So, what are you drinking now?

I'm halfway into a particularly good batch of Corryvreckan that I bought a year or so ago. The batch # is: L2430163, 22/08/2021. One of the best I've had.

Bourbon is tonight's tipple: Little Book Chapter 3.

Celebrated a win in a pairs Greensomes golf comp yesterday (lowest gross - level par) with a large pour of GS Victoriana. Gets better with every pour this one - rich, butter scotch, char, peat and some yellow fruits with a prolonged development and satisfying finish.

Wasn't too sure at first but I think there is much complexity to discover here. Cheers

@RianC I'm finding that mine tastes better every time I go to it, which is quite often lately.

That's a pretty good golf game if you are shooting par.

Started the night with a Mortlach 16. I'm approaching the heel of the bottle. It has become more fruity (peach&apricot), with a delicatessen savouryness, and a hint of mint. Finishing the evening with Kilkerran 8 Bourbon cask. A complex spirit driven malt with lemony spice, old leather, barnyard hay and touches of coal fired peat.

Finished off a couple of bottles tonight.

Blair Athol SMWS 68.71 (12 year - Feb. 2009) "Rather scrumptious" - After 10 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill Oloroso hogshead - 58.6% ABV.

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

@BlueNote – Thanks for sharing the batch code for that Corry. I would love to say I will keep my eye out . . . but I highly doubt that there are still any of those left around from August, 22nd of 2021 here in April of 2023. Further, even if I were to find one the price has gone from $72 in 2021 (when I stocked up last) now up to $120. So, I will likely have to wait.

And it is a shame because Corry has now become my official favorite regular whisky expression. There are special releases I like better (like Octomore with either the .2 or .3 variety). But I love a good off the shelf Corryvreckan.

Tonight I did a flight of Ardbeg Uigeadail’s. My current open bottle of Uigeadail 21/06/2021 is up in Maryland (I am in Virginia this week). And my last two or three times tasting it I have really been put off by it. Am I losing my taste for Uigeadail? Tonight I decided to find out.

There is nothing I enjoy more than teasing out the difference in batch variations. Keep in mind these were done blind (I didn’t know which batch was which) and so it only represents my feeling for this batch on this night. The presence of sweet peat and smoke goes without saying:

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% 03/03/2015 = A- / 92.5 – earthy wet forest leaves, light honey notes

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% 08/05/2017 = A / 93 – big, dark, liquorish, with chocolate notes

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% 20/06/2017 = A- / 92 – dark earthy forest with honey glazed fruits

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% 30/10/2017 = B+ / 88 – slight bitterness and lack of depth

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% 11/04/2019 = A- / 91.5 – roasted meat, liquorish, and light medicinal notes

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% 11/05/2020 = B+ / 89 – more on the bright side; little depth

I still really like the Uigeadail. Maybe it is just my batch of 21/06/2021. Most of these were all really enjoyable. Maybe it is the difference in drinking for enjoyment vs. drinking for appreciation?

What I can say for sure is that Uigeadail has really changed its profile over the years. There once was a noticeable sherry cask influence. Not a one of these batches had noticeable sherry characteristics. They were all more like a tamed down, less spicy, but elegant version of Corryvreckan. The honey glazed fruit on 20/06/2017 was the closest I got to that old version of Uigeadail I fell in love with back in 2005. But it was only a hint. However, today Uigeadail is still $84 in Virginia with the Corry being $120. Which will I buy again next? Thankfully I have a surplus bunker of both for the time being. Still, it is really hard to not want to keep up with the new batches.

@Nock Thanks for that very informative post. It's good to have all those bottling codes on file.

I have another Corry in the bunker. Got it on a very good sale last month for $110 Can. That one is L2453897 02/06/2022. As yet untested.

I have one Uigeadail left. L2450233 29/04/2022. The sherry influence is definitely there, in the nose, the palate and the color. I'm spending much more time with both the Corry and the Ten year old than the Uigeadail. Can't say this one bears much resemblance to those early millennial versions that we all loved. I'm getting quite a bit of my peat quota from Caol Ila IBs, Kilchomann OBs and Bruichladdich OBs like Port Charlotte 10 which is still a relative bargain. The only Lagavulin I've had lately is the 12 year old Special Edition from a few years ago and the quite decent 8 year old.

Overall, I'm buying a lot more cask strength offerings from independent bottlers these days.

Cheers.

Last night, I finished off another bottle.

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

Last night, Caol Ila (SMWS cask sample) 13 year (Sep. 2008). After 10 years in ex-bourbon hogshead, finished for 3 years in a Refill Spanish oak ex-Sherry hogshead - 58.2% ABV.

While playing on-line poker with the guys tonight, I had the following drams.

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

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

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

I picked this last dram because 7 years ago today, my family and I were on Orkney Island.

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

I'm also celebrating a little tonight. It was officially announced to my company today that I will taking over my boss' role when he retires in a few months.

@bwmccoy nice line up and congratulations on your impending new role in your business. You must have worked hard to achieve this. Cheers..

@bwmccoy Congratulations on the promotion. That calls for the best celebratory drams in your cabinet this weekend.

