So, what are you drinking now?

We’re having some really cold weather, at least cold for us. Last night (Thursday), I curled up with a good book and some drams. The book is Dave Broom’s “A Sense of Place, A Journey Around Scotland’s Whisky”.

As for the whisky, Benrinnes SMWS 36.194 (12 year - Feb. 2010) "Mid-winter celebrations" - After 9 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred into a 1st-fill American oak PX sherry hogshead - 56.6% ABV. Pictured below.

Followed by Lagavulin 16 Year Old - 43% ABV.

Finished with Caol Ila 18 year (Distilled 2001) - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel (Cask # 308899) - 57.1% ABV - Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice bottling.

Last night (Friday), Cotswolds Founder's Choice (shaved, toasted and recharred American Oak Red Wine casks - 60.5% ABV.

Followed by Copperworks Distilling Company Special Release 33 Pale Malt aged in a single ex-Fino Sherry cask for 30 months - 50% ABV.

For last night's happy hour, a couple of Black Manhattan's made with Browne Family Spirits (Spokane, WA) Bourbon Whiskey aged a minimum 4 years (45% ABV). The recipe I use for Black Manhattan's calls for Maker's Mark 46. The Browne Family Spirits bourbon performed well in the cocktail, but the lack of French Oak influence that you get from the Maker's Mark 46 was noticeable.

Later, had a dram of Dry Fly Distilling 3-year Straight Wheat Whiskey - 45% ABV.

For tonight's happy hour, I once again had a couple of Black Manhattan's made with Browne Family Spirits Bourbon, but I drank them while sitting in the hot tub. Air temp 24 degrees F with snow on the ground. Hot tub temp 101 degrees F.

Later, I rated my only unrated, open bottle. Lagavulin 16 Year Old - 43% ABV. Rating: 88

Monday night's happy hour cocktail was a couple of Jerry Thomas Manhattan's made with Old Forester Kentucky Straight Rye Whisky 100 Proof.

Tonight (Tuesday), started with Dry Fly Distilling 3-year Straight Wheat Whiskey - 45% ABV

Finished with Whiskey Del Bac (Tuscon, AZ) Ode to Islay Heavily Mesquited American Single Malt finished in a mix of ex-rye, ex-bourbon & 2nd-use Whiskey Del Bac Dorado casks - 55% ABV.

@bwmccoy Thoughts on the Benrinnes SMWS 36.194 "Mid-winter celebrations"? I picked up a bottle of that as well but have not cracked it yet (dry January).

@TracerBullet - I like it a lot, but it’s not a typical “sherry bomb”.

The nose is grape / red wine and some dark stewed fruits with damp earth / forest floor. However, it’s not as heavy as that sounds.

Like the nose, the palate is not heavy, but there is a little bit of alcohol punch in the finish. However, for me, it wasn’t enough to need water.The palate is very similar to the nose, especially the grape / wine note; but maybe a little more grape seed because the finish is very dry (and long).

I did try a small second pour with water. To me, the nose is more subdued and the palate flattens out becoming a little one dimensional. Not bad, but I prefer this one without water.

I hope you like it and that it was what you were expecting / hoping for. Out of the 6 whiskies I poured for the December Outturn Preview tasting, this one was one of the two bottles that I selected, for what that’s worth.

Tonight, a couple of small pours of Benrinnes SMWS 36.194 (12 year - Feb. 2010) "Mid-winter celebrations" - After 9 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, transferred into a 1st-fill American oak PX sherry hogshead - 56.6% ABV in order to put together the above post for @TracerBullet.

Later, Copperworks Distilling Company Special Release 33 Pale Malt aged in a single ex-Fino Sherry cask for 30 months - 50% ABV. Now this is a sherry bomb, a big, bold, dirty (not sulphury), earthy, balsamic vinegar Fino sherry explosion of flavor. Not for the faint of heart.

I'm exploring Ardnamurchan and understanding why it has become so popular among those vloggers. This Cask Strength version was bottled for the SAQ.

ardnamurchan-distillery.co.uk/products/…

Last night (Thursday), finished off a sample bottle of Morris Australian Single Malt Whisky "Signature" - 44% ABV.

Also finished off my bottle of Glen Scotia SMWS 93.197 (9 year - Oct. 2013) "More pirate than puffer" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel - 59.8% ABV.

Last night (Friday) was Peat night.

