What Water of Life did you purchase today? Spring 2015

[Auracom]

Let us know what your impressions are! I saw both bottles at my local today, and am curious if I should take the plunge! Nice purchase, regardless.

x2 on the Quindecimus. Has arrived near me and the blended grain concoction sounds really nice.

Edit - just saw Bruce's notes, thanks much! Sounds like a pass at it's current price-point, which I agree is pretty high.

Inspired by some recent tastings with a good friend on the west coast, grabbed a few Binny's Signatory picks. North British 7 year @ 65.5% and Clynelish 7 year @ 63.8%. Coming to realize that there is a ton of great younger single malt and grain out there. Just need to take the plunge on it.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Auracom

[Paddy]

Glenmorangie 10. Included small sample bottles of the Lasanta 12 (sherry cask finish) and Quinta Ruban 12 (port cask finish).

I'm a marketers mark!

[unclebunk]

Glenmorangie 10. Included small sample bottles of the Lasanta 12 (sherry cask finish) and Quinta Ruban 12 (port cask finish).

I'm a marketers mark!

Yes. But you can't beat that combination, though the last time I bought it (around Christmas) a mini bottle of the Nectar D'Or was included as well.

[Memphis]

Today, grabbed a Dalmore 12, and a Stitchell's Reserve Caol Ila (unpeated). Looking forward to the Stitchell's!

[portwood]

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2015 (200th anniversary edition)

Amrut peated (46%)

[dcbt]

I'm not a scotch fan but I like to have a bottle around for guests so I picked up a Glenmo 10 today to replace 5+ years old Glenlivet 12 that had cork issues. I salvaged what little was left of the scotch by filtering it with a coffee filter into a smaller glass bottle but it was time to pick up a new bottle of something regardless.

[The Black Tot]

Today, grabbed a Dalmore 12, and a Stitchell's Reserve Caol Ila (unpeated). Looking forward to the Stitchell's!

I'm a big fan of the Stitchell's. Stitchell has apparently been replaced by David Wood as distillery manager. I don't know what this does to the value of the SR - it was already overpriced anyway

I bought a bottle of SR before putting my foot down on Diageo, so I won't be replacing it, but it's good.

[tanstaafl2]

I'm a big fan of the Stitchell's. Stitchell has apparently been replaced by David Wood as distillery manager. I don't know what this does to the value of the SR - it was already overpriced anyway

I bought a bottle of SR before putting my foot down on Diageo, so I won't be replacing it, but it's good.

The Stitchell Reserve, a blend of several different years of unpeated Caol Ila whiskys, was the swan song for the departing distillery manager Billy Stitchell and served as the annual unpeated Caol Ila special release for 2013. I liked it as well when it first came out but I had a chance to do a blind SBS in February with the special release from Caol Ila for 2012, a 14yo unpeated, and 2014, a 15yo unpeated. The Stitchell proved to be downright grainy in comparison with the 2015 edging out the 14yo as the best on that particular day.

[The Black Tot]

Very cool. I saw those other unpeateds but had made my best effort pledge to avoid the D word by then. I'm hoping Kilchoman can give me some Islay satisfaction when it gets a few more years on it.

[tanstaafl2]

Very cool. I saw those other unpeateds but had made my best effort pledge to avoid the D word by then. I'm hoping Kilchoman can give me some Islay satisfaction when it gets a few more years on it.

[squire]

The best way to overcome temptation is give in to it.

[unclebunk]

Who could resist at $25 a bottle?

[The Black Tot]

The best way to overcome temptation is give in to it.

Fortunately I am a man of more temptations than time, so I am able to give in at a steady clip, and still be a choosy Susie.

@Bruce, my approach runs little risk of being classified as temperate

[Numismaniac]

Cask Strength Crown Royal, which I don't care for the regular. Curious as to the flavor and profile, may have to hoard some

[squire]

Wow, 103 is the barrel proof?

[tanstaafl2]

Wow, 103 is the barrel proof?

Is not a true barrel proof or cask strength. It is a bit like Russell's Reserve 110 proof. So it is bottled at a higher but fixed proof but every bottle from every barrel I have seen of this is 103 pf. Even Diageo isn't that precise...

