So, what are you drinking now?

There was snow this morning...

Well, I decided to open one of my new bottles of Yamazaki 12yo, and I do not detect any significant (or any) changes from what I have had previously. My nose and palate might not be as discerning as others, but I would say the new packaging and doesn't reflect too much of a new release that has noticable changes to the liquid inside.

Last night, my wife and I attended a virtual Women Who Whiskey tasting featuring Waterford whisky (Mark Reynier's post-Bruichladdich project). We tasted 3 different expressions (2 are exclusive to the states and a 3rd that is released globally). Per Mark, "Waterford is a single malt whisky that happens to be made in Ireland", as opposed to an Irish Whiskey. It is double distilled. Again, per Mark, it is made more like Scotch than traditional Irish whiskey.

First up, Waterford Single Farm Origin Dunmore Edition 1.1 (50% ABV). The barley was harvested in 2015 and distilled in 2016. It was a aged for 3 years, 11 months and some odd days and matured in 33% first fill US oak, 18% virgin US oak, 25% premium French oak and 24% Vin Doux Naturel casks (a sweet fortified wine). This expression is made with Irinia barley and produced 13,000 bottles all for the US market. The nose is subdued bread / malt which is further decreased with water. The palate is honey and fruit (green apple). It has a little sality to it and water did not change the palate much at all. It reminds me of Bruichladdich Laddie Classic. This was my favorite of the three.

Next up, Waterford Single Farm Origin Rathclogh Edition 1.1 (50% ABV). This barley was also harvested in 2015 and distilled in 2016. It was also aged for 3 years, 11 months and some odd days and matured in 31% first fill US oak, 19% virgin US oak, 25% premium French oak and 25% Vin Doux Naturel casks (a sweet fortified wine). This expression is also made with Irinia barley and also produced 13,000 bottles all for the US market. The nose has a sharper bread / malt note than the first one, but it has a creaminess that the first one did not have. The sharpness is reduced with water and makes it better in my opinion. The palate has more oak than the first one. It is creamy with apple notes, but not green apple. It also has a little rubber / industrial note which disappears with water. This was my least favorite of the three.

Finished with Waterford Arcadian Series Organic Gaia 1.1 (50% ABV). The organic barley comes from 7 farms and was harvested in 2015 and distilled in 2016. It was a aged for 3 years, 9 months and 20 days and matured in 42% first-fill US oak, 17% virgin US oak, 18% Vin Doux Naturel (sweet fortified wines) and 23% premium French oak. This expression is made with Overture barley and produced 24,000 bottles released globally. The barley and cereal notes are present with hints of honey, floral, vanilla, orange zest, bananas and bubble gum. The palate is thick, oily and spicy; oak and heat with cloves, pepper, pear and dried apricots. Unlike the first two, some of the casks for this bottling previously held Port which provided some additional depth, in my opinion. This was my wife's favorite and my 2nd favorite.

While I was really excited at the opportunity to try these, I wouldn't buy a bottle of anything that we tasted. They were all quality spirit, but not complex enough for my palate. It will be interesting to see what Waterford whisky tastes like after it has matured longer. With the quality that is apparent at this young age, I'm betting it will be amazing whisky in the years to come.

Right now I’m having a new to me Greenpoint cocktail. 2oz Rittenhouse BiB rye, 1/2oz Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, 1/2oz Green Chartreuse, 1 dash Angostura bitters, 1 dash orange bitters and garnish with lemon peel. An herbal version of a traditional Manhattan.

Alberta Distillers Single Cask, Single Grain % Rye distilled in May 2009 and bottled in 2018, aged by Shelter Point Distillery at Campbell River, B.C., selected by, and bottled for Kensington Wine Market of Calgary, Alberta. A stunner! I like this one better than Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye.... same DNA.... 59.6% abv. An absolute stunner! Extremely addictive!

@paddockjudge I haven’t had any of that in some time. I agree it’s excellent and never tasted better than the day you introduced me to it, Aug. 4 2019, tasted from the traditional vessel, a Chinese restaurant tea cup.

