What Are Your White Whales?

For me, nothing gets me pumped like an intense peat monster. A couple years ago, I was still lusting over quite a few big ones—Talisker 57, Laphroaig 18, any Longrow Red, any Octomore, any Port Charlotte “PC” release, any of the crazy peaters made by Lost Spirits, any Big Peat Christmas release.

Since then, I’ve gotten my hands on all of those (with varying results ). I think I’m down to these remaining “white whales:”

•An Octomore X.2

•Amrut Peated CS

•A young sherried CS Ledaig IB

•A really old Islay malt, say a ~30-year Caol Ila IB

This is always an interesting topic and has been done here on Connosr before:

connosr.com/whats-your-holy-grail-of-whisk…

These conversations tend to wax and wane and using terms like white whale or holy grail make it more difficult to search, which is why we see new conversations from time to time (completely an observation, not at all a criticism).

Looking back, I'm happy to say I found my holy grails that I listed (Laphroaig 10 CS and Ben 10/100). But of course I am now developing new ones.

Thanks to @Paddockjudge I tasted Laphroaig 18.

If you ever come to Toronto, I will see to it that you get your fill of Amrut peated CS. It's well worth the trip.

CHeers!

Here's the lengthy complete answer for me. I'm buying very little now, because of the huge number of open and closed bottles I have on hand. Any new bottle will either 1) be opened and add one more to the too-many open bottles I have on hand, or 2) remain unopened in a queue of unopened bottles which will extend over the next 20+ years. So I have several categories of interest, loosely related to your topic:

1) the ones I'll probably never see but would most love to have: Willett Family Estate 23 yo rye, "The Iron Fist", Octomore Orpheus 2.2 from a retailer near original retail price, Parkers Heritage Collection 10 yo Wheated Bourbon, 62% ABV release, Highwood 25 yo 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede, another bottle of the original Gibson's 18 yo Finest Rare, three or four more bottles of Macallan Cask Strength under $ 150 each

2) the ones I can get but don't want to pay for: Highland Park 25 yo, Octomore Orpheus 2.2 from a secondary market source, Glenfarclas 40 yo, Pappy Van Winkle 23 yo

3) the ones I can occasionally get, and will buy when they become available, but are harder to get staples of my drinking collection: all five Buffalo Trace Antique Collection whiskeys, all Van Winkle products, except PVW23. I'll buy almost any BTAC under $ 200, and Van Winkle products on a sliding scale. @Nozinan, I have not yet purchased my tenth bottle since September 15, 2016, but I hope to see my ship dock soon, when the allocated bourbons and ryes hit this area within a few weeks from now

4) the ones I want to get someday, but am in no hurry: a few Springbanks and Longrows, 30 yo Talisker, 20+ yo Linkwoods, a few other 25+ yo Scottish malts, Amrut Portonova, some CS Caol Ila, Lot 40 Cask Strength, and three or four additional bottles of Amrut Intermediate Sherry.

5) and, last, not least, and closest to your original question, the ones from categories # 4 and # 2 of highest priority to me: Amrut Portonova, Highland Park 25 yo, Octomore Orpheus 2.2

The bottle I want most is Octomore Orpheus, but I am not paying $ 800 for it. I'd have to trade some Pappy Van Winkle 15. Second is the Highland Park 25 yo, same comment as for the Orpheus. Third, Portonova. After all this it seems clear that a $ 150 bottle of Portonova is the most likely of all of these for me to get next. After that, two or three Springbanks/Longrows/Kilkerrans, and then more Amrut Intermediate Sherry. None of this has any urgency for me, though. I don't need to buy more bottles, but I still want to taste almost everything. Trading samples is optimal for me under current conditions.

@Nozinan , yeah, for sure—and I forgot about that particular thread. Even so, I many of our cast of characters have changed since then. And I think many of the answers last time around were more of the "pipedream" or "unobtainium" variety.

What are the new white whales you're developing?

@Victor Amrut Portonova for $150? US? It can be got in Calgary for ~$120 Canadian. Let me know if you want me to look for it...

@Victor , have you ever looked at doing a swap for another bottle of Orpheus through the Reddit "scotch swap" page? I just searched it and (without actually reading through the details of all the posts), it looks like some guys there are willing to trade a bottle of it for some of the coveted American whiskies you might be holding:

reddit.com/r/ScotchSwap/…

@Nozinan, I quoted the approximate maximum price I would be willing to pay. I appreciate your offer, but am not at this time ready to pull the trigger.

@MadSingleMalt, thanks for the tip. I will take a look.

@Victor , good luck! I've never swapped on there, but I chat (online and in person) with guys who do, and they're all about it. I think that group uses some sort of "earn credibility points" system to prove that you're legit.

Let me know if you score anything there?

@MadSingleMalt, if I manage to work out a trade, I will let you know.

Macallan cask strength and Amrut IS. Would like two of each, one to drink and the other to hold and cherish.

