Whisky deals at Astor Wines & Spirits (NYC)

Speaking of shopping, I had a nice time riding the cable cars out in San Francisco a week ago. The most unusual find (at the end of the Powell/Mason cable car) was a Trader Joes 10 year old Macallan "oak cask" at

40% for about $20. This is not the "fine oak" series. If they are selling in bulk to Trader Joes, I wonder if it is perhaps the "not nearly as fine oak" selection--but I haven't opened it yet!

The one I HAVE opened is a Hart Brothers Glenturret cask strength which is excellent--the last Glenturret I had was at 40% and it tasted pretty bad, to be honest. Old-rain-soaked-leaf-pile would be one somewhat positive description for that last one, though I hate to say it but there were some definite nuances of exchanging the last three letters of the distillery name with one of the first four letters of the alphabet. But this cask strength version is bold and zesty, which makes it more like colorful, dappling, freshly falling leaves in autumn--I'm really pleased to have such a nice expression of Glenturret! At the same shop (D&M at the end of the California line cable car and then a short ride on a bus to Van Ness) I picked up a Compass Box Peat Monster.

Taking the cable car back up California, and then transferring down to the Powell street turnaround, I picked up a bus for a few blocks to K&L, where they had the same damn Compass Box Peat Monster for $9 less ($36 instead of $45--I was tempted into getting it at D&M because they had a special with big signs and said it was knocked down from $56)!!! At K&L in unfashionable south-of-Market I got a Whisky Galore Aultmore 14, a Hart Brothers Cask Strength Pulteney (both for around $30), and a DunBheagan Caol Ila 10 Rum Finish (for around $40) with which to drown my sorrows about spending too much for the Peat Monster.

The dim sum was great too.

Just cracked a bottle of the Run Finish last week, and must admit I didn't care for the flavor. I have a bottle of the Compass bOx Eleuthra awiting opening -- have you tried that before the Peat Monster?

-- Larry

I haven't had the Eleuthra--I might open the Peat Monster and the rum finish this weekend. Now that you mention it, it doesn't sound like a very good complement to Caol Ila!

I have a bottle of the Rum Finish and it seems to taste different each time I try it. Sometimes I think its a brilliant marriage and other times I wonder what they were thinking.

I've had the Monster (the CS version), and I think its one of my favorite drams. It's really rich, smoky and full-flavored. The Eleuthera is a thin disappointment when tasted alongside the Monster. So drink that separately!

I stopped by Astor Spirits to check out the deals, and I ended up picking up the Peat Monster. And I'm very happy with it.

"SleepyWeevil" wrote in news:9yxKd.4159$G31.3840@okepread05:

The Compass Box site says that Caol Ila is the base whisky for both Eluthera (which I love) and Peat Monster (which I haven't tasted).

It was on the basis of loving Eluthera that I first tasted Caol Ila, and it was love at first sip. I've now tasted four or five expressions of Caol Ila and each is different. I liked the rum finish the least, and the Signatory 13-yo un-chill filtered best. YMMV,

From the name "Peat Monster" I would have expected the base malt to be Laphroaig rather than Caol Ila.

My $0.02 worth

The Monster is Caol Ila vatted with Ardmore. I've only had a couple different kinds of Ardmore, but it is rich and smoky in its own right, and The Signatory UCF bottling is really outstanding.

There is another vatted malt out there called Hogs Head. It is reputedly a vatting of 1/3 Linkwood and 2/3 Lagavulin. Both very young, but a good bargain and a tasty dram.