So, what are you drinking now?

Currently prepping for our second semi-annual Scotch tasting event (I'm the co-host, but the tastings happen at my house). First time around it was a "bring what you want" event. This time the theme is blended whiskies. The menu tonight is Ballantines 17 year, Compass Box Spice Tree, Te Bheag, and Compass Box Peat Monster, with the possibility that either The Black Grouse or Islay Mist 8 year could also make an appearance!

@BlueNote I am familiar with the name Tolly Tollefson. I want to live for another fifty years. I like Cutty Sark. This is all coming together nicely.

I'm being a good whisky ambassador and hosting a tasting event with my friends. Some have no experience but one introduced me to this wonderful world. I'm trying to find a good introduction lineup and finish with more complex bottles. I'm trying different things tonight, so far it seems I'll go with these :

Compass Box Spice Tree.

Glenfarclas 15.

Glenmorangie Astar.

Lagavulin 16.

Ardbeg Uigeadail.

Port Charlotte PC8.

Anybody want to chime in? I'm trying to keep it at 6 bottles, feel free to suggest whatever is in my profile.

I wasn't too clear (I blame tonight's tests), the event is tomorrow.

@chickenium If it were my tasting and I had some whisky "noobs" at the table, I'd probably drop one of the big peaty ones (probably the PC8) and go for a lighter one that can lead up to the big Islays. Something like the HP 12 or Talisker 10 to slot in the middle to warm up the taste buds after the sherried Speysiders. Speaking of which, I'd be tempted to drop one of those too - perhaps the Astar - and maybe find room in the lineup for something a bit different again, such as a Springbank.

@systemdown Excellent suggestions, I'll drop the PC8 since it doesn't bring anything very different. The Springbank 15 has very different tastes than anything I listed.

I can't bring myself to drop the Astar just for that incredible nose. Hmmm, needs more experimenting tonight!

Thanks for your help!

Homemade LapBeg. 50% Laphroaig Quarter Cask and 50% Ardbeg 10yo. Yum!

@chickenium Well, nothing wrong with the Astar! I just have a soft spot for the Spice Tree! What ever you decide, sounds like you'll have a great tasting and your guests will enjoy it too!

Last night, I had a Caol Ila DE, Corryvreckan, and Te Bheag with 'whiskyJoe' and a friend of ours who is just getting (sucked) into the whisk(e)y experience! :) 'WhiskyJoe' and our friend were then going to have a Auchentoshan Valinch after I had to exit for the evening.

@YakLord...let us know how the tasters rated the various bottles (I looove Te Bheag and have enjoyed the couple drams that I have had from the Spice Tree - some nice mineral notes that I have found unique to that bottle in my cabinet - but I haven't had any of the other listed bottles.

@Pudge72 - I'll direct you to my blog for the full report (dan-the-tax-man.livejournal.com/43887.html), but the short and sweet of it is as follows: the Te Bheag was really good (you taste the Talisker influence), the Ballantines was very disappointing, especially for the price (there is no way it should be Whisky of the Year), the Black Grouse was not that great, but, as usual, John Glaser at Compass Box is a genius. I'd had Peat Monster before and really enjoyed it, but the Spice Tree was phenomenal.

I also was part of a tasting with friends new and old last night. Started with: 1)Balvenie DoubleWood a thumbs up from everyone. 2)Compass Box the spice tree another hit for everyone. 3)Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old. A disappointment, even to the buyer. 4)Aberlour 12 Year old. Very nice a must buy for many that were there. 5)McClelland's Single Malt Islay. nice start but after finishing you got the feeling you were missing something??? 6)Laphroaig Quarter Cask Islay. A hit or miss with the tasters this evening, I personally I enjoyed it more than the Laphroaig 10 yr.
A very enjoyable evening.

I went to a "Shine" Expo yesterday and tried a bunch: Hudson New York Corn, Knockeen Hilles Farmer's Strength, Knockeen Hills Extra Strength, House Spirits New Make, Low Gap Clear Whiskey, Prichard's Lincoln County Lightning, and Hudson Un-Aged Rye.

A few small drams before going to a wedding this afternoon: Spice Tree, Macallan 10 Fine Oak, Glenomorangie Quinta Ruban and Nectar D'or, for now, ...both Quinta Ruban and Nectar D'Or taste much better to me long oxidised (1 yr plus open bottle), but the Macallan 10 Fine Oak, unfortunately, that is one of a small handful that I have found to lose a lot of what I liked most about it with a lot of oxidation. I still like it, but it is a different whisky, and not nearly as good.

Bishop's Best Bitter. It is 30C here in Quebec so the beer is very good. This beer is from a local brewery and it is very good.

Just had a Benriach Curiositas 10yo. Thank you Bart, it really was a treat!

Benrinnes Flora & Fauna 15yo. I like it a lot. Dark color. Excellent character.

A'bunadh batch #17. Superb! Lime and lemonade, spiced sherry, rum. Tart and sweet flavours exploding on the tongue and coming in waves that seemingly never end. Bliss. Perfect on this cold rainy night. Slainte!

Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist. A real cold weather, open fire, sitting in an armchair style malt. A more subtle, restrained Ardbeg and very very moreish.

Octomore 2_140. Dear lord. Hurts so good. Makes me want to be waste deep in a slow moving river with a fly rod. Have I ever done this? No. Do I want to now... Yes, if this is the taste of fly fishing.

Laphroaig 18. This bottle has been open now for several months, and I am for the first time beginning to observe some oxidation effects. Wow! This is becoming really really great. This will now be a pet bottle of mine. Whisky is full of surprises, many of them very pleasant.

Old Pulteney 12 to celebrate with @SquidgyAsh. Slainte my friend! Best 19 pounds I've ever spent. Easily #1 on my "BFYB" list.

@systemdown, ...@Wodha, @Smokeybarrels, I, and a few others have had an Old Pulteney 12 (and other ages) club here on Connosr since before Mr. Murray's recent OP 21 yo pick. Welcome!

Old Pulteney 12 is the whisky I always begin my large tastings with.

@systemdown Thanks Mate! Had a very yummy birthday with some good beer (Blanche de Namur) some decent beer (Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale) and then my brother in law cracked open the bottle of Stagg I bought for him! Very yummy, quite different from the last one I had, sits at 71.3% and is QUITE chocolately. Not as good as my last one but still bloody good.

He looked at me and was "That's a damn good birthday present!"

Lillyrose is coming out to cottage country for the July long weekend, and we will be enjoying Belvenie Double wood, also I will be picking up a bottle of The Hive 12yo, a blended offering from Wemyss. this is my first sampling of this product,. I have omly read 2 reviews , but they were more than acceptable to risk the palate on. anyone have anythoughts on this, has anyone but the one gentleman on this site ever tried it? And what did you think? Any input is always appreciated from you fine lads.

Ardbeg 10. A reliable dram.

Laphroaig triple wood. What a phenomenal drink - my favorite cabinet whisky for quite a while.

I am drinking quarter cask Laphroig, 12 yo Caol Ila and 10 yo Ardbeg. Been gathering this for info and comparism, and this is quiet interesting.

The Peat Monster while watching Louis and witnessing my life flash before me on the screen.

Tullibardine John Black 5 1992 Single cask 18 yo - heavy sherry but wonderfully balanced with treacle, toffe and nuts. A really good dram - ticks all the right boxes if you'r in the mood for a decent sherried dram. A real treat.