whirlwind whisky weeks

it has been a hectic month.
in and out of malaysia, from singapore to thailand, where i am right now as i write this.
the only constant has been whisky. the single malt kind, of course. no photos, couldn't be bothered to spoil the enjoyment of the water of life with namby-pamby photo-shoots.
add on the fact that inebriation was the word and the mood during the drinking sessions.
anyway, on with the whisky.
we started with a 10-year-old talisker, which used to be hard to find but all it takes now is a quick tour of bangkok's don muang airport and before you can say it, its there in a handsome navy blue box.
talisker is the only distillery in scotland's island of skye and is rated among the best single malts in the world. my introduction was through a rare bottle that made its way to my friend's treasure chest years ago.
i never forgot the big, bold, peppery and peaty taste and the 10-year-old is no different. after a couple of sips, its pungent and peaty ruggedness grows on you though its not a gentle spirit.
the award-winning 10-year-old with 45.8 percent alcohol by volume, rocks your world and you will never be the same after that. you will just find any which way to get a bottle of the golden liquid with a shot of pink yourself.
a year ago, it was about the macallan 10-year-old cask strength, this month it was the standard 12-year-old macallan stored in handcrafted oak casks from jerez, spain, which hold rare sherries for at least three years before its shipped to the macallan distillery to hold the water of life.
the conglomeration between the sherry oak and spirit produces a rich and sensuous 12-year-old macallan.
the colour is a rich natural caramel shade of gold and the taste is sweet and sexy, smooth on the tongue and pleasant all the way in. its a natural addition in any serious whisky enthusiast's bar.
and now comes a difficult whisky that can is either a love or loathe at first taste.
this whisky is laphroaig from islay.
its hard to get it in malaysia and singapore but possible although my recent forays to thailand via the don muang international airport has yielded a treasure trove of single malts that include the laphroaig.
how does one describe a spirit that has bewitched many a serious drinker.
well, its oily, its peaty, its nutty, its bloody strong and bloody pungent. a splash of water will release the serpent of a taste that will bite you for life.
and just to let you know, it was voted 'the best of the best' in the champions of whisky competition 2005!
inebriated? you bet my friends and i were. more tastings on the way soon as i travel the region and pick up a bottle or two here and there. cheers and slainthe!