What santa brought me.

I got a 6 yr old Port Charlotte cask strength - the new stuff from Islay... very promising...

Steffen

I was good this year so I got 2 bottles of Lagavulin 21, a MM Mortlach, a Sig Port Ellen and a Benriach 21. Happy New Year!

an occasional lurker got : glenrothes - which i was glad to see, on closer inspection its their 'select reserve' not so glad to see that though ; ( and a glenlivet 15yo french oak. - at least it wasnt Teachers

doner kebab

I got nuttin of a Scotch-ish nature, so today I bought a bottle of Balvenie Double-wood, and a bottle of Macallen 15 year fine oak (my new favorite). As my tastes mature, the Balvenie, though, is getting a bit too sweet and surprisingly uncomplex.

That's a nice haul.

DEspite the fact I don't do Christmas, one of my team bought me a bottle of single mat, which was really nice of him - especially as I know he can't really afford it (but he wanted to say thanks). It was Glenfiddich (not very)special reserve - but it's perfectly drinkable and the thought counts for more than the execution.

On 2007-12-26, nospam (aka Bruce) was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Dissapointed that he only got the same old crappy calendar he has been getting every year for the past 6 years, despite now working for the mob that produced the photos in said calendar, Santa just bought himself the only other Islay obtainable in this small town, having recently added an Ardbeg 10yo to his small but growing library of SMSs.

He gave himself a Bowmore legend (he thought he had added the 12yo Bowmore to his collection a few months ago, but upon opening the presentation canister, he discovered there was a legend inside. He took it back disappointed to some rather apologetic bottle shop staff, but walking past the liquor store today, he said "buggrit, better get me some of that". Said staff opened the canister just to make sure, before passing it onto me). Having just poured both Islays, he can say it was certainly what he was looking for (although surely he would have enjoyed the 12yo more). He has complimented them with a dinner of beef covered in proscuitto and parmesan, and the very ill cat was offered the proscuitto rind, given that he usually goes ape over said. He unfortunately still turned his nose up at it after sniffing gingerly. Darned unfortunate timing, picking the time when the local vet was earning a well earned break.

A recent discussion in the control room lead to the discover that a few regular observers are SMS drinkers too, and he has obtained the cooperation of a couple of them to bring some more Islays up from a better stocked part of this country next time we are scheduled on together. We then proceeded onto drinking russian caravan, as I cooked some bacon for midnight lunch.

Yes, I like smokey flavours. Why do you ask?

We didn't get anything new (which was odd in itself) but we _did_ open the 25yo Talisker and the Ardbeg 'Lord of the Isles'.

Wow.

The Talisker is possibly the most well balanced whisky I've ever sampled. It's undeniably a Talisker, but the edginess of the 10yo is turned way down, which has the effect of making the salty undertones more apparent. It's almost illegally smooth as well. On the nose it's like walking a costal cliff edge with a storm coming - a fabulous dram.

The Ardbeg is also very good, but not 100UKP good.

I'll try and prise a couple more samples out of SWMBO and try to take some proper notes next time :-)

Jim

"nospam" wrote

santa brought me a flask. i'm coming to your house to fill it up.

cheers! Doc

I also got Talisker 18. Opened it the first night and enjoyed it a lot. I was afraid the age would tone down the smoke, which it did, but not in an unpleasant way.

Peace,

Jock

We received a bottle of Ardbeg "Airigh Nam Beist", which to be honest really isn't our taste. But we are hopeful that friends will enjoy it. :-)

Gladys.

nospam schrieb:

For me, it was a Benriach Single Cask which was 17 moths in a Port Cask. It arrived here yesterday but still a x-mas parcel for me ;-) And it came along with some memories since I took some pictures at Benriach distillery this year [1]

Andreas

We didn't get any Scotch this year.

But we did just this evening return from two weeks in St. Martin, bearing four bottles of Morin Calvados (1 Fine, 2 Hors d"Age, and one 25-yr.XO) and two bottles of Cask 1623 purchased at the Pyrat Rum plant on Anguilla. I am pleased to report that all bottles survived the trip in our luggage. 8;)

-- Larry

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007, Gladys wondrously revealed:

} }We received a bottle of Ardbeg "Airigh Nam Beist", which to be honest really }isn't our taste. But we are hopeful that friends will enjoy it. :-) } }Gladys. }

Um... need any new friends? ;-)

I got a Talisker 18yo, Laphroaig Cask Strength, and a Lowland whisky which I've been meaning to try for a long time: Auchentoshan.

Happy New Year, everybody.

Dr H

I picked up the Laphroaig CS, a Longrow and the Bruichladdich (peated)

And to you. Cheers.

I used to not like Auchentoshan but I got a bottle as a gift and am revising my opinions. It's really very nice and rich, not near as light as I remembered it.

On Sat, 12 Jan 2008, nick wondrously revealed:

}Dr H wrote: } }> I got a Talisker 18yo, Laphroaig Cask Strength, and a Lowland whisky }> which I've been meaning to try for a long time: Auchentoshan. } }I used to not like Auchentoshan but I got a bottle as a gift and }am revising my opinions. It's really very nice and rich, not }near as light as I remembered it. }

I've been finding it a pleasant diversion when I take a break from all the heavy peat. There aren't too many light whiskys that I like enough to actually buy a bottle of -- this may be one, along with The Macallan 12 yo French Oak (if I can find any more of it).

Dr H