Tastes

Excellent dram. Very peaty but underneath was a sweet molasses and raisin toffee flavor.

I had no idea what to expect going into this other than "it's a highland." It was a pleasant surprise. It was sweet and a little spicy. A friend and I agreed it was reminiscent of Chivas Extra 13. I think I enjoyed the Chivas a little more, but this was a nice option that's less complicated and would make a solid daily dram for those who prefer highlands.

I love Glenglassaugh Torfa so was excited to try Revival. Revival was, by comparison, lame. The nose is all toffee. I still can't figure out what it tastes like. I saw other reviews describe the taste as grape or date. Sure, why not. I would have preferred it to taste like toffee or at least something discernable. On the bright side, there was basically no burn so it was pleasant enough.

Sweet malty goodness. In a blind test you'd almost swear you were tasting a higher end Irish whiskey.

Dominant taste was pears with the characteristic maltiness underlying.

Colkegan is smoky, in a small open mesquite fire in the desert kind of way. There's also a touch of pepper and chocolate. The finish is long and satisfying. There is a slight burn, and while adding a couple drops of water did alleviate that it didn't open up to anything either.

To me this was fairly unexciting. If you're looking for a scotch that tastes clean, crisp, and slightly sweet this may be precisely what you're after. For me it was a slightly above average "meh" experience.

An excellent dessert whisky for those of us who ordinarily prefer Islays. Baked caramel and vanilla with some dark fruits. Lurking in the background were hints of coffee and chocolate. This whisky really is very enjoyable. I'd have given it an even higher score if the nose weren't so different and not nearly as enjoyable. It isn't rare for the smell and taste to differ, but in this case it was radically different. On the nose I got ginger, orange peels, and something else I couldn't quite identify. If I was judging by nose alone this would have been something like a 2. The taste alone though is probably more like a 4.25+.

Oak, pear, apple, and a hint of honey. This is by far the most understated offering from Balcones I've had. May be disappointing if you're looking for the boldness one normally expects but I enjoy this subtle offering.

Vanilla, toasted almonds, and dried fruit. Very short finish. Slight burn when neat, but almost none with an ice cube.