Tastes

FInally bought this here in PA. Have tried a lot of not-Uigeadail Ardbeg and loved all of them for various reasons, especially Corryvreckan. This one takes the cake for spice compared to many a whisky/whiskey a whole lot higher in ABV. There seems to be no way to avoid burning the back of my throat and tongue no matter how I drink it. The peat is downright juicy, which for peat lovers is very nice. The sweet is just right and the smokey/meaty is not in the same vein as Corry, Laga D.E., Laga 16yr., or Laphroaig anything. This is less like ham or brisket for me and more like a Slim Jim or Jerky that's peat smoked. It's a different flavor there I really cannot truly describe so I should stop trying. The thing I love most about drinking great Scotches is the full in- your-face experience they usually render. Sure I'm not alone in this. Guess I'll never understand how burnt rubber, iodine, sea salt, seaweed, kippers, smoked ham and something sweet thrown in, work together to satisfy the thirst, the craving, the willingness to part with hard-earned money for this kind of taste. Human beings are a funny lot. $82.99 formerly $100 here in PA. Didn't have a sale sticker so maybe there's finally been a lasting price change at the PLCB stores. Can I get an Amen, somebody?

I'm not tasting what Distiller reviewer Rob Morton tasted. This wheated bourbon is a spicy hit all the way for me. It's not that you can't nose out the aromas --- I get honey, caramel, vanilla. But the taste is all spice to me, whether I toss it down or hold it on the tongue. 90 proof and burns every bit of it. But at this price who cares about such things. There is no trace of barrel wood with this one and the finish is remarkably long and simple. This is a wonderful sippin' or mixin' whiskey that punches above it's weight class. I snagged 2 of these off a special release email from the PA stores. Also had an Old Fitzgerald BIB 13 year (with a three bottle limit!) in the cart 2 minutes after getting the email but would 've had to do a separate transaction for that first because all of those bottles were gone when I checked out just 1 minute later with the Wellers included. Oh well, lesson learned!!! 2 minutes can be a lifetime when it comes to limited releases. $26.99 at the PLCB stores. Would have been $129.99 for the Old Fitzgerald if I'd only been quicker.

First taste of anything Japanese alcohol (except for some Sake back in the day). Nosing for me always brings difficulty. I do get a something that might be marshmallow, slight marzipan, etc. along with the green fruit of apples, pears and light citrus. On the tongue it is all lightly malted sweet candy with no discernible burn. Finish is medium but the sweetness remains. For the price this is such easy sipping. I'm sure the higher priced Yamazaki, Oishi offerings here in PA are worth the money. But for easy sippin' this is hard to beat. I'm a full two fingers into this 750ml and it is difficult to believe this is 86 proof. Feels more like 80 ... but it may have delayed hit due to it's light mouthfeel and thin weight, despite respectable legs in the Glencairn. I put this in the same class as the Knappogue Castle 12 year in terms of cost, overall value and taste but I prefer the Irish for a few dollars more. PA $40 but on sale at $36.

I see they now have an entry for the B518 so I'm 'duping' this from the generic Barrel Proof entry. Still one of the better bargains out there. Along with Eagle Rare, McKenna's 10 yr BIB, even the Small Batch EC, all are outstanding values which deliver well above their price. At the price, this is very good. It's what I would reach for when a "good stiff drink" is needed. But Bourbons like this I would generally not drink too much of at any one time. Maybe a finger or two...okay, two! I do the same with 3 various Booker's Batches, all very high ABV. The finish will continue to dry your tongue like it's been left out in the Sun at the beach. Drinking it neat, I get two distinct spice burns at different times, one well after the swallow. Definitely agree with @PBMichiganWolverine about the water/ice. That tames this beast and allows for a different experience. Not saying which is the better. Just depends on the mood. The strength, the burn, the sweet without saccharine, in short, the wonderful bourbon-ness of these liquors allows me to enjoy them without needing too much and also allows me to nurse these suckers 'til the cows come home. Thanks to the many posters on this whiskey, especially @PBMichiganWolverine for stimulating my curiosity about it.

For the money this is a very fine whisky. Here in PA, the 12 year standard is $50 and this 14 year Bourbon Barrel Reserve is only $8 more...a complete no-brainer. I actually first tasted it, as I often do with non-exotic priced liquor, with a snack, either a sandwich or some cheese and bread/crackers. This delivers wonderfully sweet fruitiness on the nose and in the mouth. At sip, a warm bit of spicey on the inner cheek and tongue combines with a fruity sweetness. I get everything from peachy/mango to coconut with this one. The finish at swallow is medium and there is a lingering aftertaste of sweet long after. I'm thinking certain kinds of hard candy, the really good tinned English/French stuff. And yes, there is also apple fruit, well after swallow. A wonderful bargain by a storied brand, though the less complex Irish Knappogue Castle gives it solid value competition for $15 less in PA. $58 at the PLCB

