Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@fiddich1980 I've been curious about Legent and other Suntory crossovers and was surprised to see it land at the LCBO so quickly but then again it seems all things bourbon related are hot.

I don't know if the reviews are so polarizing because it's mostly bourbon fans & purists who are taking offense to the heavily technical blending at work or if it really is just underwhelming. The idea in theory is interesting and the American blended whisky category is where I think the most interesting innovations are likely to occur.

@cricklewood I've run across reviews which called it ""winey", "Japanese placebo effect", "make a Bourbon Highball out of it", "underwhelming", "fruity well blended followed by a Beam character leaning towards Baker's 7", and also "HOT"". Then the rating range from a 4 out of 10 to a letter grade of A. It would be an interesting one to bring to a group tasting.

@fiddich1980 yes, it definitely would, especially one with a couple of JD SB BP

@fiddich1980 A blind tasting would be best. It’s my preferred method for tasting “new to me” whiskies. I know I’m not immune to bias, and tasting completely blind is the most effective way to judge the spirit based on its aromas, texture, flavours.

@cricklewood one of the bottle shops I frequent had a tasting of the Legent, and I was underwhelmed...I'm not a huge fan of bourbon, though I drink it here and there. I much prefer rye. Anyway, the thing about the Legent was that it was too sweet, not very complex - in short, it tasted basic. I would not and did not buy it at $42 USD.

@OdysseusUnbound I've noticed that you have been moving towards Bourbon barrel matured whisk(e)y. Yes, sulphur is an issue with a high percentage PX and wine matured/finished whiskies. I recently, revisited a Deanston 9 year old Bordeaux matured open in October and around two thirds fill level. Fresh opened impression was positive. At the current fill level and oxygen settling, it has impressed me. The quality of the distillate and the wine flavour have blended to the point where each aspect contrast and complement the other. The notes and spirit are dynamic - a pleasure to consume. Serge marked it around 79. I wonder if the wine matured and wine finished whiskies need oxygenation and time to show there measure? Maybe, Legent needs that extra time to settle in and open bottle? The Port Charlotte Heavily Peated seem to trend in the same way. I'll pass a sample of the Legent your way when it reaches that half way fill level.

I just bought a Wild Turkey 101. Why? A few reasons:

• It’s a reliably good bourbon at a fair price.
• My family and I are going on a road trip to the East Coast starting on Monday and I wanted a no-fuss whiskey to bring along and sip in the great outdoors (we’ll be staying in National Parks in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and P.E.I.)
• It’s July 4th and I was feeling sentimental toward My American friends.
• I had originally planned to get a no-fuss Canadian to bring along, but I’m a bit prickly and stand-offish after the Canadian whisky authority basically told me I don’t really like Canadian whisky on Twitter, simply because I said I’d love to see a Cask Strength Alberta Premium Rye. He responded with “Cask Strength Canadian whisky? Sounds like you should just drink bourbon or single malt instead.”

@OdysseusUnbound there is lots of cask strength Alberta Premium available, just not in Canada :)

@Astroke .......and not under the Alberta Premium name, right?

@OdysseusUnbound Who is This Canadian whisky expert? Clearly he/she is not

@OdysseusUnbound "A rose by any other name"

@OdysseusUnbound "A rose by any other name" :)

@Nozinan Everyone here knows who he is. I respect the work he has done to put Canadian whisky “on the map”, but if his website (dedicated to Canadian whisky) had a theme song, it would be “Everything is Awesome” (the theme from The LEGO Movie)....

@OdysseusUnbound I like that song...

@OdysseusUnbound he was important in my Whisky journey in the beginning. Made me believe Canadian Whisky was under appreciated but in the end it was mostly underwhelming. Don Livermore was the one who brought me back while the voice of Canadian Whisky slowly became nothing more than a shill IMO.

@OdysseusUnbound turns out there is an Alberta Premium cask strength bottled in Canada. Shelter Point bought a cask and 240 bottles reside at Kensington Wine Market as a type of KWM store pick, 9 years, 59.6%, $120.

@Astroke Wonder how that would compare to Lot 40 CS.

@Nozinan Would like to do a H2H and find out. Have a Barrell Rye 13 year Canadian Rye CS (ADL sourced) sitting in Toronto waiting for me so I will be doing that comparison soon enough.

Picked up a Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 and a Balvenie, The Sweet Toast of American Oak 12. Got the QR 12 because it was the last one on the shelf and the QR 14 is starting to take over and I want to compare the 12 and the 14. Got the Balvenie because it was the first time I had seen it.

@Nozinan, the Shelter Point CS 9 YO RYE for KWM is not similar to Lot No 40 CS in any way at all. SP Rye 9 YO CS resembles the ADL style, but it is sharp, bright, pointed, and not round like some other ADL derivatives such as WPig and Masterson's. The colour is lighter than WPig. I suspect a different wood treatment.

@Astroke, I suspect the colour alone will give you a foreshadowing of what to expect when comparing Barrell Rye Batch 13 and Shelter Point CS 9 YO Rye KWM.

@Nozinan, the Shelter Point CS 9 YO RYE for KWM is significantly lighter in colour than Lot 40 CS

My America Day score!

paddockjudge replied: @Nozinan, the Shelter Point CS 9 YO RYE for KWM is significantly lighter in colour than Lot 40 CS

Meaning?

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@paddockjudge Very doubtful I will get a bottle of the Shelter Point, have some other bottles working on down south that I have more interest in right now.

@paddockjudge good description of Shelter Point character "sharp, bright and pointed" edges. Their distillate and blending seems on point. It's the sharp finish and feisty bright flavours which need tuning down. I'm looking forward to see the results of their cask policy with bourbon cask other, than JD.

@paddockjudge it turns out I am now the owner of 1/2 bottle of the Shelter Point Rye, friend added one to his shipment and asked if I wanted to split it, obviously I said yes.

These two beauties!

Last weekend I picked up a bottle each of Compass Box ‘The Spaniard’ and Old Forester 1920. I am trying to fill out the types of bourbon from OF. Where I live now, it is nearly impossible to find any Compass Box Products. I wish The Spaniard was higher than 43% ABV but I tend to like most CB offerings.

Brought this collection last week. Finally arrived. Looking forward to the Adelphi Bunnahahbain. Been a long time since I’ve tried a SMWS 3. Looking forward to trying that

@Nozinan I acquired a bottle of the Shelter point/ADL rye as well, I can always bring it along the next time we get together. I haven't opened mine yet but it's getting reviews from @paddockjudge and others on Instagram.

I sadly don't have any Whistlepig single cask left for comparison.