Tastes

Nose - lemon, apple, charred orange peel, honey, cereal grain, yeast, vanilla, dry herbal notes, caramel, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - lemon oil, apple, light peat, pineapple, cereal grain, vanilla cream, orange, ginger, flint, walnut, sour oak, bitter herbal notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with citrus oil, flint, and bitter herbal flavors. My Springbank review series kicks off with the Hazelburn 10 Year. While Springbank and, to a lesser degree, Longrow seem to hold the perennial spotlight, this unpeated entry level expression deserves some love too! The nose is subtle and mercurial. Aromas appear and recede more quickly than I’m able to identify them. There’s a definite citrus component, likely lemon and orange. They’re not fresh and juicy though. It’s almost as if lemon and orange peels were left out to rot for a few days before being singed with a propane torch. There’s an elusive flinty, bready, fusel quality along with some honey, orchard fruit, and grain aromas. The palate is decidedly less subtle, but I’d categorize it as relatively light. More citrus notes appear, but here they’re pithier and more bitter. I’m also detecting a tropical fruit quality. We’ll call it pineapple. There’s youthful graininess and a hint of peat. The mouthfeel is oily and the finish is well-appointed. This is good whiskey. There’s richness and depth that I don’t often find outside of Campbeltown. While the youth and graininess hold this back from greatness, this is deserving of a spot on my shelf. Unfortunately prices are rising, and at $80 near me, I wouldn’t call this a value anymore.

Nose - toffee, anise, black pepper, vanilla, orange zest, mint, clove, toasted oak, earthy vegetal notes, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - butterscotch, orange, marshmallow, vanilla, sour apple, anise, bitter herbal notes, graham cracker, chocolate, nutmeg, sweet oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with rye spice, citrus, and sour apple flavors. This is the youngest WhistlePig product I’ve tried. I understand that it’s targeted for mixing. At $50 a bottle near me, it’s just a hair more expensive than my current New Riff Rye house mixer, which is right at the top end of what I’m comfortable spending in this category. The nose is sweeter than I remember other WhistlePig’s being. The anise and mint are strong, but there’s some nice orange, toffee, and toasted oak in the bouquet as well. The palate brings the youth I was expecting to find. There some sour apple flavors alongside butterscotch, chocolate, and sweet baking spices. I was expecting to like this less than I do. It can’t compete with the sippability of the double digit age stated WhistlePigs, but I think it’s pretty decent. In the end, I prefer New Riff’s spicier profile and the extra ABV to hold its own with dilution, so I’m not making any changes to my existing house rye mixer.

Nose - apple, honey, pear, fig, apricot, light sulphur, grass, cereal grain, vanilla, lemon, caramel, nutmeg, floral notes, mild ethanol burn. Taste - pear, honey, baked apple, buttery cinnamon, peach, mint, ginger, white pepper, fig, cereal grain, grass, lemon zest, pineapple, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with orchard fruit, honey, and citrus flavors. I’ve never tried a Dewar’s over 12 years old, so this will be interesting. My past experiences have been rather mediocre, so I’m not expecting too much. The nose is classic blended malt. Orchard fruits, honey, citrus, caramel, and vanilla. Simple but inviting, with maybe a hint of sulphur. The palate is similarly light, but there’s a nice oiliness to the mouthfeel. The same notes appear here, but it’s obviously underproofed which makes the dram taste brighter and sourer than it should. Overall, this is about on par with entry level Dewar’s blends, if not a touch better due to the slightly improved mouthfeel and finish. At $45 a bottle near me, I’m passing. Honestly if I were looking for a cheap blend, I’d buy something under $30. This is in a weird category of not being particularly inexpensive or particularly good. It’s better than average for me, but it just barely makes the cut. Thank you to @ContemplativeFox for providing the generous sample!

Nose - butterscotch, anise, clove, brown sugar, rye bread, vanilla, orange zest, spiced apple, black pepper, leather, musky deodorant, floral notes, polished oak, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - rich caramel, apple, clove, anise, herbal notes, leather, peanut butter, tobacco, tannic oak, floral notes, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with clove, butterscotch, and tannic oak flavors. I’ve had a number of Knob Creek bourbons, but never a rye. And this is a big one at 127 proof. The nose is rather tightly wound, but some nice perfumed aromas emerge, including dense butterscotch, bready rye spices, and a note similar to Old Spice deodorant. The palate is hot and rich. It’s obviously a low-rye rye, but there’s still a good amount of clove and anise along with dark fruits, leather, and tannic oak. The mouthfeel is medium and the finish is better than average. This is good rye. It’s strong and packs some rich flavors. Still, it verges on being youthful and sour. Not unpleasantly so, but enough to keep this from rating higher. It’s not my favorite rye profile as it’s slightly sweeter than I like, but I’d happily drink this one again. Many thanks to @pkingmartin for the generous sample!

Nose - fig, apricot, honey, cereal grain, orange zest, lemon, light peat, bitter walnut, grass, butterscotch, vanilla, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - apricot, honey, apple, pear, lemon, orange zest, vanilla cream, light smoke, cashew, cereal grain, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with stone fruit, honey, and chalky grain flavors. This is my first time trying a Loch Lomond product, but I’ve heard this one offers good value for the money. It’s $40 a bottle near me, so the price is right. Let’s see if the quality holds up. The nose is very fruity in a nicely sherried way. There’s honey, a zesty citrus quality, a hint of peat smoke, and some youthful graininess. The palate has a creamy, buttery mouthfeel, which complements the honeyed orchard and stone fruits well. A cashew nuttiness appears which turns chalky heading into the finish. This is better than average, and it’s very good the money. It’s light and fruity, but there’s some nice depth and complexity to the experience. There’s also some youthful graininess which holds it back from a higher score, but it won’t be a trivial task to find much better in the price range. Many thanks to @ContemplativeFox for providing the generous sample!

