Tastes

This has some notes with rougher edges than Bruichladdich Black Art does. It still has plenty of nice sweet richness though. There's plenty of smoke and sea spray with a little bit of that Laphroiag 10 band aid flavor. There's a good amount of toasted almonds and plenty of vanilla with a teensy bit of mintiness. It's very rich, but there is the kind of unpleasant bitter backing going on. It's a great sipper, but it could use a bit of work. Less of a bitter iodine backing would be especially nice - either that or at least some more developed flavors elsewhere. As it is, the flavors don't all fit together seamlessly and it's a bit lacking in complexity. The fudge and dark cherries that come through with a good sip of this push it up a level, making it a nice drink to enjoy. It isn't complex enough to move up another level though and it doesn't have a nice enough finish either.

This smells kind of like citrus fruit and it tastes kind of like it too. There is some nice clean orange with that familiar high proof alcohol. It's sweet with a refreshingly clean alcohol flavor. This may be Bulleit's answer to Knob Creek Single Barrel. The tartness and mineral work really well with the orange, as does the hint of apricot. The barrel is relatively understated, but it is still good. I really enjoy this. Water opens it up a bit, cutting down on that beautiful citrus but bringing out some nice wood. It doesn't have that nice robust aged flavor and endless complexity, but it does have a nice clean flavor with a few things going on. The smoke does elevate it beyond alcohol and balances the sweetness. There's eventually some nuttiness here that I really appreciate. There's some almond, hazelnut, and coconut. If the nuts stood out more, this could be a really amazing bourbon. The complexity eventually becomes quite good, but it takes its time. The spiciness is quite pronounced with a mix of cinnamon and black pepper, as well as maybe a bit of clove, but it is not overwhelming despite being really strong. This is a great drink that is gradually complex and well worth sipping. There might be a hint of maple and something medicinal going on here.

The nose is kind of subdued, but the body is very woody. It's on the dry side and is surprisingly mild, but the wood is definitely there. It's quite spicy with cinnamon standing front and center, but some clove backing it up. It's a bit fruity with some apple standing out. There's some cocoa powder and dark roast coffee in here with some hints of hazelnut and a some smoke. It's a bit tart, but not too much. The vanilla is fairly present and the hazelnut is quite mild. I wish that it were more robust because as it is it tastes kind of like it's taking its old age. I like it better than regular Bulleit, but barely - not as much as I had hoped to (this may say more about the quality of regular Bulleit though). It needs more complexity too. There's an odd hint of tea that is reminiscent of mineral, but tastes better and less out of place. Still, I didn't really want tea in this drink.

This is not a rich drink. It's kind of weak with some spice and mild fruit. It's a bit like Stein's rye. The backing is very generic without being actively bad. There's some spicy harshness and it's quite strong relative to the rest of the whiskey. There's a lot of tartness and the flavor is clean. There's some cinnamon and green apple, with the latter leaving a surprisingly clean finish. The alcohol blends well with the tartness, making this surprisingly almost sippable. When you get a big swig though, the coarseness and lack of subtlety become more apparent. The sweetness comes out a bit too then, but it's kind of a punch in the face at that point. There's some smoke that blends well, but it isn't too crazy. It's very generic rye and for a cheap price that's OK.

It smells a lot like bourbon - wood, vanilla, rye, caramel. The flavor is kind of mild (understated) but it is balanced and has some elements that stick out on their own. The flavors a re pretty traditional bourbon with some clear eye notes. It tends toward the sweet side with some tartness and plenty of spiciness. It's sippable without being outstanding, but that's impressive for such a cheap drink. I wish that there were less rye and the cinnamon is a bit too strong. Ultimately, it's barely sippable because of the rye presence, but the sweetness from the corn is a big help. It's not terribly complex, but it is nicely balanced with decent flavors and without being too weak from minerals. It tastes a bit watery with some cinnamon and licorice sweetness. There's a disappointing, herbal, rubber backing. There's some nice caramel. The flavor is ultimately fine but disappointing, much like Evan Williams Black. It has a substantial amount of rye, but it adds to the rubber flavor when combined with the harsh cinnamon and licorice. Ultimately, it's fine, but not very good. I kind of prefer Evan Williams.

