So, what are you drinking now?

Meaning that either the LCBO or Laphroaig is misleading.

@Victor No doubt... But I don't blame Laphroaig. Based on the Connosrs here that I know, they wouldn't be able to supply the demand...

@Nozinan Oh dear, a classic catch 22

@Nozinan, no Laphroaig 10 CS in all of Canada sounds either like a Laphroaig/Beam Suntory or a Canadian national government decision, not a provincial government decision. If Alberta could get it, Alberta would have it.

Probably Laphroaig/Beam, just guessing based on the erratic assortment of malts they distribute to each market.

For whatever reason, they lavish us American peatheads with truckloads of Cairdeas every year, heaps of 10 CS at bargain prices, and the standard 10 with the amped-up ABV. From what I hear, no other major market (Canada, Australia, UK, continental Europe) gets anything even close to that peaty pleasure portfolio.

And @Victor , thanks for the shout above about the 10 CS being the best damn whisky on the market—at least the American market. Honest, age-stated, big-balls Islay peat year after year for $60 a pop is just exceptional today. I know I've said this before, but I will 100% NOT be surprised if that train stops rolling one day and we all look back wondering why we didn't appreciate it more while we had it.

@MadSingleMalt, you are very welcome on my acknowledgement about your "top pick whisky in the world" for the Laphroaoig 10 Cask Strength. When you are right, you are right. BTW I agree with you about the liklihood of Laphroaig 10 CS's impending scarcity/price jack-up. I think that we in the USA will be lucky if we get another year or two of the current price and availability of Laphroaig 10 CS before going to that wine-searcher.com UK average price of $ 190. I won't be buying at $ 190. I will be drinking from my stored stocks.

@Victor, if stocks of 10 CS do dry up, you can be sure we'll all be pointing our malty fingers at the Laphroaig marketing geniuses who've been diverting their whisky into unnecessary brand extensions like Select, Four Wood, Lore, and whatever other NAS things they're putting crowding our shelves with lately.

I'm having some Dissertation at the moment and I'm surprised at how it's changed since I first opened it. Much more toasted coconut flavour now. Very interesting.

@OdysseusUnbound It's a fine whisky. I need to come back to it to see if I want to bunker some.

Not a whisky, but a fine spirit nevertheless doorly's 12. Not bad at all, but I still prefer the slightly cheaper XO.

@MadSingleMalt Thats superb price for Laphroaig CS, I would start stockpiling it with those prices. If you ever get the chance, try the older Laphroaig Cask strenghts, those that came with green tubes at early to mid 2000s. Much more medicinal notes and a lot less dry smoke. I'm so sad, that I didn't stockpile those when they were dirt cheap. Last three to last for a life time, so one in every other decade i guess...

@HHJones , I have indeed been stockpiling the Laphroaig 10 CS! :) I don't have mountains of it or anything, but at least 3 in the stash—that's a lot for me. I hope the day never comes when I have to spread them out "one in every other decade."

I have zero hope of ever finding an older Laphroaig CS in the green tube. I've never seen one in real life, and I snoop the scotch shelf at just about every store I pass. Sounds great, though.

@MadSingleMalt If I had the opportunity at the prices I'm seeing in the US, I would definitely stock up on Laphroaig CS. Unfortunately we can only dream about buying it here in Canada at any price. So I choose to dream about buying it and OGD 114, both at $25 a bottle.

Since we're dreaming...

I'm having some Lot 40, and after about 6 weeks open, I'm getting some cherry notes. This is great stuff. And judging by the Internet rumour mill, Lot 40 Cask Strength is all but a done deal this fall !!

@OdysseusUnbound If you can get your hands on it. There won't be much. I'll make a list of anyone who wants me to grab and hold some (if I'm able to).

Similarly, I'm in for 2.

@Nozinan If I can't get one in Barrie, I'll be in touch. It's great stuff at 43%, can't wait to try it at 55%? 58%? 60%?

@OdysseusUnbound I like it better at CS than at 43%, which is also good.

Since getting blackout drunk on a Tuesday night is frowned upon, I've moved on to Lapsang Souchong tea.

This list is extensive - tried in Speyside over the weekend. Took tours at Macallan, Balvenie, and Glenlivet. Visited glenfarclas, cardhu, glenfiddich, Glen Grant, and aberlour. Highlights included the 43yo at Balvenie and the 18yo Caol Ila. Some that I was hoping to try weren't available - Yamasaki 18 and talked sled 18 among them - despite being at the Quaich Bar with its selection of 800 whiskies. A lot of the distilleries had sold out of distillery only bottlings following the Speyside whisky festival unfortunately.

