Tastes

To start, let me say that I have yet to find any Irish Whisky (and I love the stuff, especially Midleton Very Rare) that is equal to the experience of much of the Scotch world, most especially anything Islay. I'm sure to be not alone in this opinion. But still this is a fine Irish Whisky. Very drinkable anytime. A very sweet vanilla hit on the swallow, which does not linger and stems, no doubt, from the ex-bourbon oak casking. Unlike the Vanilla one gets from most American Bourbon, this is sweet and gone in a few seconds. It noses extraordinarily well but promises more than it delivers. But that really is no sin IMO and while lacking any deep complexity, I hold the liquid blameless. For it has many redeeming qualities which, for me at least, must be added into the equation of any whisky's worth. This particular 12 year old Irish shows it's quality in several ways, starting with the exquisite Nose and after the swallow, checking the glass shows an amazing body of thick, syrupy leg structures returning to the bottom. The aftertaste is devoid of any overt woodiness and I tend to appreciate these things. Yet another in a long line, shall we say, of very decent, drinkable whiskys which excel at nothing but are nonetheless very easy to drink and appreciate. Some whiskys almost require me to find fault with them ... and not only due to price/value considerations. Thankfully this one does not. Let me have more time with this bottle and the rating may well rise. $42.99 in PA but on sale now at Christmas for $40

Second in a (new to me) trial of lower priced bourbons with decent reputations. Have the Barrel Proof at 133.4 proof and this almost burns as much at 94 proof and with more vanilla taste. This may actually bloom a little with a splash but neat is my game. Personal favorite of this label is still the 18 year but that is quite a bit more money than either of them. Which just goes to show once again that we pay what we do for a myriad of reasons. This bourbon is another steal for the money and EC continues to amaze me with their quality output. Not quite as tasty IMHO as the Eagle Rare reviewed yesterday but the flavor profiles and finishes, while similar, are not quite the same. Have to say, having started higher in the food chain this past year with my new hobby, it's good to know that there is indeed a more economical way to enjoy the spirits without killing the retirement budget, LOL. $29 USD in PA

Excellent bourbon. Lately have taken to trying some low priced offerings to see what quality may exist. This bottle definitely makes a statement in that regard. Very few of the low priced values out there will get you what the extra money spent on other offerings gives you. But this one actually does. This noses and tastes like it is a good bit more expensive than it is. I used to think it would be hard to find a better budget bourbon than the McKenna 10 year BIB at 100 proof, which is a ridiculous value, even with an increasing price of late. But I prefer this more. The fruitiness is almost exotic and Amanda has described the taste experience perfectly. In terms of easy drinking, I would rank this with I W Harper Straight Blend at $35 and even the 15 year Harper, which is truly special IMHO. This only falters in the length of finish. Need to buy a good bit more. $30 in PA.

Legs, wonderful legs...even with a good splash of water. It runs like syrup. At first nose, I tried to remember to breathe in with both mouth and nose to cut the alcohol vapor. It worked straightaway with this 116 proof delight. Definite vanilla, cherry and something else out in the background. On the tongue the same but with a cream-like sweetness. On the finish I'm getting any number of sweet fruits like peach and mango ... and even coconut well after. Delicious! Was very lucky to get this along with a 12 year Irishman from a great online dealer a few months back. Apparently now many of my closer sources in D.C. are not shipping to PA anymore, due no doubt to some ridiculous change in the law. I feel like I'm going to have to nurse some of my beautiful collection until I can secure new replenishment sources. Woe is me, LOL! Fortunately, at least CA online stores seem to be excellent shippers to PA, with pricing that makes cross country shipping sensible. Online $56.99 USD in mid Aug. and just snagged another one for $2 more. This stuff is getting very scarce.

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. $64.99 USD in PA

Agree with the 'not much nose' comment posted earlier. Lots of alcohol mist masking what is there. But underneath there is something coconut, maraschino, very soft, sweet vanilla and also slight Clove, slight wood lurking, depending on the nose condition. Taste-wise this is mostly a sweet bourbon. Vanilla cream, 'nilla wafers, as noted before, vanilla anything, in fact, with or without food. Also a delicious minty quality in the aftertaste. At the roof of the mouth and the back of the tongue, the wood alcohol dominates. The 100 proof comes through nicely and with surprisingly little burn. I keep trying for flavors but they don't easily show themselves with the heavy alcohol. But at 65, my taster is likely not what it once was and so I find little complexity here. Then again, it's easy sipping as it's still sweet goin' in and goin' down. I would suspect the corn mash is a good bit higher than 51%. At $30 I like this very much. Whether on a budget or not this is a very good staple for the cabinet. As commented before, along with Beam Distiller's Cut or similar, kept well stocked, a person's Whisky thirst could be handled for comparatively little money and with excellent return. 4 stars. $30 USD in PA in Aug. Now $40 in Nov.

