Tastes

Since I just reviewed the Tullibardine 228 and, in that review, mentioned this Glenmorangie, I thought I’d might as well review this one. Bottom line? Much too sweet for my tastes (which do not include port/burgundy finished scotch). The port overwhelms the scotch to the point you have to ask yourself, why not just have a damn port? If you like your scotch mostly scotch-less and more syrupy and overwhelmingly sweet, this is your scotch. Otherwise, avoid.

Sweet. Medicinal. Not pleasant. Not hugely off-putting. Just very much average, bordering on slightly synthetic, tasting. I’m not a fan of burgundy/wine/port finished scotch such as this or others of its kind. Glenmorangie Quintana Ruban comes to mind when I tasted this. If you like that, you will probably like this one. Over time, I forced my way through about half a bottle of this before calling it quits. It’s just not my style.

Not bad. Have an old bottle of this tucked away which dates prior to the rebranding-relabeling. It's not bad. Not "smooth sipping" by any measure, but full, flavorful and has a decent finish, particularly if you tame it out a bit with a little bit of water. If I'm in this Austin Nichols family however, I'll spend more and opt for the Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel. Otherwise, you're better off skipping this, saving a few bucks and just picking up a bottle of Elijah Craig. Still, not bad.

Sweet, hot and harsh at the same time. Over the top florals, yet finishes like acid. Even some water couldn't smooth it out a bit. Can't stand this one.

High dollar Jim Beam or Old Grandad. An ok bourbon. Not great by any means. Just barely in the mediocre category. That’s if it were priced reasonably, e.g, around $20, at most. At its current price point, it’s not at all worth it and is more like a rip-off.

Take your basic, blended scotch and dump some liquid smoke in it and you’ve got this. Very synthetic. Not at all an alternative to the delicious goodness of the Ardbegs, Lagavulins or Laphoraigs of the scotch world. If you’re a fan of JW, just stick to the basics. There’s no need to venture here.

Cheap Irish whiskey. It’ll get the job done, but nothing to write home about. That said, it does taste slightly above its price point, so in that sense, for some it might offer a little more bang for the buck. In this price range, others will want to spend just a few bucks more and go Jameson or Bushmills (depending on one’s loyalties).

Smooth. Rather sweet. A jumble of flavors. Nothing really stands out. Finish is short and unmemorable. Once you sip this and swallow, nothing lingers. Those who said they pick up whiffs of chocolate are correct, but that flavor is nowhere present. Not a bad bourbon, but there are better out there. They do have a niche with the Kentucky Derby edition bottlings, but beyond that, there’s little else unique or deserving of high praise. It’s just a decent, basic bourbon that won’t offend and is probably priced $10 higher than it should be.

Has been sitting in my cabinet for awhile. Bought to try another in the gnarled Buffalo Trace family tree. Impression upon breaking the seal tonight? Mediocre. Nothing which really makes me take note. Unmemorable is the word here. A mish-mash of flavor profiles typical to bourbon, but none really coming to the front. Not harsh. Not smooth. A faint bitterness in the aftertaste, but not bad. Overall, just...bourbon. Which is not a complaint, except at this price point. There are better options at (and below) this price.

Probably more deserving of 3.5 stars. Decent. Not great. Bought it a couple of years ago and left it sealed until recently. Halfway through the bottle, it just an average bourbon. Nothing more. I’ve had far worse, certainly. But I’ve had far better as well, many in this same price point if not cheaper. From the point, the only Col. I’ll ever probably revisit is Sanders.