Wonderful Whisky! This comes close to the brand's Distillers Edition. As usual, Stephanie has pretty much nailed the descriptions. And as with the difference I found between the Lagavulin D. E. and the 16 yr. Laga, this also has a less complex finish than the Tali D.E. but offers a very nice lasting peat reminder the mouth can appreciate between sips. Also, as with the 16 yr Lagavulin, I prefer to really hold this on the tongue a good while or even (heaven forbid!) swish it around to maximize the experience. Just delicious and with a mild burn to satisfy heat lovers. This tastes more refined to me than say, the 10 yr Laphroaig, and without the powerful medicinal after tastes. For me, this is a great Scotch to sit and sip and pass away some time. In PA the price difference from the more complex D.E is only $10, so I will likely alternate purchases between them when seeking Talisker. $66 in PA at the PLCB.

Just tasted this from a neighbor's bottle. Very sweet, nice burn level all around the tongue and slight on the cheeks at 92 proof. Very smooth but not complex. At the price this is a nice sippin' whiskey. Just don't bring any high expectations as this is a simple kind of good taste for anyday drinking. $40 in PA

I asked for this for Christmas. Interesting color and the bottle is topped with a nice metal bar jigger. Middlin' sweet alcohol vapor on the nosing. The slightest of sips from the Glencairn moves from tongue tip to the back in an evolving process. I do get a good deal of fruit flavors, everything from cherry and mango to coconut. Admittedly I may have contaminated the process with some eggnog earlier on, not only spiked with the usual brandy, rum and blended whiskey, but also some Tolerance Ginger Liqueur, added in for effect with the grated nutmeg. Even tasting this after 30 minutes or so later, not the ideal conditions for true tasting of an otherwise fine whiskey. Put me on the naughty list then. I have to say I like this whiskey very much and put it in the same category as the David Phinney/Orin Hatch whiskeys like Slaughter House and Straight Edge: Experimental. It goes down very easy offering a variety of flavors and yet has sufficient whiskey bite to inform the senses that this is a decent effort. Ice chips improve things noticeably. No upper level complexity and no lingering finish here, but the swallow is still worth the bite, especially with some drawn air as with wine. It seems these wine-making whiskey makers just can't break old habits. Worth the asking price. $70 in PA.

I'm nosing the smoke from across the room after opening. True to form. The smoke doesn't allow me to detect any subtle scents ... but I know they are there and will emerge over time as the smoke settles. On the lips the smokey peat mixes with an unexpected sweetness and then the swallow brings a very nice burn with a salty aftertaste that lingers about the same as when going back to the beach from an ocean swim. This is amazing scotch. I swear I would never need to drink anything other than the liquid products of South Islay and be a very happy man. It's like comfort food. Very glad I caught this on sale. Every sip brings more of that hit of intense sweetness within the smokey meat filled core and I struggle to understand how such tastes can combine into something utterly desirable. Just another victim of the Islay spell. In PA the cost difference between the 16 and the Distillers Edition is usually around $10. So I will likely spend the extra and continue to buy the D.E., which is my all time fave. A more complex dram and a bargain at the asking price. But the 16 certainly makes it's own mark and does so without the never ending medicinal aftertastes, of say, Laphroaig. 4.5 stars - but only for the relatively short finish. FYI - I never let anything more than a tiny sip of this get in my mouth at one time. It's too damn good for tossing it back. $92 in PA but I paid $75 in Md with $20 off sale.

Classic Bourbon. Yet another I. W. Harper "jewel in the crown". Apparently I scored the last bottle from the PA ABC stores. This one shipped from Pittsburgh with the shelf price sticker code taped to the front - it's no longer listed in the system. Both the 15 year (a personal fave) and this blend, at less than half the price, are amazing bourbons. Sometimes you put something to your lips and it simply elevates you. You feel that your Life is better and you're more able to enjoy it. That kind of whiskey sippin' doesn't come along all that often, at least not for me. This Bourbon has just the right amount of burn and mist when taken neat. The sweetness on the nosing is tasted in just the right amount in the mouth. There are no funny or odd tastes anywhere along the way from scent to swallow to interfere with the enjoyment. The finish is moderately long and slowly moves into one taste after another, with strong vanilla cream always present. For me, this whiskey is filled with sweet memories of days gone by and reminds me of my first tastes as a kid when the adults would let us take tiny sips of their drinks through the little straw stirrers. Sitting up on the bar stools in the 51 Club, the Chesapeake Ranch Club, the Quonset Hut ...ahhh, youth! Where did you go? Harper bottles are always distinctive and this design itself is a standout and befitting the smooth sipping contents. When one finds this kind of Classic taste and drinking experience at this price level, one is justified in wondering just why we continue to pursue exotically priced offerings. I love this kind of whiskey and will nurse this bottle until it is empty and then place it on the whiskey pantheon shelf above the bar. No wonder the Japanese fell in love with this brand. Great to see it back in the States again. $35 in PA