EPIC TASTINGS!

@KRB80, nice line up! You've done a great job with the formatting. I suspect the Glenrothes '98 is listed at the bottom for a reason...never could get my head around that expression.

@KRB80, lovely tasting. How many people participated?

@KRB80 That is a impressive cast of players. How many guests do you have? I would imagine the drams are are under 1/2 oz. I'm afraid my pallet would be fatigued before I got to the end of the event, but were I lucky enough to attend I'd do my very best to appreciate them all.

@paddockjudge ...The last two were just a couple that were lying around that we tasted because, as fate would have it, the night was yet to be over. LOL We tried our damndest to go from lightest to heaviest/peatiest. I think we did a fairly accurate job of it. By that time, my palate was indeed pretty burned out but I have never been one to really enjoy the Glenrothes expressions that I have tasted; this one not being an exception.

@Victor ...There were 4 of us and a few wives that partook in a few sips of various expressions.

@Benancio ...I tried to limit most of my pours to roughly .5oz judging by eye. However, some had heavier hands than others. I have no idea how they maintained. lol

This is a joint posting from me and @paddockjudge, upon successfully returning from our latest epic tasting. Our cab driver was a fellow enthusiast, though hadn't enthused tonight.

Before leaving for @talexander 's home, we paired fresh farm-baked pecan butter tarts with Booker's 2015-01. It was awesome.

At @talexander's, waiting for @jasonhambrey to show up, @paddockjudge drew a dram from Masterson's 10 YO straight wheat whiskey (made in Canada), and I tried the Crown Royal Monarch.

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Then the fun really started:

@jasonhambrey led us through a tasting of 6 Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project bottlings. It was a fascinating experience, extremely educational, and allowed us to experience the different variables that wood can impart on whiskey. These were all wheated bourbons bottled at 45%.

The one commonality of all six for @paddockjudge was the umami flavour of cured meat.

Cask 185 and 169. Coarse grained wood filled at 105 and 125 proof respectively. We both liked the 169 better. @paddockjudge says the 169 was a smooth sipper with an easy entry and a quiet exit. Something even a novice could sip all night long.

Cask 121 and 105, average wood grain, filled at 105 and 125 proof respectively. @paddockjudge felt the 121 had a Weller nose reminiscent of caramel corn, and we got hints of banana from both. 121 had traces of cardamom and bitterness with pepper and a quiet exit. We both liked the 105 best of the 2 (ranked lowest of the six by Jim Murray).

The 57 and 41, tight grain and casked at 105 and 125 proof respectively. I liked the 41 best of the two, and best of the 6. @paddockjudge liked the 41 out tof the 2, but his favourite of the 6 was the 105.

We ended by trying the standard Buffalo Trace bottling. It was as good as the others, but the rye adfded a different flavour.

We then tasted Alberta Premium 25 and 30 YO (world's oldest rye, apparently) and there was fierce discussion as to which was better with no clear outcome.

Jefferson'e 10 YO RYE followed.

Then we had a chance to try, back to cack to back, 3 extremely rare Canadian whiskies:

1. Harwood 1946 90.4 proof blended Canadian whisky for export to Baltimore MD.

2. Cadenhead's Potter's 24 Yo 100% corn whisky at 56.5 %ABV

3. Compared H2H with Highwood Calgary Stampede 25 YO, 40%, likely extremely closely related to the Cadenhead's. It tasted bigger than its ABV.

This was followed by a less rare Highwood 90 proof 20 YO 100 % corn whisky, hailing from the same stocks as the previous 2. I liked this one second best of the three and @paddockjudge had an epiphany with the 25 YO.

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Here we all started to go off on our own. Multiple bottles were traded, samples extracted, and we started tasting different things.

I have to work at 7 am so as midnight approached I had my last dram, Breizh blended french whisky 42% ABV. Wonderful nose, pleasant palate, reminded me of Writer's Tears.

@paddockjudge revisited the AP 25 and 30 and well as the Calary Stampede 25 YO.

@talexander and @jasonHambrey tried the Amrut (Bourbon) single cask and Booker's 2015-01 and then tried my 50:50 vatting, joined by @paddockjudge. It received 2 out of three positive reviews.

Somewhere in the evening the other three tried my Bladnoch 12 YO sherry cask (55%), and all agreed it could have been better, though it has improved with air over 2 months.

Then we adjourned...only because the cab arrived.

