So, what are you drinking now?

Last night, revisited the bottle that I opened on Friday night, the Society’s Feis Ile 2020 bottling of Bunnahabhain. SMWS 10.190 (6 year - Oct. 2013) "Make moine a devil!" fully matured in a second-fill ex-Oloroso Sherry butt - 61.1% ABV. This is a heavily peated spirit that balances beautifully with the heavy sherry influence. So good!

Tonight I prepared a fancy(ish) dinner for my family (including my mother in law) as we’re going “back to real life” tomorrow. Two of my three kids are headed back to school tomorrow (the oldest doesn’t go until Wednesday) and my wife and I both work in schools. I sipped some Blanton’s Original while preparing dinner and I had some Forty Creek Founder’s Reserve in lieu of dessert. I’m currently preparing tomorrow’s lessons, and I’m debating what my final dram will be once my preparations are finished. I’ll either sip some Kilchoman Sanaig, or I’ll open a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail.

Some day ago I had a'bunadh batch 55. It's a decent outing even though it doesn't come close to my favourite batch 47. One major difference is how it swims. The 47 could handle A LOT of water and only seemed to get better with every splash. Batch 55 however instantly got flat. The dry sherry notes vanished and I was left with bland, almost stale blaha blaha.

@OdysseusUnbound I opened a bottle of Kilchoman Sanaig this weekend as well. Actually got a cool dry evening here in Maryland and the peat fit in real nice!

Yesterday, celebrated the Labor Day holiday at my brother-in-law’s. While most of our time was focused on eating smoked ribs and drinking beer, we did have a couple of drams that killed off one of his favorite bottles.

Ardmore SMWS 66.153 (11 year - May 15, 2007) “Herbs on a grill tray” from a refill ex-bourbon barrel - 59.9% ABV. This lightly peated dram displays notes of sea air, rosemary, sage, smoked meats, tree nuts, tree sap and pipe tobacco. The smoke is present, but subtle. It comes through more in the finish. A really nice Ardmore expression.

@OdysseusUnbound OOOOOOOGIE!! Just a suggestion.

Wisr's Legacy home-crafted version:

In the ratio 2:1

Wiser's Red Letter 2015 (45% abv)

Lot No. 40 Cask Strength Rye 2017 (55% abv)

a drop or two of Deanston's Virgin Oak (46.3% abv).

This weighs in around 48.3% abv, rye-forward, good balance, strong finish. It comes together nicely with new oak from all three of the contributing whiskies providing the right amount of sweetness, spice, and oaky tannins. The pot still rye amps up the accent notes....I think I'll have another

A nice twist on a long-time favourite of mine.

Springbank 15 - just under half a bottle left and this has been open almost a year now so it needs finishing. It's definitely changed, as one expects from any SB, and I enjoyed a large pour. Less funky and over ripe fruit notes and more strawberry jam. Still rubbery and oily but I quite like that aspect. Should do me nicely as Autumn creeps in.

I guess I could make a case that it is flattening out a touch but, whatever, it tasted good!

@RianC, the 15 is the one standard Springbank I've not been a big fan of, but I totally agree that it's a very seasonably appropriate dram this time of year.

For a similar whisky vibe on the cheap, I can recommend Loch Lomond 12.

Last night, my wife attended a Women Who Whiskey virtual tasting of Bardstown. (I joined in off camera). :-)

First up was their High-Rye Bourbon Distillate (new make). 60% Corn, 36% Rye and 4% Malted Barley. 60% ABV. To me, this was astringent, spirity, grainy and pepper. With water, it was just spirity (water made it worse).

Next up was the same distillate / mash bill that had been matured for 2 years and 7 months (I'm assuming in new oak). It was also at 60% ABV. This is much better. Notes of butter, mint and pepper. It had a creamy texture. I enjoyed this one.

The 3rd sample was a blend of both Bardstown whisky and another, not-named Kentucky distillery, but based on mashbill make up, it appears to be Sam Houston Bourbon. This was the Fusion Series #2. It is 40% Kentucky Bourbon aged 12 years with a mash bill of 74% Corn, 18% rye and 8% malted barley (This is apparently the Same Houston). It is also 18% Bardstown bourbon aged for 3 years with a mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley. The last 42% of the blend is also Bardstown, but this one is the same mashbill as sample #2 above. The only difference is that it was aged for 2 years and 10 months. This is 49.45% ABV. Notes of green apple, honey, roasted nuts and caramel. I liked this one as well. It was better than sample #2 above, which I also liked. This one retails for about $60 / bottle.

The 4th sample is called Discovery series #2, a blend of 3 different Kentucky bourbons, but none of them are Bardstown's own whiskey. They are all sourced, but I don't know if they are all different distilleries or just different mash bills from the same distillery. Bardstown said they have to sign non-disclosure agreements so they are not allowed to provide the source of the whiskey. The 3 whiskies are 40% 10 year Kentucky bourbon which is 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley, 39% 12 year that is 74% corn, 18% rye & 8% malted barley (Sam Houston) and 17% 14 year that is 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley. It has an ABV of 61.1%. This was absolutely beautiful, but it should be for $160 / bottle. I loved this. My favorite of the night with notes of caramel, toffee, maple, cinnamon, ripe pair, leather with oak exploding in the finish. I really liked how the traditional bourbon notes came through in the front of the palate and the wood wasn't noticeable until the finish where it was huge. Honestly, I didn't really notice wood at all in samples 2 or 3 above.

