Tastes

Nose: Honeydew Melon, Campbeltown f u n k, brown sugar, syrup, sweet cinnamon, fresh bread, black cherry, raisin. Palate: Leather, Cinnamon, macerated fruit, dates, sherry oak tannins, cranberry,umami finish, tobacco aftertaste. A great tasting whisky, Hazelburn seems to consistently have a nose that is incredibly complex but the palate itself isn't quite as nuanced. This bottling balnances the dry and tannic notes with some of the sweeter dark fruit notes that appear in other offerings from Springbank, a perfect example, the Springbank 15. Where Springbank 15 is overly tannic the Hazelburn 12 seems to be the sweet spot for a sweet/dry whisky with plenty of sweet notes on the front with dryer sherry cask tannins influencing the finish. I would have given it a higher rating but the price where I am is fucking insane.

Nose: Salinity, Brine, Smoke, Heather, Honey, Leather Palate: Ash, Peat, Honey, Ripe Banana, Black Pepper, citrus, leather. A solid bottle of scotch whisky, not overly complex but a nice dram to have. I personally don't think it stands out enough from other peated whiskies at the same price point to garner all the accolades it has, but it's still a good bottle of whisky.

Nose: Tea Leaf, Clove, Vanilla, Raisins, Brine, Peat, Ash, Smoke, Eucalyptus Leaf. Palate: Clove, Raisin, Light Maple Syrup, Ashy Peat Smoke, Brine, Dark Chocolate Finish. Another really fantastic release from Kilchoman. A great balance of dry notes and mild sweetness. Its almost like drinking a slightly sweet earl grey tea. Lovely erbal notes, brine, and ashy smoke completes this whisky, its hard to find and a little pricey but well worth it.

Nose: Chocolate, Baking Spices, Menthol, Over-Ripe Banana, Spiced Raisin, Sweet Tobacco. Palate: Gentle Peat, Brine, Fig, Oily, Manuka Honey, Oak tannins, Umami Finish. A bit of a let down, considering the price and availability. There isn't a whole lot going on with the palate and the classic defining characteristics of Springbank are lost due to the over abundance of sherry. I was personally hoping for some more depth and some of the sweeter notes that appeared on the nose, but the palate didn't deliver. I can see it appealing to people who enjoy a drier whisky, but I think I prefer the 10 year. I'll give the bottle some time to breathe and come back to it later, hopefully it improves.

Nose: Red Fruits, Cinnamon, Cherry, Toffee, Hazelnut, Sweet Bread. Paltae: Toffe, Cinnamon Stick, Fig, Plum, Vanilla, Raisin,Orange Citrus, Oak Tannins. A lovely offering from Dalmore. A little more complex than their standard 12 year due to the extra barrels its been through and added richness from the extra 3% alcohol. The full effect of the Pedro Ximemez can be felt on the long dried fruit finish.

Nose: Lemon Bar, Candy Oranges, Campbeltown - F U N K, Honeydew Melon, Light White Pepper, Mild Toast, Vanilla, Golden Delicious Apple. Palate: Strong Honeydew Melon, Malt, Rich Ripe Apple, Barley Sweetness, Delicate Citrus, Long Umami Finish. An incredibly fruity complex nose on this one but still carries the signature Campbeltown F U N K found in other offerings from the region. Wonderfully complex palate as well, leaning heavy towards a variety of fruits just like the nose. Hints of toast and cooking spices can be found on the nose after the first sip. Another fantastic bottle from the Springbank distillery.

Nose: Cashew, Earth, Apricot, Orange-Citrus, Malt, Mild Vanilla. Palate: Malt, Barley Sugar, Coa-coa, Spice, Citrus, Toffee, Apricot, Mild-Brine. Wonderful dram for the price, and quite a nice offering from the lowlands. Surprisingly oily and complex for a 40% ABV whisky. Im very impressed with the Aerstone. My only gripe is that I wish it was more avaliable, hard to find in my state.

Nose: Oak, Caramel, prunes, spices. Palate: Oak, Spice, Mild dried fruits. Soft on the palate with a mild delivery of sweet dried fruits, oak, and mild pepper. A good whisky for beginners and casual whisky drinkers but an uneventful whisky for those looking for complexity and depth. You might as well be drinking a Bourbon, your average Knob Creek will give you a more interesting palate than what Macallan has to offer, and at a quarter of the price. Unfortunately thanks to the genius marketing heads at Macallan, this whisky has gained a fanbase/cult as loyal and dogged as they come. The continued artificial inflantion of the prestige of the brand and the supposed quality of this whisky can also be attributed to the fans, if what a company does makes them money they'll continue to do it, so until Macallan's fanbase becomes more critical of their whisky, things will not change.

Nose: Brown Sugar, Toffee, Hazelnut, Nutmeg, heavy dried fruits. Palate: Baking Spices, Toffe, Sultana, Mild Caramel, Oak tannins, Umami Finish. A solid bottle from Glenmorangie, fantasticly strong port influence on the palate. Not overly complex but a solid bottle to have around as an everyday or for guests.

Nose: Cherries, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Cola, Oak, Nutmeg. Palate: Oak, Pepper, ethyl alcohol. An incredibly deceptive nose and another disappointing product from Buffalo Trace. Why this bottle of bourbon has 4 stars is beyond me. The fan base of this distillery is a cult at this point. What I hear about this bottle all the time is that "ItS GoOd FoR ThE MOnEY!" Its not good, at all, if there is an abundance of ethyl alcohol flavor in a spirit it is poorly made. Period.