Tastes

The nose, which takes some time to open up, is comprised of lightly salted caramel toffee, dark fruits, toasted cereals, heather, Marcona almonds, modeling clay, marmalade, vanilla, and gentle spices showcasing both sherry and bourbon cask influence. On the tongue it’s rich, dark honey sweet, citrusy, mildly spicy, and a little oaky. There are stewed prunes, cassis, Seville oranges, and an almost rhum agricole funk. Full bodied, velvety and slick in the mouth. In the glass it falls quickly in sheets with no legs forming at all, leaving a few heavy droplets clinging behind and just the fringe of a skirt at the very top of the Glencairn. The finish is a bit short, slightly dry, sweet and nutty but not too tannic, like penuche fudge with chopped walnuts, but with more of that bourbon barrel spice and vanilla shining through. A little smoke too (char rather than peat) plus lingering minerality. A little water opens up the nose and smoothes out the palate, but don’t overdo it. Nose: 8 Taste: 9 Body: 8 Finish: 9

The nose is full of smoky and fruity goodness, and strong alcohol, but not harsh. Luscious notes of candied dark fruits including plums, blackberries, black cherries, and Moon Drop grapes are perceived. Loads of sweetness in the form of brown sugar and butter on lightly toasted bread, vanilla bean, and even a dollop of honey. Plenty of spice, white pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne too. Charred oak is present throughout, as well as a hint of eucalyptus. Hot on the tongue, but in a good, mildly challenging way. Atomic FireBall candies explode in the mouth, followed by the black cherries from the nose accompanied by a savory sweet caramel syrup infused with pepper and herbs. There’s a bit of candied orange peel and honeycomb in there too. The body is sufficient with an above average, even oily, mouthfeel. But, there are absolutely no legs. The shortish finish is enjoyable. Fruit leather, praline nuts, smoked maple syrup, plus a touch of pipe tobacco and cocoa. With the amount of flavor this packs for the price, and for how well it stands up to ice, Full Proof is fool proof! Nose: 9 Taste: 9 Body: 7 Finish: 8

A sharp yet inviting nose with plenty of kick but lots of fruit and spice as well. Top notes of cut grass, yeastiness, and spicy herbs, rye of course, and mint. Heart notes of cherry and strawberry Twizzlers candy, light brown sugar, vanilla, and an almost malty honey sweetness, plus a hint of green apple skins, and a tinge of citrus. Bass notes of cinnamon and allspice, some suede and woodsmoke. Spicy and sweet on the palate. Loads of pepper up front, spicy and herbaceous like arugula. Then dessert is served with sugary fruit pie filling, cherry, strawberry, and orange marmalade. Smoky suede and vanilla fills the mouth with each inhale after a sip. Nice body, supple on the tongue with a bit of oiliness to it. Falling in fast streaks at first, it continues to drip waves of heavy droplets, each slower than the last until only a dappling clings to the glass. A medium finish both in length and intensity, quite oaky yet not overly dry, with traces of menthol, cocoa butter, dried cranberries, raisins, and dusty spice. Nose: 8 Palate: 9 Body: 9 Finish: 8

A heady nose, rich and peaty with loads of iodine, salty seaweed, ozone, ashy but resinous cherrywood, a dusting of black pepper, a touch of licorice root and star anise, some rosemary, sweet florals, honey, vanilla, and a tinge of citrus zest. Far sweeter on the tongue than the nose would suggest. Smoky, earthy, and peppery but delectably sweet. Rich buttercream frosting on burnt vanilla cake, toffee and coffee, more star anise, cayenne, cinnamon, and key lime pie with toasted meringue. Legs form quickly yet hang on for awhile, heavy and healthy uniform veins subtly fade into a dense cloud of plump droplets. The mouthfeel is velvety until swallowed then coating in a waxy sort of way. It’s overall on the lighter side of full bodied. The finish is long, peaty, grassy, oaky and tannic, briny and reminiscent of salted caramel and dark chocolate with walnuts. Nose:9 Palate: 10 Body: 9 Finish: 10

First of all, if I didn’t know better I would think this was rum rather than just rum finished whiskey. Sweet malt hides beneath a thick blanket of cane sugar, ripe tropical fruits, pineapple, coconut, papaya, and bananas flambé, as well as vanilla extract rested in oak. The taste is sweet with a moderate level of heat. Molases, cinnamon, chili pepper, chocolatey nougat, caramel, and creamy wood notes. A relatively full bodied mouthfeel, fluffy and viscous. It coats the glass beautifully, forming a tight skirt with a fringe of tiny beads that eventually consolidate into fat droplets that gain momentum quickly but shortly dissipate. The finish is on the short side, but not disappointing, with notes of toasted oak, waxy nuts, and whispers of that rummy sweetness and funk. Nose: 9 Palate: 9 Body: 9 Finish: 8

