So, what are you drinking now?

Last night, we had friends over for dinner and drams.

Started off with a belated birthday toast in honor of @Victor. We finished off my bottle of Glen Garioch SMWS 19.57 (18 year - Feb. 2003) "Maverick" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 58.7% ABV.

Next, we finished off another bottle. Clynelish SMWS 26.186 (10 year - Feb. 2011) "Polished and refined" - 1st fill ex-Bourbon barrel - 59.2% ABV.

The last dram before dinner was Glenfarclas SMWS 1.253 (8 year - Dec. 2012) "The real deal" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 63.5% ABV.

After dinner, I poured a blind tasting consisting of 6 whiskies for our friends to try. One of the whiskies was a newly opened bottle, so I had to try it in order to know what they were tasting. Hudson Whiskey NY "Back Room Deal". New York Straight Rye Whiskey. 46% ABV. This bottle was given to me by my older son at Christmas. This rye is aged in ex-bourbon Hudson casks that were also used to aged peated whisky in Scotland before being returned to Hudson to age their rye. I'm really hoping that some air will improve this whisky because on first pour, it is rather harsh and unfortunately, no peat / smoke notes are present.

Our friends had a blind tasting consisting of 4 whiskies for my wife and I to try. They recently returned from Scotland where they attended (and graduated from) Springbank school for a week. They also spent time in Glasgow and on Isle of Arran.

The first whisky in our blind tasting was a distillery only single cask offering from Clydeside distillery in Glasgow. Just shy of 5 years of age, it was distilled June 20th, 2018, bottled March 25th, 2023. Cask # 1030 is an ex-bourbon cask finished in a dechar / rechar cask. 61.6% ABV. This was good. It shows promise. I would think as more of their stock ages a few more years, this stuff could be pretty amazing.

Next was a Cadenhead's bottling from one of their warehouse tastings. It is a secret Orkney ex-bourbon barrel distilled in 2016 (6 year old). 59.9% ABV. The assumption is that this is Highland Park, but it was very light in the peat / smoke department. While this was good, neither the Clydeside or this one blew me away. They were both the least favorite of the 4 for me.

The third and fourth drams were outstanding. #4 was my favorite and #3 was my second favorite. The third dram was heavily peated from Lagg distillery on Arran. This is their Inaugural release 2022 Batch 2 Ex-Oloroso Sherry cask. 50% ABV.

The fourth and final dram of the night was a Longrow Demi-John (living cask) that was hand-filled at the distillery on March 27th, 2023. 54.4% ABV (pictured below). I thought this was a Ledaig ex-sherry single cask. It was that good!

A great night with great friends.

@bwmccoy I’m guessing that dinner at your house is a much sought after invitation.

@bwmccoy that Longrow is something I would love to taste. I am sure it is amazing. Sounds like an amazing tasting experience.

@BlueNote - my friends keep coming back so I guess I’m doing something right.

@Nock - I’m not sure if you remember that you and I both owned the exact same bottle of G&M Ledaig 18 year ex-Sherry cask. That Longrow reminded me a lot of the Ledaig! I think you would have really enjoyed it.

I forgot to post that on Friday night, my brother-in-law and I went to a (mostly) beer event, but we had extra drink tickets at the end so we tried a Mead and a couple of whiskies.

The first whiskey was a Rye (45% ABV) from Whidbey Island (WA) distillery. It is 51% Rye and 49% Single Malt from WA barley. I tasted the single malt, but didn’t detect any rye whatsoever. It was drinkable, but nothing beyond that.

The 2nd whiskey was a bourbon from Blackfish distillery in Auburn, WA. This was really good! I immediately detected a rye note (see details below). My brother-in-law and I both enjoyed this one enough that we want to visit the distillery and will probably purchase a bottle! Here’s details from their website; “Distilled from a mash of corn, barley, rye, and chocolate rye, and aged for over 2 years, Blackfish Straight Bourbon is rich with notes of toffee and a chocolate finish. Aged for over 2 years in new, medium-char, American Oak barrels”.

