What is the next bottle you purchase or open?

@Astroke great example. Springbank 12 CS was last available in 2011 or 2012 and no sign of it coming back. The Redbreast may come again but it won't be the same batch. Same with the Laimrig (though I must say that might be a positive thing). So if you like something and you want it in the future get it now.

@Nozinan Not sure on the Laimrig as the latest batch IV (I think I liked this more than some) was released in 2014 and with 2017 around the corner was that the last batch?

@Astroke I don't think Laimrig has batch numbers on the bottle but LCBO listed it as batch 4 and what was for sale starting last year is what is in stores now. The overall quality of the liquid has changed, Still good, mind you, but as they have increased batch size (the other 2 bottles I've owned had total numbers printed on label and this one does not) it's become more like a good standard bottling than a limited release.

Anyone got their hands on the new Laddie 10 or Port Charlotte 10, I am going through the airport at the end of January and just wanted a pointer. I know I like the CC01 and the Laddie 8 at travel retail but can pick up the 10's for less, unfortunately not enough budget for both and wanted a steer.

@Pete1969 I was more partial to the laddie classic than the laddie 10, but it's long gone. I did pick up a couple of the old Laddie 10s when they were available in Ontario. If they don't work as trade bait, I'm sure I'll enjoy drinking them...

Couldn't wait - @nosebleed and I decided to crack the OGD Bonded 50% to see how it is. At $32 plus tax (Canadian) it's a value bottle.

NOT BAD! Very much in the same way of OGD 114, this medium strength bourbon really blooms after some extended time in the glass. My first sip had me thinking I wasn't going to replace it to bring home. But 30-45 min later it's settled out and opened up very nicely.

I think I'll be looking to leave this one in Calgary....and get a sealed one to bring home...

@Nozinan, yes, OGD Bottled in Bond is solid bourbon, and where the juice that used to be used for OGD114 will mostly be going. Interestingly Jim Murray has long loved OGDBIB and the old OGD 43% (now discontinued for a 40% version), but eschews space in his Bible for a review of OGD114. I wonder whether Beam will bring back a high proof OGD. Because OGD114 is probably almost all 4 yo and 5 yo product, 57% is likely very close to barrel strength. They don't get much higher than 57% in ABV at those ages. What would really be radical would be OGD with an age statement. "Old Grand-Dad 10 year old Barrel Proof". Sounds like $ 60 domestically. Even if they tell you the age informally, they probably won't have a formal age statement, because they don't want to be bound to it in the future.

Visiting in-laws bought some duty free for me:

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Tonight I opened a bottle of Alberta Premium 30 Year Old. I could give up all other whisky for this one. Yes @Nozinan, including Macallan Cask Strength. It's a shame this beautiful whisky is no longer available.

@paddockjudge must be nice to have the world's largest supply of AP25 and AP 30...

@Nozinan, not anymore!

@paddockjudge It must be nice for someone...

AP30 is my favourite AP

@paddockjudge I hope your saving me one. Maybe I should open the Hochstadter's 16yr BP (yours is locked away safely). I hear that it is some sort of important Canada day. I doubt there are too many people fortunate enough to sample 16yr cask strength Alberta juice.

@newreverie, I can only imagine how good that 16 YO cask strength Alberta juice is.

We will likely see a few reviews leading up to Canada Day. This year is the sesquicentennial.

@newreverie, @paddockjudge, breaks my heart that ADL (err Suntory) cannot release a similar bottling for the Canadian market, yes I am excited for the coming Lot 40 cask strength but I want this too.

@paddockjudge I just made a handshake deal for the Hochstadter’s 16 year for my 2013 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon. I knew I hung on to that bottle for some reason.

@Astroke That is an excellent trade considering that OFBB is replaceable and far cheaper than the Hochstadter.

@Nozinan My favourite is AP25 (tasted thanks to @paddockjudge) The AP30 was just a little too woody for me.

@newreverie I have never heard of that WTF IS THAT POUR THAT IN MY FACE STAT

Some random pickups today - you never know what you will find gathering dust at the smaller bottle shops:

• another bottle of the increasingly rare and expensive Ardbeg Dark Cove, last bottle at a fraction of the retail price.

• an older bottling of the Glenfarclas 12 Year Old, old stock sherry matureds are hard to come by.

• another bottle of the discontinued Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nadurra, last bottle on the shelf and something I have not seen on the shelf for a long time.

@sengjc some nice finds there - you must be pretty pleased with that lot!

@Astroke , nice trade. I have a 2012 Birthday Bourbon if your trading partner would like to repeat that transaction.

@sengjc, for what it's, Nadurra 0712U is one of the batches reviewed in Whisky Bible - glowing remarks and a 95.5 score. This particular batch of Nadurra is one of my top single malt picks, right up there with some of the great batches of Macallan Cask Strength.

Last year @Nozinan found a few bottles of N16 batch 0814D while dusty hunting in Western Canada. He kindly sent one my way. Lucky me!!

Great finds!

@talexander, AP 25 and AP 30 are definitely two different animals. These are both from the same lot with the 30 yr old being reguaged 25 YO barrels. The extra time in oak does not offend my senses. An additional 5 years of aging for AP30 is akin to letting the genie out of the bottle; there is no way to get back to year 25. Although many would rate AP25 ahead of AP30, I consider them a coupled entry, 1 and 1A.

@Astroke, anything on the trading block this week?

@paddockjudge Making the trade tomorrow for the Hochstadter’s 16. Was offered a bottle of Bomberger's Declaration (cheap Michters) and Shenks Homestead for my Weller 12. I passed as I knew nothing about these 2 bottles.

This is a mystery to me. It would have been easier to predict if all had gone as planned

My wife's sister joined her in Iceland and the plan was that she would spend a couple of days in London on the way back to Calgary. But she only booked her hotel today and that leaves no time to order anything for her to bring back. I was planning on ordering Talisker 57 North and a few samples.

On the plus side, some technical difficulties with out cable after the move, finally resolved, has resulted in some compensatory credits, which my wife has offered to use at DF in Reykjavik. So I've given her a specific list hand the max she should be paying for it. It's fairly ambitious but I've requested one of (in the following order):

• Talisker 57N

• Johnny Walker Island Green (I've tried twice and been left empty handed)

• Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 (yeah right)

• ECBP (again, yeah, right)

If I get nothing I'll try to make it up with the Wiser's releases this fall.

@Nozinan I had a connecting flight in Reykjavik last year and was planning to pick up something at their duty free, but alas my flight was delayed and I went from one plane to the next. Their duty free website lists all of their booze along with prices. There are a lot of travel exclusives and the deals aren't particularly great, but there are definitely some bottles that you can't get here in Ontario. Anyway, if you weren't aware, you can check out their site here: www.dutyfree.is/en/products/liquor/spirits

@Mancub

Thanks! - nothing I find interesting. But it gave me a chance to see some Icelandic spirits and I've passed them along to my wife.

@Nozinan I saw a few decent buys there: GF 105 for $68, a litre of Tal 10 for $90, A'Bunadh at just under $100. I could probably find a couple of items to bring home. I think I saw a Glengoyne cask strength at a pretty good price.

And remember rule #1: Never pass up the chance to have someone mule for you. (Although your wife might not appreciate being referred to as a mule).