Which bottle did you just buy and why?

A wee splurge due to my Birthday next week, new job and having been a 'good boy' so far this year (not even in March yet ) an AnCnoc 18 and a Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia Extra Anejo.

The former has seen a hike in prices lately (I wonder if stock is running low?) and I'm miffed that I didn't buy one sooner (or at auction recently) as I've had to pay more than I would have done.

I recently enjoyed the latter in a bar but was put off buying by the high price and low abv. Still, it was bloody good stuff and I just saw it reduced to £100 on Amazon and I had the option to pay over a few months. Obviously I bit I'm actually thinking I should have got two at that price but then I remember I don't have the cash resources of, say, Prince Andrew, or is that his Mum?

@RianC Randy Andy might be spending his pocket money at the prison tuck shop soon.

@BlueNote - Ha! Na, he'll be fine! I suspect they're working out a way where the British tax payer will unknowingly foot the bill. They're good at that

I just bought Port Charlotte 10 yo heavily peated 2021. It is delight to own a bottle of the distillery Bruichladdich again. I owned some bottles of Bruichladdich Infinity once. They were awsome. I need strong flavors in a whisky. I need new flavors too. I guess Port Charlotte is a great alternative whisky in the segment of Lagavulin and Ardbeg. So is Kilchoman. There are other peated options as well, such as Ballechin and others which names I just can't memorize. I can't wait to crack the bottle of Port Charlotte now. Cheers.

@NamBeist nice purchase. One of my favourite drams. Some lovely independant bottlings out there too.

@NamBeist I'm just about a third of the way into a bottle of that. Great stuff, you'll love it.

Okay, I am adding one more photo of to use a Ralfy term (at least I credit him for it), 'malternative', and no, it isn't a photo of Darroze Armagnac. I have been really absorbed in a Japanese drama, based on an animé, called Wakako zake, and got inspired to search for some quality Japanese shochu, both sweet potato (Imo) and barley (Mugi) shochu. I am not sure when I will get a chance to get into them, but I look forward to that day.

Arrived today, 1996 Old Perth Blended Malt Morrison and Mackay batch # 01 (bottled July 2021) 55.8% abv. ncf natural colour.

Picked up this pair last week. The next morning I checked inventory and the price was jacked-up by $50/bottle.

@paddockjudge looking at the bottom. Non-chill filtered, no added colour.

That looks absolutely delicious!

@Nozinan, I’m confident it will be delicious. The last batch was magnificent.

Springbank 12 year CS 55.9% (unfortunately, the bottle is currently ~3400 Km away)

@65glenfarclas playing the long game? Eventually it will come to you…

Since I shared this on the Brandy Banter thread, but not everyone goes there, I would post this recent photo here, since I did buy them and they arrived a few days ago. The 2004 vintage Domaine de Moturon is on sale, and I might even buy more. The Château de Lahitte 1992 is new to me, and I am sad that I didn't get more. As I mentioned on the brandy thread, a few days after I made my purchase it went out-of-stock, and the store confirmed that it is no longer available for them to get.

Compass Box Orchard House blend. 46%. I read a review about this on a new website I have been following www.dramface.com and have seen positive reviews on other sites such as www.whiskynotes.be.

I do like the light fruit notes that Clynelish imparts on these compass box blends and this is a mix of Clynelish and Linkwood amongst others and interestingly involves spirit purchased as new make and matured fully by Compass Box.

Should be £41 well spent. Cheers.

A couple of recent transactions.

I was looking after a patient, and her husband of 75 years gifted me a bottle of Glen Breton Rare 21 yo. I was a bit uncomfortable accepting it but I did so at his insistence (I would have preferred one of his bottles of Glenmorangie Bacalta but one does not say such things…). To ease my guilt I gave him a bottle from my collection - Milk and Honey Classic single malt. For cultural reasons he really appreciated that - and two days later when I visited he reported that he had enjoyed his taste of it with his son.

Today this arrived in the mail. I got an email from some mysterious organization called “The Drop Collective” and I entered for a chance to buy one of these 18 YO CS SB Lot 40 ryes. More expensive than I am used to paying but FOMO got the best of me and my credit card. And I understand some bottles are already being auctioned for more than twice what I paid. That will not be happening with this bottle. It will be opened and tasted. But it better be good!

