Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@talexander Was that a fist pumping good woohoo, or a sarcastic thanks for nothing woohoo?

@cricklewood Thanks, I will review it when I open it, trouble is Octomore is my Admiral's (wife) favorite as well, and she can't drink yet due to illness, once her medicine is done we will have a lot to celebrate. (:

@PMessinger, I think it was @talexander who said, it was great when your partner is also into whisky, as you can share your passion for it with them. Yet it's also a curse as your whisky disappears faster.

@cricklewood yeah, I know, my wife has decided that her new favourite is Old Pulteney 17 and my supply is dwindling. I had her confined to Glenmorangie 10 for quite a while until after we got back from Scotland last time and she decided she’d like to try some of the more expensive ones. Can’t really complain, though, because she might decide she wants to go to Italy instead of Scotland if I’m not nice to her.

@BlueNote in her defence OP 17 is fantastic stuff.

Decided to take advantage of some Black Friday deals out west, finally got a replacement for my EHT Rye so now I can open the other. Had to get the Little Book 2, $93 tax in (little more with the shipping). The Rum is aged 20 years at 48.4% ABV and a nifty $76 cad. The Jefferson's Ocean was a throw in but wanted to try it.

@nooch I know, that’s why I was trying to save it all for myself.

@Astroke, I must say that I am in awe of the Little Book...

@paddockjudge I will probably open that one quickly and see if a backup is needed.

@BlueNote It's a good whoo hoo - Glengoyne 12 isn't the most brilliant malt in the world, but it is quite nice.

This Black Friday malarkey is the embodiment of those good and evil angels on the shoulders of a cartoon character . . .

I'm not sure which won the battle for my mind and soul though but suffice to say I just picked up Lagavulin 16 for £39 (which is a steal; even if I find the body a bit thin the taste is top notch) and Ledaig 10 for £37 on Amazon.

I was tempted by Caol Ila 18 and Redbreast 12 CS for around the same cost as the other two combined but felt the Laga price was too good to pass up. I've wanted another Ledaig 10 for a while now.

@RianC that Lagavulin price is best I've ever seen. I too noticed it, and I too was tempted at both the redbreast 12 for £35 and cs for £65. Thankfully, I couldn't make up my mind so I ended up with naught. I got a few on my list now.... Sigh

I was just gifted a bottle of Glen Grant 18 and Tomatin 18. Haven't tried either yet. Reviews look to be decent even if they seem a bit on the tamer side.

@broadwayblue glen grant 18yo has been named 2nd best whisky in the world by Jim Murray the last two years in a row if that means anything to you. I’ve tried it and found it fairly light and straightforward, but enjoyable.

If we're talking about gifted bottles, the nurse practitioner that I work with is moving to a different area after 4 years of collaborating together. As a holiday and goodbye gift she gave me a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue!

I was shocked. Here in Ontario that is a very expensive bottle.

Now I have to reciprocate. I have to figure out what to get her (the extra large box of mint smoothie chocolates I got her when her grandmother died (along with a condolence note, instead of flowers) just won't cut it.

This is a tough assignment. I have to get a gift she will enjoy, of a value that one usually gives a significant other (without annoying my or her spouse).

Given that she likes the whiskies she has tasted (to bad I can't give her a JW Blue), and really enjoyed A'Bunadh, I'm thinking of a good batch of that along with different glasses to get her started. Maybe in addition I could put together some sample bottles of different good things for her to try.

Any ideas (whisky or non-whisky) would be appreciated.

@Nozinan Maybe something along the lines of connosr.com/diy-whisky-advent-calendar-whi… with a set of your favorite Highland whisky glasses.

4x glencairn, cause that's nice to have when you understand why - and not something normal people would buy.

Either an a'bunadh OR a collection of samples I'd say. If you do both, she may think you're just topping up the lesser cost of the a'bunadh

Personally id love to receive 10 samples of expressions to try the regions and varieties out... A wonderfully considerate gift in my mind. I'd just worry that people who aren't real whisky fans would not understand it and think it's odd that someone is gifting a bunch of bottles with a few cl of stuff they have at home

@Nozinan if your BIL could get hold of the KWM advent calendar it would make a great gift with approximately the same value as the JW Blue. I think it contains 24 50ml samples representing all regions and styles and a Glencairn.

@Nozinan - I think your idea is a sound one. Whilst Blue label has its detractors I'd still be over the moon with a bottle as a gift - how very nice of her! Enjoy!

Getting her a good quality whisky that you think she will like and some Glencairns would be a fitting parting gift.

That said, I don't know much about the nature of your relationship with said nurse so I could possibly offer some other suggestions . . .

@broadwayblue, Those are great bottles to receive as gifts. I've owned neither and would be excited about the opportunity to open both and experience the changes they undergo as they evolve. Nice to see you back on the boards...those Rangers need to be better disciplined on the road, 3-8-2 away from Manhattan.

@Nozinan, two suggestions,

Along with the bottle you could make her a kit to send her along in her spirit journey. Some Glencairns, a whisky book (not Saurons) but maybe something that has a bit of history and added info. Add a whisky journal the ones from 33 books are nice 33books.com/collections/frontpage/…

If you've got time why don't you put together some sort of advent calender of your own. There's plenty of minis and tasting sets available at the LCBO this time of year. You could pick a few up and put them together in a crafty way? If you wish sneak in two or three must have whisky samples of your own in there

Non whisky: a gift basket of craft food products is often appreciated.

Redbreast 12 Cask Strength - Got it for £70 with delivery included. Was priced at £75 but when I checked out Amazon used an unknown £5 voucher I had. Happy days (after a very bad one it has to be said)

Liked the 12 and many on here (and elsewhere) say it really is worth it. Usually goes for upper £80s so a good deal as well!

@RianC I'm very curious to read your review now. Good deal! All well that ends well

@RikS - Indeed, thanks! It will probably be a while before I open the RB but I am going to pop the Laga 16 I just got when I finish typing

@RianC Which is hardly a bad way to improve the mood barometer as well. Classic! When you open the RB I'll be curious how the higher ABV sits with you (and I think we have a somewhat similar appreciation of expressions). For me, the higher ABV is hit'n miss. The Uigeadail's 54% is perfectly fine for me, whereas I tend to think that the A'bunadh is slightly to hot on its own at 59%. I suspect that 48-50% is my 'sweet spot', but again it seems to vary quite a bit between various expressions.

Enjoy my friend, sounds like you've earned it today.

@RikS - Will do! I found A'bunadh quite hot to be honest and while I liked it, it didn't 'grab me' like it seems to do with some. It was much better with water, and quite a lot, for me anyways.

Agree about CS and batches/brands. I generally start CS whiskys neat and then might add a little water as I go - mood dependent.

This Laga is lovely by the way and a big improvement on my last bottle

i just picked up a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail that @Nozinan helped me secure along with a bevy of samples from him, and from @fiddich1980 . I’m going to have to be very generous to balance out the karmic equation.

Anyone try forty creek unity? Curious as to people’s impressions and I don’t recall having seen any posts about it.

@nooch Yes. Forgetable...

@OdysseusUnbound Let's not forget the samples you were kind enough to give me. That puts me at 88 different samples (including MoM drinks by the dram) of whisky, 48 which I have tried, and 16 for which I have posted reviews... I have about 60 that I will want to review.

What a backlog!

I hope to have 4 reviews out in the next 2-3 weeks, all "mystery samples".