So, what are you drinking now?

Going with a little sake tonight, been trying a few different things lately.

Dram #1 from my newly procured bottle of Balvenie 21 yo Portwood. Life is excellent!

@Victor...Excellent to see you took the plunge on the Balvenie!! Enjoy a dram for me! :)

Final pour from my Compass Box Lady Luck bottle

Talisker 10 Year Old

I am currently enjoying a late night dram of glenfiddich 15 outside on my deck. It is a warm night here in southern california and this is very light, refreshing drink.

Last night I had a glass of Jefferson's Presidential Select 18, followed by Glen Breton 10. I have noticed that the GB 10 may be degrading ever so slightly now that the bottle is more than 1/2 empty after being open for about 8 months. So as a little experiment, I poured the GB 10 into the unrinsed glass that had held the JPS 18. The fruit notes of the JPS (cherry, orange rind, a little lemon even) seemed to complement the softer notes of the GB (mainly a peach note) while softening the slightly astringent note that has crept in to the GB 10.

Long day at work, now listening to radio Paradise, surfing the net, and drinking a bit of Dalwhinnie 15 yr, just unwinding now.

Last of my Mortlach. I apologize for my recent absence, as I'm remodeling my kitchen and preparing to travel to Islay next week. I'm drinking down my collection before I go so as to not leave too much open stock for the house-sitter. Is this wrong?

@Wodha No. its wrong for some one to drink another mans scotch. ha

Over the holiday weekend here in North America, I tried my first dram of Te Bheag, a bottle of which has found it into my collection courtesy of an early birthday present from my wonderful wife. She gets especially excited when she has bought me a gift early, and usually has me open something that she has gotten for me, prior to the actual day. She had been holding the bottle of Te Bheag for me for over a week. This one had been on my wishlist for quite a while, and it is even better than I thought it would be, based on the Connosr reviews that I have read. An awesome blending of 'Talisker meets Speyside' (hey, that might be the title for my future review of the bottle!!)

Yesterday sitting and reading on the front porch with the aforementioned awesome wife, on a chilly (about 18C / 65F) Labour Day, a dram of Lagavulin 16 kept me warm. This was followed (oddly, but nicely) by a measure of Strathisla 12...very nice way to spend an afternoon.

I am just polishing off a bottle of Benriach Curiositas.....it's been open for long enough now!

Highland Park 12. One of my all time favorites. When I was just starting out on the Single Malt journey I'd be in the liquor stores, I'd ask people standing at the wall of Scotch what they drank. One was a little old blue-haired lady, about four feet talk. She said, "Do you like peat?" I said "I dunno." She then said she did and she was looking for Highland Park. I made a mental note. She had good taste.

Soft, sherried and tasty: Singleton 12 40% (best all around), Aberlour Double Cask 12 43%, Balvenie Doublewood 12 43%, Glenrothes 1992 43% (best flavor), Bunnahabhain 12 40%, Auchentoshan 3-Wood 43% (best sherry) Soft and flavorful (no sherry): Glenmorangie 10 43%, Auchentoshan 12 40%. All of the above are truly wonderful ... but that Singleton is soft and rich, just as advertised !

Last night, a dram of Koval Lion's Pride Dark Wheat whiskey was in order, as a nice, complimentary, chaser to a Muskoka Brewery Craft Lager...another nice combination.

Last night was a flight of drams, sampled with 'WhiskyJoe' from 'birthday bottles' that I had received over the past month leading up to my 35th yesterday:

• Glengoyne 10 (nice clean, clear malt flavour, with a little lemon?...I will sample this further to hone my identification of subtle notes...very nice starter to the evening)
• Te Bheag (the previously noted Talisker meets sherried Speyside, which just an awesome blend, at a great price...WhiskyJoe liked it so much, he is looking to get a bottle to satisfy his Talisker cravings!
• Parker's Heritage Collection (4th ed.) 10 yo wheated bourbon. At 62.1% abv, this one is big flavours, but being a wheat bourbon, it is still quite smooth for the abv. For me, malt/cocoa chocolate, vanilla, a healthy (though not overpowering) does of oak, and with water a nice toffee note. This one kept changing though, so further research is required! ;)
• A fourth bottle that I was suprised to receive, again from my wonderful wife, was Port Charlotte 'An Turas Mor', another bottle on my wishlist that is on the 'discontinued' inventory of the LCBO. After waiting awhile after the PHC 10, I sampled this...awesome peat with a smooth, fresh, but still bold, finish that I identified (at least once) as something akin to violets growing on moss...very interesting and something I had not experienced before. Overall, a wonderful birthday!

