Tastes

The nose consists of caramel apples with a hint of vanilla. It's not the smoothest of scotches, but it's also not a bottom shelf scotch by any means. Drinkable on its own and holds up well in a scotch and ginger cocktail.

My first introduction to scotch. I was predominantly a bourbon drinker until a friend of mine introduced me to a bottle of Glenlevit 15 Year ($75) and got me interested in the other realms of whiskey. Went to my local ABC and after much deliberation and a recommendation from one of the employees, bought a bottle of this for $33. It was surprisingly smooth, and the bourbon and sherry cask finish definitely impart a fruity and rich nose to it. The mouth is subtly fruity and slightly sweet, and it glides down like water down the throat. While I'm sure I will find myself attracted to many more expensive and prestigious scotches, I could absolutely see this being a go-to scotch for a nightly take-the-edge-off glass.

It was great in high school when you could get some from shady liquor stores, but once you hit 21 and can actually put some thought into what you drink, there's no reason to go back to it. I don't think I've touched this since high school and don't see any reason why I ever will. It's harsh, not complex at all, and has very few redeeming qualities except for the fact that you can throw it in a glass with some Coke to drown out the flavor in order to get a buzz. Rating: When it's all you can get as an underage kid: 9/10 When you can buy other things: 2/10