20x Little Dux oyster
Duxbury, Cape Cod Bay, MA
Species: Atlantic oyster (Crassostrea virginica)
ROC monthly selection



Small-sized oysters with beige-brown shells tinged with green and occasional bluish-gray streaks. Not much cupped, with a regular, rounded shape, sturdy and weighty. They shuck very easily and cleanly, revealing a generous amount of juicy, dense meat. The flavor brings pronounced saltiness, a hint of lemony acidity, miso soup, pickles in brine, ham, and canned peas. Excellent oysters! Cape Cod continues to impress.

Twenty-three old acoustic blues numbers recorded by Jorma in 1960 at Jack Casady's house on Reno Road in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of Washington, D.C. That year, Kaukonen had just gotten into blues and was practicing his guitar skills with relentless determination. He came over to his friend's place to share the progress he had made. It's quite amusing to hear the twenty-year-old Jorma, especially with those youthful vocals that sound very unusual, while his guitar work already sounds confident and expressive. This early repertoire became a lifelong passion, and many of these numbers such as Hesitation Blues, Trouble in Mind, Death Don't Have No Mercy, and others remain staples of his live sets to this day. The tape, which Jack rediscovered a few years ago, is of very decent quality, although not without slight sonic flaws. An interesting historical document that sheds light on the story of young Kaukonen well ahead of his move to San Francisco, The Typewriter Tapes and his time with Jefferson Airplane. A 2024 Record Store Day Black Friday release.

Ardbeg "Eureka!" Committee Release NAS OB 75cl 52.2% ABV
A marriage of PX sherry casks combined with roasted malt spirit matured in bourbon casks
Time code L2531147 01/10/2024



Color: amber.
Nose: smoke, rosin, fresh bread, wet newspaper, coal, tar soap, paint thinner, roasted nuts, salted fish, peat, ash, seaweed salad, oranges, electrical tape, red apples, cherries, pomegranates, chalk, pine needles, popcorn, roasted meat, tea, talc powder.
Taste: toffee, smoke, ash, peat, a bit of iodine, peanuts, toasted bread, red currants, dark chocolate, raisins, lots of cherries, coffee, lemon zest, tobacco, pepper, buckwheat, licorice.
Finish: cocoa, tobacco, chocolate, pepper, smoke, peat, lemons, bread, buckwheat, salt, popcorn, ash, tooth powder.
Score: 8 ¾. Better than good. +2+2+1.

Conclusion: a rather unusual Ardbeg with some interesting bready notes. Not exactly a groundbreaking release, but I am quite happy with it, especially considering the price. It has been a long time since a Committee bottling cost around $80. Thanks for the ABV, even though it is most likely not a cask strength whisky. 87/100. Well done.

Secret Speyside 15YO Signatory Vintage Selected by K&L Wine Merchants 70cl 64.3% ABV
Distilled February 23, 2009; bottled August 23, 2024
Cask type: Refill Oloroso Sherry Puncheon
Cask no: DRU 17/A197 #56
597 bottles



Color: golden.
Aroma: rum baba, freshly cut wood, nectarines, blueberry yogurt, ground black pepper, oatmeal cookies, meringues, sunflower seeds, apricots, lemons, nuts, quinces, baked apples, hay, wool, tobacco, melon, rubber ball. Fruits and confections, very distinct and very impressive.
Taste: honey, cranberries, apricots, lemons, tea, pears, apples, pepper, tangerines, salted caramel, strawberries. Thick, somewhat sweet, but drinks absolutely splendidly.
Finish: honey, apples, lemon zest, tangerines, churchkhela, pepper, salt, mint, medicinal herbs, marshmallows. A bit hot.
Rating: 8 ¾. Better than good. +2+2+1.

Conclusion: oh, this cask is more interesting than its sister one. Many similarities between the two malts, though this one is much clearer and less heavy. Yes, no doubt it’s a "naked" Macallan with only some refill sherry cask influence. 88/100.

