So, what are you drinking now?

Rootled through my Clynelish last night and had a dram of a Gordon and Macphail Connoisseurs Choice Clynelish 1997 bt 2014 46%. Goes so well with the change in the weather from dull to bright blue skies! Quite perked me up! Cheers..

@BlueNote, I may have been biased going in. There’s no way Diageo is going to “give away” a 51% abv bottle of good scotch for $100 - $110 Canadian. It is contrary to their M.O.

Canadians Pay $250 - $350 for JW Blue, I would rather have 3 or 4 or 5 JW Black.

Celebration 51% is a nice blend at a price that makes me look elsewhere like Talisker 10 YO, or for a few bucks more, Wiser’s 23 YO... or a pair of Alberta Premium Cask Strength.

I’m more likely to pick a bottle of JW Green than J W Celebration ... and pick up a bottle of Ballantine’s with the difference saved.

Thanks @fiddich1980 for providing me with the opportunity to experience the Celebration 51% abv and to save $110.

@RianC - honestly, there wasn't a lot of sleep this past week. :-) Thanks for your kind words. Hopefully, things at work will return to a more normal level of crazy. As for the bottle aging, I'm not sure how much difference the oak stick is making, but with the first batch, I discovered that I really like having Manhattan's pre-made. When the mood strikes, no measuring or making a mess. Just pour it in the glass!

Last night (Friday), my older son and his wife came over for dinner and drams.

My wife, son and I started off with a pre-dinner Black Manhattan (Maker's Mark 46, Amaro, orange bitters and Angostura bitters). My daughter-in-law prefers G&T's.

With dinner (grilled, bone-in pork chops), a couple of dry, sherry influenced drams;

Westland Cask # 2631 Single cask release, cask strength (5 year 6 months-Distilled 2014) - 1st Fill Oloroso Hogshead - 57.9% ABV.

Ben Nevis SMWS 78.41 (19 year - Dec. 1997) - "A real sherry monster" - Refill ex-Oloroso sherry butt - 57.1% ABV.

After dinner, while playing some games, my wife wanted to open her Penderyn Legend. For 43%, this has a lot more going on than I remember. Very fruity and floral. It held it's own after the sherry whiskies above, which really surprised me.

Now it was time for smoke. (To add to the ambience, I lit an Ardbeg peat cone so the whisky room filled up with the smell of glorious peat!)

Kilchoman Small Batch #3 (Port hogsheads, bourbon barrels and sherry casks) - 48.9% ABV.

Finished with Caol Ila SMWS 53.325 (7 year - Mar. 2012) "When two powerful pearls meet". After six years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, finished in a refill ex-Madeira hogshead - 61.2% ABV.

A glass of Glenfarclas 25 to prematurely, I guess?, celebrate my birthday.

Opened this for my 40th last year and there's about 1 dram left. Very nice whisky that has grown on me with time but not one I'll rush out to replace. I am getting some polish and slight bees wax notes that weren't there at the start and the sweeter sherry notes have softened. I'd give it 87 or so now.

@RianC Happy birthday, mate. You're just coming into the best years of your life. The next 2 decades can be some of the best days of your life. I hope they are for you.

I will dedicate this dram of SMOS Imperial 24 to your good health.

Slainte.

Mortlach 16 "Distiller's Dram":

The initial encounter wasn't the best. The notes were a sharply contrasting and conflicting with sweet black tea, cloves and vanilla , and autumnal forest floor twigs. I generally, expect a bit of sulphur on Mortach and this was no exception ... struck match sticks.

Now that the bottle has been opened for a few week the harmonics of the flavours has integrated nicely. That sulphur note actually, augments the nutty(beurre noisette) toffee sweetness giving it that slightly, over caramelised sugar creme Brulee crust. I'm just not a fan of the watery mouth feel. The warming heat and finiish are spot on. Happy to have a couple in the cabinet from a recent sales.

@fiddich1980 What's the ABV on that one?

