So, what are you drinking now?

Tonight, while playing on-line poker with my brother-in-law and some friends in a Zoom meeting;

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

Both of these were tasting especially good tonight.

Tonight it will be The Balvenie Single Barrel, 15 year old Sherry Cask. I found this gem hiding in my whiskey stash. Cask number 11301 Bottle number 22 out of 800. What a Sherry bomb! It's only 47.8% but it is a delightful dram IMO. Personally, I enjoy the cask strength stuff but I enjoy the regular bottlings as well. Hope you all are healthy and can enjoy your favorite dram this evening! Slainte!!

Tonight, I finished off two samples from @jordytropp.

Old Forester Rye 50% ABV

Balcones SMWS 140.1 3 Year (Distilled April 17th, 2015) “Cornography” from a Second Fill Blue Corn Whiskey Barrique Cask. 63.6% ABV.

Thanks again, @jordytropp for these excellent whiskies! I really appreciate your generosity.

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

It’s not what I’m drinking, it’s what I’m eating. One of my whisky mates does up a bunch of Ardbeg marmalade every year. We each give him a half cup of Ardbeg 10 and get two jars of delicious marmalade made with Seville and Valencia oranges and infused with the Holy Spirit.

I received my online order today. I am currently sipping the G&M Linkwood 15. @bwmccoy you were absolutely right, this is a gorgeous dram. The 43% ABV is no detriment whatsoever. Thank you for the heads up on this one. This is what the connosr community is all about. I have bought quite a bit of whisky over the past few years based on the impressions of a number of trusted members, and that number of trusted members is growing all the time.

Next up will be the Longrow.

@BlueNote - I am so glad you are enjoying it! Wish I still had some of my bottle and I would gladly join you in a dram.

However, I’m currently drinking a pre-dinner smokey mountain cocktail; 2oz bourbon (Maker’s Mark cask strength), 1/4 oz maple syrup, 2 dashes chocolate bitters. The chilled rocks glass is smoked with a burnt cinnamon stick before pouring in the drink. Garnished with the burnt cinnamon stick.

@BlueNote some solid picks there. I'll be interested to hear what you think of the Toby 12 (will you e able to compare it to the discontinued 10?).

Putting some samples together for my brother-in-law. I wanted to give him samples of the three Game of Thrones, but only the Talisker was open, so I opened the Oban and the Lagavulin 9.

First up; Oban Bay Reserve "The Night's Watch" Game of Thrones Limited Edition bottling - 43% ABV Pleasantly pleased considering no age statement and ABV.

Nose: citrus (orange cleaner - “goo be gone”), malt and light whiff of smoke. Palate: sweet, citrus, waxy, oily and soft mouthfeel, light smoke, chocolate and dried fruit.

Next up, Lagavulin 9 year "House Lannister" Game of Thrones Limited Edition bottling - 46% ABV. Best of the three by far. Peat candy!

Nose: Peat, smoked meat, dried fruit and saline. Palate: Smoked meat, roasted malt, juicy fruit gum, oily mouthfeel, spice and citrus peel.

Had a small pour of the Talisker Select Reserve "House Greyjoy" Game of Thrones Limited Edition bottling - 45.8% ABV to compare to the Lagavulin. The Talisker is salty and briny. In ranking the three, the Lagavulin is first by far, followed by the Talisker then the Oban, but they are all good daily drinkers. I don’t regret purchasing them.

I learnt a new Scottish term sitting down to watch the Glendronach live chat from earlier in the week. That is what it means to coorie in - settle in and snuggle down. Ok then. With BenRiach 2005 12 year Peated Port Pipe 53.9%

I’m now having some Elmer T Lee. I have to say; for a bourbon bottled at 45% abv, this one is surprisingly rich and full. I really enjoy it a lot.

@Hewie I've never had the 10, but I'll let you know the verdict on the 12. It's up next.

All my work for the week is finally caught up. Time for a treat. Especially since I'm on call tomorrow night.

I've been spending a lot of time with Dillon's recently. In fact I'm practically wearing it. Actually, literally. When I leave a patient's home, part of my ritual is spraying their newmake antiseptic on the parts of me that I can't cover with a gown. If I don't wear a gown (like for pronouncements), that's pretty much all of me. Smells great in the car on the way home but if I ever get stopped by the cops....

So tonight a tiny pour of Dillon's cask strength rye. It was a spur of the moment impulse buy in November (comes in 200 cc bottles) and it's not too bad...

Having a Vieux Carré made with OGD 114, Courvoisier VS, and the other ingredients listed here. I can see why rye would be a better fit. This is lovely, but definitely on the sweet side.

