Tastes

Nose- rich caramel; red apples; vanilla icing sugar; allspice; brown sugar; touch of milk chocolate Palate- baking spices; thyme; rush of barrel char; cherry syrup; leather; chocolate covered almonds Finish- long, spicy finish; caramel; rich oak tannins; milk chocolate

Batch 1 Nose- old dusty books; rich caramel; raspberry jam; vanilla icing; brown sugar coated bananas; graham crackers; plums Palate- Rush of cherries; honeyed sweetness; apple pie filling; cinnamon; creamy vanilla; wet, musty oak Finish- Long, viscous finish; graham crackers; creme brulee; chewy caramel Absolutely fantastic. Better than this years birthday bourbon & I find alot of similarities to the 2018 OFBB (which I find outstanding). The nose is one of the best ive smelled in recent memory. The palate comes on with a viscous mouthfeel, tons of rich dark fruits & sweetness, the signature old forester banana note. The finish is long, rich and dark. Notes of creme brulee & old musty oak round this out. The palate could be a bit more complex, but this remains a fantastic whisky

Nose- Vanilla; butterscotch; gentle baking spices; peanuts; confectioners sugar Palate- Initially a wave of candy sweetness; vanilla; butterscotch; fresh herbs; caramel Finish- medium, oily finish; peanuts; soft baking spices; caramel Very very very good. Very reminiscent of 80/90s WT product. If it was a touch higher in proof this would be a 5/5 whiskey for me.

Nose- cinnamon; vanilla; brown sugar; cloves; rich caramel Palate- Creme brulee; cinnamon sugar; vanilla; caramel; baking spices Finish- Long, spicy finish; Caramel; baking spices; licorice

Nose- Dark cherries; coffee grounds; milk chocolate; dusty oak; cinnamon; caramel Palate- Wave of toasted almonds; confectioners sugar; dark roast coffee; spiced oak; cherries; rich vanilla Finish- Long, spicy finish; confectioners sugar; aged leather; dusty, old oak; baking spices Another year, another stunning George T. Stagg. Surprisingly, this one doesn’t dry my mouth out like most of the years past, which I like. This one has more of a spicy mouthfeel to it. I would describe this as rich, complex, and old (in the best way possible). I believe i’m in the minority here, but I prefer the 2019 edition more. Regardless, I would happily drink this at any bar, and would buy it for anything less than $250.

Nose- Cherry cobbler; milk chocolate; rye bread; rich caramel; barrel char; apricots Palate- Wave of cherry syrup initially; rich caramel; graham crackers; maple syrup; touch of oak tannins; fig jam Finish- Long, thick finish; sweet cherry cordial; milk chocolate; cinnamon Very enjoyable. I could very easily see folks saying this one is too sweet, and it’s teetering on the line for me. From nose to finish you get a sweet cherry cordial note. It’s full of dark, thick notes throughout. Great for MSRP, but secondary doesn’t warrant the price.

Nose- Soft vanilla; whif of earthy peat smoke; orange rind; white chocolate; burnt wood Palate- White chocolate; peaches; earthy peat; ginger; lemons; cocoa powder; touch of bbq sauce Finish- Long, oily finish; peat smoke; creamy vanilla; black pepper Man this stuff is good. Just the right amount of heat. Beautiful nose, fantastic and oily on the palate, with a long, peat filled finish. Does this differ from the ardbeg 10 so much to say it’s worth $400 more? I say no. While this is a stunning whiskey, go for the 10, it’s stunning as well for around $50

Nose- Stewed dark fruits; dark, juicy cherries; cinnamon; heavy oak; confectioners sugar; vanilla; leather; tobacco; touch of lemon at the end Palate- Wave of aged, spicy oak; baking spices; dark berries; chocolate fudge; toasted marshmallows; rich caramel Finish- Long, oily finish; Just the right amount of spice; cherries; musty, aged oak; chocolate This is delicious, plain and simple. Many complain about the “low” abv, but forget that it’s still very much barrel proof GTS goodness. I believe this to be among the most drinkable and enjoyable GTS releases out there. Just tons and tons of tasting notes on the nose, palate and finish. This is complex, rich and full bodied, with a wonderful long finish. At MSRP, this is a steal. I would happily pay upwards of 250, maybe even 300 for this bottle. A stunner.

2019 edition Nose- brown sugar; rhubarb; thyme; pine needles; touch of peat; dark chocolate; honey; Palate- funky rum notes initially; cocoa powder; pineapple juice; herbal sweetness; toasted oak; hint of earthy peat smoke; sherry sweetness Finish- medium, viscous finish; earthy peat; brown sugar/molasses; touch of tropical fruits Good, not great. The rum cask influence on this 25 year old springbank is a bit overpowering, to the point that it makes it a bit too simple and young tasting. The sherry comes through a bit, and the balance between the rum cask and sherry is quite nice, but i’m missing that cambeltown funk mixed with heavy peat that i’m accustomed to with springbank. Not my favorite release from them

1969 Chessmen Nose- brown sugar; butter on toasted bread; dark caramel; plums; dusty oak; graham crackers; spiced honey Palate- Wave of well aged oak; vanilla sweetness; touch of whipped cream; brown sugar; lemon custard; dusty library books Finish- medium, rich finish; vanilla; aged oak; lemon shortbread This stuff is good. More light and nuanced than I was hoping for though. I can definitely taste the age (in the barrel). It’s also very obvious this is a pour not from this day and age, with lots of dusty oak and old library notes. The finish is teetering between short and medium, and it’s not the most complex thing in the world. With all the hype surrounding this pour, I can’t help but be disappointed. I also can’t help but compare it to some other legendary dusties. Wild Turkey CGF blows this out of the water, but I still like it more than OGD 114 or 86 from the 70s. All in all, I wouldn’t go for a bottle of this, especially at the price.