Last night (Sunday), I tasted through the 6 Society whiskies that @jordytropp and I will be pouring for a blind tasting tonight. I will provide details later tonight after the tasting.

@bwmccoy I had mead once: massive hangover complete with vomit. I guess I overdid it, which is what you do when you’re young and stupid. There might have been a few pints of beer in the mix too.

@bwmccoy I very much do remember that we both managed to score bottles of that same single cask of Ledaig 18yo. There were only 202 bottle from that sherry butt. What are the odds that a guy in Seattle would get a bottle and a guy in Virginia would find a bottle in New York? Small world. And I remember how much you loved that bottle. I slightly preferred my bottle of Longrow 14yo (also a sherry caks), while you slightly preferred the Ledaig.

I am actually sipping on that 18yo Ledaig tonight. Grateful it is just below the shoulder so plenty of liquid still left in the bottle. I am comparing it to see if this bottle teaspooned single sherry cask aged 7 years is in fact Ledaig . . . and I would bet good money that it is.

For some reason I am really into a Ledaig kick at the moment. I have recently picked up the standard 10yo and the 18yo (both are unopened). And now I have this 7yo . . . man it is a peat monster. The 18yo is a refined elder statesman by contrast. Yet, they both have this unmistakable characteristic.

Man, this 18yo Ledaig is fantastic. It is better than I remember. But then again, I tend to find that sherry influenced whiskey (even peated) develops in a direction I like with more air time. This 7 yo is much more rough, earthy, peaty and punchy. So much peat at 7 years. I love it also, but in a very different.

Now, that hand filled Longrow you were sipping on makes me jealous. I have heard that those living casks at the distillery can be hit and miss. Still, it is on my bucket list for my next trip to Scotland. Sounds like you got to taste a real hit. Yes, I believe I would have loved that bottle.

@Nock @bwmccoy with all of this 'alternatives to Springbank/Kilkerran' discussion, the one that would do it most for me has always been Ledaig. It's 'Da Funk' that makes it so for me.. Also the unpredictability.

Springbank has always been expensive around here. And I've always found Springbank to be quite unpredictable. Both of those circumstances are why I haven't bought much of it. Like my one bottle of Lagavulin 16 yo my one bottle of Springbank 10 yo tastes worse than every other taste I have ever had of Springbank 10 yo. Of course, for the learning...for the contrast...my bottle of Springbank 14 yo Bourbon Wood is extremely delicious. It's about the learning boys. The lesson is always the same no matter how stupid people may be and how long it takes them, i.e. us, to learn it: every single bottle of whiski is a world unto itself. I suppose that all things considered that I have been very "lucky" to have had so much contrast--learned so much-- having purchased just maybe 400-500 bottles over the years.

I've never owned a bottle of Ledaig for the same reasons I've never owned much Springbank--I am shy of the unpredictability and I don't want to get burned over a relatively expensive bottle. And there aren't many Ledaigs around in my neck of the woods either. Would I enjoy owning some Ledaig? You bet I would. Some day, probably, when I am feeling lucky about what I might be buying and am willing to store another bottle in my house.

@Victor I've had at least half a dozen bottles of Ledaig 10 and have found it to be very consistent. It's a very decent dram and very affordable. I always have one on hand. I'm sure you'd like it. There's a lot of very good whisky that comes out of that little distillery in the Island of Mull. That 64.8% Tobermory I had for your birthday is particularly tasty.

@BlueNote, I am glad you have had access to good bottles of affordable Ledaig 10yo. In the last 12 years I have only had two open bottles. In my area neither were cheap. It has always seemed to cost far more than either Ardbeg 10yo or Laphroaig 10yo. My guess is distributer issues. It was also more expensive than Ardbeg Uigeadail and Laphroaig 10yo Cask Strength for a time.

