Tastes
-
Nc'nean Organic Single Malt
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed September 23, 2020 (edited December 5, 2021)I had been looking forward to trying this for a long time. My parents had a holiday home when I was growing up that was only a few miles from what is now the site of Nc’nean Distillery at Drimnin on the west coast of Scotland. It’s about as remote as you can get on mainland Scotland, and it’s a place that is very close to my heart. This, weirdly, felt like it was a whisky close to my childhood! I had tried their botanical spirit (which is somewhere between a whisky and a gin in character) and had rather enjoyed it. I had them tried their early new make at a festival, which was really interesting. Then, in 2019, I was lucky enough to be invited to taste their ‘A’ and ‘B’ tasters to give some tasting notes. So, I was starting to feel a little invested! I’m very happy to say that this young NAS whisky is a good dram. BATCH .01 Distillation dates: April, May & July 2017 Number of bottles: 5040 Spirit recipe: Light and Fruity Yeasts: Anchor and Fermentis Cask mix: 65% STR Red Wine, 35% Ex-Bourbon Cask numbers: 2017 / 67, 68, 69, 91, 93, 94, 95, 121, 122, 124, 177, 179, 208, 212 Disgorging date: 20/08/2020 Bottling date: 27/08/20 - 04/09/20 Bottling strength: 46% Non-chill filtered. Natural colour. Nose: Sweet, caramel, floral. Palate: Slightly ‘hot’, peppery, zingy fruit (citrus), but mellowed by a lovely soft mouthfeel. There’s an almost herbal note underneath. Finish: Quite a long finish, warm, spicy and a softer citrus at the very end. It’s not a fireside whisky, it’s a summer sipper. It has a delicate, lightness that both shows and belies it’s young age. It is a nice - if youthful - dram. It has an elegance that makes me think this will be a cracker with a few more years on it. This particular bottle was a birthday gift from my parents, brother and sister-in-law. I’m currently tasting it - and writing this review - on my 46th birthday!52.95 GBP per Bottle -
I’m a big fan of a Talisker 10y/o. I always have a bottle on the shelf but, bizarrely, it’s one I tend to drink only when I’m in the ‘right’ mood. I always think of it as an outdoor whisky. To be enjoyed after a long walk, or at the top of a hill or next to a campfire - you get the picture - it’s a dram for relaxing and contemplating life. There is no doubt that this is a Talisker, but it’s a very different beast. Not a quiet contemplation - this is a bar fight! This is a Talisker that kicks you in the teeth... Nose: Peat, seaweed and smoke. A little citrus and toffee sweetness. Palate: Smokey and peppery. It’s quite ‘hot’ for a Talisker, but it’s creamy and rich enough to carry it. You can definitely taste it’s 57%. There a good bit of vanilla and oak hiding behind the smoke. If you persevere with it, you can also get some citrus and zesty fruit in there. Finish: Long finish. Pepper, vanilla and wood. You get the waft of smoke for ages after your finished. Overall, this is a great big weighted sock of a dram. For an almost cask strength NAS, this is an amazingly easy dram to drink (dangerous at 57%!). I could consider this a session dram, but I suspect that would be a baaaad idea. Lovely!45.99 GBP per Bottle
-
Benromach 15 Year
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed September 15, 2020 (edited July 13, 2021)I was fortunate enough to win my bottle in a competition, but I’m very pleased to say how much I am enjoying this whisky. Nose: Caramel, vanilla, honey and malted cereal. A very light spiciness. Palate: Warm and rounded up front. There’s a huge hit of dried fruit - raisins, sultanas and prunes - which mellows into a lightly smoky, full juiciness. Finish: As it dissipates, there’s a real zesty finish that isn’t as obvious from the initial taste - think candy apples and pear drops - and a very light spiciness right at the very end. Wonderfully rounded, great mouth feel and nicely integrated so all of the layers sit well with each other. Overall, this is a great dram.54.95 GBP per Bottle -
(Good Spirits Company, Glasgow - Virtual Arran Whisky Tasting, Friday 11th September 2020) Batch includes 10y/o, 11y/o and 12y/o. Finished for 9months in 1st fill oloroso casks Nose: Very light. Earthy and herbal. Slight sweetness. Palate: Alcohol upfront that dissipates quickly. Biscuits and malt. Some honey sweetness and tart apples/pears. Finish: Slightly sour and malty. A little saltiness. Quite a long finish that tails into a slightly bitter aftertaste. Overall, this is quite a pleasant dram. It leaves a pleasantly honeyed coating to the mouth that lingers for ages after the bitterness recedes. Not a bad dram. This came 3rd of the six whiskies tasted with 7/101 of the vote for favourite.39.0 GBP per BottleThe Good Spirits Co.
