So, what are you drinking now?

I've been on a bit of a whisky hiatus lately but now I'm back and feeling good! Started off with some Ballechin 10 that really have gotten into its groove with some air-time and now moving on to springbank 10. Who knows where this'll end!

A'bunadh 55!

@Alexsweden how is it? I'm still on 47...

@Nozinan, I may be buying Aberlour A'bunadh in the future in Ontario. In the last 2 years my local stores have raised the price on A'bunadh to LCBO-esque levels (get this: non-sale price of US$ 152.59 out the door). I have no understanding of how this or any other bureaucratic system functions with respect to alcohol acquisition, pricing, and distribution. 'Shitty-shitty bang-bang', we do not love you.

Six years ago, in 2011, my county had probably the best whisky prices, on average, on earth. The erosion of that boon has been gradual and progressive. I am very very glad that I have lots of the good stuff stored away and do not have to rely on current market conditions.

In 2011 two bottles of Pappy Van Winkle 23 yo sat on a shelf 2 km from me for a year+ at $ 180 plus tax out the door. I laughed then at the thought of paying $ 200 for a bottle of whisk(e)y. They did not sell those two bottles until the manager discounted them to $ 120 each. How things have changed!

@Victor , yikes! That A'bunadh price is about double the normal going rate in the US. Boooo...

@MadSingleMalt, yep, and 2.5 times what it cost here in these same stores 4 years ago.

@Victor Prices for A'Bunadh have shot up out west. I only bought s couple there (my brother in law found a batch 30 and 27 when everyone else was buying late 30s or early 40s). I used to see them tor $80-$85 and now I hear the going rate is $120+.

Meanwhile, in Ontario, the price was $94.95. A couple of hears ago they jacked up the price to $95.05 and in the last year or so there were 2 increases, first to $99.95 and now $100.25. The two small increases were likely related to changes in tax.

Sadly, I have no intention to add more A'Bunadhs to my collection, even as it becomes relatively well-priced.

@Nozinan, the 55 is good. Very good actually with true intensity in the flavors. BUT I have to say that the 47 is better.

Friday evening, sitting down to unwind from a long week. I poured the last of my Ardbeg 10 but there's not enough for a full dram. So, I added some Bunnahabhain 12 for a "vatting". The sherry complements the peat very nicely - I should have tried this earlier.

@Nozinan A'Bunnadh is one of the few NAS whiskies that might make me temporarily suspend my boycott. I've heard so many good things and tried a wee dram of it at my friend's place a few weeks ago. I didn't get to see the batch number though....

@OdysseusUnbound The last A'Bunadh I bought was Batch #21 quite a few years ago. It was around $70. It is now $138 (in BC) and off my malt menu. I now look to Glendronach or Glenfarclas when I crave a sherry monster.

Last night, a small gathering of my club drank through those blind Campbeltowners I listed earlier in this thread. The two blends (Mitchell's and Campbeltown Loch) did better than I expected, with a couple folks being fans of those, at least before they got through the malts.

The Kilkerran and the Glen Scotia seemed pretty similar: sharp & clean. I was surprised (disappointed, really) to find that I preferred the Glen Scotia. After all these years of drinking the WIPs and looking forward to finally tasting that Kilkerran 12, I think I had my hopes up too high.

The bottom line for me, though, was the standout performance of the Springbank 10. It's just so damn good: broad flavor spectrum, tasty, rounded just enough, and plenty of oomph. It earned my vote!

Talisker 57 Degrees North. I have missed this. Yummy, yummy, yummy.

@MadSingleMalt I've had the Kilkerran 12 open for about a month now. I'm going to try it again and see if it has changed at all.

@Victor I've missed it too. I guess I'm going to have to pull the trigger on it even though it is now an atrocious price.

@BlueNote, yes you do need to buy It right. Have somebody bring Talisker 57 N in from abroad, or find some way to get it at duty free. BC and ON prices are silly.

@OdysseusUnbound, Talisker 57 Degrees North is another NAS which you should try.

@Victor I'll have to take your word on 57 North since buying it would violate my moratorium....I'm currently having a Manhattan made with Wiser's Double Still Rye. The dry, umami notes of this Rye are a nice counterpoint to the sweet vermouth.

@Victor The problem is not with the taste of NAS whiskies. I object to the shady secrecy, the shameless marketing and lack of transparency. Oh, and as a philosophy teacher, I object to the abundance of logical fallacies used by marketing people, er, "whisky outreach specialists". It's insulting.

@OdysseusUnbound, yes, we all understand one another with respect to those NAS matters. As long as secrecy is seen by the producers to benefit the producers, as it continues to be seen, the secrecy will continue, and they will "get away with it". If this ever changes I don't think it will come by consumer pressure, but from marketplace pressure from competitors who win favour from the public through transparency. SWA is doing a nice job so far of preventing those pressures toward transparency and honest representation from getting off the ground by persecuting anyone who tries to do it. So who knows, what legal authority does "non-profit" trade association SMA have, anyway? Expulsion from membership, with resulting ostracism from EU distribution? Ostracism of John Glaser from selling him any whiskies made by its members? Loss of licensure as a whisky vendor?

@Victor If this ever changes I don't think it will come by consumer pressure, but from marketplace pressure from competitors who win favour from the public through transparency.

I feel like I'm exerting consumer pressure and market pressure by boycotting NAS and by writing to distilleries. Email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, all of it. I'm one insignificant person, but I want them to know I'm upset enough to write/comment AND spend my dollars elsewhere. Maybe if more people follow suit, some will pick up on it. In fact, I think Bruichladdich is already campaigning for greater transparency. It's something...

OK, time for George T. Stagg 2012. This never gets old,...or weak. (71.4% ABV)

@Victor My sister in law will be in the UK in the fall. If she is willing and my brother in law doesn't want anything, I will order some 57 North and a few minis for her to bring back. I'll then get them later in the fall or winter as they will be in Calgary.

@Victor Good idea, sitting down to watch the Alabama/Florida St game. A 2012 GTS is a worthy pour for this game.

It's breakfast time right now, so I'm drinking tea. Later today I will raise a dram of the best I can find in honour of the late Walter Becker of Steely Dan fame. He was one half of one of the most creative musical partnerships of their (or any) generation. R.I.P. Walter, you are now, sadly "on the other side of no tomorrow."

Out on my deck. The sad thing is that this is the 1st time this year I have sat out by my fire pit to listen to the sounds of the forest and look up at the stars. Summer's over.

@dcbill That is a Laphroaig I have never seen or heard of. What's the verdict?

@BlueNote Brodir is a travel store exclusive and I picked up this bottle at the duty free store at the Edinburgh, Scotland airport a couple weeks ago. I have never done an actual review, so I will explain as best I can... it is very peaty like you would expect from a Laphroaig but it is not as iodine(ish) or medicinal as the 10 YO... it has a delicious sweetness that you would expect from a whisky finished in a Port cask. I think it is outstanding, while not knocking my socks off like I thought it might... it is a winner for sure.

@dcbill Looks like the perfect dram for it!

I'm headed back to work tomorrow after 2 months off. I'm also kicking off a "Whole 30" challenge so no dairy, no grains and toughest of all, no booze. Ergo I'm having a dram or two of my Lagavulin Distillers Edition. Still such great stuff. I'm hoping to find a bottle of the Lagavulin 12 Year Old CS sooner rather than later.