So, what are you drinking now?

A Maple Old Fashioned, made with Canadian Club 12 year-old...it was what was left after bottling some samples for an Old Fashioned Exchange...

@RianC are you comparing the current GD 15 to Tamdhu 15? I've been to see how the new GD15 fares in general.

Haven't been drinking much but a friend dropped off some bourbon samples today and I figured there's not time like the present.

Jim Beam Old Tub, bottled in bond but it is unchill filtered @50% ABV. I was really surprised with this, there's no denying it's origins, the nose is very reminiscent of Booker's or Baker's the palate though was super creamy, loads of dusty grain, tons of boiled peanut, a little floral on the end. Quite a nice sipper if you like the Beam profile.

Last night (Friday), my wife and I had a couple of Black Manhattan’s (Maker’s Mark 46) before dinner.

Tonight, we had a couple of Jerry Thomas Manhattan’s (Rittenhouse Rye BiB).

Later, while playing on-line poker with my brother-in-law and some friends;

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.

Allt-A-Bhainne SMWS 108.14 (7 year - Nov 2011) "An enjoyable curiosity" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 66.2% ABV.

@cricklewood - Yes it's a bottle bought last year. I had a sample of the new Revival from when it first came out (again) from @weirdo that I think was a bit better, from memory.

I mean to do a review at some point, but it's not as sweet as what one might expect from a mix of PX and Olorosso, which isn't a bad thing from my end.

Redbreast 12 CS 2018 B1 from a sample. Seems more 'golden' and less on the sherry influence than the 2017 B1, and perhaps a bit lighter on the palate. Not a complaint, it's still excellent, and any differences are minimal. Less of the new pencil notes too and I'd say the grain leads the way here.

Yes, yes, yes ... Would happily have one from this batch in the stash but they are not cheap bottles. Cheers @wierdo!

Perhaps for another post, but the prices of Irish whiskey in general are quite prohibitive. Shame.

Small pour of Woodford Double Oaked before diving back into the work week.

Tonight’s pre-dinner cocktail for my wife and I; Black Manhattan’s made with Maker’s Mark 46.

Later, was in the mood for something special. Teaninich SMWS 59.51 (30 year - November 1983) "A refined cocktail" - Refill hogshead - 51.5% ABV. Amazing whisky.

@bwmccoy I found a 50ml sample of a Cadenhead Teaninich 13 year old that a friend gave quite a long time ago. All I can say about it is: durn tasty. I think I need to get some more.

@BlueNote - Teaninich is one of those "hidden gem" distilleries that we would never have access to as a single malt if it weren't for independent bottlers.

Last night, Penderyn Legend. At 43%, I'm surprised by how much flavor and depth this whisky has. It is definitely on the lighter side of what I usually prefer, but sometimes I'm in the mood for something light. Would be a perfect summer dram. The nose is apple, citrus and golden raisins. The palate is dried fruits, madeira cake and sultanas.

A small Balvenie 12 single barrel. Dryer and more astringent than I remember from previous bottles but to be expected given the differences in casks. Lovely fruity nose as usual though. Very much enjoying this one and given my current health issues will be spun out over the whole evening. Cheers all. Tim.

Starting with rum tonight, Foursquare 12yr old LCBO exclusive, a blend of both sherry & bourbon casks. It's quite oak forward, very aromatic, really nice stuff, the 48% abv helps the delivery a whole lot.

Happy St. Patrick’s day!

To celebrate I dug out a sample I received from @odysseusunbound in November 2019. Tyrconnell 15 YO madeira finish.

Note the Irish Whisky Glass.

You can see I’m ploughing through my samples these days....

Tonight I had a bit of Writers’ Tears and a pint of Guinness because of it happens to be an arbitrary date celebrating a liberated Welsh or English or Scots slave converting an island of polytheists to Christianity. Slainte !

@OdysseusUnbound Nice combo. Nothing gives head like Guinness.

Last night (Tuesday), Westland Distillery Single Cask # 2631 - 5 year 6 months - Distilled 2014 - 1st Fill Oloroso Hogshead - 57.9% ABV.

Tonight, in honor of the holiday;

My wife and I each had a Guinness with dinner.

For dessert, we each had a couple of Irish coffee’s. I made my wife’s Irish Coffee with standard Jameson’s. I made mine with cold brew coffee infused Jameson’s. Mine had a dark chocolate note that her’s didn’t have, but both were very tasty!

