Welcome to new members

@boatracer Yeah, that's what I use mine for.

@boatracer Different people use the cabinet function in different ways. Some use it to list all their bottles, sealed and open, and others (like me) list just the open bottles.

I can't speak for others, but when my bottle is empty (aside from any archive samples I've poured (I have 7 different batches of A'Bunadh archived)), I move it to the archive. It allows me to look back and reminds me what I have had and finished in the past. But truthfully, I never rely on my archive...

Hello All!

I've been 'passionate' (or would nerdy be a better word?) about whisky for a few years now after an unforgettable evening where my usual whiskys of choice, Johnny Walker Black and Jamesons, suddenly started to taste and smell of things I'd never noticed before . . . soon went the ice and then I tried Ardbeg 10! Now I'm apparently on a quest to try every whisky I can get my hands on and have an ever decreasing bank balance; and less than impressed, yet tolerant, partner, who's kind of along for the ride :)

Want to take the opportunity to say this site has been the source of excellent, honest and varied feedback helping me make some great choices along the way. Many thanks to you all! Perhaps now my own impressions and feedback can go a small way to helping others make similar good choices? Here's hoping.

In the interests of brevity I'll conclude by giving my top three purchases thus far (so hard when you actually have to nail them down ;) In no particular order

Ardbeg 10, Springbank 10 and Benromach 10 @ 100 proof

Regards

Ryan

Welcome! What's fun (costly and horrifying) with whisky is that it's a hobby with no roof so to speak. There seems to always be something else to try!

Welcome, Ryan! Whisk(e)y is a fun hobby, and Connosr is a nice place to make friends.

@RianC You've made a grand entrance. Welcome. You look a little too young to be a whisky fan but I guess some start young. Great to have you join the community.

@RianC Those are 3 excellent whiskies. I’ve never tried the Ben 10/100 but the standard 10 is really good, so I imagine it’s even better at Imperial Proof. Welcome aboard !

@Nozinan - Ha, thanks! My 14 month old wee bairn posing in his football kit! I'm trying to start him young and he is always very curious about my drams! A while before he has the pleasure though but he shall receive an education, whether he likes it or not ;)

Apparently putting whisky on their dummy is a bit old fashioned - never did me any harm ;)

@RianC , welcome!

I dig your "top three" picks.

@OdysseusUnbound - The 10 is one of my favourites and I could have picked either, really. The 10/100 just has the power that the 10 doesn't but if you get the chance try them side by side.

I bought a 10 that, all being well, will be given to my son on his 18th birthday! With strict instructions to be drunk when a) he will appreciate it and b) with his Dad ha!

Hi to all! )

Hi @Flx !

You're in Belarus?

What kind of whiskies do you like?

Thanks for the welcome message! Great to make some new acquaintances here... I've been in Malaysia around 5 years now, around 20 years in Asia, few countries. Also done time in the US, EU, Caribbean, Middle East and South Africa. Hotelier / Restaurateur is my trade, so I'm in the game all the time, drinking whisky over 20 years, last 8 far more seriously and agree with @jeanluc I’m no expert as drinking loads doesn’t qualify you, so I’m somewhere in between and love it. Whisky is a great hobby but living here (and Singapore) is tough for collectors, I pay probably 2-2.5 times more than you would in the US/UK/Canada, I’d protest but nobody cares. I just miss decently priced alcohol and the choice on some gems…. Hard to find in Duty Free shops. I tend to lean mostly towards older Speyside Malts but I do play the whole field, and I like an Islay when in the mood. I've done many years of wine tastings, training and collecting / procurement on nice big hotel budgets but as I reach 50 now, my allergies just can't handle the heavy wines anymore, so I stick to light chilled Pinot Noirs mostly... otherwise good drams and I do enjoy bourbon in all forms. Good to connect with you all.

@murrayaitken Welcome to Connosr. I am not sure you are paying twice the Canadian price for whisky as we are sometimes paying twice the American price. For example Ardbeg Corryvreckan is $180 in my province and the cheapest Kavalan, the Kavalan Ex-Bourbon Oak Single Malt Whisky, is $194. But that is not important. What is, is the fact that you will have access to expression to which we don't. So I hope you will write reviews and don't worry about your experience just write about what you taste and be honest about it.

