So, what are you drinking now?

Enjoying an Aberlour A'Bunadh on the patio. Too hot for the fire table right now.

@boatracer - nice spot for a dram.

Tonight, I’m having a Dailuaine 10 year SMWS 41.106 "Masterchef final" from a refill ex-bourbon barrel and a Caol Ila 11 year SMWS 53.252 "Smoky incarnations" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. Feis Ile 2018 bottling.

@bwmccoy oh how I wish I had the chance to sample/buy the Machir Bay Cask Strength Edition as the Machir Bay is my favorite Kilchoman, and I suspect I would have really enjoyed the CS. Thank you for the feedback, I will now take a closer look at the other bottles too.

Bunnahabhain 18 for the joy of it ONLY.

Port night tonight...

Dry Fly (Spokane, WA) Triticale Straight Whiskey Port Barrel Finish Aged 4 years - 45% ABV - Bottle #70 of 250

A peated Bunnahabhain 10 year SMWS 10.118 "Enthralling pink and peat intensity". After spending nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, the remainder of the maturation was in a 1st fill Port barrique.

Cracked my next bottle of JP Wisers Dissertation. Really going to have to grab at least one more of these since I only have one sealed one left.

Longmorn 24 year SMWS 7.198 (May '93) "Sweet summer berries" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. Appropriately named and an exquisitely beautiful Whisky!

Some Balvenie 12 SB, Port Askaig 100 proof and Laddie Ten 2nd ed last night - All very good but the two former bottles are really coming on with time, especially the PA 100. As it is now it's excellent and would recommend fans of Caol Ila look out for this as it's great vfm.

Also had some Talisker 57 on Friday and think that bottle may need finishing off quite soon (about a 1/6 left) as it seemed a little below par - which was surprising but is has been sitting around for a good while.

In sadder news, I broke my first Glencairn! I'm putting it down to tiredness and a scrambled brain with the heat (not alcohol, of course!) - basically half placed it on the table and it subsequently crashed to its demise.

I opened my bottle of Springbank 15 YO Sunday morning. It’s just the right amount of peat for an early morning drink.

We’re headed out to celebrate my wife’s grandparents’ 68th wedding anniversary in about an hour, so I’m “warming up” with a dram of W.L. Weller 12.

@OdysseusUnbound What an amazing achievement 68 years together! Good to hear the family is celebrating with them - I'm sure it was a good night out.

@bwmccoy what were your thoughts on 53.252? We currently have a 53 Society cask at the vaults (quarter cask living cask basically) was a 9yo first fill bourbon, put into a refill oloroso quarter cask. And a 9yo 12.19 put into a first fill Ruby port quarter cask

Tullamore D.E.W. - it's too refreshing and simple to pass up after a day of working/weeding in the backyard...and sometimes that's all one wants.

@bwmccoy We have 7.173, Salted Dark Chocolate, 26 year old Longmorn coming up at a group get together on August 8th. Can’t wait. We may have 39.132, Who’s For Desert, a 26 year old Linkwood as well if we are feeling extravagant. Still under discussion.

@Tom92 - The SMWS 53.252 is a very interesting bottling. The nose and palette are a little subdued at first. Not bad in any way, just lighter than previous releases of Caol Ila from the Society. After tasting it neat, 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 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.

@BlueNote - I've had a few Society bottles from both Longmorn and Linkwood over the years and have never been disappointed, especially with the older expressions. I think you are in for a real treat with both of those!

I haven't had much whisky lately. A few reasons.

1. Sometimes tired

2. Sometimes on call

3. In-laws and guests who prefer mixed drinks (and radlers)

4. It's been hot.

5. Not tasting it (a couple of nights ago I had to bail on a small pour of Stagg Jr).

So tonight, as I cleared the tough chart I had to complete, and was about to tackle a couple of easier notes, I felt like something easy to sip. So I picked a decanted 30 cc of Benromach 10 YO 43%. I still have one more 60 cc bottle left and it's as fragrant and tasty near the end as it was at the beginning.

....6. @paddockjudge hasn't visited in almost two months.

@Nozinan - I know the feeling. I've barely drunk whisky at all this last month or so mainly due to the heat but even when I've fancied a dram, last night as an e.g., I found my palette noticing far more alcohol than usual and it was not going down 'smooth'! That was a Talisker 57 to boot!

I have been perusing my stash while my son was asleep today and have taken out the BenRiach 10 I've been sitting on and may pop that tonight.

I've also decided what bottles I'm taking on our clan get together in a couple of weeks.

It's been a busy day

@RianC, so, which bottles???

