Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all...

We brought the new year in with friends and Ardbeg Galileo. What a fantastic dram. We first tasted this in the distillery and I was impressed then, but taking time to savour this and it is even better. Powerful, yet smooth.

We also received a parcel from our Japanese friend Yoichi with a few treats in it. Three 20cl bottles of Japanese whisky... 2 from the Nikka Distillery. Coffey Grain and a Sherry Sweet 12 year olds. Both very tasty. The Coffey Grain has a real honey sweet, almost candyfloss finish. The Sherry Sweet has an initial spirit hit which sweetens as it goes down. The other bottle was a distillery only bottling of Hakushu. We have the 12yo on our shelves, also given to us by Yoichi. The 12yo resembles the Scottish Malts, but this has something very different. I would say go out an get yourself some, but that's not possible!

The shelves are full at the moment, but there's still a wishlist in my head... Topping it at the moment are Laphroaig Triple Wood, Bowmore Tempest and Ardbeg Uigeadeal.

If moonshine don't kill me I'll live till I die...

As a little extra, we've also been looking into making a small batch of moonshine in the new year to age ourselves. Just a bit of fun, not sure if we'll go ahead yet!

It's been a busy month...

Shelves have grown this month far more than they should have done having come back from Islay last month. But when MoM have Octomore 5.1 on for £65 you can't say no.

I also bought my wife a 1litre barrel for her birthday so that we can age our own new make spirit. We've "burned" the barrel with some JD, and now there is some Glenglassaugh Peated Spirit aging in there. They say 3-8 weeks in the 1 litre barrel is enough so we will be having our first tasting on Christmas Day.

We have also bought a bottle of Bruichladdich X4 before it is unavailable to try some different finishes on! Our friends gave us a bottle of port and a bottle of Pedro Ximenez sherry to taste the barrel with for finishing.

I was however very well behaved in Sainsburys yesterday. They have Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban (port finished) on 1/3 off which takes it down to £26. But couldn't quite afford it at the moment. It gets brilliant reviews.

Just Back...

Just back from a fantastic few days on Islay with the wife and daughter and 2 good friends. What a beautiful island, and what beautiful whisky. Tours of Bruichladdich, Bowmore and Ardbeg and a Tasting Tour of Lagavulin. Magic.

Lots of whisky added to the shelf. Almost 40 different single malts now.