So, what are you drinking now?

@OdysseusUnbound I am side-eyeing that Longueteau 50, what a lovely rum, I'm jealous I've never seen it at the SAQ.

@RianC I am in the minority when it comes to Nikka FTB, I've never quite figured out the fuss, every time I've tried it I've found it to be kind of rough and with too much dry oak.

Finished off my Irish Whiskey Manhattan Project last night with a Northern Irish Standard (a Northern Standard made with Bushmills Black Bush instead of rye).

The other five are as follows: Irish Manhattan, Black Irish Manhattan, Black Irish Coffee Manhattan, Irish Coffee with a Maple Scone Manhattan, and a Dubliner.

@cricklewood It’s really interesting stuff. I’m thinking about using some alongside Appleton 12 in a Mai Tai experiment.

@cricklewood - Nice job on the work front!

My last bottle had an edge but also had more bourbon notes in with it so it worked. Honestly, this tastes like someone poured some Ben Nevis into a glass of vodka.

@RianC I wish this would actually reflect on my paycheck in a significant way, alas.

Ben Nevis & Vodka is that whatbthe kids are drinking now?

My first ever attempt at a Mai Tai. I know, I know, I didn’t garnish it properly. But I did use Appleton 12 and some Longueteau le 50 Rhum Agricole. Pretty good so far.

Behind in my posting again.

On Tuesday night, Finished off my bottle of 2Bar (Seattle, WA) Bourbon. I will not be replacing it. I got the bottle because I really enjoyed it at a tasting, but it never lived up to my memory of the tasting. Not bad, but I don't need another bottle of it.

Last night (Wednesday), my wife and I attended a really fun Westland Distillery tasting (virtually). It was called the Lost Cask tasting because 3 of the 4 samples were from bottles that were released up to 5 years ago.

First up was single cask #206. Originally released in August 2015, it was aged for 40 months in a heavy charred new American oak cask, bottled at 54.3% ABV. The mashbill is 70% Washington select pale malt and 30% Pale chocolate malt. (In their normal 5 malt mashbill, the chocolate malt is only 4%.) On the nose, honeycomb, rose petals and chocolate chip cookies. On the palate, milk chocolate and cream-filled chocolate doughnut with a dry, tannic finish. This was my 3rd favorite of the 4 samples.

Next up was Garryana Edition 2.1 (June 2017 release). Garryana is oak that is found predominantly in Oregon. By itself, the wood adds a BBQ flavor to the spirit. This release is 21% virgin Garryana oak, 27% virgin white oak and 52% 1st-fill ex-bourbon white oak. The mashbill is Westland's standard 5 malt blend (Washington select pale malt, Munich malt, Extra special malt, Pale chocolate malt and Brown malt). Maturation time; 38 months. Bottled at 50% ABV. On the nose: nutmeg, honey, mocha, slight wood smoke (from the cask, no peated malt) and dried tropical fruits. On the palate: molasses, BBQ smoke, espresso and citrus. This was my 2nd favorite of the night.

Next up was this year's release of Garryana (edition 5). Instead of the 5 malt mashbill used in 2017, the 2020 version is made up of 64% Washington select pale malt and 36% Bairds heavily peated Scottish malt (55ppm). The peated malt was aged in virgin Garryana oak barrels. The pale malt was aged in 1st-fill ex-bourbon white oak casks. Aged for 45 months and bottled at 50% ABV. On the nose, waffle crisps, cereal and smoked chocolate. On the palate, BBQ burnt ends, spicy, savory, cocoa butter and maple. I tried this one at the distillery a few weeks ago and did not care for it. While it tasted better last night, it was still my least favorite of the 4.

We finished the tasting with another single cask release. Cask # 4274 was originally released in March 2018. It was matured for 70 months and bottled at a cask strength of 49.5% ABV. This is Westland's standard 5 malt blend that was first aged for 60 months in new American oak before spending the final 10 months in an ex-Amaretto cask that had previously been used to aged Amaro. What an amazing nose! I could totally smell Amaro, Amaretto and Westland's house style. The nose had cherry, vanilla bean, fudge sauce and black licorice. While it was sweet, the sweetness was balanced. The palate was dark chocolate, fresh herbs (from the Amaro, I assume), espresso and blackberry. This was dessert in a glass without being sickly sweet. It was actually quite balanced and my favorite of the night.

