What Wee Dram are you enjoying now?

[timd]

I personally love my Longrow 7 finished in those Gaja Barolo casks, but had a tough time figuring it out. It is a confusing combination, a tart red grape snap combined with the peaty edge that hints at oily, smoked meats. Makes me want to reach for some fennel salami. Weird combinations in this, but then again I love to salt my oranges. I found the finish to be especially weird, like I drank Chinon all night long, and then decided to finish it off with some Laph10 CS.

I do really agree with you on this one though. Why take a gem like the standard Longrow and muddy the waters with finishing? The Cab finish longrow had a real dirty note for me on the finish, and not in a good way, like a clod of dirt in the throat rough. The Longrow-Tokaji finish is disgusting, and the claret cask finish was actually a bit boring for a Springbank IIRC, which was surprising as I'm generally a big fan. I do love the Pedro ximenez and oloroso finish springbanks though, especially at 14 years and CS.

Well, different palates - I think the Springbank Claret is magnificent. One of my favorite Scotches in the past couple of years.

It's been ages since I had the Takaji finish - I remember not being wowed, but not sure. There was also a Cream Sherry finish Springer from a few years back that I thought was pretty poor.

Admittedly, sherry/fortified wine finishes - for whatever reason - tend to work better (I've had fewer failures with those than just plain old wine), but at that, a "bad Longrow or Springer" is still better than most folks "best" offering, IMHO.

[portwood]

Why take a gem like the standard Longrow and muddy the waters with finishing?

I'm sure not all casks of Longrow, or any other whisky for that matter, are gems. "Finishing" is often used to improve/cover-up imperfections in the matured whisky. My guess is that most "finished" whiskies that taste bad would have tasted even worse had they not been "extra matured".

[squire]

Plan to be enjoying some Canadian later today.

[SFS]

Would that be Wiser's, by chance?

[squire]

I wish, probably Forty Creek Barrel Select.

[Glenn__B]

I always have 40 crk on hand, but lately I have been enjoying Alberta's Dark Horse 100% rye. Limited release , 46% , sherry finished. Bargain at 28.00 cdn.. Just great stuff.

[portwood]

I always have 40 crk on hand, but lately I have been enjoying Alberta's Dark Horse 100% rye. Limited release , 46% , sherry finished. Bargain at 28.00 cdn.. Just great stuff.

The Alberta Premium Dark Horse is NOT 100% rye like all their other products.

It contains (approx percentages) 91% rye grain, 8.5% aged corn whisky, and 0.5% sherry wine is added.
The ABV is 45% - at least here in Canada (not 46).

[SFS]

The depth of knowledge on this board makes me smile.

A lot.

[unclebunk]

The Alberta Premium Dark Horse is NOT 100% rye like all their other products.

It contains (approx percentages) 91% rye grain, 8.5% aged corn whisky, and 0.5% sherry wine is added.
The ABV is 45% - at least here in Canada (not 46).

I just wish we could get regular Alberta Premium around here.

[unclebunk]

In a clear bottle, super pale color, possibly the palest whisky I've ever seen.

Even more pale than Ardbeg 10's straw-piss color? Wow!