Tastes

I have been looking to pick up one of these old style label 18s for a good while. All the liquor stores in the area which have them want a pretty penny for them. I took a chance after work today to stop by an out of the way liquor store where I have previously found a couple interesting whiskies, what a surprise to see two of these old style HP18s sitting on the shelf at a very reasonable price. On top of that the clerk gave me a nice discount for buying both. I had to break one open right away. Wow! What a fantastic whiskey. Best I have tasted so far. The nose is heavenly, the palate is like nectar of the gods, the finish is long, smokey, sherried and oh so satisfying.

Musty, candied oranges and cherries on the nose, creamy palate with more subtle orange notes plus some honey and biscuits, short bread cookies, orange marmalade and baking spices on the medium length finish. This is a great whiskey!

Apples, apricots, honey dew and a hint of shoe polish on the nose, sweet and fruity on the palate, short finish with a hint of sherry peeking through.

Apples, honey and cereal grain on the nose, there's is also a faint note I can only compare to model airplane glue which is strangely enticing, smooth and creamy on the palate with malt, apples and honey, the finish is medium length with a little nutty, peppery spice.

Heavily buttered, burnt, carmel pop corn on the nose, sweet buttered corn, brown sugar and vanilla on the slightly creamy palate, the finish is short, sweet, slightly spicy and delicious.

Honey, barley, heather and vanilla wafers on the nose, slightly grainy and coating palate with honey and vanilla notes, the finish is medium length with the honey and vanilla accompanied by a peppery note.

Sweet peat, seaweed, bacon and oak all the way through. Delicious!

Laphroaig lite, has all the notes but nothing really stands out. I still found it quite pleasant and enjoyable.

Thick with prunes and raisins on the nose, there's some butter and apricot too, creamy and viscous on the palate with butter, oak and some indeterminant spices, the finish is long and pleasant with oak tannins, butter and a hint of the stone fruits.

Vanilla, grain alcohol and syrupy stone fruit on the nose, sweet stone fruit and vanilla on the palate, there's also a bitter note, a little spicy heat and a waxy, slightly viscous mouth feel, the finish is short with vanilla, slight baking spices and some graininess. I wanted to like this better than I did.