Whisky Travel Pics

I've Seen The Light......at Pike Creek, more than a million sleeping barrels (Corby's/Wiser's).

@paddockjudge I hope you turned away...

But it would be a beautiful way to go...

@paddockjudge Are those full and racked standing on end? Is that unusual?

@BlueNote yeah, I was wondering the same thing

Well, I'll add a photo of our rather well stocked local whisky store if someone feels like journeying here...

The Quaich Bar at the Craigellachie Hotel. 800+ whiskies to try. Ironically enough they were out of the first 3 drams I asked for. Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink...except for the remaining 797 drams!

@RikS, that is one beautiful-looking store! I'd like ten like that within 15 minutes of my home, with differing products stocked, of course.

@nooch, thanks for the pretty and informative picture. 800 whiskies is a lot at a bar, but it is a 'drop' in the bucket of what an experienced whisky person might think to ask for. Are the bar prices at Craigellachie Hotel expensive, average, or relatively inexpensive? I like whisky-bars, especially pretty ones, but it has been a long time since I have been to one which I didn't feel was a rip-off.

@Victor prices were fair as far as bar prices go. I come from the land of the overpriced drink, but I compared prices for bars throughout our various stops along the way and they were very competitive. The biggest advantage 800+ gives is the chance to try drams I would never have access to given that I can’t buy sample mini bottles in Canada.

@RikS that shop looks like a magical place in my dreams. The city I live in only has small chain type liquor outlets with run of the mill (common) bottles and fairly steep prices. Anything else I have to order via the web (but still from NZ). I'd love to just be amongst that kind of selection.

@BlueNote, @Hewie, those barrels are stacked on end with six barrels to each "pallet". Forty Creek does the same; however they utilize a conventional style pallet with four per skid. By placing 6 bbl/skid instead of four, the efficiency of handling is dramatically increased. The pallets are a fascinating innovation, as for the aging of whisky in upright barrels, why not? Take a look at the proximity of the top barrel to the upper limit of the warehouse; utilizing the low profile pallets allows for one more row, an increase of 20%...on 1.3 million bbl is a cool quarter million+ extra places. Here is a closer look at the skid and barrel placement.

@Hewie it is actually quite awe-inspiring, I remember first time I went in. And some of the staff are really nice and very knowledgeable and up for whisky banter. They also keep a lot of bottles open to allow customers a tiny sip to help the selection along. The only "problem" is that it ain't easy to leave without another bottle bought... too much temptation.

@paddockjudge So it looks like the bungs are in the side of the barrel. Interesting. I guess it means these barrels are less likely to be rolled...

@Nozinan look like they're double bunged (side and top).

@Hewie, @Nozinan, there is only one bung per barrel, it is in the barrel head. The phantom bungs in the staves (body of barrel) have been plugged. Why are there plugged bung holes?...because the barrels are ex-bourbon, where the barrels are laid on their sides with side bungs. Thes barrels in the pics have bungs on the heads because the barrels are dumped standing with a pump pulling the liquid. They are filled immediately after being dumped and then readied for the ride back to the warehouse. Some of the barrels are as old as eighty years.

@paddockjudge Very interesting. I've never seen that before. It's why we love connosr: you learn something every day.

@BlueNote, Ain't that the truth. Connosr is a good place for the exchange of information. Thank you brothers Thibeault!

@RikS, after the initial shock had faded, I cried tears of joy while admiring that beautiful pic. My curiosity is piqued, pray tell, what is the name of this fine establishment?

@paddockjudge it's the whisky exchange in Covent Garden, in London.

Price increases have made a whisky harvest out of reach for many whisky travelers.

Less than five years ago I gave a new home to a dozen bottles from New Brunswick. At that time there were some dusty bottles on the shelves in NB and it was a great place to snap up neglected bottles at neglected prices ...and Macallan had not yet announced the discontinuation of Cask Strength. In hind sight, I could have spent my hard earned CDN$1400 on 20 bottles of Mac CS, but my 10 malt picks were made up of hard-to-get bottles in my region. For fun I threw an Old Pulteney Liqueur and Forty Creek Port Wood (the last bottle of its kind listed on-line in Canada) into the mix. Today, the combined price of only Highland Park 25 YO and 2 x Old Pulteney 21 YO cost more than the entire dozen bottles from 2013, inclusive of HP 25 and 2 x OP 21.

@paddockjudge - Wow!

@RianC, six of those bottles have yet to be opened. I have an annual whisky budget and a travel budget...sometimes they get blended...depending on the opinion of the Secretary of War. She's usually very peaceful, she has a war chest of her own. Unfortunately, she isn't into whisky.

@BlueNote I love the sign about being "Lucky to look under 25" you will be asked to show your ID. I got to visit and see if I am carded.

@ajjarrett Apparently the ownership has changed. I hope it's still as good as it was a few years ago. I bought a Rattray Bowmore 15 cask strength and a Macallan 15 IB. Can't remember the name of the bottler of the Macallan, but they were both outstanding. Also got to taste a whole bunch of good stuff. Had to hang out for a while before getting back in the car.

@BlueNote

It would be a bit disappointing if the new owners got rid of the sign. It definitely adds a nice sense of humor to a situation for some can be annoying/troublesome.

Let me add a few pics of my time in Japan. The photos are of my time at the Hakushu Distillery:

And a photo of the inside of my favorite bar to go to in Tokyo, which is the Nikka's Blender's Bar. Yes, I was the only one there at the time. I like to go there when they open, so I can talk with the bartender. My Japanese is quite poor, so it is nice to get the bartenders full attention when we talk about the various whiskies.

Okay, I hope you all don't mind, but I will add another photo of my time at the Nikka Blender's Bar. Some of you might have seen photos of their flight of "Key Malts" elsewhere, but I will add my photo of the flight here for those who haven't seen it before.

I just got back home from West Yellowstone, and while enjoy Yellowstone Park, my friend (who lives in West Yellowstone) and I saw this sign and had to stop to take a photo.

Hope this photo works for this thread.

Recent trip to A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Virginia with @Dramlette, @Victor , and @Nozinan. Photo talken from angels' perch. We sampled bourbon and gin. A very nice tour, but not a lot of questions got answered. We did learn from one of the hired hands about a bottled in bond bourbon planned for the near future.

At the A. Smith Bowman Distillery in Spotsylvania County, Fredericksburg VA, they weren't selling grain; however, they were selling glass and wood to go along with the great bourbon! I couldn't resist. Picked up a stave and glass set for my youngest brother, his birthday is next month. Picked up a set for me and a serving tray with glencairns and a set of brandy glasses as well...happy birthday to me!

Not as impressive as a million sleeping barrels but nonetheless fun. This was taken last year at King's County Distillery. This is the top floor of their building, this is only about 20% of their inventory, full sized casks are housed off-site. This is mostly quarter casks and barrels that they think are ready to be bottled.