@Timp and @BlueNote - Thank you for both for your kind words. The new role will be a stretch and an opportunity to learn and grow. Talk to me this time next year and see if I have any hair left. :-)

@BlueNote - Since the promotion isn't official until my boss retires, I'm saving the big celebration for then. Having said that, I do have a 30 year Society Caol Ila that might get opened at that time. :-)

Tonight, I'm having a new to me cocktail called De la Louisiane. Invented prior to 1937 in New Orleans, it was the house cocktail of Restaurant La Louisiane. As you will see from the ingredients it is a bit of a Sazerac, Vieux Carre and Manhattan. 2oz Rye (Old Forester 100 Proof), 3/4oz Benedictine, 1/2oz sweet vermouth, 3 dashes of absinthe, 3 dashes of Peychaud's bitters and 3 brandied cherries (I used Luxardo). It's so good, I think I will have another.

@bwmccoy congratulations on the new position! That is super exciting for you.

I am a fan of the La Louisiane. My memory is that the original ratio from the 1930's was equal parts Rye, Benedictine, and Sweet Vermouth. I'll have to try your version.

@Nock - Thank you for your kind words. As for La Louisiane, I found the recipe that I used in a cocktail book that my wife purchased for me. I have no idea whether that recipe is accurate or not. Likewise, I will have to try your version. Thanks again!

Last night (Saturday), I had another new to me cocktail called Cherry in USA. Like a lot of whiskey-based cocktails it is a variation on a Manhattan. In this case, 2oz Rye (Old Forester 100 Proof), 1/2oz sweet vermouth and 1/2oz Luxardo Sangue Morlacco Cherry Liqueur garnished with orange zest and a Luxardo cherry. The cherry liqueur obviously makes the drink sweeter, but it is the lack of bitters that makes this cocktail seem to be a little one dimensional. It wasn't bad, but I won't make it again.

Tonight, Westland Distillery (Seattle, WA) Cask # 6140 Single cask release, cask strength 7 year (4 years New American Oak + 3 years Pineau des Charentes brandy cask) 50.5% ABV.

Macallan Speymalt from Gordon & Macphail. 21 year (Distilled 1990, Bottled 2011). 43% ABV.

Strathmill SMWS 100.34 (11 year - March 2010) "Oh, to be in a bodega again..." - After 8 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill Oloroso hogshead - 56.7% ABV.

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

Enjoyable on their own, blended together - Excellent!

@fiddich1980 nice experiment. Need to do more of this myself..

On Tuesday night, I forgot to post that I had a dram of Mannochmore SMWS 64.127 (12 year - May 2009) "Going luxe" - After 9 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred into a 1st-fill custom toasted American and European oak barrique cask - 58.4% ABV.

@fiddich1980 Good idea, and a good way to kick up the Mortlach which I found to be a bit anaemic. What were the proportions?

@bwmccoy I have never knowingly had Mannochmore. What’s the verdict?

And how about the mighty Kraken!

@BlueNote Mortlach to Edradour ratio 2:1. If you want to just boost the Mortlach a 3:1 ratio would do the trick. The sherried flavour profound between the two is close but, the Edradour is definitely at a higher level.

Tonight, I am drinking three amazing sherry influenced peated cask strength monsters in honor of @Victor and @Nozinan celebrating their respective birthdays.

Kilkerran Heavily Peated 59.3% 3yo Batch 1. 19/062 20.02.2019 (55% Ex-Bourbon & 45% Ex-Sherry) – I love this youthful Kilkerran. On the merit of this one bottle I have been inspired to pick up batches 4, 5, 6, and 7 without tasting or opening any of them. Why? Batch 1 is awesome.

Ledaig 18yo 56.3% Gordon & Macphail 2001 – 2019 (June 20th) Batch 19/067; Refill Sherry Butt; 202 Bottles. – This is so very good. I had forgotten how good Ledaig can be. Since opening this I have now picked up official bottlings of the Ledaig 10yo and the 18yo.

Longrow 14yo Refill Sherry Cask 57.8% 18/305 Sep 2003 – July 2018 (9000 bottles). This is so peaty and so funky. I love it. I really should buy a backup. Sadly, at this point I will need to find it on an auction site.

Cheers gentlemen.

Last night my wife and I went to an intimate concert called "Bowie Lives". I'm a David Bowie fan and the drummer for the band is a dear friend of mine. He was the drummer in many bands I played with, and he was the MC at my wedding. The venue had a bar and the only whiski on the menu was (in the words of the bartender) "This bottle of Forty Creek that's been around awhile. Whisky isn't really popular here." I took my chances and I was pleasantly surprised. Air has improved the whiski and/or the bottle is from an older batch that contained a higher proportion of "flavouring whisky". The concert was great and when we got home I had one more drink...but I chose rum. I opened the bottle of RL Seale 12 Year rum (46% abv) that I purchased in Florida. What a shame this isn't available in Ontario. The rum is deep, rich, and sweet without being cloying, and has a touch of salinity to round it off. It reminds me of a warm home-made gingerbread cookie.

@bwmccoy, congrats on the bump!

Got home from a business trip last night. I went over to my brother-in-laws to watch the Kraken playoff game. We had a dram of Ardbeg Wee Beastie.

@BlueNote - Even though they lost last night, the Kraken match up with the defending champs really well. Game 7 is going to epic!

@BlueNote - as for the Mannochmore, I’ve only had single cask bottlings from the Society, some have been average and some have been outstanding. This particular one is variable. Some nights it tastes amazing (I rated it 90 points). Other nights, not so much. I’m assuming that’s due to my palate or mood on any given night.

@paddockjudge - Thank you!

A mixed bag.

First Don Julio Anejo tequila.

Next, Tullamore DEW 10 yo Single Malt, a very delicious and nuanced malt whiskey

and...Old Potrero 18th Century Style Rye Whiskey, Batch J, 63.64% ABV. Wow! it's been much too long since I have had this amazing stuff. Intense. Delicious. Different.