Tastes

The oak and vanilla are definitely there, but with a nice spiciness that makes things a little more interesting. A good bourbon at a good price point.

It's well balanced between the bourbon cask and the sherry butt. I read another post on here that this might be a good first Scotch to suggest to a bourbon drinker, and I agree. It's a good Scotch, but I'm not quite as enthusiastic as Distiller or the average rating here: I would put it in the mid 80's, for whatever that''s worth.

A pleasant dram, the peat definitely dominant, but not in an overpowering way. Gently smoky. Flashes of honey sweetness, and some fruitiness that I can't pin down as to exactly what fruit it is. Faint oak before it settles into a nice long finish balancing sweet and peat, and just a touch of saltiness. A good whisky, but not a standout.

Citrus, crackers, musty sawdust, honey, sea spray on the nose. Citrus and honey lead on the palate, a brief flash of bitterness, then mild peat smoke and sea salt arrive, slowly drifting away, leaving a soft honey sweetness. Not a great whisky by any means, but certainly very pleasant and enjoyable.

Nosing gets a pronounced fruit presence, dusty oak, florals, citrus comes into play, a trace of grassy mustiness. Taste: delicate, nuanced, subtle...the palate is much like the nose here, with a little honey added. Finishes softly, trailing off into a faint nuttiness. The Oloroso influence is more a suggestion. This would be a very good whisky to offer an apprehensive first timer, yet interesting enough for an experienced Scotch drinker. I despise the fact that I can't give half stars! Come on, people!! High 80's, 3 1/2 stars.

I've had this one for almost 10 months, and I finally decided to taste it. Without going into tedious details, Tun 1509 Batch 1 is a very good whisky. It is complex and nuanced, both nosing and on the palate. No strong flavors jump out; rather, it's a unique and well balanced gentle harmony of many flavors, sip after sip. Amanda's review here on Distiller called it "delicate" and I can agree with that. I think Balvenie has done a fine marketing job ratcheting up the anticipation of this limited annual release. As good as it is, for me it's overpriced. No regrets buying it, though I don't think I'll try to buy any subsequent releases. This bottle will last quite a while, and I'll enjoy each sip.

Nose: nuts up front, hints of oak, caramel, grassy/marshy note, sherry. Taste: Nutty, oaky, sticky honey, closer to molasses, vanilla, salty marsh grass get stronger if you slurp or suck in air on the sip as if tasting coffee, hint of something like Werther's candy, but not quite that sweet, brief tart nip. Finish is moderate and fairly dry, with a trace of bitterness in a good way, fading to slightly sherried sweet. This would make a good introduction into Islay whiskies, especially for someone who was hesitant to try one of Islay's peat monsters.

Finally got around to tasting this one...overall a pleasant whisky. On my palate, it's VERY salty/briney. I can agree w/Distiller's notes that the brine leads the way. For me, the smoke/peat wasn't so strong, being almost overwhelmed by the brine, but not quite. In other words, the peaty, smoky notes are there, and I noticed a little band aid. It's just not as dominant as their 10 year old or Quarter Cask. I also got faint oak and just a hint of vanilla. Thought I got a little citrus at one point, but I'm not sure. I see Distiller has it at 94 and the avg. rating is 4.3 (at the time I'm writing this). I'll be in the minority on this one. I can't get above 85, or three stars. It's a good whisky, and I would buy it again, but it's not a great whisky.

Peat and mild smoke lead when nosing. To me, the peat is faintly medicinal, but primarily floral, more like Highland Park than an Islay whisky. Oak, spices, touch of citrus maybe. Faint vanilla. Hints of grass/hay. Taste: Peat and moderate smokiness lead the way, but not overpowering. Mix of dried fruit, oak, oh so distant vanilla, malty, peppery, especially on the back of the palate, mildly salty, waves of smoke and a surprising sweetness balanced by the peppery spiciness. Fairly dry, slightly warming. Lingering in the finish that wafts between peat, smoke, spice, fruity sweetness, and over again. Unexpected depth for a 10 year old, but I'll disagree with Distiller's 96. High 80's, yes, maybe even a 90. But hey, I'm not a pro at this, so what do I know.

Wow! From nose to palate, there is a lot of complexity here. The sherry influence, oak sawdust, dried fruits, spiciness, vanilla, some nuttiness going on, flashes of dark cocoa, and it just keeps going. Full bodied and sticky, almost like a syrup. Finish drops off abruptly at first, but it only falls so far, then it lingers a nice, long time. An outstanding whisky if you're into sherried Scotch!