Tastes

Local Total Wine pick. Marshmallow topping is heavy and present throughout even to the aftertaste, fresh grassy rye, creamed corn, honeycrisp apple, charred/grilled taste, big brand maple syrup, nutty, breadlike, pulverized sweet basil, turbinado sugar, subtle fruity light roast coffee, a little lemon zest to pinch it off. Interesting barrel pick, a respectable variation but not enough to mainline.

Mint-like islay peat comes in heavy followed closely by heavy smoked sea salt. Thick vanilla cream, bright lemon zest gives it a nice piquancy, nutmeg, mellowed oak tannins, white peach, dry bosc pears, a bit of astringency, nougat, basil, low dark chocolate, toffee, leather, meadow grass, pinch of minerality. I would guess MGP barrels based on the nougat & basil. Still has a young taste, but I guess the standard has been changing from 12yr minimum to less and/or no age statement. Still a pleasant change of pace and at an unusually high ABV for scotch.

Been several years since I last had it; had felt there was a trend of decline in sub-$100 scotches around that time. Surprised to see it's aged in a combination of european and american sherry casks but I guess it offers an alternative to the bourbon barrel aged scotches that dominate the market now. Navel oranges, bartlett pear, heather honey, heaps of smoke with some vegetal peat, old world barley bread, buttery cake, nutty, cinnamon bark, anise, nutmeg, clove, dried cranberry, california raisins. Oak tannins were light & pleasant. Quick to oxidize and thin out but overall alright on account of its price point. A decent introductory scotch, though I do find all the lingering heather a little offputting personally. Still has that classic sherry barrel taste. Would recommend Auchentoshan.

54.8%. Kinda boring, not showing complexity or age. Lemon peel, vanilla pudding, heavy oak tannins but not very astringent, animal cracker, McIntosh apple, cheap butterscotch syrup & candy corn lingers. Seems more breadlike than other bourbons, maybe high wheat content. Not as sweet as a typical bourbon either. Independent bottler but no idea which Kentucky source.

Fluffy marshmallow topping, butterscotch, lemondrop, caramel chew, fennel, burnt sugar, nutmeg, plum, grassy. A little medicinal with some heat. It wouldn't have necessarily been my first or second pick but there's so few decent american whiskies <$30 nowadays.

Fresh fennel, green cardamom, clove, nutmeg, nutty pralines, fair bit of peppery spice, dry golden apple, some astringency, leather, roasted corn, unripe peach. Not very interesting but not as 'young' as others claimed. Label states 4yrs which would meet the age requirement for bonded. Young whiskey isn't light, it's more of a palatte punch on account of the bitter oak tannins not having enough time to mellow out and reveal more diverse flavors. Full bodied and aged. Would suggest beam products, old forrester row series if you're a fan.

Not so smoky/peaty relatively speaking. The islay minty peat is light to medium forward that fades pleasantly to leather and dark dry chocolate. Vanilla beans and ice cream, hearty barley, pineapple, sugared coconut shreds, sour passionfruit, red plum, mild lemon rinds, sweet tobacco, grassy, sea brine rounds it all out. Almost as light in color as one of the compass box blends. A bit too little barrel aging gives this a tad too light body. Sanaig was more impressive. Majority bourbon barrel aging isn't that great compared to classic single malt scotch sherry aging statements.

Thick vanilla ice frosting, black pepper, black mission figs, mild mint, lemon pith, juicy sultana raisins, fine caramel, marshmallow, nutmeg, cinnamon bark, mellowed corn whisky, nutty barley and a good amount of grassy rye. Elegant tasting experience.

Runs a bit hot but not too bad. Caramel chews, nutty, herbal, chinese cinnamon, vanilla buttercream, soft oak tannins, orchard fruits, strawberry jam, sweet basil, clove, lemon curd pinches off the finish. Solid. Similar to pikesville rye and russell's 10yr.

Distilled Fall 2016 so the first release. Very nice, reminds me of 1792 and Wild Turkey 101. Chinese cinnamon, orange blossoms, nutmeg, peppery, caraway, fresh sweet corn, maple, grassy rye, dried plantains, thin oak tannins, juicy blue plums. The plum note reminded me of blaufrankisch wine. Orange blossoms and maplewood lingers long after. Very surprising at this price point.