Tastes

Given the cases of this stuff that Don Draper consumed over the course of the hit show Mad Men, you would have to conclude that it wasn't only people's fashion sense that was much better back then. A weird and unpleasant plastic note dominates the nose and utterly smothers phantom caramel notes that you can pick out if you really work at it... but really, why would you want to work at it? Stiffly synthetic vanilla assaults your palate and the bummer finish has a drying bitterness about it. On the rocks, Canadian Club is magically transformed from poor whiskey into acrid water. Strictly a mixer folks! Note: My rating is for drinking this neat or on the rocks. Add another star if you're planning on mixing this with Ginger Ale.

I really enjoyed the Hibiki 12, so it was with much trepidation that I approached this NAS replacement. I'm happy to report that this is an excellent dram, and certainly a much more successful example of the NAS whisky than, say, the anemic Glenlivet Founder's Reserve. Whereas the Hibiki 12 lived and died on those gorgeous and juicy plum notes, the Harmony dials down the effect and integrates the fruits into the sweet grain backbone. The finish is nice and complex as well. So it's not "better" or "worse" but a quality variation on the Hibiki style. I was skeptical about this release when it was first announced, but credit must be given where it's due... Harmony is a good blended Japanese whisky.

A really clever blended whiskey from High West that sort of plays like an American version of a blended scotch. To follow through with the conceit, think of the aged rye playing the role of the single malt, providing some complex spice notes on the finish. Meanwhile, the younger bourbon acts as the sweet grain whiskey backbone and contributes a pleasingly mellow palate. Some nice wood notes on the nose. As I said, a very clever "blended bourbon" from the folks at High West.

Those of you who are familiar with Glenmorangie's standard expression (The Original - 10 yr old) know what to expect here... pleasing notes of vanilla, nuts and orange zest that ride a gentle oak wave to a mellow finish. The extra years of maturation have contributed spectral sherry shadings to this expression, but you really need to search for them. The real question about the 18 year old is whether or not it's worth the extra money. The 10 year old is currently one of the best bang-for-your-buck scotches on the market, punching way above its price tag. This 18 year expression is three times as expensive and, in my opinion, ultimately not worth the investment. You can't fault the liquid, which is damn good, but I won't be buying a bottle any time soon.

This whiskey has a sweet nose that is reminiscent of red licorice. The palate is all juicy red fruits (cherries in particular) and the finish is spicy and biting. Not a bad little whiskey and I think it would work great in cocktails, where the more abrasive spicy edges would stand out to great effect.

I was excited about trying Old Forester Birthday Bourbon for the first time - after all, it's got LE sex appeal by the truckloads - maybe not as much as Buffalo Trace's limited editions, but you get the idea. There are definite cherry notes in this bourbon but I was stunned when I stuck my nose in the glass and was assaulted with powerful aromas of acetone. I let the bottle sit for a month and the acetone notes (on both the nose AND the palate) have subsided. It no longer tastes like cherry flavored paint-thinner. I will revisit this bourbon again down the line to see if it has improved, but thus far this has proved to be a huge (and pricey) disappointment. [Edit: bumped up to two stars... it's starting to taste like bourbon but whiskey is all about the journey so we'll see where this ends up].

The palate is a cacophony of red fruits, and even a pseudo-sherry flavor (how did that get there?). There's a tanginess that emerges in the mid-palate that suggests that perhaps things will turn out all right. However, this is soon subsumed by the deluge of cloying sweetness. Simply not to my taste.

I got a chance to sample this at a bar recently and I found it a very pleasant dram. The nose features a nice mix of honey, vanilla and grain notes. These flavors are repeated on the palate but a hint of sherry is lurking beneath the surface to keep things interesting. On the negative side, the mouth feel is a bit thin (you could call it "light" if you're being charitable) and the finish is quite short - don't even think of adding water to this whisky. Overall, The Glenrothes Vintage Reserve is not what I would call an overtly complex or bold scotch, but sometimes you're in the mood for something mellow and this fits the bill quite nicely.