My mate 'Hardmalt' has got me into the old boilermakers...mixing stouts and porters with whisky shots...

I'm not sure how I feel about that as yet. But one thing I am certain of is that drinking from a chilled glass with an unfamiliar stout/porter either local or import...and then finishing with a shot of whisky is very agreeable...

Those stout glasses are a treat when the head foams up!

Here is last saddy's line up...minus food tray...

Oh, and the Deanston on the left was a standout followed by the Arran and then the Deanston on the right.

 

3 hours ago, pete_mac said:

 

It truly is!!

Bugger! Sale ended Wednesday

On 20/03/2025 at 12:56 PM, pete_mac said:

Recently stocked-up on a decent easy-drinker - one bottle for home and one bottle for the office drinks cart

 

Yes, it’s part of the Diageo stable (from the "Flora and Fauna series") and has a healthy dose of E150a colouring, but at $70 per bottle on Amazon (down from $150+) it’s a great price for a 16 year old. 
 

 

 

 

These fellas are proving to be extremely enjoyable and most definitely respond well to being opened and a bit of oxidation. Certainly not a bottle to judge based upon the initial neck-pour... let him breathe!

 

Given the pricing is still $70 on BezosMarket, I've snaffled another bottle for safe-keeping  

 

Excellent Tassie Whisky. Bill Lark’s daughter. 

https://hiconsumption.com/vices/bonhams-skinner-the-encyclopedia-whisky-collection-auction/
 

 

Watching the Swans is driving me to drink.  Cask strength Talisker might just do it. 

Won this 10 years ago today, still haven’t opened it yet 🥴

1 hour ago, cafe67 said:

Won this 10 years ago today, still haven’t opened it yet 🥴

Reading this reminded me that I'v still got these to open - one day!

Anyone else drink Loch Lomond? My favorite is this Moscatel Finish one. Anyone know any similar ones? Not a massive Whisky drinker but this one got me into it.

I wonder if anyone knows where I can find one of these (1980-92):

                           

Or one of these (92-94):

As distinct from anything with the royal seal:

                                

I suspect that anything bottled before 1980 is probably going to be a bit beyond my wallet for a 10YO...

Superb

On 27/07/2025 at 12:48 PM, stereonut said:

Reading this reminded me that I'v still got these to open - one day!

There's a couple of interesting Bowmores at auction, finishing today. I think they've just gone over my budget, but they may end up being cheaper than on the open market - we'll see!

https://www.whiskytrade.com.au/products/bowmore-vintners-trilogy-port-cask-27-year-old-single-malt-scotch-whisky-700ml-1

https://www.whiskytrade.com.au/products/bowmore-26-year-old-french-oak-barrique-vintner-s-trilogy-700ml-1

 

21 hours ago, Cloth Ears said:

There's a couple of interesting Bowmores at auction, finishing today. I think they've just gone over my budget, but they may end up being cheaper than on the open market - we'll see!

https://www.whiskytrade.com.au/products/bowmore-vintners-trilogy-port-cask-27-year-old-single-malt-scotch-whisky-700ml-1

https://www.whiskytrade.com.au/products/bowmore-26-year-old-french-oak-barrique-vintner-s-trilogy-700ml-1

 

Quite a bit under open market price, in fact. Including the 10%BP, $770 and $726 are way under how much you'd pay for these anywhere else. Myself, I had to make do with a 16YO 1994 Highland Park and a WA corn whisky...

https://hiconsumption.com/vices/whistlepig-the-bigshebang-30-year-north-american-single-malt/
 

 

After a bs couple of weeks dealing with work partners I needed to pull out the big guns. 

Tried these over the last couple of days - wins at a couple of auctions. Very different, but both pretty nice in different ways. I think the Upshot is mostly corn but definitely not bourbon tasting.

Edited September 16, 2025Sep 16 by Cloth Ears

Auction results - it's pretty fun...Wickman's

A pre-2013 bottle of Lagavulin. How much before 2013 bottling will decide how much of the old 50ppm "smoke" and the new 35ppm distillate was used to make this. If it was bottled before 2009, it's probably all 50ppm, if it was in 2012, then it might be up to 2/3 of the 35ppm.

Then there was the Langton's one.

First a 1980's bottling of the standard Glenfiddich - although it's not a 12YO (at least, on the label). Apparently this is one of the few whiskies from the 80's and before that is NOT an improvement on the current version. I'll be looking for the current one to be on special at some point, so I can pick one up and compare myself.

Then, the 12YO cask strength Lagavulin from 2020. I have the 2022 and I've heard that the 2023 (tequila barrel) is not as good as the earlier ones. I'm still looking for the 2021 and any earlier ones (at a reasonable price)

And finally, a 1980's bottling of JW Black (1 litre). This definitely is better than the current version. In fact it compares quite nicely with a lot of single malts and if you didn't know it, you might think it a single malt. Great buy!

And last a fantastic buy from the recent Langton's auction.

A 1960's or 70's 40 fluid ounce bottling of White Heather. This is absolutely delicious, somewhat akin to a 25YO Glenfarclas but much smoother and with a more viscous mouthfeel. And that's 1125ml in the new scale. I'm making some serious inroads into this one. The only issue was that it lost most of the label between the auction and arriving. But that doesn't affect what's in it. The cork was a mess, but I had a cork from a Singleton bottle which is exactly the right size!

The picture from the auction:

Pictures on arrival:

   

Historical documents from early tastings in around 1998 (notice the first Sullivan's Cove release is in there).

I snaffled this sucker during the Sippify Black Friday sales.

$249 down to $55. Stonking value.

Being matured in Galway Pipe tawny tasks was a big drawcard for this tawny-lover ;)

4 minutes ago, pete_mac said:

I snaffled this sucker during the Sippify Black Friday sales.

$249 down to $55. Stonking value.

Being matured in Galway Pipe tawny tasks was a big drawcard for this tawny-lover ;)

Great deal and pretty amazing presentation, enjoy 😎

Excellent

A distinctly Australian feel to this Christmas collection. OK - some are rums, but there isn't a rum thread.

Southerly change has finally arrived. Time to sit outside and crack this banger.

Gotta love family. These brought back by youngest sister after their trip to Japan. I suggested a few distilleries to visit when they weren't skiing and look what I got!