Tastes

For whatever reason I just couldn't bring myself to like this one. The nose came across to me as very cloying, with an unpleasant mix of alcoholic harshness and unbalanced sweetness, and it felt much the same on the palate. Taste was shallow and uninspiring, and the finish didn't leave me with much to remember it by. Probably a fine whisky, just not to my personal taste. I like port, I love a good bourbon, yet somehow this particular intersection of the two just didn't appeal to me.

My first bourbon, which has probably inflated my rating somewhat. Maybe as I move on to more arcane and nuanced bottles this'll decline to a 3; we'll see what happens. For now, though, this is a fine bourbon that I'm happy to mix or sip neat, at just the right proof to go down nice and easy with a big smouldering pile of oakiness on the palate and a satisfying finish. A good start.

Not a bad dram by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely not to my taste. Compared to a good Islay, it just feels so thin and one-dimensional (probably because it's a sweeter whisky than I'm accustomed to) and afterwards it disappears from my mouth like it was never really there. Fine for sipping, but not my go-to whisky.

My introduction to the world of scotch, and what an introduction it was. Has held up solidly against all comers so far, with a delightfully smoky, nuanced aroma and taste. (Though I'll admit I don't yet have the palate to suss out all the individual flavours; all I know is that in my estimation this is a damn fine whisky.) Definitely prefer it to the lighter sherried fare I've tried, and miles better than most any of the blends I've been exposed to. I may come across whiskeys better than this as I continue to explore, but this'll remain my benchmark dram for a long time to come.