I then had a Black Irish Coffee Manhattan - recipe from @YakLord - equal parts Irish whiskey (standard Jameson), coffee infused Irish whiskey (Jameson Cold Brew) and Amaro with a dash of coffee bitters and a dash of orange bitters.

I’m finishing the night with Bushmills SMWS 51.15 (16 year - May 2002) "Boiled sweets and cut flowers" - First-fill barrel - 56.4%.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all!

@OdysseusUnbound - That's the spirit

Last night's D&D / Saint Patrick's Day Cocktail...the Tromán...it's technically an Elder Old Fashioned, made using the recipe from Diffords Guide, but swapping out the bourbon for Irish Whiskey. Tromán is the Gaeilge word for Elder tree, from which the elderflower blossoms used to make the St. Germain are harvested.

I finished my Woodford Double Oaked tonight and now I'm sipping WT 101. I really enjoyed the Woodford, and I'd say I'm "in" for a replacement bottle but the WT makes me reconsider all of that. Woodford DO is a really nice bourbon, but at $70 here in Ontario, I'm not sure I like it more than WT 101 which costs about $38. There's something about the Turkey's profile that just does it for me. It's like caramel with over-steeped black tea, and fresh tobacco soaked in maraschino cherry juice. Batch variation is always a factor, but I've never had a bad bottle of WT 101.

A friend gave me 3 samples yesterday. The first one was a Carn Mor Strictly Limited Ben Nevis 4 year old at 47.5% ABV matured in a sherry hogshead. I was stunned at how good a 4 year old whisky could be.

@OdysseusUnbound I concur on the WT101 front, this is really the bourbon that scratches 85% of my bourbon itch. I've had some spectacular batches but never a bad one. I love that slightly aggressive sweet and tannic profile along with the dusty spice. It's the bourbon that allows me to be uncaring about the current bourbon madness that is sweeping our provinces, I should really buy a case of it one of these days.

@BlueNote would love to hear more about that Ben Nevis, I think I have a similar version from Carn Mor buried in the stash but the proof might be higher.

@cricklewood - I'd totally second that. I just noticed the price of the 101 has taken a good hike - it had been under thirty pounds for a good while - I'm hoping that's not a permanent shift ...

I tried to get through more samples last night, did a little bourbon showdown

1792 Full Proof 62.5% ABV vs. Old Forester Single Barrel, Barrel Strength for Wine & Beyond 63.15%

Both really interesting profiles I am not too familiar with, both pretty hot, the edge went to the Old Forester which had this lovely cherry and almond profile that was really doing it for me.

Last night (Friday), my wife and I’s pre-dinner cocktail was a Vieux Carre made with Rittenhouse Rye BiB. We followed that with a traditional Manhattan also made with Rittenhouse. This Manhattan is from my second batch of bottle aging with a charred oak stick in the bottle. This batch has been aging for about half of the six week recommended timeframe. Coming along nicely!

@cricklewood These are the three samples from my mate. The Ben Nevis was a revelation. Not overly heavy on the sherry, no real indication of its youthfulness on either the nose or palate. Very well mannered with just a couple of drops of water.

The Ardmore at 9 years old was typical of sherry influenced peated whisky. A bit like sherry matured Kilchoman, even somewhat reminiscent of Uigeadail.

I’m saving the big ass Bunna at 68.6% ABV for the right occasion, which actually could be tonight as I can sleep it off on Sunday morning.

Tamarind Whisky Sour with Dillon's Three Oaks Rye...

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

My wife gave me a present today: a bottle of Lagavulin 8 yo. I really like it. It is peaty and tarry. It surely is fruity (citrus) and full of honey. It seems to be a beautiful balanced whisky.

@NamBeist It’s been so long since I’ve poured this I had to go back and check it I still have an open bottle. In fact I do. I picked one up when it was released as a standard bottling after I enjoyed my bottle of the 200 anniversary edition.

My spreadsheet said I didn’t pour it since Feb 2019. I think that’s wrong though because it also says I opened it in April 2019, which I remember doing because it was with @paddockjudge and @victor and his sister.

Still Feb. 2020 is still much too long for a scotch of this caliber. I must remedy this soon.

@NamBeist that's an amazing gift, your wife knows your tastes well.