What Wee Dram are you enjoying now?

[MacinJosh]

Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist last night at a local restaurant and it was" peat o' licious."

That is a quality pour and one I frequently bunker. I really enjoy it.

[MacinJosh]

Full disclosure, I am a few and far between scotch drinker. I like it, but need to be in the mood. Recently, on the advice of the store expert, I bought a bottle of Auchentoshan Valinch. It is a cask strength, non chill filtered edition. He said it easily stood up with whiskeys twice the price. I broke into it last night, and wow, was he right. Needed a little water for my taste, but boy, was that a fine dram. Not too much peat, but very complex, a SMOOTH! Beautiful expression, highly recommended.

A peated Auchentoshan??? I know Bladnoch has some peated expressions but I was unaware Auchentoshan did.

[unclebunk]

Way too much Ardmore Trad Cask last night...and paying for it today.

[smokinjoe]

Figure I'd finish up the night with a small pour of Aberlour a'bunadh. Closes things up nicely.

[Vosgar]

Opened a Redbreast 15 today. Wow, this is a wonderfully dangerous bottle to have around.

Gary

[AaronWF]

Broke open a Longrow 11yr Sherry Cask. Aged entirely in refill sherry, you'd never know it from the color - which is about like a very light repasodo Tequila.

On the nose - huge whiffs of coal and peat. Very "burnt earth" and phenolic. Slightly medicinal, but overall just... peat.

Taste - peat. More peat, and then... some more. A bit of coal (actual coal from a steam engine), a bit of charcoal briquets with a nice big alcohol sting (it's 57% after all) and some sweet vanilla & citrus. and lastly a big sweet cherry bomb

Finish - it's smokey & peaty with deep notes the imprint themselves on your tongue, but at the same time it's soooo sweet from the sherry. It's not balanced at all, I don't think it's supposed to be, but it goes on forever.

Overall - this is a peat-monster. I'm shocked, because while Longrow is heavily, peated, it's Springer at it's core, and Springers are typically so refined and un-brazen. Flavorful & intriguing, yes - but this brash? My first time to experience it like this. It was like being hit with a smoking two-by-four log of peat. Not smoke/BBQ mind you - but peat. Vegetal, damp rotting earth at it's finest. Almost rotten (but not in a sulfur way at all) and very earthy.

Could simply be my expectations being stretched so far by a Springbank family member that I'm exaggerating this (I've had it on 2 different days now), but from a peat perspective, I'm throwing this up against Octomore & Supernova in terms of PPM. Would love to hear any other opinions on this beast from others who have tried it - am I smoking too much peat? Is it really closer to typically Longrow peating levels, or is there's something else in the mix that's got me believing this is a peat monster my first two glasses have led me to believe it is?

Regardless, in typical Springer/Longrow fashion, this one more than please my pallet and is an easy 93 (if you don't like peat, it's would be about a 60!)

I'm drinking a glass of this as I type, and I have to say, this is the stuff of dreams. I don't get as much peat as you opine about, at least not in the sense that talk about. I get A LOT of earth, but it's beautifully balanced by briny, jellied fruit. It's very interesting how all spice in this ignites and then quickly expires like dirt dumped on a flame, but the sweet, briny fruit bounces back in to fill in any empty spaces. I really, really love the spongey nature of this whisky that surrounds a still unadulterated Springbank center.

I still consider myself a malt noob, but for me right now, this is bunker material.

[ChainWhip]

I get A LOT of earth, but it's beautifully balanced by briny, jellied fruit. It's very interesting how all spice in this ignites and then quickly expires like dirt dumped on a flame, but the sweet, briny fruit bounces back in to fill in any empty spaces. I really, really love the spongey nature of this whisky that surrounds a still unadulterated Springbank center.

I may have to spring for a bottle of this!

[thezenone]

Was in San Francisco on Saturday and got to try quite a few drams I'd never had before:

Laphroaig Triple Wood
Kilchoman Machir Bay
Glenfarclas 17

Even got to try Nikka Black, which was quite nice.

[Happyhour24x7]

A peated Auchentoshan??? I know Bladnoch has some peated expressions but I was unaware Auchentoshan did.

Dont get too excited, I may have mislead do to inexperience in terminology. it has some faint smokiness, no more.

[Kyjd75]

Ardbeg Uigeadail. My first try at an Islay malt. Different, to say the least. But I "think" I like it. Time will tell for sure.