My bottle is marked 2003/2014. I have a genuine fondness for these special Editions. This one is altogether a treat, though not as much of one as the Lagavulin DE, at least to my taste (but it's so close). I opened it yesterday, nosed it a good while and then had a little taste to whet the appetite and begin the appreciation and review process. I did compose one but held off on putting it here. I'm glad I did since sometimes those first impressions are the whole story and sometimes not. Stephanie is right. This is a confection, as the top line of the glass swirl begins to drip a myriad of thin legs and forms little arches like icing on a Holiday cake. The nosing to me reveals a honeyed, fruity, and peaty scent with slight iodine, smoke, orange and clove. On the tongue it is oily, briny, and light in body as per the thin legs produced in the glass. In the mouth, a medium smoky sweetness mixes with peaty goodness and it's off to the races to a superb and lengthy peat finish. This is the kind of peat experience I like best, much different than say, Laphroaig. A reasonable pour can last me a good while with this style and character profile. When one considers all of the attributes contained in this whisky, and as a comparison here in PA, offered at a 25% discount over the Laga DE, it is a remarkable achievement ... really well done. This is a very smooth drinking whisky and well crafted. If it had more of the irrepressible smoked meat of the Lagavulin DE, it would likely be it's equal, if not superior. But things being what they are, at least for me, it is not. But then again, it needn't be and shouldn't be, as it is quite fine as it is. Superb and 4.5 stars. I will look to purchase every year. $75 USD in PA

A thoughtful gift from a good friend and neighbor who traveled to Port Hope, Ontario to visit friends. He had a bottle also and insisted we open his to taste. It seems to have a good reputation in Canada. I love the color of this whisky. In the glass the legs are plentiful. For me, it noses very well of Maple, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Peach and Butter Toffee. Upon hitting the tongue it feels somewhat syrupy and chewy, with strong alcohol but not great heat. Holding it in the mouth, I get many of the flavors from the nosing but the overall impression is just sweetness, reminiscent of Maraschino. This kind of whisky is an obvious product creation. With so many influences acting upon it, including a small amount of liquid sherry, you might not associate this as a Rye whisky. My neighbor asked me how I would rate it after a sip or two. I thought awhile and being generous said I'd give it a 6.5-7 or so out of 10. This seems in-line with the ratings I found here and elsewhere later on. It's not that it's that great of a whisky but I think we all consider a great many factors in our scoring. This one goes down easy and has enough of that "where'd you get this from" quality to it to merit 3.5 stars. I'll share it over a bonfire with neighbors and friends.

One of the first purchases I made after retiring and moving to Gettysburg. Along with a bottle of Midleton Very Rare Irish '17 (I know---overpriced, but it's Heaven sent and I love it), I will buy a bottle of this every year and nurse it through. From a relative novice, this is simply a great example of fine whiskey making. The Distiller's review has it right: you can nose this stuff for hours and keep picking out the barrel splinters, it is that strong. And yet, after the strong oak, we get a soft bourbon feel in the mouth which now includes a nice minty/menthol without the nasal attributes. Amazingly for a Bourbon there is very little sweet to this. In fact all of the usual suspects like Vanilla, Caramel, etc. are actually quite indistinct and nicely blended into the gentle 90 proof heat. With a small amount of ice chips, the oak splinters disappear on nosing and the whiskey opens up with tasty Mint still in fashion along with a Vanilla creaminess. Classic American Whiskey making at it's best. Barrel 4442 Bottled 9/11/17 $200 USD in PA

I special ordered this from the PLCB (Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board). This one is in the new bottling, dark and gold lettering like the 18 yr. Having started my Scotch whisky education very recently with South Islay products, this Northern one is a very different experience. I like it, but not for the usual reasons, and all but the finish. Previous Scotch exposure was to Special Reserve 12 yr Glenfiddich and similar non/light peated Scotch. This whisky quickly shows fine legs all around holding promise and noses quite well, like an English Christmas Pudding ... but the dram is a bit of a muddle for me. The taste on the tongue has the right heat for the proof with a fair nasal vapor but seems too congested and mainly sweet fruit with a touch of dark spice. At the end of the swallow I do get just the faintest hint of smoke and meat in the far recesses but it disappears quickly and veers to something like mild BBQ. The finish is quite ordinary for me as well. I get simple wood and a sour aftertaste and not much more. An ice chip or two improves things a little and drawing in some air with the sip seems to always help to round out any dram. But I can only think that this whisky is yet another example of why I need truly peated, smokey Scotch whisky. Note to self: Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig - check, now I should chase the Octomores. This one will still be fine for sharing and tasting with friends or sipping on a cool Fall day, but not much more. Another bottle for the Collection and as always, I'm glad for the experience. $58 in PA