So, what are you drinking now?

@Victor: A great hobby, indeed! I hope these are all small tasting size drams? You are too valuable an asset to this forum, and so generous with your time and so eager to share your comprhensive knowlege, that I wish for you to continue in 'rude good health' for many a moon.

Cheers and Good Luck!

@A'bunadhman, oh yes, 3 shots tops, although it is on an empty stomach...time for something to eat.

I just opened a Longrow CV for a rainy Sunday of puttering and work related activities.

We did a head to head comparison last night; Balvenie 21 Portwood, Isle of Jura 21, and Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve.

Bruichladdich Octomore 02.1 (5 year old)

Just opened a bottle of 'Big Peat' and, oh boy, is it good! I didn't think I'd nose Port Ellen again but here it is.

There are other Whiskies in this Ardbeg, Caol Ila and Bowmore but the obvious perfume, to me, is Port Ellen. There is plenty of peat but it is refined, sophisticated even and not carried on a chariot of of low tide mayhem.

A gorgeous, zesty, malty palate that is surprisingly sweet, light and delicious with Mandarin peel, nuts & a lazy, smokey underlay.

The finish is crisp, long, honeyed and so fresh as to be puckering (almost). This is my kind of Whisky, my kind of balance, my kind of finish and all in a package that is light, fragrant and delicious.

My first bottle of Big Peat won't be my last and my local has it on special - Au.52.95 (not bad by Aussie standards). It would be worth this price for the nose alone!

@A'bunadhman Sounds incredible.

I'm indulging in a Canadian Club Sherry Cask. Reading the other conversation about dirty sherried whiskies made me crave something with sherry influence.

Currently reviewing Glenlivet 12yo at 6 months after initial opening, to see how much of a toll (if any) oxidation has taken. Also, just as an aside, this Glenlivet is a bottle from 2005/6 and it is quite different from a Glenlivet 12yo of modern vintage that I sampled recently - question is, is it due to batch variation, or has the "recipe" changed?

Kavalan Solist Single Bourbon Cask - Overflowing with tropical fruit!

@dannyboy Jealous.. have a dram for me!

@systemdown Ha, one of the perks of living in Taiwan :P Picked this bottle up on special offer in Costco of all places!

I was drinking The Ileach, an independent bottling of someones reject Islay casks-- until I poured it down the drain. The most revolting whisky I have ever tasted in over 20 years of serious Scotch whisky drinking. Maybe the cask stregth version is better, but this one is bitter, nasty on the nose and palate, and tastes as if it has been artificially smoked. I'm moving on to my Sonalta PX tonight.

Aberlour 10 - the final dram from the bottle my wife gave me when I finished my Master's Degree. Slainte!

My almost empty Laga 16. It never lasts very long...

@A'bunadhman Very nice description. I strongly suggest anyone to try Big Peat, it's definitely up there. I'm having a taste of this wonderful liquid right now.

A roughly 50:50 blend of Laphroaig 10 and Glendronach 15. Yum! Try it and tell me what you think ;)

This weekend we are enjoying the GlenDronach 12y original which I purchased on special for 15€. Great price for a super whisky!

Had a Lagavulin 16 while firing up the old barbeque for the first time this year. Always a good one! It also helped me recover from the trauma of finding a young robin that had died earlier this afternoon after (I think) flying into the window next to where the barbeque is located. :(

Just purchased and opened an Ardbeg Airgh Nam Beist - 2007 bottling. I think that this may be my favorite Ardbeg so far - much less aggressive than the Corry.

Auchentoshan Springwood - at last!

Ben Riach 16 year. What a lovely dram after spending the day at the Scottish Festival.

A big day of Scotch for me today, more by happenstance than for any particular reason...

At Coates of Arms pub in London (Ontario) this afternoon, I enjoyed Glen Garioch Distillers Reserve, a Signatory bottling of Clynelish (18 year old, distilled late 1992, bottled in early 2011), and Royal Lochnegar Distillers Edition. The winner for me of these three was easily the Signatory Clynelish. A nice mix of honey, spices and the "waxiness" that I have read about as being the trademark note of Clynelish. The whisky seemed to evaporate in the mouth (very light mouthfeel, very short finish). The nose and palate definitely made up for the shortness of the finish. Very enjoyable!

This evening, in a tasting with 'whiskyJoe' we sampled three new purchases of his... Caol Ila Distillers Edition, Lagavulin 16, and Ardbeg Corryvreckan. The CIDE is one that 'whiskyJoe' loves. I enjoyed it, but I think I am more of a "sweet peat" fan, as opposed to the more earthy/vegetal (for lack of better terms) peat presented by CIDE. We will likely do a side-by-side of the CIDE and Bowmore 12 at some point.

His bottle of Lagavulin 16 strangely seemed to be lacking the smokiness on the nose that we are both used to having with this bottle. The taste is definitely Laga 16!! The Corry was a nice intense smoked fish profile...we will experiment with adding water to this one the next time we try it, to see how it changes. A wonderful day all around, with great weather to boot!

And just so everyone knows I've really missed everyone here!!!!

Finally back in civilization!! Had a very crazy weekend due to some insane weather with winds moving over 60 miles an hour while my wife and I were in Margaret River doing a series of Aussie Whisky tastings! So tonight I get to pour myself a dram from one of my new awesome bottles!

Limeburners M66, finished in Riesling barrels!!!

Cutty Sark. My first time. Damn, I like this stuff. One of the easiest drinking blends I've ever had. Good thing I got the 1.75 L bottle.

Drinking Great King St, probably the greatest blend ever. Though as blends go, Johnnie Walker Black will forever be the breakfast of champions.

going back to the springbank 10. enjoy it more and more each time I come to it. then maybe open up my longrow cv?

@SquidgyAsh...glad you're back here safe and sound...what sort of tasting note does 'wind' provide? :)

Last night 'whiskyJoe' and I cracked open what may have been the last bottle of Aberlour Abunadh batch #32 on a LCBO store shelf (currently 35 & 36 seem to be the batches otherwise in stock). I had spotted the 32 here in London, ON and had absolutely loved trying a sample of it (thank you 'Victor'!) back in December.

After pushing the container to the back of the shelf each time I stopped by the store, and hoping someone else wasn't paying attention to batch #'s in the hope that I could some day save up for it...'WhiskyJoe' was able to pull the trigger and pick it up this past week. After trying it last night, I am soooooo glad that the bottle has ended up in good hands (and that those hands live next door to yours truly!!). :)

This is a 'home run' bottle of sherry fruits and spices that is well worth every penny...and then some. If anyone sees a batch 32 still on a store shelf anywhere...get it without hesitation.

A lunch-time dram: George T. Stagg, in honour of @SquidgAsh's bottle purchased for his brother-in-law. (May he give you a taste!) This one is from the ungodly good 2010 release, down to the last third of my only bottle of it...OH MY GaaaawwwwwdddD! (There will still be some for you, Jarred)