Tastes
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Green Spot Single Pot Still
Single Pot Still — Ireland
Reviewed September 23, 2020 (edited November 14, 2020)This Irish whiskey is triple distilled, colored, chill-filtered, and presented at 40% ABV. No age statement and low viscosity add insult to injury. Not a great start. But this one is very popular, so I thought I’d give it a try for $60. The nose is very delicate, with burnt sugar, vanilla, caramel, and a touch of citrus. Not complex at all, very subtle. The palate is on the sweet side, with honey, butter scotch, raisins, figs, and vanilla on the back. Finish is short, with some oakiness, vanilla, and fruit notes. Not bad, and easily drinkable. Quite balanced actually. I’m hesitant to add much water as this is already at the 40% legal min ABV. Water brings a bit more sweetness but takes away the subtle fruit notes that were present before. Oakiness and vanilla notes remain. Finish gains a touch of a hard candy feeling. Overall, this dram is interesting enough to be drinkable, but not complex enough to be enjoyable on its own. However, I found that it mixes really well with a touch of Laphroaig, and this adds a new dimension to it and makes it quite good.60.0 USD per Bottle -
Macallan Double Cask 12 Year
Single Malt — Highland, Scotland
Reviewed September 23, 2020 (edited September 27, 2020)Natural golden color, unfortunately chill-filtered, medium viscosity, and presented at 43% ABV. The nose is delicate, fruit-forward, with a definitive sherry influence. A touch of pepper and ginger on the nose in the back, but nothing very complex. The palate is also fruit-dominated, with a strong sherry influence. Vanilla and bitter oakiness mixed with raisins, sultanas, butterscotch, and some citrus notes on the back. Finish is unfortunately quite short and a bit bitter. You can tell the influence of both the Oloroso sherry and the American/European oak casks here, I guess that’s why its called “double cask”... duh! A touch of water doesn’t improve this dram much, in fact, I think it throws the delicate balance off and drowns it. The bitterness remains however. Would definitely skip water on this one next time. Overall, this is not a bad dram. It would suit most beginners just fine, its easily drinkable, and there’s plenty of Macallan character for a reasonable price. But I don’t see anything special in it, and a touch of bitterness does turn me off on this one. -
This is perhaps the most well-known Islay malt. Found in 1846 and is now owned by Diageo, most of Caol Ila production (95%) is intended for blends, so it’s very consistent and never disappoints. Both the core range (which is pretty narrow), and the independent bottlers are almost always a sure bet. Caol Ila is a peated malt at 38 ppm, but though the ppm level is the same as Lagavulin, the body of Caol Ila is much lighter. This is achieved by underfilling the wash and spirit stills during distillation, which gives the spirit more opportunity for reflux, and, as a result, produces its lighter character. The ppm consistency is achieved by distilling both peated and unpeated malts, and then blending them together. In fact, you can sometimes come across the non-peated Caol Ila, but this is definitely not the spirit it is known for. Unfortunately, due to the scale of Caol Ila’s production, maturation now occurs on the main land, not at the distillery like it used to be years ago. The 12-year-old is matured in ex bourbon hogsheads, which gives it a pale staw color. Since this may not be very appealing to beginners of whisky who judge their dram by the color (never do this, it is in no way reflective of the taste), Caol Ila typically comes in dark-colored glass bottles. The 12-year-old is bottled at a friendly 43% ABV, slightly above the legal minimum limit. The nose is fresh, medium strength, with medicinal and peaty notes, iodine, grass, and tobacco. There’s also some brine and faint citrus notes on the back. The palate is oily, smoky, with tar-like character, but also with some fruit and floral notes on the back. Not terribly complex, quite light-bodied, but well-balanced. It does not scream “peat” in your face like the Laphroaig does, but its not subtle either. Finish is long, medicinal and peppery. A few drops of water in this 43% ABV dram (by the way, I don’t see the cloudiness, so it must be chill-filtered) opens more iodine and medicinal character, and the fruitiness becomes a bit less. The finish remains long and oily. I would probably skip water on this one, as it’s quite diluted already. Overall, this is a solid dram, good for someone just starting their journey with the peated malts. There’s not a whole lot of complexity, but its well-balanced and mature enough to be enjoyed. Blends well with other whisky too.