Today the 10yo sits on a shelf near me for $74.99 plus tax (so roughly, $81.73 out the door). I am very curious to hear what you can pick it up for @BlueNote. Further, the standard 18yo is on the top shelf for $169.99 (with tax $185.29). To me both of those are steep prices for 46% ABV. I can pick up Uigeadail and Laphroaig 10yo CS for about $85 each. So I have tended to go that way. However, when I was in England in January I picked up a standard bottle of the Ledaig 18yo for £90 (or $103) which was a much more reasonable price. So, I felt obligated to pick up a bottle of the 10yo when I got back to the states. You know, for comparison. Yes, $81.73 was a lot in my opinion (for a 10yo at 46%), but I haven’t had a bottle of the standard Ledaig 10yo since 2016 . . . so it was about time. That bottle which I opened in 2014 scored around 86 for me while I had it. It left me not wanting another. The one other bottle I had previous was slightly better. But my tastes might have changed in that time.

What has turned me around on Ledaig is bottle of 18yo 56.3% from Gordon & MacPhail that both @bwmccoy and I have owned. It is really fantastic and has really put the Ledaig love back in my heart. I picked up my bottle in New York back in 2020.

Further, it appears to me that the distillery has been quietly putting out consistently stellar batches in the past few years. My evidence is that here has been a lot of love for the distillery that has appeared online recently. Back 10 to 15 years ago you didn’t hear as much support or confidence in the Tobermory distillery. So, right now I am willing to take the gamble.

I have found the same with Springbank. I have owned multiple bottles of the 10yo going back to 2008. And I might be alone . . . but I really never liked it. My bottles always came across harsh and rough. But, people were so enraptured with it that I kept trying it thinking I was just getting a bad batch. So, I kept buying bottles. But no. It wasn’t until my last bottle of Springbank 10yo (batch code 01/08/17 = August 1st, 2017) had been open for 4 years that I really took a shine to it. Now, the 12yo Cask Strength batches? Those I have had much greater success with. Again, as with Ledaig, I have found a lot of love for Springbank coming from internet reviewers in just the past 3 or 4 years.

I find myself in agreement with @Victor that both Springbank and Tobermory have issue with consistency – meaning noticeable differences from batch to batch. That said, I am also in agreement with you that they can put out some spectacular whisky even while they are different back to batch.

In my own little perspective it seems to me that both Springbank and Ledaig have hit a stride of excellence with bottles being released recently. In that same time, I am noticing slipping from the likes of Ardbeg, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig (three distilleries I follow quite closely). All three are failing to put out standard releases that speak in the same way they did 5 to 10 years ago. Lagavulin in particular . . . but that is a different topic.

That said, I am really enamored at the moment with what I call the heavily peated, earthy, dark, farm yard/barn notes. I find them in most Octomore, Ballechin, Longrow, Ledaig, and the occasional Port Charlotte. I used to find it in BenRiach . . . but that was a while ago and their profile has seemed to change. Anyway, I find that these flavors are not for everyone. And I occasionally find that I am not in the mood . . . it can even be too much for me! But when I am in the right mood nothing else quite delivers like these guys can.

@Nock "I find myself in agreement with @Victor that both Springbank and Tobermory have issue with consistency – meaning noticeable differences from batch to batch. That said, I am also in agreement with you that they can put out some spectacular whisky even while they are different back to batch." Its the inconsistencies that make "spectacular whisky" possible! The upside with more consistency is that the customer is not likely to buy bad whisky, the downside is we are also unlikely to get spectacular bottles either.

@BlueNote - The only other mead that I've had prior to last Friday night was some that an acquaintance made. He gave me two different bottles. One was honey and I can't remember the other. While I appreciate the effort required to make it and the fact that he wanted to share it with me, it wasn't good. However, at the time, not having any reference point, I thought maybe I just hadn't acquired the taste for it. After last Friday night, I now know that the previous mead I had wasn't good. The mead on Friday night was surprisingly drinkable. It reminded my brother-in-law and I of a hybrid between a cider and a lighter style beer. It wasn't overly sweet like the previous mead that I've had.

