What are you having yourself?

[varizoltan]

Premier Crew, after a nice venison dinner!
Good whiskey + good meal = happy days!

[bredman]

Glencadam 15. A lovely whisky.

Sainsbury Single Malt Irish Whiskey. A lovely whiskey.

[zenmonk]

Bowmore 12 year old. Delicious and busy Scotch.

[bredman]

First impressions - The Glen Garioch 1797 Founders Reserve 48%. There is something very likeable about this. A mass of fruit notes appear halfway through, lychees, passion fruit etc. ( that floral aspect may even be heather? ). Excellent spice right to the death. The fake tan doesn't seem to be a problem on the palate, not yet anyway. It all happens on the palate, the nose is unrevealing and needs time.


Hazelburn CV. An odd note that reminds me of my uncles car garage, 'oil stained overalls'.

[IainB]

Finally a free minute to post something!

Last night it was a comparison of Lapgroaig and Ardmore.

Lap - Quarter Cask, Triple wood and the 40% version of the 25yo

Ardmore - Traditional Cask (i.e Quarter Cask) and 25yo at 51.4%.

Of the 25s the Ardmore was my clear favourite - I think the Lap loses a bit of oomph at that age and strength.

Of the younger one I think the triple wood was my favourite.

That said I'm really becoming a fan of Ardmore - if you want a decent bit of peat and smoke without beating up your taste buds then this is the one - quite like some of the peated Benriachs.

[IainB]

And tonght so far a Benriach 21 authenticus followed by an Ardmore 25. About to move onto a Highland Park 21. After that, maybe bed.

[bredman]

Starting tonight with the Hazelburn CV. Still not quite to my taste.

[IainB]

And tonght so far a Benriach 21 authenticus followed by an Ardmore 25. About to move onto a Highland Park 21. After that, maybe bed.

Well I didn't go straight to bed - opened up the Glenmorangie 1977 that arrived yesterday. Hadn't drank any Glenmo in years. This was really really good. I'll try it again tonight and maybe try and describe it. In fact I'm going to open a few of the Glenmorangies I've had lying around neglected for years - just haven't really thought of it in a long time - it's easy to forget sometimes the the really popular whiskies are often very very good whiskies. (And of course sometimes there not!).

[bredman]

Caol Ila Natural Cask Strength. Thinking about the Rollercoaster sample i have up in the tip - calling out to me...

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Finishing an OB Port Ellen 54.3% (6th release 20cl) I really have loved every Port Ellen I've had up to this bottle. I just could never quite get my head around it.

Seems quite closed on the nose and to be quite brash on the palate with noticable rough edges eventhough there is a rich mouth feel to this. Buttery lemon, honey and dusty spice ... a bit more like a (cold) hot whiskey than a superlative Port Ellen glad this is now quenched as I have another PE in reserve which I know is a cracker

[bredman]

Craigellachie 14 1994 Coopers Choice. This is getting better all the time. Strong wine and honey notes which are not my favourite, but a big malt barley dominates - thankfully.

[zenmonk]

Tyrconnell 10 year old Madeira Finish.
Definitely worth the price. Exquisite.

[GH Adams]

First post been a long time lurker. As I am on the other side of the pond, tonight I am having Ridgemont Reserve 1792. As I have Irish forebearers I also have the following Irish Whiskey in my bunker: Redbreast 12, Jameson, Jameson 12 and 18, Paddy's and Tullamore Dew for the misses.

[jcskinner]

You're very welcome, Mr Adams!
Wish we could get that Ridgemont on this side of the water.
That's a nice little collection of Irish you have there. A wee bit light on the Bushmills for my liking , but you have some lovely bottles to savour. Let us know what you think of them.

[zenmonk]

Was at my parents last night and spotted a full bottle of Redbreast 12 burried in the drinks cabinet behind a couple of the standards like Jameson and Black Bush. Neither of them are whiskey drinkers apart from the odd hot one for a cold etc. will I go to hell if I swap a Jameson for it?!

[bredman]

Was at my parents last night and spotted a full bottle of Redbreast 12 burried in the drinks cabinet behind a couple of the standards like Jameson and Black Bush. Neither of them are whiskey drinkers apart from the odd hot one for a cold etc. will I go to hell if I swap a Jameson for it?!

Swap it for something they do drink. A bottle of gin perhaps.

[GH Adams]

Jc, I guess I had had too many 1792's last night as I see that I had left out Bushmills White and Black Bush. I have a bottle of Bushmill's 10 single malt along with two bottles of Buffalo Trace scheduled for delivery Monday. I wish I could get Greenspot and Writers Tears on this side of the pond.

[bredman]

Starting off with a Hakushu Heavily Peated. A delicious and elegant dram. Not very smokey and unfortunately is low and wont survive the night.

[jcskinner]

Glenfarclas 21 year old tonight. Going to have it side by side with a Redbreast 15 year old, for a sherry fest!

[waver929]

A Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve... and rememebring the last ireland vacation with the stay in Kilbeggan.

[bredman]

Dun Leire 8. ( the one with the purple hat on )

Glen Keith 18 OMC from a refill 4807. I bought this by chance and realised later that JM reckons it's the best GK. Anyway i dug it out the tip earlier, i'd forgot i had it. I wasn't impressed at first but it's opening up quite a lot in the glass, i'll have to keep an eye on this over the coming weeks.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Was listening to some Crosby, Still & Nash so had a greenspot to start with ... a great whiskey and this has been open a while. I reckon it has changed in the bottle but it has actually improved in many ways. It has lost it edges of metalic copper and mint and is now lovely and rounded with the sherry more evident.

Have now moved on to a more radical tunes and a whiskey to match Jerry Cantrell (aka Alice in Chains axe man) ... hence Connemara Cask strength ... a very early tall bottle version. Great guts in this little beast but slightly spoiled by a washing up liquid note in there somewhere which I had not overly noticed before.

1970's powers in the wings ... may add a bit to the Connemara before I finish it fully though just to see how I get on.

[DavidH]

Having a Turf Mór while I write a blog post that will get me banned from the Irish Whiskey Society

[IainB]

Having a Turf Mór while I write a blog post that will get me banned from the Irish Whiskey Society

What have you done?? You've gone and started that Irish West Coast Cooler Society you were always talking about, haven't you.

Anyway, I've just finished off an Oban 14 that's been open about 5 years. Back to the Glenmorangie 1977 I seem to be always drinking the last week or so - I guess I still surprised at how much I'm enjoying this.

[DavidH]

What have you done?? You've gone and started that Irish West Coast Cooler Society you were always talking about, haven't you.

I'm having a West Coast Cooler and Liquorice Allsorts matching evening on the last Thursday in February. All are welcome.