Tastes

Hands down the best Wemyss i have ever had, this is a very nice whisky that is complex enough and well crafted for more experienced palates. Bottled at 46%abv. On the nose, a very complex and well crafted dram. Tropical fruits. White wine. Peat, cut grass. Chocolate fudge, pineapple and coconut. Nice. On the palate, it has a lot of character. Peaty / earthy. Smoke. Dry grass, dry sweetness. Mostly a mild peat. Aftertaste, is ashy with a short cigarrette note. Very similar to ardmore. Overall this is a nice dram. The price tag gives it another point. 87 over 100.

I have yet to taste a bad Kilchoman. The youngest of islay distilleries, at least to put whisky on the shelves, has proven me, on my third expression ever tasted, that they know how to make wonderful drams. This is the case of this young whisky, which was distilled on 2012 and bottled on 2017, using only red wine casks to mature it, and bottling it at a 50%abv strength. The first result of this type of maturation is wonderful chesnut color on it. Lets get to business, On the nose, it is a prophecy of what is going to come in the palate. Peat, grassy peat. Earthy. But just for a second. Then a sweet explosion comes to the game. Red fruits, cherries, strawberries. Herbal peat and rosemary. After first sip, sweetness intensifies into this maraschino cherry syrup, blackberries and starwberry notes. On the palate, it is a very interesting dram. On the middle of the tongue you'll get cherries and cinnamon, but surrounded of gun powder, sulphur and ashes. It all happens at the same time but in different parts of the tongue. The aftertaste, is also great. Smoky, super pleasant, but it definitively doesn't feel like 50%abv. Prune peel. Powerful salt and beach profile. Overall this is a very delicious dram, as well as an interesting one. Very balanced, 23 points on each criteria, makes this a 92 over 100. Sláinte!

It's an Islay Whisky.... what do you expect me to score? Beautiful expression, a typical islay profile with some interesting notes. The aftertaste is the best of this dram. 46%abv, pale straw color. On the nose: pepper, peat, rubber, smoke, hints of lemon, olives and.... socks, Lol (but true). On the palate, Grapes (nice nice nice note), pepper, english sauce, hard salt, spicy. Finish is mostly spicy and smoky. Very well crafted. Overall i give this Machir Bay, a baby islay dram, (kilchoman was born in 2005 or so) a proper 94 over 100. Slainte!

Kavalan sure knows to make sherried whiskies. This is as good as any Edradour, Dalmore or even a Glendronach. Maybe a little expensive, but due to the higher abv, the tasting notes just appear to make you feel good. Bottled at 58.6%abv, this baby has a reddish deep copper color. On the nose it is amazing. Very complex. Bacon, blackberry marmalade, christmas turkey filling, ham, figs, Dr. Pepper or any Cherry Cola, glazed pork, quince jam. Superb. On the palate it is very rewarding. A very refined, fancy sherriness, quince jam, molasses and marmalade. Aftertaste it gets a little rough due to the high abv, but still great. Oak spice, sawdust, slight smoke, quince jam all over again. Overall this is a wonderful dram. A fancy one as well. Not to overly expensive, (like $135), and it is a good addition to your collection. My score for it is 93 over 100.

Wow this is a great dram. I have heard the first "concertmaster" wasn't that good but this "port cask finish" one is very good. I was enjoying it with some friends and all had their minds blown by it. Made by 3 different port casks (ruby port, tawny port and vintage port casks), this is a sweet expression from the taiwanese whisky. Bottled at 40%abv. On the nose is amazing. Floral, sherry, tangerine, oranges, lemon peel, chocolate. Beautiful stuff. On the palate, lots of brown sugar, orange candy, toffee. Delicious cloying sweet sensation. Finish is short with a tobbacco/ashy flavor. Not pricy at all, (about 70$) this is something that can make you happy. Overall i give it a 93 over 100, very recommended. Slainte!

