So, what are you drinking now?

@CanadianNinja Even most of the people in Ottawa hate the Sens.

Glenlossie SMWS 46.77 (26 year - Nov 1992) "Garden centres and weddings" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 53.6% ABV. Apple blossoms. A stunning whisky.

Baby Saz

Tapped into my Lot 40 CS 2017 edition. Haven’t had it for awhile but it’s as great a I remember.

@boatracer, it's a good one...heck of a flavouring whisky too!

Uigeadail. Batch to batch varies--I know--but this is good. Sherry done right.

do I need to start panic buying NAS Ardbeg?

Last night, my older son and his wife came over for dinner and drams.

Before dinner, Bruichladdich 1984 23 Year Old Golder Still

After dinner, Balvenie 21 Year Old Port Wood Finish and;

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 and;

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

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

Sitting down to watch Bourbontucky with a pour of George Dickel Barrel Select. I know, I know, maybe I ought to have picked a Kentucky bourbon for the occasion instead of a Tennessee whisky, but it's a bottle I've already got open. I only had it for the first time the other night, and it's quite nice. A bit of a peanut overload, but I don't mind that at all.

I hear good things about the documentary. If it's as good as what I've got in my glass I'm in for a pleasant afternoon.

I'm having a pour of Jack Daniel's Old No.7 from a freshly purchased bottle. Why? Well, I always feel a bit guilty casually drinking my more expensive bottles. Jack causes no guilt whatsoever, and despite what the big brains on Whisky Facebook have to say, I think JD is just fine and dandy. It's fairly consistent from batch to batch in my experience (i.e. less variable than some other brands), it's inoffensive at worst, and downright pleasant at best. The first few sips of this dram seem to reveal more barrel char than usual on the finish. I hope that note doesn't fade away, because I like it. The rest of the experience is typical JD7; banana, toffee, creamy, corn cobs, etc...but that pronounced barrel char (dare I call it smokiness?) on the finish is a fun surprise.

@OdysseusUnbound My mentor (an older philosophy person) hit early nineties this week. His favorite pour is Jack neat. This is a man whose eyeglasses come from one country, pants from another, shirt from another. (I once actually asked him.) He also grew up helping his parents to run the kitchen in a restaurant (in Luxembourg), and his palate reflects that. He's tasted plenty, but he likes #7.

I'm holding off on scotch and having Sazerac Rye (the "baby" one). Theres a lot to like in that pour as well. I have been eyeing some of the new Whistlepig expressions, but I'm not sure about the Farmstock series, though I'd be happy to be persuaded. The price is somewhat lower. National Guard is here in Baltimore, but somehow I think the good ryes and whiskies will be around. The problems in Baltimore run deeper than any virus.

Tonight I had the last dram of Linkwood 15 Year Old from Gordon & Macphail. Really going to miss this one!

Finished the night by opening a sample that I purchased recently. An independent Port Charlotte, 14 years (2004) in a 1st-fill sherry butt from Dramfool. Oh my! It’s big, bold and beautiful. Whisky perfection in my opinion!

@Jonathan I’m panic buying Ardbeg 10 these days.

Kilchoman, Machir Bay: I've tried it every year and have never been let down.It's mostly bourbon matured, but I wonder how much sherried malt in there. Whatever the proportion is, it's just right (for me).

I've tried Loch Gorm, which is matured only in sherry casks, but Machir Bay is the one I come back to.

I made a modified Blood and Sand for my wife with Machir Bay, sweet vermouth, blood orange bitters, and San Pellegrino's blood orange soda. We didn't have orange peel to put on top (normally I'd drive out to get something like that but not today). She likes the Machir Bay this way better than neat and was able to pick out plenty of flavors even after the dilution.There's a tropical fruit/peaty finish with Machir Bay already, and this worked (for me as well). I once had a version of this drink (but with Laphroaig) in a Singapore bar where they ask you how you feel, charge you 20$ and then give you a surprise. That smokey Blood and Sand was a nice surprise, so, if everything goes as planned when we next venture out, I will try my hand at making this drink again, but with an orange slice.

