Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@OdysseusUnbound, dish on how you got those Octomores!

@MadSingleMalt Facebook.....

@OdysseusUnbound mmmm octomore....

@Victor Good call. I tried hard to find a second back-up Naarangi. The only ones I saw were close to $150 (Canadian) so I passed. After paying less than $120 for my last one...

@Nozinan I paid more than you did, but I am not sorry that I did. You were quite fortunate to get a low-ball price.

Just bought another ECBP batch B. It's so good I couldn't resist getting another while it is still availible.

Greetings everyone, I just got back from my trip to Taipei and Tokyo. I went to Taipei, but was there for only two full days. However, one of the main reasons I went there was to meet an online whisk(e)y group I was introduced to back in 2015. The group is marvelous, and especially the ones I met in person. They truly welcomed me in, since this was my first to meet them face-to-face. Anyway, one of the members recommeded a shop to me, and wow, are they spoiled for choice there. I definitely will go whisk(e)y shopping again, the next time I go to Taipei. I bought some whisk(e)y while I was in Tokyo as well.

The following photos are in order of my purchases:

In Taipei, I picked up two bottles of the 2018 release of the Glendronach 15yo Revival. I also went to one of the Kavalan show room stores, and picked up three 50ml bottles of the (going left to right in the photo) SMW "Concertmaster" ABV 40%; SWM Sherry Oak ABV 54%; SMW Ex-Bourbon Oak ABV 54%. Although they are not truly bottles, they are worth mentioning.

Okay, let's see if I can add the photos now...

Kavalan and Kavalan Glencairn.

Why did I get the Glendronach 15yo Revival 2018. Setting aside people telling me it is a bit of a let down compared with the original Revival, I am interested in trying it out. Also, it is a lot less in Taipei than it is here in Colorado. I was able to score two bottles for the price of one. As for the KAVALAN. Why did I only get the 50ml bottles? Well, I have never tried it KAVALAN before mainly because they are sold at a premium here, so I wasn't sure I would really enjoy them. Secondly, I knew I had to do some shopping in Tokyo, so I had to make sure I didn't go over weight or lose too much space. I will add more to the story later.

While in Tokyo I bought my cousin two bottles of the 21yo Redbreast, which I will not show a photo of since they are not for me. Why did I get them? My cousin wanted them. HA, Well, in Denver, Colorado the 21yo Redbreast (which my cousin and I truly enjoy) cost beween $240 to 280 USD, while in Tokyo I was able to get them for only $155 USD per bottle.

Now, what did I get myself? As many of you know I have traveled to Tokyo a few times in the past year. Well, I got myself another bottle of the Nikka 12yo Premium Blended Whisky; a bottle of the Fuji-Sanroku 50° and a bottle of their Signature Blend; lastly, eight 50ml bottles of the Yamazaki 12yo. After trying both Fuji-Sanrokus I had knew I wanted to bring at least a bottle of each home. Yes, they are NAS, but they are extremely tasty and not available here in Colorado. Why eight 50ml bottles of the Yamazaki 12yo. I know I paid a premium for such an amount, but I have my reasons. First, I enjoy the whisky and they are great for transporting while on a trip. Second, they make great gifts for people who I know will appreciate it.

Fuji-Sanroku 50° and the Signature Blend. I should have mentioned that both of these are non-chilled filtered and are 50% ABV.

Yamazaki 12yo Eigh 50ml bottles.

Yes, if you want to know, my luggage was categorized as heavy, and had a special tag encouraging that two people lift it.

@ajjarrett very nice shopping trip!

@Nozinan It turned out well, and I can't wait to go back, especially to Taipei.

I “won” a Stagg Jr in the KGBO’s BTAC lottery. I think they’ve added Junior to the allocation program to calm the rage from people who never, ever, ever have any actual hope of landing a GTS, a TH Rye, a Pappy, a WLW, etc...Oh well, I do enjoy the Stagg Jr, and now my bottle of Batch 9 will have a sibling.

Side note: I can guarantee with 100% certainty that bottles from the LCBO’s BTAC lottery will hit the secondary market very soon.

@OdysseusUnbound Congrats! Alas, I came up all zeros... :(

@ajjarrett The Nikka 12 is very nice - I still have some left in my bottle....

@talexander I am just glad that the price for the Nikka 12 PBW was still affordable for being a blended whisky. If it is still priced the same when I go again later this year, I will certainly pick up two bottles.

Last night I bought a bottle of Elijah Craig Small Batch bourbon.

Why?

We're having friends over this weekend, and the last couple times this crowd came around, I could tell that the folks who wanted a whisky were rather unsatisfied by my answer of "Well, I got little bit of Irish over there, and a shit-ton of scotch." I sometimes forget how much more of a crowd-pleaser bourbon is versus scotch, especially the full-diesel bottles that dominate my shelf.

@MadSingleMalt - Let me know how it is, please. I'm jealously guarding a bottle of the now extinct 12 year old but may not have to pop it if the NAS one is decent. The 12 was very good bourbon from memory.

I was into bourbon (and blends) more than malts to begin with. I think it's generally sweeter so is perhaps a bit more accessible than, say, Longrowmach

@OdysseusUnbound probably not soon. It takes time for people to get them even after they win.

Can you believe I forgot to enter? I was so busy this weekend. And I did as well as most of my friends anyway, with no rage!

@RianC, honestly, all I'm gonna be able to tell is that it tastes like bourbon. I just don't have a palate for it—or maybe I just don't have enough interest in bourbon to explore its finer points.

Every bourbon I've ever had just tastes like overly sweet oak juice begging for a pour of Coke.

@MadSingleMalt - Fair enough

I've definitely tasted bourbons that would fit the description of 'Overly sweet oak juice' though.

@Nozinan A friend told me there are already people posting screen grabs of their allocation confirmations and auctioning their bottles. Apparently one guy even said, of his Pappy 15, “don’t bother contacting me unless you’re offering $1000 or more.” And here I was thinking I’d bring a Pappy 15 (has I won one) to a future Connosr gathering to share with everyone.....different strokes I guess.

@OdysseusUnbound @Nozinan Although I got zeros on the BTAC/Pappy version of Russian Roulette, I did score a Small Batch and a Straight Rye at the EH Taylor old-lady-bingo game. So I'm happy, even without a Pappy. Hey, I'm a poet!

@OdysseusUnbound, Way to go! I'm pleased to learn not all Pappy goes to bars.

@talexander Opening the Handy I won (... the privilege to buy in 2014) in 2015 with you opening your 2014 Stagg and @paddockjudge opening his 2014 Weller, all in one sitting, at your place (possibly my first time at your place) was a truly EPIC.

Coming home with 1/3 of a bottle left was eye-opening...

LD in Calgary had a sale. 20% off all whisky.

My B-I-L, @nosebleed, was kind enough not to send me the flyer, as per my request.

One of my colleagues on Connosr was not as discrete. Given that his holy grail Octomore 7.3 was available and discounted he asked for my assistance in getting some. Of course I got sucked in to wanting a bottle too. Wouldn't you? $160 and $32 off? B-I-L was nice enough to let me know that Amrut Naarangi was also in stock (I had not expected an opportunity to get a backup bottle), and at $150 it was discounted to $120. No brainer...

@Nozinan, what kind of person would let you get pulled into a strategem in which you end up with two bottles more than you were planning on? Sheesh, some people

@cricklewood It could have been worse...I could have tried for more...