Tastes

Nose: Leather, orange, vanilla, nuts, oak, caramelised (almost burnt) sugars. Nutmeg and cinnamon in the background. Adding water brings out more sweet oaky notes. Palate: When neat there is a fairly powerful and hot arrival of rye and vanilla custard. More spicy, almost chilli-like, rye and oak tannin notes appear in the development along with dark toffee, honey, pine resin and tobacco. Diluted, the palate seems more balanced and definitely sweeter. Finish: Long. Woody and caramel with some barrel char and spicy notes that gradually fade away. I have mixed feelings about this whiskey. On the one hand it is bold and uncompromisingly rye-dominant with bags of character and flavour intensity and a really nice nose. On the other it is a bit simplistic and very much dominated by the cask. The oaky component might not seem obvious at first, what with all that rye spice floating around, but it is there and the more you taste it the more an intense woodiness becomes apparent as the driving force of the profile. Adding water relaxes it considerably and reveals some minty and menthol components on the palate, along with a pleasant sweetness. Initially the nose falls flat after adding water, and the result is a papery quality like the smell of a wet book. Give it time to compose itself and the nose re-asserts beautifully with sweet and spicy notes that create an almost biscuity aroma. I greatly preferred this whiskey with a good dash of water and 5 minutes to rest. "Above Average" : 81/100 (3 stars)

Nose: Leather with honey, sherry, vanilla, milk chocolate and malt. Oily and nutty (walnuts and hazelnuts). Citrus rind, cherries and ginger. It's a hefty nose, but soft, and reminiscent of a light bourbon. Palate: Soft, silky smooth arrival. Honey, vanilla and sweetly spicy oak. In the development it gains toasty cereal notes and richness, with just a touch of nuts, melon, coconut and fruitiness. Lovely texture. Finish: Medium/long. Creamy and with a supurb semi-sweet sherry aftertaste. There is a very faint metallic bitterness towards the end, but thankfully it dies away before the sherry does. A fine whiskey with magnificent balance. The texture is satisfying and warm and it has a sweet character overall, with a lingering presence like the aftertaste of fudge or nougat. It's a whiskey that makes you come back for another dram. It does not have great complexity, but what is there is excellently handled. This is one of the whiskies I reach for when I don't feel like a challenging cask-strength single malt but I still want something I can enjoy neat. It's always enjoyable, dependably consistent, and represents good value for money. I'd equate this with Glenfarclas 12 year old in the Scotch whisky world, and I'm scoring it as such. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Nose: Floral vanilla, sherry, oak. Buttery rich and earthy. As it rests in the glass a basket of fruity aromas begins to form - apple, pear, apricot, cherry. There's also a faint note of lavender, violets and rose. Palate: The arrival is light and sweet with a barley sugar quality. In the development it gains a lot of gristy cereal notes but also turns slightly bitter with sour green apple and tannic over-brewed black tea notes. A peppery character appears towards the end along with dark bitter cocoa. The texture is a little on the waxy side, but pleasantly so. Finish: Medium. Rather spirity and with a bitter metallic hint. I've always thought the nose on Writers Tears to be much superior to the palate, and this particular tasting did nothing to change my mind. Neat, the nose is full and fragrant and a little reminiscent of the better Jameson expressions. Watered it loses all of its punch. The palate is fresh and sweet but lacking in depth. The addition of water does little to change it, bringing out some maltiness that doesn't quite balance the bitter notes. Writers Tears has never seemed to me to be much more than an over-hyped average whisky and it doesn't justify its price. I wouldn't select it as a sipping tipple and it's too expensive to choose as a mixer. The sour/bitter/cocoa finish seems out of step and overly prominent and is a big let-down for me. "Average" : 77/100 (2.5 stars)

