Tastes

I recently tried the Quinta Ruban 14 year, and I didn't like it; it was too bitter for my taste. But I'd heard that the Quinta Ruban 12 year was better, so when I saw a bottle collecting dust in a local liquor store, I thought I'd give it a try. Turns out that I like the Quinta Ruban 12 much more than the 14. The nose was sweet, like a dark chocolate or salted caramel. The palate, while not as sweet as the nose would suggest, was definitely not bitter. This is a very good sipping Scotch, but it's probably much harder to find after being replaced by the Quinta Ruban 14 year.

The color is a dark amber. The nose is fruity with hints of brown sugar or dark chocolate. The palate is very smooth, again with hints of dried fruit and caramel, but with a slight dryness that mellows the sweetness. The finish is long, with a decent amount of heat. This is a very good sipping scotch.

This is a very good, peated Speyside. The nose is medicinal, but only a little. The palate combines sweetness with a good amount of smokiness, but not as strong as the average Islay whisky. The finish is long and packs a lot of heat. Adding water mellows out the heat, making this a very good, sipping Scotch.

The nose is somewhat sweet with a bit of smokiness. The palate is smokier than I would have thought from the nose, and there is a bitterness that goes with the sweetness, like a bitter dark chocolate. The finish is quite long, and the sweetness seems a bit more evident in the finish. Overall, I like this Offerman edition more than the Lagavulin Offerman Charred Oak.

The nose is dominated by its smokiness, but there is a light sweetness in there as well. The palate is very smoky and savory, but I noticed a dried (or grilled) fruit flavor, probably peach, in the finish. This is smokier and less sweet than the first Offerman edition.

The nose had a subtle hint of fruit. The palate was very bitter; definitely expected it to be sweeter compared to the nose. I found this release to be disappointing. Maybe I’m just not a fan.

Batch No. 65. This is a very good Aberlour. The nose was similar to the 12, 16, and 18 year old expressions, with notes of caramel and brown sugar. The palate was also similar to Aberlour age statement versions, but more concentrated. The heat was very strong, and adding water mellowed it out, but it still seemed more concentrated than the 12, 16, or 18 year old expressions.

The nose is sweet and astringent, almost like a whiteboard marker or an antiseptic cleaner. The palate is very alcohol-forward, owing to the cask-strength ABV. Adding water brought out some caramel and vanilla notes in the nose and the palate.