Solera bottle

@systemdown Yes I saw the same vlog, and Glenfiddich 15yr is one of my favorite from that range of whisky. My wife and I started our own Solera bottle because it was a good way to incorperate all of the last half inch to inch of whisky in opened bottles, then I can open a new bottle. We are using a Bruichladdich Rocks bottle. Good luck with yours.:)

@systemdown, I have four "living" or Solera bottles since 2010 and I just recently bought four new 0.7l glass bottles for them. Since day one I write down every Whisky which goes into the vat in a little book - bottle no.1 is for blended scotch, no. 2 is for single malts; no. 3 is for peated malts and no. 4 is for rum. I really love it - it is very interesting how the spirits evolve but I do not pour everything - I try to keep it balanced. It's fun, it's education and everyone should try it - thumbs up for ralfy to spread this idea.

@PMessinger @maltster Thanks for posting about your solera bottle/s, it is indeed fun and educational. @maltster I like that you have several bottles for different styles of whisky (and rum!) - given that you started them in 2010, I'm wondering, have you noticed any negative oxidative effects so far? Or do you think that the nature of the solera system (with fresh whisky going in as older whisky goes out) prevents this?

I too am attempting to keep my bottle balanced, I'm only planning on adding whiskies that I think will improve the vatting. I'm also keeping a list of the ingredients and their ratios (at least until this becomes completely impossible to track), so it's both a blending experiment and a solera experiment in one. I'm pretty excited =)

@systemdown Yes different bottles are the way to go. My wife and I have 2 started one whisky and second is for peated whisky only. This will be a fun joint venture for the both of us. We will also use only the whiskys we like, not sure if the ones we dont like would hurt the vatting process we just want our favorites only. Good luck with yours.:)

@PMessinger Yes, stick to the ones you like.. putting in whisky you don't like will probably not hurt the vatting too much though, I wouldn't think. And thanks, all the best with yours, too!

@systemdown I thank God everyday to bless me with a wife who loves peat. :)

How do you guys choose how much to add when you do add to it?

@systemdown my friend I saw this vlog as well and I'm quite tempted to start something along those lines. I might start it in the near future now that I have quite a few cask strength whiskies to play around with. Should be fun!

@buoy37 I pour about the last inch or half inch of a opened bottle into the Solera, part of the fun is just be free with it, dont get to wrapped up in exact measurements. Remember this is a fun way to increase intrest and knowledge. Hope this was helpful. :)

My first attempt at something like this turned out...well, let's just say that the language I'd use to describe it wouldn't exactly be family-friendly.

I mixed my three least favorite whiskies in my cabinet to see if I could concoct something that would bring out the best in each: two parts Auchentoshan Classic, two parts Dalmore 12, and -- because I thought a grainy blend might help balance things -- one part Johnnie Walker Red.

Oh, the horror, the horror! After six weeks of allowing it to mix and settle, I now have a witch's brew of something that tastes like Loch Dhu with hints of 10W-40 and ear wax. I'm undecided as to whether to pour it down the drain, or to keep adding end-of-bottle remnants to see if it improves things down the road.

As it is, it's a one-of-a-kind concoction, I'm sure. Maybe I'll stick a "Highland Park 1959" label on it and offer it up to Bonhams for auction. Based on recent events, I don't think they'd know the difference.

@WhiskyBee So maybe multiple "wrongs" don't make a "right"? The result is not always better than the sum of its parts? ;-)

I have a feeling with this kind of thing, quality in = quality out.

Maybe you can make a nice liqueur from your failed attempt. Or use it in cooking. Failing that, there's always Bonhams, as you say.. haha!

A small dram from every bottle I buy that I like. Pour them I a 1-liter cask (is there such a thing?). People can get drunk on it on my funeral. If any of my kids gets into whisky the can save some and keep it going. Maybe I should get a cask first...

I have one of these. I began with a blending of a Bruichladdich 12YO I was not too fond of, Glenmorangie Madeira, and A'bunadh. I called it A' Mad Laddie. As it went down, I began adding measures of sherried whisky to top it off. That was nearly a year ago. Every time I have a few drinks, I top it back off. There are so many whiskies in there, I have honestly lost count. Sampling tonight.

Aroma: Honey, pear, apple, sherry, musty sherry. Bit of an alcohol kick going on. I will refresh with an underproof whisky.

