So, what are you drinking now?

I spent 29 and 30 December at my sister's house. First we shared three beers: 1) a Blue Moon Light Sky Citrus Wheat, 4.0% ABV--she likes Blue Moon a lot, 2) a Young's Double Chocolate Stout, 5.2% % ABV. Neither of us tasted anything really identifiable as a chocolate flavour, and 3) Saranac Winter Lager 6.0% ABV, w "honey and cinnamon ". Again, no real flavour of honey and cinnamon. Malty lager yes. Honey and cinnamon no. These were the only beers I consumed during 2022.

Two wines: a glass of a Sauvingnon Blanc and a glass of a Cotes du Rhone at a party, neither of whicih was memorable enough to record the details of origin. They were OK, just OK. These were the only glasses of wine I consumed during 2022.

Whiski:& spirits, phase one: 1) Kavalan Solist Sherry 57.1% ABV, 2) Kavalan Port Cask Cask Strength, 58.6% ABV--this one went from pretty good but a little rough around the edges 3+ years ago when the bottle was opened to VERY mellow not only much more rounded, but much more coherent in its flavours as well. It was a very big an pleasant surprise to see the beautiful positive shift in this bottle, 3) Bushmills 21 yo Madeira Finish Malt-- the usual big treat, 4) Stara Sokolova 7 yo Serbian Slivovitz, 40% ABV-- still very enjoyable, and 5) Jelinek 10 yo Slivovitz 40% ABV (Czech)-- my favourite grassfire in a bottle.

Whiski & Spirits, phase two: 1) The Busker Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 44.3% ABV Wow! This one might take the prize for most startling differences between nose and palate with and without water of any spirit I have ever tasted! Interesting phenomena. Routine pretty good conventional Irish Pot still flavours w/o water, and then, with water added, "WTF happened here?" Enjoyable both ways, but startlingly different beverages from one another with respect to taste, 2) West Cork Blended Irish 62% "Cask Strength" Cask strength? Really? at PRECISELY 62.0 % ABV. Maybe, 3) Killowen Bonded Experimental Series Whiskey, 52.5% ABV, from sherry butts, finished in Basque Txakolina Acacia Cask. Very nice indeed, but expensive at $ 100/375 ml. 4) Ragged Branch Wheated Bourbon, Double-Oaked, 45% ABV, Batch 2. Nice enough, but a little thin on texture. Could also use more bass notes.5) Wiser's Legacy 2010 Release 45% ABV-- still wonderful from a bottle which has been open for 11 years

Happy 2023 Ladies and Gents!

,

@Victor,

I too have noticed an improvement in my two-plus-years open bottle of Kavalan Port Cask Cask Strength, from pretty good to pretty-good-I-think-I'll-get-another...and Legacy doesn't disappoint regardless of vintage. The newer releases are very good blends (2013 - 2016), but oh my gosh, the early releases from 2010 - 2012 are of excellent quality and excellent value at $50 CDN...and how do I determine "newer" from "early"? The discontinuation of the use of malted rye at the Hiram Walker distillery in Windsor ON, home of Legacy and Lot No. 40 100% RYE, and presumably the discontinuation of malted rye in Legacy as well, is the demarcation line between "newer" and "early". The last batch of Lot No. 40 Rye (a component part of Legacy, clocking in at approximately 32% of the volume of the blend) to contain malted rye was bottled in 2012.

@bwmccoy Awesome news & congratulations!!!!

@bwmccoy, Congratulations, from this grampa to a soon-to-be-gramps! A wee pour of 1997 Caol Ila 23 YO first fill sherry butt is in order. I think you would approve. I call it Islay Candy.

@JayRain and @paddockjudge - thank you both! That Caol Ila, @paddockjudge, sounds amazing!

Last night, my wife and I had a couple of Jerry Thomas Manhattan’s made with Old Forester 100 proof Rye.

Last night (Monday), my wife and I had some friends over for dinner and drams.

Started off with an Old-Fashioned cocktail. 2oz Old Forester 100 Proof Rye, 0.5oz simple syrup and 0.5ml of Old Forester Bohemian (spiced cherry & chocolate) bitters. Garnished with an orange peel and top smoked with apple wood chips.

Next, we tasted through some Nikka offerings.

Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky (45% ABV). Spice, banana, tobacco and chocolate.

Nikka Single Malt Miyagikyo (45% ABV). Malted barley, fruit, herbal spice and tannins.

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt (43% ABV). This is a blended malt from both the Miyagikyo and Yoichi distilleries. Hint of peat, cereal, fruit and spice,

Nikka Single Malt Yoichi (45% ABV). Light smoke with fruit, spices and nuts.