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Laphroaig 10 Year
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed September 10, 2020 (edited December 11, 2020)This one is an Islay classic. The distillery was built in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston and was operated by their family until 1954. After passing a few hands it is now a part of Beam Suntory. The wash stills at Laphroaig have onion shape with tall conical necks to help increase the amount of reflux and interaction with copper. The spirit stills have flat bases and narrow strangled necks which also increases spirit/copper contact. In other words, copper has a very important role in their distillation process, and that reflects in the taste. At the same time, the neck of the spirit still is angled to the top, which does not allow heavy oils to reach the spirit, resulting in a pretty light-bodied whisky. Of course Laphroaig is known for its high levels of peat - 45 ppm. It’s peaty so much so that during the prohibition era it was sold in drug stores as a tonic because the government thought it was too peaty for people to get drunk on. Wonder how that one went... Anyways, lets get down to tasting. The color of this 10-year-old is light gold, which is pretty typical for this age and for whisky matured in bourbon casks. The ABV is 43% - decent, but not great. Viscosity is pretty low. Nose is very peaty, medicinal, with lots of iodine and salt. It’s really difficult to sense anything else here. Palate is quite simple and straightforward with peat dominating, and some oak and vanilla notes on the back. Finish is long, peaty and medicinal. This definitely needs water. Water tames the smoke, and other notes start to appear. Seaweed, caramel, black pepper, salt, ginger, apple, and clove can now be identified. Water definitely helps with this one, and I would add more than a teaspoon. Overall, this is a classic dram for peat lovers, and an excellent experience for someone who has never tried peaty whisky. They say never give this to a beginner because they would associate whisky with peat smoke, but this is only bad if they hate it. Laphroaig 10 was the first dram of whisky I tasted, and I absolutely loved it. In fact, I loved it more than I do now after having tried many more different varieties. For less than $50 this is a solid dram and a great experience. And not only you can drink it neat or with water, you can drink it with other whisky. I found that a few drops of this in a young Glenlivet or Green Spot brings a very nice dimension to them, particularly if you don’t overdo it. Enjoy!50.0 USD per Bottle -
Talisker Storm
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 10, 2020 (edited December 11, 2020)This whisky comes from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The distillery was found in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill is now operated by Diageo. It has a long history of fires, rebuilds, and conversions, and is known for the use of swan neck lye stills with worm tubs that allow some alcohol to condense before it reaches the cooler, and run back into the still for repeat distillation. The peat level used in Talisker is moderate compared with Islay whisky and ranges 16-22 ppm. But enough about the distillery, let talk about what we have in front of us. The Storm expression is a consumer product. There’s no age statement, it’s chill-filtered, and the color is darkened with caramel coloring. The ABV is decent though at 45.8% - typical for a Talisker. Viscosity is medium to low. Nose does not feel very youthful or sharp. It’s well-balanced with peat notes, some pepper, a touch of vanilla and caramel, and some solid brine. I believe this is matured in refill and toasted American oak casks, and I’ve heard they had some inconsistency in the past with cask selection. Palate is smoky and briny, with some peppery notes, and some bitter vanilla. Finish is medium to long, with wood smoke and oakiness. This is not very complex, but quite smooth and pleasant, very much enjoyable. A touch of water doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t bring any new notes either. Perhaps it becomes a bit flatter, but I can probably go either way with water on this one. Overall, not a bad dram, and I can see how Diageo likes to use it in their blended whisky. It has a distinct character, but is not as cut-throat as say Laphroaig that overpowers everything it blends with. You can find it pretty much anywhere for under $50, and I think it’s a good purchase. Especially good for someone who is curious about peat smoke.46.0 USD per Bottle -
Cragganmore 12 Year
