Tastes

Another solid entry level single malt scotch. I would put this on par with Ardbeg 10 year. It doesn't lean into the peat like Ardbeg, but still has hints of it, while the sherry takes the lead. Char and apples are what I pick up on the nose. The peat, while not that pronounced is there are on the first sips, but the sherry and stone fruit quickly take over. The finish is long on this one, maybe not as long as Ardbeg. I pick up more oak, sweetness and a hint of smoke. I believe this to be a touch below the top tier entry level single malts, but still well worth trying. Is it better than Ardbeg 10 year? I'm not sure, but I think it would come down to your preference of heavy peat or not. If you are introducing someone to single malt scotch, then I would probably choose this over Ardbeg. Overall, though, a very good value for the money and one I would recommend for sure.

Ardbeg 10 year was one of my first single malts that I tried when I first started down the scotch path. Prior to that I only had a couple blends and mainly drank bourbon or rum. This one opened my eyes to what I was missing. The nose features iodine, peat and moss. On the palate I get hay, smoke, malt with just a little bit of heat. The finish is very long on this one, as you will taste the peat in the back of your throat for hours after. I think as my palate has grown over the years; I don't find this one as good as some other entry level single malts (Springbank & Talisker come to mind). I still think it's very good. I'm just not sure if my nostalgia for it clouds my judgement. Either way, I would recommend it.

The rating may seem to hint that I really did not like this and while I won't say it's my favorite scotch blend, it does offer some value when it comes to cocktails. Dewar's white label is not trying to be the blend to drink when you want something neat and that's fine. The nose has hints of sherry, lemon and smoke. The first thing that hints you on the palate is the peat and honey, but it is watery and thin. The finish falls in line with many other grain blends, with sweetness and the grain overtaking everything, but pretty quickly fading, with little to no burn. If you need a scotch blend for a cocktail, this is a pretty solid choice. I personally prefer Johnnie Walker black, but that also costs a bit more. Johnnie Walker Red is also a bit better in my opinion for the same price, but I can see people leaning towards this bottle over that. Either way, I wouldn't recommend it neat, just stick to using it in cocktails.

I'm not sure they should call this a single grain scotch. I honestly think this was just meant to trick vodka drinkers into trying scotch. The fact that the bottle costs more than $40 in most places, if not $50, is absurd. The first time I nosed this I got nothing, but on a second pass I noticed faint hints of vanilla and lemon. The palate was very bare bones and almost tasted like a grain vodka, with a touch of bitterness. It was completely unremarkable. The finish had a light burn and very quickly faded. This is clearly a whisky meant for vodka drinkers and while I appreciate trying to get a new audience to try scotch, this is about as boring as it gets. Avoid this.

In terms of Irish whiskey blends, this is my go-to. The value you get from this one far surpasses the likes of Jameson and many other Irish blends. Not only is the price cheap in comparison to many others, but it also works great in nearly any cocktail that calls for an Irish whiskey blend. The nose on this one feature apples and pears. The palate picks up where the nose left off. I get vanilla, hay and malt, but it comes back to the apples and pears from the nose which transports you to an orchard. The finish does have a bit of a burn, but nothing terrible and it lasts longer than most blends. I also get a touch of sweetness and grain to close it out. Drinking this neat may not blow you away, but it's still decent and when combined with its ability to be used in nearly all cocktails that blends are called for, this is an easy bottle to recommend.

Jameson Black Barrel is a step up from the entry level. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to drink it, but its solid enough in cocktails and on its own to make it worthwhile if offered. The nose has a bit of smoke, but I mainly notice the grain. The first couple of sips are a bit thin, with oak, lemon and apples. It veers a touch sweet. The finish has very little burn but fades quickly. I did get a bit of maltiness on the finish as well. Are there better blends out there, absolutely (Bushmills Black Bush comes to mind), but it's serviceable and not too expensive. If you are using this in cocktails, it has decent value. However, if I was planning to just sit down and have a drink neat, I would gladly pay an extra $10-15 for a bottle of say Knappogue Castle 12 year over this.