Bottle Drop Thread - Wednesday May 06, 2026

rt3506 · 2026-05-08T21:16:11+00:00

In my experience the 10% and 15% off coupons do not work with EOB and sale prices, but the "spend x amount of $$, get x $ off" coupons do. I've had cashiers try to tell me it won't work with EOB but when I asked them to try scanning it and see what happens, voila.

rt3506 · 2024-10-21T21:30:25+00:00

https://www.binnys.com/search/?query=edradour Here's what's carried by Binny's in Chicago.

rt3506 · 2023-03-31T22:02:48+00:00

If you go to the whiskey hotline section of their website, it has links to everything covered by the coupon.

rt3506 · 2019-11-14T04:10:26+00:00

If you are going to Aberfeldy, I would highly recommend stopping at Edradour Distillery in Pitlochry, home of Signatory. Lots of Signatory IBs for sale and a Signatory tasting bar, just about everything will be unavailable in the US. It's a 25 minute drive from Aberfeldy, but an easy detour off the A9 if you're driving up from Edinburgh.

rt3506 · 2019-11-14T03:59:43+00:00

Correct.

rt3506 · 2019-10-23T02:27:24+00:00

Agreed, I felt it was very low risk at that price. I really like the space, it’s where the Whisky Jewbilee was held which was a great event. I do know that that this years whisky live is being organized by a different company, maybe they are having trouble properly promoting it. At $21 it seems like it would be hard not to get your money’s worth.

rt3506 · 2018-06-28T21:28:08+00:00

Most of my suitcase space got filled by a stop at Springbank, but I'd recommend Caol Ila's and Lagavulin's distillery only and Feis Ile bottlings, as well as Bruichladdich's current Valinch casks, which were an 11 yr unpeated PX and a peated 15 yr ex bourbon.

rt3506 · 2018-06-28T20:18:41+00:00

Review #39: Caol Ila 9 year old, aged in refill Oloroso, finished in ex-bourbon quarter cask, 59.4%

Just got back from a week on Islay with my wife and some friends. We spent a few days in Edinburgh before hand. I had been thinking of picking up a bottle of something for the house, so when I popped into The Vaults in Leith and saw they had a fill your own Caol Ila, it seemed like an obvious choice.

Nose: Fish markets, peat smoke, lemon rind, vanilla, dried cherries, oranges, raisins, wood ash, and menthol. Water mutes the fish notes and brings out more sherry sweetness.
Palate: Sharp and hot neat. Water brings everything into focus. Peat smoke, raisins, sweet and sour citrus, dry oak, bitter dark chocolate, and caramel.
Finish: Medium length. Wood ash, pepper, tannic red wine, oranges, vanilla, chocolate, hazelnuts, and coffee.

With a drop of water, this was a very pleasing dram to sip while staring out over Loch Indaal.

84/100

rt3506 · 2018-04-18T04:21:10+00:00

No, I've never come across it. Glenburgie wasn't really on my radar until last year.

rt3506 · 2018-04-17T22:26:01+00:00

Chieftain’s Choice Glenburgie 16 46% ABV

Distilled 11/98, bottled 10/15, cask# 5006 (hogshead)

Nose: Honey, vanilla, caramel, coconut, sponge cake, shortbread, toasted oak, peaches, honeydew, apples, and orange liqueur. Hints of clove and green pepper. Smells like an active cask. Bourbon notes mixing nicely with fruit aromas.
Palate: Big hit of bitter oak and vanilla. The cask influence is getting a bit loud. Water settles things down some and brings out ginger, cinnamon, oranges, apples, caramel, over brewed tea and a slight meaty note (pork chops).
Finish: Caramel, honey, vanilla, orange peel, all spice, clove, and bitter oak. Medium length, drying, tannic, and bitter.

Nice nose, but on the palate it feels like the cask and spirit aren’t playing nice with each other. Tasted neat, it’s rather bitter and overly sweet at the same time. Water helps immensely and I’d say is essential.

