So, what are you drinking now?

@Hewie Nice, Nice, Nice. I’m still on the hunt for the Kilkerran 8. Very hard to get here. Those sticky buns are very hard to get here too.

@BlueNote I bought a couple of those KK8 sherry (I guess they are STR sherry really) and I think they are fantastic - especially for what I paid for them. However, with so much cask influence the KK spirit is all but buried. I think I'm preferring something that works alongside the distillate rather than a blanked to cover it. Still a lovely whisky though.

Opened a Bunna Toiteach A Dha last night. Very impressed. Nice nippy, tangy peat, lots of coastal notes, some spice and a little touch of toffee, berry sweetness in the background. I think anyone who likes an Islay peater would enjoy this.

Did make me think that an all bourbon version of this would be quite austere - I never got to try the Kwabinoch (or however it's spelt!?!) - the hint of sherry certainly lifts the palate.

Compared Maker’s Mark Cask Strength head-to-head with Heaven's Door Tennessee Bourbon. When I opened the Tennessee Bourbon last week when I was out of town, it reminded me of Maker’s Mark CaskStrength. Side by side, they do have very similar noses with a slight nod to the Heaven’s Door. The palate is also similar but the difference between the two is more apparent on the palate. The Heaven’s Door palate is slightly bigger, deeper and more complex than the Maker’s Mark.

Finished the night by killing off my bottle of Oban Bay Reserve "The Night's Watch" Game of Thrones Limited Edition bottling - 43% ABV.

I took a chance on a bottle of GOT JW Song of Fire. Caol Ila is is highlighted in the description. It's think, the finish is nonexistent, there's a little but of spice. I get NO Caol Ila influence. I would take JW Black over it. This is one bottle that probably won't improve with air time. The nicest thing I can say is the bottle design is very nice. I'd take McClelland's Islay over this any time. I'm not disappointed, but if they were to put as much work into the whisky as they do in the PR, they might have had a winner. I cant think of anything to recommend about the whisky itself.

@Jonathan I looked at the JW “Song of Ice” and “Song of Fire” editions for about 7 seconds before deciding to pass. My mom spends her winters in Florida and brought back about 1/2 a bottle of JW “White Walker” for me to try and I wasn’t impressed. Not terrible, but not noteworthy in any way, shape, or form. The only JW I’ll spend money on are the JW Black (if it’s on sale, because I do like it in a scotch and soda) and JW Green 15.

I’m at the cottage for a few days, so I’m sipping some Maker’s Mark. My whiskey up here is limited to alternating bottles of MM or WT101. These are fairly reliable, multi-purpose whiskeys i enjoy and don’t have to think too much about. Next week is our camping trip with my wife’s extended family (hurrah. ) and I’ll be bringing some white rum (likely Havana Club 3 Year) and some blended scotch (Islay Mist 8) to mix with club soda for some long drinks. I’m not a big fan of getting “pished” so I’ll mix drinks and cruise along....

A bit of a catch up with a mate tonight while our wives were having a "book club" (our night was much cooler). Springbank Local Barley 10, Hazelburn 14, Benriach peated port cask 12, Benromach 2009 Batch 1. Going down a treat with a bit of charcuterie, cheese, and dates.

I've been a little disappointed with my Glenfarclas 25 and decanted it the other day to see if it would help. Result - yes, a little better. Less bitterness on the finish and more malty/spirit notes. The nose also seemed a bit fuller.

Didn't want to do this with a 25 year old at first in case it was too fragile to take it but thought it couldn't hurt after four months being open and no real change. Glad I did and I'm now quite keen to see how/if it changes further from now on.

@OdysseusUnbound, I respectfully disagree, good sir. That JW White Walker was, as an indisputable incontrovertible objective fact, terrible.

@MadSingleMalt - Ive never tasted any of the GoT bottlings but my initial impression was that it was a relatively clever (if obvious) gimmick to shift some sub par whisky onto gullible fans. Is that too harsh?!? That I now see them heavily discounted almost everywhere doesn't make me think I was too far off the mark.

Behind in posting;

Tuesday night; an Ardbeg 5 Wee Beastie. This is getting better every time I have a dram. Still not a monster of a dram, but improving.

