Tastes
-
SKYY Vodka (Discontinued)
Unflavored Vodka — USA
Reviewed October 31, 2020 (edited February 27, 2023)Nose: Ethanol. A whiff of vanilla, but that's natural for ethanol. Palate: Ethanol. Soft and not aggressive to start with but there is peppery heat later on. The texture is silky and slightly oily. Finish: Short. Ethanol. It's cheap vodka. What more do you need to know? I bought this because it was the cheapest thing in the shop I went to when I needed neutral spirit for a batch of limoncello. If I'd had the time I would have driven to a larger outlet and bought Finlandia for $4 less, or Absolut for $4 more. I wouldn't drink this stuff straight if you paid me to. "Inferior" : 65/100 (1.5 stars)42.49 AUD per Bottle -
Appearance (neat): An almost luminous orange colour. Appearance (diluted): An almost luminous orange colour (LOL). Aroma (neat): Dusty, musky orange. Like orange liqueur with a patina of sandalwood and earthy spice aromas. Various citrus zests in the background. Aroma (with prosecco): Yeasty white wine or champagne. The citrus aromas are mostly covered, although a faint zephyr escapes. Flavour (neat): Sweet citrus in the arrival transitioning to very mildly bitter citrus in the aftertaste, but with sweet notes still prevailing. It's almost (but not quite) enjoyable just by itself on the rocks. Flavour (with prosecco): The classic recipe calls for dry prosecco in a 1:1 ratio with a splash of soda water. In this form you get a very well balanced sweet/bitter drink that is long, cooling and shows complexity from the citrus and grape components. A genuine classic that is unfortunately almost passé now after a brief flirtation from English-speaking palates. How fickle we are, but then again maybe this estimable cooler only ever realizes its true stature when sipped in its classic form among restful surroundings on a hot late afternoon in Italy. As evening draws nigh and the first stars appear, order another, together with a shot of Lucano or Averna - hurl the amaro into the long drink with abandon, and settle down to an hour or two of genteel inebriation. If there is a good house band, so much the better. Although the sweet/bitter balance of the classic form with Italian prosecco is magnificent, for variation try it with rosé or blush sparkling wines from your own region. In Australia I'd suggest anything sparkling from De Bortoli, Wolf Blass or Brown Brothers (among scores of others). In the US I'm sure there is a veritable army of wonderful Californian wines that would be excellent with this aperitivo. If you have sweet tooth try moscato, sparkling syrah or even add sweet soft drinks. Like Pimm's the sky is the limit with this as a base for long drinks, but don't be surprised if after some weeks of experimentation you gravitate back to the basic dry prosecco form. Simplicity *is* the soul of elegance, after all. At the very reasonable asking price, a bottle of this in the bar is a no-brainer, particularly in summer. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)28.0 AUD per Bottle
-
The "classic" notes below refer to the drink used in a 1:3 ratio with sparkling lemonade and ice, but no garnishes. Appearance (neat): Bronzed orange-red. Something like the colour of oloroso sherry. Appearance (classic): Pale orange-amber, not unlike the colour of lager, but a little more orange. Aroma (neat): Citrus peel, berries, cherries, a waft of cinnamon. Aroma (classic): Very little. When chilled and diluted it loses presence, but you can still sense a mélange of citrus and faint spices on the nose. Flavour (neat): Citrus peel, a sweet and mild profile with very laid-back herbal and spice notes. There is a gentle bitter tang in the back of the palate that just suggests gin. Altogether it's very much like a diluted amaro. You *could* drink it neat, but it's meant to be the base for a "cup" [punch] and so is specifically designed for dilution. Drinking it neat would be like drinking orgeat or grenadine neat - you could do it, but ... why? Flavour (classico): Finally - the crux of the matter. Fruity and sweet with citrus and cherry flavours just detectable. Maybe a pineapple note? A flutter of its gin heritage is just faintly noticeable. Sweet, but not overly so, and palate-cleansing. Pimm's No.1 is a classic fruit punch base intended as the foundation for long refreshing low-alcohol drinks on a warm afternoon. Whatever mixer you choose (lemonade, ginger ale, soda water, ginger beer, etc.) will stand out, but in the background there always remains a foundation of citrus, delicate spices and herbs. From the starting point of the "classic" sparkling lemonade dilution, the only limitation on how to use Pimm's is you own imagination. It will combine well with almost anything except dairy products, and has a natural affinity for anything else that contains citrus or some other tart or sour notes. Ginger beer and a dash of grenadine works very well and you can go crazy with garnishes. I call my own preferred way to take it a "Pimm's Ricky" (although there is no bourbon). I use the classic 1:3 dilution ratio but employ Riccadonna instead of soft-drink. Riccadonna is an inexpensive, low-alcohol (7%) sweet Asti spumante and it works spectacularly well with Pimm's No. 1. Some folk say that the only way to take Pimm's is with champagne (a "Pimm's and Bolly") but I've always thought champagne is too dry to pair well with it. Spumante or a sweet prosecco works better. Great stuff, well worth the money. You will be amazed how quickly you will go through a bottle of this. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars) By the way, @Distiller - this product listing should be moved to the "Other" category, now that it exists. Pimm's is not a liqueur by any stretch of the imagination.42.0 AUD per Bottle