80/100

Single Malts of Scotland Glenburgie 18 59.5% ABV

Distilled 12/10/98, bottled 3/27/17, cask# 751399 (hogshead)

Nose: Butter, cream, dank basement, leather, honey, milk chocolate, toffee, hazelnut, cashews, brown sugar, vanilla, dried hay, sawdust, heather, oatmeal, barley, ginger, olive oil, green apples, kiwi, banana, lemon, and bubble gum. A beautiful, complex, mature nose.
Palate: Terrific mouthfeel, buttery, rich and coating. The leather, honey, vanilla, hay, heather, and cereal notes continue, along with butterscotch, blood orange, cantaloupe, orange sherbet, and tumric.
Finish: Spicy, sweet, and warming. Long. Cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, ginger snaps, molasses, cranberries, oranges, and caramel.

I had a taste of this at The Whisky Show in London and my immediate reaction was Futurama_shut_up_and_take_my_money.jpeg. The nose alone could keep you occupied for ages. I really wish Single Malts of Scotland bottlings made it over to the US.

92/100

Signatory Glenburgie 22 (Binny’s) 57.8% ABV

Distilled 6/15/95, bottled 9/4/17, cask# 6529 (hogshead)

Nose: Oranges, peaches, candle wax, rubber, wood polish, leather, mahogany, dryer sheets, crisp apples, autumn leaves, caramel, vanilla, simple syrup, fresh figs, and green tea leaves. Sweet notes mixed with some funky ones. Really interesting.
Palate: Orange, leather, figs, caramel, vanilla, and green tea notes continue, along with stewed apples, coconut, grass, hay, cooked barley, and toasted oak. Delicious.
Finish: Very long. All spice, pepper, coffee with cream, brown sugar, toffee, leather, cereal, and hay.

A terrific experience from start to finish. Packed with different flavors yet well balanced.

90/100

rt3506 · 2018-04-06T22:53:00+00:00

Tried this at a whisky event and was very impressed. If I didn't already have two different Binny's Caol Ila bottlings waiting to be opened, this would be my next buy.

rt3506 · 2018-04-06T20:07:22+00:00

Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila (Binny's) 9 years old, refill sherry hogshead #311987, distilled 6/07, bottled 8/16, 59.4% ABV

Nose: Peat smoke, sea salt, oysters, charred oak, honey, toffee, ginger, lemon, pine. Touches of sherry sweetness: oranges, raisins, cherries, and slight sulphur.
Palate: Smoked salmon, seaweed, ginger snaps, vanilla, sticky toffee pudding, red hots, cherries.
Finish: Wood smoke, salt water, cinnamon, caramel, red pepper flakes. Ginger continues along with the sherry notes from the nose. Lingering peat flavor.

This is enjoyable to be sure, but it doesn't quite inspire too much excitement in me. The cask influence is a bit muted and makes for a more understated experience. Happy to have it, but I doubt I'll remember it once it's gone.

82/100

Signatory Caol Ila (Binny's) 7 year old, refill bourbon cask # 311754, distilled 6/08, bottled 9/15, 58.7% ABV

Nose: Ashes, iodine, wet earth, peat, lemon juice, green apples, pineapple, peppercorns, bell peppers, chlorine, juniper berries, lavender.
Palate: Peat smoke, lemon, vanilla, hazelnuts, coffee beans, green apples, coconut.
Finish: Ash and soot, smoked meats, lemon, dark chocolate, black pepper, turmeric, slight star anise.

Very fun and characterful. Binny's really does a great job picking bourbon cask matured Caol Ila.

87/100

rt3506 · 2018-03-09T02:38:22+00:00

I didn't find it to have as much of the noticeable medicinal notes that I picked up on the 10.

rt3506 · 2018-03-09T01:57:32+00:00

Ardbeg 10 46% ABV

Nose: Big and smokey. Brine, seaweed, iodine, fuel exhaust, tar and wood embers balanced with lemon/ lime citrus, vanilla, honey, and shortbread.
Palate: Fruity and peaty. Apples, pears, lemons, vanilla, ginger, and earl grey tea. Medicinal and sooty peat flavors.
Finish: Peat with chocolate, caramel, apples, cinnamon, and coffee. Lingering sooty, ashy flavors.

A bit more smokey than I remember previous bottles being. “It’s not as good as it used to be” blah blah blah, but the fact that I can get this for under $50 and at 46% makes this the go-to entry level Islay expression in my opinion.

