Rather than go into detail about our bar/lounge, I'll share some highlights of some spirits that I'm especially proud of in my collection.
About 4 years ago I started buying whisky (and other types of alcohol) as an investment. We now spend probably 4-8 weeks now each year in Scotland, so it kind of naturally progressed. I'd bought several high end bottles the past few years. Most recently in May, I returned with 10 bottles in which I dropped some pretty serious coin.
We've made a habit of staying at the Dowans Hotel in Aberlour whenever we visit Speyside. We've grown quite close to Steph and her family who run the place, and it's the go to "watering hole", hangout for many of the Master Blenders who live and work there. This has enabled me to meet and befriend some amazing people who have been kind enough to get me access to some rare offerings, and I've been taking advantage.
My brand of choice is the Macallan. I've got 4 bottles of the M in my collection that I've had for a while. As for other rare offerings, several years ago I bought a case of Pappy Family Reserve whiskey. I think we've got about 8 bottles left.
On my last trip I bought 6 bottles of a Macallan 25 year old that was a limited run, that had never been offered in North America. I also bought a bottle of the Macallan 40 year old Sherry Oak. As well as a bottle of the Balvenie 40 year old.
Since I was on a run, and my wife had only rolled her eyes at me when I shared the news of the days prizes with her, I mentioned that I really, really wanted to go snag the bottle of the Macallan Lalique that I'd held in my hands earlier that day. Fatal error. It doesn't happen often that my wife puts her foot down, but had I gone back to buy that bottle, I think she might have killed me. "Honey, it's an investment" only goes so far.
I've got several other fine and rare bottles as well. Not just scotch or bourbon. We have a pretty nice wine cellar room as well.
If I'm honest, probably the best find I discovered in May was gin. We were in Edinburgh for 4 days and stayed at the Balmoral. The first night for dinner I was jet lagged and dog tired. I knew that if I had an adult beverage with dinner that it would send me straight to dreaming bliss. So, as I was trying to think of the best option to get me there the quickest, the first drink cart to come by was the gin cart. I'm not a gin drinker. But I saw the massive bowl of fresh cut limes, and the mound of ice glistening in the bucket, and I thought a slug to the brain served up with some refreshing citrus might be okay. So I asked the guy what he recommended for a non- gin drinker; and without hesitation he turned me onto the Botanist. He claimed it was the number one gin in all of Europe.
OMG. I drank Botanist the entire trip!
From their website:
"The Botanist Gin is a progressive exploration of the botanical heritage of our Isle of Islay. 22 hand-foraged local botanicals delicately augment nine berries, barks, seeds and peels during an achingly slow distillation. This first and only Islay Dry Gin is a rare expression of the heart and soul of our remote Scottish island home."
Volunteers actually go out and gather the botanicals in the wild. And it's a very small batch distillation. I immediately came back home and bought 6 bottles. Fearful my local liquor store might run out.
I love Botanist Gin!
Topic: Your Home Bar thread v. spinoff from the drinking thread (Read 2060 times)
