Tastes

The bottom line here is that Highland Park has produced a sweeter, peatier version of Highland Park 12 with more rough edges. The nose takes a while to settle down and initially reeks of an earthy, almost sour peat that reminds me of compost or spoiled vegetables. Thankfully, after 10-15 minutes, that unpleasant scent subsides into a much better roast coffee aroma. Dark Origins reveals its sherried components on the palate, with lots of dark fruit flavors, raisins, some orange, and tendrils of smoke. The palate is moderately oily and has a decent mouthfeel to boot. It finishes on that strong coffee note, which I find to be a Highland Park signature, like a slightly peatier version of the 12. At $80 when it was available, this strikes me as half a solid scotch and half a cash grab.

This is the best whisky that I've tried in the last few weeks, by a fair margin. Compass Box's mid-range blends don't always do it for me -- I was not a big fan of Peat Monster, despite revering Islay scotches in general. But this is a bewitching scotch. Its aromas don't adequately herald the complexity that eventually arrives on the palate: I mainly get cherry, honey, and oak in nice balance, but not too much else. Then I take a sip and find myself struggling to identify all of the discrete flavors. There's an unexpectedly fruity entry of apricot and other fresh fruit, including both orchard and citrus varieties, an ale-like maltiness at its center, and then a whorl of spices including fennel, cinnamon, and anise. This scotch fades in a medium-length finish of anise syrup and lingering sweetness. The nose and finish don't entirely live up to the palate, but I'd recommend this to anyone who likes sweet and spicy flavors.

It's rare nowadays that I get to try a whisky from a distillery I've never experienced before, so this was a treat! Glenrothes's baseline expressions include a few different versions of their single malt aged in different barrels. In this case, I bet you can guess how this scotch was aged. I found this scotch to be a perfectly adequate scotch in the $40-45 range, akin to comparable brands like Aberfeldy 12 or the famed trio of entry-level malts from Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, and Glenmorangie. The nose is malt, apple, and an underlayer of coconut. The palate has the same flavors, along with a slightly astringent, grassy edge, that transforms that apple into some sour or crab apple. The finish leans heavily on the bourbon aging: vanilla, vanilla, vanilla. It's not complicated, it's exactly what you'd expect. There's a virtue to that.

K, I'm a little shocked I hadn't heard more about this bourbon before our host at this holiday party poured me a dram. Compared to the Four Roses I'd sipped just an hour or so earlier, this bourbon is dramatically better, with a nose of fudge, true rich, deep caramel that's missing in a younger bourbon, and some baking spices. Those flavors, particularly that rich caramel and vanilla, highlight the palate as well, along with some dry cedar and pecan pie. Hancock's apparently is the same mash bill as Blanton's, Elmer T. Lee, and Rock Hill Farms -- why are those three all incredibly famous, at least among big bourbon fans, while no one talks about this one? It does finish surprisingly quickly, with the bourbon equivalent of an Irish goodbye, but I would still put this bourbon right up there with Elmer T. Lee. It has more rich, sweet dessert flavors than that dram, less fruitiness than Rock Hill Farms, and less spiciness and rye than Blanton's. A very solid bourbon, enjoyed for the first time with first-rate company.

When most people think of Four Roses, they probably think of this mainline bourbon. It's right in the middle of the range released by the distillery -- significantly pricier than the basic Yellow Label, but about $10 under the price of the spectacular Single Barrel. For someone looking for a whiskey to sip, I'd recommend dropping the extra bucks to upgrade to the Single Barrel or, in this price range, seeking out Eagle Rare 10 instead. The nose of this bourbon has light, fresh fruit scents: apple, pear, unripe peach, along with a slightly astringency from its youth. This bourbon must be on average around 5-6 years of age, which is a little underdeveloped. The palate is sweet and spicy, but the sweetness doesn't take on the depth of flavor to characterize it as true caramel or butterscotch, it's more of a brown-sugar simple syrup flavor combined with a bold assertion of raw, rye spice. That rye spice dominates the finish as well, along with some peppery oak tannins and mellow, caramel apple flavor. I used this at a recent work party as a cocktail ingredient, and it's best-suited for mixing. At $30-35, it's fairly priced but no great bargain.

This is one of the coolest and most unique bottles out there -- in fact, it looks more like a tequila bottle than a scotch one. It calls to mind a turtle shell, a coconut or cantaloupe, or even a grenade. I have no idea who came up with it, but I appreciate that it's easy to recognize even on a distant bar shelf. To its credit, there is no noticeable grain alcohol note on the nose, which is not always easy for a blend to pull off given that grain scotches tend to have that young spirit smell for longer than malt scotches. The nose has an almost inky quality, and screams Speyside: apple, sherry or Cabernet Sauvignon dark fruits, malt, hazelnut or chestnut, some balsamic vinegar, and spice. At first sip, this scotch is quite sweet, and the sherry emerges as candied fruit and raisins, almost chewy in texture despite only being 40%. The cereal sweetness adds a slight variation to that theme. That nuttiness remains noticeable, although it's a little more almond-like on the palate, and there's some spice in the mix as well. It's a classic sherried scotch profile, and smooth as butter. I get a medium-length finish with a touch of bitterness, a hint of smoke (although not a peaty smoke), and a lingering tart sweetness. It's not too unique, but it's good work on the part of the blenders. Honestly, if I didn't know it was a blend, I'd just assume it was from one of the standard sherry-aging Speyside distilleries. If this were a single malt and I'd paid $60 for it, it would be a 3-star review on this site. But in fact it's an inexpensive blend in the $35-40 range. Considering the value one gets, and in the holiday spirit, I'll round this guy up to 4 stars here. It'd be an 85-88 in my book by Distiller's rating system. Random note -- doesn't the name GOP render this a tailor-made gift for the conservatives in your life?

