What Dram Are You Pouring Tonight? Spring/Summer 2016

[GaryT]

Getting geeked up for a trip to Scotland later this month with a short pour of The General.  Definitely going to cry a little when this baby is gone

[ChainWhip]

How was it?

It was pretty tasty - all the usual CI notes of brine, peat, fish guts, etc., with a sweet minerality as a counter point. It wasn't my first pour but I've had that one in the back of the cabinet for far too long it would seem.

[beasled]

Started this evening on Springbank 2000 single cask sherry butt (16 year old) which was just fantastic.

 

Now onto a lighter AnCnoc 16.

 

Cheers all!

[garbanzobean]

I relaxed with a pour of Tobermory 10 from the first third of the bottle.  This is weird whisky.  It's like someone combined a bunch of common off notes found in ex bourbon aged Island malt and put them all into one whisky, yet I can't look away.  There's the formic acid/baby vomit note of young Bruichladdich, some rotting vegetation covered in vanilla of Laphroaig, and some bitter herbal notes reminiscent of early Arran or less carefully aged Highland Park.  I think I'll stick to Ledaig from now on, but I can't say I'm bored.

 

I ended the night with a pour of Compass Box Peat Monster 10yr anniversary.  This has been a disappointing bottle for me.  I like it fine, but it tastes like a blend of Laphroaig and overcooked quarter cask Ardmore or too long in the tooth peated BenRiach were cut into generic highland whisky.  I'm left scratching my head as to why I was so excited to spend $100 on this 2-3 years ago.  Oh well. 

[smokinjoe]

3 hours ago, garbanzobean said:

I relaxed with a pour of Tobermory 10 from the first third of the bottle.  This is weird whisky.  It's like someone combined a bunch of common off notes found in ex bourbon aged Island malt and put them all into one whisky, yet I can't look away.  There's the formic acid/baby vomit note of young Bruichladdich, some rotting vegetation covered in vanilla of Laphroaig, and some bitter herbal notes reminiscent of early Arran or less carefully aged Highland Park.  I think I'll stick to Ledaig from now on, but I can't say I'm bored.

 

I ended the night with a pour of Compass Box Peat Monster 10yr anniversary.  This has been a disappointing bottle for me.  I like it fine, but it tastes like a blend of Laphroaig and overcooked quarter cask Ardmore or too long in the tooth peated BenRiach were cut into generic highland whisky.  I'm left scratching my head as to why I was so excited to spend $100 on this 2-3 years ago.  Oh well. 

 

 Welcome back!

I'm going to chalk up your disappointment with the CBPM to the residual effects of the "Bunch of common off notes/formic acid/baby vomit/rotting vegetation/bitter herbal notes." of the preceding Tobermory pour...The only thing apparently missing from that whiskey was the stench of decaying flesh.. 

[flahute]

On 5/13/2016 at 9:32 PM, ChainWhip said:

Haven't been on in a while - thank goodness for Tapatalk & the good admins for resetting my account.

Now to think about something suitable to pour...

Good to see you back Johnny. Though scotch is not my thing, I always enjoy your distinctive on the mantle photographs and reading your descriptions.

[garbanzobean]

3 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

 

 Welcome back!

I'm going to chalk up your disappointment with the CBPM to the residual effects of the "Bunch of common off notes/formic acid/baby vomit/rotting vegetation/bitter herbal notes." of the preceding Tobermory pour...The only thing apparently missing from that whiskey was the stench of decaying flesh.. 

Thanks!  Glad to see you're still around.

 

As awful as the Tobermory sounds, it is really pretty interesting, and I kind of like it.  Or hate it.  I'll probably figure out which eventually.  I'd like to try a sherried version like the 15 yr, but I'm not spending that kind of money blindly on whisky these days (unless it's on Springbank).  Maybe I'll see it in a bar.

