Which bottle did you just buy and why?

@Nozinan That's a bit of a bugger. I guess there is an upside not to have so many friends who enjoy whisky. I wish the distinction of enjoyment and appreciation was better appreciated.

@Nozinan Thank you. Yes, it would be.

@Nozinan @ajjarrett I have had the 15 out of Alberta for under $100. Absolutely superior to both the 12 and the somewhat anaemic 17.

@ajjarrett I have had the Nadurra 0614C. You will not regret grabbing it while you can. I currently have 2 bottles of 0814D, 55.7 ABV which I am told is also an excellent batch. I might crack one this weekend.

@ajjarrett I believe the Glenfarclas 15 is not available in the US at all. At least it was not in the past.

@Astroke Yes, you're correct. The Glenfarclas 15yo isn't available in the US, unfortunately.

@ajjarrett Maybe instead of jumping on the 12 I'll wait till I'm in Calgary and buy my brother in law a 15 for his holiday, and if I like it...

Just bought a bottle of Benromach 10. I'm having a wee tasting with friends next weekend so I wanted something enjoyable for everyone but not too challenging - and I haven't owned a bottle of it yet either. I like their story and approach to producing this whisky - I may be a sucker but it makes a difference to me. I was chatting with @MadSingleMalt about The Six Isles blended malt as an interesting option - maybe next time.

@Hewie I applaud your choice.

I think the Ben 10 is a really solid bottle, even though I tend toward CS flavours. In fact....I'm going to have a dram right now! Wait... I may need to drive. maybe later.

@Nozinan Thanks. Yes I think that I'll be buying the 100 proof soon after this one

@Hewie I should lend my opinion that the Ben 10 and the 100/10 are very different whiskies, for very different moods.

@Nozinan duly noted, thanks. I shall just have to get both so I can make my own comparisons

@Hewie Certainly not a bad idea I've toyed with the idea of an H2H but my 100/10 was slurped to oblivion in January at a tasting and I have so many open I don't know I want open too many new bottles till I get some under control.

@Nozinan the Ben 10/100 is definitely a bottle to have in a whisky library. I have tried the other 10yo but I lean towards the 100.

@ajjarrett I think in a H2H I would easily go with the 100/10, but I'm finding more often there are times when I want something a little less strong. The 10 at 43% is a good option.

A picture of the Wiser's 18 year old I picked up a week back.

Also posing, Lot No. 40. Please note @paddockjudge - it's got rye !

@Frost,

Lot No 40 no longer contains malted Rye (10%); however it is 100% Rye, column distilled and then pot distilled to retain some of the grain characteristics.

You might try blending the 100% Rye Lot No40 with the 100% Corn Wiser's 18 Yo in the ratio of 1:2 with an additional 4 - 5 % of bourbon cask or new oak barley whisky. The effect is stunning.

@paddockjudge love the picture !

Also, I don't think 100% Corn Wiser's 18 Yo makes it here to Australia

I am going to keep a track of your recommendation though

My recent whisky purchases have been aligned to a little trip I've been on to get back to basic refill bourbon matured whiskey. Spent much of the last few years leaning towards sherry and /or peat influence and other cask finishes, but I've recently got much more interested in good old refill bourbon. I read somebody else say that this type of whisky allows the distillery's own character /spirit to come through a bit more than when hidden beneath big sherry finishes, and liked that idea. This 12 year old Balmenach from Cadenheads fits the bill nicely.

@dougwatts Looks intriguing.

My whisky journey has also seen evolution in my tastes. When I started I was heavily into sherry-matured, then peat monsters. While I still very much enjoy those, I've learned to appreciate bourbon-matured expressions (thanks Amrut single cask!). I now value subtlety a lot more than I used to.

I just bought, somewhat begrudgingly, a Redbreast 12 CS.

Why begrudgingly? Because it's to "replace" the Redbreast 15 that I'd previously bought for my whisky club, only to find today, as I was perused the club's records from yesteryear, that we already did a bottle of that back before I joined. D'oh! No repeats, so no Redbreast 15.

So why did I but it? It's universally well-regarded, I liked the one bottle I personally had a few years ago, and my local supermarket had it at the steal price if $75. That's only $5 more than what the normal 40% version goes for around here.

@MadSingleMalt with conversion that's just shy of what it costs here.

What is thew ABV. Wondering if it's the same batch we have here.

I would never begrudgingly buy it. This is such clean, malty dram with a great nose and palate. I'd buy it with happiness.

@MadSingleMalt, I feel your pain, hung with a bottle of Redbreast 15....you could do a lot worse.

@Nozinan , I don't have it front of me at the moment, but I think it was 59.9%.

It's totally fine; I just wish my club predecessors hadn't pre-emptively spoiled my original choice of the 15. :) And I can't really claim that stocking up on Redbreast was in my budget! But, my mistake.

@MadSingleMalt Could you not return it? Are you the designated buyer. What responsibility! What fun!

The one in Ontario is 57.4%

@Nozinan , I bought the Redbreast 15 from an out-of-state mom-and-pop shop that I'm unlikely to return to anytime soon. And unlike your LCBO, American liquor stores usually aren't too keen on returns.

But thanks for that idea! There is a chance I might return there one day for one of the old (late 1970s, early 1980s) IBs I saw when I was buying the Redbreast 15 a few months ago. I don't know if they'd do a return for store credit, but if they did, that would certainly make the splurge much more doable.

Again, great idea!

And @Nozinan , I didn't register what you said about the price. You're saying your price in Canada for the Redbreast 12 CS around the same amount I paid ($75 USD—whatever that is in loonies)?

Is this, then, one of your great relative values along with Benromach 10?

@paddockjudge I misunderstood your post and now will answer correctly!

I misread about the Wiser's 18 yo, which I have, and will try your vatting when I open it !

@dougwatts your experiences sounds similar to my introduction to whisk(e)y. After some years spent on the typical commercially available blends & bourbons I discovered single malt and quickly turned into a peat head. Then moving onto ex-sherry and flavoured casks (ex-wine, dark rum, etc). I have in the last year been craving ex-Bourbon, virgin cask malt, pot still & American.

I still enjoy all, but I find it interesting how tastes evolve over time

@MadSingleMalt It's $110 Canadian give or take a dime or two. I figured with the conversion you pay a little less. I don't know if $110 is a steal but compared to other 12 YO at CS it is less expensive..