Last sunday, my wife and I sat with @Victor, @Victor's sister and neighbour and with a young couple friends of @Victor for an Epic Tasting! Let say first that @Victor act as the Maitre D and as the invited scholar for that session. Since my wife is a begginer, @Victor offered us a lesson of grain:

• Bruichladdich The classic Laddie Scottish Barler
• Try Box New Make (Corn)
• The Journeyman Distillery Buggy Whip Wheat (a very nice surprise)
• Lion's Pride Organic Spelt (quite nice)
• Koval Millet (welcome on the weird side)
• Corsair Buck Yeah! buckwheat ( to take with dark chocolate)

• Corsair Wry rye There was also one for oat but I don't remember wich one. I never was exposed to that mamy grain before and was pleased to be educated but then @Victor choosed to make our education on American Bourbons and Ryes. And what an education it was!

• Old Grand Dad 114 (a steal of a deal)

• Eagle Rare 17 yo

• Sazerac Rye (Baby Sazerac)
• Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (a big surprise and a steal of a deal)
• Old Potrero batch S (not as good as batch L, but maybe still close)
• Abraham Bowman (05/11/12) (a slick one)
• Handy Rye BTAC 2010 ( superb)
• William Larue Weller (Wonderfull)
• George T. Stagg 2013
• George T. Stagg 2010 (magnificent, layers and layers of complexity)
• Pappy Van Winkle 15 yo (2010?) (will this finish end?)

I don't remember when exactly, please don,t assume it was the alccol, but in the middle of this epic tasting we had some Jura Prophecy and some Talisker 57 for the Peat Heads among us. I will also admit there was probably a few more.

Now the star of the night was the 2010 Stagg, simply magnificent. The other star was the 15 yo Pappy with the endless finish. But for us, mere mortals who can only dream about the Pappys and the BTAC, there was some hidden jewels that I will try to put my hands on like the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof , the regular Sazerac rye, the Buggy Whip Wheat (Don't you loved that name!) and the slick Abraham Bowman.

That was an incredible day and a dream comes through. Thank you Victor to be such a good friend and to share so freely your incredible knowledge. And thank you to Victor's sister for her warm welcome and her generosity and with whom it is so easy to share a good laugh. So we drank together and talked about whiskies and music (there was two professional musicians among us) and passed a wonderfull time I will remember... Yes, it was an Epic Tasting.

@Robert99, it is good to see that you made that long drive back to Montreal safely. It was a great pleasure having you and your wife visit.

Let me add my own little tasting to this discussion. Recently held an Islay Festival Tasting for my whisky club. Had the following on the menu :

Bruichladdich Organic (palate warmer) Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015 Ardbeg Perpetuum Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2015 Caol Ila 2002 (Cask Strength by G&M) and my mystery malt of the evening: Laphroaig 14 Single Cask Old Particular by Douglas Laing as part of their Feis Ile 2015 bottling

Turned out to be a massive hit with the Caol Ila as the firm favorite. As an added bonus I brought out my 1979 Scapa by G&M for a post dinner dram.

I'd say that was a pretty epic tasting....

@Robert99 You just described my fairy tale tasting. To spend an evening with @Victor over cask strength bourbons is something I have to cross off my bucket list!

@MaltActivist I hope your wish will be granted one day and as a bonus, I hope you'll meet Victor's sister. They are such kind persons and easy to go. It was a pleasure to meet them.

@MaltActivist

As one of the fortunates who have had the opportunity to sit and taste with @Victor, I can tell you it is a very worthwhile endeavour.

@MaltActivist, One evening isn't enough! I, for one, would love to see @MaltActivist make a documentary about a Connosr gathering. Get the first one off the ground and you will most likely raise enough interest to stage a Connosr Festival each year...not to mention enough capital to float the film making aspect....just saying ;)

@paddockjudge, @MaltActivist I'M IN!!!

@paddockjudge

Me too!

@paddockjudge Sign me up for that event!

@Benancio, @Nozinan, @ Robert99, I put forth the proposition that we assemble a collective of Connosr members to have a Whisky Summit...see WHISKY SUMMIT

connosr.com/wall/discussion/…

I've been fortunate enough to attend several pretty epic tastings! Most recently, I attended a tasting of 10 single malts over 24 years old (At the Dundee Dell in Omaha), including A 29 year old Dalmore Stillman's Dram, a 30 Year old Mosstowie, and a 27 year old Longmorn distilled in 1962. I've got a full recap here: adramgooddrink.com/a-mega-tasting-at-dundee…

I also recently attended an epic Ardbeg Day celebration, which included samples of 14 Ardbeg releases, including Airigh Nam Beist, Kildalton, Still Young, and some Ardbeg-infused baked goods. It was hosted by Ardbeg's midwest Brand rep, who is super knowledgeable and generally an awesome guy. We capped off the night with some awesome Ardbeg Cocktails. Even if it wasn't the rarest selection of whiskies I've tried, it was easily the most fun I've had at a tasting. Once again, the full write-up is here, if anyone's interested: adramgooddrink.com/ardbeg-day-recap-part-2/

My favourite tasting was a Glenfarclas vertical at my local Whisky Club a year or so ago. We had Glenfarclas down to run through the range in the comfort of our local pub.

