Tastes

If you want to introduce a friend to smoky whiskey, but gently this would be a good one to give them. Light on the smoke note, enough to be interesting? No.However it's an easy drinker, a friendly whiskey if that's what you're looking for. If you want a challenging whiskey, I'd look somewhere else.

This will come to you as overpowering if your new to Islay, not for beginning whiskey drinkers obviously. I wish the smell came off more distinctly, but the taste makes up for it. An explosion of flavors once you swallow your first sip, trying to find out the flavors that come at you but its comes at you so fast, its like you're Lucy at the Candy factory trying to keep up. A glass of this demands your complete attention and in the end you're rewarded with a white ash finish.

My go to Scotch when I want the smoke. I'll always have this in the collection.

I get a chocolate cheery vibe with this one, a dark chocolate sorta dark fruit from start to finish. I'm glad Buffalo Trace didn't cheapen out and have this whiskey at 80 proof, they would've sold more, but credit to them as I think this is the bourbon you try first if you truly want to graduate and try to neat pour your whiskey, instead of mixing it.

Very friendly like most Irish whiskeys, but its not the typical heavy on the butter scotch taste like your typical Irish whiskey, it's more fuity and wine like. It's interesting, I bought a bottle, but I don't see a repeat performance.

What is this after taste? Sweet? Salty? Yes and yes. A dram of this demands your attention and oilyness that clings to your tongue. It takes time to acculamate to the flavors hitting you, but give it time and you'll be glad you did. If you're looking for a little bit of a spanking, get a bottle of this.

Wood, cherry, and spice for days. Think of the opening scene of The Godfather, this is his study room. This is my go to bourbon.