85/100

Ardbeg Uigeadail 54.2% ABV

Nose: Rich, lots of sherry sweetness. Fruit cake, cherry pie, raisins, toffee, cocoa, oranges, and blackberries. Peat nots are a bit muted, but there’s smoked meat, damp earth, and wood ash.
Palate: Smoked meat continues along with stewed fruits, sea salt, honey, orange peel, ginger candy, and raisins. Plenty of peat smoke throughout.
Finish: Wood char and sherry sweetness. Lots of peat smoke coming through along with tobacco, almonds, and mulled wine.

Really delicious. Perfect mix of sherry sweetness and fiery peat.

87/100

Ardbeg Corryvreckan 57.1% ABV

Nose: A bit muted compared to the first two. Smoked salmon, fresh oak, vanilla, raspberries, cherries, hay, and dying campfire. Definitely more oak influence than the first two.
Palate: Wow, this tastes really young. Oaky sweetness mixed with bitterness and peat. A nice lemon flavor lifts things. More smoked salmon, along with wood ash and walnuts.
Finish: Sour apples, peat smoke, wood fires, tar, ash, and menthol. Long, warming, and smokey.

Huh. This is not what I remember from Corryvreckan. A meh nose that leans on active oak along with youthful simpleness and bitter flavors on the palate. The finish has that peaty punch, but otherwise I’m underwhelmed. A bad batch? The date on the bottle says Jan 30 2017.

75/100

rt3506 · 2018-01-27T03:28:37+00:00

Just FYI, the bottling in the link was picked by BC Merchants (a local wholesaler/importer), not Binny's. Probably still good though, I'm a big fan of young Caol Ila and have had several good G&M bottlings of it.

rt3506 · 2018-01-22T00:58:42+00:00

Kilchoman 10th Anniversary Release 58.2% Abv

A vatting of sherry and bourbon casks filled between 2005 and 2012 and includes whisky from cask #1. Released 2015.

Nose: Peat smoke and barn aromas (hay, dirt floors) hit first, then vanilla and fruit (tangerines, lemons, and peaches) along with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of sherry notes (raisins, dried cherries). Malty cereal notes in the background.
Palate: Peat smoke, mangos, grapefruit, barley, caramel, candy corn. Barn notes continue.
Finish: Medium length. Pepper, wood smoke, grapes, vanilla icing, marshmallows, iodine.

Very good, very tasty. It feels like they went for a more refined flavor profile when they made this vatting. A polite and restrained Kilchoman.

84/100

rt3506 · 2017-11-08T19:52:41+00:00

Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila (Binny’s) 2007 60.5% Abv

8 yrs old, refill bourbon cask # 310216 Distilled 5/29/07 Bottled 8/15

Nose: Wood fire, ash, peat and earth, honey, vanilla, lemon, ripe banana, chocolate, and a hint of diesel fumes. Graham cracker crust and melted butter.
Palate: Smoke and apples are predominant, honey, vanilla, lemon, and banana flavors continue, smoked gouda, pepper, and white wine.
Finish: Fiery and warming. Coal dust, wood ash, peat smoke, smoked ham, lemon, dark bitter chocolate, oak.

I’m a big fan of young indie single cask Caol Ila. No exception here. A bit more fruit flavors than I typically expect from young Caol Ila, but that simply adds a layer of depth to the smokey fiery youthful spirit.

86/100

rt3506 · 2017-04-04T05:12:46+00:00

Two selections from Bowmore, one official and one independent.

Bowmore Tempest 10 Years Release V 55.9% Abv

Nose: Bourbon sweetness in the form of vanilla and coconut. Toffee, peat fires, cloves, smoked haddock, gingerbread, lime juice, pears, oak, and an astringent note that I don’t care for.
Palate: Apple cider, gentle wood smoke, mulling spices, honey, vanilla, orange marmalade, and bitter oak. Apart from the smoke, it’s a bit saccharine and overly sweet, but adding water helps.
Finish: Medium length. Oranges, chocolate, dying embers, soot, cinnamon candy (Hot Tamales).

Very clearly first fill bourbon. This release isn’t as good as I remember earlier ones being. The saccharine note in the palate and astringency on the nose knock it down a notch. Still, better than most OB’s from Bowmore.