Starting with new make spirit and an in depth history of the unique production process we then moved on to the 2 main components of the Glenfarclas range. First, spirit that has matured exclusively in plain casks and then spirit matured exclusively in oloroso sherry casks. These are then vatted to make the 10 yr old. The oloroso cask is astonishing and if it were sold on its own would be a must try. The colour is similar to the dark Kavalan Soloist.

The range we then ran through was the 10, 105, 15, 21, 25 & 40.

It still sits right up there as one of my best whisky evenings.

@adramgooddrink , lawdy lawdy, those both sound awesome. I'd especially love to find a tasting of whiskies from the 60s and 70s. It's probably the only way I'll ever taste any.

@tjb That sounds absolutely amazing! Glenfarclas just might be my all time favorite distillery. I also had the pleasure of attending a Glenfarclas vertical tasting, with whiskies ranging from the 10 up to the 25. For the record, the 17 is my favorite of their regularly available offerings (Okay, the 40 is insanely good, but I can't afford that any time soon...)

@Paddockjudge came over after whisky weekend. We had a very late session that is just winding down.

We started with a "devolution" of Forty Creek. Going back through the years:

1. Three Grain Harmony

2. Evolution (Freshly opened bottle then one from last year

3. Heart of Gold

4. Portwood 2012

5. Confederation Oak (original 2010 release)

6. Double Barrel Reserve.

After that I bowed out and @Paddockjudge had his first taste ever of Amrut Portonova (Batch 1) which he quite enjoyed.

Then he tried the Lambertus...I have never heard of anyone finishing a dram, and this King of dramming not only finished it, he probably became the first person in history to survive a second dram...

But to protect him, he finished off with a dram of Laphoroaig QC.

Tonight hosted by @talexander..... Although we all started together, it eventually degenerated into a free for all. Here's what I experienced:

Before going over, @paddockjudge and I opened some bottles I had procured in Vancouver, enjoying Nikka Coffey Grain and Nikka from the Barrel, and I introduced him to OGD 114.

At the main event:

1. Mystery Whiskey 1 - Writer's Tears

2. Mystery Whisky 2 - Glenfiddich 15 Solera (a surprise - better than I remember)

3. Hakushu 12 YO

4. Glengrant SMWS (sorry didn't get the number) 25 YO 55.6%

5. SMWS 13 YO Macallan (1st fill Sherry) - this was vegetal...

6. SMWS Miltonduff 72.38 28 YO refill bourbon Hogshead - star of the evening

7. King County Distillery Bourbon Barrel #14

8. MIchter's small batch Bourbon 45.7%

9. Dad's Hat Rye 45%

10. Went back for more Miltonduff - fantastic stuff!

11. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 67.8% - had over an hour and it kept getting better and better.

12. Highwood 90/20 - another star performer!

13. Middleton Rare Blend 2015

14. Elmer T. Lee SIngle Barrel 2013-329

15. Hine 1983 Early Landed Cognac. - elegance in a glance

16. Bowmore Tempest Batch 5

Great people, great whisky, great time!

Judging by the typos, I must have had a great time on Saturday...

I forgot to mention Cutty Sark Prohibition made an appearance, but I didn't list it because I skipped it...

Tonight we had the original members of my whisky club together, an intimate affair of 5 people. Two have been living out of town for the past 2.5 years so there was a lot to talk about and a good time was had by all. Some good whiskies were had as well:

1. We started of with a Mackmyra small cask 46% - very fruity and pleasant. Water made it creamier but more bitter.

2. Solan Indian Malt whisky - this one was panned by most of the group. I can't bring myself to write some of the descriptions. It saddened me because it's not bad for the price point.

3. Nikka from the Barrel - received medium to good reviews.

4. Cutty Sark Prohibition - I skipped this one but the three who tried it found it interesting and gave it average marks.

5. Arran 12 YO SMWS 121.76 cask strength ex-refill bourbon - This one was a hit. The nose started off slow but grew, and it had an citrus effervescence I have never had before. Water killed it.

6. Amrut Peated Cask Strength batch 12 - Another hit. I skipped it as I know it well. It was tied for top marks on the night. The Ashok manoeuvre was a success.

