So, what are you drinking now?

Behind in my posting...

On Monday night, before dinner, had a dram of Inchmurrin SMWS 112.94 (20 year - July 2000) "A stranger in these lands" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 56.0% ABV.

After dinner, my mother-in-law and I had a dram of Isle of Raasay Single Malt (Lightly Peated) - 46.4% ABV.

Last night (Tuesday), I had a couple of ex-bourbon peated drams.

Highland Park SMWS 4.328 (14 year - Jan. 2008) "Meets expectations" - At 9 years of age, they Society combined selected casks from the same distillery. They then returned the single malt into a variety of different casks to develop further. This 1st-fill ex-bourbon bar.

Caol Ila SMWS 53.276 (6 year - Mar. 2012) "Ein kleiner deutscher samurai" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 61.2% ABV.

Last night (Wednesday), while watching the last game of the World Series, Glen Moray SMWS 35.310 (20 year - May 2001) "Hints of matchbox" - After 17 years in an ex-Oloroso butt, transferred to a heavily charred 1st-fill puncheon - 57.8% ABV. I don't really get the name on this one. I don't detect any Sulphur whatsoever. At least when I think of matches or a matchbox, that's the note that comes to mind for me.

As hard as this is to say as a Mariner fan, Congratulations to the Texas Rangers for winning their first World Championship in team history. Being originally from Texas, and the fact that it wasn't the Houston Astros who won, softens the blow a little.

@bwmccoy it was charming to me to see two underdog teams playing in the Major League Baseball "World Series" this year. There was poetic justice in recently acquired injured Rangers pitchers Jacob DeGrom and Max Scherzer getting championship rings after long excellence in the past, but no (DeGrom) or little (Scherzer) contribution in the playoffs this year. I still consider hanging out with you and watchng Max Scherzer pitch live to be my favourite baseball memory. My other favourite baseball memory is my vivid memory of being a 7 yo boy sitting on the front porch of my house in 1960 listening to the radio as Bill Mazeroski hit his game-winning game 7 series ending 9th innning home run. In 1960 I was a Pittsburgh Pirates fan.

@Victor - Yes, attending the Nationals game with you was a great night at the ballpark! Scherzer lived up to his nickname (Mad Max) that night! I was a Pittsburgh Pirates fan in 1979 when they won the Word Series with Willie Stargell and the Pointer Sisters "We are Family" was their theme song.

Last night (Thursday), I rated the last 3 unrated, open bottles in my cabinet.

Glen Moray SMWS 35.310 (20 year - May 2001) "Hints of matchbox" - After 17 years in an ex-Oloroso butt, transferred to a heavily charred 1st-fill puncheon - 57.8% ABV. Rating: 90

Glen Scotia SMWS 93.197 (9 year - Oct. 2013) "More pirate than puffer" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 59.8% ABV. Rating: 88.

Bunnahabhain SMWS 10.245 (9 year - Oct. 2013) "That shed won't paint itself" - After 5 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a 1st-fill ex-PX hogshead - 59.3% ABV. Rating: 95. This is pretty much everything you could want from a heavily peated, wine finished whisky! Amazing!

@bwmccoy Let's hear it for ex Blue Jay Marcus Semien. A 5 game series: the D'Backs were out pitched, out hit and out fielded. Maybe next year we'll get the Mariners or Jays to cheer for. I did enjoy an A.D. Rattray 11 year old cask strength Balmenoch during the final game though.

Last night (Friday), for happy hour, my wife and I had a couple of Vieux Carre cocktails made with Old Forester 100 Proof Rye.

Later, I sampled 4 of the 7 whiskies that @jordytropp and I will be pouring at a Society Outturn Preview tasting on Monday evening. Since the tasting is blind, I will reveal details after the event.

Mortlach 15 G&M tonight. First dram for a while, for various reasons and very nice too. Cheers all.

@Timp I'm half way through one of those. Very tasty. Try the G&M 15 year old Linkwood if you have an opportunity. It's even better IMO.

@BlueNote Yes I think you are right. I had one a few years ago and very much enjoyed it. Maybe time for another! Had some lovely whiskies over the years from G&M, particularly the cask strength brown tube bottles.

Through the week I have been enjoying some Mortlach 9 (Friday Night Whisky) mixed with a tsp of 10 Mortlach Notable Age Statement (sample from @Timp, cheers!).

The latter is an exquisite dram, but I saved a tiny bit From the sample to beef up the 9 year old. Amazing! Honestly, I was amazed how much it brought the 9 year up - richer, fuller and more complex. Kind of wish I'd tipped the whole sample into the bigger bottle now

Last night I opened a Balvenie 14 Caribbean cask: early days but it was a little nippy, to be honest. Time helped and I was enjoying the profile. Not much rum influence but definitely more butterscotch with the Balvenie honey malt base. A decent casual sipper. I bought it on sale (£60), which is still expensive, but feel full price is way too much. Hoping time mellows it a bit.

