So, what are you drinking now?

@Nozinan I thought of your sage advice when I chose to open this one. I’ve had Batch 58 before. It’s really good. I like it better than the last bottle I had, which I believe was Batch 53.

@OdysseusUnbound I have a 53. Still over 2 years till I try it. I hear the 54 was excellent. I have one of those too. After that I have a 65. Then I can retire.

After dinner I’m now enjoying some Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino Cask. This bottle is down to the last 1/3. There must have been a hole in the bottom or something. Glad I have 3 (or 4?) backups. Different but very pleasant.

@Nozinan Any day now you will see toilet paper going for big bucks on the secondary market. I don’t get it. Costco had none yesterday. Does thoroughly wiping your ass prevent covid19?

@BlueNote If you are in quarantine and can't go out to get f=groceries, you will become constipated. You can eat the paper which has (by definition) fibre. Then you will poop and you will need toilet paper.

This is the rationale

@Nozinan Oh, of course, that makes perfect sense.

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 most complex grain whiskies that I’ve ever tried.

Caol Ila SMWS 53.304 (11 year - Sep 2007) "Rose petals on a rock pool" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 59.5% ABV. Another excellent single cask Caol Ila from the Society.

I decided I wanted a pour of Sazerac Rye to go with tonight’s episode of The Great British Baking Show (thank you CBC Gem, you’re an awesome addition to the streaming landscape) but only had 1.5 oz left in the bottle, and I’m 2 oz pour kinda guy. For whatever reason I decided to top it up with Hiram Walker’s Special Old (my favourite of the truly classic Canadian whiskies) and holy moly did I stumble upon something delicious! As I sip it, I can detect both flavour profiles, as well as a delightful third one. Simply lovely.

I’m all out of Sazerac Rye, and thanks to my self-imposed buying limit I won’t be buying another bottle any time soon, but I’ll definitely be experimenting with blending good ole Special Old with other ryes going forward.

Mortlach SMWS 76.144 (13 year - October 2005) "I caught the darkness..." - After 11 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill charred red wine barrique cask - 60.0% ABV.

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

Enjoying some Johnny Drum Private Stock!

Peach and saw dust on the nose. Caramel and ripe fruit on the palate.

I love this stuff.

I’m having some Maker’s 46, and each time I’ve had this, I’m reminded of Wiser’s Seasoned Oak. They aren’t exact matches, but both are unapologetically oak-forward (Serge V. would hate these) with some toasted coconut notes...yummy.

I got an email that my gym will be closed until Monday April 6. To say that this is causing me some anxiety would be the understatement of the year. To help me settle down, I’m having some Glenfiddich Fire & Cane. Focusing on updating some tasting notes will hopefully get my mind of the madness....

@OdysseusUnbound Been tempted on this one. Awaiting your impressions.

Miltonduff SMWS 72.31 (29 year - Dec. 1983) "Something Old, Something New" from a refill ex-bourbon Hogshead - 48.3% ABV.

Bladnoch SMWS 50.56 (23 year - July 1990) ‘Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!’ from a refill ex-bourbon barrel - 60.3% ABV.

Two stunning whiskies!

Forgot to add, before dinner and before the two drams mentioned above, I finished off the last of my Old Grandad 114 by making smoky Manhattans for my wife and I.

Last night I had some JD SB BP - awesome stuff that ramps up all the good things about JD. Loads of treacle toffee and brown sugar with some well integrated fresh oak and gentle floral notes.

Then some Laphroaig 10 CS. This stuff is starting to soften a little and more of the citrusy barley notes are coming to the fore. Think I liked it better raw and powerful but this change is interesting and still highly enjoyable.

At my Mother-In-Law’s having some Four Roses Single Barrel. This particular bottle is much fruitier than I remember this bourbon being. Tons of peaches and apricots. Really pleasant.

We got home and I had

• Maker’s Mark: I finished the bottle. I’m going to have to go to the local KGBO and get another bottle of this...hopefully from the same batch. Excellent, easily 85/100 or higher.
• Maker’s 46: this is very oak-forward, but I really dig it.
• Alberta Premium 20 Year Old: words cannot describe how disappointing this is. The nose is Play-Doh, paint thinner, and gasoline. The palate and finish are generic fruitiness and vodka-esque bitterness. I didn’t finish it. Poured the last half of my dram back into the bottle. This is the kind of whisky that makes me want to stop buying Canadian whisky altogether.

Port Charlotte 10, "Tough times here on out."(SingleMaltLuftigAssociation). I'm buying local. My wife is from Singapore--her dad drives a cab--so I kind of knew what was coming.

100 points for every dram I am privileged enough to drink.

Social distancing does not have to mean not drinking together.

Tonight @paddockjudge and I each cracked a 200 cc bottle of Dillon’s cask strength rye.

Based on what I had heard before, I was pleasantly surprised. Very fragrant nose.

I would consider getting another bottle while (if) they are still available but that would mean going out...

It's been a long time since I've had anything from the Bowmore core range. My last experience of the 15 year old that used to be called the Darkest was quite unsatisfactory. However, recent versions of their 15 have been getting consistently good reviews. It's on sale this month at BC Liquor Stores, and I decided to give it a go. Had a dram tonight and already I can say it's a big improvement on the 15 Darkest which was quite thin by comparison. They seem to have the sherry and the peat getting along together this time.

Linkwood 15 Year Old from Gordon & Macphail - 43% ABV.

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

Celebrated St. Patrick's Day this weekend with my Brother and Sister-in-Law down in Georgia. (Flew back to Maryland last night) So there were many Irish Whiskies. Jameson Black Barrel, Slane Triple Cask, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Green Spot, Teeling Single Malt, Powers, Red Breast 15 and Red Breast Lustau Edition. And then later, there were the scotches...

Having a glass of Caribou Crossing Single Barrel....

I like this stuff.

Not great.... but I enjoy it.

@bwmccoy What are your impressions of the Linkwood 15? I’ve had a few opportunities to purchase, but always passed because of the relatively low ABV.

Last night I had a tiny night cap of Wis ers Dissertation. I've been letting air get to this, as is good form with any rye I'm finding, and it has paid dividends. Gorgeous, rich mouth feel and a complex development that goes on and on. A whiskey for chewing on!

@BlueNote - Personally, I love this whisky. First of all, it’s Gordon and MacPhail so you know it’s quality stuff. It drinks more than it’s 43%, in my opinion. The nose has black liquorice, sherry notes and some berries. Palate is waxy with spices and slight smoke in the finish, I’m assuming this is more from the charred oak, not peated malt.

I will also say this one has a huge sentimental value to me. I bought a 20cl bottle on our last trip to Scotland in 2016. My wife, mother-in-law and I drank it along the way during the trip. It brings back great memories!

Tonight, had a sip of Linkwood 15 to confirm my notes above.

Finished with a dram of Bruichladdich 1984, 23 year old Golder Still

Celery Juice. I am drinking my daily dose of 500 ml of pure fresh unadulterated celery juice. I do this for my overall health, and especially for my liver health. When your liver goes, YOU go.

@Victor, is ‘amazake’ available in the U.S./where you are?

It’s a drink made from fermented rice. It sometimes contains alcohol but I only drink the non-alcoholic amazake. It has numerous health benefits.

I’ve been drinking it daily for the past couple of years and I can’t recommend it enough. Honestly, I’ve noticed that I feel generally better and I can’t remember the last time I had a cold/got sick.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazake