Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@Victor I feel ya. I am also on Laurie 's list. I was trying to map out a bus ride to darnestown only to find out it was all moot. Want to bet it will be the same for the 107? my most recent purchase was 1 bottle. Of high west MWND - should have been 2, but they jacked that up with their store transfer process.

Caol Ila Stitchell's Reserve, bottled 2013.

It was on sale at the local bottle-o.

This is an interesting question. Maybe because I am a geographer, my approach is first and foremost geographical. My first criterion for choosing "the next single malt to buy" is selecting the region, trying to diversify a little bit. Not necessarily the "whisky region" (Speyside, Highlands, etc.), it is more a really geographical (almost geometric) definition of region. Then, when the region is selected, I make a list of potential bottles and see reviews (Ralfy, Connosr, Jim Murray's Whisky Bible), not only the scores but essentially the tasting notes. That's why I've just bought Ardbeg Uigeadail: I was looking for an Islay malt, and then I reduced the list: Laphroaig 18, Bunnahabhin 12 or 18, or Ardbeg. The final choice was a matter of consumer's feeling in the shop. I know next bottle will be from Southern area of Speyside.

I just picked up a bottle of Wild a Turkey Rare Breed. Why because its great and I noticed it went from 108 proof up to 112 proof. The label has changed as well. I liked the artwork on the old label better.

I'm happy to report the contents have maintained excellence. I have a bottle of the 108 proof. I need to do a side by side comparison with the 108 proof to see if I can detect a difference.

@Victor do you have any inside information as to why the increased ABV ?

@Benancio, because Wild Turkey Rare Breed is sold at barrel strength, I think that the differences in proof of Rare Breed just reflect the differences of each batch produced. I've seen differences in the proofs as well. From what I've seen of Rare Breed they typically range from about 52% to 56% abv.

Ardbeg Uigeadail because I need more of it. Compass Box Spice Tree because I am intrigued by it and wanted a spicy dram.

@LordGlascarnoch Very cool approach

Just bought a bottle of Bunnahabhain Toiteach (goodbye, 'no NAS bottles' policy!).

I originally planned on getting this one last year but ended up with a Quarter Cask by Laphroaig instead. What made me abandon my no NAS policy was claims that Bunnahabhain currently are out of stock in relations to the Norwegian stores. They'll be back in stock in little time, I am sure, but I suspect the price might be higher. And supposedly, the Toiteach is currently cheaper here than in Scotland (outrageous, I know!).

The Quarter Cask and the Toiteach are equally priced here for the time being. Might as well try this Bunna before it becomes expensive.

I got a few extra bottles of the Corti Exquisite Whiskey because ... I could. For the quality, character (unique), and cost, it's a heck of a deal in my eyes. It's different from other wine-finished bourbons (and whiskeys, really), and the base of the spirit is enjoyable. Though it fills the shelves with more wine-finished whiskey, I doubt that I'll have trouble finding spirits aged in sherry or port barrels. It'll be tough to find more Mission del Sol finished whiskey.

I'm probably going to stick spend more time consuming the stockpile rather than adding to it, though I have had a hankering lately for some aged tequila.

@LordGlascarnoch , do you use a map with all the distilleries plotted? I think I'm not alone in wanting to hear more about how you choose an area and then narrow it down to bottles from there.

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@Fiberfar, let us know how you like that Toiteach! I'm sometimes tempted by it, but then I think I'll look for a peated Bunnahabhain from the indies instead so I can get one at cask strength (but then I'm usually disappointed in my search for said CS IB!).

I just bought a Springbank 14 Fino CS, one of the bottles released in 2011 and described here: whiskyadvocate.com/whisky/2011/…

Why? I think the Fino maturation will still deliver some of that fresh Campbeltown sea air blast. It's a respectably aged CS bottle from my favorite distillery at a relatively decent price ($95). It was the last bottle in my area and I wanted to get it before it was too late. I'm rather leaning toward Campbeltown whiskies in general these days. And mostly, in a decision between this and a certain batch of the Springbank 12 CS that I want, I decided I would have more regret If this 14 Fino passed me by than if the 12 CS did.

Into my vault until fall.

@OlJas

I think that was an astute decision, one that you will not regret.

After my experiences last night with a Springbank that was part matured in madeira wood, and remembering the Claret wood, I would be open to trying other such bottles if I could find them (KGBO does not offer much)

@Nozinan , was it that Mediera that came out alongside the Claret a couple years ago? I've heard lots of good talk about that one. I'd love to find one myself, but I think they're about dried up.

I guess we just need to keep our eyes open for these special Springbanks. They seem to do very little publicity and there's NO bottle-level branding—instead, it seems like Springbank just sporadically loads up their whisky blunderbuss with some awesome stuff and fires it in our general direction, if we're lucky.

One could easily contrast these bottles with the annuals from Ardbeg. The intrinsic "specialness" of the whisky, the size of the release, etc. are probably about the same, but Springbank just puts it on the shelf while Ardbeg does the Ardbeg thing.

The bottle I just bought was the last (locally) of a release from 2011. I think the Claret bottling was part of a family of similar bottles in, I think, 2012 or so? And I guess Rundlets & Kilderkins stuff was blunderbussed out to us since then. Who knows. I like how they're unpredictable.

I love these guys. I just checked my list of current bottles and I see that Springbanks (including Longrow and Kilkerran—same guys) account for over a quarter of everything I have now. Sounds about right.

My next purchase will be a Connemara CS if a certain store nearish to me is still selling it for $52. But if they're not, then my next purchase will be the Springbank CV. I've read mixed reviews, but it's fairly cheap. If it delivers any Springbanky goodness, I'll be satisfied. And really, I feel like a bit of a fool for being so into their mid-level bottles without ever having tried their basic starter.

@OlJas Are all them specially finished Springbanks that rare? I have access to a fair amount of them locally. Looks like I'll add them to my wantlist.

@OlJas

That Madeira was a single cask bottled for the Springbank Society, of which I am sadly not a member. I'm happy to thank @cyclingyogi for bringing that one to try.

@KRB80

I don't know how "rare" the wine finished Springbanks are, but I think they were all single releases, not recurring ones, so when they are gone.... That't why I was excited to find a few of the Claret wood and a Calvados wood in Calgary...but that was some time ago as well.

I would suggest if there a few of them where you live you might consider one. The Claret wood I found exceptional, especially a while after opening.

@Nozinan These are the ones available:

SPRINGBANK -16 AMONTILLADO CASK SPRINGBANK-11YR MADEIRA CASK SPRINGBANK-12YR AMONTILLADO FINISH SPRINGBANK-14YR AMONTILADO SPRINGBANK-14YR FINO SPRINGBANK-14YR OLOROSSO SPRINGBANK-8YR HAZELBURN SPRINGBANK-9YR GAJA SPRINGBANK-9YR MARSALA FINISH

Unfortunately, no Claret finish. Any of these that would sit atop the list?

Sorry about the lack of line separation. I am still not sure why this forum does that.

@Victor, Crazy about the Weller. I see that on the shelves at many local shops. Perhaps I should be buying more of it! A year or so ago I enjoyed an Old Weller Antique K&L exclusive single barrel that was a great value at $22.99.

@KRB80 I have had none of those, but I would probably be interested in any of them if they were @ cask strength. I'm glad I don't live where you do. The KGBO helps me by not offering much that is good at a reasonable price. If I lived where there was a better selection and price, I'd spend way too much more.

@KRB80 , I don't think they're rare in the "collectible whisky BUY BUY BUY NOW NOW NOW!" sense. Rather, they were just single releases from ~2011 that are probably just about off the market in most places.

I haven't opened the Fino yet and I haven't had the others on your list, so I can't personally comment on the quality. Even so, I'm very willing to bet that well-aged Springbanks that matured entirely in special casks (not just finished) bottled at cask strength are likely to be pretty darn good.

Like Nozinan, I'd be interested in just about anything on your list, especially if it's undiluted cask stength. Just based on reputation, I'd go for the Medeira first. The Oloroso would probably be my last pick, but that's because I don't love heavy sweetness.

The following blog post has some good chatter in the comments about these releases: cocktailchem.blogspot.com/2012/12/…

@OlJas @Nozinan Thank you both!

@KRB80 , sure. We should also point out that many of the Springbanks mentioned in this thread were single casks. The Fino I bought, for example, came from a set of just 265 bottles. (It's pretty crazy, really, that this was still on the shelf 3+ years later.)

Exception: I think the Medeira and Claret, at least, were batches.

Are the ones you're looking at singles?

@OlJas calvados was also a batch. Ralfy seemed to like it. I am curious to see what Apple brandy wil do to the scotch...

Old Grand-Dad 114 x 4 bottles. Why? 1) Because I consider it the best buy bourbon on the market in the less expensive category. Where else can you get 57% abv whisk(e)y for $ 25? Yes, I know, that is a US domestic price, and it is available at that price only in the US and in some other countries, e.g. Japan, 2) OGD114 will soon become unavailable for sale in my county. Whether this is the result of some larger change in its availability nationwide and worldwide I do not yet know, and 3) this is one of my favourite good-times whiskeys. Delicious, exquisitely entertaining drink. There are laughs and smiles all around with this drink.

Jim Beam "Pre-Prohibition Style" Rye, 45% abv. This Jim Beam Green Label Rye was released starting just 3 weeks ago. Why'd I buy? 1) Curiosity, 2) delight to see Beam come out with a basic rye at 45% instead of 40% abv, 3) further delight to see that Beam Green Label Rye is currently REPLACING Beam Yellow Label Rye in my local liquor system, at about the SAME PRICE, which was...4) $ 11.94 including the tax.

So how is the new Beam Green Pre-Prohibition Rye 45% abv? It is a BIG change and a big step up from the last several years of ho-hum washed out flavours in Jim Beam Yellow Label Rye (which I believe occurred after they took all the best barrels away from Yellow Label Rye to use in Knob Creek Rye, and in any special premium releases they are still planning). This bottle of the new Green Label is INCREDIBLY spicey, perhaps the spiciest whisk(e)y I have ever encountered, of any type. You could almost sneeze while nosing it, as though inhaling straight black pepper. The nose is a lot stronger and better than the 40% Yellow Label has been for the last few years. Beam says right on the label that this is heavily intended for cocktail use. Yes, you are still better sipping Knob Creek Rye than the new Green Label, but I have to say, this Green Label will likely make a great mixer, and an ok, though far from stellar, sipper. And it is affordable...VERY affordable.

@Victor

Old Grandad 114 is going south? Darn, I was hoping to get a bottle someday. I'll step up the pressure on my Florida friend to find me a bottle.

@OlJas Yes, they are single cask; good pricing too.

@Victor OGD114 is superb and, as we have discussed prior, cannot be beat at anywhere near the price imho.

I picked up 2 50ml bottles of Ardbeg Corryvrechkan and 2 50ml bottles of Ardbeg Uigeadail, each were $7. I have never seen these in miniature so I bought them to collect not drink.

I also picked up a 3 (50ml) piece set of Casa Noble Tequila for $18.

@Nozinan, it is a little too soon to know whether the vanishing of OGD114 here in a large well-established market means that it will disappear elsewhere. What would not at all surprise me: discontinuation of OGD114 and the establishment of one or more new premium products at a higher price than OGD114. The best case scenario I can imagine is that OGD114 will continue and that for whatever reason Montgomery County Maryland just decided that it no longer wants to stock it. Even if OGD114 continues as before, I would not be surprised to see a 40% price increase at any time. After all 40% of $ 25 is just another $ 10.

Just bought the Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Heavily Peated. My dad celebrated his 35th work anniversary last night and I wanted something nice for us to drink after dinner. This stuff is fantastic!

I bought a Balvenie Pack: 3x50ml. One each 14yo.Carribean Cask, 12yo Double Wood and 17yo. Double Wood - Outrageously priced at Au.$29.50 (for three minatures), I guess the 17yo. Double Wood swung the deal. 'Tried the Carribean Cask, a small pour of 25ml. and found it rather good with enormous power; more than I would ever expect from a Whisky at 43% ABV.

Slainte!