Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@paddockjudge I was asked to pick up a bottle there on hold for a quarantined friend. They had some bottles left and asked me if I wanted one. Other than that I have no experience with the distillery or their products.

@Astroke, I hope it is good juice, competition is healthy.

@paddockjudge The No of 7 looked much more appealing but I missed the boat on the CS. May put in an order for their regular bottle or wait for it to show at the LCBO.

I don't know if these qualify as "just buy", but this past weekend I purchased:

• Writers Tears Irish Whiskey. We had a "rotating outdoor get-together" with family for my youngest's 10th birthday and many of the adult guests are whiskey drinkers when someone else is supplying the whiskey. This one proved to be quite popular. I don't think I've reviewed it before so I'll get a chance to do a more focused tasting or two with the remaining third of the bottle.
• Knappogue Castle 12 Year Old. This is an older bottling, maybe from around 2010. A friend from work is moving and gave me the unopened bottle. She's had it for "about ten years" (her words) because it was a gift and neither her nor her husband drink whiskey. Unfortunately the cork completely disintegrated when I opened the bottle to try it. Fishing all the bits of cork out proved frustrating and even with a fine mesh strainer and extensive decanting, I'm not sure I got each and every bit out. Oh well, they say we all need more fiber in our diets right?

@OdysseusUnbound Coffee filters...

Three auction bottles last night - Johnny Walker Black 75cl from the 80s (£60) Ballentine's 12, again from the 80s, @43% and 75cl (£40) and a ltr of White Horse from the 90s (£26). Not 'cheap' but I was happy to pay the prices - well, the WH was a steal to be honest, I doubt I'd get a ltr of any decent blend for less in today's money. It was the VAT on commission that stung me post purchase ...

So that's my 80s(ish) blend itch scratched, for now ...

Not content with that lot, and am now fearing my better half finds out, I just bought an Arran 10. Why? Amazon just got restocked and the price was £34 with delivery (I had noticed a spike post the recent ralfy review). Also keen to try the newly packaged version. Ralfy gave it a 90 and I really enjoyed my last bottle.

@RianC Have to agree with Ralfy on the Arran 10. It's relatively inexpensive, very tasty and also unchillfiltered, uncoloured and 46%; the kind of whisky Ralfy calls an "integrity malt."

@BlueNote - I've enjoyed every Arran I've had. The 10 is one of those whiskies I'd be happy to have as my 'house malt', were I to do such a thing. Although Deanston12 would give it a good run for its money.

@OdysseusUnbound - cork aside, how was the Knappogue?

@RianC Just ok so far. I wouldn’t spend $75 on a bottle which is what it sold for last time it was available in Ontario.

@Astroke You're on a roll with your recent hauls, a very competitive price for the Ardbeg 19 also.

@RianC interesting selection, Old JW Black is on my must try list as well. What about the White Horse, we're they still using Lag in this blend in the 90's?

@cricklewood as it turns out the Ardbeg 19 was a batch 1. They must have found a couple cases in their warehouse. Actually I wanted the batch 2 as it is supposed to be more tropical.

The magic of Instagram!

It has given Doctor Don the power to make things disappear!

Yesterday @odysseusunbound was kind enough to forward me a screen grab of The good doctor’s announcement that due to the wishes of some of his fans to have some for the holidays (spend Christmas with a bottle if you can’t spend it with your loved ones?) a small number of cases of the Wiser’s 22 year old port cask finish would be available at 9 am this morning online from the distillery (Ontario Only of course). Each order (and for reasons I cannot fathom there did not appear to be a bottle limit) would have one bottle that was signed by him.

They were sold out by 904.

At that price, only available in Ontario. They either had very few or Ontarians are crazy or both.

I consider myself one of the lucky ones and I look forward to sharing widely.

@Nozinan They are available Canada wide. Already released in BC, Manitoba. This was a small release and will be released by the LCBO in the New Year or sooner. I had an appointment so I missed out on this pre-release. There are 3600 bottles in total. Anyway the Lot 40 Dark Oak, 50%, $60ish releases next Thursday at 9am online through Wiser's.

@Astroke I know there will be more in the new year. I'm sure the rapid selling out was planned by the distillery to stoke excitement and increase demand when it does have its full release here. Plus people get a signed bottle. Always nice. Very expensive signature.

And so, my many Canadian friends, just how long do you think that it will be before those unable to get bottles of the new releases will politically DEMAND that all future releases give them an equal chance with those who just happened to get through online first? Another year? Two more years? How long, then, before you are faced with lottery situations for almost all of your high end Canadian releases, just the way it has been in some jurisdictions in the US now for the last 8 years?