@MadSingleMalt - Nothing too fancy or exotic I have to say. Weather is supposed to be hot and with mostly casual drinkers so going to try and finish off some open bottles that I won't mind being consumed unappreciatively ha ha!

Writer's Tears (lol), Ardmore Legacy and JW Green. I may take an unopened JD Master Distiller ed. as my brother likes the Old no.7 and there will be BBQ! Mum can take away any left overs - win win

Just enjoying my first dram of Benriach 10 - It's nice, fruity but a little sour and a little drying. Some herbal and spice in there, quite complex on first impressions. Puts me in mind of Arran 10 although perhaps not quite as tropical fruity and less vanilla.

Last night, was rating a couple of open bottles. Tried both without and then with water.

Dailuaine 10 year SMWS 41.106 "Masterchef final" from a refill ex-bourbon barrel. Gave it an 87 out of 100. Waxed wood nose and tobacco leaf palette without water. With water, nose is now fruity with a sweet and spicy palate.

Caol Ila 11 year SMWS 53.252 "Smoky incarnations" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead. Gave it an 89 out of 100. While this bottle is opening up more now that it has been open for a few weeks, the palette without water is still more subdued than with. I am blown away by the difference a few drops of water makes; orange chocolate, lapsang souchong tea and spicy oak.

Sitting down with some Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (last 2016 bottling before the bottle change)... Long day dealing with car insurance and a windshield replacement.

I rated another couple of bottles last night;

Glenlivet 10 year SMWS 2.108 "The King o' Malts'" from a refill ex-sherry butt. I gave it an 86 out of 100. Without water, the nose was fruity orange peel and dusty sherry. The palette was oily, sweet and spicy. With water, the nose was sweeter and the palette developed a nutty note. Preferred it without water.

Ardbeg 9 year SMWS 33.135 from a second-fill ex-Oloroso Sherry Butt. While the sherry influence is very subtle, both in color and taste, this is amazing whisky. I gave it a 94 out of 100. Without water, the nose is sweet liquorice, tart lemons and smoke. The sweet smoke continues on the palate. With water, vanilla was added to the lemons and smokey wood. The palette is now burnt sugar, orange peel and ash. While slightly different, it is equally good both with and without water.

Attended a whiskey tasting at Hotaling & Co., formerly known as Anchor Distilling. Had the chance to taste their Hotaling 17 year old, and I sure wish they'd release that for sale -- it was such a delight of caramel chewiness, oak, and spices -- it was so well balanced. I'm a fan of their straight rye whiskey, and that's a staple in the cabinet but now that I'm home, I'm still thinking and relishing that 17 year old. They have no plans to release it whatsoever, but they will be releasing (or re-releasing) an 11 year old, and I will most definitely get that just to compare. Pic below of tonight's vertical tasting:

New Make Old Potrero Spirit Old Potrero 18th Century Style Rye Whiskey Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey JH Cutter Old Potrero Straight Malt Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels Old Potrero Hotaling’s 17 Year Old

@archivist I'm not familiar with any of those but I love that they included the new make to try alongside. How was it? I've never had the opportunity to try any un-aged spirit (which is intended to be aged - unlike most vodka etc.).

@Hewie the New Make Spirit was thick, and reminded me of simple syrup - quite sweet, but then the finish was slightly bitter. Very creamy body with lots of floral notes, very perfume-like. I had never tried a new make before and enjoyed the opportunity to taste it. Reminded me of tequila the more I let it linger.

The distiller remarked that they included the new make as a start point so one could see, taste, and feel what un-aged, off the still whiskey is like compared to the rest as we moved toward the straight rye, the port finish, etc. It certainly made for a better tasting experience overall and I gained a much deeper appreciation of what goes into the science of making whiskey.

@archivist that sounds really interesting - thanks for the extra details

Rating another bottle;

Glentauchers 9 year SMWS 63.42 “Fresh orange sherbet” from an refill ex-bourbon barrel. I rated this one an 89 out of 100. Perfumed sweet fruity aroma of orange sherbet, orange zest and orange flavored liqueur. The taste matched the nose. When adding water, a perfumed note of rosewater appeared. The palette is now Turkish delight ice cream and a tongue tingling lightly sparkling ginger beer. Very good either way, but I prefer it without water.

Caught up with a mate last night - we've both been so busy it's been quite a while. Anyway, tried Talisker Dark Storm - OK, but prefer the standard 10. Port Charlotte HP - always a pleasure. Finished off with Lagavulin 16 - used to enjoy this but it's really lost it's shine for me. I think I enjoyed the Tali Dark Storm more than this one.

@Hewie: "Port Charlotte HP"?

Is that just two things that ran together in your post?

Or is "Port Charlotte HP" something I don't know about?