Tastes

There's something really wonderful and welcoming about approaching your nose to a whisky glass and getting a first whiff of subtle peat. You add salted caramel, some lemon extract, and pow, your lips are in heaven. Then comes the shocker: THIS IS SOUTH AFRICAN?!?! Apparently so, and what an improvement from the younger 5-year-old. Start to finish, with its gentle oak and cinnamon aromas, this is fantastic whisky!

If you like chocolate and/or oak, this whisky is for you. I blind taste the majority of my whiskies (samples) and rare are the occasions I wrongly identify the type of malted spirit in drinking. I was severely wrong with this one - I was convinced I was drinking a bourbon. and that gives you an idea of this expression's predominant flavor profile. That said, this is good stuff. Slainte!

Amrut does not disappoint, and this is another whisky from their distillery I really enjoyed. There's a great deal of complexity here, coupled with maturity and depth - the peat is intense, yes, but it's never overwhelming to the detriment of other aromas: subtle barley, grapefruit rinds, some roasted almonds, and spices. The finish is herbaceous and long, quite long. I recommend.

WOW, I think I just grew chest hair! Really good stuff here, with notes of honey and lemon zest on the nose. The palate is herbaceous and slightly sweet, with an obviously generous dose of smoke. On the finish, there's a nice touch of bitterness akin to dark chocolate that lasts for minutes on end, coupled with wood spices that needs water to tame down. Great stuff.

The nose is weak, but there are wafts of apples/pears with a touch of honey. The apples are more prominent on the palate, with a pleasant spice so that is all reminiscent of apple pie. The finish is slightly bitter and short, but I suppose it's forgivable. Not bad.

Not a bad whisky, but also not my first choice. Probably not my 200th either. In fact, I'm not sure if the sherry casks were meant to enhance this whisky or mask a mediocre base spirit. The predominant note is of old tobacco, the kind you keep smoking when you should rather be cleaning out of your pipe. There are also notes of almonds and vanilla bean, with a touch figs. It all sounds wonderful, and it actually isn't bad, but I'm going to give credit to the barrels that were used rather than the whisky itself. Slainte!

A very floral and complex bouquet, with a predominant hint of freshly cut grass and malted barley. The palate has added notes of dark chocolate and cinnamon, with a finish that is peppery and long. I particularly enjoy the oily texture and full body to this whisky. This is definitely one of the better Glengoyne's.

A delicious whisky with floral and honey notes. The palate has added notes of peppercorn and hazelnut, while the finish is smooth and medium in length. There isn't necessarily any depth or complexity here, and in many ways it just plays it safe, but it's still delicious.

Honeyed and floral, with hints of freshly cut lumber. The wood aroma is fantastic and blends superbly with the honey. It's all fairly straightforward, but it gets the job done. It's good bourbon.

It's quite complex, and pleasant. There's orange liqueur, a sweet oaky aroma and caramel to the nose. The palate is quite spicy and nutty, with a generous dose of cinnamon. There's great texture and mouthfeel here, and the 46% ABV is a real treat. The finish is delicious. I REALLY like this whisky.