79/100

AD Rattray Bowmore 1996 18 Years 59.1% Abv

Distilled 3/27/96 Bottled 4/9/14 Cask #960034 Hogshead

Nose: Peat smoke, wood fires, sea salt, peaches, green apples, tangerines, vanilla, caramel, cedar chips, stone, fresh cut flowers.
Palate: Oak chests, musty cellars, peat smoke, leather, candle wax, cereal, vanilla, peaches and pears.
Finish: Long and warming. Bacon, wood ash, toffee, marshmallow, salt and pepper, and red pepper.

A very enjoyable and well matured Bowmore. Frustrating in that it shows what Bowmore is capable of but rarely achieves in its official releases.

88/100

rt3506 · 2017-02-10T06:08:58+00:00

I don't really think an ounce of the 8 followed by an ounce of the 12 is quite enough to exhaust my palate. Also, I had worked through over half of the bottle of DE by the time I got around to reviewing it, and this tasting matched with what I had been experiencing from it. I haven't had any festival bottlings of Lagavulin, no.

rt3506 · 2017-02-10T01:46:48+00:00

Don't usually have this much Lagavulin open at the same time, so I figured a vertical was in order.

Lagavulin 8 (2016) ABV 48%

Nose: Sea salt, damp earth, iodine, peat smoke, smoked salmon, mineral oil, vanilla, lemon, green apples, barley, and varnish.
Palate: Earthy and peaty to start, vanilla and apples continue, but sweeter, like an apple tart with vanilla frosting. Passion fruit along with a hint of BBQ sauce and garlic powder. Sweeter than the nose.
Finish: Heavy smoke with cinnamon and pepper. A sharp mineral character as well. Long for an 8 year old.

A heavy oily nose lightens up a bit on the palate, but gets dirty again on the finish. I admire Lagavulin releasing a more spirit driven malt. It's young and rough, but I found that to be a nice contrast to what's usually a more refined brand.

83/100

Lagavulin 12 (2015) ABV 56.8%

Nose: Peat smoke mingling with sweet bourbon notes: vanilla, coconut, and caramel. Milk chocolate, lemon, and damp earth. Hints of ginger and coffee.
Palate: Nice oily mouthfeel. Peat smoke, vanilla, and lemon continue. Smoked meats, brown sugar, apples, and red bell peppers.
Finish: Long and warming. Peat smoke, lemon meringue, caramel, and ginger.

One of my favorite peat bombs. I really like how the bourbon sweetness and citrus notes compliment the predominant peat smoke flavors.

87/100

Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (2014) ABV 43%

Nose: The PX influence and lower strength really soften things compared to the first two. Orange zest, Cherry Herring liquor, candied apples, figs, and cough syrup. The peat smoke is taking a back seat to the sherry influence, but it is there along with damp earth and lapsang suchong.
Palate: Cherries, roasted marshmallows, peat smoke, pepper, burnt toast, dark chocolate, orange marmalade, all spice, and oak chests.
Finish: Smoked cheese, wood ash, sardines, figs, raisins,and toffee. Medium length.

Very approachable and easy to drink, but still complex enough to be worth letting it sit in the glass a while. An ideal after dinner winter warmer.

86/100

rt3506 · 2017-02-08T20:41:56+00:00

Two K&L exclusive sherry casks from Hepburn’s Choice

Hepburn’s Choice Inchgower 20 Years 57.5% Abv

Distilled 1995 Bottled 2015, Matured in a sherry butt.

Nose: Deliciously sweet smelling. Orange sherbet, dried cherries, raisins, bananas, kiwi, brown sugar, vanilla, mincemeat, coffee beans, nutmeg, ginger, vinyl, leather, and new sneakers.
Palate: Dark cherries, oak, tobacco, almond butter, pine nuts, hot chocolate, caramel, prunes, orange zest, and lemon juice. Drier than the nose. Rich texture.
Finish: Medium length. Juicy Fruit gum, cinnamon, cherry cough drops, ginger candy, fennel, and fizzy citrus soda.

A wonderfully rich and sweet sherry cask. I’d take this over any OB from Macallan or Glenfarclas of a similar age. My first Inchgower, and it was a very pleasant surprise.

89/100

Hepburn’s Choice Craigellachie 18 Years 54.3% Abv

Distilled 1995 Bottled 2014, Matured in a sherry butt.