As I mentioned earlier this week, on Monday night, @jordytropp and I hosted a Society blind tasting at a local whisky bar. Below are the 6 whiskies that we poured.

Dalmore SMWS 13.97 (8 year - April 2013) "A wee, sweet-toothed Scottish picnic" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 60.9% ABV.

Glentauchers SMWS 63.91 (19 year - May 2002) "Oh behave!" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 52.3% ABV.

Loch Lomond SMWS 135.49 (21 year - July 2000) "Jack-in-the-box" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 53.6% ABV.

Royal Brackla SMWS 55.71 (14 year - Sep. 2007) "New shoes" - After 12 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill American oak PX Sherry #3 Char hogshead - 55.1% ABV.

Glen Spey SMWS 80.39 (13 year - Mar. 2008) "Achingly beautiful" - After 11 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill ex-Marsala barrique cask - 57.8% ABV.

Highland Park SMWS 4.319 (10 year - Jan. 2011) "From coast to kiln" - After 6 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 63.3% ABV.

@bwmccoy My one and only experience of mead was not good, but i will try it again if the occassion arises.

I'm loving the Kraken right now. They could go deep into the playoffs.

@bwmccoy I have a Maltbarn 13 year old cask strength Glentauchers on the go right now, only the second one I've had and it is spectacular. How is the SMWS one?

@BlueNote - Yes, the Kraken are fun to watch (outside of tonight's game... They played too conservative). They are definitely holding their own against some pretty good teams.

@BlueNote - This particular Society Glentauchers is fine, but nothing special. However, I've had several stunning Society Glentauchers in the past. It is a sneaky good distillery.

Tonight, I started the Kentucky Derby festivities a few days early by making a couple of Mint Julep cocktails with Hirsch The Horizon Straight Bourbon Whiskey (MGP) - 46% ABV.

Later, while playing on-line poker with the guys, a couple of sherry drams that were really hitting the mark tonight.

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.

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.

Since yesterday was Cinco de Mayo, I thought I would make a Tequila based cocktail for happy hour last night. I decided to try The Tequini (Tequila Martini). 2.5oz of Tequila (I used Hornitos Reposado), 0.5oz dry vermouth, a dash of Angostura bitters and a lemon twist for garnish.

It was ok but I won't be making it again.

@bwmccoy We did the obligatory margarita and then switched to scotch. Hypernova and the PX Càirdeas.

@TracerBullet - That's a couple of nice Islay drams there! I planned to switch to Scotch but fell asleep while putting my son to bed.

A little surprise last night.

I’m out of town this weekend at a meeting of my professional association.

Last night I happened to run into a couple of people I knew (one was a resident when I was training and another was a medical student on my team over a decade ago) who were staying in the same hotel. One of them had walked over to the Hiram Walker visitor’s centre during lunch and picked up a bottle of Lot 40 rye. He decided to open it. (He will be sending it with a colleague who his returning home by train).

While I prefer the 2017 and 2018 CS expressions, given the setting ( half a dozen of us hanging out and chatting) this was a great end to a rather boring day of work.

@Nock Sorry to be late replying, I seem to have missed your post regarding Ledaig 10. The price here is $74Can. If we catch it on a good sale it can be around $62Can including tax. I'm surprised that it would cost you much over $50US. It's rare that we pay less than our southern cousins for anything.

I have not noticed a significant batch variation. I think it is a pretty consistent component of their core offerings. That and the Tobermory 12 are always in the daily drinker section of my cabinet. Incidentally, I have never seen the Ledaig 18 here in Vancouver. I'll see if the in-laws in Oregon can round me one up.

Cheers.

Last night (Saturday), I rated three open bottles.

Loch Lomond SMWS 135.49 (21 year - July 2000) "Jack-in-the-box" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 53.6% ABV. Rating: 85.

Royal Brackla SMWS 55.71 (14 year - Sep. 2007) "New shoes" - After 12 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill American oak PX Sherry #3 Char hogshead - 55.1% ABV. Rating: 88.