Tried a sample of this side by side with 2013’s spectacular Port Wood. This scotch has a light, sunflower shade. On the nose, Amontillado is like night and day from the dark, brooding, and puissant Port Wood. This dram is delicate and almost demure in its presentation, with among the lowest levels of smoke I've experienced in a Laphroaig. Instead, perfume scents predominate on the nose, including some floral, musky aromas, and then a bit of coastal gravel or wet sand. It reminds me in some ways of a Highland single malt blended with a Laphroaig, like something that could come from Compass Box. On the palate, this scotch features a seductive combination of vanilla and pear that again reminds me of some high-end Highland single malts. The Amontillado's contribution seems to be these orchard fruits on some sips, and then on other sips, a pronounced caramel. Don't get me wrong, the palate still has a decent serving of smoke and peat, but nothing compared to most Laphroaigs. This Cairdeas Amontillado presents a surprisingly savory and smoky finish relative to its taste and aroma. The smoke really rises up on the finish and packs a punch, giving rise to a classically complex and long Laphroaig finish featuring roasted nuts and cocoa. Compared to other Cairdeas expressions and Laphroaigs in general, Amontillado is much easier-drinking and more restrained. Not worth the $130-200 that I see it going for nowadays in Miami, but worth seeking out a pour.

That 97 on Distiller was enough for me to spend some effort hunting out a sample of this elixir. I finally got my hands on some and tried it side by side with a sample of 2014’s Cairdeas Amontillado. The 2013 Port Wood expression is noticeably darker in the glass, with a honey-like, rich, golden tone — no surprise given it was finished in port pipes. This dram leads the way with signature Laphroaig leather, which is a blend of smoke and rich, musty oil. This nose is one of the more complex I've encountered for a scotch, and features an eager blast of scents that tends to suggest this is a young scotch, perhaps 8 to 10 years old. On the sweet side, I notice some tangerine and maple syrup from the port; on the savory side, smoke, iodine, brine, and a unified impression that I can best describe as "barbecue grill." This scotch barrels ahead on the palate with its power-running style. It immediately opens with a wallop of dense, cigar smoke, and more hints of the presence of young Laphroaig, including some raw wood and bittersweet sap. Thankfully, the complexity of the other flavors carries the palate past any minor hints of youthful indiscretion, and there's also a great balance created by the dram's sweeter hints of grape jam. Again, the interplay of the smoke and some sweeter flavors recalls a nice honey-marinated barbecue. There is also something herbal on some sips, but I can't quite put my finger on it. The texture is lovely, like liquid velvet. At first sip, this a dream peaty finish for the Port Wood: smoke, sweet ham, applewood-smoked bacon, and maple syrup or molasses. It's like a southern-style breakfast in a glass. Subsequent sips build up in pepperiness and wood spices. The youth reveals itself a bit too much over time, as the lingering notes are a little too bitter. This scotch highlights the value of special or limited editions in a distillery's portfolio, as it shows off a different side of Laphroaig. Not quite a 97 in my book, more in that 92-95 range. Nonetheless, Bravo!

Bruichladdich and Bunnahabhain, along with being the hardest-to-spell distilleries on Islay, are also the only two distilleries on the island that focus on unpeated single malts. Classic Laddie is one of the basic expressions offered by the distillery, and comes in at a healthy ABV and in a non-chill filtered state, both of which are a plus for purists. Now if only they would own up to its actual age, which I'm assuming is under 10 years given the lack of an age statement. I find Bruichladdich's distillate pulls a lot of unusual flavors out of their barrels, and this scotch is no different. The signature brine and mineral scents of an Islay single malt swirl out of the glass, accompanied by some heather or floral musk, incense, and sweet honey. The palate appears at times to have a mild smokiness that belies its unpeated nature. The core notes are chalk, iodine, grapefruit, and brine, reminding me of a very lightly peated Talisker or Ardbeg. The finish has some hints of youth but remains pleasant, with flavors of grapefruit, ginger, and pepper. At $50-60, this is one of the better values in the Bruichladdich range.

This is one of the few affordable Japanese whiskies left on the market at around $65-70, although the cost of its availability and affordability is the lack of an age statement. Formerly, the renowned Hibiki line featured age-stated malts, including a 12-year old and the legendary 21-year old (which I'll review later this month thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine!). I loved the floral nose of this dram, which immediately strikes me as feminine and lovely. Hibiki's closest analog in the scotch world may be Balblair, with which it shares pronounced scents of vanilla cream and oak. Harmony has a mellow, classic Japanese whiskey taste, and the influence from the Yamazaki single malt blended in here is prominent. I taste rose, honey, cream (again, similar to Balblair), and a very delicate sherry note. That sherry flavor and influence grew over time as the dram was exposed to the air, which was an interesting transformation. Given the lightness and fragile beauty of the flavors, I believe that 43% ABV actually is the right, light ABV for this dram -- and that's something I rarely say of whiskey. The finish features toasted oak spices, malt, and tobacco, and is relatively short, which is Harmony's most obvious flaw.