Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@Benancio I like my bottle of the KC single Barrel, but I like the Booker' more, and this particular batch even more. So the bottle's been around for a while because I rarely get to it.

Springbank 10, the standard 46%

I bought it unplanned today because a local (grocery!) store had it on sale for $50, easily the best price around right now. Most stores in my area jumped to $65-70 recently.

And why did I want a Springbank 10?

•I'm not alone in considering Springbank my favorite distillery. They're awesome and I've had much more of their stuff than anyone else's, but I've never owned the basic 10. I've tasted it plenty of times, but when I went to buy my first bottle a few years ago the 100 Proof was only a few bucks more, so I chose that one and have only bought other "second tier" bottles since (and the Longrows!).

•I recently created a Campbeltown solera bottle that desperately needs Springbank 10 as the main filler.

•As I mentioned, I've had a lot of the "second tier" Springbanks and they're great, but the heavy casks typically smother the signature brine, which is what I REALLY look for in Springbank. Here's hoping today's 10 delivers that seawater taste that smote me back when I first discovered Springbank & Campbeltown.

•And now that I have the basic 10, I can use it as the sparring partner of the 10 / 100 Proof that I found another bottle of last year. I've been waiting to open it until I could drink it alongside a proper comparison bottle.

Go Springbank!

2 more bottles of Booker's 2015-01. One for my brother in law, one for a fellow CONNOSR, and I left one in the store for the next person who comes looking.

@Nozinan, from this fellow to you, thanks for picking up that bottle of Booker's 2015-01 for my bunker. A solid favour indeed, and not the first time.

Tomorrow morning I will visit the local bakery to obtain some warm, gooey butter tarts. I will kick-off my two weeks of vacation with a delicious pairing of scrumptious butter tarts and Booker's '15-01.

@paddockjudge

My mother has an awesome pie crust recipe. If I bake some gooey butter tarts will you visit and drink Booker's with me?

What about pecan pie? That might go...my mother will be happy to make a pecan pie

@Nozinan, Is tomorrow morning too soon?! I am a Pecan Pie fan. Butter tarts and Booker's would indeed entice me.

I just picked up a bottle of Amrut Intermediate Sherry. It's been on my wishlist for ages. It's difficult to find and well overpriced in Taiwan, so I actually saved about CAD $25 by ordering it from WhiskyBase, shipping included. Can't wait to crack it.

Just bought Bunnahabhain 12 year old. I read good reviews about it. The fact that it is 46.3% and unchill-filtered also encouraged me. This is also my first Islay whisky.

@jack09 , you should like the Bunnahabhain if you like 'em soft and sweet. You should probably consider it "a whisky that happens to be made on Islay," though, rather than "an Islay whisky." If you follow me.

I opened that Springbank 10 right away last night and found it pretty disappointing. Instead of zippy brine, it was polite with some soft semi-sweet richness. I hope one of the things we always blame disappointing single experience on is in fact to blame here, and that I like the rest of the bottle more.

I gotta say, the big fresh saltiness that blew me away when I first discovered Springbank & Campbeltown has been hard to find again in the years since. Maybe I need that Fishky.

3 bottles of the Laphroaig 15 Year Old 200th Anniversary Release, I am surprised that Australia was given an allocation of this.

My sister-in-law is visiting from overseas and got my a bottle of the Macallan 1824 Select Oak as a gift when passing by the duty free.

Walked into retailer intending to only replace my lousy bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel 2006 with hopefully a much better tasting bottle of same, but from a different cask/batch. Instead walked out with bottles of Aberlour A'bunadh #49, Ardbeg Uigeadail, Yamasaki 12yo, and Teeling Single Grain. All are joining recent out of state purchase of Amrut Intermediate Sherry Matured and Amrut Portonova. A fine start to summer indeed.

@cherylnifer, that's a very nice collection of bottles you just picked up!

@cherylnifer

I agree with @VIctor. Those Amruts are outstanding. I hear good things about the others, though I won't be able to confirm the A'Bunadh for a few years.

@sengjc I hope they are fantastic, i think 3 was a smart purchase, it's a gamble but you might not get another chance.

@cherylnifer You don't need me to say but I will, impressive Acquisition, I know you will enjoy them all.

@hunggar I completely confident you will enjoy the AIS, let it air in the glass for a several minutes before tasting, Let's us know what you think.

@OlJas love Springbank, that's not good news about the 10y, Is there a date codes on the bottle?

After I picked last week a bottle of Booker's 2015-1 and a bottle of Amrut peated CS 2012 to start the Summer, I learned today that I will get during Labor day weekend a bottle of Portonova and a bottle of Millstone 100 rye to end the Summer. I hope that will be a Summer to remember.

@sengjc 2 bottles of EH Taylor Cured Oak bourbon are now in my collection. The rumors say it's 17y old, you are correct, aged whiskey is getting harder to find. Thx for the support.

