What is the next bottle you purchase or open?

I plan to open whatever wonderful beverage that my admiral brings back from her Minnesota trip, I do know one is an Isle of Skye 12yr old. The rest I have to wait until she gets back on Monday. (:

@AdamH

Well I hope it becomes available down here. If not, and depending on the reviews, I may have to get one of my agents to snag a bottle for me...

@Nozinan I saw quite a few bottles of Batch #49 at the Summerhill LCBO a few days ago (didn't buy one though...yet). And I LOVE the Highwood 90 20yo!

@talexander

Good! you can come by and we'll open the Highwood together...

Let me know if you get the 49 and how it is. I got the 47 based (in part, no pressure) on your impression,

Russell's Reserve 10yo. Perhaps 2 bottles, it's that good; this particular batch has, for me just about everything and, has it 'in spades' while at the same time being understated and rather quiet initially and developiing magnificently in the glass - It give me the feeling of having been made especially for me - That doesn't happen every day!

@Victor thought I might like Russell's Reserve, now that is an understatement: This Whiskey has 'raised the bar' for me with its' depth of flavour and incredible sweetness and beautifully integrated gentle vanilla. One of the stumbling blocks in my Wkiskey journey has been boisterous vanilla! Not so with this mighty fine 'drop'! Thank you Gene!

Cheers.

@Nozinan, agent p'dockjudge ready for action.

Colonel E H Taylor Barrel Proof . I have a bottle waiting for me to pick up. 306 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection plus E H Taylor BP this year in my county's lottery. I was one of the 306. About 1,000 people on the list got nothing.

Correction: 1,000 total on the list. About 700 people got nothing.

@Victor Good for you! I can't believe there's a lottery. And I suppose you have to be a county's citizen to enter it. Wow! How to they choose the bottles to put on the Lottery? Availability? I'm stunned! From the states liquor board! Unbelievable!

@Robert99, county liquor control department. Just under 1 million people here in Montgomery County, Maryland (named after the American general who died in the siege of Quebec City in 1775), representing 25 retail stores. 1,000 people on the list are sent an e-mail. The first 306 to respond with their priority list get one bottle each.

@Victor So you only got one bottle of the 306 and it wasn't a BTAC but the C E H Taylor BP? Lucky thing you got your big sister looking out for you ;)

Here in Virginia my name (and my wife's name) are on different lists at two different stores for a single bottle from the BTAC . . . so far it isn't looking good. This could be my first year to totally strike out with the BTAC. Very sad. It use to be you had a fighting chance . . . I guess the names are too well known these days.

It may be worth noting the bottle code for this Russell's Reserve: L3295FH O905.

It's worthy noting for me, though only the time of bottling 0905 means anything...Anyone?

I'm also looking to purchase the auchentoshan valinch, however I recall reading somewhere that the bottlings differ quite much between the years. Has anyone got some input regarding the valinch?

@Nock, I suppose it was inevitable that Moco would become engulfed and overrun with whiskey seekers. Between those who want "the best" drinks as status symbols and the whiskey arbitrageurs, the run has been on in a very big way for the last couple of years. Getting even a single bottle of Antique Collection whiskey has become quite a struggle.

@Victor Interesting history lesson. The funny part is that , in Quebec, we simply go over the American invasion of 1775 (that's the way we call it). It goes like:"They came, took Montreal but it was not very serious. They were beaten at Quebec and went back home." As a student, you would never be questioned on this period. Now are the odds aroud 33% each year to get a nice bottle of BTAC or Colonel. Do you have any of the Lost Spirit's production as well? In any case, consider yourself lucky. When I think that even a trip to Buffalo Trace distillery would not allow me to get a bottle... Big sigh ...!

@Robert99, I think that your best bet for getting rare bottles that are hard to find is to acquire some other rare bottles and trade for the ones your were not able to get. That requires some work of course, but good things usually require some work.

@Victor Thank you for the advise. I will go that way. Knowing what I know now, I would have bought more than one bottle of Old Potrero 18 th Century when I had the opportunity. That would have been a start. Now I need to find out what are those rare bottles people would be ready to trade for. So long, I need to get busy now!

@Victor

Do you think my Bladnoch stash might count as a rare collection? Of course, I would have to convince my friend to bring them from Florida...

Of course, I think you meant rare bottles you would be happy to trade.

None of my rare bottles are for trading. Nore are the ones I don't consider rare. I'd sooner have a potential trade partner over and crack a rare gem, then we could BOTH taste it and share it with others.

On the other hand it goes back to the idea of a network. I try to look out for bottles my "network" wants but can't get. If I see them I get them. If they have ones I want we trade, if I have too many bottles reimbursement may occur.

I have no time or budget for rare bottles that I don't want unless I know someone who wants them. I don't buy on spec. Maybe I should. How many Staggs have I passed over before deciding I like bourbon? I may never know...

Been on the fence with buying a few Talisker Storm...Found a good deal - $38 a bottle at Wines 4 Today.

www.wines4today.com/sku148050.html

@Robert99, you're in Canada, right?

