This year was christened “The Year Of You Say It, You Do It” in January… Needless to say, we are not The Leslieville Psychic Society. Anyhow, the year is finally, almost over, and it is time to look to the future. This year, we added two new members, David Roy and Jason Mercer, so birthdays going forward will be a stronger haul for all. With luck and time, we will be able to start gathering again and doing some tastings later in 2021. This will also be an opportunity to re-build the whisky collection. The current inventory is still reasonable, but is no where near it’s glory days, so I won’t replace that page in the site just yet…rather I will list them here with in this post. As of today our collection is 68 bottles:
MD
Glenmorangie 14 Quinta Rubin
Ardbeg 10 uo
Aberfeldy 16 uo
Glen Farclas 15 uo
Bowmore 18
Bowmore 17
Bowmore 15
Macallan 18
Laphroaig 16
Scapa 14
Penderyn Mederia Cask uo
Penderyn Legend
Amorik Brittany uo
Glen Breton 10 uo
Glen Breton 13 CS (64.9%)
Mortlach 12
Dalmore12 uo
Dalwhinnie 15
Deanston Virgin Oak
Highland Park Magnus
Highland Park 12
Singleton Dufftown 12
Macallan Gold
Glenlivet Nadurra CS(60.3%)
Bunnahabhain 12
Jim Beam Bourbon
Bulliet Bourbon
Kilchoman Machir Bay
Amrut Fusion
GlenFiddich 18
Dun Bheagan Small Batch Islay
The Ardmore
BenRiach Birnie Moss
Tullibardine 225
Suntory Toki Japanese
Powers Irish
Jameson Caskmates Stout Irish
Hellyers Road Tasmanian
Hakkiestraad South African
Canadian Club Canadian
Forty Creek Barrel Select Canadian
DS
The Arran
Auchentoshan 12
Auchroisk 1998
Blair Athol 1997
Caol Ila 17- 1991
Cardhu
Connemara
Cragganmore 18
Craigellachie 17
Deerstalker 10
Glenkinchie 19 – 1987
Glenlivit Captains Reserve
Glen Scotia 1992
Mortlach 15 – 1994
Penderyn
Proper Twelve
Scapa 14
Signal Hill
Talisker – Distillers Edition
Te Bheag
Tullibardine 1988
Tullibardine 1993
Tullibardine Aged Oak Edition
JM
Bowmore 12
Laphroaigh 10
Jameson Caskmates
RDB
Auchentoshin 21
Sometimes, a night where it’s just a little dick farm is not so bad. Dave Rob and I enjoyed a wonderful night of delicious whiskey and nerd jazz. This is something that could never occur when the girls were around- they wouldn’t allow it and rightly so, because it’s not conducive for conversation because it’s about the listening to it, you know, jazz. In any case this was predicated because wonderful amazing piano player and improviser Lyle Mays passed away a couple of days ago and Rob and I were talking about it. So we started out by listening to a bunch of Pat Metheny group with Lyle and then moved onto shadows and light tour for Joni Mitchell with Jaco Pastorius, Don Elias, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays. Stupidly beautiful.
Whiskeys enjoyed were
Penderyn Peated
Balblair 15
Craigallachie 17
Weymiss Peat chimney
Glen Deveron 12.
Tasting notes: The Craigallachie 17 smelled and tasted like cinnamon apple pie with just a hint of dispair. The Balblair 15 is all caramelly. The Penderyn is basically welchs white grape juice poured through a peat filled coffee filter. It was a small hang but really nice to nerd out and listen to jazz and drink whiskey between a few visits to the porch. As I write this, I am sitting in a coffee shop after fewer than 5 hours of sleep, having needed to get Arthur to his 10am Second City improv class way across town. Ouch.
Friday January 17
The end of the week, that Nancy so dearly needed, had
David Roy, Dave, Ginette, Jason, Lena, Matthew, Nancy, and Rob.
With regard to whiskey…
Rob brought:
Glen Goyne 18
Rob’s Two Wood (need cit.)
Dave brought:
Talisker Distillers Edition
12 Year Old 46.8% (with furry dust still present from it’s long time hiding on the top of Dave’s cabinet. Jeez Dave.)
Matt brought:
Glenmorangie Quinta Rubin
Bowmore 12
Also listened to a lot of funk.
The “my brother’s bike has been stolen” (keywords: 17, waterpark, LSD, bike off bridge)
and schlubb. “No really its a word, my mom said it to me and she was quite read, so, it’s definitely a word it describes when Stainglass windows change, because they were thought to be liquid in some super- super slow state where over time the glass would flow downwards over centuries and make it thicker at the bottom.
Well, after many many searches of the Internet and timers being set by both Dave and Rob and bets being laid on how long it would take me to find the word I have actually determined that it was not schlubb but in fact the word slub which meant a thicker part of a material. In any case, it was all a preamble to Igorrr, “Very Noise”. This is truly the weirdest tune/ video I have seen in a long while. Check it out…
Assembled for the second Friday of 2020 were Annie, Dave, David, Ginette, Lena, Matthew, Nancy, Regan, Rob and Tony.well done Leslieville.
First stop is the 21-year-old Auchentoshan that Rob recently purchased on sale no less. I just tasted Burnt coconut and something like Green Apple pie, layer after layer. I think I was supposed to smell black currents but in any case it was unbelievably sublime. Next up (for the reason that we knew what the third and fourth whiskeys would be) was Dave’s Tullibardine Aged Edition which was yummy but super contrasting and different from the carmel and lovingness of the 21-year-old Auchentoshan.Next up was the Bowmore head to head,Different Woods- 18 dominated by Sherry. 17 more oaky to be sure. Still wonderfully similar with the smokiness and Islay flavour.Then, when we were sated, having enjoyed so many sweet malts, then, like an old friend passes you on the street…wee drams of Scapa 14 (A bottle I’ve had since 2010)
Wowser. Hot buttered popcorn all around. Last of the night for the hardcore participants, Aberfeldy16- great googly moogly! Super strong showing so far this year.
Auchentoshan 21 !!! Bowmores 18 and 17 Head To Head. Surprise late delight Scapa 14!Aberfeldy 16 good lord creme brulé
In other news, Stoyles achieves self- barracade level!
Leslieville Scotch Society’s Whiskey inventory 2017
MATT’S
Tullabardine 225
Tullabardine Sherry 2008
Jura Diurach’s Own
Oban 14
Glenmorangie Original
Glenmorangie Lasanta
Glenmorangie Astar cask strength
Signatory Bunnahabhain 9
Dalwhinnie 15
Bowmore Small batch bourbon
Aberfeldy 12
Glen Farclas 15
Balvenie 12 Double wood
Johnny Walker Blue
Wemyss 12
Bablair 19
Black Adder Auchroisk 18
BenRiach Bernie Moss
Kilchoman Machir Bay
Glen Breton 13 cask strength
Guillon Banyuls Cask
Hellyers Road Tasmanian
Glen Breton
Glen Cadham port wood 12
Deerstalker 18
Caol Ila 10
The Macallan Cask strength
Pendaryn 41
Scapa 14
Ardbeg 10
Amorik Brittany
St. Magdalene 31
ROB’S
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Tobermory 10
Allt A Bhainne 1996 17yo (C.C.)
Blair Athol 1997 16yo (C.C.)
Glenfiddich 12
Glenfiddich 19
Port Dundas Single Grain 1978 33yo (Provenance)
Bowmore Raw Cask 2001 13yo (Blackadder)
Bowmore 18
Ledaig 10
Highland Park Einar
Dalmore 15
Longrow 7yo (J.&A. Mitchell)
Bunnahabhain 18
Kilchoman
Glendronach 15
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12
Bruichladdich The Laddie 10
Talker Dark Storm
Scapa 14
Craigellachie 17
Laphroaig 18
Balvenie 21 Portwood
Glen Grant 31 (Douglas Laing’s Old & Rare)
Glenfarclas Family Cask 1980 27yo
Macallan 25
Highland Park 25
DAVE’S
Arran Sautérnes Cask Finish
Arran 10
Aberlour 16
Auchentoshan 12 x 2
Auchroisk 1988 (Blackadder)
Black Bottle
Blair Athol 1997 16
Caol Ila 1991 – 17
Cardu 12 x 3
Conemara
Cragganmore 18 ( Duncan Taylor )
Deerstalker
Glen Garioch – Founders Reserve
Glen Grant 18
Glenkinchie 1987 – 19 (Signatory)
Glenlivit 15
Glen Scotia 1992 – 16 ((Murray McDavid)
Highland Park 12
Islay Mist 8
Laphroag Quarter Cask
Mortlach 1994 15 (Murray McDavid)
Oban 2009
Penderyn 41 Madeira
Scapa 14
Talisker 1996 Distillers Edition
Tomatin 12
Tullibardine 1988
Tullibardine 1993
Tullibardine – Aged Oak Edition
88 bottles. Not bad for three guys.
After a long and extended break from Friday nights, the counter got mightily rocked this evening as stragglers from far and wide showed up for a whisky night that went from sublime to shenanigans.
Rob, longtime member, first time caller, brought his most ill-gotten-booty, the outrageously generous gift of
THE MACALLAN 25!!! And if that wasn’t enough to just set the perfect mood, he also showed up with a novelty bottle 1.76 Litre GlenMorangie Original…like a pineapple club, it was.
Being the night one opens a bottle worth a few grand, here goes:
THE MACALLAN 25 Year Old
NOSE: Brown Sugar with fresh vanilla bean, mincemeat and rum notes with what can be described as pressed linen.
PALATE: Increased vanilla with anise and clove
Long lingering finish that ends with a dry, black tea tanin.
After enjoying this absolute beauty, we went on to the GlenMorangie. Well you know? It’s a testament to the Ten Men Of Tain who make this spirit to just how well this 10 year old stepped up after such an outstanding 25. There is good reason why this whiskey is in so many bars that only have 3 single malts.
Next up on the counter was a lowly, but optimally blended Chivas 12. There were many laughs as Rob Regan Ginette Nancy Jason Dave and I explored the mysterious world of “what the fuck did you just say!!!”
Arly and Rory tap dancers? Maybe.
Nose: heather and butter notes. Not quite floral, like old old potpourri, vanilla and a bit of playdoh.
Palate: screwdriver (vodka and orange juice) and leather.
Quick finish
Nose: peat smoke and rubber boot
Palate: hot and heavy, a little sharp around the edges.
Medium finish.
Nose: peat smoke and leather sandal
Palate: smarter more refined less balls than the 10 but much mellower
Lingering finish
Nose: peat smoke and new running shoe
Palate: Band-Aids and ballsy. a bit more aggressive than the 10 possibly due to the higher alcohol content of 48%
Medium finish