I know. @paddockjudge, “price does not affect the taste”, but sometimes, along with rarity, taste may affect the price.

Jack Daniels 100 proof. I very rarely drink bourbon, or I suppose I should say sour mash (?) but recently I seem to have taken to it. Stumbled across this JD 100 proof / 50% at Heathrow at a special price and got curious. Can’t see it on list of JD expressions here though. Anyone has the experience?

@RikS, welcome to the club. I don’t know much about JD 100 proof; however, if you haven’t already tried the cask strength versions, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta!

@Nozinan, that is a dreamy dram, Lot No 40 Rye 18 YO. A cask strength limited release from the HW facility in Windsor, ON. There may be a dose of malted rye in that batch, the timing is about right. I look forward to test-driving that high octane rocket.

@RikS - I've not had that bottle but I totally agree with @paddockjudge in that the barrel strength versions are in a different league to the other offerings and are well worth seeking out. Amazon usually have them for around £60 but the prices seem to vary wildly so its worth keeping an eye on.

@RianC Yea, I noted that it wasn't on here so that's why I got it. Got curious, and thought I'd "take one for the team" and try it out with some comments here. After all, it's 50% ABV, and actually turned out rather tasty! So for special deal at HTW for £27, a rather good deal after all.

@RikS - £27 is a right bargain! Nice one!

@RianC Who doesn't love a good deal! :)

@paddockjudge lol…when I get the hesitation to help, I just point out that as long as it’s unopened, and has been sold at the LCBO, I have been able to return bottles in the past.

This particular return involved a line about bottles needing the original packaging (on my first visit). The next day, with different staff, no mention of the ‘original packaging’ issue was made.

@RianC KEEPA is the answer. Just install it on chrome browser, and the system will send you an email the moment your favorite whiskies hit their special offer / bottom price.

Call me stingy, but I have saved 100s if not 1000s on whisky this way

@RikS, there is nothing wrong with a bargain....price doesn't change the taste....I'm all for saving thousands.

@RikS @paddockjudge - ain't that the truth! I will always seek out the cheapest price and see it as a personal failure if I pay over the odds

I know that sounds cheap but, given we are already being bent over when we pay for whisky, any money saved is psychologically winning and more money left in the kitty for future purchases ...

Bourbon samples from a friend...

Was in deepest Dartmoor, down in Devon today and came across a meagre selection of whisky in a village bottle ( wine mostly! ) shop.

However what they had was ok and decently priced so I got a Tomatin Legacy for £25 and a Deanston virgin oak for £35. Getting right into my bourbon cask whisky’s at the moment, it must be this nice spell of weather we are finally having in the uk. Well, parts of it anyway.

Having the Deanston now and it’s light but interesting. Malty, fruity, vanilla, touch of coconut with lots of sweetness. As you would expect but worth the money in my book. I do like Deanston whiskies and this one is perfect for a summers day or aperitif.

Have a good weekend all. Cheers.

The Tomatin Legacy comes in at 43% which helps and again is what you would expect from a decent bourbon cask scotch. Pleased with it and only had a neck pour. I heard it being talked about positively by Roy from his aqvavitae vlog site and others he talks to so made a mental note to pick one up at some point. Can’t go wrong for £25.

Maker’s Mark Private Selection - LCBO Director’s Cut 3.0. Miraculously, my same-day pick up purchase through the LCBO app actually went through first thing yesterday morning (after I spent far too much time on the app the day before fruitlessly attempting to snag one). Not that I need to justify being on my mobile phone while sitting on the toilet but, considering they were sold out moments later, I’m happy I had it with me….

After much deliberation, I ended up getting neither of my original choices instead opting for an Edradour 10 Signatory unchillfiltered bottle from cask #482. I've had a couple of samples from Edradour and they have intrigued me without blowing me away but always had the impression a full bottle would be an interesting 'journey'.

Hopefully this will offer a well-sherried Highlander with some deep base, rummy and funky notes.

Speaking of Highlander ... I rewatched the original movie last week. My word, that did not age well