Tastes

A really wonderful union of heather honey and smoke. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Good, smooth. But the Sherry and Bourbon cask reserves are a bit tastier. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Better than average. Low ABV and smooth. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Better than average. Low ABV and smooth. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

This is a candy-sweet journey, ideal on a cold winter night. The nose is orange peel, with an undertone of raisins and grape candy. After a sip or two, I pick up a very fleeting aroma of toffee and honeyed mead. Taste notes: oranges, raisins, figs, prunes, and red fruits come to mind. The 46% ABV lends intensity to the sweetness. The finish is a bit hot with delectably sweet cinnamon. I find that this bottle holds up well against the other sherry-cask expressions in my collection: the Dalmore 12, Glendronach 12 & 15, Bunnahabhain 12, and Glenfiddich 15. Very good. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

A Highland single malt character, amplified with dessert wine casks. The finish is candied ginger, verging on citrus, before the oak dryness shows up. Adding water transforms it into a bourbon-cask scotch with a white wine influence. Every once in a while, a decent honey note appears . To me, this Glenmorangie (and the Quinta Ruban) are different from other scotches in that their taste profiles seem more candy sweet than fruit sweet. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

A sherry-forward scotch, with a light body. Following sips tell more of a bourbon cask life than a sherry maturation. The finish is not spicy at all. To pick out the bourbon maturation separately from the sherry finish is a first for me. Pretty good, but simple for a single malt. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Honey-lemon tea on the nose - like a muted Oban 14. Palate is honey and malt cereal sweetness. The mouthfeel is quite light. The finishing heat, with hints of orange, wrap up the palate in a short, pleasant trip. A bit more complex than an Irish whiskey, but not by a lot. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Rapid side-to-side nosing reveals berry notes! A straight nose dip into the glass lends to bourbon-cask and white grape notes. Palate at 40% ABV is coconut and malt. Tasty combo, but not terribly complex. Low ABV does, however, acquiesce to bigger sips! Light and refreshing. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

The nose points to some peat, but there's none on the palate. There is a muddled, chemical-like character befitting a Campbeltown. The finish wraps things up into an "average" scotch profile. However, it is smooth for a 46% ABV. This higher than average ABV also leaves a greater impression than the bottle merits. The palate opens up with subsequent sips, turning into something like a regular bourbon cask scotch - with the muddle hitting at the mid-palate. This is somewhere between a Campbeltown and Highland flavor profile, with unimpressive results. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."