Tastes

Edit: as the bottle has opened up, I’ve become much more a fan of this guy. And I was already a fan. Dry, nutty, spicy oak and brown sugar are the big notes, and they are BIG. 4.25 —> 4.5 Edit: Strong, challenging. Really good, really full, excellent long finish, but I’m having Weller Antique a couple days after having the Stagg Jr and Stagg has to take a backseat. Wow. Nose is skrong. I can tell that it’s all of 67%. Cherry and brown sugar and ethanol are the notes on the nose. On the palate, an absolute eruption of dark fruit (esp cherry), brown sugar, corn sweetness, oak spice. Slight nuttiness as it rounds the corner. The flavor is sitting in my mouth like it freakin pays rent there. SUCH a long finish. I just came off of the Glenmorangie Companta, which may just be my new favorite scotch, and even still, this guy is a champ. Can’t give it a 5 because it’s a little loud, but honestly doesn’t taste as loud as I know it is. If I could, I would give it like a 4.85. Excellent bourbon, totally understand why it’s impossible to find.

Wow what a full, rich, fruity nose. I haven’t even tasted it yet, but I needed to note the nose right away because it smells so good. Dark fruit and cinnamon spice are heavy. I could just smell it all day. On the taste, explosion of flavor in my mouth. Rich dark fruit once again. There’s a slight hint of barley mustiness toward the end, then it quickly gives way to a long, oily finish. Rich, velvety mouthfeel throughout. It’s like the 12 yr Quinta Ruban, but better. More wood spice and oily richness. Damn fine scotch. P.S. I’m halfway through the dram and I keep going back to how delightfully fruity and cinnamony that nose is. Damn.

Finally got around to trying this guy and I can understand what the fuss is about. Pretty complex, lots of different flavors going on, but a little thin, especially on the finish. Light fruitiness (pear) on the palate along with honey, citrus and some floral notes, plus oak spice. There is unmistakably a touch of smoke and earth, and it’s quite enjoyable. Very very light sea salt freshness too. The nose is fresh, kinda like basil or tea leaf. Reminds me of the Tobermory.

Very fresh on the nose. Spicy grain fresh. Very spicy on the palate. The rye is sharp and heavy. Flavor is very full though. I like it, don’t love it.

This is unbelievably smooth. Like a tumbleweed that’s been rolling along the west Texas plains for 600 years. Or a stone that settled at the bottom of a rolling ravine back in the days of Charlemagne. Or a painstakingly polished ball of aluminum foil. The flavor is pretty full and rides straight from the start through the moderately long finish. Mostly cherry, vanilla, tobacco and oak on the palate. Caramel on the nose, and I got some cinnamon at the end of the dram. It’s good time nice.

Damn. It’s loud for sure, but the noise doesn’t drown out the bevy of flavor. Chocolate, coffee, oak, and plum are heavy. An absolute assault of flavor. This thing lingers and I love it.

On the nose, butterscotch and a little heat. It tastes woody and sweet. Light smoke and light baking spice. It envelopes the palate and the finish is long. This is better than I remember, would drink again.

Peat smoke on the nose at first, but as I drink it, the smoke mellows into a sort of honey-sweet vanilla/chocolate mix with slight pepper spice. Remarkably smooth on the palate for an Islay in my opinion. It’s full and rich and the finish is long. Surprisingly, though, the smoke isn’t what lingers, and I like that. A line of iodine runs through the dram. The flavor is savory and reminds me of delicious smoked meats. Had a steak beforehand, and it played off of that so so well. Not usually what I go for in a whisky, but I’m enjoying this a bunch. Very complex. Could be a gateway Islay distillery for me.

This one, I would describe as steady. Kinda like the Redbreast 12 is consistent in its palate all the way through, no highs or lows, this guy is the same concept. Honey and fresh herb on the nose, think basil or cilantro in terms of the freshness, but not their specific flavors. On the palate, citrus jumps out right away, and mixed with the fresh greens, kinda reminds me of the freshness of an IPA. It’s different than other scotches I’ve tried from other regions. I like it, but the fresh herbs and citrus is its only trick. The finish is quick. It intrigued me to find other good island scotches, like Jura or Talisker.

Ok, this dram highlights the difference, for me, between reading a theological treatise, and diving into the world of the Legend of Zelda. Both, for me, are recreational activities. But one, I do to engage my brain and grapple with heavy ideas, and the other, I do to escape into a fantasy world where sure, there are challenges, but for the most part, I’m relaxing. Highland scotch is my happy place, my Hyrule. This scotch is G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy. Meaty, in fact, I now understand what people mean when they say a whiskey reminds them of ham. I can taste ham in my dram. Definitely smoky, but smooth, and the campfire doesn’t linger super long. I’d call it a good “gateway Islay.” Enjoyable, but I still struggle with the genre.