Tastes

So, when I try whiskeys like this one, its mainly educational. My thought is to try simple and low end whiskeys to get a better understanding of the range and appreciation for the stuff that is actually good. That being said, lets get this out of the way. Not a super complex smell. Bit of cinnamon and a chemical smell that reminds me of sour patch kids. The smell is overall calm and not very interesting. Oh right, I'm supposed to taste it to. Meh, plain taste too. Oily, watery, light cinnamon. Reminds me of a very dry rice cake, if that rice cake was soaked in lye. Very chemically aftertaste. I think I'll let myself out.

This is the 4th Glenmorangie whiskey I've tasted. The other three were great, and I was hoping they would go 4 for 4. Unfortunately this one didn't hit the same mark, but it isn't bad, just disappointing. The smell is heavy and dominated by blueberries, acai and is undercut by a very subtle earthy note. The taste is strongly and almost overwhelmingly cinnamon. Very one note taste. finish is a bit rubbery. Meh. The port was better.

The smell, like with most bourbons, is full of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg with a slight note of fresh bread. The taste is buttery and has a strong taste of baked apples and pastry. Despite being 127 proof, it is surprisingly light. I would overall compare the taste to a hot, fresh apple fritter.

Despite the high proof of 127.4, this has a surprisingly soft smell. There are scents of salted soft caramel, with a hint of peanuts. I would compare the smell closely to peanut brittle. The taste has a comfortable warm burn. It leaves the tastes of applesauce and cherries that flows right into a sweet strawberry jam. There is a semi hidden note of leaves and fall. The finish is pleasant and leave behind notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.

This is a playful whiskey. It smells very light and fruity with strong notes of raisins, with a mellow sour in the background. The intimidate taste brings to mind a soft, fresh piece of cinnamon raisin bread. Hints of honey and almonds keep jumping to the tip of my tongue as this whiskey rolls across my palate, though they are very subtle. This is quite a rich and decadent whiskey.

Out of the gates this whiskey smells quite a bit fruitier and sweeter than the 10 year. On the nose I am picking up on a mixture of blueberries, acai, honey and a light scent of chocolate with wood musk. The musky smell is a lot less pronounced with this one. The taste is just as sweet as the smell. There is almost a dessert quality to the taste, with notes of chocolate, berries, honeycomb and a touch of salt. There is a taste hidden in there that reminds me of a sweet oatmeal. The finish has a delicate tingle of pepper with a subtle undertone of bitters and rubber.

There are immediate cooling notes of huckleberries, pound cake and baked apples. The taste pops with spices and a light musky smell kind of like cracking open an old and well loved book. On the end I find toasted hazelnuts and pepper. Returning to the scent there is a hint of milk chocolate. There isn't a huge amount of sweetness as there are spices, but the flavors ebb and flow as each note comes to the surface. This is a smooth whiskey, but has a pleasantly spicy finish.

First, most noticeable features are the smell of oak and chemicals. There is an odd balance of rubbing alcohol and bitters. The taste isn't too different. I find myself unable to discern specific flavors under the strong medicinal features. There are almost notes of vanilla and almonds, but the chemical presence covers them up. The lasting taste in my mouth is of the bottom of a new shoe. Maybe I got a bad one. Might revisit one day.

Like any good bourbon, this is sweet and holds a strong vanilla scent. I would almost describe this as a cool vanilla with an undertone of white chocolate and sugar cookies. There is a strong taste of rich salted caramel, nutmeg and cloves. The balance of flavors is wonderful and strong, but still allows for each taste to stand out on its own. Upon returning to the scent I started to pick up on ripe bananas . The proof is noticeable, but easy to approach since the burn builds up gradually without mucking the flavor. I approve!

This an interesting one. For a low price whiskey this has some complexity. I first noticed a rich, buttery chocolate and cork smell. It tastes sweet and spicy with notes of nutmeg. It passes friendly and smooth across the pallet. One thing that comes to mind is a seasoned trailmix. I get toasted almonds, raisins and bittersweet chocolate. As the drink goes down it ends with notes of leather and a peppery bite. Definitely an interesting and delicious ride from start to finish.