So, what are you drinking now?

Don't know how you feel about blending...but a couple drops of Laphroaig in a glass of A'bunadh is a magical combo.

I failed to mention in my last post that the Octomore 6.3 that my older son and I had last night was a bottle that @jordytropp had brought over and left here because he didn’t think there was enough left in the bottle to take home. There was enough for us to have a dram each! Thank you @jordytropp for your generosity. I owe you! My son has had very little experience with Octomore so we took a long time dissecting the dram both without and with water. My son was blown away by how different it was just by adding a few drops of water. A great time sharing drams. Thanks again @jordytropp!

@dloewen I feel it! One of my favourites is one I did on a recommendation from Ralfy. A'bunadh 47 with a splash of Uigeadail. Really good stuff!

North of 7 Four Grain Canadian Whisky...

Pre-dinner Jerry Thomas Manhattan. First one made with Rittenhouse Bottle in Bond rye. Second one made with half Rittenhouse rye and half bourbon (2-bar, Seattle, WA 50% ABV) because I ran out of Rittenhouse.

@Alexsweden I remember that Ralfy recommendation. It was very good, must try it again.

@YakLord what a coincidence, I’m tasting 10 different North of 7s as we speak. More later...

@BlueNote for the record I will say that the one I had consisted of two incredible batches. A'bunadh 47 and a truly stellar Uigeadail

I picked up two bottles from North of 7 last time I drove through Ottawa, (4 grain, and 95% rye). Both were fantastic! They were bottled at 45% ABV. The pic above shows it bottled at 40%...I hope this is not standard practice across the range!?!

@dloewen I think that's just for the minis, as all the full sized bottles on the shelf still say 45%.

Behind in my posting; Sunday night, Jerry Thomas Manhattan

Last night (Monday), 3 small drams of 2Bar Spirits (Seattle, WA) Straight Bourbon Whiskey - 50% ABV with 3 different smoke infusions with my new toy (see picture below. For a slo-mo video, see my Instagram stories). First was maple wood, second was bourbon soaked oak and finally cinnamon bark.

My preferences in order were the cinnamon, then the maple and finally the oak. The oak was too harsh.

@bwmccoy now that looks like a lot of fun. Still trying to work out how/why the smoke just 'falls' down into the glass

@bwmccoy cherry wood smoke infusion would be fun.

@Hewie - there is a hole in the top with a screen where you place the wood chips. Using a butane torch pushes the smoke down the hole in the wood. I think it’s a cool effect that the smoke stays in a column until it hits the surface of the liquid. I plan to have some fun with this making cocktails, especially around Halloween.

@Victor - in addition to the oak and cinnamon, the kit also has apple and cherry wood. Based on your recommendation, I will try the cherry next!

Forgot to mention in my last post, that I finished last night with a dram of Port Askaig 10th Anniversary 10 year Cask Strength 55.85% ABV.

Tonight, I finished off another bottle that @jordytropp left when he was here a couple of weeks ago. 4 year Balcones single malt. SMWS 140.3 “Nik nak woody whack” distilled 9/15/2014, matured in a 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel. 59.1% ABV. Spicy and sweet with notes of bread, wood resin, liquorice, paprika and lemon. Thanks again @jordytropp!

Finished the night with 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.

Tonight, a couple of drams of Kaiyo Whisky Japanese Mizunara Oak - 43%ABV; first one without water, second one with water. While this whisky doesn’t have a ton of flavor, it is very drinkable. Would I buy it again; no, but I’m not pouring it down the drain either. The water did seem to help open it up a little, but at 43% have to be careful not to add too much.

@bwmccoy If you can get your hands on it I recommend trying the cask strength version. I split a bottle with @paddockjudge and it's not bad. Review pending.... one day

@bwmccoy where did you get that thing-a-majing? Looks pretty cool. I wonder, it doesn't get too heavily infused with the smoke? I know when i barbeque i need to be real careful about the amount of smoke otherwise the meat might be a bit too harsh

@bwmccoy Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, Virginia makes their Copper Fox Rye Whiskey, 2/3 rye 1/3 malted barley, using both cherry and apple wood smoke kiln drying of their barley-malt and apple and oak wood chips in the barrels during aging. Copper Fox has been operating for 15 years, and makes both malt whisky (N.B. their spelling) and rye whisky. Jim Murray calls Rick Wasmund, the Copper Fox proprietor and distiller, the "mad scientist" of whisky making. They do floor maltings of barley, which I got to see and taste when I visited their distillery in October, 2018, on my late wife's last road trip. It's quite a cute little operation, Copper Fox Distillery, housed in a former apple processing plant. Lots of dark wood, rather lodge-y and club-like looking. Their rye is unusual, and a good batch is wonderful. Their malt is aged 2.5 years, but is quite adequately mature at that age. I've never owned a bottle of their malt whisky, but I would be happy to. They also do a malt whisky with peach wood smoke impregnation of the barley during kiln drying and aged with peach wood chips. I haven't tried that one yet, but I would like to.

