Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@newreverie That Mezcal sounds wonderful, looking forward to hearing how it tastes.

@Robert99 I was also considering picking up batch 54 based off of Victor's Review. @MaltActivist Good call on the 53, I also have a bottle in my cabinet, can't go wrong. Though I constantly hear the taste better after a couple months of opening up.

I just picked up the 1999 Lagavulin Distiller's Edition. It will be my first Distiller's Edition and I cannot wait! Smoky and sweet, a winning combination.

I popped in to one of my area's big liquor retailers (Woodmans West, Madison) last night hoping to find some new arrivals or deals, and BAM: They had the new Laphroaig 2016 Cairdeas Madeira finish for $70. A whole pile of 'em. Woo-hoo!

I'd been stockpiling some windfall whisky money, partially with an eye on hoarding a few bottles of this when it came around. I've only been riding the Cairdeas train since the 2014 version, but I really liked that one and the 2015—plus I'm usually game for a Madeira finish or maturation—so I had half a mind to buy three bottles on the spot. Instead, reason prevailed and I bought just one to try it out.

I got it home, and... SOUR. I'm not a fan. Actually, it's not really intrinsically bad, but it reminds me a lot of this awful Bowmore IB (matured in a red wine cask) I had last year, so it's kinda bad by association for me. I'll have to give it a few more spins before I totally write off the idea of getting another, but for now the Cairdeas-earmarked moolah in my whisky piggybank has become available for hoarding some Kilkerran 12 if it should appear in these parts. (That, or the good ol' Laphroaig 10 CS, which never disappoints and was also piled high at that same retailer, for $67.)

Side note: That store also had a small supply of Laphroaig Lore behind the counter, all stacked up on their sides! I told the check-out dude they were on their way to ruining a bunch of expensive whisky, and he didn't care. So watch out for that, malt mates!. (My Cairdeas came from a shelf where the bottles were correctly displayed upright.)

Foiled by American Insecurity!

In the Hong Kong airport Duty Free I found a litre of reasonable priced Johnny Walker "Island Green". Not one for 43%ers but I liked the Green so I thought I'd buy a bottle to try it out with some friends back home.

Sadly, If you're boarding a United Airlines Flight to the US you can't bring any liquids over 100cc onto the plane. This really sucks in terms of packing some beverages, but makes DF shopping impossible.

In San Francisco I looked for it during my connection layover but to no avail.

What I did find was a bottle of Booker's 2015-02 (I've now got or tried the 01, 02, 04 and 05) for $39.25. Interestingly, this bottle is only 700 cc.

@Nozinan, that's harsh. In Europe you're only allowed to bring with you 100cc bottles from outside of the airport. You can however shop full-size bottles past the security check and take them onto the plane.

@Alexsweden not sure if you were referring to the rule (which is harsh) or my post.

My apologies to any US members who may have been upset by my last post. In fact the formatting of what I wrote (changed after posting), which jet lag and exhaustion caused me to fail to catch, suggested that there was "American Insecurity" which is not a topic on which I care to take a position on this site.

What I meant by that statement was supposed to be a play on words about "security", and the "IN" were supposed to be both capitalized.

I'm all for security and as a passenger I have nothing against preventing a threat to the plane I am about to fly over the ocean in. However, I do have an issue with limiting convenience for passengers for no good reason. And I can think of a number of ways that United could do a secondary security check and still allow DF liquor and bottles of water or juice on the plane.

Not an actual purchase, but I have just acquired a really special bottle. Sadly, my Grandpa died very recently. He was a big whisky fan and the day after the funeral I was sat in his flat with my family, and I asked what my Grandpa's favourite whisky was as I had never had the chance to ask him personally. His partner told me that he was really not fussy, and the enjoyment he got most out of whisky was sitting with people and sharing whisky and stories. However, she then produced the most beautiful cognac style bottle of Founder's Reserve Balvenie that he had loved, but not been able to drink for a long time, from the cupboard. Unfortunately, the bottle was about 3/5 empty and had been sat in the cupboard for quite a few years so the actual whisky wasn't in the best condition, but I was able to try a little and was given the bottle to keep. It's a really lovely thing and an honour to own and seeing it on my shelf reminds me how great a man my Grandpa was. What a special thing a whisky can be, eh?

@JMcA , 2/5 full!

@OlJas ever the optimist, especially on other sites, requesting thumbs up features instead of thumbs down!

Aberlour A'bunadh Batch # 54. I love the batch, and when I saw it for $ 60 plus tax in Arizona I could not pass it up. The guy said, "I hear this may cost $ 20 more than this the next time I get some." I said, "I am sure that that is true." Nice guy. With Tequila, the overall bill came to $ 84. He told Julie, " $ 80 even is close enough." I don't see that much out of liquor store owners.

@Victor Just bought a bottle of that myself. $80 for me though at Binny's in the Chicago area. The bottle is impressive so far. My first "Sherry Bomb" and I should not have worried about missing the smoke. By far the best bottle of anything I've had that was not peated in some way. Such depth and variety of flavors and a nice long finish too. mmmmmm...May even drive me to publish my first review after I get to know it a bit better.

@Nozinan I knew right away that it was a typo. Doubt more than the most oversensitive would have taken offense.

Old Grand-Dad Bonded

why? I'm looking for some Bourbons in the under $30us range... and I've never tried it and it was $21.

