The C100B whisky club gathers two or three times a year, as often as its members can manage the commitment.

The finest tasting of 2017 unfolded one cold, wet and icy winter night at the pub Céilí Cottage in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood, owned by whisky club founding member and oysterman sans pareil, Patrick McMurray. Aside from the fines de Claires, Colville Bays and Galway Flats on the table, what made the evening so memorable was the whisky selection: a vertical tasting of The Macallan and Highland Park, coached along with their brand ambassador. The evening resulted in our giving the nod to three big winners: us, the unwavering quality of the entire lineup from The Macallan, and Highland Park 18. That whisky is creamy and rich, layered with notes of ripe exotic fruit, well-honeyed with a mild spice in the finish, along with a touch of citrus. It is a magnificent cent whisky—and a steal at $199.95 at the LCBO.

When it comes time to drinking fine whisky, ordinary tumblers just won’t do. Those innocent, carefree days—when a quality, 20-year old single malt could be yours for $100, not $300—have long passed. Now, every sip counts and these glasses have been designed to enhance and maximize the tasting experience of each one. Wide at the base to unleash maximum aroma from the liquor, and narrow at the top to concentrate the vapours for nosing, the Whisky Glass combines tumbler and snifter in an elegant and modern new shape.