Tastes

The second "secret speyside collection" whisky that i had at Amsterdam airport was this 18yo Longmorn. Quite the surprise, since i did not expect anything, and this one was very good. On the nose: toffee, cinnamon, red apples, fruitcake. Sweet & spicy. The same exact notes can be found at the palate. Cinnamon, fruitcake, chocolate and apples. Aftertaste was a little more bitter, Tobacco, fruitcake, cigar. Very enjoyable. Overall, a superb release, i truly found it delicious and not expensive at all. My score for it is a solid 92 iver 100.

In a bar at Port Charlotte, Islay, i found this Bunnahabhain 11yo Discovery, bottled by Gordon & Macphail. On the nose, it is perfect. Coffee, red Fruits, thick honey, chocolate, hazelnut. Orange chocolate; Buttery chocolate. Butterfinger and raisinets. On the palate, it is very good. Almonds, nutmeg, chocolates, cinnamon. After a first sip i got milk chocolate. Very lactic. Aftertaste is about three very well crafted notes: Almonds, winey, Cabernet Sauvignon. Overall, this was a complete surprise. It was absolutely delicious. Full of flavor, mantaining the Bunnahabhain chocolate spirit. My score for it 94 over 100.

My first whisky from my Scotland Tour 2024 was this 21yo Glen Keith, bottled at 43%abv. I bought a sample from that special shop in Amsterdam's Airport where you can buy some great drams. (I don't remember the name) (it is the fancy one with the super expensive Bowmores and Dalmores). On the nose, a little too speysider for me. Honey, apples. Green apples and peaches. Not many things here. The palate was fantastic. Grassy, tobacco, cigarrette. Apples, pepper. After the second sip, it gave me a super creamy vanilla. Super creamy really, like a vanilla ice cream. Shortbread. Aftertaste is all about spices. Pepper and Tobacco. Overall, i got a nice experience from this one, specially on tbe palate which is very well crafted. My score for it is 88 over a 100.

Oh wow, this is the heart of a rye whiskey. A truly beautiful expression from Jack Daniel's is this Single Barrel Rye, Barrel Proof, bottled at 100% proof. Nose: Red fruits, honey..Thickness on the nose. Rye cereal. Palate: beautiful rye, red fruits. Prunes Super sour like a "plop!" Lollipop. Aftertaste has an enormous bite. Beautiful finish. A pepper bomb. Sulphur and Chilli. Overall, a superb expression, it might be the best Jack Daniel's i have had to this date. This is a solid 96 over a 100 in my books.

Another beautiful dram i had at Jack Daniel's Distillery, was this Single Barrel Rye. On the nose, red fruits and maple syrup. Dim strawberry jam. On the palate i find it very light and sweet. Strawberry. Aftertaste is all about red fruits, ginger and rye spice. Overall, a solid, very balanced dram, that i can describe as the standard of what to expect from a Rye whiskey. My score for it is a honest 88 over a 100.

On my tour to Jack Daniel's Distillery, i had the chance to taste a bomb! A 128.4% proof Single Barrel Select, Barrel Proof. On the nose, i get toffee tastetemptions. Toffee and super honey mix with caramel. Butterscotch. On the palate, i get lemon, very citric with tangerine peel. Aftertaste is about ginger, nice bite. Honey; sugary strong. So sweet it becomes cloying. Overall, this is a superb expression of Jack Daniel's. I really believe the sweetness from the barrel and the charcoal mellowing has been retrieved successfully and it has been transfered into the whiskey. A wonderful dram. 90 over 100.

Did you know that there was a time where an Irish Whiskey was vatted with a Scotch? It was this "Celtic Nations" blended malt. It was made from a Bruichladdich Single malt, and a Cooley (Connemara) Irish whiskey. Bottled at 46%abv. It has the most maritime nose ever. Its like the grain from a jameson mixed with a talisker. (But it is a Bruichladdich mixed with Connemara). Lime. Almonds. On the palate, i get almonds, grain whisky, lime and orange acidity. Aftertaste is all about salt, sugar and pepper as well. Short & mild spices. Some vanilla Overall, an interesting whisk(e)y, a little straightforward and not too complex. I think the experiment worked, but this is not a memorable dram. Well balanced and fairly enjoyable, nothing else. My score for it is 84 over a 100.

Nothing better than a free whisky. Specially when it is a distillery exclusive single cask strength from the Glenlivet. This one is a 58%abv, 12 year old single cask from a 1st Filled Butt, drawn from the barrel # 238202. On the nose, a chocolate tablet. Hazelnut, purple blackberries. Purple dried fruits. Incredible red fruits as well. On the palate, red & pruple fruits with chocolate. Aftertaste is all about chocolate and ginger. Some slight saltiness. Overall, a super balanced, fruity and chocolaty dram, that scores a solid 92 over a 100 in my books.

My brother got his hands on a wonderful duty paid sample of a Springbank single cask, drawn from a fresh Pinot Noir Cask, bottled at 61.1%abv, matured for 9 years. This beauty comes from a single cask, bottled entirely on one single day, and they can only be found at Campbeltown's Cadenhead's shop, from a special cabinet called "the cage". Pretty hard to find stuff. On the nose, in-cre-di-ble. Figs, raisins, cocoa powder. Cola cao chocolate. So grapy, so winey. Some red fruitness. After a second sip, the aroma changed into a crunch chocolate stored on a refrigerator. Prunes with chocolate, Pineapple. On the palate this is a monster. Hiper delicious. Pineapple, enormous chocolate notes. Crazy milk chocolate. Aftertaste is powerful & tasty. Tabasco sauce. Grapy finish. Tobacco. Ultra spicy & delicious. Brutal chilli note. Salted chocolate. So salty. Overall, this is a superb dram, very complex, full of flavor and spectacularly crafted. Absolutely gorgeous in every way, aroma is magnificent, palate is incredible and aftertaste is out of this world. A perfect whisky. 100 over a 100.

This expression of Bowmore is one that i have been trying to find for a long time. I actually found it in this year's Feis Ile, at the distillery, in the "old & rare" bar. On the nose, an amazing aroma of coconut with oloroso sherry and butter. Buttery sensational. Coconut cream, roasted coffee and macerated fruits. Maraschino cherries and very winey. On the palate: Wow this is a sea wave!. Coconut and sea. Coconut milk. So lactic, this is how a whisky should be. Aftertaste is smokey, salty. A truly explosion of flavors. Overall, i gave this one 23 points on the nose, palate and aftertaste, but i had to gave it the perfect 25 score on the balance since this is the most balanced, delicious, rich Bowmore i have had in a long time. My score for it is a very honest 94 over 100.