In the island of Jura there is only one road, and it sure is, an excelent whisky. This new expression has been matured in a cask that previously held Pedro Ximenez Sherry for at least 20 years giving it a wonderful flavor profile. It is a part of a 3 whisky series, the other two are "The Loch" and "The Sound". Bottled at 43.6%, with a lovely tawny color. On the nose it is perfect. The sherriness is beatiful on the nose, very "purple". Cigarrette peat, Tobbacco peat; Peppery; Marmalade; mint cigarrettes. There is a lemon note after some sips. Just beautiful. On the palate: Super sherried. Sweet Maraschino cherries. Raisins. Its like a raisin juice, if that exists. The aftertaste is also amazing. It starts with a burn wooden log, then it gets Salty and Peppery. Peaty but very gentle. Overall this is a great whisky, and was one point short of having a 5 star score. 94 over 100, it is super recommended and affordable.

Beautiful dram, i dont think it is too expensive and it is full of flavor. I am a fond fan of most Jura's Whiskies, but this is a good expression that deserves credit. Bottled at 44%abv On the nose is mostly sweet even for a mildly peated whisky. Heathery peat, Super sweet. Orange zest. Orange candy. Hints of coffee; Coffee intensifies after first sip. On the palate it is much more peaty. Tobacco. Cigarrettes, ginger spice, there is some citric fruits also. Second sip was much more earthy. The best part is the aftertaste. Smoky cigarrette finish. Wow this is super interesting, Its like nicotine. Earthy mud aftertaste. Impressive finish really, so earthy, almost dirt but in a pleasant way. Very long lasting. Overall this dram deserves a solid 89 over 100, i dont think it is an everyday dram but it is surely going to surprise you. I had it for a second time, found a lot of prunes and sherriness.

I love when whiskies surprise me. This one is one pleasant surprise. Very gentle and elegant, maybe designed for starters. On the nose is beautiful with a soft peat, very similar to Johnnie Walker Red label and old Ballantruan, but mixed with vanilla cream, honey and caramel. On the palate, it is a very soft, medium bodied drink, that starts neutral, with no flavor at all to develop into a honeyed, woody, oaky flavor. Finish is long and refreshing, with spices and a mild hotness which is very pleasant. Very recommended, i am looking forward for more of Jura and its variants

Ok, it is confirmed, Jura IS THE BRAND. This is my second Jura after Superstition, and it is fantastic. On the nose it offers a lot of classic aromas, but i havent perceived this combination on any whisky before. You will find Plum and prunes at first, then Lemon and orange, some serious citrus notes there. After the first taste your nose will open to perceive Nuts, Vanilla from tree (like smelling the tree itself) and Cocoa (i know it should be coffee since the official nosing says it, but for me, that is cocoa). On the palate what dominates is an Amazing spicy flavor. Starts fruity and nutty, very pleasant. Body is kind of rare, not thick but not light either. Very Woody. Caramel is also present. Finish is long an full of almonds and hard mint (like the ones you get from a restaurant to fix your breath after a meal).  Beautiful beautiful whisky. My second Jura, second success with this brand. As soon as i get to a foreign liquor store, im grabbing more of these beauties.

Ok this is new... a travel exclusive release, triple cask matured, NAS expression called Black Label. If i have to say something about JW is that they just love to trick their costumers. They have black label 12yo, Jane Walker (same black label), doble black, black label triple cask. Can you get a little original? Well, at least the whisky was fine. A blended scotch, cheap, but delivers. Bottled at 40%abv, colored. Spoiler: this is a vanilla yogurt. On the nose, super sweet. Vanilla, lots of it, pure sweet vanilla. Plums. Floral. Cheap perfume. Vanilla cream with a little citrus note coming up. On the palate: guess what? Vanilla. Vanilla cookies. Cookie dough. Super sweet and straightforward. Aftertaste has a ginger spiciness going on, its decent. Overall, this is the easiest drinkable dram ever, very very straightforward and sweet but you can give it to anyone and they will probably like it. Nothing to die for, it screams "american white oak" everywhere so that's that. 80/100.