With dinner (grilled bone-in pork chops), we had a 15-year Cragganmore that was purchased at the distillery a few months ago. This bottle commemorates the distillery's 150th Anniversary. Per the label, it is "double matured in American oak for a wonderfully fragrant fruity and vanilla character". 1,869 bottles. (48.8% ABV)

After dinner, we tasted through three Old Pulteney's (two of which were single casks that were hand-filled at the distillery a few months ago).

Old Pulteney 18 year. Ex-bourbon and Spanish oak casks. It had very salty and warm notes to it but seemed a little thin. (46% ABV).

Old Pulteney 15-year single cask (ex-bourbon). Cask # 710. Bottle # 68. Cask filled August 30th, 2006. Bottled Sept. 17th, 2022. (61.4% ABV). Apricot and honey on the nose. Candied fruit and mango on the palate with the saltiness coming through in the finish.

Old Pulteney 14-year single cask (ex-sherry). Cask # 1467. Bottle # 182. Cask filled Nov. 22nd, 2007. Bottled Sept. 17th, 2022. (61.9% ABV). Red apple, buttery, toffee, sultana, Seville orange marmalade on the nose. Rich oaky spiciness, honeyed apricot with a buttery vanilla finish on the palate again with the saltiness in the finish.

The ex-bourbon single cask was excellent, but the ex-sherry single cask was my favorite of the two.

Tonight (Wednesday), finished off my bottle of Batch 15 SMWS blended malt whisky. A 10-year-old consisting of peated casks from Islay and Orkney matured in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-PX and ex-Oloroso casks - 50% ABV.

Nothing as I am participating in Dry January again this year.

Living vicariously through all of you this month! Slainte!

Before dinner, finished off the sample of George T. Stagg, 2012 release, 71.3% ABV that @Victor gave me of my recent visit. I really enjoyed this one! Thanks again @Victor!

Later, while playing on-line poker with the guys, had a couple of drams.

Clynelish SMWS 26.186 (10 year - Feb. 2011) "Polished and refined" - 1st fill ex-Bourbon barrel - 59.2% ABV.

Strathmill SMWS 100.29 (11 year - March 2010) "Misbehaving in a country house" - After 8 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill ex-Oloroso hogshead - 57.2% ABV.

@TracerBullet Me too. So far, so good with the green tea happy hours. Stay strong.

@BlueNote I find it gets easier after the first full weekend.

@TracerBullet @BlueNote What a contrast. I haven't had any whisky in January because I've been too tired... not sure when I will get around to it.

Tonight (Friday), My wife and I spent some time over at her sister's and brother-in-law's. My brother-in-law and I had the following drams.

We finished off my bottle of Loch Lomond SMWS 135.42 (21 year - July 2000) "Fun in the sun" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 54.9% ABV.

Glen Moray SMWS 35.309 (9 year - June 2012) "Darwin's tipple" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 60.3% ABV.

Speyburn SMWS 88.27 (12 year - Feb. 2009) "The nutcracker" - Refill ex-Bourbon hogshead - 54.0% ABV.

We also finished off my bottle of Dalmore SMWS 13.89 (13 year - May 2007) "Amped-up!" - After 11 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, finished 2 years in a 1st-fill charred with toasted heads wine barrique - 57.0% ABV.

Bowmore SMWS 3.336 (17 year - Feb. 2004) "Sublime maritime" - 2nd-fill ex-Bourbon hogshead - 57.4% ABV.

Laphroaig SMWS 29.281 (10 year - Sep. 2010) "Driftwood Barbecue!" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 60.8% ABV.

@TracerBullet Something I think might help to ward of any urges would be to quit reading any of @bwmccoy's posts.

@BlueNote So true! @bwmccoy post are sooo tempting!

@BlueNote and @TracerBullet - Sorry, guys. Don't mean to lead you into temptation. :-)

On Saturday night, my wife and I had a couple of Black Manhattans made with Maker's Mark 46.

Last night (Sunday), my wife and I had a couple of Jerry Thomas Manhattans made with Old Forester 100 Proof Rye.

Craving something waxy, leathery, with ripe honey. This one scratches that itch ....teaspoon Clynelish.

I wish I wasn't in the middle of Drynuary because I just heard Jeff Beck has died and I would really love to drink a dram to his memory while listening to Blow by Blow. Jeff Beck is a true guitar legend who played the instrument unlike anyone else. He leaves an indelible mark on the world of modern music. R.I.P. Jeff.

@BlueNote I intend to play the blu-ray Jeff Beck Live at Ronnie Scott’s, a great performance, in his honour.

