Which bottle did you just buy and why?

Just bought a Signatory Bowmore 2000. A single cask bottling of a 13 year old Bowmore in Signatory Vintage's Unchillfiltered range. Matured in an ex-Bourbon hogshead that yielded 342 bottles.

Reason: the above description ticks all the boxes, I enjoy Bowmore and I have seen many good Signatory reviews on Ralfy. I also have never opened an independently bottled whisky.

On guidance from @Victor and after tasting a few more samples: - James E. Pepper 1776 100 Proof Straight Rye - High West Rendezvous Rye - Knob Creek Straight Rye

@Nozinan

Curious as to what software you use for tracking purchases - too bad WhiskeyBase does not have that feature.

As well, check out the LCBO article from Scotch Blog - very well written.

Finally, am very grateful to have the wherewithall and means to even be in the position of deciding to reduce whiskey spend during the year.

@JayRain

I'm a computer luddite. I just use a spreadsheet on the Mac version of Excel (I think it's called Numbers). I have four lists: The regular sized bottles I purchased or received, my inventory of miniatures that I've bought, the special bottles I was given by the person who started my interest, and samples I've received.

The main list is the first one, as it changes the most. When I buy a bottle I add it to the list, when I open a bottle it comes off the list. I have columns to distinguish types of whisky by region and style. Some of the columns give me totals,like how many bottles total, how many are scotch, bourbon, canadian, NAS, single malts vs blends. I also keep track of which ones (and how many) are to sip, save trade or gift. Because I sometimes have bottles being held for me in UK (actually stranded in the UK right now), Florida or Calgary I keep track of where they are too. I also indicate whether I have tried that expression.

I also have an area for notes that I would like to remember, and I'm trying to add the year of purchase to as many as I can, though there are a few gaps in memory.

With the samples, I keep track of the same "demographic" data, plus the source of the sample, whether I have tried it and whether I've reviewed it (on Connosr).

This may all sound extensive, but after the original set up of the database it doesn't take up a lot of time. And for someone who can't even keep up with his consumption goal of 30 cc a week (I've been sick on and off most of the last month) I have to find other ways of feeding my interest...

I bought a few full bottles of the Corti Bros Exquisite Whiskey, and a 2014 Stagg around the same time (different stores).

I'd been hunting for a few more bottles of it since I really got into it in November, but couldn't find any. Eventually, a few shops secured a few more bottles and I indulged. It's a unique spirit, let alone whiskey, and I found it very easy to enjoy in almost any mood or setting. The Stagg was the result of a local liquor shop calling me up to say that the person who pre-ordered it had never picked it up and offered it to me based on my love of local whiskeys and the Thomas H Handy.

Call Ila 12 and glenkinchie 12 and I have the best reason in the whisky world.Two days ago I went to my local supermarket mainly to get a bottle of talisker storm which was supposed to be available at a discounted price but there were none in stock.As luck would have it I noticed a stand to the right of the malts featuring a load of 20cl Call ila's and Glenkinchie's reduced to clear at six pounds a bottle.I filled my proverbial boots and bought sixteen bottle's, 10 ÇI's and 6 glenkinchies.A rare absolute malt bargain!

Bunnahabhain 12yo. Went into the shop to get something else but they were out, this was the same price and I'd heard a lot about it so figured I'd give it a go.

Just like @Shane_IL I went into my local shop for something totally different. They were out (on back order). But I happened to mention a few upcoming release I was interested in. When I mentioned Stagg Jr. the guy stopped and said, "I think we might have that." He went into the back and came out with a bottle that had just been returned. So bought it. A 9 year old bourbon at cask strength for $50?? Yes, please.

On my quest to an everyday drinker I almost purchased the Bowmore Black Rock because of the nice price, but after a little investigation the consensus was that it's discontinued age-stated predecessor Bowmore 12 Enigma is a bit better, And cheaper, so I obviously went for that one. Review coming soon

I have just bought the Glenlivet Nadurra batch 0313W and a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch. I got the Nadurra because I love having it in my collection and it's a great batch.I bought the Four Roses because I'm looking to expand my bourbon experience.

Benromach 10 because Ralfy said so...And it was the last bottle in the province of Ontario and a relatively decent value.

Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch 49, because it's my all time favourite and it was the last bottle left in the city. Also bought George Dickel No. 12 for two reasons. Because its currently on sale, and it comes highly recommended by Pudge72 and WhiskyJoe.

