Tastes

Review #045 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 40% Comments: aged 18 years, first and second fill American oak and ex-sherry casks Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Auburn color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs start forming quickly. Nose: 15/20 Baking spices, strawberries, plumbs, crunchy pears, and butterscotch. Initially it had a harsh alcohol forward nose, but that dissipated after letting it rest about 15 minutes. Palate: 30/40 Mouthfeel is a little thin, and I’m not getting any big flavors standing out. I get honey, applesauce, brown sugar, grain cereal, and orange zest. The flavors play together nicely but it’s very mild. Finish: 33/40 Medium length finish. Chili pepper heat kicks things off, and as that fades it leaves behind orange citrus before transitioning to vanilla and cinnamon. Ends on a semi-bitter floral note. With Water: Water brings out some additional stone fruit flavors to the palate, plumbs and peaches. The finish ends on a salty note now and the floral notes are gone. Total: 78/100 Final thoughts: Saw this lonely bottle sitting on the shelf in the hotel bar, and couldn’t pass it up when the bartender told me the price. In fact I ordered a double, and I’ve had much worse for the price. Glad I had the opportunity to try this one, it was enjoyable to drink but I’m a bit disappointed by how mellow it is. The bottle was below 3/4 (when I usually hurry up to finish mine) and who knows how long it’s been open, so that could be a factor. This might be good for someone getting their feet wet with scotch, but I can also think of others that are more enjoyable for a lower price point. Price: $15 pour, my local liquor store sells these bottles for $150 Would recommend: no Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #044 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 43% Comments: aged 12 years, European oak oloroso sherry maturation Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Russet color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs don’t start forming moderately quickly. Nose: 16/20 Apples, sticky raisins, caramel, and warm banana bread. Palate: 28/40 Simple but nice. Mostly I get oak spices and tannins, but also getting subtle hints of salted dark chocolates, lemon zest, and dinner rolls. Finish: 30/40 Vanilla and butterscotch, for just a moment there’s chocolate covered cherries and maybe a hint of coconut, then ending on an earthy and salty note. Lots of good sweet flavors without being sickeningly sweet. The finish is moderately short and non-complex, but also has no noticeable alcohol burn. With Water: Short flight and was cut short by beginning our descent so wasn’t able to try. I’ll assess and update the next time I’m able to snipe a free upgrade to first class! Total: 74/100 Final thoughts: Thanks United Airlines for a free double pour at 32,000 feet somewhere between Burlington VT and Newark NJ. I guess all that work travel is finally starting to pay off… I’m surprised by how little sherry influence this has given 12 years of olorosso maturation. The oak influence is a lot more noticeable. Guessing this may be a byproduct of being watered down to 43% ABV and perhaps the use of 2nd and 3rd fill barrels. I feel like I’d enjoy this much more at +50% ABV. Price: complimentary with first class upgrade Would recommend: no Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #043 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 43% Comments: NAS, made with peated barley, ex-bourbon maturation and finished in ex-rum casks, experimental series #04 Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Russet color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 16/20 Honey, smoke, and green apples mostly. Continued nosing also yields sticky raisins and molasses. Palate: 27/40 Charcoal and heavily burnt toast stand out most. There’s also cinnamon, hints of red apple, toffee, and vanilla, maybe a little asphalt too. Finish: 28/40 Short finish. Starts with a big puff of campfire smoke, but it doesn’t last long. Gives way to some chili peppers, then turns salty before ending with mild bites of vanilla. With Water: A drop of water brings some additional brown sugar sweetness and grapefruit citrus to the palate, but also reduces the smokiness of the finish. Total: 71/100 Final thoughts: I wasn’t impressed with the last Glenfiddich experimental bottle I picked up (IPA Cask) but I saw this one on the shelf at a clearance price that was too good to pass up so I rolled the dice on it. It doesn’t make for an impressive dram but it’s definitely drinkable and was a good value for the price I paid. It went down easy when a friend of mine broke into it with me the other night and there’s not much left now… Price: $35 Would recommend: no Would buy: maybe Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #043 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 57.8% Comments: NAS on bottle but distilled in 2016 and bottled March 2022 so likely aged 