Last night while writing mid-year reviews for my employees, killed off my bottle of Caol Ila 18. Here’s the mind blowing part. Decided to have a small dram of Ardbeg 5 Wee Beastie right after the Caol Ila. As much as I love the Caol Ila 18, head-to-head, I enjoyed the Ardbeg a little bit more. I was really surprised by that!

@RianC, if I'm not mistaken, I saw that White Walker on sale for $14.95 with a $20 mail-in rebate!

@RianC Bullseye!!

@MadSingleMalt They couldn't pay you to take it away? Hah, me neither. Had a taste last year and it was bloody awful. Not even a high enough ABV to be of some use as hand sanitizer.

@bwmccoy I'm itching to get hold of the Wee Beastie. Wouldn't say no to Caol Ila 18 either.

@BlueNote - How the Caol Ila 18 became part of my cabinet Is an interesting story. We had some friends over a few weeks ago for dinner and drams. They brought several excellent bottles with them. When they were leaving, they handed the Caol Ila to me and said there wan’t enough to take home, but there was a quarter of the bottle left. I was very appreciative of their generosity!

A fresh opened Deanston 12, as I have a sample of the 18 I want to try it with later. Gentle yet substantial are my first impressions; with honeyed, biscuity malt, a little sharp fruit (tangerines, quince jam) and a nice dunnage old skool vibe in the back with a wee touch of spice. It's a juicy one!

For me, this will likely get filed in the 'a bit like Arran 10' category. Definite similarities and I'm finding it hard to put it down truth be told.

@RianC Sounds great for the price. I keep meaning to buy a Deanston 12 but I keep spending a bit more to get something I really want instead. I'll pick one up sometime soon I'm sure.

@Hewie - Early days but I'm already thinking I should pick up another one soon! I'd definitely recommend it on this showing, mate.

Sampling some of the Deanston 18 now. I'm really liking this as well but it's much more oak forward than the 12 - more toffee, richer and denser. Think I prefer the 12 so far, it's fresher and juicier but both are top malts.

@RianC I really liked my sample of Deanston 12, but the price of it in Ontario is just too ridiculous (approx. $94 CAD). I can’t justify that to myself.

@bwmccoy That's what friends are for. Sing it with me now.

@OdysseusUnbound One word, "Alberta." The last one cost me less than $60 on sale. Ad $10 for shipping and insurance and it's still an excellent deal. Can't remember if that was Craft Cellars or KWM.

@Hewie @RianC The Deanston 12 is an excellent bang for your buck. 46%, NCF, natural colour and very tasty.

@RianC I'm having a tough time with the 18. I think it will come around with time, but so far, I prefer the 12 too. And there is a big price difference.

@BlueNote @OdysseusUnbound

Deanston 12 Currently $61 at Zyn. If you can get an order of 10 bottles together (don't look at me....)shipping is about $6 a bottle. Then add 5% tax.

Tonight I poured 10 cc of Lot 40 CS 12 YO (drank it, too). Why? I was on a zoom session and someone mentioned it. That was enough for me...

Tonight, an American whiskey night.

Before dinner, Jerry Thomas Manhattan’s for my wife and I made with mostly Rittenhouse BiB, but I ran out, so about 1oz of the total 4oz was Maker’s Mark Cask Strength.

Heaven's Door Straight Rye Whiskey

Heaven's Door Double Barrel Whiskey

Copperworks Distilling Company SMWS Cask sample (46 months - Mar. 2016) - New oak (18 month air seasoned staves) heavy toast, medium char (#2) - 60.2% ABV.

Our club night this past week was all Benromach, all the time:

•Benromach Traditional: Their 40% NAS thing that's actually pretty worthwhile for the price

•Benromach 10 43%: Solid but unremarkable

•Benromach 10 100 Proof (57%): A little more solid and a little less unremarkable

•Benromach Peat Smoke 2005: Good zippy peaty business in the style of Ardbeg Ten

•Benromach Chateau Cissac: Sweet & tasty but nothing anybody in the club is trying to source a personal bottle of

All in all, I think everyone got to see what Benromach was all about, and that curiosity is now completely satisfied. Yes, that's me damning with faint praise.