After the tasting, I was in the mood for some more Westland, so I had a dram of single cask # 2542, cask strength (6 year-Distilled 2012, bottled Dec. 2018) 27 months in Coopers Reserve New American Oak followed by 45 months in an ex-Pedro Ximénez Hogshead - 50.8% ABV. The nose is raisin, cherry and maple. The palate is Oatmeal raisin cookie, nutmeg, black pepper and blackberry. This is my all-time favorite non-peated single cask Westland!

December 10, 2010 to December 10, 2020. 10 years ago today I joined Connosr.com. I am celebrating with some Pappy Van Winkle 15 year old wheated bourbon. Cheers to all of the many friends I have made through Connosr over these 10 years!

@Victor Where does the time go? I’ll have a dram of Glenfarclas 15 year old to celebrate your connosr 10th anniversary

Cheers.

@BlueNote thank you kindly, sir!

@Victor I’ll toast your “anniversary” (Connosrversary??) with a dram of Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino Cask. This bottle is just down below the halfway point. I’m glad I have 2 more bottles in reserve. I’ll have to open a different Laphroaig next because these Fino Cask bottles seem to evaporate faster than most other bottles.

All this talk of Rhum ... a dram of Kill Devil 17 Hampden Single Cask. A toast to @Victor on his Connosr 10 year Anniversary.

@Victor - For me, Connosr would not be what it is without you! Happy Anniversary and thank you for your friendship all these years!

In honor of Hanukkah, a dram of M & H Elements Sherry Cask before dinner.

@Victor cheers to your 10years on Connosr. I'll toast with North of 7 single cask since I know how much you enjoy high proof whisky. Cheers!

@OdysseusUnbound, @fiddich1980 thank you gentlemen.

@cricklewood right you are! I'm looking forward to tasting some of that 70+% ABV Canadian whisky. Cheers!

@bwmccoy I thank you deeply for your friendship. You are one who always keeps Connosr expanding and interesting. There are legions of Connosrs who would love to be drinking what you are drinking. I still have a gold mine of samples from you which I will explore in the future. And, a little air has been great for that Dry Fly Triticale Whiskey which you gave me. I have become a fan. Thanks again!

I haven't been in the mood for whisky recently. But tonight I confirmed that @paddockjudge had received his order of Wiser's Red Letter 2020 15 YO 45% Canadian Whisky. So we did the face time thing and I opened my bottle. I was able to compare it to a sample of the 2013 he gave me before. Some similarities and also some differences. This one has promise...

Congrats @Victor !

Later I had some Compass Box The Peat Monster Reserve, 48.9% ABV and some Kilchoman Machir Bay 2011 Release, 46% ABV. This 1.75 Litre bottle of The Peat Monster Reserve has lasted quite a few years now, 9. 800 ml remain.

Tonight, I attended a "fancy" bourbon tasting. The tasting organizers name, not mine. :-) I'm assuming the "fancy" comes from the retail price of each of the bottles that we sampled.

First up, George Dickel Bottled in Bond 11 year. Distilled 2008, Bottled 2019. Nose: Flinstone chewable vitamins (chalky), peanut brittle and nutter butter. With water, the nose had more vanilla. Palate: Vitamin notes continues with leather, maple syrup, pecan. With water, the palate added toffee. This was my least favorite of the 5 that we tasted tonight. (Washington state retail price $150).

Next, J.W. Rutledge Cream of Kentucky 13 year Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch #4. 51% ABV. (Someone on the Zoom thought the juice was Barton.) The nose is much more subtle that the Dickel, but it was meaty and spicy (cinnamon). With water, the nose was pickle juice and dill. The palate was cream soda, sour cherry and vanilla. Even though it is only 1% more ABV, it seemed much hotter than the Dickel. More wood, sharper. With water, that sharpness was tampered quite a bit. It also added some clove notes. This was my 4th favorite. Retail price $210.