 

The Peat Monster Anniversary isn't terrible or anything, it just doesn't "pop" like a blended malt with a $100 price tag should.  I am not sure it's any better than the regular peat monster to my tastes, and I'd absolutely take a single malt like Caol Ila 12 or Lagavulin 16 over it (both are around $60 here).  Maybe I was hoping for a little more Clynelish waxiness or something.  It could also be the Laphroaig component bothering me.  I seem to have lost my taste for Laphroaig as of late.  The OBs turn my gills a little green with the heavy vanilla and TCP combo.

[gainiacster]

Getting geeked up for a trip to Scotland later this month with a short pour of The General.  Definitely going to cry a little when this baby is gone

Wow! A trip to Scotland sounds awesome! So much scotch, so little time.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[GaryT]

On 5/16/2016 at 9:00 PM, gainiacster said:

Wow! A trip to Scotland sounds awesome! So much scotch, so little time.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

 

Yeah - my thoughts exactly!  And so little room in the luggage!!

 

Going with some Laphroaig CS tonight.  If someone had told me I could describe something as "earthy, band-aid-y" and also find it delightful - I would have called them crazy.  Before Laphroaig

[Trey Manthey]

I've got a bottle of Lagavulin DE from 2012 that's been hanging onto it's last few oz for too long. Time to die!

[beasled]

Millstone 100 Rye. Never sure which forum it belongs in but it's foreign without an E so here I am.

 

Really liking it too.

[garbanzobean]

Signatory Vintage Bruichladdich 1992/2012 (19 yr, 46%), cask 3627, bottle 283 of 342.  I'm approaching the end of this bottle, and that's a real shame.  It's great whisky.  I highly encourage anyone who enjoys new Bruichladdich to seek out a similar bottle from Signatory, Berry Bros, etc and give older IB Laddie a try.  I'm sure sherried examples are very good, but don't ignore the sad, pale looking bottles that clearly came from relatively inactive refill wood (most people on this forum who know my taste in whisky would likely call me out for always saying that, though).  At any rate, Spirit-forward older Bruichladdich is great stuff.  This particular example has a fairly quiet nose, mostly butterscotch and the good kind of varnish.  The palate begins and ends with butterscotch interlaced with pineapple and mango, with the slightest edge of mineral salinity toward the end of the development and into the finish.  The finish is brief and fairly dry.  It leaves a hint of salinity and dried versions of the same fruits on your tongue, then disappears altogether.  

[mosugoji64]

Some of you might be scratching your heads at seeing me pop up here as I have NEVER posted in this thread but I had some Hibiki Harmony with dinner last night that was FANTASTIC! Might this be the gateway to foreign whiskies for me? We'll see, but that was some fine drink. I may have to procure a bottle for further investigation!

[garbanzobean]

2 hours ago, mosugoji64 said:

Some of you might be scratching your heads at seeing me pop up here as I have NEVER posted in this thread but I had some Hibiki Harmony with dinner last night that was FANTASTIC! Might this be the gateway to foreign whiskies for me? We'll see, but that was some fine drink. I may have to procure a bottle for further investigation!

Just don't get your hopes up about exploring the vast and bountiful selection that is Japanese whisky.  Unfortunately, none of the distilleries over there can keep up with demand, so it's probably going to be a decade or three before we start seeing much new age stated stuff from them.  

[jeffrey r]

Yep, re: age stated Japanese whisky, it has been largely bought up by now, and likely not much more in the pipeline anytime soon.  Fortunately, I kind of came around on Japanese whisky earlier this year when there was still some Hibiki 12, Yamazaki 12, Taketsuru 12, and Hakushu 12 on the shelves for probably an average of $70 per bottle.  I built a nice Japanese collection over the course of a few months, and I am well stocked for the time being.  FYI, Hakushu 12 is peated, whereas the others are not.

 

Sure, even at $70 per bottle, these Japanese whiskys are likely overpriced.  But I think they are quite good, and I wanted them in my collection.  YMMV of course.  By the way, the Harmony is the new NAS version of the Hibiki 12, with the Hibiki 12 being much higher regarded than the Harmony.  So if you come across any Hibiki 12 for a halfway decent price, it's a great whisky.

