What are you drinking now?

[bredman]

Mars Maltage Komagatake (Shinshu) 10 yo 40%. I'm not too keen on the colour, that deep rich colour of David Dickinson. Aside from the fake tan the nose is lovely, full of complex fruits primarily dried apricot and mixed berries. Plenty of spice too. The palate lacks the complexity unfortunately but the big flavours are good. Finish is medium length but the bitterness of the colour cuts it short. I'm being a bit fussy here though, this is good stuff. To hear that Mars are distilling again after a 10 year lay off is good news.

[AdamMY]

Tuesday Night Local Brew--

Bells Third Coast Old Ale.

[AdamMY]

Continuing Tuesday Night Local Brew--

Bells Double Cream Stout.

[pkt77242]

Starting tonight with Firestone Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout

[pkt77242]

Next up for local brew night is Russian River Supplication.

[Ganga]

Trader Joe's Speyside 18
1993
40%

Nose: very fruity - apricot and peaches, light fresh oak
Palate: dough, pine resin, peach pits
Finish: moderate to short, lots of fruits and some grist

I think the nose will benefit from moving to a brandy or glencairn glass. Decent whisky.

[AdamMY]

Old Pulteney 17.

[AdamMY]

Elmer T. Lee.

[Ganga]

Trader Joe's Speyside 18
1993
40%

Nose: very fruity - apricot and peaches, light fresh oak
Palate: dough, pine resin, peach pits
Finish: moderate to short, lots of fruits and some grist

I think the nose will benefit from moving to a brandy or glencairn glass. Decent whisky.

I've decided to go get a glencairn and see what that does for it.

N: even more fruity - apricot and tangerines, grist, fresh cut oak
P: dough, pine resin, cooking spices, mashed tangerines and peaches
Finish: see above

Not sure that it is wholly due to change of glasses. I like it more than the first time.

[bredman]

Teerenpeli 8yo Single Malt Whisky 43%. From Finland and natural colour non-chilfiltered. Coffee malt.

[Rodstar]

Having a dram of Glenfarclas 105 cask strength tonight, with a splash of water. Nice way to finish a difficult day at the office....

[Ganga]

Arrogant Bastard on tap. It is a quality beverage but not my cup of brew. It is much better when it warms up to 50-55 F room temp.

[bredman]

Yamazaki 12. Banana custard with a nice dry maltiness.


Scapa 19 1993-2012 Chivas Bros Cask Strength Edition 61%. Strewth i wasn't expecting this, big big caramel toffee, a cream toffee sundae. Very grassy, so grassy it should have a hayfever warning. Sweet liquorice and skittles, coconut macaroons.

[bredman]

Scapa 19 1993-2012 Chivas Bros Cask Strength Edition 61%. Strewth i wasn't expecting this, big big caramel toffee, a cream toffee sundae. Very grassy, so grassy it should have a hayfever warning. Sweet liquorice and skittles, coconut macaroons.

With time and water this is getting better and better. The smoke and bananas are taking over. Delicious big flavours, right now it's smokey banana toffee.

[The Third Dram]

Bruichladdich 16 Year Old Bourbon Cask... Made to pour and drink!

[bredman]

Moving on to a Miltonduff 14 1997-2012 Chivas Bros Cask Strength Edition 58.3%. It's been a while since i had a Miltonduff, the last being an IB 22 yo that i enjoyed a lot. This is nosing very well, typical older Milton' with big sharp barley and a twist of fruit. That malted barley is very sharp and lively on the palate, there'll be no falling asleep with this in the hand. Stewed fruits and orange juice offers a bit extra, also a tad of inoffensive baby puke too.

[Ganga]

Shared some beverages with the family. Chimay Blue, Russian River Damnation and a random white wine.

[StudentOfWhisky]

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac bot. 2009 64.5%

[whiskgeek]

Ardbeg Alligator... I'm pretty sure. Someone gave me a flask, a while back...