Oban 15YO Cask Strength OB 70cl 55.3% ABV
Matured in refill casks for over 10 years, then finished in ex-Oloroso and Palo Cortado sherry casks from Andalusia
United States Exclusive
Time code L4283CM003



Color: amber.
Nose: fresh and baked apples, dark chocolate, buckwheat, charred wood, meadow herbs, beeswax, dried mushrooms, Sicilian oranges, apricots, lemon zest, lacquer, almonds, salted caramel, jasmine, muesli, dates, caraway, and ground pepper. Wonderfully complex and fruit-forward.
Palate: apples, chocolate, honey, pears, lemons, a touch of pepper, salted caramel, cherries, tannic oak, melon, herbal notes, and tobacco. Somewhat sweet but well balanced, not overly complex, yet delightfully smooth.
Finish: apples, chocolate, pepper, licorice, cocoa, oak, plums, lemons, and melon. More sweetness and spice come forward.
Score: 8 ¾. Better than good. +2+2+1.

Conclusion: over four years in sherry casks! A very enjoyable Oban, the best I've tasted so far. Gorgeous presentation too. 88/100. This was my 875th single malt, by the way.

Laphroaig 10YO Cask Strength OB 75cl 58.3% ABV
Batch 017
Matured in ex-Bourbon barrels
Bottled 11.2023
Time code L3 313 SB1



Color: dark gold.
Nose: smoke, peat, sardines in oil, ashtray, apples, pears, sandalwood, seaweed, pineapples, lemons, salted caramel, white pepper, tar, vanilla, and chocolate cake.
Taste: smoky and oily, with licorice, limes, Lugol's solution, black pepper, ripe pears, green apples, and chocolate.
Finish: green apples, chocolate, pepper, smoke, tooth powder, mint, lemon zest, licorice, and pronounced astringency. Impressive, though a bit too hot.
Score: 8 ¾. Better than good. +2+2+1.

Conclusion: a robust and fairly intense malt. Classic, immediately recognizable Laphroaig. The distillery doesn't disclose which casks were used, online sources mention ex-Bourbon, and I wouldn't be surprised if some were heavily charred. 88/100. The label has just been redesigned, and this is the first cask strength batch to come in a carton box instead of the traditional tube. It reflects a broader shift across the distillery’s lineup, even the regular 10 YO now comes in the similar cheap packaging.

2020 Hendry "Block 15" Petit Verdot 75cl 14.2% ABV
USA, California, Napa Valley AVA
Aged 15 months in French oak barrels (approximately 55% of which were new)
Varietal: Petit Verdot
400 cases

Color: dark purple.
Nose: blueberries, plums, lilac, prunes, cocoa, almond, apricots, vanilla, pepper, leather, resin, cedar, and a hint of oregano. Delicately fruity.
Taste: chocolate, coffee, cherries, plums, powerful chalky tannins, lemon zest, and green olives. Velvety, with plush texture, decent acidity and impressive astringency.
Finish: dark chocolate, cocoa, plums, cherries, tannins, lemon zest, and redcurrants.
Score: 9. Between good and excellent. +2+2+2.

Conclusion: a great wine. I'd love a bit more acidity, even though the T.A. is 6.1 here, which is actually quite good, and the astringency, combined with the chocolate and coffee notes, makes it wonderfully chewy. Petit Verdot grapes have very thick skins, which explains the high tannins and deep color in the wines made from them.

My 10th Hendry wine described. This southern Napa winery is a gem!

Warming up the crowd with a short acoustic set was a young reggae musician named Kumar Fyah, joined on stage by the rhythm section and keyboardist from Third World. His vocals were pleasantly smooth, and his songs turned out to be really good.

