What is the next bottle you purchase or open?

@Nozinan This one is in a canister. "B. No: 18/Sep. 2012" 61.8%

I lucked out and got the last one they had and it was in the back. They sent out the email and it went the same day. Geez! Hopefully it's $70 well spent. I may open it tonight since I'm so curious about it.

I think my next purchase will be Johnny Drum Private Stock 15 yr... And another bottle of Blanton's original.

Next bottle to open will be Stalk and barrel cask 17 100% rye.

@KRB80

I don't think I've had that batch but the two CS batches I've had, and essentially every cask strength offering I've had from Amrut have been excellent. I'm sure it's well spent.

@KRB80

Found the empty bottle. Mine was batch 15 May 2012 - and It was really good

Forty Creek Port Wood. An absolutely perfect postprandial dram. One of my favourites - bottle No. 615, the thirteenth Port Wood opened in my home. Thank you John Hall.

I'll probably buy another Wild Turkey Rare Breed, the new version @ 56.4% not the previous version W/T Rare Breed 'WT-RB 03' @ 54.1% whiich seemed to have been around for ever, still is in most outlets; I can't imagine the size of some of the W/T batches...staggering! Anyway, the old batch was pretty good, the new batch is even better. I had a 150ml. sample away put, but when I finished the bottle, I moved on to the sample; how's that for "won't power"? It's change out of AU.$70.00. the best value for a Whiskey at near Imp.proof (57.15%) in Mr. Murphy's Barn; and it's a lovely 'drop'.

Pohjanmaan kautta!

Maybe one more bottle of Ardbeg Perpetuum. Stocks dropped in my county today from 220 bottles to 125 bottles. It is a meritorious Ardbeg, though my bottle of L 10 152 Ardbeg Ten has a slightly better palate.

Auchentoshan American Oak.

While I was unimpressed by the Triple Wood - the reviews I've read online describe this whisky in a way that I might really enjoy ( vanilla, light caramel, apples, pears, and some mild, toasted coconut).

On my previous post...

It may had been the Auchentoshen Classic, and not the Three Wood that I disliked...It was nearly 4 years ago, and I honestly cannot remember which one it was.

Anywho this American Oak sounds intriguing.

@FMichael I just opened a bottle of American Oak this week, and I was not impressed at all. There arent many drams that I have had that I would turn down, but this is close to being one of them. I find the nose very flat, and the palate has a mix of flavours that I didn't find very cohesive.

A friend of mine has a bottle and found the same thing. Maybe we got bottles from a bad batch, but I won't be buying this one again.

Just my two cents before you run out and buy.

I'm eyeing a 2002 IB Bowmore that I discovered on a local shop's shelves this week. It's a Murray MacDavid, finished in Chateau Latour wine casks—which all sounds pretty dodgy, really, and is the reason that I left it on the shelf to begin with. It's priced right, though ($45), so I dug up some reviews online. I'm pretty sure the one I found is NOT the 7-year "BO & burning pimples" version:

thekrav.blogspot.com/2011/11/…

I'm hoping it's the 8-year "A-grade stuff" version:

facebook.com/notes/juho-uski/…

I think I'll take a chance on one as soon as I can manage a return to the shop, open it right away, and then return to stock up at $45/bottle if it's the good'un.

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Also, my next splurge will be Longrow Red Shiraz.

I just picked up a store bottling of Whistle Pig 10 (at CS, or 57% abv).I also picked up a bottle of Buffalo Trace (also bottled for the store).

@Jonathan

No fair that we can't get such a fine example of CANADIAN whisky in Canada...

FC Port Wood, an absolute stunner, any better and it would be a crime to drink it.

I opened this bottle about a month ago, just as I was stricken with a crippling cough and respiratory infection. One dram was poured from this bottle, but it was lost on me as my palate was, for lack of a better word, paralyzed. That tough patch is behind me and I'm well on my way to testing my palate again.

This Forty Creek Port Wood Reserve 2012 Lot 61, (45% abv) Bottle 615/ 6600, is a testament to the creativity of John Hall, the self-proclaimed 'whisky maker' and now referred to as 'The Founder' of Forty Creek. A true masterpiece from this whisky savant.

@paddockjudge

Hmm, I have a bottle I likely opened in 2012. I'm thinking maybe it's time to have another go at it.

