MahDooRow

I am a HUGE Dylan fan and I love good Kentucky bourbon. Tennessee whiskey not so much. If I were forced to speculate I'd guess that this product sells about as well as Dylan's albums from the mid-80s.

As stated by @ayepatz Talisker is from Skye, but there is some overlap in its flavor profile with Islay whisky. In my limited experience with Talisker 10, it is a solid, quality malt. I like it, but I don't love it. If I want that smokey, maritime flavor profile I head for Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Laphroaig. I absolutely love all three and have a hard time choosing a favorite. As of late I've been gravitating more towards Lagavulin 16 and Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength. Despite the high ABV of the Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength it doesn't need much water to open up, and it will quickly fall apart if you add too much water. If you've been on the fence about trying the Cask Strength because of the high ABV, have no fear. It's a must try if you enjoy the regular Laphroaig 10.

^ Probably correct though outrageous. Cost of shipping is the reason I've never ordered anything from TWE or MOM.

I'm late to the party, but it looks like there are still open spots. I'll take Monday 26th (NY Time) or Wednesday 28th (NY Time) if still available. Thanks!

LIKES: Montecristo: No. 1, No. 3, Especial No. 2, H. Upmann No. 2, PC & Mag 46, Por Larrañaga PC & Montecarlo, Bolivar CG, PC & Tubos No. 1, Partagas 898 & DC, Diplomaticos No. 2, Punch Punch, RyJ Chuchill & CdL No. 1, Vegas Robaina Clasicos & Unicos, Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 1 & No. 2, LGC Medaille D'Or (all of them). MEH / Somewhat Dislike: Cohiba, most Ramon Allones (especially Gigantes), SLR Regios, Hoyo de Monterrey DC.

That was a lot of fun and I have not been back to the Davidoff Lounge since that meeting @Fuzz. I'd definitely be up for going back to meet another brother from down under. I'll PM Steve to coordinate. Cheers!

Great read! This article put a big smile on my face. Four Roses and the folks at Four Roses totally rock! Thanks for sharing.

Interesting. I would have guessed Karuizawa. Based on the picture above this Yamazaki 50 year was bottled in 2011. Hard to believe it's already fetching ~$300k. And it's highly likely that the buyer will never taste a single drop.

I'm with @Ethernut. There is a lot of great bourbon/whiskey/whisky available that does not require one to spend $150+. I buy to drink, not to collect. That being said, I have nothing against $150+ bottles or collectors. People collect lots of different stuff and alcohol is no exception. On occasion I'm disappointed that some bottles are out of my reach solely because of the collector market, but it is what it is. No big deal in the long run. When I find something really good at a fair price that is not mass produced I usually buy multiple bottles. This strategy works pretty well and I'm a happy man.

^Nice!

+1 for Benromach. So far I've only tried the 10 year Imperial Proof, but it is indeed delicious! It offers lovely sweet fruity qualities with a healthy level of peat smoke. More peat than I was expecting and that is definitely s good thing.

As for the main topic "favorite Islay malts", my response is ALL OF THEM! While I'm fairly new to Islay single malts I dove head first into the deep end as soon as I realized how much I loved heavily peated scotch. Of the base offerings that I've tried, Ardbeg 10 is at the top of the list, followed by Caol Ila 12 and Laphroaig 10. Lagavulin 16 is also excellent, but it's a little sweeter than I prefer. Bunnahabhain and Bowmore are still on the "need to try" list. Edit: Went back for another dram of the Lagavulin 16 last night and the sweetness was more subdued. Still present, but in much better balance with the salt and the smoke. The bottle's been open for several weeks and the whisky has benefitted. The Caol Ila 15 year "unpeated style" is still available from a few online retailers. Is it totally unpeated? How would you describe the flavor profile compared to the standard 12 year? Thanks!

This ^. And this ^. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY. AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! HO HO HO.

Me too, and I'm sure we have lots of company. I still fail to understand how the HUPC could have even remotely been considered for the deletion list. Time will tell if it is just a ruse. As for the others in the Top 10 list, the Monte Tubos were/are suberb! The Fonseca #1 are also pretty tasty. I love the format and the flavor.

There were several stellar codes that I encountered in 2016. Forced to pick no more than two I have to go with OBM and SOM.

I was feeling adventurous and decided to try Barrell Whiskey Batch 004. This company is not a distiller, nor do they claim (or infer in any of their marketing materials) to be a distiller. However, the reviews of their products have been quite good. They seem to have a talent for creating interesting blends and for employing creative finishing techniques. Barrell Whiskey Batch 004 was blended from 11 year old whiskey distilled in Indiana and Tennessee, finished in used rum casks and rye barrels and bottled at cask strength (120.6 proof). This is the first of their products that I have sampled and I have to say that I really liked it. The influence of the rum casks is very evident on the nose as well as on the palate, but the whiskey still has good overall balance. I got flavors of honey and pineapple on the front end followed by a burst of heat and spice with some vanilla and sweet oak on the finish. If you like your whiskey at cask strength and are in the mood for something a little different then I'd definitely recommend you give Barrell Whiskey Batch 004 a try. I quite enjoyed it. On the more traditional end of the spectrum I also recently sampled the third offering of 2017 from the Booker's Small Batch series, "Front Porch Batch". I love anything and everything Booker's and this batch did not disappoint. The reviews of Front Porch Batch have been somewhat tepid and I will admit that this is not the best batch I've had. However, on balance it's still very good. You get that traditional Booker's corn sweetness with a noticeable amount of vanilla, a moderate amount of burn and an oaky finish. The finish on this batch is shorter than usual, but not short enough to cause any reason for complaint.

While picking up a bottle of bourbon this evening I decided to browse the rum aisle. After looking at darn near every bottle on the shelf I decided to roll the dice on the Flor de Caña Centenario 12 yr. I am extremely impressed. What a wonderful sipping rum! Extremely smooth and well balanced with a subtle sweetness. Flavors of caramel and walnuts, baking spices and a bit of oak in the background. Good stuff for sure.

Add me to the "NO" list for the same reason already stated by others. I can't taste much when my sinuses are all clogged up so it ends up being a waste of money and time.

Another vote for the Monte #1 (BUM ABR 15). Punch Punch (SOM NOV 15) have also been very good.

Monte #2 in 2003. I think I paid $150.

+1 for HEIGH HO.

HdM Epi Especial are nice and creamy. Monte #1 is my go-to cigar for a "café con leche" flavor profile.

I'll be riding out this storm at home in Sarasota. I've been through many hurricanes, but never anything like Irma. Wind speeds in my area are estimated to be 120 - 130mph (193 - 209kph) with a storm surge of 10 - 15 feet (3 - 4.5 meters). I'm at an elevation that should keep me about 8 feet (2.4 meters) above the storm surge. However, the wind speed definitely concerns me. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Irma's path. Stay as safe as possible.

That sure wouldn't cause me to freak out. It doesn't look like a beetle hole, but it can't hurt to isolate the box from the rest of your stock.

Just because they can doesn't mean they should. However, some undoubtedly will.