@RianC Many happy returns Rian. Very much enjoyed reading your posts and reviews over the years and particularly your recent foray into old JWB bottlings. Really made me think about buying a few more old bottles. I have only got some old Bruichladdichs from the 80s and 90s and they were such good value compared with current offerings. An 90s 15 cost me £60 with auction costs on top where as the PC 16 I purchased last year from the distillery cost me £120 if memory serves me correctly. Might have been more. Cheers for the inspiration! Have a good day.

@BlueNote - Thanks, mate! Well, I really hope so and I'll drink to the gesture. Hopefully I don't have to wait too long for my hip op and will then be back skipping around like the 20 something me

@Timp - Thank you! That's very nice of you to say and reassuring to know at least some of my rambling is appreciated

I've been happier than I expected to be so far from auction buys and it's become quite addictive but, given the quality that you're getting, it feels like a smart bet - especially where blends are concerned. If money were no issue, I'd definitely be looking at older malts from the 90s, maybe in the future. The extra costs can add up but there are also real bargains to be had so I guess it evens out. I see you're just down the road (in relative terms on this site) from me too - always nice to have some local back up ha!

@BlueNote It is the official bottling from 2018 bottling ABV 43.4%. Two reviewer's indicate that this could be stunning at 46%-48%.

connosr.com/mortlach-16-year-old-distiller…

connosr.com/mortlach-16-year-old-distiller…

insearchofelegance.net/blog/2017/…

@RianC I dread to think what my purchases would be if i had the cash to indulge this hobby! I have to be careful around the auctions, as you say they can be addictive. Always meant to get up to the Bristol Whisky events but missed em. If we get back to those again will definitely make more of an effort. Cheers..

After a walk in glorious sunshine earlier, I'm chilling with an Arran 10. Love, love, love this - seems more honeyed and rich than my last bottle but it might well be an improvement. Lots of crisp green apple, well-balanced with lovely soft tannins and baking spices.

@RianC Arran are putting out some wonderful whiskies. I worry a bit since about 3/4 of their range is NAS that relies on cask finishing, but their base spirit is so full of interesting character that I think it can handle it. But it’s always nice to experience a clean, crisp malt and the 10 is just that.

Like that Arran 10 also.. Old Pulteney 17 tonight. Cheers all.

@Timp @OdysseusUnbound @RianC Just had to break out the Arran 10 after reading the comments from you three fanboys. It's just as good as I remembered. The Old Pulteney 17 is also a favourite of mine. I think I've said it before, but it blows the new 18 out of the water.

Last night (Saturday), my wife and I had Black Manhattans made with Maker's Mark 46 before dinner.

Tonight, we had Jerry Thomas Manhattans made with Rittenhouse Rye BiB before dinner.

After dinner, rated a recently opened bottle; Penderyn Legend - 43% ABV. I rated it an 87.

@BlueNote I’ve heard similar reviews about OP17 vs OP18. I have never tried either of these whiskies. What are the main differences with regards to aromas/flavours ?

My penultimate glass of JW Black from the 80s. Still bringing a huge smile to my face, and I fear other bottles might not live up to this. It's been, as ralfy would say, an education!

Interestingly, like I find with modern JW's, it's staring to unravel a touch as the air gets to it. Still excellent but it's lost a bit of clarity. I have a sample decanted for a future tasting though so hopefully that remains in tact.

@OdysseusUnbound I hate to use the dreaded "S" word, but the 18 is too smooth and lacking any real distinguishing characteristics. The 17, on the other hand, has loads of complexity and enough bite to let you know you're drinking whisky. I'm not good at separating out flavours and smells, but @Victor is, and I believe he is familiar with both. He might chime in.