I ALMOST bought a A'Bunadh batch 54. Almost. I was quite impressed with all the reviews.

Sadly, LCBO seems to be on the 55 already. I snoozed, I lost....

@Nozinan sorry I'm late in replying. I meant that the rules were harsh, not your post! Much of the airport security seems like a bit of a charade.

Well, I am joining the party in picking up a bottle of A'Bunadh Batch #54. Why? After @Victor's high praise it seems to be the "it batch" to try. And I am nothing if not interested in seeing how my palate stacks up with @Victor's experience.

Sadly, my batch of A'Bunadh batch #45 was very different from his bottle (and we tried them side by side). His was in the A- range where mine was clearly in the B to B- range. Almost a 10 point swing I would say - from the same batch! How is that possible? The only explanation seems to be bottle conditions between the bottling location and the shelf. Maybe it spent too long in a hot truck? Maybe it was stored on its side? Who can really know?

I hope to not experience that with this new Batch #54!!

@OlJas, I also picked up a bottle of Laphroaig 2016 Cairdeas. I really hope my bottle doesn't have the same SOUR note yours did. We will see.

@Nock I was able to get one of the few remaining batch 54s in Ontario because of the generosity of @mancub who picked one up in London for me. Sadly, I will have to wait almost 7 years to try it...

@Nozinan Think about how fantastic anticipation will make it!

@Nock I had a similar experience with a Bowmore 18 yo. I had a sample at the liquor store that was fantastic and my bottle was, at the best, just fair.

I was luckier with my last purchase, an 8 yo Lagavulin. I read some great review about it a few months ago and when it pop up near me I jumped on it. It is not the 12 yo but it is very good.

@Robert99 I have one waiting for me in Calgary...how much was it at SAQ?

Ardbeg Uigeadail (2015 bottling batch) and Nikka Miyagikyo NAS (Japanese bottling).

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There's an Ardbeg competition on at the moment and the Nikka was in the bargain bin due to a packaging imperfection.

As per my usual, a friend was in Kentucky and brought me back a bottle, of course he ignored my list completely but did return with a Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Straight Rye 52% ABV. I tried side by side with Pikesville and enjoyed the Pikesville 110 more. Like the Pikesville 110 this one will need some time opened because even a touch of water killed it for me. This bottle is not worth the $85 CAD to this point.

Their hotel was right beside The Party Source for Christ's sake.

I had a chance to shop a Chicagoland Binny's in person, so I stocked a few mainstays at prices that my local shops can't touch—and with no shipping charges!

•Laphroaig 10 CS #7, $60

•Ardbeg Oogie, $60

•Ardbeg Corry, $70

•Old Pulteney 12, $40

@OlJas please allow me the slightest tinge of envy...

Old Pulteney 12 never had OP before and thought I would try it as down to £25 and I have been drinking more bourbon influenced or bourbon while weather is warm.

@Nozinan , yeah, but you get more good whisky drinking weather up there.

@OlJas

I can air-condition my basement anywhere....

One of the pitfalls of ordering spirits on-line; sometimes life gets so busy that one takes possession of a delivery, and several months go by before rediscovering package and then opening. Unfortunately, instead of receiving the bottle of Glenlivet 16yo Nadurra I ordered (and which the invoice clearly states), I received a newer bottling of Glenlivet Nadurra Olorosa (batch OL0615). Mail order vendor was not willing to accept return or exchange of this bottling because of the amount of time that lapsed since ordering. So I did the next best thing and opened the bottle and shared with family members. I have got to say, first impressions places this up there with a decent Aberlour A’bunadh batch. Very enjoyable. With both the flavor, complexity, and cask strength punch. Definitely removes much of the sting from of not getting what I ordered nor the oversight on my part. Hoping that time is kind to this now open bottle.

@cherylnifer I'm glad you liked it but I would have tried to get the credit card company to reverse the charges and if successful, wuld have asked the vendor to send the correct version or prepay shipping to take back the wrong bottle.

Of course, much easier if this is done at the time of receipt.

I once had an issue with Master of Malt. I had ordered a specific A'Bunadh batch and was wondering why my entire order was held up. When I checked they said theywere "out " and were holding it until more arrived. On furtehr questioning they acknowledged they were not going to get more of that batch and offered another one. I refused as I didn't need that one. I counter offered that they should send me 2 Bottles of Bladnoch instead (I had ordered 2 A'Bunadhs) and they agreed, refundedme the difference and while I was eventually able to find (I think it was) batch 42 in Toronto, I now have 2 more bottles of Bladnoch than i would otherwise have had.

Right on. Most retailers don't have a clear "when X goes wrong, do Y to compensate" policy for problems you might experience. So when you tell them what you'd like to have happen, they go along with it more than you might expect. It saves them from figuring out a solution and from getting into an awkward negotiation.

The what: I just used LCBOs swanky new online ordering system to get a bottle of Basil Hayden.

The why: @newreverie said it was similar but better than Crown Royal Cornerstone, which is an expression I have grown to quite like. On top of BH possibly being better than Cornerstone, it's also cheaper. And Cornerstone is a limited release, so it'll go away at some point in the near-ish future. All of this combined made me think it was worth a shot.

As an aside I can mention that my experience with the LCBO online ordering has been exemplary. This is the third bottle I've picked up this way, and so far it's been fast and easy. It's a great new service for those of us who live in small town Ontario where the LCBOs may not be as well stocked as in Toronto.