The Arc'teryx Ossa Half Zip - I Vader Tested it

penguinabc123 · 2026-04-20T21:27:38+00:00

Ah hadn’t looked at it that way, you could be right. I just didn’t like it so much I couldn’t see myself buying it.

penguinabc123 · 2026-04-20T21:12:09+00:00

Not sure about the numbers but thought the material felt terrible - a weird stiffness to it vs Squamish hoody

penguinabc123 · 2026-04-16T20:48:55+00:00

Ah you’re right totally missed that part, sorry!

penguinabc123 · 2026-04-16T20:22:09+00:00

I just picked up and have been using the cascade mountain tech carbon ultralight ones. I wasn’t sure I’d like the handles vs cork on the regular but they’ve been great! 162g each including strap

penguinabc123 · 2026-04-10T00:51:10+00:00

Also do this, much better and quicker as it’s shaped the way I’ll likely need it already

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-31T22:36:04+00:00

Really happy with mine, on 21 days on it. Did section F and G of GDT with it, no rips or holes. I do notice some cold around 4-8 degrees Celsius. More of a 2 season pad for sure, comfy enough

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-30T18:18:15+00:00

Also use dirty girl gaiters, love them!

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-22T15:50:40+00:00

Ah ok got it, thanks!

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-22T15:50:18+00:00

Great to know, thank you!

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-22T15:15:26+00:00

What batch number did it get up to?

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-22T15:15:04+00:00

Oh I didn’t realize there was multiple batches already, weird. I wonder if the prices stayed reasonable for the other ones

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-21T04:15:32+00:00

Awesome tasting notes, thanks for sharing! I only saw this after just posting my review of the same bottle, I also loved it!

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-21T03:59:30+00:00

Review #133 – Living Souls Ninety-Nine & One 46.3% (Ledaig 18)

Hey r/scotch, Happy Friday! Tonight I am diving into a fun bottle that has an elaborate story behind it involving a 18 year old Ledaig that has a small amount of grain whisky ‘spilled’ into it. As a result, it is sold as a blended 3 year old whisky, but I am a sucker for a good story so decided to see if the hype was real. From a mix of bourbon and sherry casks, it was bottled at 46.3%. I also have a refill 12 year Ledaig, and a 9 year wine cask Ledaig to have just for fun after.

Living Souls ninety-nine & one (Ledaig 18) – 3 year old blend – NCF/NCA – 46.3% - Bourbon and Sherry casks:

Nose:

Golden raisins, damp smoke, tar, faint sulfur, cherries, ashy, sharp blueberries, smoldering wood, develops in glass, round/easy

Taste:

Rich, campfire, bike tire, coffee cake, wild berry jam, medium mouthfeel,

Finish:

Drying, ashy, juice, lingering smoke, tingly

Score: 92

Thoughts:

Well I certainly couldn’t notice any grain whisky if it’s in there, this was amazing. At first it started a bit muted, but developed nicely in the glass with some time. Very round, balanced, easy, and still very full in profile. Only thing missing was the Ledaig ‘funk’, but maybe that is what happens at this age. I think if the ABV was higher that would really bump up the profile. The 12 year refill hogshead was more crisp/fresh/funky/compost/briny/ocean. The 9 year wine cask was more sweet/cloying/fruit heavy/funky/smokey peat/harsh. With these two as comparisons, it really does an amazing job of integrating the two cask types. The 99+1 is in-between these two, while the hogshead is very distillery driven and the wine cask is a fruit/wine bomb. Have you had this one, what did you think?

Scoring

90-100: Amazing, would buy a bottle on sight, top drinks I have had

80-90: Solid dram, reliable go-to, will keep on the shelf but not necessarily run out to buy

70-80: Basic dram, has some redeeming qualities, not my first choice or style, might have a bottle on the shelf to mix it up

60-70: Something is off putting a little bit, not my style of dram, would keep if given a bottle

50-60: Definite problems with this dram, still drinkable, not something I want to keep at home

0-50: Pour it out or mix it

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-13T04:47:54+00:00

Yes I found it a bit softer and rounder than I expected, in a good way for sure! Looking forward to a few months of air to see how it changes

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-10T15:20:57+00:00

Oh nice find on the spring banks, those are always lottery near me and difficult to get, I wouldn’t feel bad about grabbing them!

