Tastes

Mini-bottle that came with the regular Glenmorangie, neat: Sticky sweet bing cherries. The considerable burn in the nose is mellowed out immediately by the sugary liqueur-like sugars. It has a slick, buttery body. There is no smoke at first, and then a little puff of it after the first wave. This is closer to a cognac to your typical Highland Scotch, to me at least. It is a very sweet alternative. Some finished wood and nail polish. At the end, the burn definitely lingers, along with the cherry syrup left behind. The dark amber color is a harbinger of what's to come. Adding a droplet mellows things out considerably, but dilutes it almost naught. The flavors pop, the burn just lessens. The smoke peeks out a bit extra with a drop of water. You must be able to handle the sweetness of a Cognac/Brandy to enjoy this, in my opinion.

This is my first real dud as far as Scotch goes. Get the Speyside, and not this one. The fusels are way too hot, with a burn that is so grainy and intense I had to verify the proof/abv. The flavor lacks any real character, with the exception of some rubber, plastic, and medicinal rubbing alcohol and some mild dried flowers. Plenty of heat, but almost no smoke. There is a musty staleness that is hard to shake. A droplet does mitigate some of the unpleasantness but doesn't improve any of the flavors. I will give this another shot because I wonder if the salad I ate is somehow coloring my experience here, but based on other reviews I would say that doesn't seem to be the case.

The heavy fusel burn dovetails perfectly with the peat smoke. All the usual descriptors: smoked meat, campfire, tobacco ash, cigars. It's all cliche but it's because it's all true. It does benefit from a droplet, only because the moss and soil then overshadows the alcohol heat. It's the most boggy whiskey that I've had with the possible exception of Ardbeg 10.

An incredible value, and a terrific gateway Scotch for the squeamish. Deceptively smooth. I'll be keeping this on my shelf. Neat: Saltwater taffy, brine that is somehow reminiscent of soy sauce. Metallic astringency. Some definite buttered popcorn business happening. With a droplet: the salt remains, but the peat becomes more mossy and boggy. The toffee and sugary malts bloom. The burn wafts away.

Neat: Sweet, sugary corn stuff. Toffee, molasses. Slight sourness in the mash. With a cube: Vanilla bloom, caraway seeds, the burn/heat doesn't subside really. Mild black pepper.

Neat: A huge fusel burn right off the bat. Plenty of caramel, toffee and corn, but they play second fiddle to the alcohol heat. No peat or smoke whatsoever. With a droplet: the burn slightly decreases but not by much. The toffee and caramel dilute a bit, but prickly citrus spices come out with a floral quality. (RECOMMENDED) With a big cube: the vanilla, caramel and toffee bloom. Dried orange peel also pops here. Ashy smoke puffs out with ice as well. It definitely benefits from dilution or a mixer.

This is a wonderful whisky. Neat: The PEAT, naturally, is off the charts: bonfire ashes, cigar tobacco, smoked meats. The BURN is heavy when drank neat. Like it was doused in BLACK PEPPER. Droplet added: The CARAMEL and toffee starts to poke out. Treated wood, some spices, and a METAL/mineral astringency. The peat goes from a smoke bomb to merely boggy. There is some plastic/Band-Aid stuff but it works. In the nose there is CINNAMON and Christmas spices to match the smoke, dried ORANGE PEEL. Powdery CHARCOAL ash. When aspirated and exhaled, there a spearmint coolness that is completely unexpected.

Buttery, honey and sweet malts. Mild smoke, but some spice.

ELGIN HERITAGE: Neat, at home: Rounded notes of CARAMEL and TOFFEE; rich honey. Vanilla creme with a second wave of sea salt. The body is chewy and slick. The burn is barely there. Peat is there but very much a secondary CHARACTER. LEMON squares, Graham cracker crust, tartness at the end. Definitely a lemon meringue finish. With a droplet of water, the salt emerges and a more mineral component comes out. (Maybe it's my water?) More tobacco and autumn leaves come out. The toffee and caramel also mellow out. Peat actually blooms a bit with a drop. It sticks on the lips.

Neat, at home: Terrific for the price point. SALTY at the top, the burn is but a flesh wound. METALLIC/battery; vanilla creme; an oak CIGAR BOX; dried hay; apricot and dried ORANGE PEEL, but without the prickly spice; almonds. The vanilla keeps coming with a dash of water. The finish is white pepper, and a touch of cinnamon. It's very mild and easy to drink, sweet, spicy and salty.