Tastes

Out of the core range Auchentoshans, this is by far the richest. It’s got dark, dense notes all over the nose including a sweetness that’s somewhere between molasses and caramel. That sweetness only gets more prominent on the taste, but is joined by fruit and berry notes and a wood-y bitterness on the tail-end that makes for a big change-up. Normally, I don’t tend to go in for sweeter profiles but the complexity on this has made it my favorite Auchentoshan release so far.

The nose is characterized by crisp fruitiness, cinnamon and nutmeg. The palate continues the trend. Given its strength, it’s suprisingly light and refreshing. The fruit notes give way to delicate acidity, and then it finishes with a peppery note and the cinnamon lingers all the way to the end. As is common for cask strength whiskey, it’s loaded with flavor, but it’s also a surprisingly easy drink for 58.1 ABV. Overall, I consider it a big change-up, and improvement on the standard Blackened. Angel’s Envy founder Wes Henderson definitely makes his mark here with the port cask finish. The result though, is anything but what you’d expect given its labeling and profile. To make a long story short, this whiskey is not what you’d expect. Its a pleasant surprise.

The nose is vanilla sweetness backed by an oat-y quality, like fresh-harvested grain. The palate has a touch of fruit, and even a gentle spice, but it’s mainly just full-bodied sweetness that drops almost immediately. There’s no long finish, or significant burn. Its almost refreshing. Really solid whisky for the middle-ground palates. Bourbon drinkers and Scotch drinkers should both enjoy this. Also a good amount of flavor compared to other lowland whiskies.

Not actually as in love with this bourbon as some people seem to be. Its really nice on the nose, sweet and vibrant with a lot of vanilla and cream. But on the palate, its got an almost artificial-tasting sweetness, and lacks complexity for a port-finish. There’s nothing bad about it, but there’s also nothinv all that exciting or outstanding about it. It’s worth noting though, that it’s pretty perfect for using in a Manhattan. But straight up, I’d call it pretty average.

The nose on this whiskey is soft and elegant. You get hints of the wood and the sweet honey notes, and also something resembling marshmallow. On the palate, a whole bunch of layers come out. But theyre not rushing out, rather they unfold slowly. There’s nutty notes like almond or pecan, and there’s gentle vanilla. Then there’s some dried fruit and some apple, and also almost a bit of spice towards the end. Altogether, this has to be one of the richest Balvenie’s I’ve had, and that’s coming from a distillery known for it’s depth and richness. Top notch whiskey.

Strooong vanilla sweetness on the nose. It really doesn’t give any indication of the rich assortment of flavors you encounter on the palate. The taste is buttery, bread-y and even a touch spicy at the front. It then gives way to a delicate and creamy sweetness that’s characterized mainly by cinnamon and vanilla. The finish is almost indescribably smooth. There is absolutely no burn whatsoever, but there is still flavor. I don’t know if this is the best Jameson out there, but it’s certainly gotta be in the conversation.

There’s a saturated sweetness on the nose. Strong honey and a little wood spice. Also jumping out of both the nose and the palette is clove. I would say it’s more prominent here than any other whiskey I could think of. It even persists on the finish, along with vanilla and a waxy characteristic. As far as Canadian whiskies go, it’s not a game-changer but it does stand out for its balance. If i’m going to introduce someone to Canadian whiskey for the first time, this would definitely be in the flight.

So classic! Lots of sweet vanilla, cherry and wood spice on both the nose and palate. It finishes almost creamy, but leaves behind those barrel spice notes. It’s easy, when you have this bourbon often, to forget how much it stands out compared to other mass production bourbons. It’s great for any purpose, but especially neat or in cocktails. Definitely a go-to if you want assured quality.

Many of the same notes as the classic Maker’s (vanilla, cherry, gentle oak). But it’s a bit more buttery and definitely has more bite as well. There’s also, a bit more spice on the nose that’s very rich. I think I’d almost prefer it to the classic for neat sipping.

Fruits and baking spices are all over this nose. There’s also a rich minty quality that sharpens it. The fruits and spices continue on the palate, where they’re met with sweet vanilla and some grainy notes. The fruity quality shines even more if you compare it to other budget bourbons. It’s hard to put a finger on which baking spices take shape here. Expert review says nutmeg but I could just as easily identify ground allspice. Whatever it is, it brings a bold sweetness to the mid-palate before the long, bittersweet finish. Very nice flavor for the relatively low proof and the price. At $19-24, this should be in the home-bar rotation for anyone who likes making cocktails or sipping sweet bourbons.