Which Water of Life Did You Purchase Today - Winter 2013/2014

[ChainWhip]

After my whisky-monger let me sample some Westland First Peated Malt (46%), I had to grab a bottle for my bunker! From what I was able to gather, it was very approachable and an easy peated single malt for the Bourbon lover to get into - the new charred oak barrels really added a nice sweetness to the palate and the fruits/nuts/peat/smoke all lended a balanced support to the whisky.

You can really tell these guys are doing things the right way.

[MtnDew]

After my whisky-monger let me sample some Westland First Peated Malt (46%), I had to grab a bottle for my bunker! From what I was able to gather, it was very approachable and an easy peated single malt for the Bourbon lover to get into - the new charred oak barrels really added a nice sweetness to the palate and the fruits/nuts/peat/smoke all lended a balanced support to the whisky.

You can really tell these guys are doing things the right way.

Ha, I got my bottle signed

[Dolph Lundgren]

I recently bought a bottle of BenRiach 19yr Peated/PX. Its a little pricey but nice. Just slightly out of balance (the smoke definitely overpowers the sherry). I'm thinking the smoke may calm down with a little oxidation, which would serve this whisky well.

[GaryT]

Picked up a Red Breast 12yr CS (B1/12) so I'll be able to celebrate St. Patty's properly this year.

[jvd99]

Michigan is a state-run over-taxed monopoly state and online liquor orders cannot be shipped here, so I placed an order with a friend who's driving up from TX:

Springbank 15 Yr (can't find anywhere locally)

Laphroaig Quarter Cask ($13 savings)

Aberlour A'bunadh ($14 savings)

Glenmorangie The Original ($15 savings)

Also, Weller 12 year and High West Double Rye.

Nice call on the Springbank 15. My wife got me a bottle for Valentine's and I love it. You should take a drive to Chicago and go to the South Loop Binny's - it has an insane selection.

[Brisko]

Cutty Sark Prohibition. First I'd seen it and my "blended Scotch" slot was open.

[Hawg73]

Green Spot and RB15. Loading up for St Paddy's day!

[s8ist]

Macallan 18

Haven't had it in years since the prices on that brand went through the roof. Hope it's as good as I remember!

[n811]

You should take a drive to Chicago and go to the South Loop Binny's - it has an insane selection.

Wow jvd, you're not kidding. I took a look at their website last night and - holy cow!

[AaronWF]

You should take a drive to Chicago and go to the South Loop Binny's - it has an insane selection.

Wow jvd, you're not kidding. I took a look at their website last night and - holy cow!

This is why I am constantly broke these days: there's a Binny's around every corner around here.

[jvd99]

This is why I am constantly broke these days: there's a Binny's around every corner around here.

I hear you on that! I still try to make my local shop the first stop, but Binny's just has too much stuff not to shop there. That south loop Binny's has everything. They have a locked walk-in room with all of the high end stuff. Most shops we all frequent have a glass case with a few to maybe 30-40 bottles. That room at Binny's is nirvana, it probably has well over 1000 bottles of rare stuff. The aisles are also massive with not only a big selection, but a huge amount of it.

[s8ist]

I usually go to the Lincoln Park one. Used to go to the Lakeview one when Brett was there.

Is the South Loop one the better one to go to now?

[MtnDew]

Cutty Sark Prohibition. First I'd seen it and my "blended Scotch" slot was open.

I really enjoy this blend. In fact, it just might be my current favorite low cost (<$40) blend out right now.

As for me, a few additional bottles followed me home

Edited March 7, 2014 by MtnDew

[garbanzobean]

As for me, a few additional bottles followed me home

The middle left looks like it has some blemishes on the box, might not be safe to drink. I do cheap, fast hazardous waste removal. PM for details.

[jvd99]

I usually go to the Lincoln Park one. Used to go to the Lakeview one when Brett was there.

Is the South Loop one the better one to go to now?

I live in the south suburbs, so the s. loop is an easy drive. Going to Lincoln Park or Lakeview is kind of a hassle. I haven't been to either in years, but based on their website, they too have a great selection of non-standard offerings.

[danz]

Green Spot for St. Patrick's. I tasted some Redbreast 12 cask strength and Bushmill's 21 also, but the Green Spot stood out for me with brighter, fresher fruit notes. I may be trying the others later.

[garbanzobean]

Lagavulin 16 because it was on sale ($49), and an Exclusive Malts Mortlach 1995/2013 54.3%. Hoping to squirrel away maybe one more Mortlach IB this year to last me through whatever the heck Diageo thinks it is doing to the brand.

[ChainWhip]

Lagavulin 16 because it was on sale ($49), and an Exclusive Malts Mortlach 1995/2013 54.3%. Hoping to squirrel away maybe one more Mortlach IB this year to last me through whatever the heck Diageo thinks it is doing to the brand.

Good move... that's exactly what I've been doing

[garbanzobean]

Good move... that's exactly what I've been doing

I can't wait to compare them to Macalla . . . err new Mortlach. Oh wait, I can't afford any of the new SBs.

[portwood]

Hoping to squirrel away maybe one more Mortlach IB this year to last me through whatever the heck Diageo thinks it is doing to the brand.

[ChainWhip]

Count me in. Over the last few months I passed on:

Gordon & Macphail IBs of 15yo and 21yo

20yo single cask bottling by Wemyss

Thinking that the news Diageo was going to increase the number of expressions was a good thing. I fell into the trap of the people that said more Mortlach would be a good thing. Well, seeing the press releases this week I realized i will not be able to justify the price of any of the new OBs (assuming they even show up in Ontario). Therefore, when I saw 2 bottles in stock of the Wemyss I pounced. Can't go wrong with 20yo Mortlach for $118 each when the new 18yo will sell for 4 times that!

[MtnDew]

Well, I guess my Mortlach journey began and ended with that single signatory bottle from TWE. At this point I don't think I can afford most of what is out there, but I will keep my eyes open.

[ChainWhip]

Still plenty of IB options out there to choose from... You were there for this one remember?

Edited March 10, 2014 by ChainWhip

[Dolph Lundgren]

The price increases were expected when the initial news noted that Diageo was aiming for the luxury market with Mortlach. The other part of this that I don't like is the fact that they are changing up the distillation process to reduce the meaty character and amp up the fruitiness instead.

So sad. I hate that they're going to make the Mortlach beast dress down and look like its other Speyside brothers. But I guess this is the way of the world these days. Time to start squirreling.

[tanstaafl2]

Kind of stumbled onto some Cooley cask strength single malt today online (12 and 16yo). Don't know if they will make it in time for St Patty's but I hope so.

Cooley almost never bottled anything under its own name (Tyrconnell is the Cooley single malt) but these are cask strength bottlings from A.D. Rattray that sound interesting. It is not even Cooley anymore. Since Beam bought Cooley they have changed the name of the distillery to Kilbeggan presumably to help bring focus onto that brand,

The only product I have seen put out by Cooley under the Cooley name was the pure pot still poitin (essentially Irish whiskey white dog). It is the only poitin made from a pure pot still mashbill as I understand it but it was a pretty limited run and it isn't clear if Beam Is willing to be as adventurous as Cooley was. I would like to have been able to try it. Maybe Suntory will help loosen things up a bit again!