Today, a bulldog pre dinner and then some Sauvignon blanc with tarragon butter roast chicken and pumpkin pie desert. Mmm!

The 9 year old Mortlach is definitely calling me now ...

For happy hour last night (Saturday), my wife and I had a couple of Jerry Thomas Manhattan's made with Old Forester 100 Proof Rye.

Later, I tasted the final 3 whiskies that @jordytropp and I will be pouring on Monday night. Wow! The first two were subtle, but stunning. The last one was one of the most unique whiskies I've had in a long time. I will reveal details after Monday night's event.

Tonight, my wife and I had a couple of Noix on Broadway cocktails. 3 parts Rye (Old Forester 100 proof Rye) and 1 part Walnut liqueur with an orange peel garnish.

@RianC Glad you enjoyed the NAS Mortlach. Lovely dram. One of those I possibly should have got two of. Mustn’t be greedy though!

Ps nice sounding dinner!

Last night, @jordytropp and I poured the following drams for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's monthly Outturn Preview tasting.

Started off with a welcome dram. The Society's Batch 20 - 12 year Blended Malt - 58.6% ABV. Speyside malts finished for 28 months in French Oak Barrique casks that were previously used to mature Jamaican rum in the Cognac region of France. It was a very nice, but subtle dram. I didn't get the typical rum or French oak influences, but I think they provided complexity to an otherwise standard Speyside whisky.

Glen Moray SMWS 35.316 (9 year - June 2012) "Fine Fragrances" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 59.6% ABV

Tullibardine SMWS 28.92 (10 year - May 2012) "A walk in the countryside" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 61.5% ABV.

Glencadam SMWS 82.48 (11 year - Oct. 2011) "The big yellow" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 62.8% ABV.

Mannachmore SMWS 64.140 (16 year - Sep. 2006) "A stroll in the garden" - After 13 years in an ex-bourbon cask, transferred to a first fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead - 61.7% ABV.

Craigellachie SMWS 44.169 (20 year - Nov. 2002) "In the wooden box" - After 17 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred to a first fill Spanish oak oloroso hogshead - 60.6% ABV.

Ardmore SMWS 66.238 (11 year - Sep. 2011) "Blackbeard's treasure" - After eight years in an ex-bourbon cask, transferred to a refill Trinidad rum barrel - 62.3% ABV,

Favorites of the night for me were the Craigellachie and the Ardmore. The Ardmore was more rum finished in a whisky cask instead of the other way around, at least until water is added. Having said that, it was a fun, funky dram!

Tonight, Isle of Raasay Single Malt (Lightly Peated) - 46.4% ABV.

After that I finished off my bottle of Ardnamurchan SMWS 149.6 (7 year - Sep. 2015) "Recipe for success" - 1st-fill American oak Oloroso butt - 61.3% ABV. Really going to miss this one!

Ending the night with a dram of Ardmore SMWS 66.229 (15 year - July 2007) "Tarred and re-feathered" - Matured for 12 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead before being transferred to a first fill American oak Pedro Ximénez hogshead - 59.4% ABV.

In Dallas for a couple of days attending a conference for work. On the flight from Seattle, had a Five Farms Irish Cream from County Cork, Ireland in my coffee.

Found an Irish Pub near my hotel, had a couple of pub pretzels with an Irish Red Ale. I noticed they had a Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey on the shelf. I haven’t had a Connemara in forever, so decided to have a dram of it along side the Red Ale and the pretzel. So good! I need to add a Connemara to my whisk(e)y cabinet!

@bwmccoy I reiterate my plug for Connemara Cask Strength. It is rather hard to find, but wonderful.

Casa Noble Anejo, El Tesoro de Don Felipe Anejo, Chieftain;s Glenburgie 13 yo, 46% ABV, and Balvenie 21 yo Portwood, 43% ABV. Life is good!

After the Irish Pub last night, I went to dinner with some co-workers. I had an Old fashioned cocktail made with Four Roses Bourbon.

Tonight, went out to happy hour with some co-workers. I had a Barrel Aged Manhattan made with Heaven's Door Straight Bourbon.

@bwmccoy darn! I see that Connemara Cask Strength has now gone from a $ 70 bottle to a rare $ 270 collectible bottle. I do hope that they make more of it to sell at the former prices, but I'll open my one unopened bottle of it for you if and when we taste together again in the future. .

A couple of drams of a new bottle of Longrow heavily peated. As good as always. Cheers.

I’m trying to get caught up on everyone’s posts. I spent this past week in Winnipeg for work and I’ll be spending most of next week in Montreal for work. Winnipeg was….interesting but our group did have some nice cocktails at a restaurant (whose name I can’t remember). I had a smoked Old Fashioned made with Wild Turkey 101 and a Manhattan made with Woodford Rye. The Old Fashioned was the better cocktail, but the atmosphere and company made both quite enjoyable. When I got home Thursday night I had some Gooderham & Worts 49 Wellington to unwind.

