Tastes

This is probably my favorite whisky from Ardbeg. It is more rounded than the 10 yr, but still very complex. The Uigeadail is delicious and probably even more complex, but this checks all of the right boxes for me. Nose: Dark ash, burning leaves, vanilla, lemon, brine Palate: Ash, vanilla, black pepper, lemon and a chocolate sweetness on the tail end. Finish: Medium, it actually reminds me of laphroaig which has this orange cigar smoke flavor. Mouthfeel: This is what separates this from the 10 yr. It is creamier and rounded. You can definitely notice the px cask making this more approachable. This is a whisky that asks to be sipped all night.

I appreciate that they bottled this at 46%, non-chill filtered, and no color added. It is a very nice unfinished scotch with what I would consider to be natural flavor. It is very good, but I prefer something with a hint of smoke. Nose: Vanilla, honey, ethanol, cereal, white wine Palate: Vanilla (gets creamier with water), cereal grain, honey, apple, dusty Finish: Medium, honey dust with ethanol on back end. Mouthfeel: This screams quality, it is quite viscous for the light flavor, almost creamy. Very nice!

This whisky is not awful, but compared to other scotches it just leaves something to be desired. Nose: Ethanol, raisins, figs, a little nuttiness Palate: Sherry influence, with dark stone fruits and nut. Finish: Medium short and the sweet turns to a bitterness Mouthfeel: Medium to thin. Could have probably used more time in barrels.

This is very drinkable, but I feel very overpriced for what it is. It is of comparable quality to buffalo trace or four roses small batch but almost 20 dollars more. Nose: Quintessential bourbon, apple, cherry, honey, slight brown sugar note Palate: Caramel, honey, apple, baking spices Finish: Doesn't seem to have much of a finish, but it is very approachable because of this. Mouthfeel: Not thin but not creamy. Very little ethanol spikes.

The stuff I'd been hearing about from Arran has been nothing but positive and I can totally see why. I love finding good scotch that isn't finished. It's like a more full bodied Irish whisky (I personally love Irish whisky). I could see some people saying this isn't complex enough for them, but it meets all the flavors that I particularly enjoy and I love the mouthfeel. Nose: Similar smell to Irish whisky, butter cookie, apple, barley, slight ethanol, honey, caramel. Palate: Honey, butter, cheerios, apple, malt, a citrus occasionally pops up. Finish: Medium to short, but not bad. It turns slightly bitter. Mouthfeel: This is what makes it stand out. It's creamy and not overly harsh but by no means what I refer to a smooth.

I really enjoy this dram, but I have so much peated stuff on my bar right now that I don't think I'll be picking a bottle of this up for a while. I know this is a blend of Caol Ila and Laphroaig, but I would swear that it is Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Nose: Earthy peat, citrus, honey, vanilla, ash Palate: Peat, honey, lemon, orange, vanilla, very vegetal. Finish: Medium long with a nice ashy finish like with a cigar Mouthfeel: This is where this whisky stands out from the other peated stuff I've had (with exception to Lore). It's creamy and slightly oily. It feels like it's the perfect ABV and has almost no astringency.

Compass box is quickly becoming one of my favorite whisky makers. My only issue with them is price vs quality. They are definitely quality but I don't know if they justify the price. Nose: Very bourbon-ish, mulled spices, honey, brown sugar, chocolate, cereal grain, vanilla, sherry Palate: Vanilla, raisins, baking spice, honey, cinnamon Finish: Medium with a dark chocolate finish Mouthfeel: Compass box velvety mouthfeel, slightly oily but then shows some tannin and astringency.

This is a hard whisky to score. I'm giving it a 3.5 because I don't think that I would ever buy it, but I would never turn a dram down. Nose: Dried fruits, raisins, honey, brown sugar Palate: Dark fruits, grappa, raisins, honey granola, baking spices Finish: Medium short and leaves an enjoyable sweetness Mouthfeel: Like velvet but not overly oily.

I enjoy this whisky but it leaves just a little bit to be desired. I think if it was a little higher ABV then it would help make it more memorable. It is very good for a second sipper or somebody wanting a friendly whisky for the evening. Nose: Dark fruits, caramel, vanilla, baking spices Palate: Cinnamon, vanilla, toffee, raisins.It honestly reminds me of a bourbon. Finish: Very light and short. This is where the ABV would help a little. Mouthfeel: The word I want to use is soft. It's not oily (again needs more ABV for that), but it's definitely not thin. It's definitely not the worst I've had.

I really like this scotch and initially was blown away by it. I have had so much good scotch recently that I feel this one is getting slightly overshadowed and it shouldn't be. This is a completely different (better in my opinion) whisky when you add water. I would have this in my collection any time. Nose: It says unpeated, but I feel like there is a little smoke lingering around. Nice cereal grains, honey, vanilla, ethanol, slight pepper. Palate: Honey, Lemon, Mint, light caramel, malty, Honey Nut Cheerios Finish: Long finish, you can definitely feel the ABV goes just very slightly bitter at the finish which is about the only time you notice the oak. Mouthfeel: Without water it feels kind of thin, but when you add water, it gets oily and almost creamy.