Glen Spey SMWS 80.39 (13 year - Mar. 2008) "Achingly beautiful" - After 11 years ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill ex-Marsala barrique cask - 57.8% ABV. Rating: 87.

Finished the night with a couple of small drams of Caol Ila SMWS 53.395 (11 year - Nov. 2009) "Smoky explosion" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 56.4% ABV.

@Nock - you should keep an eye out for younger Ledaigs if you enjoy the heavy peat and farm yard notes.

One used to be able to pick them up fairly cheap but those days are gone. Still, from my experience, they can give the Octomores and Port Charlotte's a damn good run for their money!

@BlueNote @bwmccoy - I've had some mead from a local(ish) distillery over the last year or so and really enjoyed it. The classic mead was lovely with a rich, deep honey note. I then had some cherry mead which was divine! Well made stuff, to be sure but it is dangerously easy to drink so can fully understand the bad head @BlueNote

My verdict was, great for a glass or two - especially with some nice cheeses, but too sweet to drink regularly. I also imagine it might cause diabetes, we're one to consume too much ...

@RianC agree with you on the mead front mate. Lovely but in small amounts.. Always fancied making some, will get round to it one day.

Have you tried the Ledaig Rioja cask? Not usually a fan of red wine cask whisky but this one is good and can’t go wrong for around the £35 mark. On my fifth bottle ( shared most of it about ) so I must like it!

@Timp - No but I should get a bottle. Decent price on it!

@RianC Will stick away a decent sample for you, for the next round of swaps..

@BlueNote, Thanks for the price on Ledaig 10yo in your area. Ya, if it were closer to $50 in my area I would likely have been picking it up much more frequently. But given the price of Ardbeg and Laphroaig . . . those are just so much cheaper.

I really believe that pricing issues in the USA comes down to a combination of distributer size and our three tier system. To make it simple, it seems that big distributors (like Pernod Ricard, Suntory/Beam, and LVMH Moet Hennessy) are able to negotiate great import duties and prices for their whisky brands in many US markets. Meanwhile, independent distilleries (Kilchoman, Springbank, Benriach, Benromach, Loch Lomond and Glen Scotia) and those owned by smaller brands like Bruichladdich owned by Remy Cointreau, and Bunnahabhain & Tobermory owned by Burn Steward all struggle to get on our shelves at prices similar to the UK and other markets.

The Tobermory 12 year old is $126 while the Tobermory 18 year old is $208. Wow. Those are some crazy prices. I am not picking those up.

@RianC are you talking about independent bottlings of younger Ledaig? Because I would love to get my hands on more. Sadly, I hardly see Ledaig of any kind in my area . . . let alone any independent bottlings. But, yes, that heavily peated farm yard style is very much in my wheelhouse. @Timp that sounds like an amazing price for Ledaig Rioja. I would also have picked up multiple bottles at that price. Well done.

@65glenfarclas I completely agree. That is why I think the single malts released in the middle of the 20thcentury represented the height of the art form. They produced so much of the stuff for blends. And virtually nothing was released as single malts. So, the few single casks that were released tended to be exceptional. Not always, but if you knew what you were looking for it could be found. Just look at the Port Ellen 12 year old released when the Queen visited in 1980. Clearly, they picked something extremely special for that special day.

So while automation has created a more consistent produce across the whisky industry it has also removed those spectacular and singular gems that could be hunted down by the relative small number of single malt enthusiasts.

@Nock You are the opposite to us as regards Ardbeg. All Ardbeg is stupidly priced here at the government controlled liquor stores. For example: Ardbeg 10-$130; Uigeadail-$184; Wee Beastie-$92. These prices include a 15% sales tax added at the till. We can save a fair bit by having our whisky shipped from Alberta, our neighboring province, where the liquor stores are all privately owned and prices are considerably lower and much more competitive. Right now I could order a bottle of Uigeadail from Alberta and save over $60, even with shipping and tax and insurance.