Which bottle did you just buy and why?

2 bottles of Macallan No. 1. Couldn't resist that it is the first release. Can't wait to crack it open

@maltygirl, while I prefer my whisky unadulterated, I make room for exceptions. Laphroaig triple wood is a good example, I love that expression but they use a little bit of E150 in it. It's not such a big offender in that I know that Laphroaig normally releases things more naturally and that it's very slight amount since it doesn't have that "tanning salon" look to it.

I'm surprised the DCIII has any but if it does I suppose it will have to be a judgement call on your behalf. I think Nozinan's suggestion is a good one.

Picked up Elijah Craig 23 Year Old and Whistlepig 12 Year Old Boss Hog. I've been after the Whistlepig 111 Eleven Year Old for some time to no avail. A Canadian colleague of mine recommended the Boss Hog line and I heeded his advice. Purchased the Elijah Craig 23 blind based on my love the 18 Year Old. If it's half has good as that, it will be something to treasure.

@maltygirl, in my mind, whisky coloring is dumb, dishonest, unnecessary, a little gross if I think about it—and in the end, not really a big deal. I wish it wasn't there and I prefer whiskies where it's not, but I don't deprive myself of good whisky just because it's colored. God knows I consume enough other junk that has artificial coloring that I needn't worry too much about the drop that's in my Laphroaig.

(Though if anyone has a source of NCA M&Ms, let me know!)

@OlJas Your right. All true. The test is if it's still there when I get back from being out of town, I'll pick up a bottle or two.

A couple of the Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release bottling.

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I am member of the Ardbeg Committee.

@Barnbip just wondering which Ben Nevis Octave you bought and what you think of it..? I was looking at the 1988, 14 year old 54.8avb version. Unfortunately being such small runs its hard to find specific reviews.

Just bought a bottle of Hibiki Harmony to take on an upcoming weekend of golf and whisky. I enjoyed the Hibiki 12yo and wanted something newer to include among the international selection I will be sharing (my theme this year). I know the reviews are not nearly as glowing as for the 12yo expression, but nearly all age statement Japanese whiskies have vanished anywhere near me in Michigan, as well as on many of the on-line retailers I frequent. Even the Hibiki Harmony has gotten very tough to locate. So when I encountered this bottle, it was a purely impulsive buy. But I am not disappointed at this point; BUT . . . I have yet to sample the whisky. Regardless, it will be a fun weekend with friends.

2 bottles of Aberlour 12 NCF Discounted to £26 love Aberlour anyway and at that price no brainer

I just ordered a Longrow "Red" Port. Why?

•Because Binny's has it on sale

•Because a buddy from my whisky club was doing a Binny's order, and I could add on mine to share shipping costs

•Because port-matured peated whisky is usually a hit

•Because the Port is pegged by many to be the best so far from the "Red" line

•Because I'll buy just about anything affordable from Springbank, especially Longrows

•Because, as it follows from my previous point, I have a few similar Longrows in the stash and it'll be fun to open them all alongside each other one day, probably this fall—it'll be a battle of three Reds, the old CV, the 10 YO, and the Gaja Barolo

I just bought a bottle of old Pulteney 12. It is going to be a birthday gift for a dear friend. It stood between strathisla 12 and the OP. What tipped the scale towards wick was the two great samplings I've had of the 17 and the 21 years old at the annual whisky expo I'm attending.

@OlJas good on you! The longrow red port is really good! I'm envious that you get to try it alongside the gaja barolo, one I haven't had the chance to sample anywhere.

Haven't been able to post much lately but was able to score 2 bottles of Bowmore Devil's cask III, my persistence with the SAQ agent paid off!

I don't like the fact that it's NAS, but I've bitterly regretted not buying another bottle or two of Laimrig when I had the chance and I think we won't see another batch of that one released until the fall and with the way things are going it won't be the steal it was last year.

So until then to get my sherried Bowmore fix 110$ each I think was reasonable considering the madness they are asking for in the EU

Has anyone tried this yet to get an idea of what to expect?

It's raining Ardbeg.

My wife surprised me with a belated birthday gift: another couple of bottles of the Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release bottling and I received my allocation of the Society bottling no. 33.133 "Whipped with happiness" - an 8 year old Ardbeg from a 2nd fill ex-sherry butt.

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Judging from the colour, looks to be a rather active refill ex-sherry butt too.