Taste: Wow. Strong sherry and alcohol. That damned A'bunadh continues to make his presence known. Sweet entry, bitter and drying finish. Some salt in the finish.

This need some brightening up. I'll have one more drink, then top off with some Yamazaki 12.

I have three Ralfy inspired solera bottles. It’s made me think twice when shopping about buying one of my usual favorites. Instead why not reach out for something I haven’t tried before? It’s also inspired me to return to some whiskies I haven’t had in a long time. And it’s made me really think about how the next addition will affect the next dram. A tremendous learning experience. I now have one solera bottle containing over 30 malts and another containing over 20 ryes and bourbons. I also have 10 or so peaty malts fighting it out in another. It will take some time to fill that one to the top. Malt: Deliciously complex dram. A teaspoon or two can really enhance any blend. Bourbon: Where it is right now I gotta say it's really working. Excellent. Peat: I haven't tried it yet as the bottle is not yet full. I'd love to know how anyone's solera bottles are coming along..

Solera bottles are way fun—fun to make, fun to taste, fun to label, fun to pass on (probably).

I have one that's been my "everything decent goes in here" bottle for a few years. I have it in a de-labeled Lagavulin bottle that I've re-labeled with my little Tolkien-inspired monogram thing like you see in my Connosr picture. It's pretty peaty, but I plan to push it away from peat somewhat, now that I have my second solera that I'm about to describe.

My second solera is a a new one just for Islay malts, living in a different de-labeled Lagavulin bottle that has no other identification on it other than the "ISLA" embossed on the glass. This is totally peaty right now, but I hope to get some sherried Bunnahabhain in there at some point. Also, I now wish I'd saved some of my Laddie Ten from a few months ago. It's already got some Port Charlotte but I'd've liked to get some basic Laddie in there too, and I don't plan to but any again for quite a while.

One of these days—as soon as I can stomach the vatting of my last few pours of Springbank 12 Claret, I'm going to start my third solera for all Campbeltown malts. I ought to pick up some Springbank 10 for the inaugural vatting, but for now at least it'll definitely include that Claret, the Springbank 10/100, Longrow CV, Longrow "Peated," Longrow Red, and Kilkerran WIP #1. And someday it'll absorb some 22 YO Glen Scotia and Springbank 14 Fino that I'm hoarding.

I don't think you need to worry about oxidation with long-term solera bottles. In addition to them getting topped off with new stuff all the time, there should be very little air contact if you keep the bottles full.

Here are my three bottles as they have evolved..

1) MALT Speyburn 10 Jura 10 Aberlour 12 Glenmorangie 10 Spice Tree Auchentoshan 12 Monkey Shoulder Glenlivet 12 Balvenie 12 Single Barrel Glenrothes 12 Signatory Tamdhu 10 Glenfiddich 12 Highland Park 12 Macallan 12 Oak Cross Tomintoul 10 Old Pultney 12 Glen Moray 12 Glengoyne 10 AnCnoc 12 Glen Moray Elgin Classic Glenfarclas 12 Bruichladdich Classic Tobermory 10 Balvenie DW 12 Bunnahabhain 12 Dalwhinnie 15 Glen Grant 10 Cragganmore 12 Glenkinchie 12 Clynelish 14 Glen Dronach 15 Tomintoul 16 Genfarclas 105

2) PEAT Talisker 10 Laphraoig 10 Ardbeg 10 Benromach 10 Ledaig 10 Lagavulin 16 Caol Ila 12 Benromach cask Highland Park 12 Springbank 10 Springbank 12 cask

3) BOURBON Elijah Craig 12 Michter’s Four Roses Small Batch Templeton Rye Old Grandad 114 Russel’s Reserve 10 Wild Turkey 101 High West Double Rye Blanton’s Basil Hayden Knob Creek Evan Williams Single Barrel Bulliet Bulliet Rye Woodford Reserve Buffalo Trace Jim Beam Black Old Weller 107 Jefferson Small Batch Old Ezra 7 Michter’s Rye Woodford Rye 1792 Ridgemont Reserve

@whiskeyjar I love your bottles ! What's the tasting notes?

