I had the opportunity to sip Teeling 15 Years PX Sherry Single Cask for the first time on Friday at a friend’s retirement party. At 112.2 proof, this Irish whiskey is smooth with dark-fruit flavors including plum and raspberry. It finishes with a slight lingering sweetness, which is what I enjoyed.

We had plenty of delicious Vietnamese dishes, but Teeling when so damn well with roast pig, fine-rice vermicelli, herbs, and mixed fish sauce. With close friends and eat and drink with was priceless. Great moment when you can still enjoy it. Life is too damn short.

Two of my drinking buddies introduced me to Midleton Very Rare 2023. I was not as impressed as they were for a bottle of blended whisky that cost over $300.

At 80 proof, Midleton Very Rare 2023 goes down smoothly with fruity palate and a tad of spice. It finishes with a bit of smoky oak. At the price point of over $300, it was not worthwhile. Even though one of my buddies got a military discount for about $140, I still passed on it. Though I wouldn’t mind if they offer me to drink.

It is definitely a somewhat extravagant bottle to share with close friends, but I can also drink it a glass or two after long day of work to unwind. Some Trịnh Công Sơn’s music arranged in jazz and blue vibes would be nice to accommodate Midleton Very Rare 2023.

I was not impressed with Maker’s Mark® 46 on the first try, but it grew on me the more I sipped.

At 94 proof, 46 doesn’t go down too strong. It has a slightly sweet taste of vanilla and a hint of cinnamon. For $38 a bottle (750 ml), it is not bad to keep one in handy. I’ll definitely go back to drink it with friends or just kick back listening to hip-hop. As a matter of fact, I am sipping and listening to Jay-Z’s The Blueprint.

Maker’s Mark® 46 won World’s Best Finished Bourbon for 2026.

A few years ago, an acquaintance introduced me to Hibiki Harmony for the first time. It was also my first time drinking a Japanese blended whisky. I enjoyed its smoothness with a touch of honey. Though it had no lingering afterward. It was a good choice to accommodate Vietnamese dishes with strong flavors such as mắm kho (fermented fish broth hotpot).

At 86 proof, the Harmony is not too strong and also lacking characters. These days, I find the Harmony to be boring for $100 a bottle. The Master’s Select bottle has more texture and complexity with a note of floral and a touch of oak. Unfortunately, the Master’s Select is also doubled the price.

The acquaintance and another drinking buddy of mine had a fall out. The acquaintance had no interested in continuing our friendship even though we had no beef. I still remember him for the Harmony. I also moved on from the Hibiki.

I bought a few bottles of Dalwhinnie 15 to bring to parties. Most people, particular light and novice drinkers, enjoyed it.

At 86 proof, Dalwhinnie 15 is crisp, clean, and smooth. It has a gentle vanilla sweetness taste, which is friendly for anyone who doesn’t like the harshness of a strong whisky.

For $80, Dalwhinnie 15 is decent for social events as well as relaxing at home with cool jazz vibe like Paul Desmond.

A few months ago, I picked up the Kurayoshi 12 Years Pure Malt Japanese Whisky while traveling to New Jersey. I shared it with my drinking buddy and we finished the entire bottle in one sitting. I am not sure if I can do that nowadays.

At 92 proof, the Kurayoshi 12 is smooth and strong. It has a rich texture of mixed nuts with malt aroma. It finishes with a hint of vanilla and smoke. My friend and I really liked this bottle. I had been a few years now, but I think I got it under $100. For a 12-year-old Japanese whisky, that was not a high price. I would love to have this bottle again in the near future.

The Kurayoshi 12 Years Pure Malt Japanese Whisky took home gold medal for the 2019 World Whiskies Awards.

Aberfeldy was the only 21-year-old single malt whisky I ever bought. Comparing to other brands at the same age, Aberfeldy 21 cost only a fraction.

I bought it to a party and everyone enjoyed it. At 80 proof, Aberfeldy 21 goes down smoothly with a burst of flavor, noticeably toasted coconut. Its slightly smoky texture gives a nice finish.

Even though only cost around $170 for a 21-year-old bottle, it is still a bit out of my price range. I wouldn’t mind purchasing another bottle in the future to share with friends or as a gift. Would love to enjoy this spirit with John Coltrane’s spiritual jazz.

The first time a friend introduced me to Aberlour A’bunadh, I was shocked. At 121 proof, A’bunadh is so strong yet so damn smooth. I liked the subtle notes of black cherries and ginger, but I loved the way it kicked in.

A’bunadh is the type of whisky that I would take with me on the ski trails. Skiing and snowboarding for hours in the freezing weather could be exhausting. A’bunadh not only could keep me warm, but also keep me going.

Of course, I can enjoy A’bunadh with friends, but I also don’t mind taking a few sip on the freezing weather. At $100 a bottle, A’bunadh isn’t too expensive to enjoy, especially while listening to Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew.

Last night, our friends invited us over for chicken hotpot dinner. I decided to make some Whiskey Sour for everyone. Instead using lemon juice, I went with hand-squeezed pineapple juice. I used New Riff (Bottled In Bond), one of my favorite bourbons. Here are the ingredients I used:

• 2 parts New Riff (Bottled In Bond)
• 1 part pineapple juice
• 1/2 part simple syrup
• Lemon peel for garnish

It was refreshing drink to cool down the hot pot. Everyone was digging it.

I am no longer a cognac connoisseur, but I don’t mind Martell Cordon Bleu. In fact, a friend of mind who loves and drinks only CB introduced me to it.

At 80-proof, CB is smooth, rich, and fruity. I like it with a splash of water to open up the flavor. At one point, Virginia ABC was selling $280 a bottle. Even though it price has recently dropped to $200 a bottle, it is still a bit expensive for my wallet.

I am not too crazy about it, but I can enjoy it once in a while, especially in good companies. It definitely goes well with some French jazz ballads such as “Les Feuilles Mortes” or “La Vie en Rose.”