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[1] Looking back at my records, this was a year of being greedy and buying a ton of whiskey. About half of my purchases, 13 bottles, were Bowmore or Bowmore-related blends. If I broaden the scope to Islay single malts, it's 17 bottles, so it’s safe to say my heart is still stuck on Islay. While this helped me sharpen my palate, I also felt the fatigue of digging too deep into specific distilleries. Next year, I want to drastically cut down on bottle counts and hunt for some tasty bourbon cask expressions from non-Islay distilleries.

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[2] Review History: 17 whiskey reviews, 8 other reviews. I have as many pending reviews as I've posted because I've been procrastinating on editing the drafts. Next year, I should probably post with a more relaxed mindset... [3] Bottle Purchase Records

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1. Bowmore 15 CS for W. whisky shop: I finished two bottles of Bowmore 15 Mariner and went crazy when I found out an unofficial CS version existed. However, notes that were fine at 43% turned into 'off-notes' at higher ABV, so I don't reach for it much... (Review)

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2. Bruichladdich Ternary Project: Couldn't forget the taste I had in Islay, so I used a proxy to buy it in Japan. It's intuitively strong and delicious. Definitely Top 3 of this year's purchases. Externally, it's the 'root of all evil' that forced me to learn how to use PUDO lockers and direct buying from Japan.

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3. Bowmore 22 Sauternes Cask Finish: Very light and delicate body, good for checking my palate's condition. Tastes like an 'unlucky' Lovers Transformed. Considering the duty-free discount, it might not be bad? (Review)

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4. Glen Garioch 1999: Bought this after hearing it was in the basement of a Hiroshima department store. Tastes good; I finally understood the 'sulfur' and 'dirty' descriptors. A satisfying bottle that taught me the Garioch character.

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5. Compass Box Share, Enjoy, Celebrate!: Released by Compass Box for Three Rivers' 20th anniversary. As expected from this trusted combo, it has a clear personality of white flower bouquets. I'd buy another if I could. #1 for 'Fun' this year. (Review)

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6. Ardbeg Eureka!: The hope for the tiring Ardbeg limited editions. The nickname 'Ardbeg Signet' fits perfectly. Wish this became part of the core range. #2 for 'Fun' this year. (Review)

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7. Bowmore 23 Frank Quitely Lovers Transformed: Tried this at the distillery and was shocked to realize this is what 'FWP' (soapy/floral) tastes like. I got hooked on this and bought the Bowmore 24 Dragon's Prey, which turned out to be... well. It's very intense, but in terms of preference, it's Top 3 this year.

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8. Glendronach 21: A well-made official bottling. This is the textbook of Sherry. Everyone I shared it with loved it. I just wish it had a higher ABV or some peat...

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10. Bowmore 10 Tempest Batch 3: Soapy, young bourbon cask Bowmore. Since my impressions of bourbon cask peaks were set high by distillery cask samples and Hunter Laing (Hart Bros) 13yo, this felt relatively disappointing. Still, the ABV and taste are okay, and since it's 2010s Bowmore, the cork is absolute trash. (Review)

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11. Bowmore 12 Enigma: The off-notes are pretty prominent, but sometimes I crave exactly that. I wonder how the current 12yo Sherry Oak Collection would have turned out if it inherited these traits. (Review)

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12. Bowmore 19 French Oak Barrique: Sweet and sour berries clearly felt alongside the peat. (Review)

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13. Kim Chang-soo 4 Bar & Spirit Show Single Cask: Finally got to experience the Kim Chang-soo whiskey I was curious about, but it was quite different from the 'Gimpo' I had at a bar later. It's... not bad, but it's very malty, which is a bit far from my preference. Feels like it still needs more time? -

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14. Amahagan Flute / Jade Wi-Gal Pick: Flute has the floral notes I expected, and Jade has the cinnamon I wanted. This Wi-Gal pick makes me look forward to the next series. #3 for 'Fun' this year. -

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15. Glendronach Ode to the Dark: Haven't opened it yet so Dunno/Mol?ru -

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16. Glen Garioch 10 80's: From the era when it moved from Morrison to Suntory, just like the Seagull Bowmore, so it has that FWP. Tastes like sweet honey-water with decent density. I reach for it often. #1 for Value this year. -

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17. Balblair 14 Wi-Gal Bottling: Was happy to see the Wi-Gal logo on it. The taste... is a bit disappointing. -

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18. Bowmore 21 Sherry Oak Cask: Doesn't feel like 'Bowmore,' but it's a well-made sherry lightly-peated whiskey. It feels like Bowmore passing from the Morrison-Suntory era to a new generation. Bittersweet but expectant. (Review)

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19. Bowmore 10 Inspired by the Devil's Casks: This bottle confirmed that I really love 2010s Bowmore! It's intuitive and delicious, likely due to the concept. This makes me really want to hunt down a Devil's Cask III. (Review in progress) -

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26. Bowmore Springtide 2012: Intense Sherry and Peat. Hard to call the balance good, but I see the potential. If given enough time, it might improve. A bottle that made me realize the importance of finishing and blending. (Review) -

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