So, what are you drinking now?

Amrut Intermediate Sherry Matured Single Malt Whisky, 57.1% ABV

I am toasting the Prodromos of Springtime with my favourite sherried malt whisky. Prodromos = harbinger. It is currently 77 F/ 24.5 C here and sunny. Yes, in 36 hours local temps here are expected to drop below freezing again, but... northern hemisphere springtime remains just a few weeks away. I can hardly wait!

@Victor, that is a beautiful day indeed, sunshine and a temperature of 77 F/ 24.5 C. The Northern Hemisphere can be both kind and cruel. Today is not a kind day in my neighbourhood. Wind gusts up to 70 km/ 43 mph, temp is -15 C/5 F.

Good fortune has shone on me this evening. A bottle of Old Potrero Single Malt Straight Rye made its way to the front of the cabinet. Opened pre-Hotaling (Jan 2018), I did not enjoy this bottle's top half. Five years on, it is magnificent! A deep and luxurious nose, silky clean palate, and long delicious finish. Tomorrow it will be -23C/ nine-below Fahrenheit....should have opened two of these.

Tonight's lineup...

Linkwood SMWS 39.225 (10 year - Feb. 2011) "Easy over" - 2nd fill ex-Bourbon barrel - 60.6% ABV. Distinct honeysuckle on the nose tonight.

Glenfarclas SMWS 1.253 (8 year - Dec. 2012) "The real deal" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 63.5% ABV. Almost a touch of smoke on the nose tonight. Must be the barrel char.

Westland Distillery (Seattle, WA) Cask # 6140 Single cask release, cask strength 7 year (4 year New American Oak + 3 year Pineau des Charentes brandy cask) 50.5% ABV. Dark fruits on the nose. Melted chocolate on the palate.

@Victor It's a balmy -25C/-13F here today. I'd like to say I'll warm up with some Baker's or Laphroaig later, but my youngest has a hockey game 1hr45mins away from our home tonight so I'll probably head straight to bed when we get home...

@paddockjudge @OdysseusUnbound oh yes, I can enjoy those Canadian winters. But I am sure that if that were my full time residence that the winters would seem extremely long. Lots of very hot soup.

Love, love, love that drapeau de Quebec. Blue and White...that's what you see 6 months out of the year. And I especially like the mist steaming off the Fleuve St Laurent when tout le monde is an ice palace.

A couple of Black Manhattan cocktails for happy hour made with Maker’s Mark 46.

Later, Blair Athol SMWS 68.76 (15 year - Aug. 2006) "Pleasantly pleasing, simply sublime" - After 12 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred into a 1st-fill Spanish oak ex-Oloroso hogshead - 52.8% ABV.

Finished the night 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. I’m

Amrut Porotnova 62.1% ABV Batch # 16.

Yes, it was 77F/24.5C here yesterday, and we have snow falling today. Not much snow though...@paddockjudge, kind of like those April 23, 2015 snowflakes which we saw fall in Thornbury, Ontario outside of The Dam Pub.

I'll be taking good care of this bottle of Portonova. It's the only one I've ever had, and unless they start making more of it again I may not get another chance at another bottle of it.

@Victor They still make Portonova, sadly at 48% though

@Astroke you are probably not surprised that when I say I may not be able to get Portonova again I am in my own mind specifically referring to the 57+% stuff. Same with Intermediate Sherry matured-- which is my favourite sherried malt at 57.1% ABV but I'm not enthusiastic about it below 50% ABV.

Who knows, though? Maybe the lower test stuff is quite good. Amrut almost always is. I would just be very surprised if it were anywhere near AS good.

@Victor I am down to less than 1/3 of a bottle myself

@Astroke @victor I can’t remember the last time I tasted Intermediate Sherry or Portonova but I do remember they were delicious.

I’m curious to taste the new lower proof versions but not enough to pay more than I paid for the full proof bottles.

One day I will open a bottle of each. I am promised a friend I would wait for him. That was in 2015 or 2016…. I think it’s time to set a date.