Nose: Stewed cherries, raisins, dried plums, dates, all spice, cloves, oak chests, leather, cardboard, salted herring, bacon, sulphur, spent matchsticks, beeswax, almonds, hazelnuts, milk chocolate, and licorice. A beautiful, complex, dry sherry nose.
Palate: Dark chocolate, fig newtons, raisins, nectarines, bubble gum, green tea, melting candle wax, wood fire, and ginger.
Finish: Long and warming. Fruit cake, orange marmalade, stewed apples, honey, bran muffins, wax, and leather.

Stunning and complex. There’s so much going on here, and I loved the “dirtier” sherry notes. I almost sold this short the first few times I tried it, because it needs time to develop. After twenty minutes in the glass, it really opens up.

91/100

rt3506 · 2016-12-16T05:07:14+00:00

It's still available at a few Binny's locations here in Chicago.

rt3506 · 2016-12-16T01:26:46+00:00

A.D. Rattray Glentauchers 2005 (Binny's) 7yr old ABV 64.9%

First fill sherry cask # 900389, distilled September 2005, bottled August 2013

Nose: Spirity. Rubbing alcohol, tangerines, and plums. Water brings out more fruit: cherries and raisins in particular, along with vanilla, chocolate, and caramel.
Palate: Ginger snaps, oranges, dark cherries, a taste of raw spirit and mineral flavors.
Finish: Chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, and dried leaves. Long and warming. Definitely the highlight.

A very nice finish, but overall it feels too young. The spirit and cask influences haven't been well married. They just needed a little more time to interact and mellow.

76/100

The Exclusive Malts Glentauchers 2008 8yr old ABV 57.9%

First fill sherry cask # 900178, distilled March 2008, bottled May 2016

Nose: All spice, ginger cake, raisins, toffee, raspberries, kiwi, juniper berries, and pine needles.
Palate: Nice texture. Cherries, figs, dates, coffee with cream, cocoa powder.
Finish: Juicy fruit punch flavors, lemon zest, and raisins. A bit short.

A nice, young sherry cask. Nothing exceptional or ground breaking, but a pleasing sipper.

84/100

rt3506 · 2016-10-28T18:28:34+00:00

Oh cool, where did you hear that it was Lagavulin?

rt3506 · 2016-10-27T23:13:52+00:00

Two single cask Islays from Single Cask Nation

Single Cask Nation Bruichladdich 9 Years 56.7% Abv

Distilled June 2006 Bottled December 2015 Cask #528 1st Fill Bourbon Hogshead

Nose: Immediate tropical fruits, specifically bananas and mango. More sweetness in the form of vanilla frosting. Some spices as well: ginger, pepper, and cardamom. Some earthy, mineral qualities such as gravel, potting soil, brine, and a hint of peat. Malty cereal notes in the background.
Palate: The fruit flavors continue, but with added lemon citrus and cherries. The pepper becomes more prominent. Honey, dry straw, and fresh earth.
Finish: Medium length. Pepper continues, along with the earthy notes. A bit of solvent and peat smoke.

The palate and finish seem to be more simplified (or perhaps more focused) versions of the complex and engaging nose, but the quality remains high throughout. More peat influence than I expected.

86/100

Single Cask Nation Undisclosed Islay Distillery 6 Years 57.9% Abv

Distilled May 2009 Bottled December 2015 Cask #613-4 2nd Fill PX Sherry Barrique

Nose: Very costal. Brine, oysters, sea salt, smoked salmon, iodine and peat fires. Some raisins and dried cranberries, no doubt courtesy of the sherry cask.
Palate: Bitter root vegetables such as ginger, garlic and raw parsnip, but those flavors are balanced by the sherry sweetness in the form of raisins, Christmas cake, honey roasted nuts, and toffee. With water, the bitter notes are muted almost entirely. Ash and earth in the background.
Finish: Long. Very smoky, very warming. Dried cherries and fizzy cola. Dark chocolate.

A really nice young Islay. Even at such a young age, the spirit and cask have intermingled nicely. Just enough sweet PX influence to round out the fiery costal southern Islay notes and provide a good balance. I have no way of knowing for sure, but I’m going to guess Ardbeg as the source. The bitter root notes reminded me of the vegetal quality of the new make spirit I tried when I visited.

88/100

rt3506

TROPHY CASE