It is also a much different blend than standard CR with a lot more of the distillate made at lower proof off the still and less of the higher distillation proof NGS that is found in the typical CR. At least the original bottling's from Texas were. Supposed to be coming to Georgia but I haven't seen it yet (Has anybody else?). I am told a store has to buy a barrel to get it as it is apparently sold only by the barrel (whether it is in fact a single barrel or just a set quantity of bottles and who is in fact "hand selecting" it I also can't say). If it is a barrel then whether you get to pick from samples or you just get what you get I haven't heard either.

[squire]

Ah, thought so, recall the earlier conversations about this one, just wondered if that's what the merchant was told. I expect the barrels are hand selected but not by the store.

[dean_martin]

Is not a true barrel proof or cask strength. It is a bit like Russell's Reserve 110 proof. So it is bottled at a higher but fixed proof but every bottle from every barrel I have seen of this is 103 pf. Even Diageo isn't that precise...

It is also a much different blend than standard CR with a lot more of the distillate made at lower proof off the still and less of the higher distillation proof NGS that is found in the typical CR. At least the original bottling's from Texas were. Supposed to be coming to Georgia but I haven't seen it yet (Has anybody else?). I am told a store has to buy a barrel to get it as it is apparently sold only by the barrel (whether it is in fact a single barrel or just a set quantity of bottles and who is in fact "hand selecting" it I also can't say). If it is a barrel then whether you get to pick from samples or you just get what you get I haven't heard either.

One of the FL stores I frequent got their barrel recently. They had the barrel on display. I didn't get a bottle. The guy working the register said he hadn't tried it, but he was expecting feedback from some of the regular customers who bought bottles the day before I was in. At the time, I was more interested in and asked more questions about the rumor that they had selected a barrel from Four Roses. Bottom line: If it's in NW FL, then it should be in GA soon, I would think.

[tanstaafl2]

One of the FL stores I frequent got their barrel recently. They had the barrel on display. I didn't get a bottle. The guy working the register said he hadn't tried it, but he was expecting feedback from some of the regular customers who bought bottles the day before I was in. At the time, I was more interested in and asked more questions about the rumor that they had selected a barrel from Four Roses. Bottom line: If it's in NW FL, then it should be in GA soon, I would think.

Yes, just learned today that a store I frequent is expecting one in a month or two. Apparently it is still limited to only certain states that can get the barrel program at least for now from what a Diageo rep told me a month or so ago.

To be honest I don't expect it to be much different from the ones that Texas got a while back (which I have a couple of), even if it is a single barrel. But only tasting will tell for sure!

[BigRich]

Is not a true barrel proof or cask strength. It is a bit like Russell's Reserve 110 proof. So it is bottled at a higher but fixed proof but every bottle from every barrel I have seen of this is 103 pf. Even Diageo isn't that precise...

It is also a much different blend than standard CR with a lot more of the distillate made at lower proof off the still and less of the higher distillation proof NGS that is found in the typical CR. At least the original bottling's from Texas were. Supposed to be coming to Georgia but I haven't seen it yet (Has anybody else?). I am told a store has to buy a barrel to get it as it is apparently sold only by the barrel (whether it is in fact a single barrel or just a set quantity of bottles and who is in fact "hand selecting" it I also can't say). If it is a barrel then whether you get to pick from samples or you just get what you get I haven't heard either.

I believe Tower and Sherlock's have one.

[GaryT]

I believe Tower and Sherlock's have one.

[The Black Tot]

I'm surprised to read that some people are selling out of this so fast in other states.

It's still sitting on shelves in Texas.

As stated above, it's good, but the whole barrel strength and hand selection rhetoric is annoying. I mean, just stating things accurately would still sell lots of whiskey.

[squire]

. . . . I mean, just stating things accurately would still sell lots of whiskey.

[Darwin]

Aberlour a'bunadh batch 46. I went looking for more recent batches today, but no joy. My search does prove poor inventory rotation. Batch 49 & 50 were on the same shelf a few months back.

[El Vino]

Springbank 12 Cask Strength.