Tonight's tasting, with a friend:

1) Compass Box Asyla, 40% ABV

2) Compass Box Great King Street, Artist's Blend, 43% ABV, newly opening a bottle I received as a party favour 10 years ago in March 2011, when I heard a presentation by John Glaser

3) Compass Box The Peat Monster Reserve 48.9% ABV

4) DYC Blended Whisky, 8 yo, Spain, 40% ABV

5) Bastille 1789 Blended Whisky, France, 40% ABV, a very sweet batch, much like dessert wine

6) Chivas Regal 12 yo, 43% ABV, probably from the 1990s

7) The Famous Grouse, 40% ABV

8) The Famous Grouse 12 yo, 40% ABV

9) Alberta Premium 100% Rye, 30 years old, 40% ABV

10) Usquaebach Reserve Blended Scotch, 43%

11) Clan MacGregor, 40% ABV

12) Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 yo, approx 1995 bottling, 40% ABV

13) The Black Grouse, 40% ABV

14) White Horse, 40% ABV

15) Islay Mist 8 yo, 40% ABV

16) Amrut Fusion, 50% ABV; my buddy's bottle is from a bloody outstanding batch, like the one that made Jim Murray name this the third finest whisky in the world one year

17) Amrut CS, 61.8% ABV; righteous intense barley

18) Glenlivet Nadurra Olorosa, 60.2% ABV OLO818 bottled 8/18. I liked this better than I expected based on previous reports

19) Four Roses Single Barrel 50% EN 30-6T, a newly opened bottle of my friend's

20) Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon, 58.4% ABV

21) Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye, 56.1% ABV. I finally got to try this one. Is it solid? Yes. Might it have been even a little more? Yes. My hopes and expectations were very high.

Having my friend over gave me a chance to take for a dance all of those blended Scotches which so often get overlooked.

@BlueNote not having tasted Old Pulteney 18 yo I would have difficulty making comparisons. The 17 yo has a freshness about it which is crisp and engaging.

I have some forced time on my hands. Gordon & Macphail Glenturret 18 from Hogshead Sherry Cask. It is solid from nose to finish. The form and body evolve and enhance the spirit(black currants, anise seed, cloves, orange oils, milk chocolate). The spirit alcohol is always present with a pine/juniper note as the canvas. I wonder what aromas the mash tun gave off and if it was constructed from pine or cedar wood? The wet cask maturation just add to this whisky.

My second whisky this evening is a Kilkerran 8 Cask Strength 2019 matured or finished in a Recharred Oloroso Sherry Cask at. 57.1%. It is Beast!

Nose is brine, first pressed green olives(oil), red berries hiding in the back ground, dark bark, and honey.

Palate: olives, strawberries, pineapple, hay, raw maple wood, sap, hot peppers, tongue tingle, smoke, peat, salt, blood orange, drying and puckering mouth feel

Finish: chillies, saw dust, drying heat, smoke, hay, barnyard, long lingering honey sweetness(odd?)

It reminds me of a Hampden Rum on the nose and first half of the palate. Then it transitions into a Springbank 12 in the bottom half.

Much thanks to @cricklewood for the sample.

I will have to do a H2H with the regular Kilkerran 8 Cask Strength

Tonight, rating another open bottle; Westland Cask # 2631 Single cask release, cask strength (5 year 6 months-Distilled 2014) - 1st Fill Oloroso Hogshead - 57.9% ABV. Rating: 88.

@Victor That's a good way to put it. The 18 has none of that as far as my palate is concerned.

Tonight, rated the last of my unrated open bottles. Kilchoman Small Batch #3 (Port hogsheads, bourbon barrels and sherry casks) - 48.9% ABV. Rating: 93.

@fiddich1980 I just got a sample of this from @Astroke. I’m looking forward to trying this.

A very unusual (for me) pre dinner taste-off with a late 80's/90's JW Black and a late 70's/80's bottle.

The more recent one has more noticeable grain, is less sherried and more peppery on the finish. Still good though but I won't feel as bad glugging my way through this one. This tastes more like a very 'good' blend rather than something bordering on orgasmic!

It's International Irish Whiskey Day, so an Irish Whiskey cocktail. The Belfast Love Affair: 1.5oz Bushmills Black Bush, 1oz sake, 0.5oz ginger liqueur, dash Orange Bitters, dash Aromatic Bitters.