-
Tamnavulin Double Cask
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed October 29, 2020 (edited August 20, 2022)Nose: Honey, red apple, red berries, vanilla, baked banana, caramel toffee, slightly beery sweet-malt aromas. Palate: The arrival is very soft initially with light orchard fruits and pleasant, mild, honeyed malt. In the development some more fruit notes can be discerned, but they are a little richer, more like stewed fruits with a sprinkle of brown sugar. The texture is pleasant but maybe just a fraction too thin. There is a background note of weak rooibos tea. Finish: Short. This whisky has very little finish. It fades quickly with a brief flourish of mild spice then all that remains in the aftertaste is a sweet malty flavour and the remnants of the tea note. My tasting notes may make this sound like a very ordinary dram ("pedestrian" as the dismissive official comment puts it) but it is in fact a delightful whisky. Just don't come to it with expectations of grandiose character because you will be disappointed. It has a shy, modest soul. The nose is full of gentle, sweet tones and reminds me a little of Tomintoul, but this is more "leathery". It's a comforting introduction that immediately puts you into a relaxed frame of mind, and the nose is the best part of the tasting experience. The palate is similarly easy but with a light savory note as well. Although it has a sherry finish this is not a banal sherry monster at all - the casks (almost certainly oloroso) have been used to supplement and extend the bourbon-cask contribution, rather than balance it with spice, grape and tannin. There is something about this whisky that brings to mind a glass of real red ale. The only fault is the shortness of length. The finish is very brief indeed and the palate itself somewhat abbreviated. This is not necessarily an awful thing - I certainly prefer no finish to a bad one - but you can't help wishing there was just a little more going on here. Still, this is very easy to quaff and it would make a fine session whisky. It is also ideal as a nightcap and would be an excellent dram to keep on hand as an introductory pour for novices that you can still enjoy yourself. Apart from the finish I have no issues with it and I think the official Distiller score is unfairly stingy. This is not an earth-shattering dram but it deserves a score in the low 80s. At the price (it is one of the least expensive single malts) it is very fair value and I would not hesitate to buy another bottle. I would, however, like to see them age it for a little longer, give it an age statement, and raise the abv to at least 43%. This is a distillery that has huge potential and it's a shame it is not being developed more thoughtfully by the owners. A great master distiller could work magic for them. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25)65.0 AUD per Bottle -
Limeburners Single Malt Sherry Cask Standard Strength
Single Malt — Western Australia, Australia
Reviewed October 26, 2020 (edited March 28, 2022)Nose: Newly-cut hay, but there is richness and complexity. This is not a raw green nose, it's more like resting in a hay barn at the end of a long hot summer day. The grassy notes are deep, malty and restful, and overlaid with citrus and stone-fruit aromas (peach and apricot). Honey, leather, vanilla and buttery cereal all appear - I smell home-made crumpets and crème fraîche! Luscious and seductive with a foundation of crisp, fresh oak barrel. A fine and uplifting nose that continues to open as it rests in the glass. The addition of water releases floral and woody aromas but deadens the nose. Palate: An arresting combination of semi-sweet oak tannin, nutmeg, mild cinnamon, dark fruits, nuts and toasted cereal. Earthy, wholesome and satisfying - at first it seems like it may be a hard, almost astringent palate but then it suddenly morphs into semi-sweetness with dark fruit cake and brandy butter. The texture is good, but not outstanding, and there is some spicy oak towards the finish. Water seems to kill this palate, although it does release a little more sweetness. Finish: Medium/Short. Fruity and oaky to begin with, as it fades it moves towards sweet mint in the aftertaste together with some mild spice echoes. A satisfying malt - as satisfying as the basic American Oak matured Limeburners is unusual. This dramatically makes the point that this distillery's new-make begs for finishing (or even full maturation?) in hefty, richly flavoured fortified wine casks. Not to cover anything, but to contribute equivalent complexity and gravitas to balance the spirit. This expression is matured in 2nd fill bourbon casks for several years. The exact time is not revealed but I'd guess it is initially 4-6 years old. It then receives a finish (again unspecified - maybe 6-12 months?) in Australian apera [sherry] casks. Don't underestimate the maturation time as in the Western Australian climate this is equivalent to 10-12 years in Scotland. My only warning with this whisky is don't add water. I've seen it advised elsewhere as a way to bring out sweet notes, but personally I thought it ruined the whisky. For all its presence and heft, it is a little fragile. I enjoyed this a good deal - maybe enough to buy a bottle, but I'm waiting to try the third sample from my pack of three to see which I like best. That one is a port cask finish and I have high hopes. Tasted from a distillery-produced 100ml sample. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)144.0 AUD per Bottle -