Next, Joseph Magnus Murray Hill Club batch 17. 51.5% ABV. This blend marries 18 and 11 year old bourbon with 9 year light whiskey. The nose is really nice, but has more food notes for me such as mushroom risotto and sage. The palate is soft and pleasant with notes of butterscotch, honey, toffee, baking spices and vanilla. There was also some plum notes mid-palate. Water did not change the nose or the palate much, if at all. This was my favorite, but this one and the next two were all very good so it was hard to decide. Retail price $140, so this was probably the best value of the group.

Next, Bomberger's Declaration (Michter's). 54% ABV. Nose: buttered toast, caramel and plum. Palate: cherry, tannins, dark chocolate, creme brulee and burnt sugar. Retail price $200. This was my third favorite.

Finished with Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon batch #22. 62% ABV. This was aged in a wet Armagnac cask. Nose: musty, vegetative, forest floor, prune and a hint of perfume. Palate: Tobacco leaf, fig, spice and vanilla. The ABV tingles the palate, but has a dry finish. Water didn't change this one much, if at all either. Some attendees thought this was MGP juice. Retail price $300. This was my second favorite, but not sure it was worth the price, especially compared to the Murray Hill club at half the price.

It was a lot of fun to try some bourbons that I would not normally have access to.

@bwmccoy that was an extremely practical sort of tasting about which you reported. Isn't it great to sample all of those without having to buy bottles of them?

I've toured the Joseph A Magnus Distillery in Washington, D.C. It's a small operation, which sells products with hefty price tags, most of which remain partially or totally sourced. The Murray Hill Club was my favourite of their products. They make a nice Navy Strength Gin also.

Here's what the distillery and tasting rooms look like:

sorrelldesign.com/portfolio-item/…

@Victor, 10 years already!? A decade has gone by so very quickly. Here's to hoping this decade has only laid the groundwork for the next.

A wee pour of one which has met with your approval, Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #9.

Cheers my friend!

Cheers, @paddockjudge! 10 years on Connosr and 8 years ago this month periodically tasting face to face with you. I've yet to open my own bottle of Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch # 9, but I'm sure I'll like it just fine. I salute your friendship with a large pour of Alberta Premium 30 years old.

@Victor Hear, Hear! I believe I'll join you.

@Victor - glad you were able to tour the distillery when you did because in October they announced they are relocating to Michigan...

josephmagnus.com/joseph-a-magnus-co-announ…

@bwmccoy interesting. Thanks for posting.

On Friday night, tried a new to me cocktail; a Chocolate Manhattan; 2oz Bourbon (Maker’s Mark 46), 1/2oz sweet vermouth, 1/2oz Creme De Cocoa and 2 dashes orange bitters. Stir with ice, strain into a martini glass. Garnish with dark chocolate.

After that, had a Black Manhattan (also made with Maker’s Mark 46).

Cheers @Victor! I will celebrate your 10 years (and @OdysseusUnbound 's) birthday by cracking open this 80s JW Red.

First impressions, excellent nose but with less sherry than the Black. Malty, fruity and quite peaty but with more noticeable, yet still enjoyable, grain notes and some more overt tannins. Clearly younger too but very good. I've added a literal drop of water and will report back.

Water has really helped. A little more together on the nose and palate. Phew, this is quite the peat heavy blend! Less bitterness on the development and finish too. My gut instinct is that there is more Caol Ila in the red and more, and older, Talisker in the Black providing the peaty notes.

Its such a treat to drink a blend and not taste any young, immature and neutral grain. OK, where can one procure a time machine?

@RianC Sounds really amazing, I truly wonder what malts were dominant in the blends at that time.

A time machine to stop a terrible catastrophe or to stock up on blends?

@cricklewood - One might argue the catastrophe is the current state of blended whisky

@cricklewood Aren’t the two the same thing?