Balvenie 3 straight draws from casks (12-14 yo bourbon and Sherry) 12 doublewood 12 single cask 15 single cask 21 Portwood 25 43

Glenfarclas 17 25 Family casks 2002 (4 variants)

Glendronach Revival 15 Parliament 21

Springbank 21

Glenmorangie Signet

Highland Park Valkarie

Glen Grant 10 Majors reserve 18

Macallan New make Amber Sienna Masters distiller edition 12 18

Cardhu 18 Oban 14 Caol ila 18 Caol ila DE Talisker distillers ed.

Glenlivet Straight draw from the barrel (Sherry cask - 15yo) single cask 15yo New make Single cask library ed 12 15 18 21 Nadurra

@nooch , you got any pictures you could share from those tours?

My latest dram was this past weekend: Laphroaig 18. It's not a world-beater, but it's very good.

My girlfriend, who is definitely not a whisky drinker, said it smelled great. She even said that I smelled great from drinking it! Which was all a plus, as I then had free rein to dram in bed & read while she slept.

@MadSingleMalt as soon as I'm home in the comfortable embrace of wifi I'll upload some.

Springbank 15....I think this is the only Springbank I have ever had that I am indifferent to. Too much sherry cask influence, imo.

Not sure where else to post this. I already posted a tasting list here - so this looks like as good a spot as any. I organized a trip to Speyside for my father, brother, brother in law, and I for my father's 70th birthday. Trip was s weeklong and went quite well. Tried lots of whisky.

I've included a few photos from various tastings and distilleries. I also included one from a guided tour of Skye (that did not include a stop at Talisker - near as I can tell, there isn't a bottle of Talisker 18 in Northern Scotland. I looked). Went to Balvenie, Glenfiddich, Glenfarclas, Glen Grant, Macallan, Aberlour, Cardhu, and Glenlivet. Did three tours, all of which were very different. Did tastings elsewhere. Balvenie pushed the 'hand crafted' angle hard. Great tour. Very personal. They have a malting floor and cooperage, which made the tour that much more interesting. We were walked through the process beginning to end in great detail. Great drams to try there, including a 43yo. Macallan tour was truncated due to both construction of their new visitor centre (which looks like it will be spectacular) and distillery. The day we were there they had had a problem in their still room so no tours where going there. The guide pushed the notion that age statements aren't as important as taste, which some of you will be interested to know given discussions on the other thread. I didn't push back too hard because I didn't think there was much to be gained by arguing with a tour guide mid tour. Tasting included the 18yo, which is pretty fantastic stuff. Glenlivet's tour was the most streamlined. They redid their visitor experience and expanded their distillery in 2009, and it showed. Guide was great. Lots of whisky in a gorgeous tasting room in the end (pictured). He gave me some 21 yo to try upon request at the end as well.

Balvenie was the best tour. Personal. Very informative. Both glenlivet and balvenie give you drams they pull from the cask in the warehouse mid tour. We also nosed a cask that is 63yo at Balvenie. It smelled like heaven. They are trying to get it to 70yo before bottling.
You can't drive with alcohol in your system in Scotland, so I pre arranged taxi pickup and drop off times, which saved us a bundle vs getting a guide. I highly recommend that approach if anyone ever plans on going. We used tawse taxi, and our driver, Eleanor, was great. Very friendly and informative. We stayed at the highlander inn. The owner wasn't there, so I wasn't able to get insight into Japanese whisky as I had hoped too. Also, despite 300+ whiskies at the Highlander Inn and 800+ at The Quaich Bar at the Craigellachie Hotel I was unable to try 3 drams that were on their list but were sold out. Yamasaki 18, talisker 18, and highland park 21. Tried lots of other great stuff though. Caol Ila 18 was a highlight. I bought a bottle. Springbank 21 is fantastic. Glendronach 21 is great too.

We also went to inverness and toured Skye (which I included a picture of below). If anyone has any questions and are planning a trip to Speyside let me know and I'll help where I can.

Slainte!

Some other pics from tastings and distilleries below.

Balvenie

Great photos @nooch, posting here is fine.

But maybe we need a So, what are you visiting right now?

Tasting at Cardhu

Macallan.

Gardens at Glen Grant. £5 entry fee for the garden included some "wee drams".