So, what are you drinking now?

@RianC That's the spirit mate (literally and figuratively). The only way to deal with stroppy taste buds is to just keep pouring whisky on them until they see reason. Have a great weekend.

@BlueNote I won't be spending any money on a Glenmorangie any time soon. I just spent more money on other things (bottles). Shhhh. Don't tell anyone.

@paddockjudge "...about a dozen..?" You, sir, are our fearless leader.

@paddockjudge those were the days when one didn't need to face down an angry mob to get a bottle or two.

Don't drink much these days but tonight calls for a dram...Whistlepig 10yr old single cask 56% ABV for Sierra Springs, this one has become a lot better with some time open, love that rich texture, can't go too wrong with ADL rye

@ajjarrett Haha, yes indeed. I've been following your little Cognac/Armagnac spending spree.

@BlueNote I don't think I said anything about a buying spree. Just 'normal' buying activity to help the economy pull out of the COVID resecession. I think....yes, that's it. I am being patriotic in buying armagnac to help support the economy.

Well, I just opened the Darroze 30yo blend, and I have on Grant Green Live in France. I am making this Friday a relaxing one, knowing tomorrow morning, I will be clearing snow off the cars and the driveway. Woohoo! I am not complaining we need the water, in almost any form, in Colorado.

@ajjarrett We all have to do our bit to help out in these difficult times.

@ajjarrett You have excellent taste in both booze and music my friend.

@BlueNote

Thanks. Just like many in life these interests/tastes were not made in a vacuum. I had help from good and old friends, along with time. I think that makes sense. Haha

My family and my brother-in-law's family rented a cabin in the cascade mountains to play in the snow for the weekend. Last night, my brother-in-law and I had the following;

First, I opened my bottle of Up North Distillery North Idaho Single Malt Whiskey (43% ABV). There is no nice way to spin this; it's not good. Liquid bread dough and wet wood pulp. I'm going to have to try to blend this with something, but I'm not even sure that will help.

Next, I opened up Corsair Triple Smoke (Beechwood, Cherry & Peat) American Single Malt Whiskey Pot Distilled (40% ABV). While this was slightly better than the first, it wasn't great. Not very smoky. Had some cherry note on the nose and some bourbon qualities on the palate even though it is a single malt.

Finally, some good drams... GlenDronach SMWS 96.34 (11 year - March 2009) "Stroll Through the Seasons" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 60.2% ABV.

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

Glenrothes SMWS 30.108 (12 year - Feb. 2008) "A Taste of Home" - Refill sherry butt - 64.3% ABV. This was the best of the night.

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

We'll re-do some variation of this lineup again tonight because this all of the whisky I brought. Not sure about the first two though...

After a day on the snowmobiles in the mountains, it was time for some whisky.

Corsair Triple Smoke (Beechwood, Cherry & Peat) American Single Malt Whiskey Pot Distilled (40% ABV).

GlenDronach SMWS 96.34 (11 year - March 2009) "Stroll Through the Seasons" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 60.2% ABV.

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

Glenrothes SMWS 30.108 (12 year - Feb. 2008) "A Taste of Home" - Refill sherry butt - 64.3% 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.

@bwmccoy - That looks stunning! And some nice drams to follow!

Went out for dinner last night (just us parents, no kids allowed ha!) at a sushi place and stopped in one of my favourite pubs for a couple of drinks afterwards.

She had some fancy cocktails but I was happy to see they still had some Mortlach 16 F&F. Not cheap now (£10 for a tiny pour!) and, whilst still being a lovely dram, I had the impression that the bottle may have passed its best and been open too long.

Then had a shot of Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia Extra Anejo. This was very, very good. Could still taste the agave, which surprised me, but with this chocolatey and herbal backdrop. Could have drank the whole bottle but at £10 a shot it may be better to.stump up the £120 or so for a full bottle. 38% though is a turn off at that price ...

Tequila always makes me think of Caol Ila (and Ardbeg to a lesser extent). Must be that herbal quality it has?

@RianC I am delighted to hear that you were able to sample some Jose Cuervo Reserva de La Familia Extra Anejo tequila. Sorry that yours was at 38%. In the USA it is sold only at 40% ABV. When I gave my good friend @bwmccoy his first sip of that one 3.3 years ago he gave it what I surmise was for him a very high compliment, "This tastes like whisky!"

That is one tequila that I hope always to have a bottle of in my home. Say,...I think I'll drink some of that later today during the Super Bowl.

@Victor - Yes it was a lovely drop. Easily the best tequila I've had yet but that abv is a real off-putter ...

I imagine it would be much better suited to sipping on a beach at dusk rather than huddled in a corner of a busy pub sheltering from the wind and rain outside ha That said, whilst watching the Superbowl unfold sounds pretty good too! Enjoy

I bought this at the Mexico City airport 2 years ago. They were giving out samples at one of the duty free shops. Lovely stuff, and @Victor endorsed. This one is at 40%. It remains unopened awaiting a suitable occasion.