-
Arran 25 Year (Virtual Whisky Tasting - 51.2% ABV)
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 13, 2020 (edited July 16, 2022)(Good Spirits Company, Glasgow - Virtual Arran Whisky Tasting, Friday 11th September 2020) Nose: Sweet & fruity, orange & wood Palate: Christmas cake, raisins & dates Finish: Creamy. Dark fruit - plum and cherry. Sours at the very end. Finished in sherry casks. This came 1st of the six whiskies tasted with 45/101 of the vote for favourite. At the time of the tasting this was not yet on sale. Due to be released early 2021.290.0 GBP per BottleThe Good Spirits Co. -
Arran Amarone Cask Finish Single Malt
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 13, 2020 (edited December 8, 2021)(Good Spirits Company, Glasgow - Virtual Arran Whisky Tasting, Friday 11th September 2020) Pink! Nose: Floral, red wine (obviously!), white pepper Palate: sweet, fruity, cherry, slightly ‘hot’. Finish: Bitter, dark chocolate cherries. Coats the mouth. Sweet, dried dark fruit and chocolates. A lovely dram. This came joint 4th of the six whiskies tasted with 5/101 of the vote for favourite. This was my joint favourite with the Quarter Cask and the (unreleased) 25y/o for best of the tasting. I liked this one enough to buy a bottle shortly after the tasting.48.5 GBP per BottleThe Good Spirits Co. -
Arran Sherry Cask "The Bodega"
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 13, 2020 (edited February 11, 2021)(Good Spirits Company, Glasgow - Virtual Arran Whisky Tasting, Friday 11th September 2020) Nose: Orange, dried fruit. Palate: Bitter, dark chocolate. Raisins, cherries and dried cranberries. Caramel and slightly salty. Finish: Long finish. Oak, vanilla and caramel. 1st and 2nd fill sherry casks. A classic sherry bomb. This came joint 4th of the six whiskies tasted with 5/101 of the vote for favourite.55.0 GBP per BottleThe Good Spirits Co. -
Arran Quarter Cask "The Bothy"
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 13, 2020 (edited July 14, 2022)(Good Spirits Company, Glasgow - Virtual Arran Whisky Tasting, Friday 11th September 2020) Nose: Light molasses and sugar cane. Herbal with honey and lemon. Palate: Warm, spicy and peppery. Rich, tropical with pineapple and chilli. Finish: Medium finish. Honey, chilli, citrus/tropical fruit. 7-8 years in 1st fill bourbon barrels, before being finished in 1st fill American oak quarter casks. This is a lovely dram. Very warming. This came 2nd of the six whiskies tasted with 34/101 of the vote for favourite. This was my joint favourite with the Amarone Cask and the (unreleased) 25y/o for best of the tasting.50.0 GBP per BottleThe Good Spirits Co. -
Arran Barrel Reserve
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 13, 2020 (edited February 5, 2022)(Good Spirits Company, Glasgow - Virtual Arran Whisky Tasting, Friday 11th September 2020) Nose: Very light, sweet vanilla, biscuity Palate: Slightly ‘hot’, bourbon influence, cereal and biscuit, fudge. Zesty and fresh, some apple fruitiness Finish: Salty and lightly spiced. Sours at the very end. Overall, fresh and zesty with a spicy finish. Unassuming and easy to drink. A session whisky. This came joint 4th of the six whiskies tasted with 5/101 of the vote for favourite.33.0 GBP per BottleThe Good Spirits Co. -
The main thing on this as a neat dram is that it's somehow better than I was expecting. I've had JW Red many times in the past, but I'm struggling to remember a time where I had it neat as a whisky without a mixer. You can taste some of the Caol Ila and Talisker as wisps and hints against the predominantly sweet grain whisky base. There is honey and light smoke on the nose (almost a memory of Talisker). The palate is decidedly OK, with some layers of creamy sweet spice and wood. Once the initial creaminess leaves the spice is the predominant taste which lingers for ages. Again a little smoke and oak at the very end. For me, this is a cocktail whisky. It's fine as a dram and I'm more than happy to drink it as such. A decent blend.20.95 GBP per Bottle
Results 501-510 of 652 Reviews