Tastes

A gift from the Gaelic gods! Salt, caramel, citrus, sweet peat, smoke, honey and cinnamon all meld together to create an almost perfect whisky. The body is oily and full with a finish that is mindbendingly smooth. Incredible!

A good though predictable bourbon, with a nose I can only describe as breakfast: vanilla pancakes with warm maple syrup. The palate has additional notes of vanilla and OAK - oak all day everyday. The finish has some burn you need to get past but is otherwise pleasant. Not bad.

I'm not gonna wax poetics here or use cheesy hockey analogies, but I will say it's good... and winy, obviously. The nose evokes wine, vanilla and almost maple syrup. The palate is all oak (and almost overbearing) with tannin hitting your tongue. The finish is fleeting yet pleasant. I'd definitely drink it again (hell, dozens of times), but even at $40 CAD, I still wouldn't buy it.

Man oh man, Japanese whiskies are on a tear! It's REALLY hard to come across an unpleasant one, and the Hakushu 12 isn't an exception. Simply put it's GREAT! The complexity and balance here is just remarkable, with a nose that evokes cantaloupes, honey and a hint of chlorophyll. The palate has touches of oak, smoke and delicious chocolate. The finish... masterful and really brings all the aromas and senses together. I really enjoyed this one.

A nice whisky that is moderately complex though fragile. The nose and palate have hints of freshly cut grass, pears, honey and vanilla. The finish, though sadly short, is smooth with just the right touch of sugar. It was ok.

Great whisky, and I think a successful marriage between two headstrong flavour profiles: Islay and sherry. To the eye the colour is gorgeous (I have no clue if there's E150 caramel here, but I will blissfully believe the sherry casks take credit) and amber red. The nose is quite complex, with notes of caramel, smoke and mandarin oranges. The palate and body is sweet and syrupy, with sea salt and a touch of wood. The finish is smooth and prolonged, inviting you to further sips. Well done!

It's a nice whisky that is well-balanced and enjoyable - it plays it safe and is inoffensive, and that's the problem. The nose is a little weak with a touch of honey and oak. The palace is sweet with hints of citrus . The finish is medium in length, with the vanilla and spice you expect from an ex-bourbon cask. It was ok.

Heartbreakingly disappointing... The nose requires a great deal of strain just to find hints of raisins and a certain spirituous quality (almost winy). The palate has sherry-like qualities with a touch of caramel. The finish is flat and uneventful. I was uninspired.

What the f-Speyside! Complex notes of peat, carnation and honey, with a wonderful sweet and savory palate that carries a touch of salt? How is this so! It's well-balanced from start to finish, and probably what both the Aberfeldy 18 and Tobermory should have tasted like. Well done.

That is some good stuff - start to finish this bourbon satisfies. The nose has wonderful hints of apples and after-rain hay, the palate has notes of butterscotch and charred oak, while the finish is both hot (good heat) and sweet, with a really nice creamy and spicy feel. Good whiskey!