So, what are you drinking now?

Yesterday, I tried the Balvenie 14 yo Caribbean Cask. Not a huge fan. The nose was very nice with sweet raisins and other fruit notes, but the palate/finish I found too spirity for my liking. On both fronts, for me at least, the rum cask finishing overpowered the malt. I redeemed my whisky drinking with a Hazelburn 8.

Both bottles were leftovers of tasting nights held by the pub where my wife and I, along with friends of ours, spent yesterday afternoon. My friend and I finished off the last of the Hazelburn 8, which had been opened just over a month ago (as per my review). We noticed that the Hazelburn 8 took 10-15 minutes to open up to what we remembered of the tasting experience from a month ago.

Enjoying a week of skiing with family in the austrian alps and drinking Bunnahabhain 12yo cask strength (single sherry cask from the distillery), a 21yo Bowmore in cask strength from the early 1970's, some of my own living bottle blend solera and a PVW 20yo bourbon; life is good...

Visiting San Francisco for a few days, on Saturday night, went to a whisky bar with over 400 single malts. The picture doesn't do it justice and is only part of the bar.

imgur.com/AIEL8rF

Had a 17 year cask strength Mortlach (wow! Huge explosive flavor on the finish - Amazing!), an 11 year Caol Ila from Gordon & McPhail - Hermitage wine cask finish (very nice dram -a little sweet balanced with smoke). I then tried to order a heavily peated Bunnahabhain, but they were out of it and recommended an Elements of Islay Caol Ila CI4. This one wasn't bad, but a little disappointing after the first 2 drams which were amazing. A great way to celebrate my 8th Wedding Anniversary with my lovely wife, who took me to my favorite whisky shop in San Francisco on Sunday and let me pick out 3 bottles as a belated birthday and Valentine's Day gift. Picked up a 13 year Bunnahabhain finished in Port casks, the Penderyn AC Madeira finish and a 17 year cask strength single cask Mortlach. (Hope it's the same one I had on Saturday night.)

My father and I are enjoying a bottle of Old Pulteney 12 y/o...getting better the longer it's left in the glass (water is essential)

@bwmccoy You must have been at Nihon. Great place. Looking forward to going back.

Compass Box Peat Monster wow this ones a smoker. :)

Old Grand-Dad 114, @plattevillepeat, thanks for reminding me...old school bourbon. Big and boisterous.

Two bourbons. One is blind but I know it's out of production as this is part of a blind sampler. The other is a Old Charter Classic 90....another one not produced anymore. So guess tonight is old school.

@Onibubba - You are correct. :-) second time that we've been there. Love that place!

Starting off tonight with Old Putney 12 before dinner.

@bwmccoy, someday, ....someday...I am gonna drink a bunch of those "A List" exotic malts with you...

@Dork, you are living in the bourbon stratosphere...weightless in the land of whiskey manna...bunkered for the NEXT millenium...such a life...

@Victor - anytime, anywhere. It would be my pleasure.

Wiser's Legacy (L110908...) spectacular!

Glenmorangie Finealta.

nice and basic for me tonight, a chivas 12. very satisfying

@Bourbondork

I am like you and doing what I call the battle of the old rye heavy bonded ones, a head to head tasting of Old Grand Dad BIB and 6 year old Very Old Barton BIB which they recently started selling in VA (does not show up on the webpage though). I am really liking the VOB against the OGD. Although the rye (notes of cinnamon and mint) are much more pronounced in OGD, the nose and mouthfeel of VOB are way ahead of OGD.

Chilly, windy day in the Bay Area. Started off with Bushmills white label in an Irish coffee, followed by Macallan 18, then Highland Park 18.

Old Taylor 6 year 86 pf. Good all around bourbon that unfortunately, is not made anymore. I need to start drinking stuff that's actually still produced.

Bunnahabhain 12yr from Duncan Taylor and Clynelish 14.....

first rainy night in SF in a long time.

Cracked my new Aberlour 10 Year two days ago. It's got a definite sherry influence that kicks its flavour up in a nice, interesting, dry wine sort of way. It's very good.

Potentially opening a Glenfarclas 105 tonight, but I haven't got as much time to enjoy it this evening as I'd like so I might wait until tomorrow instead.

Cracked open my freshly bought bottle of Old Pulteney 12. Looking for a cheese, not finding one) overall a nice whisky

My admiral just opened a Caol ila from her cabinet so I'm helping myself to some of her peat. :)

@PMessinger haha i love your admiral references. My admiral respects my hobby but doesnt partake unfortunately :( I do like to take a nipple or many from her Red Wine hobby that yields many tasty fruits.

Well i had my mind in the gutter it was suppose to be a nibble or many and well it didnt come out that way,,,hehe dam no editing posts!

Enjoyed the remaining pour from a Jameson 12 year last night. As a fan of Irish whiskey, this is one I keep stocked in the bunker.

@Bourbondork, for a combination of price, quality, and consistency, the 12 yo Special Reserve is my favourite Jameson.

@Bourbondork @Victor That's really good to know about the Jameson 12 I have been curious about it. I may just have to pick up a bottle in the name of St Patty's day!

Finished off a bottle of Quinta Ruban last night. My new favorite. Then steped over to Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength. MAN!! What a tall order. Enjoying it more and more each time. My first real jump into Islay. Still love the soft Northerners though.

@Nolinske I got the point, lol I just realized that my post did not sound right. I am lucky to have an admiral (wife) who likes peated whisky. :)

Sat down with a friend and a 20cl bottle of Cragganmore 12...four drams later, from four different styles of glassware, and we were both very disappointed...will post review later.