The nose isn't at all harsh. Worryingly, it has a light bubblegum note that indicates it's young and probably terrible. Wow, it smells so much like bubblegum. Strawberry and a hint of sweet raspberry come through along with a hint of wet (but not mildewed) cardboard. It smells like a good execution of young whiskey, but executing young whiskey well doesn't make it enjoyable to drink. There's something a little bit herbal and interesting as well as a bit of artificial syrupy caramel. The palate is light except for the proof. Fortunately, the grain underlying this whiskey is fairly good and adds some nice richness so that the proof has some more robustness and complexity, obscuring the surely painfully light and disjointed flavors that lie underneath. There isn't a whole lot going on here, but it isn't awful. It's kind of interesting in a young whiskey sense and it doesn't have and disgusting flavors overwhelming it (I mean aside from being young). There's no chalk, so that's a step up over Balcones Baby Blue. For better or for worse, this is super mild. Some nice barrel spice do make it through here, but the richness of the battle doesnt. There's a lot of cinnamon and then the bit of bubblegum, a lot of vanilla, and - surprisingly - some light caramel that had a mild mix of butterscotch.the finish is more fruity than bubblegum, but it's still light fruit light that first lick of a lollipop. Water brings out more herbal elements that tmake this more complex and interesting. It still has some problematic young characteristics, but it's kind of interesting in a way that works for a young whiskey. That combined with the barrel strength save this whiskey. The cedar that comes out with the added water is refreshing and intriguing. Sort of like Corsair Quinoa, I can see myself growing to appreciate this. Still, it's a fair bit of a novelty and is far from greatness. If it were cheap, it would be interesting to have a bottle of. If I were looking for a light whiskey for some reason, I'd give this serious consideration. At less than barrel strength, I don't see myself wanting to try more of this. Yeah, that high ABV corn flavor is good. The aging needs work, but the flavors aren't actively bad and the distillery didn't try to hide the youth under a cocktail of disgusting additives. Sure, it's hidden under the ABV, but that's a natural flavor that is easy to appreciate if the grain is good. That complexity really does come through a bit. That youthful sort of alcohol presence does too, so ehh. It's not at all a mess though. This might just be a 12, damnit. I'll give it that for now, but it could drop to 11 in the future. It's not all that bad, but it's really not what I'm looking for in bourbon. Given that Joseph Magnus used some light whiskey, I'd be interested to see this in a blend. Bubblegum be damned, it can have that 12! I could even bump it to a 13 in the future, but with its youth it will never be excellent.

Quite sweet and noticeably spicy with a little bit of a tart granny Smith apple finish backed by some vanilla. Slightly reminiscent of apple pie. Moderately rich with a decent balance of flavors. The depth could be greater, but it's good. The nose has some sweetness, rye minerals, floral notes, and spice. The palate is clean with a moderate mouthfeel that is surprising given the light flavor. It's sweet and full of mineral. I don't get what the big deal is here - it reminds me of less interesting, more syrupy Evan Williams Black. Apple comes through and the spices are punchy yet dry with a big black pepper presence. It has some characteristics that I like in my bourbon, but nothing is very well executed and it's not that complex. Some richness does eventually come out a bit in the back, but it's a pretty lackluster experience. There's way too much mineral in here. A bit of grain comes through, but not in a particularly good way. Although it doesn't have that sickening moonshine flavor to it, it does taste young. It's surprisingly harsh though.

With its 61% abv, this scotch will knock you right on your ass! It claims to be super peaty, but alcohol is the flavor that hits me strongest. It immediately makes me think of islay scotch mixed with vodka. Peatiest scotch in the world? I doubt that, though I can't deny that the peat flavor is strong. The fruitiness does stand out and is much appreciated. Usually, I taste mainly cherry from the Sherry cask, but in this case peach and apple are definitely present, along with a hint of mint and either butterscotch or maple. Maybe there is some mango in there too. The peat definitely has a chocolate taste to it. The finish is largely alcohol, chocolate, and mint, which is disappointing because this scotch initially has such a deep and interesting profile. At half that price, I could recommend this, but in the $200 range it seems like a stretch.

