@OdysseusUnbound, interesting comment you’ve made

” Not quite as good as the 12 Year CS, but not as far off as I would have expected.”

I am a big fan of Redbreast 12 yo, both standard and CS; however, I can’t stand Redbreast 21 yo.

I’ve yet to try the 15 yo.

@paddockjudge Wow really - I LOVE the Redbreast 21!

@talexander, I know!! We must drink from the same bottle and compare.