Bushmills Steamship Collection Port Cask Reserve
Single Malt — Ireland
Reviewed October 24, 2020 (edited March 6, 2022)Nose: Dark, sweet, plummy fruits. Oak cask, marzipan, vanilla and malt extract aromas. There is some orchard fruit on the sidelines which becomes more noticeable over time. The berry notes control this nose but surprisingly it remains clean and fresh. As it opens the nose becomes broader but never loses its freshness. Palate: Sweet, full and very faintly tannic on the arrival. It blooms with red grape, blackberry, mulberry, black cherry and port wine in the development. Chocolate and cappucinno notes emerge later together with rose-water Turkish delight and tamarind muhalbiyah. The mouth-feel is very juicy and the texture is velvet and satin. Finish: Medium. Red fruit notes like port-wine jelly drift into the aftertaste accompanied by mild cinnamon and lingering milk chocolate. The port cask utterly dominates this whisky but fortunately it does so in a very pleasant and well engineered manner. Engineered - that's the keyword here, but for once it's not a term of disparagement. Whether or not you like this will depend entirely on whether you enjoy highly "designed", cask-driven, sweet-profile whisky. If you are a hard-core purist you'll probably think it is over-dressed and trivial, but it's hard to resist its sumptuous nature. It's just plain fun. It does not have a complex or multi-layered profile. Everything is up front, proudly flaunted and it is a very focused experience overall. However it would be almost cruel to call this simplistic or accuse it of being one-note. It would be like harshly punishing a cute and adoring puppy for being mischievous (you monster!). In many ways this is the ideal TRE whisky as it would be fine for your own enjoyment or as a present both for whisky enthusiasts and those who only occasionally indulge. The abv is at the minimum of 40% but it does not seem to matter as the character is so rich and flavourful, and lower alcohol makes it more widely approachable. Really, you'd have to be pretty heartless and snobbish to reject this. My only reservation is the price, which I feel is just a bit too expensive. Tasted from a 30 ml sampler. If it was 2/3 the price I'd buy a bottle without thinking twice. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)150.0 AUD per Bottle -
Cardhu 14 Year (2019 Special Release)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed October 24, 2020 (edited April 29, 2021)Nose (neat): Grainy cereal, rather hard and "shiny" in character with a youthful, yeasty personality. Some dusty notes on the periphery, like sawdust or grain-silo dust. The abv weight overpowers the nose, but some mild lemon peel and brine notes struggle through. Nose: (watered): Similar but with less impact. Dilution does release a cloud of floral notes that are not entirely positive. It gave me the impression of floral-scented bathroom soap. Palate (neat): Bittersweet/sour grassy cereal arrival with some lemon zest. The development (which is quite sudden and distinct) brings sweeter fruity notes, like stewed orchard and stone fruits (pears, peaches, apricots). The texture is forgettable. Palate (watered): As with the nose (in fact, *exactly* as with the nose) the palate loses some of its definition and presence and gains a prominent soapy floral character when diluted. Finish: Medium/Sudden. An unusual finish - the palate gives the promise of length and an unfurling of complexity, which it does briefly but then stops dead, like a door slamming. There is, however, an aftertaste of Nutella on white bread toast. Apparently "double matured" for two years in amontillado sherry casks, there is a strong suggestion of that sherry on both the nose and palate as briny notes and dryness, together with a bittersweet patina. It's an odd profile for Cardhu which is typically a sweet, soft whisky. Enthusiasts of the Special Releases might appreciate this for its unusual character but devotees of core-range Cardhu will probably not take to it at all. Overall it's an OK but not great whisky - just barely better than average. This reminded me of some of the lighter, estery Speyside offerings in Diageo's "Flora and Fauna" range and it seems very yound to me - I would never have guessed this is 14 years old. Tasted from a 30 ml sample. "Above Average (just barely)" : 80/100 (3 stars)180.0 AUD per Bottle -
Atholl Brose Liqueur