Amrut Single Casks PX Sherry and Bourbon-matured. 4.5 years young both.

WHY?

Because I liked them at Spirit of Toronto in 2014, but when released the price was about $130-140 and I just couldn't justify it.

Now the price has dropped so I took advantage. Thanks @cyclingyogi for the tip!

@Benancio

You've just added to the scarcity.

OK, @paddockjudge. After reading all of the praise from you and from many of my other Candian friends for Bookers 2015-01, 64.35% ABV, I decided to go out and buy some for myself.

Well, this is certainly a lovely batch of Bookers, all right. Wonderful nose. I see that cherry thing you've been talking about. Floral too. A couple drops of water brings the bourbon out beautifully.

Next question is whether I should go out and buy some more. This is the first bottle of Bookers I've bought for myself in the last 4 or 5 years...though I've known Bookers and been a fan since 1996. It is a very good thing that a company like Beam Suntory makes a product of Bookers' quality available on a large-scale basis, and at an affordable price.

I've been meaning to pick up another bottle of rye after I emptied my Bulleit 95 Rye a while ago. Ended up getting a bottle of Rittenhouse straight rye. I remembered having discussions with @Victor, who said the Rittenhouse was the natural next step (out of what is available here).

Looking forward to trying it!

I am also on a rye whiskey kick. I just picked up 4 bottles of Willett 2yo Rye (2 @ 55.7% and 2 @ 54.5%), Wild Turkey 101 Rye (1L bottle), and a 1L bottle of Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond. So five Ryes, one Bourbon, and no Scotch for this trip out.

Why? I just realized from my private whisky rating spreadsheet that I have never scored a Rye under 80 points. Most of it falls (for my taste) between 85 and 95. That was a shock to me! Granted, I don't buy any Rye under 45% ABV . . . but still, it is a flavor profile that never seems to disappoint. And the price is currently right. Meanwhile, single malt prices seem to be going crazy.

the Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond was a bottle I picked up because @Victor shared a taste from his bottle on my last visit. A fantastic bottle for only $13.99.

@Victor, an exceptional batch, Booker's 2015-01. This is a very dangerous bourbon - incredibly delicious and 64% abv, It should come with a warning: Proceed With Caution.

Any bourbon drinker who is a fan of pecan pie or raisin butter tarts must own a bottle from this batch.

This is a masterful blend. Excellent barrel selection by Fred Noe and Team Beam.

The Ontario bottles come in a standard box with regular labels and filled with the best Booker's I've tried to date.

I will put a bottle on hold for you for a future trade.

@Nock I use to drink WT101 Rye as my standard for years, until they discontinued it, glad to see it's back. I think it's simply a delicious whiskey, love to sip it or mix manhattans with it. I saw the Willett Rye NAS Rye 55% ABV last week in Florida but my was already full of bottles.

@paddockjudge, I may have to get the new bottling of Bookers. Hints of Cherry in bourbon is nice.

@Fiberfar, Rittenhouse Rye is definitely a rye forward whiskey. Love the Bulleit 95 Rye. Enjoy

@Nock I've never had the Willett 2y Rye 55 %ABV, I wanted to buy it, I may have made a mistake leaving it behind?

@Benancio, you have a large whisk(e)y cabinet, but I don't see any Willett Family Estate bottles in it.

If I didn't have any Willett Family Estate bourbons or ryes, I would pick up at least 5 or 6 of them before I would think of backing off.

@Victor I did end up buying the Willett Pot Still Reserve 47 ABV while in Florida last week and 3 bottles of Tequila. On the way to the airport I can across a liquor store I hadn't noticed, They had the Willett Rye 55 ABV, but alas my bags were already full and I had to leave it on the shelf.

We were at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in 2011 and I had the opportunity to buy an independent bottling of Willett 7y Rye and a 6y bourbon both at cask strength, again had 14 bottles already in tow. I guess you can lead a horse to water, in my case a Jack Ass.

I understand the Willett Pot Still Reserve may be a little hit or miss on the quality, but the cool looking bottle sold me, looks great in my bar.

@Benancio, hopefully you got a good bottle of the Pot Still Bourbon.

Arranged a bourbon night with a few friends from work so order in for WT101, Four roses small batch, Blanton's original, Wild Turkey rare breed, Bookers and Blanton's SFTB. Will be using my stock of Woodford Reserve, JD Gentleman Jack, Single Barrel and Silver Select to show the others that JD is not the only drink from the USA. I am keeping my four roses single barrel for myself it has an amazing floral and cherry aroma which I just keep going back to.

@paddockjudge Dangit!! My wife is going to give me the eye when i come home with MORE Booker's. I think it is like $40 a bottle at Houston Specs. I guess i'll go grab two.