Whisky Live Sydney August 3 2013

Let us know what you think of it! I still haven't purchased my ticket for Brisbane. If it's too much like the Brisbane Whisky Expo held earlier this year I don't know that I'd be so keen to go. That, and I think Kavalan won't be there which would have been one of my main reasons for going.

@systemdown what was wrong with the Brisbane whisky expo? Too many people?

I am not, but I will be at the Sydney Whisky Fair at the Oak Barrell in September. Very much looking forward to it.

@Mallard There were a lot of people but that wasn't the issue - it's just that once you've been to a few of these events, there's not really much left to discover in the standard bottlings that the usual whisky producers / distributors bring along.

We had a great time. I'd recommend this to anyone that is fairly new to whisky as we were. It's given me a great list of new bottles to try, some of which I probably would never have considered.

@Mallard what were some of the whiskies you enjoyed and are considering purchasing in the future?

@Mallard glad you had a good time!

@Rodstar Bowmore. Although Islay it wasn't too peaty, more like HP or Talisker. Will get a bottle soon. Laphroaig quarter cask, which I found more appealing that that the standard stuff. Did a full vertical on Glengoyne, which I'd never considered before but I liked them. They had a glass of one of the older ones that had been in the glass for forty minutes. Amazing how the nose had matured and gained complexity. Haven't been back to Glenlivet since my first bottle years ago but I liked the Nadurra. They also had a bottle of the XXV under the table which I managed to winkle out. That's the most expensive one I've tried to date. I'd been looking forward to trying HP18 but I'd just bought a bottle of that. Unfortunately they didn't have the Talisker 18, which had been listed. The Welsh Penderyn was interesting to try but nothing special. I liked the Dalmore Cigar Reserve although it tends to have poor reviews. One of my friends had just brought some extra-wide Churchills back from Cuba, and we smoked them on the balcony. So perhaps it was that accompaniment that made it more enjoyable. I've looked at buying a bottle of Jura before but always found something I wanted more. I think the Prophecy was my favourite.

@Rodstar thanks for the tip off about Whisky Fair. Nice that there is another one in a month.

@Mallard thanks for your comments on your tasting experiences at Whisky Live. I haven't tried the Bowmore, but have long planned to, your recommendation lends the momentum I need to try it myself. With the Laphrioag Qtr Cask, I have to say I did not like it much, but we all vary in our experiences. It seemed to have a split personality - too many faces, not clear in what it stands for, IMHO. I will keep an open mind to the Dalmore Cigar Reserve - I too have heard less than heartening comments about it, but it may surprise. Nice score with the Glenlivet XXV!