If you're really interested in trading mutually unavailable bottles with other folks, my one idea for you is the Talikser 57. You can get that in Canada right? It's not typically available down here in the US. (Note that I'm not personally interested in trading, but that's the one bottle I could see bothering for.)

Also I would guess that you have access to some Canadian whisky that others can't get. No idea what.

---

I'm not sure how people actually go about trading. Do they ship? Do they meet when one person travels? If you're going to the place that the bottle is available, why do you need someone to get it for you? Just some ponderments for this sunny Thursday.

@OlJas, you can ship traded whiskies if it is legal. Otherwise someone travels and transports.

Desirable whiskies are not necessarily available year-round in another locale, which necessitates a partner. An example: The USA gets no Glenfarclas 15 yo. Ontario has Glenfarclas 15 available maybe 2 or 3 months per year. If you are not traveling to Ontario then, and you want some Glenfarclas 15, then you need an Ontarian to buy you some and hold it for you until you can pick it up.

As for Canadian whiskies, most of the best ones are sold (almost) only in Canada. There is plenty of Black Velvet and standard Canadian Club in the US, but no Gibson's 18 or Danfield's 21. Just recently a small amount of Wiser's Legacy and Lot 40 have started trickling a little bit down to the US. But 98% of the US wouldn't see those two for sale either.

@Victor I'm sure you will do a review on Colonel E H Taylor Barrel Proof when you open it. I traded a salmon i brought back from Kodiak for 1/2 a bottle. It had been open for 6 months. It is the best bourbon in my collection. The nose on this bourbon is in a league of its own. I could just nose it all evening. I had to open my collection to compare it to them. My collection is not as vast as your but is fairly decent.

If I ever see a bottle of Colonel E H Taylor Barrel Proof I would not hesitate on buying.
Enjoy, love your honest reviews, keep it real.

@Benancio, I hope that my bottle of Col E H Taylor Barrel Proof is as good as yours is. This one is from the new 2014 release, and yours must have been from a previous release. My large inventory of open bottles means it could be awhile before I open and sample my bottle of Col E H Taylor Barrel Proof.

@Oljas Thx for the suggestion. Unfortunately SAQ doesn't have Talisker 57, while LCBO just unlisted it.

@Victor Thx for all the infos. I already put my hand on a Lot 40 and will try do find the Gibson's, the Danfield and the Wiser's. I already find a store that have the Glenfarclas, so I hope I will get it soon. Do you think the Forty Evolution could be of interest? I want to add that my opened bottle of Lot 40 is now less tropical and is going more and more on the grappa side wich is simply lovely ( a bit of a mix of Old Potrero and Glenmorangie). At the opening of the bottle it was spectacular, now it is more refined, more special and more balance; in a word, BETTER. I am sure you would love it.

@Robert99, only some of the non-Canadian whisky lovers will be interested in the best Canadian products--they are mostly unfamiliar with the taste profiles. Among Canada procured products you'll do best with the malts, and probably in relation to other Canadians and to Americans. It will take some research to see where the opportunities lie, and some hustle to make them happen. The Canadians whom I know who make the opportunities manifest hustle quite a lot. I am not saying that it will be an easy task.

@Robert99 @Victor

Of course hustling in Ontario means paying too much for almost anything. Forty Creek produces in Ontario and yet I have seen 2 of the special releases sell for less in Alberta...

I am always happy to procure something that is here and hold it (if it's a reasonable cost...i can't buy and hold a case of Macallan25) for as long as necessary with the understanding that this could be helping someone get something they really want and could not otherwise have. I've even enlisted help in other provinces (I have a very easygoing brother in law) and then acted as the "mule", though now that the airlines will be charging for all checked luggage this will need to be factored in.

And anyone who makes the trip here is welcome to partake of my cabinet .

I've also been the recipient of such generosity, and as my learned colleague @paddockjudge says, it's really this aspect of the game that makes it fun.

Which reminds me @victor, there is a bottle of BLADNOCH and a cask 1 Stalk and Barrel waiting for you to roll into town...

To clarify, to open and taste together.... As whisky should be enjoyed.

Successful networking and careful stewardship can be very rewarding.

Waiting a number of months, or in some situations, years, for a bottle of whisky to make its way from a far off location should not be viewed as intolerable. Much of the fine whisky we cherish has rested for years and often decades; a few more months or years of waiting should be considered a small price to pay...especially in Ontario. @Nozinan and @Victor know the value of networking partners as do @talexander and @CognacFan. There are many others who generously share samples and extend a helping hand. Hard work is rewarded with a lot of fun.

@paddockjudge

Quite right!

Very pleasantly surprised to see the BenRiach 12 yo 'Herodicus Fumosus' (the peated, PX sherry cask finished bottle) has shown up in Ontario...and in London, Ontario at that!!. This was one that has now disappeared, largely, from Quebec (where I was hoping to pick it up around New Year's, if possible). My wife kindly continues to support my whisky hobby, so I was able to grab a bottle. Really looking forward to trying this, hopefully, tonight!