Tastes

I have to agree with something I read somewhere that this Whiskey has a flavor profile very similar to Booker's, which at this price point is saying something. This is delicious, easy sippin' whiskey from start to finish (which btw, is drier than a desert bone). Big producers like Beam often get things wrong with all of their variety and flavor profiles ... but not with this one. If anyone gets this confused with the Devil's Cut - don't. That one is truly something to be avoided and the difference between the two is Night and Day. $25 in PA but has disappeared never to be heard from again apparently.

Bear with me and let me state straight-away that I am a recent convert to this wonderful world of whisky. And am even more of a novice to the delights of Scotch, let alone Islay creations. In that regard, I started with a trio of Islay standards with Lagavulin Distiller's Edition, Ardbeg Corryvreckan and a short time later, Laphroaig 10Yr. Am now on my 2nd bottle of Corryvreckan since July due to an extended, nearly half-bottle tasting episode with a lady neighbor. I tell ya that woman can drink! Let me also declare, before God and Man, that the Lagavulin DE and Ardbeg Corryvreckan, being my first exposures to Islay whisky, was surely an act of Divine Providence. Both whiskys are $100 here in Gettysburg PA, although I have sourced the second Ardbeg bottle from an online store for a good bit less, even with shipping. It is difficult for me to imagine what better way to immerse oneself in the peated, Islay Scotch than with the start I made. I still consider the Lagavulin DE my personal fave, but it is hard to measure any real distance between these two fine whiskys, both being top notch and yet not special order. The whirlpool of goodness that is Corryvreckan surely marks a milestone in whisky making for lovers of Scotch. I will be drinking this one for as long as they make it. For what it's worth, from a relative novice - Highly recommended.

Am on my second bottle this year so I must like it. Being a fan of Orin Swift/David Phinney wine creations, this was a natural on the Whiskey curiosity scale. Have a good many mixed feelings about this one. At $50, it noses well, tastes very sweet but only middlin' on the tongue and finishes with a dry woodiness that tastes odd, at least to me. I don't know whether this taste is more from the 9 years of American Oak, for some unusual reason, or the particular wine barrel finishing. It is different and takes some time getting used to ... and being retired and having the time, it's not a problem. In fact, I consider this another in a long list of easy sipping whiskeys. The very high corn content makes it sweet to begin with, which is a familiar taste with many American Whiskeys. The wine barrel ageing either adds to the strange woodiness I'm tasting or helps to ameliorate what would be an even stronger presence without it. The aftertaste IMHO is the biggest letdown. The tongue keeps a dry dullness to it long after the swallow, forcing another blast of sweetness to make it go away. At best 3 stars ... but since I'm on my second bottle, I must at least subconsciously understand why others rate it higher. :-)

What a delight this whiskey is! Had to track it down online since the PA Liquor stores were out of stock (thank you Remedy Liquors). Opened the bottle recently after a blue crab feast, of all things, and shared for tasting along with open bottles of Slaughter House and my personal fave, Lagavulin Distillers Edition. I was trying to provide some variety, you see, to those so inclined. The sweetness and utter easy drinking of this whisky was a pleasant surprise to my palate and everyone tasting it loved the Irishman 12. I now have another personal favorite for my collection every year. God help me! If I live another 25 years I'll be 90 and what state will my liver be in then? And do I give a damn? marked 6000/2014 8/31/18- Having a true tasting of this today for the first time since the crabs and Old Bay spice. I wish I had the nose and tastebuds of many a fine fellow on this board. But alas, I have what I have. The nose from the bottle speaks to me of sweet American Bourbons more than anything...but no strong wood accents to speak of for me. The swirl in the glass leaves thin sparse legs which upon tasting confirms to me this is a 'thin' whiskey with a lighter mouthfeel. All of the memorable action seems to come from the tasting, especially if you hold it on the tongue awhile, which is largely smooth and sweet with a definite cedar wood quality. Some of this reminds me of the I. W. Harper 15yr. which I find a good deal more substantial. For me, the finish here is not that long, and so your hand keeps raising the glass, which makes for the easy drinking earlier described. It's 86 proof but you feel as though you could drink it all in one day and still walk a straight line. I don't think I'll downgrade the rating because every whiskey has it's own worth for a slew of reasons. Pure, easy drinking is the highlight for me with this one...and as we all know there are times when that satisfying characteristic is truly desired

