Tastes

The nose has sweet fruits and nuts almost like a Speyside Scotch but you can still taste some corn. The palate is dominated by sweet dark cherry along with some chocolate. Not too unlike a cherry garcia iced cream. The finish is pleasant, long, and mild, with an enjoyable sweet oak flavor. This whiskey wasn’t as similar to JD #7 as I expected. You can tell it had some influence, but it’s more of a distance cousin than a brother or sister. And the banana flavor that seems unmistakable in JD #7 is almost absent here. There are very few American whiskeys that I enjoy as much as a decent Scotch, but this is one of them.

Our family stopped by my mothers house for New Year’s Eve this year (well last year I guess) and I wondered if she would have any scotch. After a short investigation I managed to find a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label from another generation. I’m not sure which year they switched the striding man from walking left to walking right, but this was one of the older bottles with him walking to the left. I was surprised how inviting the nose was. I got some lemon zest, grass, and cola, but the overwhelming aroma was a sweet butterscotch. The palate was straightforward with some sweet corn, apple juice and cashew flavors before a spicy medium length finish. Overall I’m pretty impressed, I expected something more harsh. Though I have no idea how this whisky compares to the current Red Label bottling, it was an enjoyable drink to have as my last of 2019.

The nose has butterscotch, sarsaparilla, pears, and freshly printed paper. On the palate you get sweet oak, lemon zest, fresh cut grass, and cinnamon. The finish is a little spicy but enjoyable. This scotch is a great value for the money. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a light/young speyside. I think this is better than Tomatin 12, and on par with Glenfiddich 12 for a lot less money.

I took a chance on this bottle I found at Total Wine and I was presently surprised. The nose has flowers, raisins, toffee, and hazelnut, but the main aroma is a sweet cola smell. The palate is very sweet with rose water and dried fruit. You can taste that this scotch is younger than other Speyside single malts. You pick up more flavor from the distillate and less from the cask compared to something like Macallan. The finish is medium in length and spicy. I tried this side by side with Macallan double cask and it has some similarities, but it is definitely younger and sweeter. This bottle is a good value for a NCF and natural color scotch, and a good choice for Speyside fans or to introduce someone to scotch.

The nose is very similar to the standard Macallan 12 year with orange zest, ginger, sweet butterscotch, candied apple, cola, and buttered bread. The biggest difference in the nose with the double cask is the addition of more vanilla and sweet oak. The palate is thick and candied like a good creme brûlée. The ginger from the nose is also there, accompanied by a lot of citrus, a sweet blend of lime and orange juice. There is also some dried fruit, raisins, and caramel. The finish is thick, almost chewy. As the strong flavors in the palate fade away, the spice from the ginger remains, giving this scotch a long spicy finish that becomes sweet and peppery. I think I may prefer this to the standard 12 year, but only slightly, and I wouldn’t be disappointed drinking either. Many people like to say Macallan is overpriced, but I think it’s still better than many other scotches in its price range and represents some of the best whisky Speyside has to offer.