Tastes

(This review is for the 1997 Single Cask 1108, bottled at 58.4% ABV) I have to borrow neuroscientific language to properly review this scotch: the dopamine load in the reward centre of my brain following a taste of this expression was overwhelming. In other words, MINDFORNICATING! Chamomile on the nose with a touch of honey and pears. The palate is creamy and mouth-coating, with brown sugar, vanilla, wood spices, and what I imagine everthing Jesus, Confucius and the Buddha were trying to teach us about encountering the divine and perfect. A revelation! (Now go and sin no more with cheap liquor.)

A worthy Highland Park. There's soft peat (not much smoke) with a delicious nuttiness dispered between notes of dried fruits, brine and spices. Ending is fairly long and satisfying. NB: At that price point, I prefer the Dark Origins.

I'm not a huge Irish whiskey fan, but this is definitely good stuff. The bottle says bordeaux but my nose and palate says mostly bourbon: touch of cherries, toasted oak, some vanilla. The sherry is kinda there, but not by much. Wonderful stuff!

Fruity on the nose (not sure about plum; more like apples/oranges), with hints of biscuits, a sweet nuttiness and herbal tea. If you like chamomile... prepare to be POW, BANG, POOM! Adam West's Batman-style. The floral profile meets honey is wonderful. I hunted this bottle online and overpaid for it. $130 USD. Crazy of me? Maybe. But at least it's a delicious dram. Slainte!

Yeah... So this is awkward - I hate being the contrarian, but what a cosmic disappointment. It's an Ardbeg, so it's obviously not a failure, but it ain't Miss Universe either. Grassy notes with lemons and sweet smoke. Some seaweed here, some brine there, and an oily mouthfeel I can't complain about. I think my problem is the harmony. It's lacking. All the flavor notes are like accomplished soloists, but as a choir... It's not working. If the Ardbeg 10 is Boyz II men, the An Oa is All-4-One. I swear.

Not a sherry bomb (hate that expression), but you definitely know this ain't an ex-bourbon aged whisky. Delicious, with notes of almond paste, candied fruits and baking spices. A touch of water reveals further notes of crême brulée and nutmeg. A worthy AnCnoc.

Very nice whisky, and something to be proud of as a Canadian. Even the package is chic, something I find northern border whiskies to be lacking: a beautiful square bottle that looks very much like a decanter. The liquid is delicious though predictable light, with faint notes of rye and spices. There's also a subtle touch of oak, but nothing overpowering considering this thing's been sitting in barrels since Elvis was on in his final tour. I recommend.

Nice whisky: delicate and fruity on the nose with hints of orange peel and pears, and a palate rich with sweet wood spices, hazelnut and charred oak. The body is a little flat and the finish a tad short, still... I like it.

Baby Jesus what a whisky! Peaches on the nose with walnuts for good measure - smoke and peat are barely discernable. The palate has notes of cooked oranges, dark chocolate and cinnamon. Simply outstanding and balanced. The finish is a little flat, although its length more than makes up for it. AMAZING!

Tough nut to crack... reminds me of a crême brulée: vanilla bean, a pleasant burntness, caramel. It's nice, and surprisingly sweet. I do however recommend allowing it to decant in the class for a couple of minutes, which is something I rarely do - the alcohol has a way of negatively competing with this soft whiskey. The subtle charred oak character comes out towards the finish. Very nice!