Tastes

There isn't much happening here, which means you won't come to hate it. But you probably won't love it either. Aromatically, my best description would be: slightly salted maple taffy. It's nice, but it's also not much.

Not bad at all... and similar to the Te Bheag. It's definitely smoky, with phenolic and rubber aromas, but in JW fashion, it's incredibly smooth. Not one for the collection, but a good choice at a generic pub/bar.

A decent and one-dimensional Irish whisky, with notes of oak and apples. If you're open to getting sinusitis (from the strain), you might also catch whiffs of cinnamon and vanilla. This one's a snooze.

A very enjoyable Jack, with a generous dose of oak. The signature banana aroma is there, but there's so much more going on in your palate. Vanilla, cinnamon and a very subtle note of cherry make this a whiskey worth trying and enjoying. Cheers!

Sometimes I feel terrible reviewing whiskey here, because I read everyone else's opinion and hate to be the contrarian. But alas I must, though in all fairness I should disclose that I do not generally like rye whiskies. Here's a related set of questions: do you like pickles? How about dill? Or vinegar? Oh and garlic? If you answered no to any of these questions, WALK AWAY FROM THIS BOTTLE! Do not pass go, do not collect $200! As improbable as this sounds, the nose has dominant aromas of dill and vinegar, with a touch of pickles (yeah I know, sounds crazy). The palate is lumber, like walking through a Loews lumber yard on a humid summer day, and the finish is long, which is either a good or bad thing depending on your opinion about carpentry. I actually don't dislike this whiskey. I'm just confused by it.

I'm on the fence on this one - I don't dislike it, but I can't say I like it either. The nose is clearly ice wine, but there's also a complex layer of apples and oak. So far so good. The palate is where it all starts to unravel, and barely manages to stay together with some caramel and spice (perhaps cinnamon). The finish is pleasant and smooth, and thankfully short enough so that you can proceed to a better whisky.

Wowza! This is delicious, and very much resembles the Glenlivet Nadurra First Fill, though at a lower ABV. Pears and faint flowers to the nose, with the palate adding an additional layer of wood. The body is oily with a smooth finish. Recommend!

A wealthier man's Tobermory 10, with twice the balance but half the pleasure in knowing you spent more money. This isn't a bad whisky, or flawed for that matter. It just isn't inspiring. Floral and herbaceous aromas, with cut grass and a touch of citrus meet your nose, followed with a body that is oily but regretfully light. And while the finish is balanced and pleasant, it is likewise short, vanishing from your mouth and memory quickly.

Fantastic and unusual, accomplished but not without its flaws. The nose is pleasant with aromas of peat, smoke, salt, and what appears to be lemons - it's both subtle and complex at the same time. The palate and body is rich and full, a continuation of the nose's aromatic notes. It all works wonderfully together towards a finish that has depth and length. I really enjoy it.

Woe is me... I purchased this 1 L bottle at a duty-free shop thinking "what could possibly go wrong with a Johnnie Walker that is a green label with a kick?". Turns out plenty! It's a fine enough whisky if you approach it with the mindset that it is barely anything like the core Green expression. It has no age statement, which is indication of the sort of tweaking that took place here, and ultimately it's just a dram that tastes of smoke and peat without much else. Gone is the complexity, gone is the depth, and gone is the pleasure that comes from enjoying a Green Label. It's a shame, and now I'm stuck with 970 mL!