Tastes

It has a super smoked smell - like that woody smoke for smoking meat (hickory, mesquite, cherry). This is a totally weird drink based on smell. It's meaty and sweet and smokey and herbal (some licorice is in there). It's fascinating. The flavor is a bit subdued, as is standard for American Single Malts. It's very rich with a lot of that woody smoke. If you're looking for something meaty, this is a good choice. There is some definite spiciness going on here, making this a bit harsh. It would be great if there were a bit less of that. There's a little apple going on here and there are also some chipotles. There's herbal notes given the smoke more robustness It's very interesting and rich, but it's a bit too in your face, sort of like Laphroaig 10, but sweeter with more of a smokey wood flavor that includes some black peoper and rounds it out. It's still weird though. There is sort of some balance but also this disjointed element where cereal comes through and it becomes a normal single malt. Coming off of low-grade bourbon and brandy, this has an appealing meaty smokiness with some allusions to peat on the nose. The palate is still very smoky with strong bitter elements that are reminiscent of peat, but it's not inherently bad. The sweetness is there and it balances the meatiness well. This reminds me a bit of Lagavulin 16, but it is not as well balanced. I get rendered pork mixed with cherry, apple, and liquid smoke. There are some other flavors of minerals, flowers, mild herbs, and so on, but I want to pause on that liquid smoke flavor because the problem is that it tastes artificial rather than like char from a barbeque. There's also some more sweet and fruity elements than makes sense for such a smoky drink that is trying to be meaty. It isn't bad, but it isn't a great sipper. This is not great in comparison with other malt whiskey, but it's actually pretty good following bourbon. It's sweeter with a lighter caramel taste them most bourbon and it also has some floral and light fruit notes that suggest Irish whiskey (but are not excessive), but it's also very smoky with a bitter herbal kick. In that mindset, it's not bad, but it is still harsh with some flavors that don't marry super well. It tastes a bit young. Mixed with some more lightly toasted American Oak, this might be really good. As it is, there is a nice finish, but it will punch your taste buds silly.

What is this? There is a lot of depth, but also a lot of cherry. The smoke and bits of peat pervade everywhere, but do not overtake the Sherry flavor. There is a lot going on, but the Sherry is overwhelming. Some herbal notes and spices are here too, with cinnamon and mint being the most prominent flavors. Some mild chocolate and mushroom notes come out too, but simply having a lot of flavors does not make for a good drink. The flavors conflict to a distressing extent, so I'm sure glad I didn't buy a whole bottle. This is an interesting and unique drink, but not one I would like to drink regularly. To some extent, it reminds me of a less balanced Symbole National mixed into some scotch.

The nose is essentially fruitcake with a bit of scotchy scent to it. It has some nice subtlety and a mild flavor that is still rich. It tastes somewhere between Macallan 12 and Macallan 15. There is some nice sweet cherry that is subdued by butterscotchy caramel. A little bit of cocoa comes through and a tad of woody richness. The spice is minimal, but there is a little harshness from the alcohol. There's a little bit of cinnamon and also plenty of raisins and prunes. It's tasty with a decent amount of complexity and some nice hedonistic sweetness. It's an easy sipper, but it isn't exemplary. Ultimately, it's fruity and sweet but without a young naivette. Really, it's quite good.

I can't see myself drinking this straight, but it does have a bit of depth. The whiskey is harsh and its flavor is predominantly the sour bitterness of rye with hints of wood, occasional pops of sweet fruit, and an unfortunately oppressive layer of clove that makes up bulk of the finish. For its price, this is a very good whiskey and is a great choice for mixing.

The wood and vanilla are immediately present. The flavor is slightly sweet and fruity and quite light. The whole presentation is fairly smooth and the flavor is pretty constant throughout. While it isn't super interesting, it is fairly tasty and unobjectionable.

This has a very mild flavor but it is also a very delicate one. There is nothing here adding a barring bitterness. There is a fair bit of mineral and a ton of floral flavor. It smells a lot like sea spray. There is some toffee and there is also some apricot blossom. Some sort of meaty nut (maybe chestnut?) mixes in here. The balance is great and the flavors are quite good for what they are. I don't particularly like the choices of flavors though. It's solid all around and is definitely sippable, but I wouldn't buy a bottle unless it were cheap. It reminds me a lot of Bushmill's 21, but is a little meatier and lacking that beautiful finish (though its finish is solid). Also, it is somehow milder. It's an interesting experience that I would be happy to sip, but I'd take something else first. I give it high marks for it's clean flavor, but those are more marks of technical success than of approval. There are a lot of aspects to the delicate flavor, but there is not a deeper complexity. That said, this works for this drink. The bit of gross bread that is here almost pushes the drink down a point but the flavor is mild enough that the drink manages to hold on.

It certainly smells smokey and woody. It's surprising laid back though. There is plenty of smoke, but not a ton of peat. Spice is present but not terribly harsh. There is a lot of toffee sweetness and plenty of sweet cherry and vanilla. Floral notes are there, but they aren't overly mineral. Toward the finish, it gives way to leather. The delicious flavors are mouth-watering. It's surprising how balanced and sweet this is. The minerals are there, but they're appropriately balanced by the spice somehow. There's some cocoa richness mixed with the smoke in the back. Ultimately, the flavor is weak and the complexity is a bit lacking, but this is darned good whiskey. I love the richness. This is a great hedonistic sipper that doesn't challenge you to like it too much. It could be better with more robustness and complexity, but it's great as is. More complexity could make it excellent, but as it is, it isn't interesting enough to carry it beyond a couple of pours. Some more robustness could bump it up a point, but some added complexity could easily bump it up two. I love how well Corsair executes its flavor and although none of these flavors make me catch my breath, the worst one is good and the best is roughly great. Balancing the strong spice with some richer other flavors would take this whiskey far. This is terrific value for an American Single Malt.