So, what are you drinking now?

@ajjarrett Kenny Burrell: Midnight Blue, a stone cold classic.

@BlueNote It sure is. I have a few other albums, of his, on my iPhone and HD, but Midnight Blue is an 'go to' recording for me. It is perfect with a new pour of a newly opened bottle, while it is snowing outside and I don't have to be in it. Ah, it's perfect any time.

@ajjarrett Kenny Burrell is a criminally under-appreciated guitar player.

Source: me, a guy with a B.A. in music (and history, fwiw)

Last night, I had a dram of peated Allt-A-Bhainne. SMWS 108.19 (7 year - Nov 2011) "Forget Convention!" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 64.6% ABV.

Followed by the last dram of a peated Bunnahabhain. SMWS 10.176 (11 year - Dec. 2007) "Tea-smoked salmon" - After nine years in an ex-bourbon hogshead transferred into a second fill Spanish oak ex-Oloroso hogshead - 59.2% ABV. I’m really going to miss this one. Peated whisky in an ex-wine cask is pretty much perfection to me!

@OdysseusUnbound Agreed. How about Grant Green: Idle Moments, another jazz guitar classic and perfect music to accompany good whisky and a good book.

A pre-dinner pour of Eagle Rare 10. This is growing on me. Not the most complex bourbon, but not without complexity either. And no off notes whatsoever.

On-line poker night with the guys;

Copperworks Distilling Company Special Release 34 WA state peated malt (Skagit Valley Maltings) aged for 49 months in 8 new American oak casks - 52% ABV.

Opened my bottle of Laphroaig 16 at 48% and as good as I remembered.

A lovely dram with the smoky, peat forward honey sweetness you would expect from a Laphroaig. What I remember enjoying most about this dram in the past is the golden syrup or vanilla fudge notes on the nose and this bottle doesn’t disappoint.

Some of those smoky, peat and earthy notes seemed to be enhanced with a little water which was interesting.

This was only a neck pour so expecting the bottle to get even better as some air gets to it.

Cheers..

So, I have opened the Darroze 2000 Millésime (vintage) Domaine de Poutëou (21yo, 50% abv), and after that I opened the 12yo Darroze (43% abv). Tonight, I have opened and poured myself a small glass of Darroze 1992 Millésime Domaine de Martin (29yo, 50% abv).

I have not done a compare and contrast of the bottles yet. I will first gain and increase my appreciation for armagnac. Of course, when I do any compare and contrast process it isn't about which one I prefer, but more to help me pick up different aromas and flavours. I was never a 'fan' of youtube reviews that do 'versus' and I usually skip, or mute, videos when they get to the 'score' part of the review.

Friday night cocktails;

First, a Greenpoint (2 oz Knob Creek Rye, 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse, 1/2 oz Sweet vermouth, 1 dash Angostura bitters and 1 dash Orange bitters. Garnish with a emon peel.)

Next, a Black Irish Coffee Manhattan (based @yaklord’s recipe). 1oz Teeling Irish Whiskey, 1oz Jameson Cold Brew Coffee Infused Whiskey, 1oz Amaro, Dash of Coffee Bitters and a Dash of Orange Bitters.

Before dinner, a couple of Black Manhattan cocktails (2oz Makers Mark 46, 1oz Amaro, 1 dash Angostura bitters and 1 dash of Orange bitters. Garnish with a dehydrated orange slice and a Maraschino cherry).

After dinner, while playing on-line poker with the guys;

Glen Grant SMWS 9.224 (14 year - May 2007) “Harvest hayride happiness” - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 61.7% ABV.

Finished with a peated Allt-A-Bhainne SMWS 108.19 (7 year - Nov 2011) "Forget Convention!" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 64.6% ABV

Finally getting some sense of taste and smell back and enjoyed a large Talisker 18 last night. Went down beautifully!

@RianC, welcome back lad! Glad to know you are on the mend. Excellent medicine that Talisker 18.

@paddockjudge - cheers, mate! A cure-all, some might say

Yeah good news @RianC. Nicely chosen dram to help hasten your recovery.

Bunnahabhain 16 2004 54.1% PX Noe hand filled exclusive tonight.

The colour of this dram is that soft yellow of a classic bourbon cask which is interesting.

Nice and fruity a pleasant surprise. Lovely touch of struck match, white grapes, wine notes and a little apricot. A really long finish with those sweet fruits still dominating.