I should add that I cheated at the SG bar. I wasn't sure how the bartender would interpret a feeling, so I said, "I feel like Laphroaig." I still don't regret the purchase; it was my first date with my wife. She was somehow into bitters start ups (someone from the Geeks on a Plane was making them) and took me there. I should get the name of the drink she had. She told the bartender what feeling she wanted from her drink. So funny. Wish I could do it again. I have to ask her what they actually gave her...we have lots of time to chat, even with both of us working from home, and the less we talk about the crisis, the better. We both have that "worrier" gene: hers has an Asian inflection, mine has a Jewish one. Not that I'm worrying...ok, I'm worrying a little.

Bruichladdich 1984 23 Year Old Golder Still, followed by 14 year (2004) Port Charlotte from a 1st-fill sherry butt by independent bottler, Dramfool.

Time for a little self medication - diving into the re-purposed First Aid box

Had to move some glasses out of the way of the bottles in my bunker. One of my favourite 'entry level' bottles. Down to the heel on this one now

Drinking some BenRiach Birnie Moss while watching Long Time Running.

... Not going to lie boys... it’s getting dusty in here.

R.I.P. Gord Downie You are missed.

Had an unexpected treat last night. Thanks to @jordytropp for providing two Society samples from the Balcones distillery in Texas. Having been born and raised in Texas and having limited experience with Balcones, I was excited to try more from the distillery. Having the opportunity to try not only Balcones, but single cask, cask strength samples from the Society was even more exciting.

SMWS 140.1 "Cornography" 3 year (April 2015) from a second-fill blue corn whiskey barrique cask. 63.6% ABV. Polished wood varnish followed by a sweet note (bubblegum?) on the nose. On the palate, sweet Mediterranean cooking spices, liquorice and herbal chewing gum. This is a big, "in-your-face" dram which comes in part from the barrique cask, I'm guessing, yet it is also very easy drinking.

SMWS 140.3 "Nik nak woody whack" 4 year (September 2014) from a 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel. 59.1% ABV. The nose is much more soft than the previous one. There is still the industrial note, but instead of varnish, it is more wood resin and putty. There is also some Eucalyptus and menthol notes as well. The palate is spicy, but not as big as the previous dram; like the nose, softer. There is a jammy note as well as a smoke (grilled meat) note in the finish which I assume is from the barrel char, but I don't know what level of char, if any, was used for this cask.

These are both really good, but 140.1's boldness makes it my favorite of the two. Thanks again @jordytropp for sharing these samples with me. I really appreciate your generosity!

Sipping on some Glenfiddich 15 Solera while prepping an easy dinner. The real question is what do I have after dinner: A’Bunadh Batch 58 or Redbreast 15?

@OdysseusUnbound depends on what you're eating?

@cricklewood Nothing good. We had penne with a cheesy-garlic cream sauce. Meh. I’m not a fan of pasta, but my kids are.

I decided on Redbreast 15, and haven’t ruled out some A’Bunadh for later.

@OdysseusUnbound don't like polenta nor pasta...watch out for reprisals from the Copper Cliff's clan

How's that Redbreast 15 treating you. I was seriously thinking of picking one up soon. Its either that or a Green Spot Leoville Barton.

@cricklewood I don’t dislike pasta, it’s just very “meh” to me. And never mind the Copper Cliff crew; the woman I dated before I met my wife was born in Italy (she was a dual citizen) and always insisted she could convert me by cooking “real Italian food” for me. I mean, it wasn’t bad or anything, but I’m partial to a meat-heavy diet. And potatoes are my starch of choice.

As to the Redbreast, it’s excellent. My tastes are always evolving, but I’m never not in the mood for some Irish Single Pot Still. I’ve never tried the Leoville Barton edition or GS, but I really enjoy the standard GS, yes, even at 40% abv.

Milk and Honey Classic single malt 46%. Just finished a Balint Group meeting, my first. Now I have to settle down to chart. I decided I would do something nice for myself. I liked it when I opened the bottle 2 weeks ago. It has a really great nose (I think I got a hint of ripe mango!). Haven't tasted it yet tonight. That may take a while.

@Hewie Nice one. That's exactly the kind of first aid a person needs these days. Hopefully, that's the only kind of first aid any of us needs these days.

@BlueNote yes indeed. I certainly felt fortified after following up the Springbank 10 with some kilkerran WIP 7 CS Bourbon Cask and then Hazelburn 14 Oloroso.