Day 3 we visited Buffalo Trace (which felt a bit too Disney), Four Roses, Woodford and Whiskey Thief which was huge fun. Now back to Dallas and then home. #bourbon #rye

Day 2 we’ve done Heaven Hill, Preservation and Yellowstone. Heaven Hill is quite impressive but I liked Yellowstone the most. #bourbon #whiskey

Day 1 in Kentucky. Some nice Angels Envy but at 175 a bottle not for me! Next up Evergreen Liquor #bourbon

A crazy bottle share with too many to mention. Got a whisky event this afternoon and another bottle share tonight. Let’s hope I make it!

Anyone know what this is? It was fruity and possibly lightly peated.

Popped into Crowded Barrel and tried these two. The unpeated Single MoM doesn’t drink anywhere near its proof which is dangerous! #whiskey

Had a very late night with great friends in Austin last night. Fantastic company and some absolutely outstanding drams. #whisky

Visiting Garrison Brothers distillery in Hye, Texas. Some interesting single barrels. #bourbon #whiskey

Opened this up last night and enjoyed it. I'll have to try it again with a fresh palate. #whisky

These guys produce some wonderful single malts and this one is no exception. A smoky, fruity nose and palate with a long finish. Give it a couple of drops of water and it gets really juicy like overripe plums and Fanta grape. #whisky

My son came bearing gifts so we are having a couple of drams that he hasn’t tried yet. #whisky

The 16.1 is my favourite now it's opened up. Dirty on the nose, which I like, icing sugar, apricot danish, slightly floral, seaweed and honeyed sweetness layered into the peat. I'm no expert but this year the level of peat seems much more balanced. Or maybe I'm just getting old. #whisky

Last of the new batch today. More peat on the nose than the palate which is sweet honey, apricot, peach, nectarine and a little brine. Nice dram and my initial opinion is that it is as good as past years. #whisky

Time to see where this 16.2 fits in. Initial thoughts: lemons and prune juice on the nose, not much peat. On the palate salty peat, lemons, pear drops, slightly bitter grapefruit, spicy mollasses. Very nice indeed. #whisky

For any of you that live within the SE London area, I will be holding a BS-busting, drink-it-your-way, build your whisky confidence tasting. Pairings. Blind drams. Fun. Esp for those new to whisky or suffering from Dunning-Kruger effect. Hit the link below. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/welcome-to...

Some booty from Dublin airport. They have a fantastic range of Irish whiskey in their duty free. Next time I’ll take a spare case!

Neck pour of the 16.1 but poured the others to remind myself. It is exceptionally rare that I get a weird neck pour but today is one of those. This 16.1 is giving me wet wood on the nose and very little at all on the palate so I think it needs some time open. I'll try it again next week. #whisky

I'm a big fan of these Flora & Fauna bottles. They convey the distillery character so well, the meaty, oily Benrinnes and the fruity, spicy toffee of the Dailuaine. #whisky

Waxy tropical fruit salad, walnuts, mince pies, dark chocolate and salted caramel for the Clynelish. I’m still getting to know the Glenkinchie but my first impressions are it’s delicious! Sweet citrus, chocolate mice, foam bananas and lots more. I think this one is going to be a classic. #whisky

A couple of interesting new additions to the lineup. When I've recovered from #BlindDrams I'll give these a try.

The sweetest perfume. Just amazing. Saving the last dram for a visitor.

Unbelievable lineup! Thank you so much. #BlindDrams

DRAM 5 - Torabhaig Special Reserve - TWS Exclusive No more than 6 yo, combination of madeira, bourbon and refill whisky casks, peated, 61.5% Cost £109 www.whiskyshop.com/torabhaig-sp... #BlindDrams

DRAM 4 - Ardnahoe Society 2024 5 yo, combination of PX and Oloroso sherry casks, peated, 59.1% Cost £85 www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whi... #BlindDrams

DRAM 3 - Raasay Na Sia Single Cask Series - Peated Chinkapin 5 yo, first fill chinkapin oak, 61.6% Cost £95 www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whi... #BlindDrams

DRAM 2 - Arran SMWS 121.113 Immersive Beachside Buffet 9 yo, first fill bourbon, lightly peated, 61.5% Cost £57 www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whi... #BlindDrams

DRAM 1 - Lindores Friar John Cor Chapter III No age statement, combination of bourbon, Amontillado sherry and PX sherry casks, unpeated, 60.2% Cost £70 www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whi... #BlindDrams

It’s a 3 from me. All fantastic tonight 🥳

Dram 5 is peaty, sherry, smoked ham, sulphur, slightly astringent. Very nice. #BlindDrams

Dram 4 is a 5 for me #BlindDrams

N: charred lemon, mineral, seafood P: citrus, maritime, smoky, salty F: Herbal, brine, sweet #BlindDrams

3 for me #BlindDrams

N: Toffee, funky, slightly sulphur P: Funky toffee, sulphury Sherry, polished leather F: Peppery sweet toffee #BlindDrams

N: Peaty, coal, mineral P: Smoky vanilla, fresh, fizzy orange Finish: more of the same 4 for me #BlindDrams

Dram 1: it’s a 3 with water #BlindDrams

Nose: Slightly smoky, brackish heather, fudge, crushed flowers, apricots Palate: heather, fudge, brine, spicy, salted caramel Finish: pepper, sweet muscovado sugar #BlindDrams

Obviously the Convalmore is the star here although I'm looking forward to eventually getting the 14yo Roseisle 2025 SR 1/2 price at Amazon 🤣. The Convalmore is Kendall mint cake, waxy lemons and honey with a background of pipe tobacco. #whisky

Last meeting of the day is going to be interesting 😂 The Cardhu is sticky toffee sauce with ginger sponge and spices. The Oban has opened up now and is really juicy and fruity. Fanta orange, peach and undertones of polished leather. #whisky

Meaty, oily, industrial and yet sweet, this Mortlach is delicious. This is one of my favourite Lagavulin releases, the range of smoky, peaty flavours is extraordinary! #whisky

#rant Apparently I’m uneducated and a sucker for Big Whisky marketing. One day I’ll be far enough into my “whisky journey” to know better. In the meantime I’ll enjoy these drams from Diageo. Then I’ll like, subscribe, join the Patreon and find out what my preferences should be. #whisky

Ready!

Talisker 8 SR 2020, way more peat than I thought. Prickly, sweet maritime flavours. Delicious. #whisky

Out for dinner last night at a restaurant in Ortigia, Sicily and this was the whisky selection!

Airline whisky today. Still a very enjoyable blend and one I don’t turn down. #whisky

Some classic older Speyside from a long established player alongside a new youngster from Islay. #whisky

Once I start down the Octomore rabbit hole I just keep going. These two are similar ppm values but apart from the smoke not much alike. The Virgin oak is spicy sweetness whereas the 10yo is dried fruit, a seaside rock and waxy walnuts. #whisky

Henry McKenna is classic bourbon to me. The Cù Bòcan is seriously good, polished leather wingback in a smoky gentleman’s club. Ardmore is pineapple, apples and lemons cooked on the BBQ. #bourbon #whisky

Decided bourbon and peat were the way to end my evening. Love the field to cup nature of Frey Ranch. Octomore is the end of the evening dram, you aren't tasting anything after that! Beautifully sweet, viscous and heavy ashy smoke #whiskey #bourbon #whisky

My wife selected these for me. Peated Teaninich is interesting! Floral and earthy, slightly salty with a honey glazed baked apple finish. Laphroaig CS is the usual iodine feast turned up to 11. #whisky