Smooth, sweet, and well-rounded. This is a lot like Oban 14. The sweetness is backed by minerals before some wood and a hint of tartness comes through on the finish. There is some nuttiness hanging out here that agrees with the vanilla. One can also find a bit of that orange flavor that characterizes some of the best whiskies hiding in here. It's about on par with Oban 14, but for just a bit more one can get the Springbank 10, which is just that bit better. There is a lot of depth here, but not a ton of variation throughout. It's good and I would happily sip it, but it's main appeal comes from its interesting elements for connoisseurs rather than from a delicious flavor or punchy variation.

It smells like smokey bacon with peat. The flavor is peat-forward, but is balanced with rich, sweet pork and notes of the sea. The peat is a dominant flavor, but balances the others in an appealing way. It's a lot like Lagavulin 16, but a bit less rich. Maybe Lagavulin 16 meets Oban 14? Some vanilla and mild citrus provide a nice and surprising balance. I find the minerals to make it a bit too much like grog, but I love jts depth and variety of flavor and especially appreciate that it reins in the sugary sweetness in favor of rich orange on the finish. The long finish is really good too. If you're looking for a balance between sweet and savory, this is it! And amazingly, it doesn't have any gross alcohol flavor (or whatever it does have is masked by the peat). It's kind of like Lagavulin 16 meets Ardbeg Corryvreckan in all of the right ways. It's rich, strong, and complex. There are lots of meaty elements but it isn't super sweet. It tastes much older than it actually is - I would have guessed closer to 18 years had the bottle not said 10. The flavors are terrifically balanced, though there might just be a tad too much iodine and alcohol. There are some herbal notes, but nothing too vegetal. Some saltiness is there too, giving it a bit of a taste of the sea. It's very interesting and very enjoyable. For the price, it's a steal. I might go so far as to call this the best deal in Scotch due to its awesome richness, balance, and complexity. There are tons (tons!) of much more expensive Scotches that are not on the same level. Smoke and iodine hit immediately, but there are also plenty of sweet, cereal, malty elements. It isn't meaty, but it is rich. The individual flavors stand out and it has a great deal of complexity. Nothing tastes off. This is a drink that is ready to go toe-to-toe with the best. Somehow. The rich red and citrus fruit provide sweetness that when mixed with a bit of honey marries magnificently with the smoke and iodine. The miracle of this drink is that despite the aggressive smoke and iodine it is beautifully balanced with not sharp notes napping it in the side or rough notes providing stocky bed. The flavor is super rich with tons of smoke and peat, but it also has plenty of maple and salt. There's a lot going on here and for Islay Scotch drinkers this is a paradise. The fruit comes out and so does the cereal. The richness is sublime and there is an impressive amount of depth here. All of the flavors are top-notch and the richness is amazing. On net, this is a supremely balanced whiskey with a lot of delightful flavors and nothing grating that brings it down. There is some implied sweetness that could interfere with some tastings, but as things are this works very well and tastes exquisite. Excellent work, Bruichladdich. This is harsher than the various Octomores, but not to an absurd degree. This is quite harsh with plenty of smoke and peat, but also plenty of rich body to it. There's more spice than I remembered and it's also more bitter. I like the Octomore 10 better from a hedonistic perspective. This does best the Octomore 9.3, but it struggles against the 8.1 and probably loses to the 9.1. Following the Octomore 10, this tastes a lot more like Laphroaig than it usually does. I really wish that it were less harsh. Watered down enough, the grain really come out, overwhelming the harshness and bringing some nice fruitiness (orange) and chocolate with it. The cinnamon flavor and sweetness are still there though. At this point, this is quite a nice whiskey.