So, what are you drinking now?

Tonight, Royal Brackla SMWS 55.53 (12 year - Aug. 2006) "The Old Curiosity Shop" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 59.3% ABV.

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.

Finishing with a heavily peated Bunnahabhain SMWS 10.190 (6 year - Oct. 2013) "Make moine a devil!" from a second-fill ex-Oloroso Sherry butt - 61.1% ABV.

Last night (Wednesday), a small dram of Maker's Mark 46 (47% ABV) in order to rate it. It was my only unrated open bottle. I gave it an 85. I have no plans to drink it neat on most occasions. It is strictly for my Black Manhattan cocktail.

Also had a small dram of 2Bar Spirits (Seattle, WA) Straight Bourbon Whiskey - 50% ABV.

Tonight, Milk & Honey (Israel) Whisky Distillery Elements Sherry Cask

Kaiyo Whisky Japanese Mizunara Oak - 43%ABV

The Big Swirl SMWS 10 year old Blended Malt Batch 07 - Ex-Spanish oak casks + ex-bourbon casks matured for final 2 years in 1st-fill ex-sherry hogshead - 50% ABV

Ardbeg An Oa - 46.6% ABV

I’m having a large pour of Bunnahabhain 18 for the passing of Geoffrey Palmer at 93, one of the most understated and droll comedic talents that ever walked the planet. He could do serious too. RIP Mr. Palmer.

@BlueNote RIP Mr. Palmer indeed. Along with greats like Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington of Yes Minister fame, he will be sorely missed. And I only just now realized that the third of the Yes Minister Trio, Derek Fowlds, died this past January.

I raise my mini glencairn with Ardbeg Wee Beastie to them. And to Sean Connery (that makes one star for each of the Beastie's 5 years).

So far tonight, a couple of Jerry Thomas Manhattan’s made with Rittenhouse rye BiB (one before dinner and one during/ after) while watching the Sean Connery James Bond movie marathon in order on BBC America.

A big pour of Glenfarclas 25 - I have to admit this has got better with time. The bitterness in the finish has softened and turned much more chocolatey and there's a lovely, soft gingery warmth. Still not top notch but more interesting for sure. I even get a little forest floor note but that could be due to the walk we had earlier?

@BlueNote - This will always be my memory of him. Comedy genius at every turn. RIP.

Being Father of the Groom has its privileges

@paddockjudge - Congrats!

@paddockjudge I recognize that flask...

@Nozinan, haha, sisterhood of the travelling flask

@paddockjudge what was IN the flask?

@Nozinan, Shelter Point KWM Rye from Alberta Distillers AND APCS

@paddockjudge hearty congratulations

@paddockjudge 2 heavy hitters mixed together! I should try that...

Pre-dinner cocktail; Vieux Carre made with Rittenhouse Rye BiB, Remy Martin VSOP Cognac, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, Benedictine liqueur, Peychaud’s bitters and Angostura Aromatic bitters. In addition to the traditional Luxardo Maraschino Cherry garnish, I also added a dehydrated orange slice.

Clan MacGregor Blended Scotch, The Famous Grouse Gold Reserve 12 yo Blended Scotch, Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 yo, Ardbeg Ardbog 52.1% ABV, DYC Spanish 8 yo Blended Whisky, and Rebel Yell wheated bourbon.

I am impressed by how much sweetness Clan, Grouse, DYC and Rebel Yell have gained over multiple years of the bottle open. They are all better now than they were for their first several years. And, after 8 years open the Ardbog tastes great to me.

I still had the dregs from s Paul John tasting set so they've been combined into a 'special blend' while I cook a biryani

@paddockjudge Those will be cherished Glencairns. Congratulations.

Braeval SMWS 113.24 (7 year - Oct. 2011) "Attack of the killer florists!" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 63.4% ABV.

Ardbeg An Oa - 46.6% ABV

@Victor - how is the Rebel Yell? It's often on offer here and is a cheap way to get a wheater.

@RianC I am glad that you asked about standard Rebel Yell. The bottom line from my experience is inconsistent. You never know just what you'll get. I've had a lot of Rebel Yell from various batches over the years and the individual batches have been all over the place. I've had VERY good Rebel Yell from a couple of batches, OK Rebel Yell from one or two batches. And rather BAD Rebel Yell from at least two batches, including the one bottle of it I bought for myself. Of two bad batches, one was on the rough side, while the other, my current bottle, just strangely had very very little flavour. I do not trust it at all, even though some batches are very good. I don't want to take the chance with my money.

Know the history here too: Rebel Yell is owned by Luxco in St. Louis. It was sourced for many years, with almost all bets being on Heaven Hill as the source. Luxco has its own distillery now. I don't know when Luxco distillate Rebel Yell will take over from presumed Heaven Hill sourced Rebel Yell, but it should be pretty soon, I think. When the Luxco distillate becomes standard, it will be time for a re-assessment of the brand.

If you get the chance to get Rebel Reserve Bourbon at a good price, that is a step up from the standard Rebel Yell. Rebel Reserve has never been a bottle commonly available, but I see that The Whisky Exchange has Rebel Reserve in stock for not much more than standard Rebel Yell. The bottle of it I had was a very nice elegant but mild mannered wheater. That one should be your decent example of a budget wheater. Keep in mind, though, this is whiskey for mellow moods, not fireworks.

Black Irish Coffee Manhattan...Irish Whiskey, Cold Brew Coffee Infused Whisky, Amaro, Coffee Bitters, and Orange Bitters.

@YakLord - sounds (and looks) amazing! Would you mind sending me the recipe for that? Thank you in advance, if you are willing. If not, no worries.

My wife and I are having Black Manhattan’s before dinner. (2oz Makers Mark 46, 1oz Amaro, 5 drops of orange bitters and 3 drops of Angostura bitters. Garnished with a Luxardo cherry and a dehydrated orange wheel.)

I’ve been infusing bourbon with pear, fig and vanilla for the last two weeks to try this Bourbon Negroni cocktail recipe I found.

So with the infusion done, I gave the cocktail a try. Not bad. Maybe a little on the sweet side so the next time I will adjust the ingredients to see if I can dial down the sweetness a bit.

@TracerBullet - That looks pearfect ... Sorry!

I'm intrigued about what happened to all the booze soaked fruit ... Care to tell?

Sipping a JD SB BP to celebrate confirmation of starting a new job on Monday and to see just how oaky this is becoming. Neat, I'm not noticing as much as I'd thought but a little water brings out more for sure. Still very, very good though.

Yes, there is some new pencils in there but also more cherry syrup, which is just lovely. Heavy tannins at the death.

@RianC - congrats on the new job!

Last night, I had a dram of Braeval SMWS 113.15 (9 year - Oct. 2008) "An apricot jamboree" from a refill ex-bourbon barrel - 61.6% ABV. This is down to the next to last dram. Really going to miss this one.

I did finish off my bottle of 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. I really grew to love this bottle over time. A wonderful sherry finished, non-peated Bunnahbhain.

@bwmccoy - Thank you! Having something more stable in these times is a huge mental boon!

Cheers!