Nose - brown sugar, salted caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, graham cracker, orange zest, banana, clove, dark chocolate, toasted oak, black cherry, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - caramel, vanilla, clove, anise, caramelized banana, chocolate, cherry, apple, marshmallow, sweet oak, brown sugar, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with caramel, baking spice, and oak flavors. After my previous Nulu encounter, I’m skeptical that this will deliver a better experience. Well here goes their second chance. The nose is promising. It’s rich and creamy. Dark fruits, chocolate, and toasted oak make for a nice bouquet. The palate is similar, with more sweetness and rye spice carrying though the finish. It’s a bit like a high rye version of Woodford Double Oaked. This is much better than the Nulu Single Barrel I reviewed a while back. There’s some youthful brightness and it has a relatively thin mouthfeel, but this is a decent dram. I’m not rushing out to buy a bottle, but I’ll definitely have a more open mind if I come across more of their releases in the future. Many thanks to @pkingmartin for providing the generous sample!

Nose - vegetal peat, smoked meat, floral notes, ash, lemon, marzipan, dry oak, anise, nutmeg, vanilla, yeast, cereal grain, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - sweet peat, honey, rubber, vanilla, mint, ginger, white pepper, bitter walnut, marzipan, lemon, dry oak, clove, apple, caramel, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with ashy peat, bitter citrus, and dry oak flavors. This is a K&L exclusive aimed at delivering excellent value for the money. At $25 a bottle, it fulfills the price portion of that claim. Let’s see if the quality is there as well. The nose is earthy and smoky with some lemon, baking spices, and marzipan sweetness. The palate starts really nicely with a blast of sweet peat, juicy fruitiness, and a zing of spice. Unfortunately, the youthfulness dominates the finish, ending on a rather bitter, drying note. I don’t know the components of the blend, but there’s definitely some young peated whisky in here. It has a marzipan note that reminds me a bit of Wee Beastie. But this is better than Wee Beastie. My biggest complaint is the finish, which veers into bitter, medicinal territory. While not amazing, this is definitely an amazing deal and probably the best $25 bottle I’ve tried. I’m split between a 3.0 and a 3.5 on this. I’m going to stick at a 3.0, but it’s absolutely worth picking up if you’re in the K&L delivery zone. A big thank you to @jonwilkinson7309 for providing the generous sample!

Nose - fig, date, mint, sawdust, honey, cocoa, walnut, brown sugar, apple, light sulphur, nutmeg, butterscotch, vanilla, orange, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - apricot, fig, grape, pecan, orange, bitter herbal notes, cinnamon, sour apple, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with sour dark fruit, baking spice, and bitter herbal flavors. I tried the Dalmore 15 Year in one of my early reviews and remember liking it well enough, although I may have a different opinion these days. This 12 Year release is bottled at an anemic 40% ABV like its older sibling. The nose is pretty good. The dark, dried fruits are front and center. There’s some apple, cocoa, and a buttery nuttiness as well. The palate takes an unfortunate turn. There’s a bland, cloying sweetness to the whole experience. The fruit and wood become sour and bitter. The mouthfeel is watery and the finish is short and rather unpleasant. This is average for me. And the low proof isn’t doing it any favors. All the nice dark fruitiness on the nose turns thin, bright, and youthful. The mouthfeel is really bad. There’s a sickening quality to it that fortunately doesn’t last long after each sip is finished. At $70 a bottle near me, I’m not a buyer. Many thanks for @ContemplativeFox for the generous sample!

Nose - raspberry, pomegranate, apricot, fig, mint, rubber, allspice, cereal grain, light sulphur, orange zest, floral notes, butterscotch, vanilla, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - peach, rubber, raspberry, butterscotch, vanilla, mint, lemon, grapefruit, cereal grain, cinnamon, ginger, dry oak, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing short with cereal grain, red fruit, and dry oak flavors. My first whiskey from New Zealand comes from the ghosted Willowbank distillery. It’s 18 years old and finished in bourbon and red wine casks. The nose greets you with rubbery red fruits, not so different from the ones I found on the Del Maguey Tobala mezcal. Otherwise, it’s very light and grainy with some butterscotch and citrus zest in the mix. The palate is also light and grainy with the same rubbery quality and some juicy fruits. The mouthfeel is thin and the finish is disappointingly short. This is below average and tastes much younger than the 18 year age statement would indicate. The bright, juicy red fruit quality is intriguing, but it’s watery and unpleasantly rubbery and sour. Regardless, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to try this rare whiskey. Thank you to @PBMichiganWolverine for sending this one along!

Nose - mango, honeysuckle, dry herbal and floral notes, pineapple, hay, lemon pith, buttered toast, cereal grain, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - pineapple, guava, honey, lemon zest, ginger, allspice, banana, spearmint, cereal grain, dry oak, bitter herbal notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with tropical fruit, dry oak, and cereal grain flavors. My last BenRiach is an old one at 21 years, three of which were spent in a rum cask. Wow, the nose on this is dry. Very grainy or chalky. The majority of aromas are tropical in nature with some pithy lemon as well. The palate is punchy. Mostly tropical and citrusy. And the graininess is also present. It’s rather rich, which I’d expect for the age, but the harshness is surprising. It drinks at least at, if not above, its proof. I’m not loving this. It’s austere, and the balance seems off. It’s so dry, from the nose all the way through the finish. Those nice tropical notes are fighting to be heard and are largely dominated by the bitter, pithy, grainy qualities. Overall it’s better than average, but I can’t go higher than that. A big thank you to @jonwilkinson7309 for providing the generous sample! My favorite of the BenRiachs has been The Smoky Twelve. I’d buy a bottle at SRP. I can’t say the same for the others.