@Pudge72 ...learn to spell check! :)

•Te Bheag ...Speyside, which IS just an awesome blend... •Parker's Heritage Collection ...vanilla, a healthy (though not overpowering) DOSE of oak... •A fourth bottle that I was SURPRISED to receive...

@Pudge72 Well played. Happy Birthday!

@Pudge72, spellcheck? ...yes, apparently the doctor ordered a therapeutic dose of ethanol! Happy 35th!

Hosted a tasting this week with a bottle if Oloroso sherry, a bottle of ruby port, and four single malts that have spent time in sherry or port casks: Balvenie 12 Double Wood, Macallan 12, Aberlour 12 Double Cask, and Glenmorangie 12 Quinta Ruban (extra matured in port). The two favorites were the Glenmorangie and the Aberlour. The latter being especially good with a cigar.

All in all, it was enjoyable to try the single malts along with their grape based cousins. It produced a new level of appreciation for the craft of finishing or maturing in repurposed casks.

Next on the list is a bottle of Sauternes and the Glenmorangie 12 Nectar D'Or.

@Pudge72 Happy 35th, my friend. I'm having a Brora 28 and Brora 30 tonight. Great stuff.

@markjedi1 Brora: One of the world's best.

Thank you so much 'Wodha', 'Victor', and 'markjedi1' for the birthday wishes. It was indeed a wonderful 35th. Today, I cracked open the Bowmore Tempest that I had also purchased with birthday gifts. It took a while, but the lemon pepper taste that I had read so much about finally appeared on the finish (most notably). Very nice...I will try this cask strength offering with water at another time to see what happens.

Also, while watching the Chicago Bears actually win an NFL game in convincing fashion, I had another dram of the 'An Turas Mor'...a dangerously addictive peater for sure! :) Currently, with the Jets/Cowboys game on, I am enjoying a reprise of the PHC 10 yo wheated bourbon. Just noticed a slight 'fizzy cola' (likely a by-product of the high abv) note on the finish, along with the oak/dark chocolate notes.

My final (I think) birthday present arrived today, courtesy of my friend Chris, who somehow found a bottle of Grand Old Parr 12 yo blended Scotch whisky! I had hoped he would be able to pick one up from BevMo in California when he flew there for work this week. As best as I can guess, either his friend in Texas or a relative in Ohio was able to bring a bottle with them on a recent visit to Ontario.

As per the 'What is your most prized bottle' thread, this bottle has great personal meaning to me, so I am very appreciative for his efforts. I will be opening this bottle in just over a months' time. Thank you Chris.

10 year old Tomatin this evening....keepin it light

Spent another delightful evening at the Miners Delight in the lovely Atlantic City, Wyoming.

The highlight was a taste of the Shackelton. I had ordered a bottle and was happy that Bob had a little left behind the bar so I gave it a try. I have to say, it was quite a good dram. Frankly I was a little upset because I was thinking of holding on to it for a while for trade, but I don't think it will make it that long. :)

Some branches to chop into logs for firewood courtesy of last nights storm, and then a glass of Balvenie Signature with some cheese and biscuits, I think...

Glenlivet. Gets better with age, smooths out and develops complexity. At the start I found it too in your face.

Nikka pure malt black for me

Having a dram of aberlour a'bunadh scotch b30 after dinner with a piece of sea salt caramel dark chocolate. Finally after being open a couple of months I can say either it's getting better (less harsh) or I am.

Enjoyed some Highland Park 12 last night from a friend's bottle. It is opening up now that the bottle has been open for over three months. Caught a slight note of fresh cigarette tobacco on the finish a couple of times...interesting...worked well with the salty notes.