Tastes

Spicy hot peanutbutter, brown sugar, and oak. This is what an entry bourbon should be.

Tonight I'm enjoying a glass of Stranahan's Cask Strength Single Malt. This is a single barrel offering selected for @cheersliquor and is bottled at cask strength, 55.62% ABV. I previously reviewed and enjoyed another single barrel offering of Stranahan's bottled at 47%, so I knew I had tovtry the next step up. Purchased at @cheersliquor while visiting family in Colorado Springs for $54.99 and that seems to be a good price in the cask-strength single-barrel market these days. No information on age, filtering, or coloring is provided on the bottle. My detailed thoughts and rating below: ⠀ ⠀ 🥃 Stranahan's Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt - 55.62% ABV ⠀ Nose: Apples. Brown sugar. Pie crust. Bright spices, like cinammon an peppermint. ⠀ Taste: A complex mix of holiday baking spices, fruity sweetness, a good mix of oak, black pepper, and some heat! Really delicious and bold stuff. Great for a warm night. The palate is much more robust than the nose, which is more nuanced. The oak adds is drying and intense on the palate, but still feels appropriate. The texture is silky and the finish is quite long, leaving your mouth tingling and warm. Compared to the Stranahan's bottle I reviewed previously, this is much spicier and more oak influenced. Additionally, the the texture here is less oily than the previous bottle, but that could be partially due to the ABV. Overall, this is another great single barrel by Stranahan's and it makes more an absolutely delcious wintertime drink (it was 70 deg F here in San Diego today, but still). Cheers to Stranahan's and cheers to Cheers! ⠀ Current rating: 87/100

Tonight's review is of the Alexander Murray-bottled Dalmore 15. I have quite a few bottles produced by Alexander Murray and am glad to finally be reviewing one I enjoy! This was one of my favorites when I picked it up, so I'm enjoying considering how it's changed over time. This is bottled at bottled at 55.6% ABV and I don't believe it's chill filtered or colored. Purchased for $59.99 at Costco, which is an incredible bargain compared to what a cask strength Dalmore would regularely cost (if they even exist!). My detailed thoughts and rating below: ⠀ ⠀ 🥃 Dalmore 15 Year - Alexander Murray 1999 - 55.6% ABV ⠀ Nose: Complex fruity and malty nose. Sweet pear jam and dusty old graham crackers. Brown sugar. Flowers. Butter. Raisins and wine. There's some heat noticeable. ⠀ Taste: Graham crackers and butter. Black pepper, baking spices, and a little jam. Olive oil? Keeping the whisky in my mouth a little while adds more tannins and a tiny bit of brine and sour tang. The texture is nice and oily and the finish is medium-long, although a little too focused on pepper and heat. Altogether, this is a great whisky! I hear that Dalmore usually colors and filters the hell out of their whisky, so I'm excited to report that this one felt very natural and oily. The overall product could be a little more cohesive and provide a more enjoyable finish. ⠀ Current rating: 89/100

Tonight, I'm enjoying something very special to me: a pour of the Glenlivet 18 Year Single Malt. What a wonderful whisky. The Glenlivet 18 was first poured for me by a very good friend and showed me how rich, delicious, and truly decadent a whisky could be without presenting any harsh qualities. Savoring this tonight, I find myself smitten again. I aquired this bottle in a multi-pack at Costco for the equivalent price of about $75 and wish I could afford this quality of whisky on a daily basis. For posterity, I would note that this whisky is colored and chill filtered. My detailed thoughts and rating below: ⠀ ⠀ 🥃 Glenlivet 18 Year - 43% ABV ⠀ Nose: A delightfully aromatic whisky. Starts with pears, apple, and rich honey. The rich sweetness continues with baked dates, powdered sugar, immense vanilla, and sweet flowers. Very slight oaky astringency, minor baking spices, and some ginger. ⠀ Taste: Heavenly rich pastries with extra butter, baking spices, and a fruity glaze. Caramelized pear drizzled in honey. Rich creamy notes qnd honey continue. This is an incredible dram. As you become accustomed to the sweetness, tea, spices, and oak notes develop. A bit of leather and nuttiness gives the whisky some additional body. The texture is impresively creamy for the proof and I'd imagine 46% and NCF would be incredible. The finish remains creamy and rich while imparting just a little more peppery spice on your tongue. Goodness this stuff is good. If you've never tried it, do yourself a favor and find a pour! I'll be smelling this empty glass all night. Cheers! ⠀ Current rating: 97/100

Nice banana and fruit notes on the nose. Palate is rich and complex while also being well balanced and sweet.

Buttery smooth, but not getting as much flavor tonight.