About as straightforward a bourbon aroma as you can get. Dig in and mild oak, stale honey roasted peanut butter, and a bit of fruit leather are perceptible. Given some time to breathe, sweet vanilla emerges along with woodsmoke. At this point too the dried fruit notes take shape in the form of apple, cherry, and a little apricot. All of this swims in a shallow sea of melted candy corn, maple syrup, and fairly tame spice. Lastly, cocoa and tobacco. The palate is sweet with all the classic bourbon flavors, but lacking in depth. There is brown sugar, vanilla, pepper, citrus peel, cherry, peanut, oak and spice including cinnamon and caraway seed. Tasty yet weak, and overly sweet like Canadian whisky. Thin in the mouth neat, and it struggles to stand up to an ice ball for long. Legs develop slowly, but melt away in a hasty retreat. The finish is on the short side, with some oak, dusky corn, and cherry lozenge. Nose: 8 Palate: 7 Body: 6 Finish: 7

Unmistakable Laphroaig nose, earthy, sweet, smoky wood steeped in a fair amount of alcohol. Sweet vanilla mingles with sea air, soft peat smoke, spicy oak, and a dab of dark honey over a base of kiln dried barley. Spicy on the tongue, with a sharp note of cracked pepper and some cinnamon to start. Then follows a briny bittersweet sea of flavors akin to the nose but more aggressive. Full bodied, with slow legs that drip fairly evenly down the glass. The finish is woody, sooty, and retains just a hint of sweetness amidst the grassy asphalt and highly tannic barrel notes. The empty glass emits vapors of toasted marshmallows with a hint of tobacco. Nose: 10 Palate: 9 Body: 9 Finish: 8

Sweet and spicy aroma. First you’re hit with that hot rye spice cooling into dill and mint. Next, subtle baking spices of cinnamon and clove, also some barrel char and dried tobacco leaf. Then, a little cherry cough syrup and orange zest appears. After breathing for a bit it settles into sweet tea with a hint of buttery peach cobbler and vanilla. Finally, dark chocolate rounds it out. On the palate it’s a wild ride starting off syrupy sweet, then quickly becoming spicy and herbal, almost bitter before the sweetness returns to balance it out. I get cherry pie, lots of hot pepper and rye spice, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and nutmeg. Full bodied with a satiny feel on the tongue. Legs streak quickly down but hang on long and strong while heavy tears slowly drip continuously around them from the ring above. The finish is milder than expected and medium in length, with gentle tannins hinting at sweet almonds, some protracted dry herbal notes, a touch of bitter cacao, and some lingering orange peel. Nose: 9 Palate: 8 Body: 10 Finish: 8

The nose is sharper than expected, punchy with a bit of a rum like hogo to it, and slightly herbal. After it breathes and settles down a bit, the sweetness develops with notes of maple candy, caramel corn, sweet white peach, some apple, sweet cherry, vanilla frosting, and finally butterscotch pudding. The taste is rich and slightly buttery, with loads of brown sugar, baking spices, and fruit, both sharp citrus notes and sweet fragrant ones like apple and pear, plus some toasted oak. Hot in the back of the throat, like cinnamon Red Hots candy, but like grenadine on the tip of the tongue. The body is full, fluffy, and fantastic. In the glass, a swirl brings about a perfect ring that seems to remain suspended forever before finally developing into a multitude of tiny pearls that slowly condense and uniformly drip downward. The finish is pleasant and mild, yet staying. There’s a subtle lingering brown sugar sweetness, a touch of suede, raisins, a hint of mint, vanilla, dried apricot, and nutty oak. Nose: 9 Taste: 10 Body: 10 Finish: 9

(Barrel No. 1596, Rick No. 69, Dumped 7/7/23) A rich and gently spiced nose with subtle notes of burnt sugar, tobacco, and leather to start. Gradually a floral note of honeysuckle emerges, along with sweet apples dipped in honey, a hint of cherry hard candy, tootsie roll, vanilla bean, and even a touch of lemon verbena. Richer and spicier on the palate, with brown sugar syrup, stewed dark fruits in dark honey, sassafras, a pinch of peppermint, light cinnamon stick, charred hickory wood, black as well as cayenne pepper, and vanilla caramel plus a drop of citrus peel. The body is nice and thick, velvety nearing chewy. Legs form quickly but are slow as they descend, neat, small, and tightly packed. Then, as the curtains fall, the legs come together and accelerate in fat, juicy droplets. On the long but soft finish sweetness lingers at first, with cherry and vanilla accompanied by an almond like nuttiness. As it goes on, it becomes drier and more tannic with long lasting notes of musty old oak approaching walnut bitterness. Nose: 9 Palate: 10 Body: 9 Finish: 8