 

On topic, I went heavy Sherry last evening, with some Aberlour 12 NCF and Glenfarclas 105.  Both excellent sherry bombs.

[beasled]

Highland Park Cask Strength tonight. Loving it.

[garbanzobean]

6 hours ago, jeffrey r said:

Yep, re: age stated Japanese whisky, it has been largely bought up by now, and likely not much more in the pipeline anytime soon.  Fortunately, I kind of came around on Japanese whisky earlier this year when there was still some Hibiki 12, Yamazaki 12, Taketsuru 12, and Hakushu 12 on the shelves for probably an average of $70 per bottle.  I built a nice Japanese collection over the course of a few months, and I am well stocked for the time being.  FYI, Hakushu 12 is peated, whereas the others are not.

 

Sure, even at $70 per bottle, these Japanese whiskys are likely overpriced.  But I think they are quite good, and I wanted them in my collection.  YMMV of course.  By the way, the Harmony is the new NAS version of the Hibiki 12, with the Hibiki 12 being much higher regarded than the Harmony.  So if you come across any Hibiki 12 for a halfway decent price, it's a great whisky.

 

On topic, I went heavy Sherry last evening, with some Aberlour 12 NCF and Glenfarclas 105.  Both excellent sherry bombs.

I have a couple bottles each of Hakushu 12, Yoichi 15, and Miyagikyo 12 stored away.  I can still get Taketsuru 21 and 17 where I live, and might put a bottle of each away someday soon.  Some Miyagikyo 12 still in the wild.  No Yoichi, sadly.  Not real big on Hibiki or Yamazaki 12 or 18, thankfully, since prices for those made them unpalatable quite awhile ago around here.  

 

Not sure what I'm going to get into tonight.  Maybe Longrow Red (port).  Seems like a good accompaniment to the annoying amount of work I had to bring home with me.

[garbanzobean]

Starting the night off right with a Lot 40 + club soda.  I've come to the conclusion that I just don't enjoy Canadian whisky very much without some ice and club soda.  I wish my local whisky club were more into non-scotch so I could give the rest of the bottle away as samples.  I'm pretty sure it is just lost on me.

[beasled]

Caol Ila 11 year cask strength. A smoky, fruity, meaty, briny, delicious bastard of a pour.

 

Cheers all!

[smokinjoe]

Beautiful evening out back with the Braves on the radio with a Compass Box Hedonism.  Well, the Braves ain't losin' yet, and even if they do, this beautiful whiskey will make it better.  What a great nose on it!

[BigRich]

Some Blue Hanger 10th edition tonight

[meadeweber]

It was an Islay night last night, had a pour of Uigeadail followed by a small pour of Laga 16.

 

The Uigeadail was really good last night (drank it neat)! 

 

However, I found the flavors in the Laga to be somewhat muted.  This was most likely from two factors.  One was the whisky that preceded it.  The other was the fact that it was the last pour from the bottle.  I found the flavors lessening as I drank down the bottle.  The bottle was open for about 6 months.  That's not a relatively long time is it?  Maybe it was a loose cork.

[BigPapa]

Had a couple drams of Knappogue Castle 12 yr. lovely stuff!!

[GaryT]

Recovering from a whirlwind trip through England and Scotland, where I tried several pours I'd never had before.  For me, the highlight pour for me was enjoying an Auchroisk 10yr - a Speyside single malt I'd never heard of - while strolling around the Scottish Highlands and over the River Spey.  Being only a few miles from Dalwhinnie, enjoyed some of that after finishing the walk through Laggan.  While the Auchroisk wasn't the best whisky I've ever tried, it may have been one of the most enjoyable pours I've had.  Sláinte!  

 

 

[garbanzobean]

I found a couple dusty bottles of 1983/1994 Singleton of Auchroisk on a work trip to Miami that taste quite nice.  At the time, the first bottle reminded me somewhat of Balvenie.  I'll have to actually take notes when I open the second bottle.