Mystery samples shared by ZOOM tonight

So A turned out to be Arran Amarone Cask, 7 was Arran Cote Rotie. Two different Arran red wine cask whiskies. Man was it tough picking out individual notes with no guidance. X was something different - Smith & Cross 57% rum. Wow! Funky, fruity weirdness but so good!

Last night I opened a bottle of North of 7 Single Barrel. Wow! Really interesting stuff. Lots of char, lots of oak, and quite chocolatey and malty on the finish. At 74.5% abv, it wasn’t quite as thick as I expected but I’m interested to get to know this one better. It’s bourbon-esque, but it’s definitely not a bourbon (even if you ignore geographical origin) and yet it’s different than any other Canadian whisky I’ve tried.

@Hewie If you like nutmeg, you'll like Smith and Cross!

I would say I am not a big bourbon drinker. But when I reach for bourbon my go to is Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. It just does what I want at a very reasonable price. The word is out, but people are still not hunting it like they do Blanton’s or any Weller product (thank goodness).

So, today I just did a blind tasting of the last 6 batches of ECBP.

I was scared that I missed B520 as I never saw it on shelves here in Virginia . . . until today. And it was right beside C920. So, I just had to see how they stacked up blind.

I also happened to have a fresh bottle of A120 to open. So, all my ECBP bottles from 2020 are freshly opened today. Here were my scores blind (my wife mixed them all up for me).

ECBP 12yo 67.6% (19th) A119 = 91

ECBP 12yo 61.1% (20th) B519 = 92

ECBP 12yo 68.4% (21st) C919 = 89

ECBP 12yo 68.3% (22nd) A120 = 91

ECBP 12yo 63.6% (23rd) B520 = 94

ECBP 12yo 66.4% (24th) C920 = 87

I am a bit shocked. I didn’t guess a single batch correctly. In the past I have not liked A119 and I have really liked C919. However, today B520 was the clear winner. I was shocked. So, I went back out and bought a few more bottles while I still could (5 bottles in all today). C920 was by far my least enjoyed. It had a strong sour note I am not a fan of in my bourbon. But, I still wound up with 3 bottles. I hope it will “open up” in the next few days. I tell myself the bottles are for posterity. My collection of ECBP is now officially out of control.

@Nock Your collection of ECBP is out of control? There was a time when > 20% of my collection was A'Bunadh (it is now 8%), but I was buying up 2 of every batch I could get.

Then it was Amrut, which ballooned to what is now 13% of a larger collection. A year ago I would have said it was out of control. But I have bought no Amrut in 2020. So it's unmanageable but under control...

When it comes to whisky, I'm not sure what control is...

@bwmccoy thanks for the cocktail recommendation. I am sipping it right now. (The ECBP tasting was a few hours ago . . . and I am now fully into my pre-dinner cocktail hour).

Very interesting twist on the Manhattan. I am a huge fan of Green Chartreuse. So, any excuse to use it in a new cocktail is a no brainer. I love the interplay of the herbal Chartreuse and the spicy rye. I am tempted try this same proportion with Old Potrero 18th Century rye . . . which, in my opinion, is the most ryed-rye possible. As Spinal Tap might say, “None more rye.”

Anyone have any experience with the Green V. E. P Chartreuse? They have one bottle on a local shelf for $145. I am tempted . . . I love my high proof Green Chartreuse.

@bwmccoy I'm happy to see some Connosr feedback on the Waterford US editions, I'm expecting most of these to still be quite close to the distillate/barley at this stage. I was lucky enough to score samples of the US editions from a friend, I should be trying them over the weekend, I'll post a follow-up.

@paddockjudge I'm almost done my bottle of Shelter Point Rye, I love how it's opened up with time, I oscillate between this and the APCS but I think the SP is more balanced and reminiscent of good batches of Whistlepig.

@Nock I'll have to try this cocktail one of these days (I am lazy and currently have no vermouth) I love trying anything new with Chartreuse in it.

The VEP Chartreuse is good but I've never tried it in a cocktail only as a digestif, the process really transforms it.

