What are you having yourself?

[JohnM]

We never come to conclusions. It's not the done thing.

[DavidH]

We never come to conclusions.

Or do we...?

I had a little bit of a Bushmills Bourbon Cask Strength toight. Smelled just like a Russian Tipsy Cake of yore (I haven't seen a Russian Tipsy Cake for decades - do they still exist?), which I liked. Taste was far less exotic.

[shanel23]

Dropped into Bowes on Fleet St. and had a 10yr old tobermoray - very happy with that - then had a Makers mark followed by a powers 12yr old and to finish off and try for the first time a Penderyn - best of the night - the powers ! They have a great Cooley selection in there and sadly very little bushmills .

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Had a sample of Midleton Cask Strength Sherry cask last night ...


Nose of toffee, Rich fruit and wood.

Taste more of the same but with added carmelised brown sugar and a slight toasted woodiness which was really nice.

Finish was long and rewarding. Relly would love to see a cask strength sherry cask released

[varizoltan]

Premier Crew

[zenmonk]

Had a glass of Redbreast 12yr last night, delightful, nearly have the bottle drained this winter! Followed by a Bushmills 10 yr which surprisingly for me held up big time after the Redbreast. Almost opened my Bushmills 12 yr distillery reserve but decided against it. Anyone tried it?

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Started with a Glengarioch 1998 bot 2007 55.4%

Real malty grassy nose to this. Good bit of malt on the taste too with heaps of sweet vanilla.

Followed by the excellent Blackbush ... Nice richness to this but not as big as the previous drop.

Now a laphroigh 19yo Signatory bourbon barrel 53.3%

An excellent Laph with the usual Laph character

At least the whiskey is good as The Late Late is a bit depressing

[JohnM]

Glendronach 14 single cask. Beautiful.

[varizoltan]

Antibiotics...

[JohnM]

Did you know that you can have a drink with most antibiotics... It will say on the leaflet if you can drink with them or not.

Of course, if you're taking any other medication, I'd check that too.

[varizoltan]

a few beer is ok, but should not be any spirit

[bredman]

Antibiotics work perfectly on alcohol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE00-zwuo9E

[varizoltan]

thanks for that Bredman!

on the drink now

[bredman]

Glad i could be of assistance Z.




Nadurra 0410J 54.4%. That's better, much better.

St Georges American Single Malt Lot 8 43%. Took a good sample for later in the year and finishing the bottle. As weird as ever. Floral fruity Turkish delight, nothing like it whiskey wise.

Laphroaig 13 OMC 5612. I can't describe this any better than a clumsy oaf of a Laphroaig. All the big stuff, with no complexity, no faults or sourness mind.

[bredman]

Craigellachie 1994 14yo Cooper's Choice 46%. I shall figure this out another day, for now it's rank!!

Glencadam 15 46%. To wash the dodgy Craigellachie from my mouth...

phwew!! It worked...

[jcskinner]

Bunnahabhain Cruach-Mhona tonight.
This is a 50 proof Bunny exclusive to World of Whiskies at Heathrow, afaik. Comes in a welcome litre size bottle therefore.
What can I say? It's not the sort of dram I gravitate towards, but boy is it good at what it does. Much smokier than your standard Bunny, with a clear iodine note straight off the cork as soon as the bottle opens.
The dram is a pale, straw yellow, implying happily that there is no caramel here. On the palate, salt comes quickly, then sweet wood smoke, that TCP, then some faint sour apple and fruit. In fact, where it not for the salty, heavy phenols here, it would bear some resemblance to a Connemara cask strength. The finish goes through cycles of iodine, smoke, tart fruit (as in sour, not cooked) and something like fresh bread dough. It's a complex, boisterous dram, and stands up really well at 50 degrees.
Tasted blind, I'd guess this was an Ardbeg or Laphroaig, and I'd have been wrong. Bruichladdich have already showed the big smokey neighbours that they can do peat too when they want, taking it to an extreme with the Octomore releases. This Bunny is less of a gimmick release, and if anything, it's sad that it's a restricted travel retail job, because I think this would quickly win over a lot of new fans to their spirit.
It's right on the edge of too smokey for me, really, yet I completely enjoyed it.

[JohnM]

There's quite a few independent bottling of the heavily peated Bunnahabhain. It's supposed to be nice.

I own 1/10th of a cask of it, which is maturing at Blacnoch. Can't wait to have it bottled...

[bredman]

There's quite a few independent bottling of the heavily peated Bunnahabhain. It's supposed to be nice.

I own 1/10th of a cask of it, which is maturing at Blacnoch. Can't wait to have it bottled...

When is the Bunna ready ( expected ) John?

Six ish years for our Aberlour/Tomatin duo. It's nice to have a finger in the pie.

[jcskinner]

There's quite a few independent bottling of the heavily peated Bunnahabhain. It's supposed to be nice.

I own 1/10th of a cask of it, which is maturing at Blacnoch. Can't wait to have it bottled...

If it's anything like this release, you have yourself a cracker, John.

[JohnM]

The one I have is called 'Margadale', which is supposed to be the same as Moine. It was distilled in 2005.

I'll bring some to some society meeting when it's bottled so everyone can taste some. I have not idea when it's going to be bottled, of course. Maybe at 8 yrs old.

[jcskinner]

I've no idea how old the Cruach Mhona is. It looks and tastes young and lively, but not too young. Eight might be the case here too.

[bredman]

After the weird Wasmund's i'm enjoying a Highland Park 1991 G&M 59%. IMO HP don't get better than this.

[JohnM]

I've no idea how old the Cruach Mhona is. It looks and tastes young and lively, but not too young. Eight might be the case here too.

I'm not sure either. I've seen 12 yr old peated Bunnahabhains, so they've been doing it for a while.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

There's quite a few independent bottling of the heavily peated Bunnahabhain. It's supposed to be nice.

I own 1/10th of a cask of it, which is maturing at Blacnoch. Can't wait to have it bottled...

How did I miss that

I'll swap you a Bladnoch, Bladnoch wine cask or a Kilbeggan for one ... Oh wait you have shares in those too



......................


Currently drinking a 1985 Glen Keith (18yo) from Cadenheads. This is a beautiful drop ... Sweet and fruity. Big vanilla and soft ripe fruit like pear,apple and peach syrup plus marshmallow ... Yum yum. Nice bit of spiciness in the finish too.

[bredman]

Clynelish 10 1997 from Cooper's Choice. Very nice indeed. The sort of bottling that it's a pleasure to find. A relief as the Craigellachie from Cooper's that i acquired at the same time is not great.