Who's drinking what right now?

Johanna, life is good. I'd been calling around trying to find a liquor store that would order me a Uigeadail from the distributor for my cabinet and even though they all said they would do so I never heard back from any of them! Then on Valentines day (yesterday) my wife presented me with a bottle! Apparently one of the stores did call back and got hold of (apparently) one of the 6 bottles in the entire state of Florida! My wife had intercepted the call and ran to the store and bought it for me! Although she is not a scotch drinker, she understands my passion for it and upholds by frequent purchases of the fine drink. Ergo, I'll await the right moment and give it a try. It will be interesting to try it after having read all the pros and cons about Uigeadail.

I'll also be watching for the Talisker 18 to hit our shelves. Thanks for the tip.

Santa delivered a Highland Park 18 - positively delightful!

I got a little bent out of shape on Ardbeg 10 celebrating Robert Burns' life and works a few weeks back (Burns would approve I'm certain). I've also been paying some attention to a recently-acquired bottles of Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish and Glenrothes 1992.

As for blends, I was able to pick up a bottle of The Gordon Highlanders which isn't bad but it won't replace Black Label or Black Bottle for my tastes.

I have bought but not opened - and don't know whether I will - a Bruichladdich 1989 bottled especially for the Liquor Corporation here in Nova Scotia. I have bottle 124 of 326. Aged in oak (bourbon) for

15 years, 46% abv. It is being marketed as a collector's item but I suspect that it is nothing more, or less for that matter, than a single cask bottling with unique packaging - bronze can with beige labelling. The Nova Scotia stuff appears as extra labelling - a sticker on the can and a backside label on the bottle that has bottle number, year distilled, year bottled and the words "bottled exclusively for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation". C$100.

If Johanna will honour me with the pleasure of her company I will certainly open it - how's that for an invitation!

Slainte, Jim

"Inside the Vault"... Lagavulin Destillers Edition 1987, Oban Destillers Edition 1987, Talisker Destillers Edition 1990, Cargganmore Destillers Edition 1990, Glenkinchie Destillers Edition 1989, Dalwinie Destillers Edition 1989, Lagavulin 16 yo, Bowmore CS, Bowmore Dusk, Bowmore Dawn, Bowmore 12 yo, Bowmore 17 yo, Oban 14 yo, Part Nan Angelen 24 yo, Blackadder Smoking Islay CS, Cragganmore 12 yo

That's about it... I do have a habbit of collecting them when I'm out on business trips and the last years have been a bit intensive.

Cragganmore 12, Dusk & Dawn are the ones on the table right now.

/ Johan

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I guess I'll put myself in the cheapskate category. I'm working on a bottle of Longmorn 15 (and have another unopened in reserve). At ~$50Cdn I find it the best value for money. That finish just goes on and on!

I have also been dipping into Glenlivet 12 which I was given for Christmas. I had been ignoring this whisky for years, but no more. Lovely soft flavours make this an easy anytime drink.

Nice to see your keyboard around here again Johanna.

Doug.

Very nice. Which are the really good ones?!?

Jim Vance ( snipped-for-privacy@accesswave.ca) wrote: : Santa delivered a Highland Park 18 - positively delightful!

Hey James, Santa dropped one of those off here also! It is very nice, though whether it's as good a value as HP 12 is hard to say.

: As for blends, I was able to pick up a bottle of The Gordon : Highlanders which isn't bad but it won't replace Black Label or Black : Bottle for my tastes.

I have to see what I can do to get Black Bottle here in NS. Te Bheag unchillfiltered and it would make for a nice back-to-back comparison.

: I have bought but not opened - and don't know whether I will - a : Bruichladdich 1989 bottled especially for the Liquor Corporation here : in Nova Scotia. I have bottle 124 of 326. Aged in oak (bourbon) for : 15 years, 46% abv. It is being marketed as a collector's item but I : suspect that it is nothing more, or less for that matter, than a : single cask bottling with unique packaging - bronze can with beige : labelling. The Nova Scotia stuff appears as extra labelling - a : sticker on the can and a backside label on the bottle that has bottle : number, year distilled, year bottled and the words "bottled : exclusively for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation". C$100.

I have one of those too, also unopened for now. I suspect your comments are correct about what's inside.

I am pondering buying a Macallan 18 right now. A bit on the expensive side, and I've never been a huge Macallan fanatic, but I understand it is no longer available and when current stocks are gone, they're gone for good.

This week I had the good fortune of trying Glen Breton 14. Regular 9-10 year old Glen Breton sort of underwhelms me, but the 14 y-o I had was very, very nice. With a drop of water, it tastes like maple sugar candy. They are selling it in very limited quantities at a price that is out of sight, so I'm glad I had a chance to try it since I'll never buy it.

-- Greg Beaulieu snipped-for-privacy@chebucto.ns.ca Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

Well Jim, I'm noticing that some of Zoom's options to Glasgow include a connection in Halifax and as I've been meaning to make it out your way for some time now, certainly a taste of your NS exclusive Laddie is an incentive. Now if you could throw in a clam bake and Malpeque oysters... well I'm certain I could twist my own arm!

Slainte, Johanna

Not that you're asking me Douglas, but if you did... I'd give a nod to the Cragganmore DE, Lagavulin De, Talisker DE, Oban (a perennial favourite) and the Bowmore 12 is drinking pretty good these days although I'm still reeling from how good the Bowmore 15 Mariner was when I last had it, a throwback to the distillery's heyday before the, well, you know... ;o)

Oh, and that Blackadder Smoking Islay 55% abv is peaty cracker of a vatted malt, with your name written all over it Douglas ;o)

Slainte, Johanna

Greg, I don't know the price of admission for M18 in Nova Scotia, but suffice it to say that this whisky has gone from being a well-loved classic to an even bigger rip off than the Macallan 25. Here in Ontario they're peddling the last remains of M18 at $189.95 which is a rather expensive joke considering how thinly sherried the latest vintages (1984 onwards) have been drinking.

If you're truly concerned about stocking up on discontinued Macs, buy the Macallan Cask Strength bottlings when and where you can find them, either here in North America or in Europe. Also keep your eye out for independent bottlings of Macallan, some of those single casks rival the best that the distillery has bottled but for far better prices.

At any rate this "gone for good" schtick is always suspect in my books, just like the Rolling Stones or Cher on their last tour. And hasn't the last cask of Kinclaith been bottled a few times now? I imagine dribs and drabs of sherried Macallan 18 will surface in future for those willing to pay the ransom.

But if you ever see a 1979 Gran Reserva, do mug an old lady for it if you have to ;o)

My two cents, Johanna

Johanna ( snipped-for-privacy@singleminded.ca) wrote: : Greg, I don't know the price of admission for M18 in Nova Scotia, but : suffice it to say that this whisky has gone from being a well-loved : classic to an even bigger rip off than the Macallan 25. Here in : Ontario they're peddling the last remains of M18 at $189.95 which is a : rather expensive joke considering how thinly sherried the latest : vintages (1984 onwards) have been drinking.

It's about half that price here!

: If you're truly concerned about stocking up on discontinued Macs, buy : the Macallan Cask Strength bottlings when and where you can find them, : either here in North America or in Europe. Also keep your eye out for : independent bottlings of Macallan, some of those single casks rival : the best that the distillery has bottled but for far better prices.

We have an OB cask strength available here in seemingly good quantity. It seems a deal at (I think) $57. Maybe I'll try that.

BTW Johanna, kudos on the newsletter. The NSLC now subscribes to it. :)

-- Greg Beaulieu snipped-for-privacy@chebucto.ns.ca Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

singleminded.ca

The .com version is some kind of entertainment industry promotional site.

cheers.

bill

My mistake!

Spelling, shmelling.

I could get the 18yo at 75 euro/99 USD here (Netherlands/Germany) if I wanted to, but I'm not going to. I haven't tasted the 18yo, for the sole reason that I find it simply too expensive. There's always some other malt that I would rather spend my money on. After tasting the Cask Strength 10yo and the 12yo (32 euro a bottle), I don't believe the higher quality will make up for paying 43 euro more... I didn't like the 10yoCS and am not too impressed with the 12yo, but then again, I'm not a big sherry fan. I will try the 18yo sometime in a bar, though. For my education, and just to see if my suspicions are justified. I wouldn't like to miss out on some big legend.

To get back on topic: I am currently very impressed by the Signatory Vintage Islay Cask Strength. Yes, it's only 5 years old, but it's fresh, rough, peaty and has a good punch. Like being out on the ocean waves in a small and fast boat. It's incredibly good value-for-money!

I have a Talisker 18yo waiting for me at a friend's, to be opened at the next N&T, hopefully at the 2nd of April. If I can wait that long ;-)

Marjon

All are good in their own way... I'd go for the DE every time...

except for Par Nan Angelen 24 yo - that one isn't drinkable (pure alcohol, no taste what so ever, stay away from it...)

/ Johan

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I had trouble drinking my last SigVin Islay5 period. I think I have another one under the sink. Even on ice, it was enervating.

Hey! I know--I'll go dig around under there and open it up right now!

5 years; 40%. Scary combination! I've just been sipping a better-than-ever Bowmore 12 (RAFTS of unique peat on a clean, fresh frame), and a perfectly perfect Ardbeg 10 (46%). This young SigVin Islay5 has a hint of suggestion of character--a haunting surge of big peat promise--and then goes for a deep dive into dishwater. It has a nice upfront light sweet peat splash that scurries away so frustratingly that you are chasing after it, flailing mightily with your turf-digger's spade, but losing hide nor hair of the varmint. I would never again pay money for this substance. I'd rather have a clean, bright, assertive ANYTHING than this tease of peat that sags so dully into morass. It IS however, better than no whisky at all.

Johanna:

I will volunteer Greg to join me in being your most humble hosts. We can work on the seafood thing although I would be inclined as a matter of personal taste to go for mussels and lobster. We'll have to see what Greg can do about sampling that 14 year Glen Breton as well - after all, it is his duty to promote local products. Greg, please take note!

By the way M. Beaulieu I haven't heard much from you lately - labouring hard at the Liquor Corporation are we?

Johanna, I just realized I neglected to renew my subscription - I will amend the errors of my ways.

Slainte, Jim