@cricklewood DC 111, an excellent pick-up judging from my DC1. Let us know your thoughts if you open one, I still hope to see that one show up here in Manitoba.

A bottle of Santis Malt Singel Edition, as I found myself in a whisky shop in Basel, Switzerland. I also tried a couple of whiskies from opened bottles and was pleasantly suprised by the sweetness of the new Italian Puni Nova! Funny enough I have also bought a non whisky bottle, the Ballantines Brasil out of curiosity.

2 more bottles of Macallan Select Oak (love this dram) and 2 bottles of Macallan 12

I've just managed to get myself 2 bottles of 9 year old Bladnoch at 53.8%. Delighted to get these Raymond Armstrong distillate as I only had 1 bottle of Bladnoch in my possession which I was reluctant to open.Now I can actually taste the stuff and find out for myself how good it is.I also bought a 9 year old Craigallechie and an 8 year old unnamed Islay single malt at 60.5%. For the last 2 weeks I haven't been drinking whisky as I wanted a little break.I think I'll have another week or so of abstinence and then I'll crack open the Bladnoch!

@maltmate302

Where in the world did you find the Bladnoch? I thought the Armstrong era was closed for good! I've only ever found miniatures of the 9 YO (46% likely bourbon cask, mildly peated), and have otherwise only tried the 10, 11 and 12 (one bottle of each) at 55% from a sherry cask.

I have a number of bottles of those ages and expect many of them to have variations seeing as the bottlings were always (according to his staff) single cask. I have 1 cask strength 10 YO which will probably be a very special one to open one day.

Amrut Intermediate Sherry, never tried it and the opportunity popped up and had my sister pick it up for me in Nova Scotia. Also had her pick me up an Old Pultney 17 as it is over priced in Ontario when available. Should have about 6-8 more bottles at reasonable prices when I get there in July and will stop in New Brunswick as well. Doubtful I will purchase SM's at the LCBO ever again.

@Astroke, There were bargains to be had in the eastern provinces. New Brunswick stores have carried some nice single malts. Only a few years ago I was able to pick up Old Pulteney 21 YO at $133 when it was not available in Ontario. Macallan Cask Strength was plentiful at $72 and the best bargain of all was Highland Park 25 YO for $274; it was recently tagged at $400 more than that at LCBO... and on, and on and...

@OlJas

Longrow port is just fantastic. I'm jealous, I'm still trying to pick up another bottle. Trust me, you will love it. It gets better over time too.

@Nozinan sorry I'm a little late in replying.The answer your question where did I manage to source some Bladnoch from is Whiskybroker , a small company specializing in selling individual casks and cask strength expressions.The company is ,in fact, owned by Raymond Armstrong's son Martin.He sells at very competitive prices,for example the Bladnoch was 35 pounds a bottle but expressions like this , Littlemill and Springbank usually sell out in a day. No doubt being Raymond's son Martin has a bit more Bladnoch put away.I hope so anyway! FYI the Bladnoch I just bought was at 58.3% not 53.8% thankfully!

@maltmate302

Well good on you for finding that treasure. I hope the Armstrong family has access to the spirit Raymond produced, because it's unclear what the new owners have planned. the website is short on detail and long on branding...

@Misty , thanks. On your advice I might just NOT wait to open the Longrow and instead let it have a long "open life" under my bar.

Four Roses SB NN 81-1A - Not the same bunker busting barrel as @paddockjudge but still worth a try at that price.

Just bit the bullet and bought 2 bottles of the new Ailsa Bay.Very much looking forward to trying this one as the few reviews I've read about it are extremely complementary. I've also ordered 1 bottle of the new Lagavulin 8 year old. It is overpriced but I find the 48% ABV to be most intriguing.

Blantons single barrel. Getting harder to find. Should have bought two.

@Nozinan just a little bit of Bladnoch information for you. They hope to start production of whisky in late 2016. Production capacity has been increased from 100,000 litres per annum under Raymond to 1.5 million litres per annum which will make it a mid size player. The new owner comes from a packaging and branding background and he's pitching the whisky at the 25-35 age group. He will launch Bladnoch initially in Australia then move into California working their way east to New York. They have no plans at this moment in time to sell Bladnoch in Scotland or the U.K.!!!

@maltmate302

I'm not confident that this will be the same carefully produced, craft-presented whisky that Armstrong produced. Of course we'll have to wait 6-10 years to find out. I'll buy a bottle if it ever makes it to Ontario and it's above 45% and not priced in a ridiculous manner.