7. Bowmore Tempest Batch V - Solid performer, enjoyed by all. Tastes better every time I have it. Was my personal favourite of the evening.

8. Ardbeg Uigeadail, the bottle I picked up in Calgary - Another Hit. It tied for highest marks. Left my tongue feeling like an old ash tray - in a good way. I have asked my brother in law to rescue another bottle for me.

In all a very enjoyable afternoon and evening, and for the first time in recent memory, I have fewer sealed (full, unopened) bottles in my cabinet than I started the year with!

Jim Beam is my distillery of the year. To celebrate I had an Epic Jim Beam Flight for new years 1. Jim Beam Signature Craft Harvest Collection - 11yr Soft Red Wheat 2. Jim Beam Signature Craft Harvest Collection - 11yr Brown Rice 3. Jim Beam Signature Craft Harvest Collection - 11yr High Rye 4. Jim Beam Signature Craft Harvest Collection - 11yr Rolled Oat 5. Jim Beam Signature Craft - 12yr Straight Bourbon 6. Jim Beam Signature Craft - Rare Spanish Brandy 7. Jim Beam Signature Craft - 4-5yr Quarter Cask 8. Jim Beam Masterpiece PX Sherry Finish

@newreverie, I eagerly await reading your reviews of these new Beam products, and gettting the chance to taste them for myself. I am very much in 'try before you buy' mode with new acquisitions. Nowadays most things have to "wow" to be considered for purchase for me.

I am especially interested in the Jim Beam wheat and oat products.

@Victor The only issue i take with the Harvest collection is that they are in 375ml bottles. I usually stay away from these because I never feel like I get my money's worth, each are in the $40 range. Of the Harvest Collection I think that the Brown Rice and Rolled Oat are superb. The wheat is great, but it doesn't hit me with anything new.

The Brown rice on the other hand has a candied yam quality to it - Cinnamon, brown sugar, marshmellow, pecans, and a sweet potatoe/yam that has been charred over a fire and then baked.

For the rolled oat, i need to taste it again, but I recall it having the best nose and being exceptionally smooth. The flavor profile was much more nuanced and harder to pick out specific characteristics.

Many thanks to @Victor and @Dramlett for hosting me this weekend. We tasted together on both Friday and Saturday afternoon. Tasting with @Victor is always a wonderful experience. There is always good spirit, good conversation, and good food. On Saturday we tasted at his sister’s house (who also graciously fed us). And I believe he attended another tasting session tonight? That guy is a machine.

Here is what we drank in order between 2pm and midnight on Friday. Yes, it was a lot . . . but we had very small samples, plenty of water, and we averaged about 2 tastes per hour (with a break to hit a liquor store and have dinner).

Aberlour A’Bunadh 60.2% Batch 45 – both from my bottle and @Victor’s bottle of the same batch . . . his bottle was noticeably better than mine. It goes to show that just because you are drinking from the same batch doesn’t mean it will always taste the same from bottle to bottle. Who knows . . . so many variables.

Glendronach CS 55.2% Batch 2

Clynelish 63.8% (Signatory) 7yo 2008- 2015

BenRiach 21yo Authenticus 46%

Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor 58%

Ballechin 10yo 46%

Ballechin #5 Marasala Cask 46%

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2014 51.4%

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015 51.5%

Laphroaig 1998 (14yo Signatory) 56.2%

Glen Moray Port Cask Finish 40% (apparently I didn’t get any of the sulfur on the finish . . . so I might well be sulfur blind).

Pikesville Straight Rye 40%

Alberta Premium 40%

Whistle Pig Rye 50%

Talisker 57 North

Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee 55%

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% (17/11/2015)

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof 66.70%

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 12yo 69.9% (8th Release)

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof 12yo 67.8% (9th Release)

I will have to take a break before I tell you about the tasting session on Saturday!

Cracked open the new bottle of Taylor Seasoned Wood with my dad. Seemed the only thing to do was to taste some other fine bourbons with it. We also closed out with an amazing Brandy.

1. Blade and Bow 22yr
2. Elijia Craig 18yr
3. Pappy Van Winkle 23yr
4. E H Taylor Seasoned Wood
5. William Larue Weller 2015
6. George T Stagg 2014
7. E H Taylor Barrel Proof 2015 (different and yet just as good as the 2014, no strawberries)
8. Torres Jaime I Brandy Reserva de la Familia

@newreverie Wow, most of those are on my "Holy Grail" list--except for Blade & Bow and EH Taylor Seasoned Wood, neither of which I've ever even heard of (not that I've ever seen any of the others, but I've read about them, and seen pictures...). I can hardly imagine trying them all at one sitting...