Tastes

Nose: starts smoke heavy - peat, smokey bacon, burnt plastic. Opens up in time to sweeter character - caramelized pears, muddled dark cherry and bitters, vanilla frosting and chocolate cake, candied orange peel. Vegetal notes come over more time - seaweed, sea shore funk, stewed tomato Palate: peat, dark cocoa, mouth filling especially for a low ABV, not a lot of depth but excels in what it has - peat smoke with round sweetness. A bit of wood character, but not as much as expected for 16 years. Creme brulee, caramel custard Finish: medium length, sweet, warming. Peat lingers longer than sweetness, but not much smoke on the finish. Vegetal notes appear after sweetness subsides. Classic peaty staple. Can’t go wrong, sets the bar for so many other whiskys. There are better whiskys, but this is a great value and super accessible.

Batch 19, 57.1% abv. 35% sherry casks Nose: leather, cinnamon, nutmeg, cherry, light molasses, roasted oak, peat funk, pine resin, rubbing alcohol. With water: vanilla yogurt, banana, cinnamon candy, bubblegum Palate: brown sugar frosting, sweet peat, bittersweet chocolate, rich syrup, toffee, raspberry cocoa. With water: star anise, clove, oaky vanilla, seaweed, dark chocolate caramels Finish: long, warming, slightly numbing, sweetness throughout. Lower % sherry aged content adds a bit of dark fruit, but mostly just makes for a richer bourbon oak character. Peat is more noticeable at the beginning and fades over time. Very enjoyable.

Nose: hot tar, peat, iodine, cherry, vanilla, apple cider vinegar. With water - toffee, Palate: smoke, burnt sugar, simple syrup, lighter body, bitter chocolate. With water - doesn’t hold up great, mutes the general flavors without bringing much out, vegetal, beeswax Finish: medium, sweetens as it finishes, dark turns to light chocolate with raspberry Good peaty dram. Great value. Better without water.

Nose: oaky, leather, brown sugar, dark chocolate, black peppercorn Palate: bing cherry, oily, dark tobacco, molasses oatmeal, dulce de leche, creamy Finish: spicy, long, numbing without water, chocolate, roast oak Big, rich bourbon. Really opens up with water and can handle quite a bit. Flavor profile changes immensely as you add.

Nose: Apple, vanilla, sweet cream, peat smoke, bubblegum, raspberry Palate: without water - sharp, smoke, light body. With water - much smoother, sweetness comes through, smoke stays, vanilla cookies, slight vegetal, seaweed Finish - long, spicy, warming, peat, iodine, oak, leather Awesome caol ila example. High ABV gives perfect example of w/o vs w/ water differences. Fun to drink

Nose: chocolate, vanilla, oak, fresh berries, peach Palate: honey, light caramel, spicy without water. With water: sweet, smooth, light brown sugar Finish: long, spicy, lingering, dry

Nose: bright, peat, oak, floral Palate: peat, oak wood, sweetness, red licorice, peach, creme brûlée Finish: long, warming, full

Nose: leather, iodine, oak, smoke, vanilla Palate: medicinal, peat, clove, dry, meaty, apple cider, honey Finish: medium lingering, stays dry, finishing sweetness

Rich, Smokey, not very complex. Dark chocolate, fruit