Tastes

Sea spray and caramelized bananas on the nose opens to ceviche with bright notes of tropical fruits, hints of vinegar, and salted cod, falling into baking chocolate and citrus. Medium finish of damp burned out basement and roasted nuts.

Heavy classic bourbon notes on the nose with citrus, orange peel, smoked nuts, and salted caramels coming and going. The palate is bright, full bodied, with complex fresh vanilla beans, pine nuts, grapefruit and milk chocolate. Medium finish, hangs out for a bit with caramel, spun sugar, and coffee.

Ordered to compare to the Ardbeg 10. It came neat in a rocks glass. Ordered it to pair with a NY Strip steak and it didn’t disappoint. Solid peat, smoke, campfire, and tobacco on the nose. Little bit of florals come into nose as well, hints of lavender and sweet chamomile. The palate is clean, not too oily. Besides the smoke forward, notes of cherries, dried apricots, leather. Sweetness develops over a little bit of letting it sit in the glass. It’s much more of applewood smoke than the meaty bbq that you’d get in many of the Ardbeg’s offerings. The finish is clean and short and goes down like water. Leather and oak hang out for a bit, apple and overcooked pastry come to the party as well. Overall really enjoyable pour. For my preference, needs more peat, but understandably soft for the age. Definitely brought out the smoke and natural sweetness of the steak so 10/10 would order again.

Nose: Apple, cream, toffee, guava Palate: Thick bodied. Puff pastry, vanilla, malt Finish: Warm and lingering vanilla and toffee with notes of caramel and slight Barbados rum The rum brings a nice sweetness to the scotch without overpowering it. Could be funkier by using Jamaican rums, but that’s just my preference. Solid choice all around

Appearance: Light amber, apple juice. Nose: Creme brûlée is spot on, followed by oak, pecan, and then tropical fruit - mango and papaya with a hint of watermelon and salt Palate: Sweet caramel, butterscotch, toffee, a lot of strong bourbon notes Finish: Smooth and long. Warm spices, brûléed banana, and vanilla hang out for a bit.

I’m a fan of all things Islay, and especially the work of Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich. This is no exception. I love peat and even though this is unpeated, the smoky notes you’d expect in an Islay still pull through. Color: Deep copper. Nice legs, a little oily Nose: Stone fruit, cinnamon, clove, and red wine. Really complex bouquet, seems to shift with each sip Palate: Smooth as butter. Baking spices (nutmeg and anise mostly) are there at first. They give way to smoke, pear, and sherry. That quickly drops away for spicy chocolate and fresh cracked black pepper. Finish: Again, super smooth. Fresh baked pear and cinnamon linger for a while. Fantastic scotch all around, quite possibly the best I’ve had. It really is magic in a bottle.

Nose: peat, smoke, leather, tobacco Palate: Moderately oily. Peat rolls around with a sweet smoke, like a Georgia gold barbecue sauce. Sea salt, burnt sugar, and sardines also come through. Finish: Smoke and peat and peat and smoke. Beautifully balanced, lingers just until the next sip.

Nose: Sweet milk, chocolate, cinnamon, rye spice Palate: Caramel, vanilla, chocolate, smoother than small batch, with some baking spices Finish: Dryer finish, lingering caramel and Demerara sugar

Nose: Apple, citrus, baking spices, vanilla Palate: Dry, like a white wine, herbaceous leads into apple and honey. Finish: Apple and celery come back strong and finishes with a lingering vanilla and hints of caramel

Nose: Vanilla, caramel Palate: Cereal forward, malt, vanilla, sweet pear Finish: spicy, cinnamon, oats Overall solid whiskey, this batch was from sourced base and finished in Pittsburgh. Good for mixing, or drinking with a little soda or ice to bring out some of the more subtle notes.