I do like these offerings from their warehouses and although pricey for the 20cl gives you a nice chance to try them without the outlay for a full bottle. Still one of the best distillery shops on Islay. Glad to see the stock in the new shop hasn’t changed too much. Much better view across the sound though. Cheers.

@RianC Glad to hear you are feeling better and able to appreciate life’s finer things. I think if I had three wishes, right after world peace and an end to world hunger, I’d be asking for a lifetime supply of Talisker 18. Excellent choice for your re-entry, mate.

Tamdhu 15 approaching the lower end of the bottle. This one remains solid with air exposure- deeper bass notes on the sherry. I was worried about a possible sulphured note at the halfway mark but, it is no longer detected.

@fiddich1980 That one takes sherry to another level. I need to get another one.

@BlueNote One of the better pricing for it, is at Sierra Springs.

@fiddich1980 - I had a dram of Tamdhu 15 last night too. About 20% of the bottle left and I think it has done very well with air exposure. Deep bass sherry notes is a good way of putting it. I think the bitterness and dry spice have softened too. Does taste somewhat old-fashioned. It might edge the Glendronach 15 at this point.

@BlueNote - wondering whether to add this to my wish list but at +£70 it's not a cheap one. The cask strength offering is also tempting ...

Today is my birthday, but we celebrated yesterday. My wife took me to my favorite local whisky bar that has 50% off all Scotch drams and flights on Sunday. With appetizers, I started off with a Society Speyside flight (0.5oz pours each) consisting of;

Glenlivet SMWS 2.120 (14 year - Apr. 2006) - "Smith's quadrilogy: but which one?" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 55.8% ABV.

Glen Moray SMWS 35.282 (12 year - Nov. 2007) - "Nailed it!" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 57.1% ABV.

Balmenach SMWS 48.120 (7 year - Nov. 2012) - "Worm tub stodge" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 60.0% ABV.

Glenallachie SMWS 107.21 (8 year - May 2012) - "Bounty on the galleon" - 1st-fill ex-Sherry butt - 63.3% ABV.

Blair Athol SMWS 68.53 (13 year - Jan. 2007) - "Sweet, sweet memories" - 1st-fill ex-Pedro Ximenez butt - 59.1% ABV. (This was a healthy pour birthday dram from the restaurant owner. A stunning dram! While I liked all 4 drams in the flight, this one blew them all away.)

With dinner, I had another flight called "Just Peat It".

Kilchoman - Loch Gorm - This is not my favorite Kilchoman expression, but still a nice whisky.

Laphroaig - Triple Wood - I've had this one before as well and while not my favorite Laphroaig, it was better than my memory of it.

Ardbeg - Scorch - First time that I've tried this one. Both my wife and I really liked it. The best of these four drams. I would buy a bottle of this.

Finished with Bruichladdich - Port Charlotte which is always a great dram!

The picture below is the first flight.

@bwmccoy

Happy Birthday! Or in a language I wish I knew fluently, お誕生日おめでとうござます！I am not sure how you did it, but I think I would have been a bit legless after consuming all of that, even with food.

@bwmccoy I wish you a very Happy Birthday!

@bwmccoy, wishing you a Happy Birthday!

@bwmccoy 생일 축하 합니다!

!אַ גליקלעכן געבורטסטאָג

And many more happy turns around the sun!

@bwmccoy Happy Birthday and best wishes for a long and healthy life. That malted barley is health food, isn't it?

@ajjarrett @Victor @paddockjudge @Nozinan @BlueNote - Thank you all for your birthday wishes! I really appreciate it!

Tonight, a birthday dram with Arlene. I hand-filled this bottle at Bruichladdich in April 2016. This 24 year old spent 18 years in an ex-bourbon cask before spending the remaining 6 years in a Premier Grand Cru Sauternes wine cask. This range is called the 'Laddie Crew' and this is the 19th cask in the series. It is honoring Arlene Macfadyen, the Bottling Hall Supervisor at the time. A stunning dram! Happy Birthday to me!

@bwmccoy happy birthday and looks like a great dram to celebrate with. Cheers.

@bwmccoy - Happy birthday Looks like you already had a great time but I hope that continues until your next one! I'll raise a glass of Laffy Sherry Oak in your honour later ...