@Victor - Wow! That is very generous of you. I'm now trying to figure out how I can get to the DC area again as soon as possible! Seriously, thank you for thinking of me. It's always a treat to drink with you, but your willingness to open bottles you've been saving is humbling! Thanks again. I've loved the standard Connemara every time that I've had it. I can only imagine what it would be like at cask strength!

Yesterday, on the flight home from Dallas, I had a 100ml canned cocktail, Straightaway Oregon Old Fashioned (40% ABV). I've had this one once before and really enjoyed it. It's a unique version of an Old Fashioned. They don't list what whiskey is used, but it is a combination of whiskey, simple syrup and Filbert & Fir bitters. It has a very unique (in a good way) flavor which I attribute to the Filbert & Fir bitters.

Later, after getting home, I had a dram of Bainbridge Organic Distillers Battle Point Two Islands Islay Cask Wheat Whiskey - 43% ABV.

Tonight (Saturday), I had the following drams.

Tomintoul SMWS 89.17 (9 year - Dec. 2012) "Keep nosing" - 2nd-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 67.5% 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

Caol Ila SMWS 53.276 (6 year - Mar. 2012) "Ein kleiner deutscher samurai" - Refill ex-bourbon hogshead - 61.2% ABV

When my family and I were in Spokane, WA in September, we visited a local distillery; Browne Family Spirits. My wife suggested that we join their spirits club. Who am I to argue? The level we signed up for is 2 bottles of their spirits once every 3 months. While you don't get to pick your two bottles, they will allow you to swap out if you don't want what they picked for you. Anyway, we picked up our first two bottles today at their local tasting room; a Bourbon aged for a minimum of 4 years. The other bottle was a cold-brew coffee infused vodka.

When we were picking up our bottles, we are allowed to sample them to make sure they are what we want. We also got to try a couple of their other expressions. The flight is pictured below.

First up was their bourbon (45% ABV) which we tried back in September in Spokane. We liked it and the other items that we tried enough that my wife suggested we join their spirits club. Trying it today was as good as it was back in September.

Next was the cold-brew coffee infused vodka (35% ABV). This is a WA state wheat vodka. I'm not much of a vodka fan, but this is really good. We liked it so much, my wife bought a second bottle for a Christmas gift. This will make some killer cocktails.

Next up was a couple of their flavored bourbons. First was what they call their Warm Spice Bourbon. It has clove, anise and cinnamon. It definitely tasted like "Fall" and was well made. However, I'm not much for flavored whiskey and this did nothing to change that. The second flavored whiskey was a vanilla bean infused Bourbon. Great nose, but the vanilla was a little overpowering, especially in the finish. The vanilla lingered. Again, not my thing.

After getting home, did some yard work. Now, my wife and I are having a Jerry Thomas Manhattan for happy hour made with Old Forester 100 Proof Rye.

Tonight, Ben Nevis SMWS 78.62 (8 year - Nov. 2013) "At home on the range" - After 4 years in an ex-Oloroso butt, transferred to a 2nd-fill PX butt - 66.9% ABV.

Strathmill SMWS 100.40 (10 year - June 2012) "Well Red" - After maturing for seven years in an-ex bourbon hogshead, transferred to a first fill d'Arenberg Australian shiraz barrique cask - 62.1% ABV.

Highland Park SMWS 4.328 (14 year - Jan. 2008) "Meets expectations" - At 9 years of age, they Society combined selected casks from the same distillery. They then returned the single malt into a variety of different casks to develop further. This 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel is one of those casks. 60.6% ABV

I was at a wedding reception on Saturday but had to prematurely return to our lodgings at about 10pm to get the boys to bed.

My cousin in law (the newlywed and whose house we stayed at) encouraged me most forcefully to have a whisky when I got back. Well, kids in bed, who would turn down such an offer?

My eyes widened as I saw what looked like a Laphroaig CS lurking at the back of the pantry. They almost popped out of my head when I saw it was batch 3 from 2011! What a treat!

It was divine - full Lp peat, smoke and ash but also full of tropical fruit notes. Never had a Lp quite like it. Easily a 90!

When he returned, we had a dram together and I asked how he got it - a gift from his father in law who received it as a work gift, but only drinks Southern Comfort so passed it on. Cheers, Pops! When I told him how much the bottle would likely sell at auction for, he seemed very surprised!

@Timp - cheers! Yes it was lovely, thanks again! So much so my plan to review it fell away as I melted into the pour!

Have you tried the Signatory sample I sent yet? Would have liked to try them side by side ... Quite similar, from memory, with the NAS being a touch drier, maybe.

@bwmccoy I'm a big Ben Nevis fan. Haven't had one as hefty as that bad boy though. Did you have to water it?