Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@Hewie @BlueNote - I was looking at this yesterday.

masterofmalt.com/whiskies/benromach/…

Under £10 more than the 10/100, so not a huge difference, and I guess there still is an age statement so not a complete disaster. I'll probably wait until I hear a few more reviews before taking the plunge and the 15 is still c£50 - I really should stock up on that as I can see that taking a hike in price soon . . .

Picked up two more bottles: Benriach 10 and Laphroaig Cairdeas Fino (abv 51.8%). I've had one wine cask Laphroaig before--the pink Portwood--and I was in the minority who thought it was fantastic. I'm looking forward to seeing how the dryer Fino will mesh with the Laphroaig. I may have to review that one.Another reason I bought it: after a 10% discount, the bottle was 65$ or so.

Context: after a broken leg (fibula and tibia) --and surgery--I was not allowed to bear any weight on my leg, or drive. Last week, the "boot" came off , I can now drive. Ling, my wife, said, "Oh no, you're going to drive around like a maniac." She wasn't entirely off base!

@Jonathan I'll add something else I bought, pre-Physical Therapy. Tickets for the Stones! on 7/3 in DC. Mick recovered just n time for me to attend.... My doc said I couldn't miss the Stones, so I hope she didn't break the Hippocratic Oath. She also suggested a tapas place in Baltimore with excellent cocktails (La Cuchara). I hope she didn't break her oath twice, like I did with my leg (fibula and tibia). As long as she doesn't cite any wisdom from Keith, I should be ok

I had to miss two smaller shows (Spiritualized, and, for Ling, the 69 Eyes) first because of my physical restrictions, and then when I was slightly better, because Ling seriously sprained her ankle, so she couldn't see 69 Eyes, a Finnish band that she loves . She's from Singapore. A band like the Stones is not likely to stop in SG.They'll play Cuba first. Instead, Singapore gets older versions of Motley Crue and Guns and Roses. Oh, and Kenny G.

Like some whiskies, bluesmen like the Stones get better with age. Motley Crue ain't no bluesmen. I don't know what whisky to compare them to --WT American Honey>? A decadent lifestyle, one or two catchy songs, and a drum rollercoaster that gets stuck in the middle can only take a band so far.

The one good show I made it to when I was "no weight bearing" was Simon Bonney (authentic Australian brilliance), and Mark Lanegan, whose voice Bourdain made famous. Lanegan's Whisky for the Holy Ghost is bona fide whisky music.

Apologies for the music ramblings, but if Whisky Serge can do it, why can't I?

In Singapore, Kenny G;s "Going Home." has a few meanings: 1) "Nice to have known you, let's not meet again" 2) "The evening is over, club soon closing." (from the club manager) and 3) "Hey baby, would you like to go home with me?" 3) is obviously the mot desirable option.

Can't wait to get off of the pain meds...My new bottle collection is making me salivate and I can't open them because if I sniff, I'll taste, and I certainly won't be using a spitoon. I'll then go looking for a dram that Ling will like, and we'll be off to the races (until she fall asleep). In any casel I have a few days of those stupid meds left--then its Cardeis time! www.youtube.com/watch

@OdysseusUnbound You got me me down the rabbit hole of this musical analogy, with your discussion of AC/DC and Big/Peat.. If it was being sold at a reasonable price, I'd try it.

Glendronach 12 Year Old. I didn't technically buy it; it was a gift from my wife's grandfather, Jack. He doesn't drink much, and he only drinks scotch with me. His brother gets him several bottles of Glendro 12 each year (birthday, Xmas, Easter, etc.), and Jack brought one over saying "I found this one hidden away when I was cleaning out some cupboards. I already have too many. You keep it at your place and enjoy it". Well, knowing what I know, I checked the bottling date...and it was bottled in 2010, making the whisky in this Glendronach 12 at least 15 years old, according to this article. WOO-HOO!!!! wordsofwhisky.com/glendronach-is-a-lot-old…

My recent acquisitions all 'buddy buddy'. I also got a surprise sample of Kilchoman Machir Bay with the Ardbeg and that tin is fancier than it might at first seem. Glad I bought it!

@RianC, Pikesville 6 YO Rye 110 proof is a beautiful example of (pot still) rye matured in new oak, an absolute stunner, but you probably know that already.

@RianC Nice acquisitions, Is that a peated or unpeated CI 18? I think you will find the rare breed interesting as well, It's very powerful and packs a punch but it's got so much character, plus you got yours in a tube, I don't think they do that for domestic versions.

@paddockjudge - Didn't know it was pot still (is Rittenhouse also?) but I now know it's a damn tasty whiskey!