For your sakes I hope that it never happens, but I really don't see how it can be avoided, unless the top tier Canadian whisky suddenly loses popularity in Canada.

Oh wait, there is another way to make them more available, triple or quadruple the price of the bottles so that the monopolies sell them more in keeping with the soon-to-evolve secondary market prices for those same bottles. How politically attractive that would be to all but the whisky drinkers. Think of the wonderful revenue benefit to the provinces!

If you like that stuff at the top, move now. You are probably on borrowed time.

@Victor Wise words.

I missed the days when BTAC was readily available to those who wanted it. I missed out on affordable Macallan 18 (which I have only had once but really enjoyed). I missed a lot by only entering the whisky game in the last decade. But I didn't completely miss the Canadian renaissance (thanks to some very patient and encouraging friends) and picked up a lot of good Canadian whiskies over the last 2 years. And some not so great ones. Even so, having enough to give as gifts to those who miss out presents a challenge. I am not as prescient as @paddockjudge who has been able to help out many, me included.

Getting the "must have" Canadian releases is getting more difficult, and I anticipate being disappointed a lot in the future. Luckily, what I have now should make up for that...

@Victor, fortunately I was able to get ahead of the global trend of allocation for super premium whisky. I've tucked away a few cases of Canadian this and Canadian that, likely enough for a lifetime....sharing is caring...@Nozinan is an excellent dusty hunter. Words cannot do him justice.

Our Canadian circle of whisky sharing Connosr friends continues to grow....@fiddich1980 and @talexander in Toronto...@cricklewood in Montreal...@bluenote somewhere on the mainland near-ish Vancouver...@nosebleed in Calgary....@Astroke in Hamilton.....all very generous and great sleuths!...can't forget @JasonHambrey the ring leader of our barrel picks....please forgive me if I've forgotten any of our whisky mules.

@paddockjudge The team effort results in more people getting to enjoy more exceptional whiskies.

Almost like.....SOCIALISM!

I'm sure it was Marx who said "Whisky drinkers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your bottom shelf blends!"

@Nozinan Are sure it was not the Marx Brothers that said that :)

I just purchased 2 bottles; both for cocktails.

The first is Maker's Mark 46. I've been making so many of the Black Manhattan's that I've already blown through the 1st bottle that I bought less than 3 weeks ago.

The second bottle, which I hesitate to even call whiskey since it is only 30% ABV is the Jameson Cold Brew Irish Whiskey Limited Edition so I can make the Black Irish Coffee Manhattan that @YakLord made a few days ago. I can't wait to try this, but Amazon isn't scheduled to deliver the Coffee Bitters until Sunday. Until then, I'm going to crack the bottle and try a sip neat just to see what it is like by itself.

This trio arrived today. The JW is in better nick than I expected.

@RianC Agree absolutely on the Deanston 12. Bunnahabhain 12 is another contender. Do we have a "best daily drinker/bang for the buck" thread somewhere?

Arrived today. I wasn't that keen on the new packaging but close up it's a lot better - the bottle feels good in the hand - and they still have the map of Arran on the back. Ooh I love a map

@Astroke I don’t know; that does sound like Groucho...

As I mentioned in an earlier "What are you drinking now" post, that I was at the Westland Distillery on Friday and I purchased a single cask bottling; Cask #2631.

As most of you know, I am not a huge fan of Westland's core range, but their single casks can be outstanding.

Nose: Frappé, Baked Apple and nutty.

Palate: Chocolate covered roasted almonds, Maple Candy and Raisin Sauce.

Maturation Time: 66 Months

ABV: 57.9%

Barley Bill: Washington Select Pale Malt

Cask Type: 1st Fill Oloroso Hogshead

Yeast Strain: Belgian Saison Brewer’s Yeast

Fermentation Time: 144 Hours

@bwmccoy Nice looking box and bottle too.

@Nozinan Have you had a chance to try this yet?

I just acquired

• Booker’s Batch 2019-04 “Beaten Biscuits” (63.05% abv)
• Heaven Hill Old Style Bourbon 6 Year Old Green Label (45% abv)

I’m trying to cut back on acquisitions, but it’s hard to say no to Booker’s. The HH isn’t available in Ontario, but my contact assured me it’s “the best $15 bourbon in Kentucky”. I’ll have to see for myself.

@MRick It arrived Nov. 13. It was opened Nov. 13.