Forgot to post last night, before dinner I had a Gin and Tonic with Empress 1908 Gin that gets its purple color from the Butterfly pea blossom. It’s a great gin and makes for a beautiful drink.

After dinner, Glenallachie SMWS 107.16 (7 year - Apr. 2011) "Truly a fairy tale" - 2nd-fill toasted oak butt - 67.0% ABV. Love how the toasted oak and high ABV work together with this one.

My wife drank some wine and I continued my cocktail adventures. I was rebellious and even subversive by having the following from a rocks tumbler instead of a cocktail glass or coupe:

• Sidecar: made with Courvoisier VS, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and Cointreau
• Between the Sheets: also with Courvoisier, Cointreau, lemon juice, and Iron Works Rum Boat Rum.

@bwmccoy I almost had a tonic sans gin. But the PC diet tonic water was not in the fridge. I considered a Heineken 0.0 but gave up and drank water.

Isn't being on call fun?

Tonight, while playing on-line poker with my brother-in-law and friends;

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

Lagavulin 9 year "House Lannister" Game of Thrones Limited Edition bottling - 46% ABV.

@bwmccoy - just showed Jade the gin picture ... She now wants a bottle! it does look cool. Does it turn pink eventually with tonic?

Had a JW Black and soda while making dinner - refreshing but a bit like watery beer. Much better with ginger ale for a long drink. Then a beer Moretti with chick peas curry and popadoms - heaven!

@RianC - yes, the purple color takes on more of a pink hue when diluted with tonic. By the way, if you didn’t know, the Empress 1908 name comes from the Gin’s association with the Empress Hotel in Victoria BC. Hopefully, it is available in England or if not, maybe it can be shipped there.

By the way, since my wife and I traveled to the Isle of Harris back in 2010, my wife really wants a bottle of the Isle of Harris gin, but unfortunately, it is not available in the states, nor due they ship here. :-(

I’m having a small, pre-dinner pour of Redbreast 15. I really enjoy this one. There’s an interesting contrast between the buttery texture and some of the spice and citrus flavours.

After dinner, I had a real daiquiri: just rum (Ironworks Rum Boat Rum), fresh lime juice, and a touch of simple syrup. It won’t be the last time I have one of these.

Some Four Roses Small Batch. Think I will move on to some Johnny Drum PS next.

Before dinner, made my wife and I traditional Manhattans (2 parts Rittenhouse rye, 1 part Campano Antica, Angostura bitters, Luxardo cherry).

After dinner rated 2 open bottles;

Rittenhouse rye BiB - 85

Maker’s Mark cask strength - 85

Ended the night by finishing off a bottle of 1997 J. Goudoulin Armagnac; SMWS A3.3 “University bonfire” from a Gascon black oak cask using a combination of both blanc and back grapes.

@bwmccoy you never see it any more, but I own some 40% ABV Rittenhouse Rye. Thin in texture, yes, but what I've had of it was exquisitely spiced and delicious. I much prefer it as a sipper to the Rittenhouse BIB. My guess as to why I should like the old 40% Rittenhouse Rye so much? The whiskey was probably bottled before the popularity/madness struck, and the standard product at that time reflected more ALL the barrels of Rittenhouse Rye available, rather than just the barrels left over after all of the creme de la creme barrels were removed to be used in some 15 year old special release to be seen a decade later.

The 'standard' brands of US rye whiskey went WAY down in quality after the rye popularity started around 2010, and the best barrels were being held for different and more expensive products. I've seen it with Rittenhouse, Old Overholt, and Jim Beam Yellow Label. I also hear that it is true of my beloved favourite US standard rye, Wild Turkey 101 Rye. My friend @Nock says that the re-release of Wild Turkey 101 Rye Whiskey, after it had been unavailable for 3 years, is not so good. I haven't tried the new batches for myself yet, but I am saddened at the thought, and unfortunately it would not surprise me if it were true.

A little Taste of Wray and Nephew overproof rum. Better than I'd imagined and, on first taste, very reminiscent of Smith and Cross.

@RianC That surprises me. I got such a load of nutmeg on the Smith and Cross. I didn't really get that on the W&N.

@BlueNote Love the Glenfarclas 15! Can't get it here. The Kilkerran and Longrow are great and I haven't tried anCnoc or Linkwood...Looks like a beautiful haul.

Tonight’s pre-dinner cocktail for my wife and I was a “perfect” Manhattan. 2 parts Rittenhouse rye, 1/2 part sweet vermouth (Campano Antica), 1/2 part dry vermouth (Dolin), 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters and a Luxardo cherry.

After dinner, rated another open bottle; Oban Bay Reserve "The Night's Watch" Game of Thrones Limited Edition bottling - 43% ABV. 87 points.