@cricklewood - The Caol ila is the standard/peated OB 18. Seems to get good reviews and I've fancied it for a while. Got it for just over £60 which is a great price!

@RianC I didn't know the 43% CI 18 was still around.

When the 18 CS (unseated) was released in Ontario, it seems they used the last listed price of the regular 18 by accident...

@RianC , it's impossible to get those flavours from a column still

@paddockjudge I didn't know Heaven Hill had a Pot Still but then again I don't know very much about Heaven Hill.

I've read that one could mimic the heavy distillate with a column still by how you run the spirit or how many plates you use in the column.

For example the rum distilleries of the French or former French colonies use colum still for their rums but they are shorter columns that coupled with the long fermentation styles can produce a weightier style.

There is also Willett which has a short "beer" column and then use their pot stills as the "doubler" in a way. The pot also has a bunch of plates and valves in the neck which could affect the process if they wanted too.

I am just basing myself on what I've read and tasted, I am no chemical engineer or distiller. I just find all this stuff fascinating.

@Hewie - sorry for the delay in replying. This has been a crazy week. You asked how the single cask Westland that I purchased last weekend compared in price to scotch in my area. The hand-filled, single cask bottles at Westland are $110 USD including tax, which is expensive for a 4+ year old, but when I find a single cask Westland that I like, it is worth the price to me. I wouldn't buy every one of their single cask releases, but some of them are nothing short of spectacular. (By the way, the price has definitely gone up since Westland was acquired by Bruichladdich's parent company. The hand-filled used to be a 375ml half bottle for $40, which was awesome. Now, you can only buy a full-sized 750ml for $110.)

We have ridiculous taxes on spirits in my state (approx. 33%), so here are a few examples of Scotches that I could buy for that same $110 including tax; Macallan Classic Cut 2018, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, Dewar's 18, Ardbeg Uigeadail, etc. I hope that helps.

@cricklewood, I'm just guessing about the pot still. I do know that Dad's Hat has a lpot still. I'm guessing Maryland and Pennsylvania Style Rye, the good ones, traditionally use pot stills. One thing is undeniable, you can't cook the piss out of beer and expect it to taste like the grain from which it came.

@bwmccoy Thanks for the detailed info. I've got friends in Arizona so next time they come over to NZ I may see if they can pick up something special that isn't available here.

@paddockjudge well said

@paddockjudge - I wouldn't doubt it! Man, I had some more last night and it's absolutely gorgeous stuff. Are all rye's made with pot stills then? If not, do you (or anyone) know which are and aren't? It would be interesting to compare the different methods.

@Nozinan - Far as I'm aware it's still being made. There's certainly enough of it in the UK in all outlets.

Off topic slightly - The price is an odd one and it reminds me of a discussion on here a few weeks back about prices coming down - especially by Diageo. I bought this at discount, most likely due to Father's Day, but this took a huge hike a few years ago from around £70 up to £90 (hence why I didn't buy!) Recently I've seen the price of this drop across the board back to the £70 mark.

@RianC, that would be a great spread sheet to own and share.

These were on sale across the border so I purchased 2 knowing I would get pummeled at the border with Duty, but low and behold the guy just said ok and sent me on my way. These were a store pick from a few years ago, cask strength and finished in Hungarian Oak (not sure what that means). They were being blown out and I got each bottle for about $72 Cad all in. A friend had given me a sample recently and this matches up against the MWND easy.

"MWND"?

@Victor - Midwinter Night Dram, I’m assuming.

@bwmccoy Yes, correct

Macallan Sherry Oak 12 (43%ABV): I had to make up for the so-so 'farclas10, which I'm still giving time. I know Macallan is not the most popular distillery around these parts, but i like their sherried malt, and I'm just glad that they are still producing the 12 Sherry Oak and not some bottle named Vixen or Onyx. I'm even wiling to give the Classic Cut a chance, but not before I taste the most recent batch of A'bunadh (once I can appreciate high abv whiskies again). My palate isn't quite ready for anything above 50% abv (and I now have four unopened bottles that fit that bill on the shelf...).

@RianC Not sure how many ryes are made in column stills but I know that Sagamore here in Baltimore is.

@RianC

@TracerBullet thanks for sharing those photos, that distillery seems a lot bigger than I would have than I would have thought.

@cricklewood They have a nice little setup there. I've been twice so far and always enjoy the tastings.

@TracerBullet - Excellent, thanks for the images! Looks like a cool distillery.

Forgive my ignorance but what do they make there - as in brands?

@TracerBullet did anyone at Sagamore tell you when they actually expect to be selling any Sagamore Spirit whiskey which they themselves have actually distilled? I am guessing another couple of years. Yes, MGPI rye is good.