Tastes

Old Pulteney 12, a 12 year old single malt scotch whisky hailing from the Highland region. Price $60.00 Sampled 12/2/15 with 3/5 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Barley sugar, lemon, currants, plum, almond paste, cereal, yellow cake, icing, cocoa butter and creme brulee. Taste - Distinct cilantro, sea salt, herbal, vegetal with a vanilla and almond finish. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and burn. Final score : 5 / 5, wow, what an insanely complex, two-faced scotch. The nose and palate are two different worlds but both are gorgeous and work together flawlessly. Would definitely buy again.

Pig's Nose, a 5 year old blended scotch whisky by Whyte & Mackey. Price $30.00 Sampled 11/30/15 with 1.5 teaspoons of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Very young and sour, glue, soap, sawdust, corn, light vanilla and sherry influences. Taste - Light cherrywood, inherently sweet, vegetal and with a earthiness found in that of black eyed peas. Finishes with a quick flavor and burn. Final score : 3 / 5, why a higher mark? The texture. The mouth feel on this whisky is one of the best I have ever felt in my life, I'm not sure how they manage it, but it is incredibly, smooth, oily, slick and soft. It drinks so easily that it scores decently well. You won't find anything complex here, but the flavor is fine and the mouthful makes it an absolute pleasure of a session sipper. Would definitely buy again and keep on hand.

Benromach 10, a 10 year old single malt scotch whiskey hailing from the speyside region. Price $60.00 Sampled 12/2/15 with 3/4 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Light grapefruit, plantain banana, lime leaves, slight brine, brown sugar, lemon zest, rye bread and some green apple. Taste - Gentle smoke, light cookie dough, Buttery, some green apple. Reminds me a bit of a light version of Highland Park 12 year. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and long lasting burn. Final score : 3 / 5, this was just okay, I might consider buying again at the right price.

The Dimple Pinch, a 5 year old blended scotch whiskey from Haig distillery. Price $41.99 sampled 10/27/15 with 2 teaspoons of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Banana, vanilla cake, soft gentle fruits, light allspice, lightly herbal, pear and notes of tea and fudge. Taste - Measured arrival, light vanilla, light fruit and raisin. A working man's scotch, but smooth, tasty and easy drinking. Finishes with a quickly fading flavor and burn. Final score : 4 / 5, this receives high marks becsuse for what it is, it's high quality. A session sipping blend with an engaging and somewhat complex nose, simple and unchallenging yet tasty flavor and the price is right. Will buy again.

Glenfiddich 15, a 15 year old single malt scotch whisky hailing from the speyside region. Had this one from a sampler package. Sampled 10/18/15 with 2 teaspoons of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Cold sherbet, bittered honey, wood sap, resin, lightly herbal, cookie and almond. Taste - Light butter, some peat, tea, marzipan, cherry syrup, very balanced but underwhelming. Finishes with a quickly fading flavor and burn. Final score : 2.5 / 5, the taste is okay.. but when taking into account this is from a quite expensive 18 year old bottling it is incredibly underwhelming. Worth maybe trying in a bar, but do yourself a favor and save a little cash and purchase the vastly superior 15 year old variant. Would not purchase a full bottle.

Bruichladdich : The Classic Laddie is a no age statement single malt scotch whisky hailing from the Islay region. Price : $60.00 Sampled 9/10/15 with 2.75 teaspoons of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Light brine, vanilla, lightly vegetal and herbal. Taste - Salt, almond, celery, cereal, wood sap, glue, fennel and herbal. Finishes with a medium lingering flavor and burn. Final score : 4 / 5, not for inexperienced drinkers. Would buy again.

Glenfiddich 15, a 15 year old single malt scotch whisky hailing from the speyside region. Sampled 8/24/15 from a sampler package with 1.3 teaspoons of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Spices, green apple, toffee, tea and marzipan. Taste - Heather, leather, brandy, dried cherries, light vanilla cake, lightly medicinal. Finishes with a quickly fading flavor and burn. Final score : 4 / 5, will definitely be purchasing a full bottle, very tasty stuff.

TX Blended whiskey from FR Distilling. A no age statement Texas bourbon, price $38.99 Sampled 8/4/15 with 3/4 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Vanilla cake, cookie dough, heavy caramel and yellow cake. Taste - Vanilla, insanely heavy caramel, cherry cookie, almond, marzipan, butter, cola, maple and short bread cookies. Finishes with a medium/quick fading flavor and no burn. Final score : 1.5 / 5, if ever such a thing existed as children's whiskey, this would be it. It's just so sweet with so many confectionary notes and no savory to round it out or balance them that I can't give it a high score. Might be a good starting whiskey for someone who doesn't like whiskey but wants to get into it or give it a try, but most seasoned drinkers I imagine will find this one unpalatably confectionary. Will not buy again.

Blanton's : Original Single Barrel, a Kentucky bourbon from Buffalo Trace distillery. Price : $63.00 Sampled 7/7/15 with 2 teaspoons of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Wood char, cherry, almond, marzipan, raisin cake, brown sugar, bubble gum, caramel and vanilla. Taste - Marzipan, sour cherry gum, cookie dough and raisin. Finishes with a medium/quick lingering flavor and burn. Final score : 4 / 5, within my top 3 bourbons, not the best, but damned good. Definitely will buy again.

Glenfiddich 12, a 12 year old single malt scotch whisky hailing from the speyside region. Had this one from a sampler package. Sampled on 5/27/15 with 1 teaspoon of water in a Glencairn spirits nosing glass. Aroma - Baked apple, tea, vanilla icing, cake and raisin. Taste - Light, tart, vanilla, raisin, baked apple, distinct motor oil, light salt, floral, butter, herbaceous and tannic. Finishes with a quickly fading flavor and burn. Final score : 3.2 / 5, a bit thin and falls a bit flat, probably wouldn't purchase a full bottle of this one myself, but worth trying a dram of.