Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@cricklewood, that PC swap is a HUGE win for yourself.

@Wierdo I find that the 10 and the 15 are the only Springbanks that are consistently available these days. Both good, but it would be nice to have a crack at some of their more exotic expressions.

@cricklewood I think you got the better of that swap. I see there is a 2012 version available now.

@BlueNote the special release bottles take a bit longer to make their way over to my corner of the world. This means we're fortunate enough that those eager beavers (who want to be the first to review them) actually give us some insight as to whether they are worth shelling out for or not. We also seem to get a reasonable sized allocation considering our population size. I'll be keeping en eye out for that latest Kilkerran 8 CS Sherry Wood.

Yes, indeed, @cricklewood , happy birthday!

@cricklewood I also agree with the sentiment of everyone here. Great swap! (And happy birthday!!) I dramatically prefer the Islay Barley variants to the Scottish Barley version.

Do let us know which batch you have (small letters on the back).

I just bought a bottle of Old Ezra 7 Year Barrel Strength. After the recent post by @paddockjudge and a visit with @Nozinan I was really feeling the FOMO.

@BlueNote in the UK the Springbank 12CS and 18, which are 6 monthly and yearly releases respectively are usually available for a month or two after release. You can still pick up the latest 12CS that was released a couple of months ago if you shop around a bit online.

But the likes of the local barley and other releases just evaporate upon release. Their are about 50 bottles of the 15 rum cask available on every auction site but you'd have to pay probably £150 to get one for a bottle that was £70 on release.

@OdysseusUnbound did it have the metal mug?

@Wierdo We're due for a trip over next May. I'll get the cousins (both maltheads) on the case and see what they can round up for me.

@Nozinan It did not. I feel like I got ripped off !! (Not really).

@MadSingleMalt @BlueNote I thought so as well, I have had and enjoyed a couple of different PC Scottish Barley (on particular batch had that hot tarmac thing which I loved) but I agree with you the Islay barley variant is particularly good. I wanted to grab a 2011 before we got flooded with the new 2012 version.

@Victor & @Nock It's not my birthday I think it got crossed with @Wierdo he is the one deserving of the well wishes!

My mistake. @Wierdo happy birthday! And @cricklewood have a very happy birthday when next it comes.

Technically not a purchase but a gift from a friend of my sister in law. She just came back from visiting with friends in China and this was sent for me. It’s very big. I donMt understand why everyone brings me alcohol.

Her mother in law taught me how to pronounce it but I forgot. All I know is that it’s 52%. I now have 4 types of Bai Jao, only one of which I have tasted before.

I love the tamper proof boxes they all come in.

@Nock The bottled of PC Islay Barley I ended up with is the 2011 version batch L162436 18/238 2018/08/14 all of 6 years old

Overpriced for what it is but I decided to gift myself an early Christmas

@Astroke Parkers Heritage Collection! Verly hard to get. And, for the last 8 years, usually expensive. I hope that you love it.

@Astroke I hope you like it! I have heard very mixed things. Some people have loved it while others have hated it. It seems to draw extreme reactions. I hope to win the opportunity to purchase a bottle in our state's lottery drawing. We will see.

Let us know your impressions when you get around to opening it.

Balblair is dropping the vintages and now offering age stated expressions. I decided to try the new 15 year old. It’s on its way.

@Victor my Whisk(e)y trading friend in western NY has a very good relationship with a large liquor store in Niagara, NY. When he asked me if I was interested, I did not hesitate although I had read several mixed reviews. The price was US MRSP which was very pricey Canadian, especially for an 8.9 year Rye. Truth be told, I wanted a PHC bottle in the bar.

Our very own LCBO is charging $386 Cad for last years PHC Curacao finish which I understand is still easy to obtain. I would not pay that price unless it was the Wheated Mash Bill.

@Nock Yes, I had read the reviews, but like a kid in a candy store, I had to buy it because I never owned a PHC and had no desire for last years edition. The fact that it was Rye was the deal breaker for me.

@Astroke as for Heaven Hill Rye, wouldn't a 10 yo Pikesville BP be interesting? OK, doesn't have to be Barrel Proof. I could settle with 110 proof/55% again. (for all we know, that PHC might be essentially an 8.9 yo Pikesville)

The ones I really want, and cautiously expect, in 8-12 years, are the revivals of the Rittenhouse 21, 23, and 25 yo Ryes. But I'll bet the price will be $ 250 - $ 300, perhaps adjusted upwards from those numbers with respect to depreciation of the currency. In 2010 those bottles would sit for years unbought for $ 175. Now it takes $ 1,000 to touch one on the secondary markets.

I own four PHCs. Three of those were gifted to me by my sister. The well of availability dried up 4 or 5 years ago with the PHCs, as it has with most of the other top Limited Edition bourbons and ryes. One of my major whiskey blunders was in passing up the PHC Promise of Hope Edition. Why? I didn't want any sniveling 48% or 49% ABV whiskey. The correct reasoning would have been: "These are the barrels selected for the Heaven Hill Flagship brand, the bragging rights of their company. They are likely to be superb."

@Victor I would love to see a 10 year Pikesville 110.For now it seems the best values are the private store picks for both Bourbon and Rye. Not sure how long that practice will last.

I ordered 9 bottles from Zyn today - NOT ALL FOR ME

The high prices at KGBO and the wealth of discounts made it too tough to resist. One friend wanted three bottles, another one is getting two, and 4 for me.

I picked up an extra Octomore 10.1 - because if I don't like it I can trade the one I got earlier to the LCBO for a lot higher value than I paid for it.

Same with the Caol Ila 15 YO CS unpeated. About $50 cheaper than the one I got here (using trade-ins of gifts).

The price differentials for Glenfarclas 105 and WT rare breed were simply too great to pass up.

Here's hoping it all arrives intact!

Two bottles of Pikesville rye. Why? Well technically they are a gift and they were in the black Friday sale for just over £50. I couldn't see that price happening again any time soon and I'd have bought the lot of I could! For my purchase I also got a free coffee liquor sample ... Eulgh !

Just got another Arran 18. The price was right and the first one was so good I just had to have another.

Put in an order on Zyn with a few friends...I got a bottle of Old Grand-dad. Love that stuff, too bad the KGBO doesn't stock it regularly. Before that, I got an Ardbeg An Oa from Craft Cellars for an all-in price of $76! (also part of a group buy) In my opinion, it tastes like the same juice as Uigeadail bottled at 46%.

@dloewen if you like OGD you’ll be amazed at what it’s like at 114 proof. Since we’re both in Ontario we really ought to get some to you.

@BlueNote I'll be getting one of the OB 18s here soon. Maybe in spring.