I'm French and when I'm tired my writing is terrible but I am accepted and I think some of my reviews are useful. So don't be shy and express yourself.

@murrayaitken By the way, I like wine as well. A nice pinot noir is great especially when it is a bit old but I know of a NZ pinot noir that taste like an old one even when it is young (in fact, I would not keep it for many years), is name is Schubert like the composer.

I also like a nice Côte Brune et Blonde from the Côtes du Rhône where you can find the same cake spices you have in a nice whisky with a sherry finish but just softer and rounder. It is just my way of saying that thus amoung us who are wine enthusiast have other references to describe whisky and we have something different to bring to the table. Vive la différence!

MadSingleMalt, Hello! I like a dog) I understand everything, but I can not say anything (without an interpreter). Yes, I am from Belarus. We are drinking potatoes not matured whisky. I'm kidding). Like everyone else - we love whiskey from Islay, Campbeltown and other Scotish regions.

@Flx Do you have access to American, Canadian, Indian and Japanese whiky? Or others?

@Robert99, Yes, we have whisky from different countries. I really liked the Swedish Mackmyra, as an example. I wanted to say that Scotch is the central core of preferences. Whoever likes Irish, to whom the Bourbons. Scotch is popular with everyone)

@murrayaitken welcome! You'll love it here!

@Flx welcome!

@Robert99 thanks for updating me on the prices in Canada. Although my brother lives in Vancouver he’s not a whisky drinker, and I’ve never bought any there when visiting so now I know. In fact my comparisons are indeed more to US/UK prices. Most of my purchases have been from duty free, as I travel a lot, but recently I’ve sourced through Restaurant suppliers, which is a relief as it’s obviously cheaper than retailers, but being a majority Muslim country, prices are one thing due to import taxes but variety is the other issue. I do travel a bit to Hong Kong where there’s great variety but then I’m only allowed 1x liter per adult. Well, now that that’s off my chest I’m happy to be here in the whisky community. Oh and indeed NZ have great Pinot’s and I’m a huge fan of Burgundy’s. South Africa have some fantastic Pinot’s from the Hermanus region, if you can get hold of any. I’m not sure if you can get NZ Lawson’s Dry Hills, my mate owns the estate, their wines are epic.

@Robert99 also on French wines, indeed the Rhone valley with the lovey sunlight they get produces some giants, with gems from most of what comes out of the AOC Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Papes as well.

@murrayaitken In Canada we also have a limit of 1.14 l by adult and your trip has to be for at least 48 hrs. So I am in Montreal just next to Vermont and it is almost impossible to get any whisky from there. I once brought more than my limit and I remember paying $72 of duty for a bourbon of $32. So that is how crazy life is for a whisky lover in Canada.

As for the wine, I will look for the Lawson's Dry Hills. And of course there is some great Gigondas and Châteauneuf-Du-Pape.

@Robert99 $180 for Ardbeg Corryvreckan, steal of a deal compared to the LCBO, $205. Kavalan, what's that?

@Astroke $120 plus 5% HST at an expensive store in Calgary.

@Astroke LCBO and SAQ used to have the same prices, but I notice that the LCBO is now going for the throat of their customers and is realy worthy of its infamous nickname of KGBO.

@murrayaitken I spent some time in HK. Loved it there. Spent time on the mainland as well.

@casualtorture in 2008 HK abolished its 40% wine taxes completely and the wine business boomed like never before. Singapore has an interesting way of calculating wine tax. Wine, regardless of % of alcohol and type, including port, sparkling, red and white, carries an excise tax of SG$88 per liter of alcohol. So for a 750ml of 13% alc there’ll be around $8.60 slapped into the cost price. Malaysia is around the same result just different way of calculating.

@murrayaitken looks like we may have fodder for a new thread....What are the taxes like where you live?

@Nozinan good point and worthy educational thread it would be.