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What Wee Dram Are You Enjoying Now - Spring/Summer 2014


ChainWhip
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I'm going to go ahead and echo this. That Sherry Cask blows me away every time I come back to it. Warm, soft, raspberry chocolate jelly malt. I don't have anything open at the moment that I can savor quite as much.

What are the last few digits of the cask #?

I visited the distillery and have a sherry cask soloist private bottling for a shop. Excellent stuff, it is so full of concentrated sherry influence that I get something similar to a really sweet nice balsamic vinegar on the nose.

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... I get something similar to a really sweet nice balsamic vinegar on the nose.

Is that a good thing? :D

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Sherry hater, we see your true colors!

Ha! Well make sure you have one of those Balsamic Vinegar Bombs on the table when I get over there tonight, then! Instead of whiskey, I'll bring the Arugula and Feta... :lol:

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I came off my month long bourbon only bender with a pour of Ballatines 30 year last night
Nice. Very nice, indeed. The only time I ever had it I was already a bit stiff from sampling a bunch of other top shelf blends, but my recollection was that it's super fine whisky. If only I could afford it!
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Ha! Well make sure you have one of those Balsamic Vinegar Bombs on the table when I get over there tonight, then! Instead of whiskey, I'll bring the Arugula and Feta... :lol:
Don't forget the quiche!:grin:
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Famous Grouse 18 yr vatted malt. First dram, interesting ... not sure what to make of it yet, lots of fruit but wouldn't call it a sherry bomb, a little edgy, nice body. I guess my expectations were a bit low, influenced by the price ($52.99). Didn't expect to have to think on this one, but now I suppose I will ... :). May be discontinued, but not sure on that ...

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Sampler bottle of BenRiach Authenticus 21. This would be nice, except for a very offputting burnt grain/grassy/uhh, ahem. Other flavor. Very "grassy," mon. Some peat. Not real big on this one. Glad I didn't pay much for the sample. Definitely liked curiositas better.

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Sampler bottle of BenRiach Authenticus 21. This would be nice, except for a very offputting burnt grain/grassy/uhh, ahem. Other flavor. Very "grassy," mon. Some peat. Not real big on this one. Glad I didn't pay much for the sample. Definitely liked curiositas better.
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Having a dram each of 1990's glendronach 15, Bowmore 17, glenrothes 1982.

Glendronach is abolutely beautiful stuff, perfect balance of chocolate stewed fruit biscuit with just a hint of smoke. Much more complex then bottlings today.

Bowmore has a weird nose to it, like mint ice cream, blue cheese (!!), ginger and peat. Not my favorite but very interesting.

Glenrothes is like sweet ripe fruit just like the bottle says. So sweet and fresh, noses and tastes like a bourbon almost. Too bad the cork was completed dried out and fell into the bottle.

I'm glad I got 1 extra of each!

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After taking the week off from indulging, I dipped into my newest acquisitions. Clynelish 14 was nice. I really enjoy the highland profile, but I feel like I can get in that ballpark for $20 less with Old Pulteney 12, if memory serves me right. Am I crazy? I know there's a lot of Clynelish fans on here. I'm sure it will grow on me like my Springbank 10 did.

Also had some Glenfarclas 12. Thought it was a nice balance of sherry and malt.

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Old Pulteney is another coastal style Highland dram, so it may do it for you. I personally like Oban 14 a good coastal Highand fix, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of the three.

Tonight has been the end to another real shit of a week (though I have put about 50 miles of wear into my hiking boots), so I'm enjoying a few solid drams. Bourbon didn't sound good, so I went with my current "little bit o' everything" malt: Nikka Taketsuru 17. Absolutely a dream. I'm stepping into Islay over next, with a glass of Bowmore Tempest Batch 2.

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Canadian Club 100% Rye, New kid on the block. Distilled in Calgary at ADL, aged 7 years in "virgin oak casks", a GR8 rye whisky.

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Bruichladdich The Laddie 10 year old. Great dram, hope to see this show up again at retail in the next few years. I'm not real thrilled with the "provenance" kick Bruichladdich has moved onto since they realized they didn't have enough aged malt to go around. Hopefully that subsides once their stocks build back up.

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My laddie 10 is now in the land of the departed, I opened up my bottle of G&M Mortlach 15. Holy crap this is perfect. Sherried, but not too sugary. There is a savory element toward end of the development and into the finish. Lots of christmas spices. Delicious. I have finally found a sherried malt I love. Time to buy more of this . . .

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My laddie 10 is now in the land of the departed, I opened up my bottle of G&M Mortlach 15. Holy crap this is perfect. Sherried, but not too sugary. There is a savory element toward end of the development and into the finish. Lots of christmas spices. Delicious. I have finally found a sherried malt I love. Time to buy more of this . . .

Hmmm, I don't think I have seen this around my parts. Going to have to look for it now...

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Hmmm, I don't think I have seen this around my parts. Going to have to look for it now...
It's a semi-official bottling. Up until the new mortlachs dropped, the only one available in the U.S. I should also point out that this offering is pretty uncomplicated. It's not one you need to brood over. Everything that's there is right there. That's not always what I want, but I'll be damned if it didn't hit the hell out of the spot last night.
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Just finished off Yamakazi 18 I found this summer for cheap. It was a nice pour, the nose was fantastic but the finish was little too woody for me. I'm glad I had a bottle, but probably won't invest in another at current prices.

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The last two nights has been a new bottle of Laphroaig 18. I'm still learning to tease out the flavors behind the peat, smoke and phenolics - but there is an interesting spicy sweetness back there that I haven't quite pinned down - apple pie and grapes? I also appreciate the higher proof (48%) for a standard bottling, allows for some playing with the water additions. A bit of water really makes the peat elements recede and the sweetness comes forward.

More research needed...

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