So, what are you drinking now?

@OdysseusUnbound - and I believe they were as vain and manicured as a modern day 'influencer' ha!

Sorry to digress but I read an amusing story of a Viking recently that was about to be beheaded (in England, possibly?) and asked that his hair be pulled right out from his scalp so as not to ruin it when the blow was struck.

His assassin agreed and just as the blow came down, he jerked his head back causing the blade to chop off the hands holding the hair, not his head. Apparently, so impressed with his courage and humour, they let him go. When men were men, eh? Ha!

@TracerBullet - they look awesome! Nice one.

@TracerBullet renewing your vows there, that’s a lovely thing to do.

@TracerBullet A 30 year old Islay whisky for your 30th anniversary?

@BlueNote Boy would that be nice. Not sure I could afford a bottle of that!

A lovely G&M Caol Ila 2006 11 yrs 59.8%. Cheers..

Old Fashioned Variant with the last of my Penderyn Celt, St. Germain, and honey. I call it the Celtic Bee Keeper, as it's got flowers, honey, and smoke...

@Timp I had a G&M 10 YO CS CI that I got after 2 attempts from a store in Nova Scotia. Thanks @Astroke for making it happen. 60.5% and full of Caol Ila flavour. I hope this one is just as good for you.

Last night (Friday), my older son and his wife came over for dinner and drams. It was our last visit before they move out of state next week.

I shared with him 3 of the 4 whiskies that I will be presenting on a virtual tasting for the Society this coming Monday night. I will reveal specifics on Monday night. Until then, we had...

a 26-year Northern Highland whisky from an ex-bourbon cask..

Then a 10-year Speyside (Lossie) whisky (9 years ex-bourbon barrel + 1 year finish in an ex-IPA cask)

With dinner (grilled Flat Iron steak and Portobello mushrooms topped with roasted goat cheese), a 27-year Speyside (also Lossie, but different distillery) whisky (25 years ex-bourbon hogshead + 2 years in a 1st-fill Spanish oak Pedro Ximenez hogshead). This paired really nicely with dinner.

After dinner and dessert, had the following while playing some games;

Caol Ila SMWS 53.320 (12 year - Sep. 2007) "Raiders of the flossed ark" from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 58.2% ABV

Finished with Kilchoman Machir Bay Cask Strength Festive Season Edition (Santa hats on sheep). 58.6% ABV.

Tonight I finished a long day at a policy convention for my political party, for which I am being asked to run again should an election be called. It was brutal. But I helped to save the party from itself.

Needing to vent, @paddockjudge offered the opportunity to talk about the lowlights of my day over a dram. North of 7 Hazmat 4 grain was the pour of choice, the high ABV of the spirit lifting my own spirits.

@Nozinan a very good dram and I do miss that G&M range had some lovely Highland Parks too. Never had a bottle of the 60.5%, what year was that one? Looking back at my notes it seems I had a bit of a thing for them. 2003 59.6 x 2, 2004 60%, 2004 60.1%, 2005 57.3%, and the 2006 59.8% mentioned in my post.

They were such good value over here and from looking at what I wrote back then, I seem to prefer the 2004s just a wee bit more. I wrote, a lovely butterscotch, Caramac ( a caramel chocolate bar we have over here, not sure if you do too? ) note. They were both from refill sherry butts.

Again, last time I looked the auction prices were a bit head wobbling! ( nod to RianC lol..)

@Nozinan What with the Conservatives rife with climate change deniers and your party (and mine) giving out mixed messages on the Middle East, he whose only claim to fame is his name must be dancing around in front of his mirror like he’d just won the lottery. This is just one of the reasons one might find oneself drinking more than one should. Pass the cask strength Caol Ila please.

@Timp - I regret not getting more of those G&M bottlings. I knew at the time I'd regret it too! Live and learn ...

Speaking of auctions, I put a few ridiculously low bids on several bottles for an upcoming one and am still very much in the fray on all but one ... gulp! I'm not sure how I'll explain a case of old blends turning up after my recent promises 'They were cheap, your Highness, I swear ' ha!

And speaking of HRH ( ) I am putting both of the kids to bed solo tonight for the first time, as she's out seeing friends. So currently sipping some JW Red from the 80's before my pain killers kick in, which usually make drinking whisky a bit naff and pointless. The nose is truly excellent and, at risk of repeating myself, I can't get over the quality for a blend. Awesome! Cheers!

@RianC nice one mate, shout me if you want and I will send you a sample. Good luck with auction, let us know what you got. Oh and good luck tonight! Let’s hope Dad is good enough! Lol..

Port Charlotte 12 yrs 59.2% Sherry hogshead, bottle 69. Now, my father in law said to me tonight whisky is for drinking not saving, so decided to have a dram of probably the finest bottle of Port Charlotte I have. Fanboying aside it really is a stunning dram, and again was in the right place right time when I read on whisky fun that it was available. Don’t think I can do better than the whiskysponge review note that said, “There is bacon frying in the forest and everyone has turned up in muddy boots to eat it” nail on the head.. Cheers..