Went in to buy the Uigeadail and came out with the An Oa. Not my typical story...but felt adventurous and in the mood to save a few bucks. So to the whisky, I can say there is decent smoke in the bottle when nosing but it lessens in the glass. It smells of the sweeter finish from the various caskings. To compare within my limited exposure, the taste is 40-50 % Lagavulin as to the smoked meat part of it and the Laphroaig peat and seaweed is in attendance as well, but it all rounds up nicely with the sherry influence. This whisky seems to be a fine example of an even compromise between the two worlds of scotch...the peat smoke and the sweeter fruity casking. The finish has a very decent lingering smoke and peat after the sweetness of fruit and floral has faded. I see this as much less of a one-sided affair than many an other fine tasting whisky (I'm thinking Laphroaig 10 here). So I would recommend this to anyone considering a well done blend of the two great influences upon Scotch. If this is what Ardbeg was aiming for, they have hit the mark nicely, especially at this price point. This is an anytime, any day whisky which I find thoroughly satisfying. A toe in the ocean of Islay peat/smoke and a toe in the ocean of sweeter fruit/floral blended very well together. Something tells me the art of making fine whisky such as this is well afoot and may also well serve to diminish the fears that purists (of which I am usually one) have against the consolidation ongoing in the industry. Time and taste will tell. $59.99 in PA

A standard by any measure with a distinctive flavor. Whiskey drinkers either like it or really not like it. Along with Jameson, this is a good whiskey in mixed drinks. 2.75 stars

An anytime sipper or mixer, much like an Irish Jack Daniels (black) and so went through a couple of 750s before I got smart and got the 1.75L last Christmas. I do prefer it neat, where the natural sweetness lies, as opposed to over ice...but it's fine in a mixed drink, where the ice/water bitterness that emerges, at least on my tongue, can be covered. YMMV. 2.5 stars

Distillers has no listing for what I have but the label is the only one that comes close. Mine says Special Reserve not Old . This was a gift from my dear, departed brother many a Christmas ago. I believe circa 2003-2005, but perhaps as long ago as the late 90's. At the time I was not a Scotch drinker nor even much of a whisky drinker, except for an annual Christmas punch made with Jack Daniels by my dear departed Mother. I made a habit of having a small amount of this Scotch almost each year, usually mid-year for some unknown reason, so the bottle is still with me and has a number of fingers left in it as well. A 12 year at the time, it's now over 25 years old, if not a good deal more. I still enjoy the taste but having recently moved into the world of fine whisky, with or without an 'E', I can't say anything special about it other than it has little to no peat and goes down very smooth. Still a pleasant dram with a lingering sweetness to it in the finish. This bottle label has the silver thistles and 'Product of Scotland' going down into the top of the bottom gold banner and overlaying it, rather than solely up in the Black area. If anyone has any info on when this label was changed, either to this or from this, I would appreciate a comment here. Many thanks.

I won a chance to purchase a bottle of this in the PA Limited Release Liquor Lottery held once or twice a year. One of the 5 selections this year included the Michter's 25 yr at $2K. Needless to say, I didn't click that particular entry box. As far as what I did get, it's nice they only charge the going rate. I'll give it a 5 star for now even though I haven't opened it yet. Will come back and change things if needed when I taste it with friends. Or if I hold it awhile, I'll see about getting a couple of fingers with a tasty whisky burger at Garryowen's here in Gettysburg, just to keep things honest. Edit 1/25/20: Still unopened and when last I looked the darn thing was going for $1k. Nice return on $80 thanks to the PLCB lottery. Now, if I could just score a win with the annual Pappy event. Fingers crossed. USD $79.99 in PA

Understand why people love it...but a bit too medicinal for my tastebuds. Band-aids, iodine and seaweed are fine in the right measure. But the taste of these, at least in my mouth, lasts forever on the finish. Nevertheless, this a wonderful whisky in all other respects, especially considering the bargain price. It noses superbly without too much of a hint of how it will taste. Simply tilting the glass only slightly to nose it will produce strong arching legs. So far, It has all the right qualities. Then the taste arrives and it's wham! Intensely peated and smoky and I struggle to find anything subtle. It's there but I can't ferret it out. The medicinal/sea-born taste appears to be a hallmark of Laphroaig and appreciation of it in those who love it to this level certainly doesn't require my good opinion. People taste what they taste and like what they like. Should try the Lore since I am fond of the Sherry casking and hopefully will have enough hair on my chest after this bottle is drained...LOL! Slainte! $50 USD in PA Edit: 11/01/18 @deuce26 was right! The bottle is now nearly gone so either I'm drinking this in my sleep or completely bewitched by an Islay spell. Heaven help me, I'm hooked on a bottle of Scotch that's only $50. Changing the rating accordingly. Let's say 4.5 stars.