Tastes

Just about through this bottle and I have a couple of bold observations. This is the best 80 proof liquor I've ever had and the best Speyside as well...whammy! Ok as you may know this is a major player in JWG and its clear this is the heart malt. So clean and utterly delicious every Scotch lover should give this a go. Nose is fresh Speyside fruit- sliced juicy apple and Bosch pear alongside rich malt and toasted oak with a wispy smoke. This all carries through the palate with great depth of flavors and quality. The fruity malt is succulent, the wood notes nuanced, the gentle smoke caressing the edges....absolutely brilliant. Long finish of the tasting notes echoing off like Jimmy Page reverb and sustain. I say JP cause this stuff is classic. Its not overly complex but delivers such enjoyment I would be shocked if most don't find this delightful. If you like Scotch and Zeppelin you will like this. Is it overpriced for a Speyside 12 year?....yeah I suppose so in a vacuum but this steps outside of the norms........94/100 ......even at 80 proof this can take water like a champ if you want to experiment. After this I HAVE to get another bottle of JWG

Ive had and enjoyed the small batch so was looking for an upgrade here with the single barrel. My bottle is aged 8 yrs 1 mo so a good start . Nose is Beam nuttiness with some ragged cinnamon and a blast of orange peel. Light caramels and oak with a healthy dose of ethanol round it out. Palate is heated and spicy as the alcohol and spice burns off the caramel nuttiness and zesty orange. The oak has plenty of char and leads to finish of nutshells, rawhide and wood tannins. There is some residual sweetness but again its singed by the heat. This drinks hotter than proof and lacks the depth and richness you get with Bookers. I do like many of the flavors here and the new bottle design is great but the old small batch was better imo and less $$ as well. Im hoping a little oxidation will calm this down a bit cause I am a fan of the profile. Currently this is around a $60 bottle and seems about $ 10-15 overpriced. Its still tasty enough to enjoy but I will not repurchase despite lusting after this bottle for quite some time.......81/100.....slight nick for value

Blanco is a quaint Texas town with a nice Christmas Lights display downtown. Not a place I would expect a distillery but nonetheless here we are. This single malt is surprisingly good though unrefined. The high proof lends itself to generous watering without losing flavor dilution (in fact the more you water the better it gets). Nose is graham cracker with ethanol and bbq pit smoke. Water brings out a bit of sweet dark honey malt and Teaberry gum notes. Palate is fiery with a blast of nougat, oak and heat. The mesquite smoke dominates till you water it then the 3 musketeers rides in with honeymaid and oak barrel. This reminds me of Balcones Peated but not nearly as complex or refined and more heated smoke. Finish is hot spicy malted milk and smoldering mesquite scrub. Im not sure what the PX finishing has added as Im not getting any dark fruit and have not had the standard issue for comparison. This is a wild one not for the novice malt drinker. Islay vets will have no issue but this is a different kind of fire. Needs more ageing to calm the aggressive nature but the bones are good........76/100..... Keep working this Andalusia you are close .........just too alcohol hot so dropping score despite flavors i do enjoy

I am a fan of JWB so wanted to revisit this for review(had several years ago). Similar with the smoked honey and malt its a nice drinker in that regard. Its got some of the pine sap character from the red though and there is a dose of kingsford ash. Those slightly bitter notes combined with a higher price makes Double Black a notch below 12yr in my book. Still an enjoyable pour and I would never turn it down but the regular Black is more rounded and a better value......83/100.......As the tragic super massively talented Amy Winehouse once sang "I go back to black".......all that said I destroyed this bottle pretty quick so its totally quaffable

This place is about a half hour from me so support local is what Im thinking. Plenty to like here with the small business model and husband /wife workforce. The whiskey itself is not bad but boy is it green. Very young with new make all over the profile. Noses some sliced apple and pear with youthful malt and barrel. Juicy fruit gum after you chew it for awhile. Palate is all new make malt tinged with some fruit and new barrel. Perhaps some peach tea and shrink wrap settle in with time. Dry finish with the oak in the front with distant fruity malt. Comes across as underripe and rushed to bottle. That said the quality of the product is evident and with longer ageing there could be a winner here. For what this is and at price point its a tough sell.......71/100......... will not repurchase

The standard Lone Elm release at 90 pf. True wheat whiskey not wheated bourbon at 90% wheat 10% barley. Nose is nice melty caramel and maple with cream of wheat. Blast of sweet pipe tobacco and leather alongside barrel oak. Palate is rich and full with dark caramel drizzled cornbread with a more earthy tone. Pinch of raw cinnamon and that dense sweet pipe tobacco for days. Worn saddle leather and charred oak on the back end . Finish is lasting with the sweet notes complimented by some melted butter and dry hardwoods. I can see now why I get some Cowboy overtones. They share the Texas red winter wheat which must provide the wonderful sweet pipe tobacco note in both. The single barrel version of this is better with more proof but this is no slouch and worth it if sb is not available.......86/100......solid value and easy repurchase as well.......last tidbit: this is only 90 pf but can take water very well while retaining maximum flavors.....bottom line this is a Texas distillery you want to explore .

Glen Moray is a decent value line of SM. This sherry cask finish kicks it up just a smidge and makes for an enjoyable pour. Nose is light red fruit and malt with some oaky barrel. Nothing crazy depth wise almost blend like but pleasant. Palate is malty oak with gentle sherry influence, no bomb here. Little bit of vanilla and some wispy smoke/char. Finish is dry tannins with a spray of wine and malt. Strays into bitter territory with water so be careful. Amazing this is not but for the $$ cant complain. Straightforward malt with a hint of sherry for sipping without thought or heavy pours without a care of cost. Scotch snobs need not bother but value guys go for it. Monkey Shoulder is better as is Naked malt but this is drier finish if thats your thing.....82/100.....totally drinkable if a sherry fan but nothing special

Takes the original and brings it up a notch. Nose has burnt brisket ends, bacon fat, resinous smoke and graham cracker sweetness with malty oak. Palate is oily and rich. Smoked glazed donut similar to Lap quarter cask. Brisket and ribs in the pit for hours alongside seasoned oak. Good malt notes and some raw vanilla meld into the finish. Heavy charred barrel, smoky vanilla with sweet creamy malt lingering to a fade of animal cracker crumbs and cigar butts. Heavyweight smoky scotch comparable to PC series. The youth is known but not an issue for this smokebomb..........92/100.....PC10 is probably better but this is delicious stuff

Balvenie is one of my favorite distilleries. The profile is so crisp and clean just oozing quality. This is expensive for a 12 year yes but its worth the price of admission. Nose is fresh honeycrisp apples wrapped in caramel, rich malt and toasted oak. Some baking spices flare up to round it out. Wonderful juicy inviting nose free of ethanol just dive on in. Palate is more of the same bringing a dense sweet malt, sliced apples and pears in cream with balancing barrel tannins, nutmeg followed by wispy smoke. There may be a glimmer of a peat presence but its only inferred. Finish is long lasting fruity malt and polished oak fading to a raw vanilla with singed graham cracker crust. Truly delicious this is everything you want from a Speyside and more. The drinkability is very high with a smoothness and crave factor that anyone can get onboard with.......93/100.... Easy repurchase