@Victor While I’m certain Amrut is quite good at 49% and or lower, it’s not as good as Amrut at CS

@OdysseusUnbound one thing I've always wondered about is that Amrut seemed to repeatedly release Intermediate Sherry Matured Single Malt at 57.1% ABV. This makes me think that this was not a true Cask Strength release. I expect that 57.1% ABV was probably near the Cask Strength of their batches, but it seemed that they chose a standardized ABV for the product, which of course would mean that that result would almost never be achieved as a product of true Cask Strength. This looks to me like a nod to British Navy Strength ABV...without having overtly mentioned their former colonial overlords, of course.

Last night (Saturday), my brother-in-law and I attended a beer event called Hops & Props at the Seattle Museum of Flight at Boeing Field. 60 breweries pouring over a hundred different beers for 3 hours (fortunately, food buffet stations were located throughout the venue). We were given a pint glass and sent on our way to taste all that we could handle during the 3 hours. While they weren't pouring full pints (thankfully), each pour probably averaged about 4oz. I sampled 23 different beers from 17 different breweries but didn't drink all of each sample. I consumed the entire sample amount for the ones that I really enjoyed, but I did dump the less desirable beers. It was a great event.

After getting back to my brother-in-law's house, we had a small pour of Glen Scotia SMWS 93.177 (8 year - March 2013) "Crossing the event horizon" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 58.6% ABV.

For Sunday night happy hour, a couple of Black Manhattan cocktails made with Maker’s Mark 46.

Aber Falls Welsh Single Malt, Neat...in a Penderyn glass. Happy Saint David's Day. Cymru am byth!

On Friday night, I will be leading a private Society tasting for 5 or 6 people. Tonight, I went through several of my open bottles in order to determine what 6 whiskies I will be pouring.

First, I compared a couple of similar whiskies head-to-head.

Glen Garioch SMWS 19.57 (18 year - Feb. 2003) "Maverick" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 58.7% ABV

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

I enjoyed both of these a lot but decided to go with Glen Garioch. Next, another head-to-head comparison.

Braeval SMWS 113.53 (11 year - Jan. 2010) "A bit of a bibelot" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 62.6% ABV

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

I'm going with the Braeval.

Next, Ben Nevis SMWS 78.55 (8 year - Dec. 2012) "Slow sapid surrender" - 1st fill ex-Bourbon hogshead - 59.4% ABV

Following that with another head-to-head comparison.

Speyburn SMWS 88.28 (12 year - Feb. 2009) "Big, complex and impressive!" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 54.3% ABV

Tormore SMWS 105.40 (8 year - Jun. 2012) "The sweet kiss of complexity" - After 5 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred into a 2nd-fill Heavy Toast, Medium Char hogshead - 66.2% ABV

I'm going with the Tormore.

Next, Glenburgie SMWS 71.87 (10 year - May 2011) "Cowboys at dinner" - After 8 years in an Oloroso butt, transferred into a heavy charred 1st-fill puncheon - 58.2% ABV

Finished with the final dram that I will be pouring on Friday night. Caol Ila SMWS 53.401 (10 year - Apr. 2011) "Islay karate" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 57.4% ABV.

Sipping on one of my all-time favourites this evening. Little Book Chapter 2, 59.4% abv. A sinfully delicious blend of 8 year old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 119.8 proof, 13 year old Canadian Rye Whisky 111.9 proof, and 40 year old Canadian Whisky 137.8 proof.

It has been one hell of a grind at work this week. Taking-out the jagged edges with a power-packed North American flavour-bomb. Thanks Freddie......re-up mandatory...

Still prepping for the tasting tomorrow (Friday) night. While writing up my notes, I needed to revisit one of the whiskies that I will be pouring.

Ben Nevis SMWS 78.55 (8 year - Dec. 2012) "Slow sapid surrender" - 1st fill ex-Bourbon hogshead - 59.4% ABV.

It’s feeling like a bourbon kind of night. I won’t be able to do close, focused tasting as we’re likely having company but I’m still hankering for some America juice. Starting off with the last of a bottle of plain old standard Blanton’s. This has been a particularly good bottle that’s gotten better with every pour. Honey, blueberries, and old barn-boards.

The bourbon led to other things. I cracked my bottle of Nikka and first impressions are positive.

@OdysseusUnbound which Nikka is that, from the barrel?

Biggest storm of the season expected. I’ve maxed out my electric snowblower three times already (good thing the batteries from the lawnmower are the same). After the first one I poured, and after the second one, I sipped. After the third l, I’m wiped.