Talisker 25, HP 30, Springbank 12 CS, Glendronach 15 Revival, Ardbeg Renaissance. Ardbeg Kildalton. That would be a good start.

@BlueNote, is Springbank 12 CS totally unavailable by you, or is it just priced so stupidly that you won't buy it?

And I get you on the Glendronach 15. I'm not a huge sherried malt guy, but that one's got such a mystique about it that I kind regret not buying one from my local specialist retailer back when they were selling for around $100 USD (2014?).

@MadSingleMalt I hear great things about the Springbank 12 CS, just have never seen it in Vancouver. I'll take a look next time I'm in Oregon.

I’m far less experienced than many on here, so the following are my white whales:

• Old Pulteney 35. This is in the “will likely never see, much less buy” category, but a friend had 3, yes 3, drams of this at a big international business function a few years back and still talks about it as the best whisky he’s ever tasted.
• Laphroaig 18 and Laphroaig 15 I love Laphroaig, what can I say?
• Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength. Lagavulin. Nuff said.
• William Larue Weller. I’m not a huge wheated bourbon guy, but I have a feeling this big boy could convince me.
• Talisker 18. Robert Louis Stevenson’s favourite distillery. Who am I to argue?

@OdysseusUnbound, Old Pulteney 35 yo! That sounds like quite a trip. You might sooner get your hands on some Old Pulteney 17 yo, which is quite wonderful in itself. Mr. Murray, who once named Old Pulteney 21 yo World Whisky of the Year, said in a later year's book that the 17 yo is usually that distillery's best. I am a fan of just about everything from Old Pulteney, especially the 17 yo and the 21 yo. Those two are creeping up pretty high in price, but the 17 yo is still within most people's upper limits of reason with respect to price. You might have to get it somewhere other than the LCBO for that to be true, though. Calgary, maybe Nova Scotia, or the US.

How does the anniversary edition of the Laphroaig 15 compare to the original? I assume the old version is that much better the anniversary version is not really a whale given it is still available?

@msudukie I polished off two of them and I wish to hell I'd bought more. It was excellent, even at 43%. Full flavoured, full on Laphroaig.

@Victor, in response to "1) the ones I'll probably never see but would most love to have... Highwood 25 yo 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede, another bottle of the original Gibson's 18 yo Finest Rare, three or four more bottles of Macallan Cask Strength."

The 25 yo 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede might some day disappear, but who better than a batch of Connosr friends with a penchant for endangered C-whisky to be responsible for its extinction.

@paddockjudge What is the ABV of the 25 year old?

@BlueNote, when you see a beautiful woman, do you ask her age, her weight, her height?... The Century 25 Calgary Stampede 100th Anniversary is that beautiful woman; elegant, mysterious, captivating...and 40% abv. I hope you have a chance to meet her some day.

@paddockjudge, I did figure that the odds were good that you had some more of each of those. I hope there will still be some the next time I see you.

I do also still have part of my bottle of Gibson's 18 FR remaining.

@paddockjudge If I see a beautiful woman, who isn’t my wife, I avoid her at all costs....or maybe she avoids me at all costs. Anyway, something something something, beautiful 25 Year Olds....and I’m out.

Among those that I will never taste I would love to taste an old batch of Arbeg 10. Finding another bottle of Octomore 6.3 is also a dream. Thanks to Victor, I tasted Parker's Heritage Collection 10 yo Wheated Bourbon and it stayed in my mind even if it was not the one I reacted the most to during that tasting session. I would also love to get my hand on a Clynelish CS IB as a substitute for the Mystic Brora.

Now a list of bottles I may be able to grab:

• Bunnahabhain 18 yo (2016) probably the best leather note I encountered,

• Amrut Portonova

• Octomore 8.3

• Caol Ila CS

• Any American Rye older than 15 yo

• Talisker 57

@paddockjudge @Victor I knew Gibson 18 FR was good,but I didn't realize it was exceptional until it was to late. I once took it after a big Islay and was expecting it to disappear behind the Islay Peat, instead it hold its ground and appear even better than usual revealimg strong flavors but mellow at the same time and with a long finish.

@Robert99 Three of those are available to you should our paths ever cross

@Robert99 Portonova I can get you in Calgary. CI CS you got a small bottle and a taste of an IB is waiting for you in Toronto. As for Gibsons....can't help with that

@Nozinan I don't want to abuse of your kindness, but I would gladly grab a Portonova. As for the Caol Ila that shows you how much I appreciate it. In fact, I am not drinking it in the fear of not being able to catch another bottle. I know many Connosr members will recognize themselves.

Glenfarclas 15 has arrived at the SAQ, if you want me to grab a bottle for you or a friend, just tell me.

@JayRain Thanks for the offer. I am sure I would be able to offer you some interesting drams as well. Maybe one day...

@BlueNote - it is available around me for under $80 USD. Would there be a way I could help you out?