Tastes

nose: fudge, smoke, cereal honey. simple but nice. A couple of serious deep sniffs made me think raisins. The wife said "sweet cedar forest" and I dont personally get it but see how she could; rich wood doesnt sound like a crazy stretch. palate: Smoke isnt pronounced but it impressively hits the front and back. I could understand "chocolate and oranges" but my taste was more chocolate and almost no marmalade-like notes. Citrus zest is fair but I wasnt getting much more than that. It definitely drinks like something that could have cost $20 more. The peat being present as much as it was without offsetting the rich and full mouth is a treat, impressive when you consider the price point and ABV. I picked this one up because I needed a sipper under $50 that wasnt Dewars or Johnny. I came out quite happy. The professional review is quite spot-on: you really wonder just how much of a massively juicy, slow-chewing, deep spirit this must've been at higher proof. The proof was surprising. for only being 80 proof it isnt without a decent strong little character to it. You could definitely breeze through drams of this without trying too hard but it is a respectable sip. May be a good choice to get someone a taste of something that isnt heavily-peated but still shows off a little smokiness. Personally I like a little less oil taste with my waxy, meaty, "chewers" but it is a SMOOTH dram. The oil and hotness do not honestly even present much: they just remind you how really rich and lush the cereal and fruit backbone is. Water made it sweeter. Not bad, not good. Just sweeter. I didnt try ice but this seems a really good candidate for a fat pour + 43/drambuie + 2 ice cubes. 1-100 I'd toss it a 84. I would give Johnny Green 87 or 88 for reference. Paid $42 w tax at Total Wine CO

2018 edition, purchased for $77 w/tax @total wine Colorado nose is out of this world. Iodine, a HINT of grandma's white diamonds perfume, BURNT peat, cherry juice. "lots going on here" gets overused but this is a real treat for the sense, hands down. palate was not what the nose immediately suggests to your brain. For me it was night and day but in a very good way. Sea breeze. Vanilla and sweet wood. Dark fruit orchard during bloom. Smoke is there from start until ALMOST the finish but disappears near the end quite pleasantly. Ice did not improve it. single cube, glass of rocks, it wasnt good. The ash notes and burn lose all there place and balance and create a very hot a sip with little I enjoyed. Vanilla completely drowns, etc. If you absolutely have to, give it the white gloves and check it drop-by-drop with top-shelf mineral water. room temp. I gave it 5/5 but I'm rounding from a 4.5. on the 1-100 This is easily in the low 90s (my mind anything above 90 is best-in-class or dramatic standout), maybe a 93.

perfection of the "rye spice" notes. Isnt overpowering in any way but does NOT hold your hand anywhere. Unashamed nose of apples and baking spice. Body was remarkably light (and accordingly smooth); ESPECIALLY at the proof. Remember, straight out the bottle this is 50% stronger than most watered-down brown. finish wasnt long at all but has it's own interesting thing. Less menthol, more grass. The faint baking spice covers any hotter notes in the swallow. 9/10 would pound shots any night or consider it a respectable choice for nicer 'tails. Single cube and it was way bolder with the spice taking on more of a forward presence in the sip. if Neat is Glen Campbell on vinyl, ice was like pandora on the wireless speaker on the backporch.

single malt mastery. Amber honey note on your tongue that quickly gives away into an amazing buttery trail of stone fruit to cereal to sweet nut... think freshly cracked filberts with a warm glass of cider on a cold night. I'm usually a neat person. if it isnt too fancy I may occasionally go rocks. this dram DESERVES to be enjoyed neatly then with a drop of water.

warm stone fruit. waxy, almost greasy, wood spices and fruit smoothness. Good neat, rocks, mixed. Charactered, but not unnecessarily so. RICH mouth feel. I have the tumbler (and ice sphere mold) they recommend it with from buying so much over the years but I promise it's best room temp neat. Pour the dram generous and notice how it opens so nicely sip after sip. Whenever I take a bottle to a party, it usually is this one. best blend for the money. easy choice when under $30usd. mine is $25 w tax.

Edit: this is the '18 bottling which won. The '19 is good, but not quite as good. Say 92 vs 88 or so. absolutely mouthwatering. The palate all has balance and feels purposed. The vanilla and oak predominate but never steal the show. All the best players in a shot-worthy brown get extended solos in this piece. unbelievable value under $40. ENJOY NEAT ROOM TEMP.

Amanda's final words in her excellent review say it best. Layered and tasty, but smooth and sippable. Fruit-forward, but without some of the notes that make that a turn-off for many including myself. The green tea and plum do not overreach, the tullamore body isnt lost, the cask finishes are all really pleasant to sip and let them lead your tongue around. Neat it wasnt perfect. In my few tests about half a cube worth of water for a small tumbler worked best. A fat tumbler pour over 1.5 cubes with 1teaspoon licor 43 brought ALL the caskings out fabulously. I want to give it a 4, but 3.75 like someone else said is maybe the reach. 3.5 totally out of 5 I could see. its unique, its tullamore, its Irish craft refined. Nothing to go stash a case of, but a bottle I definitely liked.