So, what are you drinking now?

@OdysseusUnbound I sense marching orders pending...

@Nozinan If only I had the power to give anyone anywhere any kind of orders.

Tax Time (business)!

My taxes are due before July 1. Canada Day is July 1.

Wiser's 2018 is the Canada Day release.

So it all makes sense.

It's ok, but it doesn't send me to the moon and back.

As I'm all the way over here in NZ I get to sit down with my end of the week, Friday night dram, before (most of) you. Tonight, after a beer, it is a glass of Port Charlotte Heavily Peated. That wintergreen note is really prominent tonight @RianC I can see a fair amount of barrel char drifting in the bottom of the bottle too - extra goodness!

@Hewie - Good stuff! Yes my bottle had a lot of sediment, none to speak of in the Laddie 10 though?

I'm having a Balvenie 12 SB whilst feeling the effects of a little too much unprotected sun exposure earlier today . . . no back slapping please!

An Oa, paired with some crisp roasted pork belly. Yes, I postponed the swimsuit diet so that it starts tomorrow...

Behind in my posting again... Sorry. Two nights ago, Ardbeg 10 year (Lot # L67765 6/20/17 17006181 16:27). I am really enjoying this bottle a lot! It had a sweet ash quality this time that I really liked! Don't remember that on previous tastings. Not sure if that is due to being open a few weeks or my palette on that particular night, but either way, good stuff!

Last night, opened a new bottle that I received for Father's Day from my lovely wife. Caol Ila 11 year (SMWS 53.252) "Smoky incarnations" from a ex-bourbon refill hogshead. This was a special bottling for Feis Ile 2018. The nose and palette were a little subdued at first. Not bad in any way, just lighter than I was expecting. After a few sips, I added a few drops of water (Uisge Source bottled Water of Scotland - Islay) and wow, did that really open it up. I normally do not add water, but in this case, it made a very good whisky great. It will be interesting to see if the whisky opens up on its own due to air exposure over time or if I will need to continue to add water.

Tonight, Dry Fly Triticale Straight Whiskey Port Barrel Finish Aged 4 years - 45% ABV.

Finished with Kilchoman Sauternes Cask Matured.

Sitting in the garden enjoying my summer-y vatting of 3/4 Aberlour 12 and 1/4 A'bunadh. And yes, it's still a very nice one combining the round sherry a la Aberlour with the slightly increased 'kick' from the A'bunadh. Wishing you all a very pleasant summer's weekend lads.

Had some friends over for dinner and drams tonight.

After a New England style hazy IPA (Modern Times Orderville), Arran single cask. Distilled June 17th, 1996, bottled Sep 11th, 2013 (17 year old). Absolutely lovely barley sugar and malt.

Macallan Edition No. 2 - reminded me of the original Macallan Cask Strength. Big and bold.

Springbank 24 year single sherry cask from The Maltman bottled especially for the Whisky Foundation. Such a beautiful Whisky. Typical Springbank character with some anise / liquorice and saltiness.

A two cask blend of Speyburn sherry cask and Caol Ila ex-bourbon hogshead. While the Coal Ila is predominant, the sherry influence of the Speyburn adds a sweet dimension that you normally don’t see in a Coal Ila. It works very well.

Caol Ila 11 year (SMWS 53.252) "Smoky incarnations" from an ex-bourbon hogshead.

Rhum Barbancourt Estate Reserve 15 year rum compared head to head with Girvan 31 year SMWS G7.10 (Lowland Grain) "The Texan tea party". It was amazing how similar in flavor profile these two were.

Ardbeg Grooves compared head to head with Ardbeg 9 year Cask (SMWS 33.135) Distilled May 2007 from a Second-fill Oloroso Sherry Butt. “Peat-reek and barbeque char”. While both are excellent, the Grooves has more wine influence and is richer.

A great night with great friends and drams.

A Proper Job ale (quite hoppy) a Talisker 57 North and a 1792 small batch. All being sipped slowly and will last the 90 minutes of the England game. We're 5 - 0 up so may have to rouse some self discipline later . . .

The toffee notes in the Scotch and Bourbon really compliment the ale.

@RianC Yea... let's maybe not talk about footie today, please. I'm still recovering from those dreadful last 34 seconds yesterday......!

@RikS I know... I feel bad for Sweden....

@RikS @Nozinan - Agreed . . . but you could see it coming. Never . . . ever . . . write of ze Germans!

@RianC Yes... the game reminded me a bit of a Spanish beach in August... the Germans just kept coming and coming and coming leaving almost no space... :-D

@RikS, that is funny!

some hair of the dog, Talisker 18, after an epic weekend with family and friends of family, from all sides. I am extremely fortunate to know people who can every once in a while kick off their shoes and let down their hair, well at least those that have hair.

After a day of working in our backyard, and having grilled porkchops for dinner, we are having well-deserved fresh baked chocolate chip cookies paired with Anchor's Old Potrero Straight Rye. That's how to end a weekend...