Nose: Sherry, dried fruits, aromatic pine resin, heavy vegetal notes, caramel toffee. Old fragrant oak furniture and cedar cigar boxes. Malty and nutty aromas. There's a trace of sulphur as well, but it works in the context. With water the nose lightens and gains more woody aromas [the dry glass is sherry and aromatic cedarwood]. Palate: Sweet arrival, a heavy sherry-based entry turning rapidly spicy. A heavy, viscous texture that focuses squarely on malt. Burnt sugar, oak tannins, milk chocolate, coffee and pine resin (but sweet). Christmas cake. Water melds everything together and brings out a mild minty note, which is very pleasant. Finish: Medium/long. Nutty, woody and sweet/sour malt. On the one hand this whisky could be accused of being a ham-fisted as it uncompromisingly lays on heavy aromas and flavours. Subtle, this ain't. On the other, it can be celebrated for it's no-holds-barred exuberance and body and it is a very satisfying dram to curl up with on a cold evening. In some ways it's like the whisky that Dalmore could be if it tried harder. It could rival some Glendronach expressions and it's a bit like a younger, less monstrous brother of Glenfarclas 105. It's also easy to see why Diagio values this distillery - the whisky provides brawn and depth of palate to balance the light aromas of their other house malts when used as core components in Johnnie Walker blends. One of the better malts in the Flora & Fauna series (and increasingly difficult to find now). It's not a sophisticated dram, it's a bruiser and a good one that is equally enjoyable neat or with water. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Nose: Sherry, dried fruits (figs, dates), soft ground spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, caraway, powdered ginger), brown sugar, light bouquet garni, fresh cut daisies!, apples and pears. Palate: Soft creamy and fruit-malt arrival. The development is equally soft and brings out honey and some oak. Vanilla, butterscotch and apple danish (but made with sour green apples). There's a slight salty tinge that is very well balanced with a herbal element and even a tiny whiff of smoke way in the background. Finish: Medium/short. Fruity, trailing out into a pleasantly mild dry and tannic finale like cold black tea, but balanced by faint wisps of honey and oak. Overall, this is a very well balanced and appealing whisky. It's not a hefty bruiser but it has character and is not lightweight. There's a slight maritime quality to it that is very agreeable. You certainly don't mistake it for a blend, but it is very easy drinking and approachable. Highly recommended and good value for money, this is a great example of an affordable daily dram single malt. It is surprisingly overlooked. Now pardon me while I pour another dram. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Nose: Fresh and brisk, leather, light fruit, thin honey, some sherry and a touch of vanilla with an earthy weight. Some red berries and a hint of sandalwood. Overall it's a cereal-driven nose but there is an unwelcome spirity quality and you can't escape the feeling that it is thin and weak. Palate: Smooth, sweet arrival. Malty and cereal and some soft warm spices. Stewed fruits, but very mild, with vanilla. The texture is agreeably silky but not creamy or oily - in fact like the nose it's rather on the thin side. A little bit of oak spice peeks through, but it's very shy, and there is a touch of a metallic quality. Finish: Short. Sweet and a little fruity (thin orange marmalade?), but again rather ethanol/watery in the finale. This may be the Beast of Dufftown, but in this expression the monster has been whipped into submission and chained in its cage. This whisky is neither rare nor old. The nose has some good features but is marred by an ethanol quality that gives it a character more like that of a blended scotch than a single malt and it seems insipid. Thankfully, this mostly blows off after some time resting in the glass, and the addition of a couple of drops of water transmutes it further into a fragrant note, almost like eau de cologne. The palate is acceptable but too light and it lacks heft. You would never guess that it is 43.4% abv as it seems more like 37%. Once again, the addition of a dash of water brings improvement, as more spiciness (almost bitterness) comes out and the palate broadens. However it never gains that familiar Mortlach meatiness. In this expression it's more like shaved ham than hunter's stew. This whisky confirms my opinion that Mortlach is best in independent bottlings. Ignore this one and instead buy the Gordon & MacPhail 15 year or the lovely Maltman 22 year. This is not bad whisky but it seems thin and weak throughout, and knowing what this distillery can achieve it's a disappointment. It's better than merely average, but only just barely. As it's only a 500ml bottle this is also expensive and in my opinion way overpriced for what it is. Diageo are conning us with this release. "Above Average (just barely)" : 80/100 (3 stars)

Nose: A cereal-forward nose with a little vanilla and a strong malty background. Sweet and full, there are hints of apple, honey and caramel. Palate: Rich, sweet, silky-smooth arrival. Brown sugar and malt, vanilla, custard, hazelnuts. As it develops a little cocoa comes to the front. The texture is light. Finish: Medium. Sweet and cereal/malty. Like Teaninich 10 year, this whisky put me very much in mind of Johnnie Walker. I'd bet good money it is a component of their blends but this one probably goes into Black Label more than Red Label. It's enjoyable and easy to drink, with the only negatives being lightness of body and a faintly saccharine/mineral note that creeps in at mid-development. This lingers through until the end. Adding water is not recommended. The nose loses coherence and turns into pear-juice and the palate falls apart. This whisky can't swim to save itself. The only positive thing about watering is that the aftertaste is muted. It's rather expensive for the quality and only worth obtaining if you are aiming to taste the whole Flora & Fauna series, but for all that it is an above average malt, just. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)

Nose: Lightly malty and rather like oatmeal. A touch of lemon. As it rests more and more maltiness emerges. Palate: Warming and sweet arrival, very much cereal based. Nutty, malty and a touch salty in the development, but it never loses the sweet cooked-cereal character. A very pleasant mouthfeel that is silken rather than creamy or oily. The texture is one of its best features. Finish: Medium long, malty and sweet. A touch of mild ginger spice but the lingering flavours are all reminiscent of ale. This is a highly malt-centered whisky, with an overall profile very much like a light ale. The nose is quite shy and you need to let it rest for a while before nosing or there will be little to note. It's a extremely drinkable whisky with no burn whatsoever - indeed, almost a watery character to the palate. Very agreeable and light, it's a good dram to relax with when you need to wind down. Initially I thought it was somewhat lacking but I was surprised how quickly I polished it off and wanted another taste. I tasted it from a 30ml sampler and I'm interested enough to find a bottle. The official tasting notes here seem somewhat at odds with my experience. I found the palate in particular to be soft and slightly sweet, and not dry, spicy or peppery at all. I also thought it to be superior to the nose, which is a little retiring. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)