@Victor - You've inspired me to drink some more tequila so now having an Espolon Blanco tequila (@40%). This is decent stuff and a good counterpoint to the anejo. Sure I detect a little smoky note to it? It is definitely very herbaceous on the palate and even a touch salty - though my palate is, well, I'm not sure I'd trust it 'on the stand' currently, if you know what I mean? Ha!

I tend to prefer reposado over blanco for sipping but this is definitely worthy of that 'honour '. It's surprising how much flavour relative 'new make' can have, and also nice to try spirits without any oak influence. I guess tequila is quite unique in the way it presents itself, age wise?

This post needs splitting between this and the Tequila Talk thread

@BlueNote - my mouth's watering

@BlueNote yes, that is what Jose Cuervo Reserva de La Familia Extra Anejo looks like. Note that the artwork on the wooden box for each year's release of Jose Cuervo Reserva de La Familia Extra Anejo tequila is unique to that release.

@RianC the mind is a funny thing. I'm pretty sure that if had just said that I liked something so much that I could have sat down and drunk an entire bottle of it right there and then...that with respect to the decision as to whether I might purchase a bottle of it in the future I wouldn't really care what the ABV number on the bottle said.

As for me and purchasing my first bottle, I had had 4 drinks of it at bars and the homes of friends over the period of 2012-2016, each time becoming more convinced of how much I liked it. For years I thought, "That's really good, but it's just more than I want to spend." Then one day in 2017 I saw some of it marked down at my local liquor stores to about $ 82 plus 9% tax. I went home to check wine-searcher.com, and was astonished to find that the average world selling price for this was about $ 150. That's what made me decide to buy my first bottle. When my late wife and I had some we were both gaga over it, so when I had another opportunity, soon, to buy more at about that same bargain price, I picked up a second bottle. The reason they were so reasonable locally is that these were basically "dusties", 2014 release products being sold in 2017. The local stores had not bothered to mark up their prices to the more recent price increases during that period. NOW, with the experience of having grown to love this stuff so much, if I were to run empty of this tequila I would probably pay at or near the full current US$ 150 price to get some.

@RianC lots of yanks order from the UK. You could get your 40% ABV bottle if you ordered from the US.

@Victor "the mind is a funny thing. I'm pretty sure that if had just said that I liked something so much that I could have sat down and drunk an entire bottle of it right there and then...that with respect to the decision as to whether I might purchase a bottle of it in the future I wouldn't really care what the ABV number on the bottle said."

Was thinking this myself ...

Yes, buying from the US is potentially an option but the shipping costs likely make it an undesirable addition. £120 is expensive for any spirit but, given I liked it so much, it's perhaps not that unjust?!

@RianC I paid $100 US for mine. I think it was reduced because there is some discolouration on the box. I’m with @Victor, I would pay $150 for another. 120 quid doesn’t actually sound too bad, but it would be nice to get the extra 2% ABV. Any chance any of the European on line sellers would have the 40% version?

@RianC This is my absolute favourite. Sadly down to the last couple of inches. I’ll have to start looking for a replacement which I’m sure is going to cost well more than I paid for this one. This is another one that got the @Victor seal of approval.

I think this should go on the Tequila thread, but I’ll leave it here too.

@BlueNote, I paid approximately $185 CDN for a bottle of José Cuervo R de la F at the government store less than three years ago. I received a bottle from @fiddich1980 at the end of the Before Times for the amazing price of $135ish. He is masterful at the search and retrieval of discounted fine spirits. Thank you my friend!

My wife rarely drinks these days, but she did enjoy a few of the JCFR at our son’s scaled-down Covid-era wedding, as did I. A beauty for sure!

@paddockjudge A guy we know, who is the captain of one of the bigger BC Ferries, buys a case of JCRF every year down in Manzanillo, Mexico. I don’t know what he pays for it, but I would think it’s a pretty good deal. It’s not available in BC, but if it was it would be well more than $185.

The last of the Bunnahabhain 18 in the glass and some Blues and the Abstract Truth on the turntable.

A Talisker 18 whilst watching the Superbowl. I'm rooting for Cincinnati simply because they're the underdog. I think it's a British thing? We seem to instinctively support underdogs! Anyways, they're currently winning in the third period after a somewhat dodgy looking touchdown. But L.A. still look a threat, although the guy getting injured (Beckham?) seemed like a bad one to lose . Gutted for him!

And I rarely enjoy big performances like the half-time ones at a Superbowl, Olympics openings or what have you but, man, this was amazing! Really enjoyed it and I'm not even the biggest fan of rap.

Also secured a new job today so feeling good.

Cheers!

@RianC I’m not much of a rap guy either but I always loved Snoop D-O-double-G.

@RianC Congrats on the new job. That's grounds for a dram of the best you've got.

@OdysseusUnbound Me neither. I've tried, and some of it I get, but I find most of it not particularly musical in the conventional sense. Obviously, for it to have dominated pop music for this long, zillions of people, predominantly members of generations subsequent to mine don't agree.