@Adam H - nice - where did you get it - did not see it on the LCBO website (checked after the Ralfy vote)

@maltmate302 Not sure what you have/have not tried for bourbon or where you live/have access to but recommend the following (1792 - my first bourbon experience so more nostalgic but still a nice balanced taste), Bookers (a Connosr favorite), Angel's Envy (my personal fave that has starts light, finishes strong).

I have only had retail sips but the Makers 46 has always appealed to me as well and Elmer T Lee also comes to mind as a must try.

Enjoy the experience

@MaltyMike Guess you're in for a treat:) Unadulterated Bowmore can be magnificent

@JayRain This bottle was transferred to my local from an Etobicoke store that also had Nadurra 16yo at close-out $70. I passed because I'm currently working through a bottle of it that I don't particularly like. My first attempt to source a bottle was before x-mas but my LCBO bungled the intra-store transfer. I just kept checking the website for more bottles to re-appear.

@JayRain thanks for the advice and I'm located in the the UK.Bourbon tends to be more expensive over here than across the pond.For example Booker's is priced at £78 over here if you are lucky enough to be able to source source it.Angel's envy is very much on my radar for future purchases.

@ Highland Park Dark Origins, I was suppose to buy it during my next trip for my son's competition when I saw it at my local store as a new arrival. My advisor was curious about it so he opened a bottle and we had a sample together. His reaction: I need to get more of this one before it will be gone from the warehouse. My reaction: Let me grab that one.

@Robert99 Just picked up two 750ml bottles of HP18 for $100 each. Deal was just too good to pass up, I usually find it for no less than $120+tax.

Just received my first bottles of the Whistlepig 10 Year Old Rye and E. H. Taylor Ryes - a couple to stowaway while I develop my taste for rye a bit more. :D

@sengjc I was disappointed by the taylor rye. Be sure to pick up any of the willet estate ryes.

Blanton's Single Barrel

Decanted the WL Weller 12 earlier in the week so decided to fill the empty shelf w Hudson's Baby Bourbon 375 ml. They had one bottle left of the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection (Single Malt) and being a long week at work decided to free it from its gulag (nod to Nozinan on that reference) as well.

@mscottydunc...hope you enjoy the Dickel! Let us know your take on it.

@newreverie HP18 goes for $180 here in Quebec! HP18 for $100! WOW! And I guest, being from Texas, you were able to grab some Balcones at the same time! What a lucky man! Enjoy your treat!

@Robert99 Balcones is one i can get pretty regularly now, although I am still searching for True Blue and not Baby Blue. I found the cheap HP18 by scouting, but it never hurts to be friends with a store owner or two.

I just bought the Suntory Hibiki 12 , Maker's Mark and Bulleit Bourbon. I've been after the 12 for some time because it's a very well reviewed Japanese blend. The bourbons were not on my immediate radar but I seen them in a shop, had the money and thought why not because I was going to get them eventually anyway.

I have my eye on the newer, 48% un-chilfiltred, Aberlour 12 as it's time to add an 'easy-drinker' to the cabinet again...

W.L.Weller 12 yo bourbon, or so I thought. I tried unsuccessfully. New levels of madness manifested locally on this attempt.

Why did I want it? 1) I had only ever had one bottle of it before, largely drunk, and wanted a spare, 2) it is not common in my county to see it for sale, 3) I wanted a second bottle to compare to the first, and 4) the price was right

What happened? I saw an e-mail at 10:23 am today sent the previous afternoon informing those on a list that the county's ALLOCATION of Weller 12 yo had come in and would be for sale at one particular store at 10:00 today, one bottle per customer max. What used to be common bourbons always on the shelves, like Elmer T. Lee and Old Weller Antique have become allocated events in the last 18 months here. Well, I was at the store by 11:30 am and informed that the 96 bottles of Weller 12 yo had all been sold by 10:25 am. I never had a chance. People had lined up by the scores before the store had opened. This I have never before seen in this county...and for a routine long-standing product.

No doubt the price had a role in this. We often have the cheapest prices on earth for whiskies, both domestic and imported. The Weller 12 yo was sold this morning for $ 23.93 per bottle, including tax. Wine-searcher.com puts the world average price at $ 59 plus taxes, and, oddly, the US average price at an even higher $ 94 plus taxes.

I guess I know what I have to do in the future if I want any of these allocated used-to-be-common products.

@Victor wow...I never would have thought you'd see a rush like that for the Weller 12. Great stuff, no doubt, but it feels wrong that a product like that is so quickly eaten up. baffling - I really hope it was bought to be enjoyed rather than just stashed or (much worse) bought to be resold