Tastes

Balvenie 17 : Double Wood, a single malt scotch whisky hailing from the Speyside region. Had this one from a sampler package. Sampled 1/10/16 with 1 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Wood sap to start, very resinous, baked apple, bittered honey, distant rye, burnt sugar cookie, marzipan and roasted peanuts, a decently promising nose but... Taste - Butter, cherry lozenges, very faint sherry and wood bittering, incredibly flat and one dimensional. Finishes with a quickly fading flavor and medium lingering burn. Final score : 1.5 / 5, for what a one-dimensional and non-complex whisky this is, the 95+ price point it commands is not at all worth the product you're getting. The 17 years this whisky has spent maturing has not done much justice to the overall product. You could get much similar flavor profiles from far cheaper whisky. Not to say the whisky itself is inherently nasty to the taste, but my scoring is based as well on the price asked, and the price and flavor here, do not line up.

Willett : Pot Still Reserve, a no age statement bourbon whiskey hailing from Kentucky by KBD Distillers. Price $47.99, Sampled 1/3/16 with 3/4 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Subtle sweetness, maple-glazed Canadian bacon and it's associated smokiness, charred oak, ash, rum-soaked cake, freshly split wood, none of the bubble gum aromas you find in most bourbons which is in my opinion a mark of quality, smoked meats and distant vanilla. Taste - Subtle smoke, BBQ sauce spices, char and ash, light sweetness, very savory. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and a long lasting burn. Final score : 5 / 5, this is hands down the best bourbon I have had to date, it takes on an incredibly bold and interesting array of aromas and flavors on the savory, smokey meaty side and doesn't fall victim to the over the top sweetness many bourbons do. Will definitely be keeping this one in Stock on my shelf.

Johnnie Walker Red, a no age statement blended scotch whisky. Price : $28.00, Sampled 7/4/15 with 1 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. This incredibly medicinal and chemical tasting swill is what I call mixer piss, only fit for consumption in a mixed drink and even then you could do better, steer clear. Final score : 0 / 5

Balvenie 12 : Double Wood, a 12 year old single malt scotch whisky hailing from the Speyside region. Had this one from a sampler package. Sampled 1/1/2016 with 1 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Almond, cereal, oak, very light sherry, hot buttered toast, malt, angostura bitters, orange, cherry cough syrup and salted grapefruit. Taste - Salty to start, vanilla, bubble gum, HEAVY bourbon influence, flat. Finishes with a medium linger flavor and burn. Final score : 2.2 / 5, this whisky is just plain flat and boring and has taken on way too much bourbon character from its time spent in ex-bourbon casks. This, unfortunately seems to mask over whatever complexities the ex-oloroso sherry casks might have given to the spirit. The flavor is more on par with a high quality bourbon. That being said, it doesn't taste bad, but for the price, you would be doing better to buy a high quality bourbon. Will not be buying a full bottle.

*Please note this is a review of the standard cask of dreams and not the Canadian variant. The standard is not currently listed on the search results so I have to put my notes here* Glenfiddich : Cask of Dreams, a no age statement single malt scotch whisky hailing from the speyside region. Price : 106.99 Sampled 12/23/15 with 1 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Heavy grape must, green apple, light bubble gum, marzipan, vanilla bean, golden raisin, icing, lime leaf, slight brine, tart wine, plantain banana and rye. Taste - Grape, vanilla, cashews, gentle fruit and spice, oak, dried apricot and ginger spice. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and long lasting burn. Final score : 4 / 5, definitely tasty and complex with a uniquely engaging nose, but the flavor might not warrant the 100+ price tag entirely. Would buy another bottle, but would feel more comfortable at the 87 price range for the flavors you get.

Jura : Superstition, a no age statement but unofficially 13 year year old single malt scotch whisky from the Island region. Price : $45.00. Sampled with 1/2 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Porridge, stew, honey, wood, young and rough, buttered toast, shave cream, unsweetened caramel and light cabernet. Taste - Toast, grainy, buttery, savory, faint sweetness and beef vegetable soup. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and burn. Final score : 3 / 5, very unique in how savory it is. Might consider purchasing again but would have to be at a significantly lower price.

The Peat Monster, a no age statement blended scotch whisky from Compass Box. Price $60.00, Sampled 12/9/15 with one teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Distant hazelnut, soy bacon bits, a bit of char and ash, shoe polish, butter, medicinal smoke, lime, herbal, cereal and vegetal. Taste - Sweet to start, gentle smoke, some lightly sweet almond paste, Apple and ginger. Finishes with a quickly fading flavor and burn. Final score : 5 / 5, would definitely buy again.

The Arran 10, a 10 year old single malt scotch whisky hailing from the Island region. Price $60.00 Sampled 12/9/15 with 3/4 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Slight salt brine, currants, heavy bourbon influences, vanilla, prune, toffee, malty and light blueberry. Taste - Cherry, heavy bourbon flavors, oranges and almond. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and burn. Final score : 5 / 5, will definitely be buying again.

Hibiki : Japanese Harmony, a blended, no age statement, Japanese whiskey from Suntory distillery. Sampled 11/29/15 with 1.5 teaspoons of water. Aroma - Wood sap, marzipan, light cherry, very bright sweetness, vanilla sugars. Taste - Butter, cookies, cherry cough syrup, castor sugar, too sweet. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and virtually no burn. Final score 2 / 5, as I mentioned before, this whisky is just too sweet and comes off as a cough suppressant. There's potential here, but I will not be purchasing this particular offering from Suntory again.

Balblair : 2002 1st release, a no age statement single malt scotch whisky hailing from the Highland region. Price $60.00 Sampled 12/3/15 with 1.25 teaspoons of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Grapefruit, green apple, lemon, orange, raspberry jam, light wood sap, lime leaf and mint. Taste - Lemon, sherbet, woody, lightly sour, malty and bittered honey. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and long lasting burn. Final score : 3 / 5, wouldn't buy this one again, not because it's bad, it's definitely interesting and engaging, just personally don't care for it too terribly much.