[ZacRob76]

Springbank 12yo, Claret Finish. 1997, 54.4%

[StudentOfWhisky]

Bruichladdich 17 yr Rum Cask 46%

[AdamMY]

Rather not so local brew night for me tonight.

Starting with KBC Porter brewed in Maine.

[bredman]

Glen Grant 10, this noses very well.

[Ganga]

Glen Grant 10, this noses very well.

Tell me more. I had some of the new Glen Grants offered in the US that were terrible.

[AdamMY]

Ommegang Hennepin, a Belgian Style Saison Ale.

[bredman]

Glen Grant 10, this noses very well.

Tell me more. I had some of the new Glen Grants offered in the US that were terrible.

I'm surprised at that, i always thought Glen Grant was reliable, possibly due to the heavy use of refills resulting in fewer risks to the light flavour profile. Having said that the last Grant i had was a dodgy Bladnoch Forum bottling that wasn't at all good, too much sour toffee.

I got this as there was a few quid off at TWE, and i needed a parcel filler, and looked forward to revisiting after several years absence. Surprised to find an excellent light whisky here, all spiced oranges and lovely rich malt along with the usual light grasses and fresh apple. That soft barley on the nose hits the palate big and sharp and refreshing. This is a perfectly balanced whisky.

Thought i'd read up what Murray reckons and he scored it a whopping 95 and claims it's the best 10yo Glen Grant ever. He may well be right, and i won't complain at the 40% either. Go out and get on Rich this is lovely stuff.

[mikeymad]

Tuesday Night Local Brew

Opening up ganga's beer

--> Russian River - Damnation (growler)

[AdamMY]

Another pour of the Hennepin. Quite nice and refreshing, but not heavy enough for it to be this cold out.

[AdamMY]

Third and final pour of the Hennepin.

[Ganga]

Went to Balvenie tasting tonight.

Balvenie 17 Doublewood

N: apricot, oranges, honey, nutmeg, butter
P: chocolate, vanille/butterscotch, nutmeg, cinnamon
F: long, rich, dried oranges

I think this is very good and fits right in line with the 12 yo Doublewood.

Balvenie 30, 47.3

N: sharp oak, wood polish, cinnamon, parafin, vanilla, dried ginger
P: honey, toffee, oranges, parafin, polished walnut
F: long, rich, spicy, chocolate

A drop of water mellowed the sharp oak note. This is a very good whisky.

Balvenie 1401, batch 6, 49.8

N: honey, polished oak, cinnamon, lemon, dried ginger, toffee
P: dried cumin and ginger, cedar, polished oak, wood resin
F: long spicy

Likely the best Balvenie I've ever tried.

[AdamMY]

Went to Balvenie tasting tonight.

Balvenie 17 Doublewood

N: apricot, oranges, honey, nutmeg, butter
P: chocolate, vanille/butterscotch, nutmeg, cinnamon
F: long, rich, dried oranges

I think this is very good and fits right in line with the 12 yo Doublewood.

Balvenie 30, 47.3

N: sharp oak, wood polish, cinnamon, parafin, vanilla, dried ginger
P: honey, toffee, oranges, parafin, polished walnut
F: long, rich, spicy, chocolate

A drop of water mellowed the sharp oak note. This is a very good whisky.

Balvenie 1401, batch 6, 49.8

N: honey, polished oak, cinnamon, lemon, dried ginger, toffee
P: dried cumin and ginger, cedar, polished oak, wood resin
F: long spicy

Likely the best Balvenie I've ever tried.

Why do those all sound so delicious?

[mikeymad]

--> Russian River - Pliny the Elder (growler)

[mikeymad]

--> Dufftown 1997/10yo 46% Murray McDavid bottling

[mikeymad]

--> Glen Elgin 1991/12yo 46% Murray McDavid bottling

[mikeymad]

more large pour of full bottles

--> Glendronach 1990/13yo 46% Murray McDavid Bottling