Without a break after the opener, Third World launched straight into their set, starting strong with Reggae Ambassador, which flowed right into their hit cover of the O'Jays' Now That We Found Love. A.J. Brown sang with soul and energy, jumping around the stage alongside bassist Richard Daley. Guitarist Stephen "Cat" Coore, playing with a dislocated shoulder, stayed seated yet performed with precision. The band sounded powerful and full of life, delivering reggae with a soul-disco tinge.

Kumar returned to sing lead vocals on three covers, including a solid rendition of The Police's Message in a Bottle. Later came the iconic 1865 (96 Degrees in the Shade), and then the real fun started. The drummer launched into a fiery djembe solo, Cat responded with a moving cello instrumental of Bob Marley's Redemption Song, with the audience singing along. Then A.J. Brown took it to another level with a stunning performance of Andrea Bocelli's operatic Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò). To close the set, guitarist Harold Henkel joined the band for a vibrant, high-energy take on Bob Marley's Punky Reggae Party.

What a fun reggae fusion night!

Set list (Third World, 8:53 PM — 10:22 PM): Reggae Ambassador, Now That We Found Love, Forbidden Love, Loving You Is Easy, Irie Ites, Jah Glory, Reggae Party, Father & Friend, My Time (with Kumar Fyah on lead vocals), Message in a Bottle (with Kumar Fyah on lead vocals), Judgement Day (with Kumar Fyah on lead vocals), You're Not the Only One, 1865 (96 Degrees in the Shade), Djembe, Redemption Song, Time to Say Goodbye (Con te partirò), Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), Try Jah Love, Punky Reggae Party (with Harold Henkel)

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Three players swapping tunes at the stringed instrument shop Timbre Folk & Baroque. Each musician performed seven songs, so we got twenty-one in total, with plenty of highlights.

Pete Madsen played six-string and resonator guitars, performing both his own compositions and old country blues numbers. Blind Blake's Police Dog Blues is one of my all-time favorite pieces, and it was great to hear it live again, along with Pete's intense instrumental Hope Springs Eternal. Tommy Johnson's Big Road Blues sounded really great, and Sylvester Weaver's Steel Guitar Rag, the earliest known recording of bottleneck-style slide guitar, was an important addition to the set.

Teja Gerken started on a 6-string acoustic guitar and also played a couple of songs on a 12-string, which sounded fantastic. I was especially impressed by his powerful version of Chris Proctor's War Games, with impeccable rhythm and amazing slide playing. Teja's new tune Aerogramme was also a highlight, featuring some very interesting musical developments. The dynamic Vicki's Red Boots showcased string tapping techniques, and Sí Bheag Sí Mhór by Turlough O'Carolan was played just beautifully.

Kota Kato was David Lindley's roadie and continues keeping the flame alive by performing songs from Mr. Dave's repertoire. He brought eight different instruments to the show, though used only about six of them. Kota started with a bouzouki, played the reggae song I Am a Patriot on an old mandolin (of course!), and delivered an outstanding rendition of Mercury Blues on an electric oud. Wow, this was something. He also performed a couple of numbers on a baritone Weissenborn: an unplugged version of Bye Bye Love by the Everly Brothers, and a plugged-in Revenge Will Come by Lindley.

The first set was very long, and the second one felt more like an extended encore. A truly enlightening and entertaining concert that brought us folk, blues and beyond.

Set 1 (7:31 PM — 8:50 PM): Going Down to Richmond (PM), Takoma (TG), Plethora Bouzoukia (KK), Big Road Blues (PM), Vicki's Red Boots (TG), Canción Mixteca (KK), Ironweed Rag (PM), Awaiting Spring (TG), I Am a Patriot (KK), Steel Guitar Rag (PM), Aerogramme (TG), Bye Bye Love (KK), Police Dog Blues (PM), Sí Bheag Sí Mhór (TG), Mercury Blues (KK)

Set 2 (9:03 PM — 9:37 PM): Hope Springs Eternal (PM), War Games (TG), Pay the Man (KK), Poor Black Mattie (PM), Josefin's Waltz (TG), Revenge Will Come (KK)

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