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed September 7, 2020 (edited June 4, 2022)This one comes from the village of Ballindalloch in Banshire, Scotland, and is supposed to be a “classic” Speyside single malt. The stills used in the distillation are unique in that they are short and have a flat top, which contributes to the rich aroma. Unfortunately the distillery that was found in 1869 by John Smith (what a unique name!) is now owned by Diageo, and like most Diageo products, it is aimed at an “average” consumer, i.e., this is bottled at 40% ABV, chill-filtered, and with caramel color added. Oh well... The viscosity is medium-low, kind of expected for this little alcohol in the dram. It’s clear and the color is gold - what you would expect from an 18-year-old, but definitely too dark for the 12. The nose is floral, aromatic, delicate, but not shy. There’s a touch of smokiness to it as well, lingering on the back. Arrival is very smooth, creamy, and the palate is rich and round. There’s a lot going on. Raisins, sultanas, honey, some pepper, vanilla, banana, there’s a touch of smoke and some lemon zest. Finish is kind of short, with some bitter vanilla and lingering caramel. Delicious. Though the bottle doesn’t state it, it seems like this was matured in refill bourbon casks. It’s quite delicate, not overpowered by oakiness, and I don’t sense any sherry in there. I’m hesitant to add water as this is already at 40% ABV, and it seems like it would be easy to drown it. Indeed, water mellows it out without adding much dimension to this dram. I would skip water next time. Overall, I’m very happy with this dram. It’s complex, it’s very well balanced, it would appeal to both novices and enthusiasts alike. I wish this had higher ABV as this usually allows to extract even more flavor, but it is what it is, and maybe that’s how Laura Vernon (their current master distiller) wanted it. I paid $68 for this online, and it’s kind of expensive for the 12-year-old “consumer-friendly” dram, but I think it’s completely worth it. I would recommend this and would buy this again for myself.68.0 USD per Bottle -
Deanston 18 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed September 6, 2020 (edited March 2, 2022)Honestly presented at 46.3% ABV, non-chill-filtered, with no coloring added. Color is gold, and the viscosity is medium to high. Nose is delicate, almost shy, with hints of pepper, vanilla, and barley. The arrival is sharp, rich, almost a bit too concentrated. More pepper, citrus, chocolate, and raisins on the palate, and the finish is a bit bitter and drying, probably the consequence of decent ABV. A half teaspoon of water brings this to life. It is now rich with fruit (banana and orange perhaps, along with raisins), chocolate, and nuts. The finish is still bitter, although now with more honey and citrus notes. Some more water, but the character remains the same. The finish gains faint smokiness I remember liking in the 12-year-old. Overall, this is a solid, complex, and honestly presented dram, but in my opinion it underdelivers compared with its 12-year-old cousin. When compared side by side, I actually pick the 12-year-old instead of the 18. There’s more going on, it’s more interesting, and the flavor profile is more complex despite younger age. The 18-year needs more water and time to show its character, but even then I still prefer the 12. Would I buy this again for $125 compared with the $53 for the 12-year-old? At more than 2-fold price difference, I doubt it.125.0 USD per Bottle -
Clynelish 14 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed September 1, 2020 (edited April 14, 2021)Color is pale gold, but the bottle does not say anything about added color or chill filtration (come on, Diageo, we really want to know!) Viscosity is medium, but the ABV is decent at 46%, so the Marangoni effect is clearly visible. The nose is interesting, a bit shy, with hits of wheat and candle wax, pepper, and a touch of floral notes on the back. Nothing special yet. Palate is much more interesting. Sharp arrival, with citrus, sweet honey, raisins and sultanas, vanilla, caramel, and some bitter oakiness on the back. Finish is quite short, bitter, with citrus notes (grapefruit?) and vanilla. Overall, this is quite engaging, and shows a lot of potential. I bet adding water to this would not hurt at all. Water indeed makes a big difference with this whisky. Citrus and floral notes come forward, and the bitterness and oakiness take the back seat. Notes of banana, lemon, sweet vanilla, and chocolate can now be distinguished on the palate, and the finish gains more pleasant, less bitter and dry, and fruitier character. Perhaps a touch of smokiness can now be sensed on the back, but nothing to worry about for those who don’t like peaty malts. Finish gains a long-lasting grain character, and a touch