Ardbeg 10 year (Lot # L67765 6/20/17 17006181 16:27)

Tonight, I attended a SMWS preview tasting event with @jordytropp and @evarees and several of our other whisky friends. We sampled 8 Society bottles (7 of which will be released in July).

Started with a 9 year (6 Dec 2007) Glentauchers (SMWS 63.42) "Fresh orange sherbet" from a refill ex-bourbon barrel. Probably the biggest surprise of the night for me. Huge floral nose (honeysuckle) and Turkish delight palette. Could have been called Liquid summer. Perfect for a warm summer day.

24 year (20 May 1993) Longmorn (SMWS 7.198) "Sweet summer berries" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. This was a lovely dram, but I would have preferred to taste it before the previous one. I think the Glentauchers overpowered this one a bit.

10 year (17 Feb 2007) Dailuaine (SMWS 41.106) "Masterchef final" from a refill ex-bourbon barrel. Waxed wood nose and tobacco leaf palette.

10 year (16 August 2007) Glenlivet (SMWS 2.108) "The King o' Malts'" from a refill ex-sherry butt. Orange peel and barley sugar. I'm not normally a huge Glenlivet fan, but this one was really good.

12 year (3 March 2005) Tobermory (SMWS 42.31) "Sandy toes sundowner" from a refill ex-bourbon barrel. Roasted chestnuts and chocolate.

13 year (17 January 2005) Highland Park (SMWS 4.243) "A bothy on the burnt moor" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. Light smoke and peat with a little maple candy.

18 year (25 May 1999) Laphroaig (SMWS 29.226) "Seaside surprise" from a refill ex-Oloroso sherry butt. By far, my favorite of the night! This is perfection to me; peat, smoke and a sherry bomb.

Finished with an 18 year (13 May 1998) Laphroaig (SMWS 29.224) "We've arrived!" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. Again, I would have preferred to taste this one before the previous one. I feel like I missed out on some of the subtle flavors in this one.

A great night with great friends and great whisky. Not bad for a Monday night! :-)

@bwmccoy 's post is tough act to follow . . .

Just a simple Writers Tear's watching Argentina v Nigeria. It's been open two weeks and was still quite nippy so i decanted it earlier - first time I've ever done that! Certainly opened up the nose but still lacking in flavour - certainly from the memory of my last bottle. I do find a lot of Irish can take a while to settle down though . . . whiskey, I clearly mean whiskey

@bwmccoy Does BW stand for Big Whisky? ;-)

@bwmccoy it was a great tasting! Here are my tasting notes from the evening:

"Fresh Orange Sherbet" 9 YO Glentauchers = honey, floral, toffee, high abv

"Sweet Summer Berries" 24 YO Longmorn = vanilla bean, strawberry champagne, dry cedar

"Masterchef Final" 10 YO Dailuaine = chocolate popcorn, dark berries -- Purchased this one!

"The King o' Malts" 10 YO Glenlivet = rich sherry, raisins, boiled sweets, butter cream frosting, caramelized butter

"Sandy Toes Sundowner" 12 YO Tobermory = salty, oily, toasted sunflower seeds

"A Bothy on the Burnt Moor" 13 YO Highland Park = lightly peated, very soft, maple candy, dessert wine

"Seaside Suprise" 18 YO Laphroaig = smoldering sweet peat incense, iodine, frosted danish, driftwood -- Purchased this one!

"We've Arrived!" 18 YO Laphroaig = sweet light-bodied peat, crushed flowers, rose wine, malt, spicy wood, marzipan, cranberries ​

Not everyday can it be said that everything seems to have aligned perfectly.

Well today, I can't say it has for me, but it looks good for the daughter of a friend. And he's celebrating with Maker's Mark whisky, and so I am too (from a mini I picked up a while back).

@RianC - Trust me, that was not a typical Monday night.

@BlueNote - It does now! Thanks for the best nickname ever!

@jordytropp - It was great sharing drams with you and your lovely wife again! You obviously took much better tasting notes than I did!

@bwmccoy You’re welcome BW. If I’m ever in your part of the continent and I find you in the phone book, expect to see me at your door. You have been warned.

@BlueNote - you’re welcome any time, but my wife and I come to your neck of the woods from time to time, so we just might do the same. :-)

Revisiting one of the drams from last night; 12 year (3 March 2005) Tobermory (SMWS 42.31) "Sandy toes sundowner" from a refill ex-bourbon barrel. I’m enjoying it much more tonight. Creamy, nutty, a sweet note followed by chocolate with the slightest hint of smoke in the finish.

Having Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt - just wanted a hint of sweetness to cap off the evening.

@bwmccoy Just realized that you are just down the road from here. We pass through the Emerald city a couple of times a year but never stop. Usually in too much of a hurry to get down the i-5 to see the in laws in Oregon and load up with tax free whisky.

Almost done. Vacation awaits. It’s not too early to start the party.

Side note: the highpark 21 is now half gone and has really opened up. Let it sit for 20 minutes before I took a sip. Amazing.