5 or 6 years, bottle 128/312, Spanish Oloroso single cask Tasted after: Ardnamurchan AD/ Appearance (no score): Auburn color. Swirling reveals a thin line sticking to the side of the glass, it slowly thickens but legs are very slow to form. Nose: 18/20 Milk chocolate, raspberry jam, candied orange peel, campfire ashes, espresso, and a faint hint of asphalt sealant. Palate: 35/40 Cinnamon and honey dominate, dark chocolate, raisins, and a wisp of smoke. Finish: 36/40 Medium-long finish. Surprisingly not very hot at all given that it’s cask strength. More honey, fades slowly into a very interesting salty ashes flavor, then oak wood, and ending with my mouth holding the bitter-creamy flavor of recently swallowed extra dark chocolate. With Water: A drop of water brings some additional sweetness to the palate with peaches and raspberries, and introduces some black pepper to the finish. Total: 89/100 Final thoughts: I purchased this bottle while on a trip through Quebec for a hockey tournament, and am very happy with it. It doesn’t offer anywhere near as much value as the AD/, but it’s certainly a couple steps above and it was fun to try a single sherry cask immediately after and see the similarities between the two. I really enjoy how they’ve utilized blockchain technology to enable full transparency of the distillation process of each individual bottle: https://ardnamurchan-distillery.co.uk/newBottles-detail/157878 Price: $199 CAD Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #041 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 46.8% Comments: technically NAS but compiled of casks distilled in 2015 and 2016 and bottled April 2022 so likely aged 5 or 6 years, bottle 1,493/25,200 of AD/04.22.02, blend of peated and unpeated malts, ex-bourbon and ex-sherry Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Burnished color. Swirling reveals a thin line sticking to the side of the glass, it slowly thickens but legs are very slow to form. Nose: 17/20 Sweet and zesty lemon squares, a nice gentle peat smoke, pears, vanilla, and honey. Palate: 34/40 Nice almost milky mouth feel, also very little alcohol burn. Surprisingly simple in the mouth, I get toffee, a wisp of smoke, a dash of salt, and a hint of orange citrus. Despite the lack of complexity it’s still well balanced and very enjoyable. Finish: 36/40 Medium length. Oak spice quickly yields to mild chili pepper heat, then cinnamon and hearty wheat bread. By the end my mouth has a mildly cool sensation which reminds me of having recently chewed on a mint leaf. With Water: A drop of water brings out some additional saltiness to the finish. Total: 87/100 Final thoughts: This is a very nice bottle, being slightly smokey, flavorful, yet not overly complex. It always seems to hit the spot regardless of what I’m in the mood for. Personally I think it’s an incredible value at its current price point as well. This one will likely be a permanent addition to my shelf, and I really enjoy how they’ve utilized blockchain technology to enable full transparency of the distillation process of each individual bottle: https://ardnamurchan-distillery.co.uk/newBottles-detail/184845 Price: $48 Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #040 Type: single malt Irish whisky Proof: 40% Comments: aged 12 years, ex-bourbon maturation Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Deep gold color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs form quickly. Nose: 14/20 Mostly I get overly ripened pears and vanilla and a hint of grain cereal in the background. It’s not very complex, but enjoyable all the same. Palate: 30/40 Honey, baking spices, vanilla, wheat bread, and a little bit of butterscotch. Overall very smooth with little to no burn. Finish: 26/40 Medium-short finish, mostly more of the same but now accompanied by a mild alcohol burn. Honey, vanilla, shortbread, and crisp pears, which gives way to baking coca and finishes there on a bitter note. With Water: A drop of water makes the palate a bit saltier and introduces some black pepper to the finish. Total: 70/100 Final thoughts: An easy drinker but not much going on outside of that. Probably good for folks who are first being introduced to Irish whisky but not something I’ll replace once the bottle is gone. Price: $39 Would recommend: maybe Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #039 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 43% Comments: aged 12 years, American oak and European sherry-seasoned oak Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Chestnut color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 15/20 Woody oak, apricots, and brown sugar. Palate: 30/40 Mild and warm (almost hot). Honey sweetness and oak spice lead, as I keep sipping nutty pecans and plumbs also emerge. Finish: 33/40 Medium finish. More heat, lemon citrus, salt, and ending on a sweet caramel note. With Water: A drop of water adds orange zest and tart cherries on the palate, and medicinal iodine to the finish. Total: 78/100 Final thoughts: A number of years ago, my brother purchased a bottle of this for me as a gift. It was the first enjoyable dram of scotch I’d tried up to that point, so this bottle will always have a special place in my memories. These days I’m of the mind that there’s better bottles out there for the price point, so if I buy again it would be primarily for sentimental reasons. Price: $65 Would recommend: maybe Would buy: maybe Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #038 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 59.1% Comments: aged 15 years, matured for twelve years in an American Oloroso butt before being transferred to a 1st-fill Spanish oak Oloroso butt for three more years Tasted after: Blair Athol 2008 A Total Wowser! Cask No. 68.78 (SMWS) Appearance (no score): Mahogany color. Was Unable to look for legs due to an apparent water-repellent coating on the glass I was tasting with. Nose: 17/20 Figs, caramel, blood oranges, and milk chocolate. Palate: 34/40 Honey, raspberry sauce, blackberries, grain cereal, and dark chocolate. Finish: 36/40 Nice long finish. Butter, so much sweet honey butter and cinnamon butter to kick things off. Then it slowly develops some subtle cinnamon and nutmeg flavor. The bitterness gives way to more chocolate, but now it’s extra dark, almost like baking cocoa, ending on what I can only describe on an ashy/charcoal note. With Water: A drop of water brings some additional sweetness to the palate, and saltiness to the finish. Total: 87/100 Final thoughts: Juicy and delicious, probably the best Dailuaine I’ve tried to date and the first one where I’ve gotten some so semblance of smoke or charring. Thanks to my brother @Mark-Watson2 for the sample. Price: gifted sample Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #037 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 60.8% Comments: aged 13 years, matured for nine in ex-bourbon, then transferred to a custom first-fill barrique (70/30 split American/European oak with toasted heads) Tasted after: Single Malt Scotch 1996 Fruit Utopia Batch 17 (SMWS) Appearance (no score): Tawny color. Was Unable to look for legs due to an apparent water-repellent coating on the glass I was tasting with. Nose: 18/20 Butterscotch pudding, ginger bread, vanilla, over-ripened bananas, and juicy plumbs. Palate: 30/40 Bourbon, cinnamon, mulling spices, dark chocolate, and a hint of maple. It doesn’t want to be swished around much in your mouth, it develops a bitter flavor after a couple seconds. Finish: 32/30 Long finish. Chili pepper heat to start, but gradually grows sweeter. As the heat fades I get some molasses and more dark chocolate that evolves into brown sugar by the end. With Water: A drop of water doesn’t change the palate much, but adds a sweet and salty meat profile to the finish reminiscent of summer sausage. Total: 79/100 Final thoughts: The nose is definitely the best part of this dram. Nothing about it is bad, but I wish the palate and finish were as good, the bitterness on the palate really threw me. Thanks to my brother @Mark-Watson2 for the sample. Price: gifted sample Would recommend: no Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

Review #036 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 50% Comments: aged 25 years, matured for twenty years in bourbon hogsheads, this Speyside single malt was combined and filled into custom toasted French oak barriques from Seguin Moreau cooperage, and after three months of intense maturation, was combined and filled into 2nd fill bourbon barrels for another five years Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Russet color. Was Unable to look for legs due to an apparent water-repellent coating on the glass I was tasting with. Nose: 18/20 This has a very sweet profile. Vanilla ice cream and warm banana bread stand out most, I can practically taste them! Digging deeper I get walnuts and pears also. This one just invites you to keep nosing it. Palate: 37/40 Wow, wow, wow, where to start!? Its got a very nice, almost silky smooth mouth feel. And there’s a lot of great bold flavors here that all play so well together. Red currants, apricots, buttery pastries, tart white grapes, and a hint of coconut. Finish: 37/40 Nice long and complex finish. It starts out with a quick burst of lemon citrus, then sweet honey which gives way to bourbon, though not in an overpowering way, more like how the taste of bourbon accentuates the overall flavor of a good cocktail. As that fades it’s replaced by the taste of walnuts before ending on a mildly salty note. With Water: A drop of water brings out some melon on the palate and a really nice buttery sweetness on the finish. Total: 92/100 Final thoughts: This is just an incredible dram, refined but explosive in flavor and complexity. I’d been holding out on joining SMWS, but this this pour was the catalyst that inspired me to sign up for a membership. Thanks to my brother @Mark-Watson2 for the sample Price: gifted sample Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.