Tastes

Color: caramel with a hint of amber. Nose: we both immediately got strong sherry off the nose, then corn sweetness and soft oak. Warm and inviting. Some spice, but we can’t place what it is. Palate: A bold start with fruity sweetness, reminds me of sherry. Mild spiciness and the tiniest hint of oak. Very smooth and gentle while maintaining a lot of personality. Finish is mellow and warm. A minor kick at the end but it is very smooth. Leaves a slightly tart apple taste on the palate-very refreshing! Silky mouthfeel in this medium bodied bourbon. I really enjoy this delicious bourbon. It’s not overly complex or deep, but the richness of the flavor invites me to enjoy it sip after sip. It’s extremely pleasant and I love the price point.

Nose: Ripe apple, vanilla sweetness, brown sugar, very mild notes of semi-sweet chocolate. Palate: Sweet apple with a hint of brown sugar. It heats up really fast and becomes quite intense and rich. As it heats up, the apple flavors become more tart and cleansing. Finish is hot and brings some oakiness into the mix. The lingering flavors are mild brown sugar, dry apple, and a hint of oak. Body is medium, but lighter than I expected.

Nose: A crisp green apple wrapped in vanilla and caramel sweetness. Oakiness. Subtle baking spices. Palate: Apple and caramel at the front with a vanilla sweetness softening the intensity. Oakiness joins in the mid palate as the heat intensifies and the flavors deepens. The Finish is bold with alcohol and intense warmth. This one goes out with a bang. Body: full This is a really big, intense whiskey. I think this would be incredible on the rocks because of the high proof. Can’t wait to revisit it.

Nose: rich honey with bright citrus. Caramel and subtle nuttiness accent the aroma. I’m also getting a very faint hint of sea salt and smoke, but very, very faint. A very balanced nose. Palate: At the front, grapefruit and honey lead the way and carry throughout the sip. Rich oak and subtle nutty flavors join in the middle. The pleasant finish lingers a while as soft smoke wraps up the whole scene. Lighter end of a medium bodied whisky. Dangerously smooth! I’ll definitely always keep a bottle of Oban 14 on my shelf!

This may be a perfect single malt whisky. Sea salt and smoke are first on the nose, quickly joined by a honey-citrus sweetness that invites you to linger as the dram opens up further. Subtle hints of both pepper and malt appear with more time. All combine to create an extremely well rounded and warming aroma. Sweetness, Citrus, and subtle spice entice the front of the palate and carry through to the finish. A small sip goes a long way on this scotch. The maritime character of the whisky starts to show in the middle of the palate and lingers throughout the excellent finish. The whisky finishes perfectly - easy to swallow, warming your chest all the way down, and bringing up camp smoke and fresh black pepper in the long, lingering, spectacular finish. Every sip demands another. My favorite single malt whisky, hands down.

I just revisited this one after about a month and a half on the shelf. When I’m in the mood for an Islay, I usually go for Lagavulin 16 but I’m running low so I cracked this open and poured myself a dram. To my surprised, I enjoyed it far more this time than I remember enjoying it. Nose: peat smoke (duh), sea salt, subtle sweetness, a slightly meaty smell to the smoke. Palate: sweetness, seaweed, at the front then peat smoke furnace at the back. I prefer this to the 10-year, though I’m partial to Lagavulin 16 for an Islay.

An interesting Talisker to be sure. Not as subtle or complex as 18 nor as thorough and rich as 10, but with more time in the glass, it opens up to a more dynamic flavor. Smoke and sea salt are at the forefront of the nose, but behind them lie tart citrus and subtle honey. The palate is at first full of peat smoke and iodine, and the finish is dry and quick. But after more time in the glass, the palate mellows a bit and a bit of pear is present as well as mellow sweetness. I’ve tasted it a handful of time but never let it sit long enough, and with time it’s quite a pleasant dram!