Tastes

The nose is strong, rich and spicy. Plenty of alcohol, barrel char, oaky spice, pickle juice and fruit up front. After a bit of breathing subtler notes become evident, vanilla bean, gingerbread, cinnamon, cayenne, lemon drops, cherry lozenges, and a hint of milk chocolate. Hot on the tongue upon entry, lots of prickly chili pepper, fresh ginger, and Atomic FireBall candies. There’s a momentary sharp bitterness, almost like tasting alum. However, this is followed quickly by a torrent of sweetness and a great depth of flavor. Dark caramel and fruit syrup, with Meyer lemon, cherry, apple, peaches, plums, and even figs. Spice follows in the same vein as that detected on the nose. The body is plush and velvety, as soft on entry as the palate is harsh. Legs are rapid yet thick, leaving behind a couple of skirts of broken bells, one at mid glass and the other just above the liquid. The finish is not as dry as expected, considering the intensity up to this point, but it’s woody, nutty, and pleasant. There’s charred oak, walnut, and a touch of cocoa powder. Nose: 9 Taste: 8 Body: 9 Finish: 8 Date barreled: 03-2016 Barrel age: 7 years, 5 months Serial no.: 004004310 Warehouse: BN-D

Nosing reveals plenty of sherry cask influence. At first, there’s a dominant note of Play Dough, a musky vanilla, with cherry overtones and a doughy base. Given time to breathe, rose petals, white chocolate, honeydew melon, caramel, a hint of orange peel, a pinch of nutmeg, and a bit of sweet allspice blooms. Spice leads the palate with cinnamon stick, ginger powder, and white pepper. Sweetness follows quickly with a veritable ambrosia salad in the mouth. In addition to the typical marshmallow, mandarin orange, coconut, whipped cream, and maraschino cherry, there is also white peach, and a thin caramel syrup. The body is likewise on the thin side, though adequate. In the glass it struggles to make legs and never quite succeeds, as sheets plunge down the walls like waves receding from a beach. The finish is gentle and very pleasant. There’s plenty of soft yet spicy oak, quite low in tannins. Also, lingering heat in the form of cinnamon chewing gum, plus almonds, freeze dried apple, a suggestion of candied lemon peel, and tootsie rolls both vanilla and classic. Nose: 9 Taste: 9 Body: 7 Finish: 9

Sweet wheat meets mild malt. A dusky note dominates at first. Given a few minutes, confectionary sugar, golden honey malted grains, a bit of apple, sweet almond blossoms, deep undertones of red currant, and a smidge of hazelnut spread confer sumptuousness to the nose. Quite sweet on the palate but not overwhelmingly so, balanced by just a little cola like spice. It’s somewhat reminiscent of blended Irish whiskey, but with a wine influence that hints of sherried scotch. Subtle caramelized red fruits, vanilla, and honey coat the tongue. It’s almost like crème brûlée with berry compote. It coats the glass as well, developing uniform legs with well defined teardrops slowly yet thinly, while having a slightly thicker mouthfeel. The finish is a bit short, berry forward, mildly dry, with fairly nutty tannins. It’s like a trail mix with raisins, dried cranberries, skin on almonds, hazelnuts, and a few bittersweet chocolate chips. Overall, approachable, interesting, and easy drinking. Nose: 9 Taste: 9 Body: 8 Finnish: 7

An overall mild nose for a rye with a good dose of herbaceous spice, apple blossom, faint sweet vanilla buttercream, cinnamon, some orange marmalade, and a slightly sour tannic note like cherry cough syrup on a wooden spoon. Let it breathe and a little tobacco, suede leather, and Heath bar comes through. On the tongue it’s likewise gently spicy, sweet, and sour. Dark rye bread with butter, brown sugar, dill pickle, coriander, white pepper, and a bit of milk chocolate with bitter orange peel. The body starts out thin but thickens considerably upon chewing, becoming quite fluffy. There’s a bit of oiliness as well. A swirl forms a thick sheet that breaks into legs that are fat but few before dissipating. The short to medium finish is dry and woody, with a little dried fruit- apricot, apple, and cherry. Also, slightly bitter, herbal, and mineral. More akin to a high rye bourbon than a more typical rye whiskey, but tasty any way you slice it. Nose: 8 Taste: 8 Body: 8 Finish: 7.5

A very gentle aroma, mildly sweet odors of honey or golden syrup, daisies, vanilla, and a touch of fresh oak, plus a hint of sharpness in the form of pears. Sweeter on the palate yet still quite subtle. There’s a little bitterness at the mid-palate plus a dash of white pepper, but overall it’s smooth. The flavors call to mind Cream of Wheat with vanilla almond milk and a dollop of honey eaten with a wooden spoon. Perhaps a side of caramel applesauce as well. Light bodied and thin in the mouth. In the glass it falls relatively quickly and appears to nearly form legs just before dissipating to leave behind droplets of various sizes. The finish is short and dry, with the balance of flavor shifting from sweet to more tannic in the nature of raw oak. There’s not much complexity, but it’s a fine Irish Whiskey for an everyday dram or when you’re not in the mood for a fight. Nose: 7 Palate: 7 Body: 6 Finish: 7

A very light, sweet, honey floral nose reminiscent of Irish whiskey but with a pinch of peat smoke. I also get vanilla, a hint of lemon, mandarin, hay, honeydew melon, and even a little caramelized grilled pineapple. Sweet on the palate as well, with a mild peppery spice, but a surprising pop of peat far more potent than that detected in the nose. There’s candied lemon peel, Bosc pear, thin caramel, tootsie roll, and lots of ash. Light bodied, yet chewable, quick in the glass and legless. The finish is woody, sooty, mineral, even slightly metallic like licking a used fireplace, but some of that caramel hangs on with a pinch of cinnamon keeping it from becoming unpleasant. It’s almost like the finish on some mezcals I’ve had. Overall, not a bad blend if you’re a fan of highland malts or just getting into the heavily peated Islays. Nose: 8 Taste: 8 Body: 7 Finish: 7

A malty sweet, softly spicy, fruity, and a bit dusty nose. Honeyed cereals with apple, peach, and cherry notes are followed by almonds, vanilla, and candy corn. Then comes brown sugar and mild charred barrel spice more typical of bourbon but with tannins more reminiscent of sweet tea. In the mouth it’s candied yet prickly, with a nice balance between sweet and heat. Old fashioned wild cherry sugar sanded hard candies, herbs, and pepper float around in more of that sweet tea from the nose with a slice of lemon or grapefruit citrus on a caramel rim. The body is satiny, and lightly coats the tongue. Legs develop quickly but hang on long and straight before finally breaking down into an intricate smattering of droplets. The medium finish is pleasant, slightly dry with more of the same flavors from the palate but more oaky and with just a hint of leather, tobacco, and even milk chocolate. Nose: 9 Taste: 9 Body: 9 Finish: 9