Tastes

NOTE: The first bottle of whisky I ever owned. Retasted after years. NOSE: Exquisitely fragrant. Cedar wood and incense. Earthy mushrooms and dry leaves. PALATE: Very sweet brown sugar and cinnamon goes great together. Mouthwatering cardamom finish. OVERALL: No wonder it scores consistently high. It was challenging as a beginner whisky, and even more rewarding as a connoisseur.

NOSE: Flowers, peanuts, dates, toffee, salted pretzels. PALATE: Hot for 46%. Dark burnt caramel and blood orange. Clove spice. Pleasing milk chocolate finish. OVERALL: Very different from the 10. The nose is heavy and dark from sherry casks. The salty twang is still there to keep it Springbank.

NOSE: Fresh pear, dry leaves, and burning incense. PALATE: Orange marmalade and gingerbread. Finishes in dry cardamom and dark chocolate. Never bitter. OVERALL: Shows how magical 10 years can be in the right hands!

NOTE: My first big whisky splurge. If whisky can be considered art then this is a masterpiece. The nose is daresay perfect. The palate is a well managed symphony of barrel aging over three decades. Yet I admit you do get 80% for 20% of the cost with a Bowmore 18 D&C. I may not buy many such bottles, but I’m satisfied to know what 99% looks like. NOSE: At full 57% it’s hot to handle up close so tread lightly. You get stewed prunes and red apples baked in butter and cinnamon, then a strong undercurrent of tobacco and heather peat. Vanilla pudding is served at the edges. There is an old dusty book in there, and some wood varnish with leather polish to complete the library theme. Dilution with water doesn’t add anything, but makes it easier to appreciate. Exquisitely integrated. PALATE: Undiluted is hot. After some added water you reveal layers of creamy vanilla pudding, sprinkles of sea salt, stewed peaches and strong cinnamon and clove spice. The finish lingers literally forever, oaky yes, but never sour or bitter. OVERALL: The profile reminds me of a marriage between 18 year old peated and sherried whiskies, but you can find the additional age in the nose especially. The oak is never overpowering. What a thing of true beauty.

NOSE: butter, apple, strawberries, flowers, honey PALATE: sweet fruit to sweet caramel butter, finish is gentle candied ginger. OVERALL: obviously similar in profile to Yamazaki distiller’s edition. If anything, slightly more balanced and rounded.

NOSE: Very light and fruity. Pears. Rock melon. Honey. That’s it. Oddly no vanilla at all. PALATE: Sweet melon transitions into some ginger spice and more pear. Short but balanced. OVERALL: Just a simple, classic whisky. Not complex but very rounded without any harsh edges.

NOSE: Basic Bourbon notes but also interesting nuances like cocktail cherries, banana, and leather. PALATE: Sweet and gentle. Finish has a wonderful combo of banana and leather I never knew I wanted. OVERALL: Solid representation of Bourbon with nice subtle flavors on top. Only level up from here are limited releases.

NOSE: Pumpkin bread dipped in molasses. Ground white pepper. Subtle burnt toast in there. PALATE: Pumpkin spice latte with maple syrup drizzle, super deep mint chocolate on the finish. OVERALL: Beautiful fusion of flavors, that go way beyond normal Bourbon/Rye notes in invoking taste profiles from desserts and foods.

NOSE: The theme is dark citrus, sea salt, and dry smoke. It works. PALATE: Sweet fresh citrus and liquorice. Juicy. Finish is a little spicy and nicely balanced. OVERALL: I’ve had many worse single malts. Zero rough edges. Quality whisky. Undervalued.

NOSE: Quite unrefined for 15 years, doesn’t hold up against the 18 at all. PALATE: Friendly vanilla and sugar, some spice from the oak casks. OVERALL: You get the sense the barrels aren’t top shelf stuff. It’s just a little harsh overall for 15 years.