Caol Ila 18 year (Distilled 2001) - 1st-fill ex-bourbon barrel (Cask # 308899) - 57.1% ABV - Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice bottling.

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.

Tonight, Dry Fly Distilling 3 year Straight Wheat Whiskey - 45% ABV.

Followed by Lagavulin 16 Year Old - 43% ABV.

I forgot to mention that before I had the Dry Fly and Lagavulin last night, I had a couple of De La Louisiane cocktails for happy hour made with Old Forester 100 Proof Rye, Benedictine, sweet vermouth, absinthe, Peychaud's bitters and a Luxardo cherry garnish. To me, this cocktail is a cross between A Vieux Carre and a Sazerac.

Last night (Sunday), my wife, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, father-in-law and I went to a Burns Night event at a local restaurant / whisky bar. There were 6 bag pipers, 5 drummers and a Scottish dancer. We had Haggis sausage, neeps & tatties for dinner along with Burns poetry reading, a welcome cocktail and 6 Diageo whiskies to taste through.

The welcome cocktail was called The Highlander. It was made up of Johnnie Walker Red, amaro, sweet vermouth and orange bitters. Despite using Johnnie Walker Red, it was a very enjoyable cocktail!

As for the whiskies, we had Glenkinchie 12, Cragganmore 12, Mortlach 16 Distillers Dram, Oban Distillers Edition, Talisker Distillers Edition and Lagavulin 11 Offerman Edition Charred Oak Cask. My favorite was the Talisker, followed by Lagavulin, Oban, Mortlach, Cragganmore and Glenkinchie. The Mortlach and the Oban were very close. Those could have swapped in order very easily. I was most surprised by the Glenkinchie. It wasn't anything like I remember it. It's never been a great whisky, but usually always enjoyable. Not last night. While drinkable, it was disappointing.

After the event, we all went back to my brother-in-law's house. Sticking with the Diageo theme, my brother-in-law and I had a couple of Society Caol Ila's.

Caol Ila SMWS 53.391 (9 year - March 2012) "Dark secrets" - After six years in an ex-bourbon hogshead, finished 3 years in a 2nd-fill ex-Oloroso hogshead - 56.2% ABV.

Caol Ila SMWS 53.454 (11 year - March 2012) "Friends and a fall bonfire on a Pacific beach" - 1st-fill ex-bourbon hogshead - 58.5% ABV.

@bwmccoy ending the evening with Caol Ila is always a good thing…

@bwmccoy Yeah, the Highlander! Rob Roy variation substituting orange bitters for Angostura. Nice cocktail to start off with. Impressive list of drams as well!

@Nozinan - I could not agree with you more!

@TracerBullet - It was a fun night, especially having my wife and her family attend with me. We often share drams together in-person, but it's usually at home. It's not often that we get to go out to a whisky event together.

@bwmccoy -that's a decent line up!

No such Burns extravagance for me, alas, but I will be enjoying my northern English take on a traditional Burns dinner tonight with haggis, potato cakes and a fried egg, with a few choice drams later on. My heart won't thank me but my taste buds will

Yesterday I had my first sample of Ardnamurchan, cheers @wierdo! The standard release @46.8 from a couple of years back - I think; those codes are wild!

Verdict: impressed! First impressions - kind of like a Talisker, Springbank hybrid. Coastal, somewhat flinty and austere (but still quite young), peppery spice yet with a very oily and creamy and bready base. You can tell it's well-made. Was tempted to buy a cask strength (as on offer) but might just wait a few years; paying a premium for young juice just doesn't quite sit right.

I expect great things though - huge potential. I've also got a sample of the sherry matured to compare with. Maybe tonight! Cheers, @Timp.

@RianC I picked up a Ardnamurchan Cask Strength recently. I'd had a similiar impression, a combination between a Kilkerran Bourbon Cask Strength 8 year old and a Talisker Cask Strength 2018 offical release. The mouthfeel is viscous, farmy, with minerality. The fruits a very nuanced getting swamped by the peat. The flavour profile was rounded compared to, some other younger single malts I've sampled which tend to have a sharp. ethanol characteristic. The smoke is quite distinctive, leaning more towards a Lagavulin style with more volumous sensation. It is nowhere near that of Laphroaig's bondfire/ashyness. I would agree - lots of potential.

I haven't been drinking much lately but last night was Burns night so I treated myself to a generous pour of Laphroaig PX Cask. Dinner was a simple Scots-inspired mince and tatties. All in all a quiet evening.