Speaking of apples, I just finished off my Tej Ethiopian style honey wine which my buddy made at home and gave to me. That stuff tasted like hard apple cider with honey. It was liked by all who tasted it.

@Alexsweden - I originally saw it on Instagram, but here is the link to their website. It is called "Smoke Top". middletonmixology.com I've only used it 3 times. The oak was too harsh. The maple was better, but still had a harshness to it. The cinnamon was best, but even that had just a little too much smoke residue. Each time that I have done it so far, I have put the smoke on top of the spirit. In order to see if it makes a difference, I am next going to smoke the glass first, then pour the drink over the top of the smoke. Hopefully, that will reduce the amount of harshness. I also want to see what it does to the visual presentation. Having that smoke come down into the glass and hit the whisky is pretty darn cool, so I'm not sure if putting the smoke in first will detract from that. I also want to try the cherry and apple wood that is in the kit to see if it is less harsh than the other woods that I have tried so far. When I'm grilling on my Weber, I have found oak to be too harsh for the meat. I also don't care for Mesquite. Hickory is pretty good, but my go to is Pecan wood. I love how the smoke compliments the meat, not overpowers it. I would like to find some pecan wood for the Smoke Top as well to see if it works for spirits / cocktails as well as it does for meat.

@Victor - Thank you for the info on Copper Fox. I will keep my eye open to see if it is available out here on the left coast. I'm very interested in trying it because if I can't use Pecan wood on my Weber, I have found Apple wood to be my second favorite for grilling. It is a sweeter smoke than the others. I haven't tried cherry wood, but I will add that to my list. It would be awesome if I can find some Copper Fox to try along with some meat that I grilled. If I can find it, I will use both apple and cherry wood in the Weber to see if I can emulate what Copper Fox is doing with their Rye. I'm going to need to see if I can find some peach wood as well. That sounds amazing! Thanks again! You are a wealth of knowledge and information as usual!

Tonight, finished off another bottle that @jordytropp left behind the last time he was over. Balcones single malt SMWS 104.1 "Cornography" is a 3 year old (April 2015) from a 2nd-fill ex-blue corn whiskey barrique cask. 63.6% ABV. Notes of spices, herbs, wood shavings and fruits. The ex-blue corn whiskey cask adds a really cool dimension. If I was tasting this blind, I’m sure I would guess it was a bourbon. This is really good whisky! Thanks again @jordytropp.

Wiser's 35 (2018) with my neighbour. It's sweet corn nose and touches of spice have come into their own a few months after opening up the bottle. It is a good medium and lubricant for catching up with the on goings of the neighbourhood.

@fiddich1980 From 2 metres away, I hope. Though it is COVID strength.

@Nozinan On my porch:

-hand sanitised (not with APCS)

-Social distancing

-I poured both drams

-bottle brought inside

-empty glasses placed in tub with hot water + soap

-hands sanitised (not with APCS)

Saving my APCS as a last resort

Sitting on the front porch with my wife tonight comparing the Glendalough 13 and 17 Mizunara cask finish Irish whiskey. Both are really good but I think I would give the edge to the 13.

@fiddich1980 but APCS leaves a lovely lingering aroma not provided by most sanitizers.

Guys weekend with my brother-in-law and some friends in the mountains;

2 Bar straight bourbon

Balvenie 12 Doublewood

Kaiyo Mizunara Japanese Oak

Port Askaig 10 year anniversary cask strength

Ardbeg An Oa - I’m pretty happy with this one on first dram.

Deanston 12 over the last few nights. I like this a lot. Light, juicy and fruity but with a good body and mouthfeel. I'd like to try this alongside Arran 10 to see which I prefer. Definite similarities in style.

I mixed a bit of the 18 I had left from a sample into the 12 - added some complexity but I think the 12 is where it's at with this one.

@RianC I got the Deanston 18 on a good sale price, but, like you, I prefer the 12 which, as well as being very drinkable, is a good bang for the buck. Cheers.

Last night a relatively short (2 h) Zoom session with @cricklewood, @paddockjudge, and @fiddich1980. Some great conversation and a strange coincidence uncovered.

Having gone for a long walk at a nearby part to take on fall colours with my family, I felt in the mood for some Islam whiskies. I started with Bowmore Tempest V, then a H2H of Ardbed Uigeadail and Corryvreckin (including mixing them together) then Laphroaig Cairdeas triple wood.

Luckily I was using a mini glencairn so I was able to do very small pours. If I’d had more time/ stamina, I might have moved on to Lagavulin and some Octomore. Maybe next time.