Overall, 3 out of the 4 were all good and very drinkable. The only knock on #4 was the price, but it was outstanding. Based on my budget, #3 is a good compromise, but in no way does it compare to #4.

Tonight, Balvenie Portwood 21 year.

DP - apologies (damn tablet!).

Glendronach CS batch 8 while watching the original Predator. Man what a film that was, pure, unadulterated, testosterone fuelled carnage with a sci-fi twist. Not unlike the whisky, sci-fi apart, as it happens. Big, bold sherried malt with a slight meaty/beefy note to it. Not too sweet either.

Yes, Glendronach are making some top whisky in my opinion of late and have taken over 'farclas as my go to. One to add to the wish list.

As for the film, they just don't make em like that anymore. I never thought I'd miss 80s action flicks at the time but they're so much better than today's socio-political charged guff!

@RianC and let’s not forget one of the greatest on-screen lines ever: Get to dah choppaaaahhhhhh!!!

@OdysseusUnbound - 'Arnie' films are literally strewn with quotable gold

The one you mention reminds me of being on acid and trying to run up a hill with some mates in the dark when someone shouted out that line. I don't think I'd ever laughed as hard

It’s Friday night, so started off with Jerry Thomas Manhattan’s.

After dinner, Bruichladdich 1984 23 Year Old Golder Still.

Picked up a couple Wild Turkey 101 today. Great dram on a cool night.

Starting an Irish Whiskey Cocktail Blitz. First up, Irish Coffee, with Jameson Caskmates: Beau's Edition.

Last night (Saturday), again started off with Jerry Thomas Manhattan’s.

After dinner, Port Askaig (Caol Ila) 10th Anniversary 10 year Cask Strength 55.85% ABV.

Yesterday (Sunday), once again started off with Jerry Thomas Manhattan’s (3rd day in a row).

After dinner, Inchmoan SMWS 135.14 (13 year - Mar. 2005) "Tripping the light fantastic" - After maturing in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transfered to a first-fill charred red wine barrique - 55.4% ABV.

Finished the night with Caol Ila SMWS 53.302 (11 year - Sep. 2007) "Holy sweet smoke!" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 59.9% ABV.

Earlier today, while watching the Society YouTube announcement of the release of cask 143.1 and Copperworks distillery (Seattle) as one of the Society’s newest distilleries, I had a small dram of Copperworks Distilling SMWS pre-release cask sample (46 months - Mar. 2016) aged in new oak (18 month air seasoned staves) heavy toast, medium char (#2) - 60.2% ABV. This pre-release bottle is what has now become 143.1. It was fun to taste it while one of the co-owners of Copperworks was describing his thoughts of it.

Tonight, Westland Distillery Single Cask # 5410 that was aged 6 years and 1 month. It is their standard 5 grain mash bill that was first aged in a 1st-fill ex-Westland cask, then it was transferred to a 1st-fill ex-bourbon cask before spending the last 26 months in a French oak ex-Syrah Washington State wine cask from Guardian Cellars (Red Mountain AVA). 57% ABV. This is perfectly balanced; I love how the red wine notes come through at first, but the standard Westland flavor comes through in the finish.

Finishing the night with Bunnahabhain SMWS 10.190 (6 year - Oct. 2013) "Make moine a devil!" from a second-fill ex-Oloroso Sherry butt - 61.1% ABV. This heavily peated, sherried whisky is big, bold and beautiful.

Had to work tonight after working all day. I’m almost done so decided to reward myself with a dram of Westland Distillery Cask # 2542 Single cask release, cask strength (6 year-Distilled 2012) 27 months in Coopers Reserve New American Oak followed by 45 months in an ex-Pedro Ximénez Hogshead - 50.8% ABV.

Last evening was Irish Whisky. My wife and I were comparing the Green Spot and the Yellow Spot. We have decided we prefer the Yellow Spot but we would like to see if we can procure a bottle of the Red Spot. You know, just for comparison...

Balvenie 14 YO Caribbean Cask

Gifted by my Grandmother and she opened it to 'taste test' before giving.

Have had a couple bottles prior and recall it being a decent whisky but preferred the 17 YO Rum Cask.

Too early to pass judgment and will see how it feels/tastes in a couple of months

@JayRain, that's priceless! ...bless your Gram.

Tonight, virtual poker night with the boys.

Braeval SMWS 113.24 (7 year - Oct. 2011) "Attack of the killer florists!" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 63.4% ABV. Added a little water after the first sip just to what happens. Either way, tasted really good tonight.

Bunnahabhain SMWS 10.162 (9 year - Oct. 2008) "Big wave sofa". After 7 years in a refill ex-bourbon hogshead transferred to a first fill oloroso hogshead - 61.4% ABV. Love the sherry influence on this one. Seems to be more than just sherry finished, even though that's exactly what it is.

Port Askaig 10th Anniversary 10 year Cask Strength 55.85% ABV. This tastes better tonight than it ever has and it's usually pretty darn good.

@bwmccoy By virtual poker, you mean an online site correct?

@paddockjudge Yep - 87 and still having a dram (or more) a day

Last night with the club, many Highland Parks. The 23 Lonach won the night.

@MadSingleMalt wow! Quite the line-up