Tastes

Saw this at my local liquor store for $49.99 and had to give it a try. I’m a big fan of Islays like Ardbeg or Laphroaig so I figured this would be interesting. The nose is peaty but nowhere near the intensity of the more traditional Islay scotches. It had a great smoky taste and could easily be mistaken for an Islay at the first sip. But after three or four sips, the peat taste recedes significantly and the dark sweetness of the rum casks comes out and it transforms to a rich highland/speyside fruitiness. Definitely an interesting and dynamic whiskey and I would certainly recommend it.

You need to understand that this isn’t a fine bourbon or a scotch; it’s a $14 bottle of whiskey and you get what you pay for. This isn’t a whiskey you put in a Glencairn and sip slowly; mix it with some Coke and it’s a inoffensive, fruity mixed drink. If you look at it from that perspective, it’s a great whiskey. If you try and sip it and expect it to be as deep and complex as Laphroaig or Makers 46, you’ll be disappointed. A good, cheap whiskey for when you want to get a good buzz in a very easy-to-drink way.

Tried this for the first time tonight. Honestly, it’s very similar to the basic Jack Daniels whiskey; it has a powerful scent of bananas and sugar. The palate is much more sweet than Jack, which isn’t too bad if you’re mixing it. Overall, not too tragic, it’s definitely better than Early Times. It’s pretty average and definitely works for basic mixed drinks. I’d give it around a 5.5/10. there’s much better, and there’s also much worse.

Picked up a bottle when I found some store undercutting the price by $20, so I managed to get this for a cool $33.99, so that’s a win on its own. I started my islay adventures with Ardbeg 10, which I’ve grown to love over time. This is definitely different from Ardbeg, and not in a bad way at all. While Ardbeg is like an earthy, peaty smoke, Laphroaig 10 is unquestionably barbecue. If that sounds hard to distinguish, just imagine a grill loaded up with hickory charcoal, that’s Laphroaig. The finish is smooth and the smoke lingers pleasantly for a long time. It’s not as full as Ardbeg 10, but it’s a fantastic whiskey that I would absolutely buy again. If you haven’t tried it before, then go out and try it. It’s one hell of an experience.

The description on the bottle described it well; it’s reminiscent of original Jameson, but the stout barrel finish gives it a nice vanilla sweetness that lasts for a decent bit after downing it. Better than regular Jameson for sure! Got a bottle for $29.99 at Total Wine.

The nose is extremely sweet, and the commonly mentioned notes of banana and vanilla are spot on. I find that it smells a lot like bananas foster. There's also a harshness to the alcohol, similar the singe of your nostrils from hand sanitizer. The palate is like the nose, sweet. Swallowing is pretty harsh as well; give it 5 to 10 seconds on the palate before swallowing. Not bad overall; I haven't had much Jack before, so I was interested to give it a try now. I'd give it a solid 6/10. Not the best, but certainly a decent, affordable whiskey.

It's drinkable (by a slim margin) and has a much more alcoholic taste and nose to it. I'd definitely spend the extra few bucks to upgrade to Black Label. I'm sure it will hold up fine in mixed drinks however.