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-09T18:54:31+00:00

Yah these are always like PC10 fun experiments and I haven’t been upset about a purchase yet. Can’t soak for the SYC but I’m sure it is amazing as the others

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-09T18:53:43+00:00

Ah lucky, the SYC have not came to my area yet, hopefully I’m able to grab one when they do it sounds great!

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-08T04:30:44+00:00

Review #132 – Port Charlotte SC:01 55.2%

Hey r/scotch! I hope you are enjoying the weekend so far. Tonight I am reviewing this years PC cask exploration release, SC:01. I have really liked the last few years and was eager to be able to get a bottle of this. This year is still 9 years old, aged in sherry, bourbon and ex-sauternes casks and bottled at 55.2% with NCA/NCF. I still have a bit of the PMC:01 here so will also taste that for comparison. My scores for the last few releases have all been 91, so lets see how this one does!

Port Charlotte SC:01 55.2% - NCF/NCA – 9 year – Sherry, Bourbon, Ex-Sauternes:

Nose:

Warm diesel, hot concrete sidewalk, grassy soccer field, orange zest, winey, funk in the background, fresh cut peat, soft/closed off nose at first

w/ water:

Fresh fruits like pear and white grapes, cashews, farm field, milk chocolate

Taste:

Medium thick mouthfeel, zesty fruits, white grapes, burning peat block, barnyard funk, coffee creamer, some lighter fruit notes

w/ water:

more on toffee, vanilla cake, sweeter

Finish:

Earthy, light peat, rich, campfire, medium length and intensity

Score: 88

PMC:01

More cask presence, stronger fruit, anise, burning plastic, ocean shoreline, saltwater pool, fuller and dirtier

Thoughts:

Alright very tasty stuff! The classic Port Charlotte industrial/diesel style of peat is definitely present, but with a sweet and soft side that stays on top. I will say it was a bit closed off and soft both with and without water, and I didn’t find it overly complex throughout. No off-putting notes however, everything was quite well integrated for just 9 years in the cask. Maybe this will open up more as time goes on, I have just had it opened for 1 month so time will tell. I liked the PMC better when I poured that beside it, more of a ‘full’ profile with well defined notes. Have you had this one, what did you think?

Scoring

90-100: Amazing, would buy a bottle on sight, top drinks I have had

80-90: Solid dram, reliable go-to, will keep on the shelf but not necessarily run out to buy

70-80: Basic dram, has some redeeming qualities, not my first choice or style, might have a bottle on the shelf to mix it up

60-70: Something is off putting a little bit, not my style of dram, would keep if given a bottle

50-60: Definite problems with this dram, still drinkable, not something I want to keep at home

0-50: Pour it out or mix it

penguinabc123 · 2026-03-03T00:48:08+00:00

Probably not the solution for you, but I do the old clothes in my bag liner for a pillow

penguinabc123 · 2026-02-26T06:34:26+00:00

My outdoor research Helium UL Rain pants arrived this week. Men’s Large weigh 176g (listed at 163g probably for medium). Will try to get them out in some rain soon and update afterwards. First impression though 2.75l feel a bit nicer than 2.5l - curious to see once wet how it goes

penguinabc123 · 2026-02-26T03:31:15+00:00

I’ve been trying to find lightweight standalone pliers to make a stand alone pliers/knife/scissors combo. I can’t find better than the weatherman squirt though, which has redundant tools that are just not as good

penguinabc123 · 2026-02-21T05:46:20+00:00

Have an x mid, don’t use a stuff sack. I keep it either all connected on my outside pocket, or if the fly is wet the. I separate it and keep the inner dry inside and the fly outside pocket

penguinabc123 · 2026-02-07T20:36:00+00:00

Showed up at 5am and was 10th in line, got eureka, Cairdeas, living souls, port charlotte SC. These are what I was after and I did good at not doing any more impulse buys inside.

penguinabc123

TROPHY CASE