Tomorrow it will probably have to be shovels…

Last year, as part of a school auction fundraiser, my brother-in-law donated a bottle of Society whisky and I donated a tasting as a package deal. Tonight, was the night that the winner chose to have the tasting for him and four of his friends. I walked them through the following 6 Society whiskies.

Glen Garioch SMWS 19.57 (18 year - Feb. 2003) "Maverick" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 58.7% ABV

Braeval SMWS 113.53 (11 year - Jan. 2010) "A bit of a bibelot" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 62.6% ABV

Ben Nevis SMWS 78.55 (8 year - Dec. 2012) "Slow sapid surrender" - 1st fill ex-Bourbon hogshead - 59.4% ABV

Tormore SMWS 105.40 (8 year - Jun. 2012) "The sweet kiss of complexity" - After 5 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred into a 2nd-fill Heavy Toast, Medium Char hogshead - 66.2% ABV

Glenburgie SMWS 71.87 (10 year - May 2011) "Cowboys at dinner" - After 8 years in an Oloroso butt, transferred into a heavy charred 1st-fill puncheon - 58.2% ABV

Finished with Caol Ila SMWS 53.401 (10 year - Apr. 2011) "Islay karate" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 57.4% ABV.

While they are all whisky drinkers, none of them have had Society whiskies before. They haven't even had any single cask, cask strength whisky before. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and the whisky. Fun night.

@Nozinan Yeah, that’s the one. 51% abv or so. Really nice stuff. A little fruit, a little smoke. Yummy.

On Monday night, @jordytropp and I will be hosting a Society Outturn Preview tasting for about 40 people. In preparation for that, tonight I tasted the "welcome dram" that we will be pouring before the blind tasting starts.

Ben Nevis SMWS 78.49 (12 year - Sep. 2009) "I hope you like jamming too" - 1st fill ex-Bourbon barrel - 64.4% ABV. Neat, the nose is jasmine and honeysuckle. Palate is thick, syrupy, burnt toffee and spicy. With water, the nose is now deeper, less sweet, musk or men's cologne. Palate is apricot, custard and salty.

Midleton Very Rare 2022 Release, generously poured for me by a friend.

Today, I tasted through the 6 whiskies that @jordytropp and I will be pouring tomorrow (Monday) night for the Society's March Outturn Preview Tasting Event. Since it is a blind tasting, I will provide details of the whiskies after the event.

Tonight, @jordytropp and I poured (and sipped) the following drams for the Society's Outturn Preview tasting.

Welcome Dram - Ben Nevis SMWS 78.49 (12 year - Sep. 2009) "I hope you like jamming too" - 1st fill ex-Bourbon barrel - 64.4% ABV.

Glenlossie SMWS 46.128 (11 year - Mar. 2010) "Lotta good stuff" - After 9 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill toasted Caucasian oak barrique with toasted heads - 54.5% ABV.

Inchmurrin SMWS 112.99 (18 year - Sep. 2003) "Feels like a caress" - After 15 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill Sauternes barrique - 51.4% ABV

Glenfarclas SMWS 1.262 (8 year - Feb. 2013) "A commune of delights" - After 5 years ex-bourbon barrel, transferred to a 1st-fill Cosecha wine barrique - 60.3% ABV.

Glen Grant SMWS 9.235 (17 year - Mar. 2004) "The proof is in the finish" - After 15 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill ex-Spanish oak Oloroso hogshead - 55.8% ABV.

Inchgower SMWS 18.45 (11 year - June 2010) "Hola!" - After 8 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill ex-Oloroso hogshead - 57.3% ABV.

Highland Park SMWS 4.304 (16 year - Jan. 2005) "A proper summer dram" - After 14 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a shaved, toasted and recharred (STR) 1st-fill ex-Pedro Ximénez barrique - 58.3% ABV.

Favorites of the night were the Ben Nevis, Inchmurrin, Inchgower and Highland Park.

A Ledaig 10. Been on quite a journey with this bottle; what with a new cork being required, funny first impressions and lots of air time later ... I now have just under half the bottle.left and it's shining. Air has done wonders.

It's that time of year when Spring is peeking it's head out, tentatively, but the weather can flip back to winter in a snap. It's one of those today and I'm in the mood for peat. This'll do quite nicely, thank you very much. Creamy, farmy and some smoke.