@fiddich1980 - good spot on the fruit. I was getting just the merest hint of raisin. Or, in Serge speak - one raisin on a brioche bun . I think it's 9:1 bourbon to sherry. I liked the amount of peat too, and the style.

@RianC - Thanks! While we didn't necessarily get off to a good start with our impressions of the Glenkinchie, things quickly improved from there and kept getting better with each pour!

I'm way behind on my posting. It's been a busy week at work. On Wednesday, after all day leadership training meetings, several of my co-workers and I went out for happy hour / dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant. I had a couple of Mezcal Margaritas, but I forgot to ask what Mezcal they were using. Several of us finished the night with a glass (neat) of Casamigos Anejo Tequila.

On Thursday, our company held its annual all employee (belated) Holiday party. Over the course of the evening, I had 4 (very small) Manhattans made with Bulleit Rye. One of my co-workers bought a glass of Weller Special Reserve Wheated Bourbon (40%) for me to try. After the official party, several co-workers and I went to a nearby bar. I had a couple of Manhattans made with Wild Turkey Rye.

Last night’s (Saturday) happy hour cocktail didn’t contain whisky, but it was so different, I thought I would post it.

Arrowhead Limited cocktail. 1 oz Carpano Antica sweet vermouth. 1/2 oz Campari. 1/2 oz Mezcal (I used Red River distilling Sotol). 4oz IPA beer (I used Georgetown Bodhizafa).

The earthy, smoky Sotol plays well with the bitterness of the Campari and the grapefruit notes of the Bodhi IPA. The sweet vermouth balances the bitterness. This shouldn’t work, but it does!

@bwmccoy Seems like we were both on a non-whisky cocktail mission last night.

I'm putting together a flight of Negroni to taste with my friend Kate, who's a Negroni fanatic. Below is the Black Coffee Negroni, featuring equal parts Scapegrace Black Gin, the last of my Senegalese Spiced Coffee infused Campari, and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino.

Apparently the only way to get her to try a cocktail that mixes alcohol and coffee is to make one and send it to her. The other two Negroni in the flight are closer(?) to the classic recipe: 1 part Aviation Gin, 1 part Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, and a half part each of Luxardo Bitter Bianco and Peychaud's Aperitivo (as I was out of non-coffee infused Campari).

The second differs only from the first in that by the time it gets bottled, it will have been barrel-aged in a sherry seasoned 1L barrel for 21 days...

@YakLord - if there was a reality TV show for cocktail making, you would get my vote!

Last night (Sunday), I finished off my bottle of Dry Fly Distilling 3-year Straight Wheat Whiskey - 45% ABV.

Whiskey Del Bac (Tuscon, AZ) Ode To Islay Heavily Mesquited American Single Malt finished in a mix of ex-rye, ex-bourbon & 2nd-use Whiskey Del Bac Dorado casks - 55% ABV.

Not whisky...a Midori / Melon Sour, with Bol's Melon Liqueur and Suntory Haku Vodka.

@YakLord in the 1980s Midori was a violin prodigy that did things with a violin that could probably never be repeated.

Behind in my posting...

On Tuesday night, I had a couple of Black Manhattans made with Browne Family Spirits (Spokane, WA) Bourbon Whiskey aged a minimum 4 years (45% ABV).

On Wednesday night, I had a dram of Cotswolds Founder's Choice (shaved, toasted and recharred American Oak Red Wine casks) - 60.5% ABV.

Last night (Friday), for happy hour, I had a Rob Arroyo cocktail made with 3 parts Whiskey Del Bac (Tuscon, AZ) Dorado Mesquited American Single Malt (46% ABV), 1 part sweet vermouth and 3 dashes of orange bitters with a dehydrated orange slice for garnish. (Pictured below).

On Saturday evening, I tasted through three of the whiskies that @jordytropp and I will be pouring tonight (Monday) as part of the Society's February Outturn Preview Tasting event.

Yesterday afternoon (Sunday), I tasted through the other three whiskies that we will be pouring tonight. Since it's a blind tasting I will reveal details of the six after the event tonight.

Also yesterday (Sunday), after finishing my prep work for tonight's event, I spent some quality time in the hot tub while I drank a couple of Black Manhattans made with Browne Family Spirits (Spokane, WA) Bourbon Whiskey aged a minimum 4 years (45% ABV). I actually finished that bottle off by making the Manhattans.