Tastes

Nose: rich, ripe fruits, almost like a fruit salad, honey pastries, light baking spices, candied ginger, vanilla, maple syrup, toasted oak. Palate: delivers what the nose offers, light creaminess, added notes of barrel spice, black pepper, and a hint of sandalwood on the finish, which is medium in length. Pleasant sweetness throughout. This is a solid offering and will likely get a second as a backup since this is a limited time run.

Nose: sweet, fruity with dried fruits, rum, brown sugar, and light tropical notes. Even and pleasant. Palate: soft, mild sweetness, fruity much like the nose, lightly oily with an even coat on the tongue, brown sugar, spices, oak, and a little herbal and peppery touch on the finish. Rum notes get a little lost and don’t present themselves as much as it does on the nose. Decent, but not exactly the dram I’m looking for.

Nose: fruity, dried fruits, apple, golden raisin, apricot, sherry, malty, vanilla. Palate: good mouthfeel, chewy, oily, rich and sweet with baking spices, smoky barrel char, with woody oak and a little spicy, peppery touch on the finish. This is a really great 12yr old scotch that brings all the aspects of a quality, sherry finished dram that will outdo plenty of others at this age. Definitely worth a try. This will be in the regular rotation.

Nose: fruity, orchard fruits, tropical, hints of mango and pineapple, toffee, light spices, fragrant and bright with a sticky sweetness. Palate: ripe fruits, tropical notes shine through, toffee, vanilla, hint of coconut on the backside, balanced with a medium finish that’s lightly oily giving it a gentle smoothness. A well done expression capturing that tropical touch and better than some others I have had.

Nose: fruity, buttery, baked desserts like you’re about to bite into something flaky and crisp (think strudel or a pie), honey, wood spices, vanilla. Palate: deep with ripe fruits, sherry, a pleasant sweetness, oiliness that clings nicely, baking spices, barrel spices, a light smoky char comes through from the barrel, finish has some length that evolves some with a hint of nuttiness. Overall, a very smooth and rich Irish whisky. Is it really good? You bet. But is it worth the extra $90 from the 12yr offering? Hate to say it, but I don’t think so.

Nose: rich, fruity, ripe baked apples with a hint of dark brown sugar, buttery baked crust, hint of marmalade and vanilla. A very decadent, baked dessert quality to this one. Palate: light oily feel, more baked apple goodness, caramel and toffee, baking spices, toasted oak, and a little smoky barrel char with a somewhat short and fairly dry finish. Just a well balanced, sweet dram of golden delight. Get some and enjoy.

Nose: Classic Balvenie with your dried fruits, honey, and vanilla, but add to it hints of tropical fruits, spice, and coconut. Palate: sweet, caramel, more dried fruits, spice, tropical fruits, with a nice oily finish that lingers well. Well balanced with the rum influence taking a back seat and complimenting it rather than trying to dominate.

Nose: fruity, orange marmalade, honey, buttery shortbread cookies, toasted malts, dark chocolate, marshmallow, sherry, rich and inviting. Palate: dried fruits, toasted grains and coconut, orange peel, creamy, slightly oily, white pepperiness on the finish that lingers well, balanced. This is my favorite Irish whisky to date. It will always be in the lineup.

Nose: white grape, honey, honeysuckle, light fragrant floral notes, oak. A few drops of water tease out some fruitiness and toasted grains. Palate: smooth oily feel, honey, dried fruits, sherry, some herbal notes, light smoky peppery touch on the finish that fades into sweet spiced honey and oak. Very much enjoyed this Japanese whiskey. One of my favorites so far.