Tastes

This expression of Jameson jumps out of the glass just like the original, with bright shiny fruit right up front. Unlike the original though, this has a little more to offer if you stay with it a bit longer. The nose smooths out but remains firm, with loads of toffee and malt, and then that sweet funk of sherry. If your used to Jameson, you think you know what to expect, but initial sip presents a rich, oily body that makes me secretly hope someone rolled a barrel of Redbreast across the shop floor. That body gives you what the nose foretold, more cream and toffee, followed by grain and malt, with some spices on the back end. Not quite baking, but not quite pepper either. The finish is where you can really identify the price point vs some of the more premium Irish.. good notes of sherry and some warmth, but rather flat and gone pretty quickly. This whiskey feels like the older brother to the classic, and totally deserves to be on the shelf. When you want a light, cheap tasty Irish then go for classic, when you want a darker, mellow more mature version, grab the Crested for 15 dollars more. Great whiskey for the price indeed.

I will start off by sharing that I was drinking this neat from a rocks glass (all they had) so some of the nose notes might be weaker then normal.. What the nose does present is smooth malted barley, with little zaps of citrus zest. Barley continues at the back, remaining subtle, but quite confident. On the palate there is less sweetness then I expected which I quite enjoyed, and after some more malt notes there was some coconut that I was not expecting. The mid/back palate is when the oak shows up, transporting me to an empty barn on an old acreage. There is really no finish to speak of, the initial smooth and muted flavors are gone quickly leaving you hunting for more.

Admittedly I was drawn to this bottle based on the 15 foot giraffe in front of the display.. and the reasonable price for a reputable name. The nose is so delicate on this dram I wasn’t sure if my sense of smell was broken... After ruling that out and giving it 5-10 mins to breathe, it presents musty hay, wrapped in a very thin (but very present) ethanol layer. There is a slight fruity sweetness way in the back but you have to really look for it. The palate is equally gentle, beginning with sweet malt, rolling into baking spices, and ending exactly as it started. I wish there was more to write here but there really isn’t. There really isn’t much of a finish either.. I can almost get a hint of barrel and some char or smoke, but I might be making that up in my head. If you’ve read all the way to here your probably thinking “Wow he didn’t like that drink” or “Wow I better not buy that”.. So to be clear, my overall review is that it’s a good scotch, but it’s not interesting and it’s also not expensive for a single malt, so give it a try if you like giraffes like me, but there are other better choices out there.

With a name like Viking Honour I was expecting a strong, bold punch to the senses, so I was surprised that it was quite the opposite at first. On the nose there is an incredible sweetness, but not sickly sweet.. a nice honey mixed with vanilla. Stay with it and there’s a slight rubber smell.. but not acrid like burnt tires.. like a new pair of Hunter boots you just put on as you explore the Island looking for the peat you thought you’d find. The palate gives more attitude then the nose lets on. The sweetness is now muted behind rich, oily mouthfeel and lots of pepper. Now I finally feel like I’m hanging out with Ragnar. Once the spice subsides the smoke shows up, but not aggressively, very beautifully actually, and then it unrolls all the malt, and you remember that this a drink made from barley. The oiliness doesn’t make it all the way through the finish tho.. it thins out quicker then you expect but lasts long enough that this is a decent slow sipper. All in all a solid whisky at a great price. I haven’t tried many Island region scotch’s yet, but love the additional character this has over some of the similar priced Highland or Speycides.

Sitting here on my deck in Edmonton, this will be the first sip of whiskey I’ve ever had that was grown, distilled and aged in my home city/province...I doubt you can get this in many other places so whom am I writing this for? Hah who knows I just like doing it. Not sure what to expect, but the bottle I have is a barrel pick for Wine & Beyond, specifically barrel #7, bottle #27. Unlike the bottling from the distillery which is proofed down to 43 ABV, this one is 50. The nose is bold but not sharp.. it gives off strong smells of grain, leather and spice. After letting it breathe for 5 mins and staying with it the oaky barrel shows up but so does a hint of sweetness. The initial palate teases you with that sweetness, but it’s gone quick; transitioning in the blink of an eye to citrus zest. Before you can even discern what type of citrus, it’s evolved again, this time into peppery rye spice and then those classic warm baking spices. Quite a long finish as well, which I wasn’t expecting based on the medium oily mouthfeel. Leather and tobacco and wood come into play here, as well as a nice lingering low heat from from the added proof. As I mentioned in my review of Gooderham & Wort, it’s nice to see a Canadian distiller putting out something that tastes like real whiskey, and not the classic syrupy sweet stuff that makes me feel like I have to apologize after every sip. Price is a little steep tho.. I wouldn’t buy again at 84 dollars.. but I had to experience it, knowing it was made 20 mins from where I live. Pretty cool.

Close your eyes and nose this dram and you will greeted with warm apple pie, followed by creme brûlée. Dig deeper and the barley and oak remind you that this dessert indeed came from farm and barrel. The first sip reinforces the nose, filling the palate with candied sweetness, and then rolling into strong malt with light baking spice. As with the 15 year expression, there is almost a carbonation feeling on the tongue just before the finish which I find unique to Glenfarclas. Finish comes on strong but disappears fast, and if your quick enough (or just drink more) you are left with raisins or other dried fruit and another reminder of the barrel oak. It’s very close to the 15, so my advice would be to get whichever is more affordable or accessible in your area as you won’t go wrong with either.

The nose is gorgeous, and jumps out with honey, grapes and over ripe banana. Stay with it long enough, and even though it’s low proof the ethanol will find you. The palate is initially sweet, but quickly introduces baking spices and pepper. That is quickly followed by some bitter woody notes that actually remind me of bittersweet baking chocolate. The finish is loud but unfortunately short.. With heat and more pepper and some citrus woven throughout. The palate and finish on this is similar to the spice tree expression, but far more affordable. I don’t think I’ve tasted a blend from compass box that isn’t outstanding, so you should add this to the collection.

The nose on this blend is subtle but confident and complex. It will greet you with soft spices and vanilla, but let it breathe a little and the fruitiness shows up. Grapes and plums take over, and just when you think your done and about to sip it evolves again with the dried grass from the meadow. The palate is rich and oily, giving you the peppery spices you would expect from this expression, then rolls into woody oak notes, which then transition into rye reminiscent anise flavors. The finish is medium long, and after the anise tapers off the barrel comes back for an encore. There is a little warmth from the 92 proof as well. This is an interesting scotch.. the nose and initial/mid palate scream Scotland, but the back of the palate and finish are American Rye.

The nose on this dram is wonderfully rich, with ripe pears and apples greeting you immediately. Stay in it a bit more and the backdrop of cereal and malt can be found. The palate is actually quite interesting, it leads with the malted grain first, then gives you herbal notes and the slightest bit of anise, followed by some lightly toasted spices. The rich decadent mouthfeel stays consistent as well. The finish is shorter then you expect given the oils that hang around, but it delivers a little warmth and also hints of oak which is a nice end to the sip. I see why people love this whiskey, I put it up there with Redbreast when you are looking for something that doesn’t demand your attention because it knows it’s doesn’t have to.