I bought that IB Bowmore. It's neither good nor bad. It's just fine.

Yup, young Bowmore finished in a wine barrel. Yup.

Later this week, I'll purchase a J.W. Green Label 43%: It's readily available once again from between Au.$70.00 and 75.00 and 'fingers crossed', it will be as tasty and beautifully balanced as the last bottle I finished: I thought it was JW's best offering and, boy!, was I angry when it was pulled - I've always harboured the firm belief that the J.W. blenders really know how to deliver a superior product but persist with their 'bottom line, smoke and mirrors greed'...If this version doesn't work for me, it will definately be the 'last hurrah', I kid you not!

Slaynt vie, bea veayn, beeal fliugh as baase ayns Mannin. (for Ralfy)!

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey, 2010 release, 63.45% ABV. Among the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014 releases of Handy, this is still my personal favourite. I just opened one yesterday from my stash, the first time I've had any of this release in about 3 years. It is just as good as I remember it to be. It is BRIGHT, one of the best things a whisk(e)y can be for me.

I just found the glendronach CS batch 4 at my retailer's. I have tried an earlier batch and found it really, really good. Has anyone of you gentlemen had the batch 4 and, if so, how did you like it?

Just cracked open a bottle of the Midleton Redbreast 12 Year Old, bottle code: L310931100. Have only tried a handful of Irish offerings and the Redbreast seems to be the best of the lot so far.

@Alexsweden, I've got batch 4. Previous versions were much more on the heavily sherried side. The sherry is much more restrained in the 4, with I think some added complexity. I'm not hugely into sherry bombs these days, so I much prefer the 4. Really different stuff from previous incarnations, though.

@hunggar , I see. I loved (one of) the previous batches but maybe I should give it a chance. I've also been eyeing the glendronach revival so it'll probably be a glendronach either way.

Tormore 16 Year Old, Glencadam 14 Year Old Oloroso and Millhouse 100 Rye just joined the ranks of opened bottles.

Benriach 16 Year Old Sauternes Cask Finished - pure honey on the nose, light bodied with a mild sweetness before the woodiness becomes apparent. Finishes with malted barley sweetness.

I am about to open Ballechin #5 Marsala cask from Edradour. I just picked it up in Chicago on a close out discount. I was actually looking for it because several years ago I tasted a sample. My notes from that night indicated that it was peaty and farmy and a possible Brora substitute. I am always on the look out for the next "affordable-Brora-ish" style whisky. Fingers crossed for Ballechin.

My old notes had it in the upper 80's. I have been patiently waiting to crack it open . . . but I needed to empty some older bottles to make room. And I think tonight is the night.

@Nock , please keep us updated on that Ballechin. I think it's a really interesting line from Edradour. I've got the port version in my stash, which I'll probably open this fall.

Have you had others besides the marsala?

@OlJas, I tried the Marsala a few years back (and again last night). I am going to see how it develops over the next month before I post any notes. I tried the Madeira (my review is here), and I have 50mL sample bottles of the Bourbon and the Sauternes casks. I will spend the next few tasting sessions looking at the Marsala against other "farmy peat" style whiskies (BenRiach, Longrow, . . . maybe Kilchoman, Ledaig, etc.) and against my two other Ballechin samples.

Finally, if it wins out, I will put it up against some of my dwindling stock of the precious intended target - Brora.

I will certainly let you know what I find.

I would buy tickets in a heartbeat to "Nock's Farmy Peat Fest Fest 2015."

Sign me up aswell!

Knob Creek 9YO & Elijah Craig 12YO are the bottles I have opened this evening. I stopped to pick up a couple of bottles of Bulleit on the way home. Diageo is bottling Four Roses product. FR has discontinued their relationship with the Diageo. Four Roses Bourbon in a Bulleit bottle will eventually come to end. There was none available at two local stores. There are approximately 14 stores in a town of 170,000 people. Only three stores carry (a variety of) bourbon, most stores carry none.

KC9YO was on sale for C$41 and EC12YO was featured at C$39. KC Small batch is a briliant example of well aged bourbon. EC12YO is a cut above KC. Clean Oak, big vanilla and cherry notes with a hot finish. I'll be accumulating this 12YO treasure, just in case. I'm okay with Bulleit being out of stock.