What Wee Dram are you enjoying now?

[Lost Pollito]

I imagine you will find that the 12 is a different beast entirely...

What is the date on the new Distillers Edition? I'm curious as to whether it is the same as the one currently available in these parts. My wife gave me money to purchase one nice bottle for Christmas and I had a hard time choosing between the Distillers Edition and the 12-year-old cask strength. Ultimately I went with the 12.

Distilled 1991, bottled 2008.

[Megawatt]

Speaking of Lagavulin, I'm having some of the 12-year-old cask strength. It's very pale yellow (obviously uncoloured), non-chillfiltered, aged in first-refill bourbon casks and bottled at 56.4% alc./vol.

It has that medicinal quality of the 16 year old, yet surprisingly not as intense. A bit of water brings out that sweet vanilla-malt aroma. It is big and fresh on the palate, a touch herbal, not quite as rich as the 16 but with a huge spicy kick. There is sweet vanilla, licorice...lots of flavour going on but I can't place them all. The smoke comes bursting forth in the finish, and lingers with that sweet note for quite some time.

I'd love to compare this side-by-side to the 16 year old but I doubt I'll be able to afford a bottle of that until next Christmas.

[Megawatt]

Distiller's Tasting Notes
APPEARANCE: Pale straw gold. Moderate beading.
NOSE: Huge. Takes no prisoners. Fresh, breezy and intensely medicinal. Pungent and briny, yet sweet. Light fresh fish (sashimi), oilskins and fish oil. Edible seaweed. Later, when allowed to breath, some rich toffee notes. Adding only a little water dilutes the intensity: now the keynote is of youthful energy
and warm pine-sap, clean and very smoky, still with a light trace of toffee.
BODY: Medium. Slightly oily. Hot.
PALATE: Huge and robust. Sweet, then immediately hot and smoky as the peat-smoke ignites. Typical of Lagavulin, shorn of the subtleties that come with age! Surprisingly fiery and warming, some salt (fish
boxes, smoked haddock). With water, it becomes sweet and stimulating; slightly sharper, still salty and with plenty of now-fragrant woodsmoke.
FINISH: Long, warming and cigar-smoky. Oatcakes.

[JamesW]

Started with Bowmore 17 (love it), Talisker 10 and now HP 12.

[Megawatt]

Started with Bowmore 17 (love it), Talisker 10 and now HP 12.

I'll see your Talisker 10 and raise you an 18.

[JamesW]

I'll see your Talisker 10 and raise you an 18.

Damn you Megawatt! I couldn't bring myself to pick up the 18 today... budget allocation issues etc... I finished my 18 all too quickly over the holidays and have been forced to scale back the operation for now...

[JamesW]

HP 18, Bowmore 17, and now back to finish my bottle of HP18.

[Megawatt]

A cheap dram tonight: William Grant's Ale Cask. Quite different from the bottle I had a year ago. Less creamy and sweet. Much bigger spice with a smoldering peat flavour that I don't remember in the previous bottle. A pretty decent dram, though the grain gives it a fair bite.

[JamesW]

HP 12, Talisker 10, and now Bowmore 17. I am loving this Bowmore!

[JamesW]

Clynelish 14 and Glenlivet Nadurra.