My Solera vatting: Ardbeg 10 yr Ardmore Traditional Cask BenRiach 12 yr Arumaticus Fumosus Bushmills 10 yr Glenfiddich 10 yr Glenlivet 12 yr Glen Moray Classic Glen Moray 12 yr Highland Park 12 yr Highland Park 1998 Jura 10 yr Jura Superstition Laphroaig 10 yr Laphroaig Quarter Cask Macallan 12 yr Fine Oak Nikka from the Barrel Sullivans Cove French Oak (525 cask) Talikser 10 yr Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve

@whiskeyjar , good call on making separate "style" bottles.

As you can see there's very little peat and a lot of the whiskies are on the more delicate side. It's pretty fruity and fresh but with some spice. A little baked apple and brown sugar. A few weeks ago it was a little bitter in the finish. A reminder that master blenders really know what they're doing. I'm getting less of that now but it's still there. I'm gonna be getting more sherry into this bottle. I might get some little sample bottles to fill every now and then so I can keep track of how it's progressed. It's really fun and rewarding. I'm using a one liter Glenmorangie bottle. I won't be trying my peaty bottle until it's full. I've never had Ardmore so I might grab a bottle of that next. Or Jura superstition. The bourbon bottle is really good. Complex with lots of rye. Kind of vanilla pipe tobacco on the nose which is awesome. I'd kind of think any solera bottle of decent bourbon would work in some way. Ah, the solera bottle. Thanks, Ralfy.. It kinda makes you look forward to all the good years to come. How's yours coming along?

@whiskeyjar my bottle is approximately 400ml of whisky. It's being married in a 500 ml bottle (Nikka from the Barrel bottle). I've nosed it from the bottle, but not from a glass - so far I'm getting more peat than I thought I would. My impressions are positive and I will taste it when it reaches 500ml.

I've added to my bottles.. I wanted to get more sherry into my MALT bottle. (I added Glenfiddich solera 15 Balvenie 14 Caribbean cask Glen Garioch 12 Oban 14 Deanston virgin oak Arran 10 AnCnoc 22 Usquaebach 15 Aberlour A'bunadh and Glenmorangie quinta ruban) I also topped up my PEAT bottle (Smokey Joe Springbank 15 and Longrow) QUESTION!! (?) I'd like some advice and your thoughts. I'm thinking about adding a dram or two of the MALT into the PEAT. I figure that will work just fine. (Also it will help fill the bottle.. I haven't tried it yet because it's still not full.) But should I pour a dram of the PEAT into the MALT? I figure just a small portion might be okay.. literally two ounces. It's a liter bottle. But I'm not sure. Should I keep the peat out? That was originally my intention but there is a teensy weensy bit of peat in there already. Hardly detectable, though. It's great as it is.. just wondering about complexing it up a touch. I'd appreciate any thoughts and input. Thanks

@whiskeyjar why not do a vatting in a smaller sample bottle in the same proportions and see how it goes.

@whiskeyjar , Nozinan had a good suggestion there, but really, I'd suggest keeping your various bottles distinct. A bit of MALT in the PEAT won't do a ton to make them converge, but the PEAT in the MALT might. Remember, you can't take it back out!

Excellent idea to start another small bottle and see how it goes.. Thanks for your input.. much appreciated! Gotta be careful with that peat. And, yes, I suppose it's better to stick with the original plan to keep the blends distinct. It's funny. My malt journey really started with the heavily peated whiskies. And I'm still a peat lover but most of the time these days I'm looking for the other stuff behind it.. But goddamn that springbank

I have a couple of 3 litre jeroboams wine bottles that were initially purchased for use as vases for the wife.

Since she's never used them, reading this thread makes me feel that these receptacles are too good to be used for storing water with decaying plant material.

Maybe I should start a solera with these jeroboams: cask strength sherry and a cask strength peaty, and be selective in what I put in there.

@sengjc :

"...these receptacles are too good to be used for storing water with decaying plant material."

"Maybe I should start a solera ... a cask strength peaty..."

No comment. :)

@OlJas nice pickup...

Well, unless sengjc was deliberately setting us up there, I bet that was the first time in the history of Connosr that someone mentioned decaying plant material and DIDN"T mean peat.

@OlJas

Hahaha... I didn't even realise. Good pickup.

My admiral/wife and I have made a change to both the malt and peated malt solera bottle. I carefully changed the bottles over to Aberlour bottles. I found the necks were just a bit bigger than the Bruichladdich bottles and was easier to add and subtract from without spillage. (: