Whisky / Whiskey / Bourbon

Got a ka la van soloist whiskey again but the cask strength 59.4% version. It's better neat than with a drop of water. Neat and lovely.

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My wife's family are great I'm really lucky, they all know I'm crazy into scotch but when we were visiting in the summer I mentioned that I was fascinated by armagnac and would love to learn more. Guess they actually listen when I'm blathering on.

Picked some of this up in sainsbury for £26.66 thought it was worth checking out

https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/glenfiddich/glenfiddich-experimental-series-fire-and-cane-whisky/

It's sainsbury in pimlico if your in the hood and interested

Cotswolds Single Malt is genuinely among the best I've ever tasted. Just lovely!

Picked up an Octomore 8.2 from duty free this morning and just giving it a try.

Absolutely crazy stuff, 8 years in European oak with the usual ridiculous peat content. The wine barrels it’s been in have given it a ton of fruit which is probably even more noticeable than the smoke. It’s not subtle but I’m a big fan.

Had a bit of a sore throat all day, decided to dip into the collection, started with this

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Decided a round number was nicer, so washed it down with more of the Scottish stuff...

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Treating myself to a few whiskys in the Lord Wargrave. First up Springbank 15.

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Absolute beast that is Ardbeg Corryvreckan

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Swiss whisky. Interesting.

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^ interesting good or interesting bad?

I wish I still had some Gouden Carolus for tonight.

It's very young, sweet, spicy and peaty but the finish is very short, it's a bit all over the place but the spice dominates . Going to give it a few months to open up before trying it again.

My mate is in a band, a whisky band... Come join in the fun? https://thewhiskyband.com/shows

What Islay to try next? Ardbeg Uigeadail or Lagavulin 16?

laguvulin 16 is a nice drop
haven't tried uigeadail, but it's on my list.

bought a bottle of the cotswolds single malt based on recommendations on here and can confirm it's really delicious

They're both bang in my wheelhouse. Lagavulin slightly more rounded for me. Still chocker block full of peat though.

Some other delicious, heavy-hitting peaty whiskies that aren't silly expensive:
Kilchoman Machir Bay
Longrow Classic Peated
Compass Box The Peat Monster

Oog and the 16 are both great, with the lag much easier to find behind the bar. As mentioned above longrow peated is a great peated whisky from outside Islay. Kilchoman machir bay is good, but I much prefer the 100% islay if you can find it. Malted, peated and kilned on site to a lower peating than the regular expressions which are made from port Ellen maltings sourced barley (like most Islay whiskies), and a lot more fruity.

Ardbeg Uigeadail or Lagavulin 16?

Oogy is a big bacon frazzle heavy hitter. Cask strength, you'll know about it next day. Lovely.

Lagavulin 16 has such a lovely honey finish after the peat, absolutely gorgeous. Probably my fave overall

Get both!

Bourbon.
Friend's birthday. I like him.
Michter's? £50 ish....

What else?
ta.

in order of preference

Woodford Reserve
Single Barrel JD
Maker's Mark 46
Basil Haden's
Elijah Craig Small Batch

Seriously though - I have tried a lot of the new small batch and big brand stuff and for the most part it doesn't get better than Woodford Reserve and Single Barrel JD. Although Eagle Rare 17 is very special but very £££ because Bourbon explosion which has put all the amazing shit out of reach for the mere mortals.

Ta. I'll see what I can get between now and hometime...
Not a last minute thing. No. Def not.

Second vote for Woodford or Makers, they are both always in my booze cupboard

Yeah! I love 'em, but you know when you're buying for someone and you want to:
1) get them something a bit different
2) show them something nice
3) get an approving nod for being a boozehound of discerning taste
?

peaty whiskies that aren't silly expensive:

The Peat Monster is just silly. +1 for Longrow.

Which reminds me that I was given a bottle of the 18yo for Christmas and haven't touched it yet...

Blanton's. a bit above budget but nice and good looking bottle (as it's a gift)