Herbal/Spice Liqueurs — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed October 20, 2020 (edited June 26, 2023)Appearance: 18 carat gold. Aroma: A waft of fine resinous smoke, like pine-scented chimney smoke just barely detected on the breeze. A hint of oily peat reek (camphor and iodine) and a sense of the presence of genuine, quality malt whisky. Fine heather honey, delicate spice notes. Herbal liqueurs (Benedictine and Green Chartreuse). Herbal tinctures (oregano, rosemary, thyme). As it sits, the smoky whisky note intensifies - don't hurry this excellent nose. Flavour and Texture: Sweet and silken arrival with spiced honey in the lead. Orange marmalade is noticed next, together with herbal extracts, some of which are slightly bitter. Flashes of anise or liquorice and cloves. A very gentle hint of smoke, so subtle you almost miss it. The texture is rich and full but not syrupy - it maintains a certain crispness thanks to the touch of bitterness and restrained sugar presence. It is certainly sweet but you get the impression that the sweetening here was entirely from honey, with no simple syrup added. It finishes long, sweet and herbal and has a warming and comforting character with just a hint of sweet mint in the aftertaste. For this round of whisky liqueur tastings I decided to save what I knew would be the best for last. This has been my favourite whisky liqueur for a very long time, ever since I first tasted it. Dunkeld Atholl Brose is Gordon & MacPhail's take on a traditional Scottish drink, but they have considerably refined and polished what is usually a hearty home-made concoction into something very special. If regular Atholl Brose is a humble slice of vanilla sponge cake, this liqueur is croquembouche. Unlike most whisky liqueurs that use unidentified (basically generic) young grain and malt whisky as a base, the foundation here is Benromach single malt and you cannot fail to appreciate how much it contributes to the liqueur. They would be using young Benromach, of course, but it is of higher quality than the spirit in any other whisky liqueur. They could justifiably change the name of this to "Benromach Liqueur". Like all liqueurs, this is sweet - that comes with the territory. However if you don't normally like this kind of thing but are interested enough to try a whisky liqueur just once, this is the one to go for without a shadow of a doubt. It is to Drambuie what Ardbeg 10 is to Johnnie Walker Red. Highest recommendation, I always have a bottle of this in the house. "Excellent" : 89/100 (4.75 stars)70.0 AUD per Bottle -
Caffo Vecchio Amaro del Capo
Amaro — Calabria, Italy
Reviewed October 19, 2020 (edited August 9, 2022)Appearance: Pale translucent amber-gold. Aroma: Orange petals and peel, wildflowers, honeycomb, fresh aromatic herbs and flowers (lavender, lemon thyme, jasmine, honeysuckle, clove). Flavour and Texture: Citrus (lemon and orange) with honey, red cherries, vanilla pods, a hint of peppermint and a little liquorice. That's just the arrival. It expands into spicy notes (clove, saffron, sweet cinnamon, mild chilli), root extracts and more honey with a warming and comforting texture. The mouth-feel is heavy and syrupy but not cloying and it rolls off from the sweet notes into a demi-sec and slightly bitter finish, with notes of chincona, gentian and wormwood. There's an elusive note of lavender and violets as well. A very complete and balanced amaro. Quite sweet and mildly hot with a familial resemblance to Montenegro, but this is lighter, a tad sweeter and once you get to understand it, more floral in character. You could substitute this for Montenegro in any cocktail in which it has become your "secret weapon" and it would up the ante and leave them guessing all over again. It's a very good amaro and like other reviewers here I'm amazed that this does not have a higher profile. "Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars) UPDATE - 16 June 2021 Original rating of 90/100 (5 stars) downgraded.60.0 AUD per Bottle -
Lark Slàinte Whisky Liqueur
Herbal/Spice Liqueurs — Tasmania, Australia
Reviewed October 19, 2020 (edited January 14, 2023)Appearance: Pale straw with gold highlights. Not unlike sauternes in appearance. Aroma: Dilute honey, citrus zest, a little licorice or anise, a wisp of ginger and clove. [The anise note is much stronger on the dry glass]. Flavour and Texture: A sweet, mild, nectar arrival with fruity spices (orange, anise, cinnamon, clove). Very light and delicate in texture - silken rather than syrupy. The finish is not long, but it stays gently sweet and spicy right through to the aftertaste without being cloying. The sweetness is more like honeycomb or honeysuckle nectar than honey itself, and certainly nothing like simple sugar syrup or caramel. Lovely. Delightful. Charming. Most whisky liqueurs that I've tasted mimic Drambuie to a greater or less degree, with the emphasis being a bold, intense honey and spice presence. This liqueur, in contrast, is particularly light and fresh. It's aromas are gentle and subdued, but not weak, and the palate is also light and elegant. In some respects it looks, smells and tastes like a dessert wine. The texture in particular is much more like fortified or naturally heavy-bodied wine than most spirit liqueurs. You could comfortably serve this to your wine-loving guests after dinner in place of a dessert sauternes or noble riesling. There is also something almost gin-like about the botanicals at use here. I don't think there is any juniper, but in all other respects there is a resemblance. It's a character that works very well with honey and whisky and this is an altogether delightful liqueur that puts to shame almost all the Scottish and Irish whisky liqueurs. It's probably impossible to find outside Australia, and it's hard to find even here. Highly recommended, at AUS$60 for a 350ml bottle it is expensive, but it's well worth the money. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)60.0 AUD per Bottle
Results 491-500 of 1151 Reviews