Tastes

Just beautiful. Understanding that it's not for everyone, I do think it's a beautiful drink that gets you fully into the transition from medium-peated scotch to the next level. Nose: A dash of smoke that leads into an abundance of smells: Ripe mango, the ocean, brisket and meaty walnut along with some creamy vanilla. Taste: Pepper, cinnamon, vanilla...very traditional flavors. The mid-palate offers up something untraditional though, as I get a brie cheese and orchard fruit. Is this finished with a sherry cask at all? That dried fruit and nuttiness shows up as if there's sherry. Mango again on the taste. That smoke touch gives it a pleasant meat vibe. It all melds together like a bacon-wrapped fig. Finish: Coats your mouth perfectly. A little tanic dryness, but the fruit elements give it a balancing juicy quality. That subtle smoke and peaty earthiness transitions smoothly to a relatively gentle (but not boring) finish. Overall: Complex. Cohesive. Accessible enough for someone like myself who's entering the world of smoke/peat-heavy drams...but I'd imagine it can be appreciated by those with super experienced palates given all that's going on here. That's what amazes me: there are so many things happening, but they are balanced and flow into each other beautifully. Value: At $70, I think this is a brilliant scotch and worth having in your collection (by taste, it hangs with some $90-$100 scotches that I've purchased). it makes me excited to try more Campbeltown offerings.

Nose: Heavy on the vanilla and cinnamon. Toasty barrel notes when you dig deeper. Dried fruit. Taste: The vanilla creaminess is abundant. Cinnamon translates from nose to taste as well. I get raisin and bread as well. The flavors meld together beautifully to where you can find a distinct vibes of bread pudding. Finish: Goes down smooth given the proof, and a sweet spice lingers for a while. Really nice finish. Overall: Quality from start to finish. Sweet with the right amount of spice and some clear flavors. Not overall complex, but it’s cohesive and the flavors it does offer are super rich/clear. Value: Elite bang for your buck if you’re venturing into the $50+ range.

Nose: Banana, sandalwood, cherry, light hints of mint and caramel, nutella and a beautiful rich brown sugar. Taste: Hits hard, burned my ears a little. Pecan. Cola. Banana bread. After opening up, you can start to get some big flavors of vanilla and baking spice. Finish: SPICE. You get a deep Kentucky Hug, but some of those fruit elements from the nose show...the cherry and banana linger. Overall: Normally, I’m not a huge fan of the heavy-hitting proofs. I tend to stick in the 100-110 range. With that being said, this is a really nice high-proof bourbon that is as pretty as it is aggressive. Some incredibly deep flavors. And it’s extremely cohesive from start to finish. Makes me wonder what a BiB Woodford would taste like. Value: I got this from a friend. I’ve spent more than $130 or so on a bottle before, and I totally get why the high-proof fans would LOVE this. It’s not my personal preference, however. I’d rather spend half the price on an EH Taylor or a 1920 OF. But if high proofs are your thing, then I think you’d have a lot of fun with this. Happy I tried, but not a purchase for me.

Nose: Earthy vegetal tones, tar and ashy smoke, followed by some pleasant vanilla, cinnamon, green apple, milk chocolate. Salty cheese. Taste: Super peppery, sour orange, baking chocolate, vanilla. That iodine kicks in throughout but shows up most during mid-palate. Finish: Minty freshness pairs well with the omnipresent smoke. Salty, like beef jerky. Also get a coffee malt vibe along with a strong dose of cinnamon. Overall: Awesome. It’s a classic. One of the first Scotches I tried, but one that took a long time to appreciate fully. It feels like the Ric Flair of whiskey...it’s disguised as sophisticated, but kinda crazy. A hero and a heel. It’s damn close to perfect. And sometimes I can find it for less than $90 at Costco...which is nice.

I've been wanting to try some WP products for a while, and I saw this in the mini-section behind the counter today. It's a Friday and I figured it was as good a time as any to treat myself. ($6.99 for 50 ml) Nose: Musty grass/hay for days, and a ton of cracked black pepper. Sweetness shows up after a bit, the closest I can get is a creamy vanilla vibe. Taste: A rush of flavor instantly. Sugar (waves of it) starts you off and transitions into this herbal bitterness. Pipe tobacco. Rye bread. Dry barrel notes as well. Finish: It’s dry, but it packs a punch and it lingers. There’s a harshness from the rye, but some sweet citrus notes show up at the end to give it a very pleasant balance. Overall: I find myself being very hit or miss on Rye. This isn’t my preference with flavor profiles, but I can appreciate it as being very high quality. Complex, rich and just interesting overall. It’s enough to get me trying some other Whistle Pig products.

Not for the faint of heart. But as you acclimate to peat smoke, this is a gem...especially in the winter. Nose: Smoke hits you, hard. But once you adjust, all these extra notes emerge: vanilla, mango, brine, baking spices. Taste: Iodine, salty and smokey. But the nose leads you perfectly into the flavor profile. That vanilla and mango pairs perfectly with the harsher aspects of the dram. Finish: The malty, coffee flavor shines at the end. Cinnamon sticks with you, as well as a touch of smoke. Overall, this is great, great stuff if you’ve adjusted to peat. I remember trying it a year ago and couldn’t handle it. A few months later, I tried it again on a cold day and enjoyed it. Recently, I’ve adjusted to the peat and feel like I can get a lot of the flavors beyond just smoke and iodine.

Nose: Intense brown sugar, with all the classic bourbon notes (vanilla, caramel, wood)...but amped up. A nice undertone of leather as well. But the sweet stuff is what steals the show. Taste: Sugary syrup up front. Spikes with cherry and then rides off with more sugar, char and some banana. Super rich and intense. Finish: Sticks with you. That banana lingers (giggity), but some rye spice comes through as well. It’s like a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Overall: This is one of my favorite bourbons regardless of price. Sweet, rich and complete enough to keep you guessing...while still just easy and enjoyable. I love the proof here, it feels perfect. And it’s a great transition bourbon if you’re looking to jump up from the 45% range.

Nose: Vanilla, a heavy yet rounded off barrel influence, some caramel apple and deep baking spices. Taste: More vanilla, but some sharp orange shows up to cut that woodiness some. Finish: Falls a little flat for my preference. It's a mellow end, some charred marshmallow. Overall: This is a pleasant whiskey and one that I loved early in my journey. It's still a staple for me, one that I keep in my rotation on days when I don't feel like an adventure and just feel like enjoying a solid drink. Does it change your world? No. But it's pleasant, friendly and a decent value at the price ($45ish).

Really interesting. The nose is intense and is probably my least favorite part of the drink...it's just intense oak and fake cinnamon, almost like Big Red gum. Some dusty corn. You get both of those elements on the taste, but it opens up to some more enjoyable aspects: vanilla, chocolate and yeasty. Gives you a good burn to say goodbye. I don't love it, but it's distinct and it's solid quality. Definitely worth trying if you're out at a bar, but I'm not looking to buy a bottle.

I feel like this gets overlooked some because it’s sooooo readily available. But I think this is a nice scotch that serves up as a gateway to more aggressive drinks...while still being accessible. The nose is delightful, with hints of smoke popping in with a creamy vanilla. Both those elements are easy to find on the taste, but you also get some lemon zest and pepper. A touch of peat, earth notes as well. The finish is pretty quick given the ABV. But man, there’s nothing wrong with this...and I can often find it for less than $30. Good value drink imo. 87 overall.