@MRick I watched the whole thing again yesterday on you tube. He’s got such a soft and precise touch with that whammy bar. A unique talent. On the plus side, I’ve still got Bill Frisell to feed my guitar cravings.

For happy hour last night, I made two variations of an Old Forester Old Fashioned cocktail.

First, 2oz Old Forester 100 proof Rye, sugar cube, Old Forester Bohemian (spiced cherry & chocolate) bitters, orange twist garnish.

Place sugar cube in glass. Soak cube with bitters. Muddle to desired consistency, then add whiskey, stir, add ice, stir, add garnish.

The second variation is exactly the same except for the bitters. This time I used Old Forester Smoked Cinnamon bitters.

My preference of the two variations was the one with the Bohemian bitters. I plan to make yet another variation at some point using Old Forester Hummingbird (rose & citrus) bitters.

Later, I finished off my bottle of Strathmill SMWS 100.27 (11 year - Mar. 2010) "Colorful and flavorful" - After 8 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill Oloroso hogshead - 55.3% ABV.

@bwmccoy Thanks man! Now I really want an Old Fashioned!!!

Tonight, I finished off my bottle of Highland Park SMWS 4.296 (20 year - Sep. 2000) "Life-affirming" - At 17 years, selected ex-bourbon hogshead casks were vatted then split among a variety of casks. Final 3 years spent in a refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 56.1% ABV.

While playing on-line poker with the guys a trilogy of Caol Ila's

Caol Ila SMWS 53.395 (11 year - Nov. 2009) "Smoky explosion" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 56.4% ABV

Caol Ila SMWS 53.373 (10 year - Nov. 2010) "The gourmand maltster" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 59.5% ABV

Finishing with a heavily peated Caol Ila SMWS 53.398 (11 year - Sep. 2010) "Death of the T-1000" - Refill ex-Bourbon hogshead - 58.2% ABV

Amrut Spectrum 004, ABV 50% bottling 2021. A "Frankenstein cask" stave consisting of ex-Oloroso, French Oak, and PX. It needs time in the glass to harmonize. My initial thoughts were of Auchentoshan Three Wood lucky, that thought dissipated with time in the glass. When it does open up, it is an intensely rich/sweet combination of wood. It maybe slightly too oaky but palate has loads of red and dark berries. The tropical aging shines through - dark rum bass notes.

For happy hour tonight, I made the third variation of the Old Forester Old Fashioned cocktail using Old Forester Hummingbird (rose & citrus) bitters. It was better than I was expecting. I was a little worried about the rose, but it worked well with the citrus and the rye. I still like the Bohemian bitters the best, but the Hummingbird was a close second.

For my second cocktail, I made a Bourbon Smokey Peaks cocktail. 2 oz Bourbon (I used Maker’s Mark 46), 1/4 oz Whistle Pig barrel aged maple syrup, 2 dashes of black walnut bitters top smoked with cinnamon chips.

@bwmccoy That second one sounds interesting, and tasty.

@BlueNote - Thanks. I haven't made it for a while, and I wanted to make it while I still had some of the Whistle Pig Barrel Aged Maple syrup left (My younger son has it on his waffles every morning.)

Last night (Saturday) for happy hour, I wanted to try my new sphere ice mold that my older son gave me for Christmas. I've been using a cube ice mold that makes almost perfectly clear ice, so I wanted to compare the two to see which one was clearer. I made my wife an old fashioned with Maker's Mark 46 using the cube. I made a Vieux Carré with Old Forester Rye 100 proof using the sphere. As you can see in the pic below, the cube has air bubbles, and the sphere is almost 100% clear. The winner is the sphere.

Tonight, for happy hour, a couple of Greenpoint cocktails. 2 oz Old Forester 100 Proof Rye whiskey, 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse, 1/2 oz Sweet vermouth, 1 dash Angostura bitters, 1 dash Orange bitters and a Lemon peel garnish.

Later, I finished my bottle of Laphroaig SMWS 29.281 (10 year - Sep. 2010) "Driftwood Barbecue!" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 60.8% ABV.

A heavily peated Caol Ila SMWS 53.398 (11 year - Sep. 2010) "Death of the T-1000" - Refill ex-Bourbon hogshead - 58.2% ABV.

Islay Mist 8 yo Blended Scotch Whisky, 40% ABV. It is good to remind oneself of the pleasures of inexpensive blended Scotch whisky. This bottle has been open since about 2014 and seems to have lost a bit in the mouth. There is something in the finish now which goes a bit sour which I don't remember from the past. The nose remains very pleasing.