of smoke remains in the aftertaste. Very interesting. Overall, this is a complex and engaging 14-year-old dram, but I would not recommend this to a beginner. There’s a lot of character in this malt, and some may wonder if it has anything from the legendary Brora. The two used to be sister distilleries and shared the same geographical location. In fact, Brora used to be named Clynelish from 1819 to 1968! Though Brora is long gone being mothballed in 1983, I am lucky to have actually tasted its legendary peated 30-year-old malt. I can tell you that there’s nothing in the sense of peatiness in this Clynelish 14 that would even come close to Brora I’ve tried, but I think there’s some characteristic robustness to this dram that I remember noticing in the legendary Brora. Perhaps its my imagination, perhaps its wishful thinking. Who wouldn’t want to pretend there’s something from the collector’s whisky in their $78 bottle? But Brora or no Brora, this is a very well-made whisky for enthusiasts and it will be greatly enjoyed.78.0 USD per Bottle -
Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed August 29, 2020 (edited May 29, 2021)Beautiful natural gold color, viscous, non-chill-filtered. The tears hardly come down the walls of the glass, this is bottled at 57.1% ABV cask strength and the surface tension is high. You can sense the alcohol on the nose too, its strong. This would definitely require some water, but I would first taste it neat. The nose is not yet developed, you can tell some caramel, vanilla, and pepper are there with a touch of smoke, but they don’t come out strong yet. Arrival is sharp, citrusy, with notes of butter scotch, tobacco, honey, and smoke. The finish is medium length and a bit sour, probably due to the effects of high alcohol content that dries the mouth. Some oak and vanilla aftertastes continue to linger though. I’m adding a teaspoon of water and let it settle. Scotch mist appears and tells me it indeed was not chill-filtered. Nose develops more fruit notes, raisins, banana, chocolate, orange, vanilla, and caramel. The palate becomes very friendly, with characteristic citrusy, honey, and smoky notes. Finish is still medium to short length, with vanilla and citrus characteristics. Like other Springbanks (or should I say Campbeltown whisky, because I haven’t yet encountered a bad one from that area), this one does not disappoint. The cask strength gives you flexibility to fit your palate and this is great, a lot of room for experimentation. It wasn’t cheap - $117. Though at this ABV you are getting more whisky for the money, it is still more expensive than Springbank 10 when translated to 46% ABV, and honestly, I’m not sure its worth it. Yes, this matured an extra 2 years in the cask, but with the exceptional quality of the 10-year-old you are picking between best and better. Overall, an excellent dram, particularly if you like to experiment with adding water.117.0 USD per Bottle -
Color is bright gold, but the bottle does not have an indication of whether its natural, so its safe to assume it isn’t. Chill-filtration is also no specified, so I guess it’s filtered as well. Oh well, at least we have viscosity which is moderately high for this 45.8% ABV dram. The nose is beautifully rich, confident, with butterscotch, molasses, vanilla, melon, apple, and a hint of smoke, pepper, and fresh fruit on the back. Palate is absolutely gorgeous, with notes of caramel, honey, raisins, ripe banana, vanilla, oak, and delicate pit fire smoke. The interplay of sweet and briny in this dram is really amazing, and the balance of flavor is superb. Finish is long, full of vanilla, oak, and fruit notes, again finishing with smoke. Peaty notes in this dram are more complimentary than dominating. This is not your typical Islay malt (it’s actually not from Islay at all - its from the isle of Skye), not is it even a younger version of Talisker itself. I add a splash of water to this dram, and it becomes even more balanced. The arrival is now definitely sweet rather than briny, and the raisin and vanilla notes intensify. Finish becomes more smoky, now with a touch of umami and some iodine, some smoked fish and citrus notes appear on the back. Absolutely gorgeous. Overall, this is a superb dram that would be equally enjoyed by beginners and enthusiasts alike. There’s nothing off putting in this whisky, and everything is very well balanced. Great job Diageo, but I wish you didn’t add the color or chill-filter it so we can appreciate the dram for what it is, which is a lot. Is it worth $190 I paid for it? Probably. Are there as good a drams for this money or less? Most definitely. But I think it’s still worth it.190.0 USD per Bottle
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