@Timp Nice whisky and nice reading selection. We just watched the 3 part Ken Burns film on Hemingway. Now I have to reread all the Hemingway classics I read decades ago. The long list sits at 27, but only about half a dozen are essential. Might have to start drinking Mojitos and Cuba Libres again too.

@BlueNote For Whom the Bell Tolls is still one of my favourite novels. Also, I share Hemingway’s penchant for daiquiris with added grapefruit juice (though I’m not diabetic and I like simple syrup in mine).

@OdysseusUnbound Yeah, that one’s in my top 6 along with A Farewell to Arms, A Moveable Feast, The Sun Also Rises, The Green Hills of Africa and To Have and Have Not. I also liked the Nick Adams stories and Death in the Afternoon.

When I first read him I was stunned by how he could put an image in your head with such simple, unadorned, unflowery, straightforward language. For me he is defined by his writing, not by his often unlikeable personality and his somewhat questionable philosophy vis a vis male female relationships and the supremacy of the white male. Bottom line, though, he knew how to write and drink and he was pretty much a fearless adrenaline junkie when it came to doing his war correspondent thing. I’m suddenly craving one of those daiquiris.

I won't go into great details. I can say, I had a bit of a run-in with my third brother. It was a rough day yesterday (Saturday), and so much so, I didn't even want to pour myself anything. I prefer to drink when I am in a positive mood.

Today, I am.

I am listening to a recording of Erik Satie's Gymnopédies and Gnossiennes while I enjoy a small dram of the 21yo Glengoyne.

Last night (Saturday), my wife and I had a couple of Black Manhattan’s made with Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength.

Tonight, my wife and I again had a couple of Black Manhattan’s, but made with regular Maker’s Mark 46 because we ran out of the cask strength version.

Finished with a 6-year peated Southern Highland whisky that I will be presenting on a virtual tasting tomorrow night. I had it both with and without water. At almost 65% ABV, I think a little water helps this one. Notes of maple smoked bacon, syrup and nutty.

@Timp - Many thanks, I'll drop you a PM. Bravo for opening that ralfy PC too! I remember him reviewing it and drooling but didn't even bother trying to get one - amazing that you did!

Kids went off without a hitch, thank the heavens

@RianC, no worries mate, sure a small dram of the meteorite can make it was to you too. Just happened to be browsing whiskyfun at 7 in the morning, when on it a whiskysponge review went out and mentioned the availability at the good spirits company in Glasgow. Thought for about 2 seconds before giving it a go and was surprised to get one tbh. Right place, right time and probably an indication of how much time I spend browsing the whisky blogs and press. Probably a bit sad like that lol..

Just love Port Charlotte whiskies too.

@BlueNote cheers, ahh the books the books lol. Got a house full of them and either need a bigger house or to convert a bedroom to a library. One of them is pretty much full of books already!

My dream would be to own a combined book and whisky shop. There was a British sit-com called “Black Books” and in my minds eye it would be a little like that. If you don’t like it in here, or what I have available, then P*ss off. Lol.

That could be above the door come to think about it!

@Timp - Wow that's quite the happenstance, as it were, nice one! I used to be a real hound on the whisky sites, YT etc but I definitely eased off when we had our first kid.

I must admit, I was getting a bit like that again on the auction sites recently but, current lapse accepted, have managed to pull back a bit. I only have so many pounds (and not that many of em ha) and I find that, where whisky buying is concerned, out of sight is out of mind

@ajjarrett - I only have one sibling, an older brother, and our relationship has always been a tumultuous one. I think we've both mellowed with age somewhat, but I still sense things could take a nasty turn when in his company, especially if drink is consumed.

Being the youngest I took crap for years and remember hurting him quite bad on a couple of occasions as kids when he pushed me too far. Things have been good the last few years but it literally took me having to display my martial arts training to him a good few years back for him to get that I wont take being bullied around. Ultimately, it makes me sad that he is the way he is (and I ain't perfect!) but I try to see it as Karma and work with what I've got. I do love him ... sometimes haa!

All of this is to say, I feel your pain and you have my sympathies. I think only a brother can understand that particular kind of feud and the emotions that go with it.

1) Glenrothes Select Reserve

2) Hendrick's Gin, sipped

3) Exotico Reposado Tequila, a Luxco, now MGPI product

4) El Tesoro de Don Felipe Anejo Tequila

5) Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Extra-Anejo Tequila

6) El Jimador Anejo Tequila, newly opened bottle.

7) Willett Family Estate Rye, 4 yo, Single Barrel # 2612, 55% ABV. Drinking this never gets old

@Victor, I am very pleased to see that you continue to open bottles. In January I had placed a moratorium, self-imposed, on newly opened bottles. It didn't last long. I defied the order and proceeded to open 8 new-to-me labels, or more, approximately a dozen bottles.

CHEERS BROTHER!

Cheers, @paddockjudge!

@paddockjudge At the end of 2020, I had 104 open bottles of Whisky, told myself I would get that down to 90 after clearing out some heels. Now sits at 112 plus due to some unknown bottles to whiskybase, and the heels were cleaned out.

@Astroke Isn't that always the way....

I had 93 open bottles at the end of 2020, and now I have 95, despite emptying a heel. I need to work harder...