What was the last bottle you finished?

@Hewie, providing three dozen fine whiskies was a labour of love. The clerical work and running around was ridiculous. Every bottle required a sales receipt from the government run liquor monopoly...showing the purchase date to be after the application, approval, and purchase of the Special Occasion Permit. I returned bottles and repurchased them in order to generate the properly dated proofs of purchase. There were many desirable bottles that could not be made available because the liquor monopoly's catalogue no longer listed them.

@paddockjudge, Jesus, those are some G-D arbitrary rules!!!

@paddockjudge I'm sure those un-servable bottles were or will be well-consumed...

@Victor They don't call it the KGBO for nothing...

Nikka Taketsuru 12 YO - was near the end and was not feeling the contents so started experimenting w various bitters over the last week. Chai bitters had the most one-sip appeal but over the course of an entire dram the Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry won out.

The worst? Jerk bitters do not complement whiskey at all, stick w rum for that particular addition (and not just about heat as the sriracha bitters were not that bad).

@JayRain, spoken like someone with a lot of bartending experience, professional, I am guessing. Those are some obscure specialty bitters! My cocktail loving sister made sure we have 10-12 different varieties of bitters, but none of those.

@Victor My A to Z of bitters begins and ends at Angostura. You learn something everyday here.

Last week ii finished off a bottle of Compass Box Great King Street Artist Blend. That was the first Compass Box product I had tried. Ended up replacing it with a bottle of Oak Cross. Only had a small sip of this one but I think I will like it just fine.

Had the last dram of Glen Garioch 12 tonight. I like it, the price is right, it's 48%, I think I'll get another one.

This weekend I polished off my "Double Barrel" Bowmore + Highland Park 10-Year-Old.

Best $30 I ever spent on whisky.

@MadSingleMalt What did you think of the HP 10? I have only had a taste, but I was underwhelmed. A much different animal from the 12 I thought.

@BlueNote, sorry if I wasn't clear. It wasn't the OB Highland Park 10 I had.

It was a "Double Barrel" vatting of Bowmore and Highland Park, done by Douglas Laing. This:

whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/…

@MadSingleMalt Right, of course. When I reread it after my second coffee that becomes obvious.

@Victor More observation and discussion w the cocktail bartenders around the city - tremendous skill they have

Nikka Takesuru Pure Malt NAS. Nose: Fruity (persimmons), Hosui pears, sweet, complex nuances, smoke, Palate: sweet carmel, fresh brewed green japanese tea and toasted rice husk, balanced. Finish, short. Simple and Elegant.

Last night I finished my bottle of Jameson and my mooched Laphroaig 10. Perhaps it’s because they were the last 2 drams in a beloved bottle, but the Laphroaig tasted wonderful. But it could also be because I was feeling pretty good before I even poured the Laph.

@OdysseusUnbound, "mooched"?

@MadSingleMalt I didn’t buy it: my buddy gave it to me. He had 2 drinks from the bottle, decided he hated peat and gifted it to me.

@OdysseusUnbound Is this the one I'll be trying soon?

Two bottle kills in the last two nights. I killed my Talisker 10 on Thursday. This one got better with air exposure. And last night I said goodbye to my dear, beloved Lagavulin DE 1999/2015. A good friend who I haven’t seen in awhile came by and it seemed like the right occasion. He’s a great guy and he appreciates great whisky. We usually drink bourbon or Canadian Whisky together. His budget doesn’t allow him to have the single malts he likes on hand at all times (he’s an artist) so I’m more than happy to share my “good stuff” with him when I can.

@OdysseusUnbound. That Talisker 10 is such a solid whisky despite the talk of it's quality dipping.

How did you find your bottle of Lag DE evolved over time? I've wanted to buy a bottle for a while but the few DE editions I have tried thus far have been a bit underwhelming.

I'm not a killer. I have decanted many bottles and have a hard time emptying that last dram. Especially when it's a batch or an expression I'll never see again.

But I did kill a bottle once. It was tragic. I was holding the box and the bottom (or top) gave way. Totally unpremeditated. Completely accidental. Scotchicide nonetheless.

I came close to finishing my Laimrig yesterday though. Sadly, I had a small bottle that just fit what was left. I won't mind seeing that one go too much, as I have another for the future.

@cricklewood, here is my experience with one of the Lagavulin DEs with respect to air exposure: connosr.com/lagavulin-1991-distillers-edit…

@cricklewood I loved my DE from the get-go, but it really changed over time. Not better or worse, just different. Time toned down some sweetness and it developed a more “cigar-esque” note on the finish which I found very pleasant. I would buy this again, despite the hefty price-tag.

@Nozinan - I very nearly had the same thing happen with my Lagavulin 8 last night - bottom of the box giving way. I think my heart is still beating fast . . .

@RianC watch out for the trap door on the Lagavulin boxes.. Same situation a few years ago with a Lag 12. Luckily, bottle survived after hitting the asphalt. It has since gone on to die of natural causes.

Love lagavulin. Question: how do you rank the 8 vs 12 vs 16 vs DE? I’ve only had the 16 and 8 but am thinking of taking the plunge in either the 12 or DE. The 12 seems to get more praise, but I’m curious what the dudes here think.

@fiddich1980 - Mine hit the carpet but was about an inch away from the corner of the marble fire place . . . I'd have worn black all week otherwise.

@nooch, the Lagavulin 12 yo Cask Strength is the standard OB Lagavulin to have. The DE is also quite worthy and desirable. Both tend to be relatively expensive.

I'll plus one @Victor on his recommendation Lag 12 CS has gotten expensive but shows off the depth and quality of the distillate and is truly a singular whisky.

The 16 is also fantastic and in no way a bad choice. The 8 is a nice young punchy expression it has some of the facets of the 12 and its a nice whisky but I don't consider it a must have especially its price is not drastically lower than the 16 in your area.

I don't have enough experience with the DE but if you enjoy the combo of sweet and peat (some don't) then this will probably work for you.