I've been going through my heels lately, it first started off as a tidying measure but then recently whiskyrover on IG has been announcing his #openyourbottles initiative for November and figured this would be a good time to clear some out and open some new things despite the fact that i'm drinking much less than I used to. most only had a dram or two left in em.

Killed the last of the Kilchoman Loch Gorm last night, I liked it better than my previous pours (the phenolic/camphor thing was more present) but not enough to replace it, I'd likely buy a Sanaig or a single cask before then but I think I'm tiring of Kilchoman a bit.

@Nock - I found out about the Greenpoint Cocktail from a lady that works for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. I respect her palate, so I ran right out and picked up a bottle of Green Chartreuse so I could try it. Like you, I love the interplay between the herbal notes and rye. I also like how balanced it is. You can still taste the traditional Manhattan flavors, but with the added dimension of the herbal notes from the Chartreuse.

@cricklewood - looking forward to what you think of the Waterford after you try it!

@Nozinan I now have 37 unopened bottles of the ECBP going back all the way to batch 2.

I have 3 freshly opened bottles.

9 batches that are in 200mL bottles

3 batches in 120mL bottles

4 batches in 50mL bottles

3 batches in 30mL bottles.

In my opinion when I can open 15 different bottles in sequential batch order, or when I can pour out a tasting from 22 different sample bottles . . . I have a problem.

I guess I am saying that the issue is your “collection” vs. the “total releases.” Obviously, when you have every single release you have a “complete collection.” Well done. But if you are missing some releases you just have “problem” – either you are missing some (hence the “problem”) or you just have too much (hence the “problem”)

Yes, yes, yes out of 24 possible batches of ECBP I am missing 2 (#3 and #16 A118). But, I’m fine. Honest. Not an issue. No regrets . . . ok . . . maybe just two?

@Nock OK you win...

Tonight’s pre-dinner cocktail is a Black Manhattan. 2oz Maker’s Mark 46, 1oz Fast Penny Spirits Amaricano Amaro, 3 drops of Angostura Aromatic Bitters, 5 drops of Orange Bitters and garnished with a Luxardo cherry. (There is also supposed to be a dehydrated orange, but those are still on order due to arrive next week.)

This is SO good!

@Nozinan, I like it when you let me win . . .

@Nock being an Islay Scotch guy hasn't kept you from buying a little bourbon.

Green Chartreuse? That stuff is delightful. Grande Chartreuse, the monastery at which it is made, has about 15 monks remaining in a gigantic castle which could house hundreds.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Chartreuse/…

There isn't much liqueur talk around here, but some of them are delicious.

If I had room for 5 liqueurs to take with me to the desert island, they would be, in no rigid order:

1) Benedictine

2) Irish Mist

3) Cointreau

4) Green Chartreuse

5) Sambuca

Have I missed any great ones?

@Victor - I'm not the biggest fan of liqueurs, generally, but do like cherry brandy, if that counts? And Chambord, especially a few drops in champagne/sparkling wine.

@RianC Ah yes, you like Kir Imperial, made with Chambord, which is framboise/raspberry, as differentiated from Kir Royale, which is made with sparkling wine and Creme de Cassis/blackberry.

What appeals to me about the better liqueurs is that they have flavours which are so intense that they overpower the sweetness.

@Victor I guess I could say, "I don't always drink bourbon. But when I do, I prefer ECBP."

@Nock They should hire you for ads

This isn’t whisky, but with the passing of Sir Sean Connery today, I thought this was appropriate. “Shaken, not stirred” vodka martini. Rest In Peace.

Tonight I was able to do my physio exercises for my shoulder with a lot less pain than in the last month and a half. Thanks to my doctor who used his ultrasound to inject some steroids in just the right places. He even offered to help me and my group expand our use of ultrasound (he runs the sim lab at my hospital), but I digress. So I'm celebrating by enjoying a small pour of Dillons Canadian Rye 1 Cask Strength rye. I'll be posting my review shortly.

Spoiler - this is good stuff.

Finally opened our 21st Anniversary Whisky (a day late): 21 year-old Single Cask, Cask Strength, Single Grain Scotch from Cameronbridge, at 58.2% ABV...