Tastes

Mild, pleasant, but forgettable. Like many scotches aged 18 years or more, this does very little to offend, and does it well. 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."

Flowery, heather sweet. Must be all bourbon-cask matured. Not a hint of sherry. Mild, pleasant, but forgettable. 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 sulfuric note is present throughout the palate from start to finish, adding a mineral quality to balance out the sweetness. Could it be a bad bottle? Not going to buy again. 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."

Apple juice and raisins. The unique Solera maturation produces a very smooth, balanced, and easy sipping sherry-cask scotch. I will always keep a bottle of this on my shelf, because it reminds me of what I was looking for in an ideal sherried whisky when I first started my scotch exploration. There's none of the sulfur elements or heavy wood presence, to detract my attention away from the simplicity of everything I enjoy in a daily, sherried dram. 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." got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Standard sherry-cask nose, no sulfur. Standard sherry-cask palate, with a slightly sulfuric, oak finish. In following sips, the bourbon cask influence is apparent - balancing out the sherry influence and nullifying the sulfur element. Decent mouthfeel for a low ABV. Pleasant and not forgettable, as it has a balanced flavor profile that a Macallan 12 Sherry Oak Cask lacks. And it's $30 cheaper. 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."

Sherry-forward with a surprising hit of spice. Orange undertones. Finish is spicy and brief. Overall, very pleasant with no sulfuric notes. 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."

Fruit upfront - aromas of raspberry gum. After a tipple or two, notes of ripe strawberry on the nose. The palate is of apricots, raisins, and red fruits - raspberries - flowing with honeyed mead. A tad creamy. Fruitier and sweeter than the 12. A must-have. 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 expert review on the nose as "dark malt and vanilla" is on target. That transitions to orange peel and grapes steeped in alcohol - and eventually, to butterscotch or toffee. The palate is creamy with dark fruit taffy, then washed away by raisin juices that flow and capture notes of orange and cherries. A dash of malt appears in the mid-palate, before the finish. That ends with a pounding wave of Christmas cake, sherry spice, and ABV. If you pursue a tasting analysis, then you'll detect ginger root and white pepper notes. On the other hand, I cease to look for flavors when the heat starts lighting up my tongue after swallowing. It's then, at that point, my mind translates the texture of finish as if it were a hard-hitting carbonated soft drink - albeit an alcohol driven one. This is what I term as 'effervescence'. When it works, the spirit is suddenly refreshing (or warming, depending on the cask maturation and the season), rather than being a spin on the palate wheelhouse. And with that, I think this scotch makes for the perfect cold night sip. The Glendronach 12 is definitely a step up from the Macallan 12 Sherry Cask. And the best part is: it costs less. 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. The body is possibly the lightest scotch I've ever had. The palate starts off with cereal grains forward, then with honey sweetness as a finish, mingling with oak spice. The honey character does take a second or third sip to discern, but there's nothing here that's offensive. As a component of the Chivas Regal blend, I gather this is used to smooth it out. Still, very drinkable but making very little ripple in the pond. 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."

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."