Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@paddockjudge What’s the flavour profile of the Seasoned Oak? Similar to Highwood Ninety 20 YO? Richer? Spicier?

@paddockjudge What’s the flavour profile of the Seasoned Oak? Similar to Highwood Ninety 20 YO? Richer? Spicier?

@OdysseusUnbound, JPW 19 YO Seasoned Oak is closer to Red Letter than it is HW Ninety 20 YO. It is unmistakably identifiable as double distilled Hiram Walker corn whisky aged at Pike Creek. There is a splash of rye in the mix, but the new oak influence is something that brings toffee and vanilla along with a dash of spice...light fruits accent the oaky bitterness and compliment the sweet highlights. Everything is wood. What else is whisky, if not for the wood? Brilliant creation! At 48% abv , this is pure genius.

I'd encouraged my partner to get a Loch Lomond 12 for a Father's Day gift (she asked, honest!) but then saw a Ralfy review and had a look at Serge's comments - rather uninspiring I have to say. So, changed last minute and requested an Old Pulteney 12 instead. A great summer dram and at £25 you can't go wrong!

@RianC, I agree about the Old Pult.

But about that Loch Lomond 12: Were those opinions you found from the current version? It just seems that they're one of the outfits really trying to improve their game. Yes, their old stuff seems to be pretty dreadful across the board, but opinions on their stuff from the past year or so have really been on the upswing.

@MadSingleMalt - Yes, recent stuff. One online Ytuber scored it 9/10 and MoM reviews (which are never a great guide) were quite high. Only interested as there was a golf prize attached and the price was low. Ralfy scored it 82 but did say it was getting there (I usually find my enjoyment is similar to the bonnet wearing one) if not quite 'ready' - suggesting the warehousing and cask selection may be hindering it. Serge was less polite but I'm not always as synced with him as i am with other reviewers. One to try first perhaps.

I just bought another Aberlour A'bunadh, and a Lagavulin 16 on Amazon. Why, well for the first because I've been told that Aberlour is becoming scarce... Something seems to be going on. I've also noted that in the last three weeks, but Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt have kicked up the price for the A'bunadh from £49 to £79 (batch 61)!?

However, Amazon still has it for £49... so if you wanna make sure you're having it in stock, and not feel like paying a 60% price hike (!) - maybe now is the time...

@RikS - Jeesh! That's a fair old mark up hike! I keep expecting Pulteney 17 to do similar but it hasn't . . . yet! Had i more cash I'd be snapping a couple up

Lemming fever.....

I ordered one each of the Wiser's annual Canada Day release (2018 - very original name) and the Ontario only Seasoned oak.

Why? I had an expiring virtual visa that I needed to use up and it wasn't enough for the seasoned oak, and I had made a note that I had liked the 2018 at the SOT masterclass. I used another (essentially a) gift card for the more expensive one.

Both will be opened once they arrive, so it will not hamper my overall goal of not increasing my collection.

@paddockjudge curious as to the tasting profile. What can you tell us!

@nooch, this is a "more mature" Red Letter, a touch of oaky bitterness compliments sweet toffee, great balance.

@Nozinan placed an order for both as well. Definitely want the Canada 2018 to go with the limited release from last year. May end up returning the Seasoned Oak...we will see.

@boatracer, imho the Seasoned Oak is far superior to Canada 2018 (another 43.4% marketing gimmick). I picked up two bottles of C2018 and I'll be returning one tomorrow.

J.P. Wiser's Canada 2018, picked up two of these today, I'll be returning one tomorrow...it is a poor substitute for Legacy! I enjoyed this much more at Spirit of Toronto. Too young and too raw. After tasting the Seasoned Oak 19 YO this Canada 2018 falls short, by a lot.

@paddockjudge This is concerning... I just ordered a 2018. I think I will forge ahead regardless.

@Nozinan, I will most likely flip my C2018 into a Seasoned Oak 19 YO.

Highland Park 15 yo. Why? 1) it is one of my favourite sherried malts, 2) its production has been discontinued and it will relatively soon be hard to find, 3) our current bottle of it is well along in being consumed, and 4) I was able to get a 10% discount at a local whisk(e)y event. $ 92 total.

I am not buying much these days. If I were I could have picked up quite a few in-demand bourbons and ryes today. I came out to see the show: 40 or 50 people lined up outside prior to the doors opening and catch the spectacle as they plowed down the line to buy the special products being sold, stuff like Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, Stagg Jr, Rhetoric, Entrapment, Sazerac Rye, and others with later waves of offerings to come out during the day. (Hakushu 12, Yamazaki 12, ECBP, etc.) I also wanted to buy some Batch # 009 Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength, but that store with the discount only had Batch # 008. I suppose I will wait for another sale.

@Victor If you wait a few months, bourbon prices will drop as exports decline due to the tariffs.

@Nozinan, well, I am bourboned up to my eye-balls as it is! LOL. The only bourbon I am likely to buy in the next couple of years is BTAC or Van Winkle, at dealer prices. Maybe Weller 12 if I see it, so I can some day brew up some of that @Benancio Van Winkle 10 yo recipe from it. Even the Weller 12 Van Winkle recipe project is just a creative amusement, since I have good stocks of Van Winkle 10 already in place.

Lagavulin 16....my first love and it's been a while. plus it was only $65.

Didn’t buy it, but I was just gifted a 7/8ths full bottle of Monkey Shoulder. My wife’s cousin’s husband, who usually drinks nought but Johnnie Walker blends, purchased the MS on a whim and hated it. He gave it to me because I had a tiny dram and “didn’t spit it out” (his words). First impressions: not bad, but not worth the $65 they charge for it at the KGBO. A bit hot for 43% ABV, but still very drinkable. A free bottle is a free bottle after all.

@OdysseusUnbound Fair enough, but if someone gifted me a "free" bottle of JW Red I would not be drinking it, and it would not be allowed space in my cabinet. I still have to like it to drink it.

@Nozinan Meh. JW Red is decent with Ginger Ale. And it makes a drinkable Godfather. Maybe I’m just easy to please.

@OdysseusUnbound, I only once bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label, and that was 375 ml about 27 years ago. That bottle was truly horrible. Since that time I have never bought more JW Red, but have tasted it from probably 8 much more recent bottles. Some batches were actually quite enjoyable, and others were, like my first experience of it, pretty much undrinkable. If someone were to give me a bottle of JW Red now I would thank that person kindly and hope for the best. The first taste would quickly tell the story as to whether the batch in question were sufficiently above the average Johnnie Walker Red Label quality to be worth keeping around.

@OdysseusUnbound - I agree about mixing with ginger ale, very nice - it's a mixing whisky is it not? Always found it's one of very few whiskys I like on ice.

Next pay day (Next week) I'm gonna get a nice bottle. Can't decide between Longrow 18 or Ledaig 13 Amontidillo (not how you spell it) cask?

@Wierdo, I haven't had either of those, but based on their repute and intrigue, I would go for the Ledaig 13 Amontillado. (And this is coming from a big fan of Springbank's products.)

@MadSingleMalt @Wierdo .... if you can find it.... here it flew off the shelves and is... gone... (Amontillado)

I'm leaning towards the Ledaig tbh. It's a touch cheaper than the Longrow and cask strength (something about cask strength that floats my boat) .

Actually you're right @RikS they had it at MoM last week and now it's sold out. Might be none available anywhere by pay day at this rate

@Wierdo - Saw that a few months back and wish I'd pulled the trigger now! Hey ho - hope you manage to track one down