Tastes

This is my first Japanese whisky, and it's a really good one to start with. The color is light, and it has a delicate character throughout. There's some sweet notes not the nose, but nothing overpowering, again it's light and delicate all over. The palate has a little bit of that grassy flavor that some scotches have that I don't really like, but it's so minimal that it isn't unpleasant. The sweet flavors from the nose remain on the palate. The finish is longer than I was expecting, again sweet, but with a touch of smoke as well. This is a nice, easy sipping whisky, and I bet it would be great to mix with. That delicate character overall prevents me from rating this higher, but Toki is a really nice whisky that may become a new bottle I always keep on hand.

This one has grown on me the more I've tasted it. On the nose it has that grassy flavor that I usually do not like in scotch, but it's fairly muted, and I get more vanilla, and a little bit of smoke. There's a dried fruit character on the palate, and a solid, creamy sweetness. The finish is not too long, and there's a little bit of burn, but those sweet notes play really well throughout. It reminds me a lot of Glenfiddich 18, and it comes at a much lower price point. There's not as much of the rich, full flavors you get with Glenfiddich, but Glendronach 12 is a decent substitute.

This is a really nice whiskey, and one of the few non-Islay scotches that I love. It has a good nose that shows those fruit and candy flavors that open up as it drinks. I definitely get the fruitcake flavors on the palate, which continues that really neat sweetness. It has a great rich finish as well. It can be up there in price depending on where you find it, but it’s worth paying a little more for.

I’ve really come around to this bourbon. I had a bottle of it a few years ago as I started to get into whiskey, and didn’t like it so much. With this new bottle I’m really getting why it is so good. There’s a tremendous series of complex flavors that come from the port barrel aging. The nose is nice, and sweet. It’s maybe a little too subtle, with vanilla being the only overwhelming flavor coming out. Raisin starts to show on the palate along with the vanilla from the nose. The finish is very smooth with a little bite from the alcohol in back of the throat, but that’s far from overwhelming. This is a really nice, complex bourbon.

This is the baseline that all the whiskeys should aspire to be. It’s very good, and perhaps the best value whiskey out there. It’s great as the rye for an old fashioned, and it handles itself well on its own. It’s a classic rye through and through with a lot of those great spicy notes on the nose and palate. There a little heat from the spice on first taste, but it’s not overwhelming, and this is an unbelievably good whiskey for the $20-$30 range.

An excellent special release from Lagavulin. A bit of a departure on the nose from the 16 year with smoked meat rather than the typical Lagavulin peat. There’s also a really nice sweetness in the smell. The taste is pretty intense while retaining the classic Lagavulin flavor. Lots of smoke and peat on the palate with a little bit of brine and salt. It has a really nice finish as well that’s surprising smooth for such a smoky whiskey. Overall I think the 16 year old is still a cut above, but I’m glad to have this bottle to enjoy as well.

This is a pretty good bourbon. I usually like it as a mixing whiskey, but it sips pretty well on its own, if not overly impressive. The nose is a little flat, but there are some clear vanilla notes. The corn taste comes through prominently on first taste, and the finish is fairly deep with some burn from the alcohol. As a base for a mixed drink you can hardly do better, and it handles itself well enough neat.

This is a very interesting whiskey. I definitely get smoke on the nose, and an almost peaty character. The smell is very much like a scotch, but different enough. The mesquite smoke comes through on the palate, and it has a pretty intense, long finish. I’m not totally sure what to make of this. I like it, and it’s certainly unique.

This is a super smooth Irish whiskey. The one thing that takes points away is that the flavor is a little thin from nose to finish. It has a nice, sweet nose that probably comes from the sherry cask. I note vanilla as the dominant flavor on the palate with very little burn. The finish is not super long, but it is incredibly smooth. I've hung on to this bottle for awhile, and it's a great one to come back to for that sweet, smooth flavor.