So, what are you drinking now?

Had my favourite summer long drink this evening...

President's Choice diet tonic water, fresh lime, and lots of ice.

I'm looking forward to re-trying the Wiser's Seasoned wood as soon as I can get my hands on it.

I just open a Bunnahabhain 18 which was purchased back in 2013. Frankly, it's lovely. Amber with that 22 carat gold colour. Malty barley sugar with honey sherried nose. Oily mouth feel, with walnut, honey caramel sweet and sour liquorice flavour, touch of salt. Peppery, leather. Medium to long drying, ... lingering finish because my tongue and brain are telling me, "this is complex"!

Last night, Aultmore 14 year (Sep. 2001) SMWS 73.78 "Zingy, effervescent and intriguing" from a refill ex-Sherry butt.

Tonight, Aultmore 18 year (Feb. 1997) SMWS 73.72 "A ray of sunshine" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead.

Finishing with an Ardbeg 9 year (May 2007) SMWS 33.135 “Peat-reek and barbeque char” from a Second-fill ex-Oloroso Sherry Butt.

Glen Elgin 12, followed by killing off my bottle of Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2008 and finishing the night with Ardbeg 10 year (L67765 6/20/17 17006181 16:27)

My 3 week old Ardbeg An Oa is down about a third now and I have been quite underwhelmed. Bought it because it was a good price in Oregon. Tonight I decided to add a splash of Corryvreckan and it was totally transformed. I’m thinking I might just dump about 50ml into the remainder of the bottle.

Writers Tears with a good splash of Port Askaig 100 proof. NIce.

Suntory Toki, for the first time. I like it better than I thought I would. The "grain" whisky component was quite pronounced, yet for me it worked.

@BlueNote are you taking the an oa neat or with some water?

@Victor I too enjoyed Toki a lot more than I expected. Everyone kept telling me how light it was, but that was not my experience. It was certainly bright, with fresh sweet plumbs, red licorice and graham cracker. My only criticism would be that it is a bit young, but otherwise enjoyable. I don’t have any other Japanese whisky experiences to compare it too though.

@Mancub, interesting. Japanese whisky is a lot of fun, but the selection available has greatly narrowed since the world-wide run on Japanese age-statement products occurred about 4 years ago. From all reports, even at the distilleries in Japan it is now rare to find age-stated whiskies available for purchase. Prices are a lot higher now too, in most countries. Yesterday I passed up the opportunity to replace my 7 years open $ 45 bottle of Yamazaki 12 yo with a new $ 80 bottle. I expect I will want to replace that bottle when I actually finish it, but there is no hurry.

@Victor Myself, and many others here would jump all over that for $80, I’m sure. But if you’ve had a bottle for that long and it’s still not empty, I can see it not being a priority. Other than a couple not well known blends, we can get the Hibiki Harmony here, but at $110 i’d rather just sample it.

@Mancub Don't forget that $80 US is more than $100 Canadian right now...

@Nozinan I’m aware, I usually get paid in USD for work. Even still, I would buy at that price!

@RikS Just neat so far. I’ll try it with a couple of drops next time. Does water improve it?

I like both Toki & Hikibi Harmony neat or with an ice cube in the summer. The Toki is a very good entry level Japanese whiskey with a touch of malt, gain, pleasant wood spice and a sense of backyard peat fire combined but well balance. The Harmony is smoother but twice as much. Toki is between $46 to $65 in Calgary, AB. Harmony is around $120. I can consider a Chivas Regal 21 for the same price. These are all blended. The price on Nikka in Craftcellar website are Miyagiko15/ $679, Taketsuru17/$320, Yochi10/$350.!!! These prices are 4 to 5x compare to 5 years ago. They grow faster than Apple Stock Happy Father's Day to everyone.

@BlueNote in my opinion a huge difference. Neat it was really tight and nervous and I didn't much take to it. With some water she really opened up and became rather rich, sweet and voluptuous. It's probably the only whisky to which I always add a drop or three. Try it and let it rest a few minutes and I hope you have the same experience.

Laddie 8 tonight excellent from beginning to end got around 2 pours left in bottle may just finish it tonight.

@RikS Thanks for the tip. I think you just decided my Sunday afternoon dram for me.

Cheers.

Went out to dinner with friends last night. Started with a barrel aged Manhattan made with Evan Williams black, Cocchi Torino and Angustura bitters.

Had a Buffalo Trace bourbon with dessert. Fun night!

My only recent drink: basic Jameson, straight from the bottle, shared with some girls in the next campsite after I helped them with their tent on night 1 of a weekend-long music festival.

It tasted way better than it usually does.

@MadSingleMalt Basic level whisky under the stars seems to taste better than it does in a Glencairn at home.

I had a similar experience singing folk songs at an organic camp outside NYC and trying my first ever bourbon, Basil Hayden, in a plastic cup.

@RikS Just finished up a dram of AnOa. You’re right, a little water is what it needs. Little being the operative word. I think you could very easily drown it if you weren’t careful. I still gave it a little Corryvreckan tuneup and it was even better.

@MadSingleMalt you’re my hero. The old “can I help you girls” never fails. “it never tasted better” No kidding. Did they giggle? I won’t ask where Mrs MSM was all the while. :smirk Just messing with you Bro.

@Pete1969 I wondered what this was like. Are you able to compare it to the Laddie 10 or the Laddie Classic? I just missed out on buying one of these recently - it should be available later on in the year so I'll have another look then.

Opened my Father's day bottle of Pulteney 12 last night. As good as the last on first impressions. Damn it's easy to drink . . . I love the sweet, salty combo - the balance is really quite good and a silky mouth feel for 40%. I reckon Pulteney is one of those rare malts (in my experience) that holds reasonably well at 40%.

@Hewie The Laddie Classic is a classic! If you find it, snap it up. Get one for me, too. I'll find a way to get it.

But don't confuse it with the Classic Laddie...

@Nozinan How could anyone confuse those two? It’s not like the names are nearly identical.

Did indeed enjoy Anchor Distilling Old Potrero Straight Rye while listening to Beck's version of Sound and Vision (see: Whisky Drinkin' Music), while my partner had Kavalan Solist (Ex-Bourbon cask), and Dad had Macallan 18. All in all a very nice Father's Day...

@Nozinan ha ha that's what you get when you're trying to reply quickly while multitasking. Silly naming convention anyway :)

@Hewie That Laddie Classic is a Holy Grail whisky for me...No laughing matter.