Tastes

The third magical and mythical release from Bowmore's Frank Quietly Collection was this wonderfully looking "Lovers Transformed". A 23yo single malt that tells us once again one of Bowmore's most renowned legends, the one of the Gulls. The myth goes a little like this: There was this celtic warrior, who in the middle of the war against the Pictins was injured but at the same time fell in love with the Pictins Princess, who happened to treat the injuries to the wounded celtic warrior. This was a forbidden love, and they knew they had to escape from the whole war and country, but it was impossible due to the difficult waves of the seas and the great wound the warrior had. Their ship sank and they kissed till they got to the bottom of the ocean. Legend says that they transformed into a pair of gulls, who to this date, still fly near the distillery. Lovely story, lets talk about the whisky. Bottled at 50.9%abv, it has been matured initially in ex Bourbon casks, then the spirit "transformed" because it was finished in oloroso and Px Casks. On the nose, it starts with floral, grapes and heathery notes. Classic aromatic Bowmore peat and wet grass. The palate was lovely floral and sweet: sugary figs & plum syrup. So flowery. Aftertaste is grassy, like wet, rainy fields. Mountainside. So different from any other Bowmore out there. It is a tremendous rose garden. Overall, this is one different, gentle, elegant and very tasty Bowmore. The maturation has influenced here to make it deliciously complex and "kind". I think they nailed what they intended with this one. My score for this great dram is 92 over 100.

I do not know why i am drinking this, nor where i got it. But whisky is whisky and i am in an adventure to try them all. This is a 40%abv dram, called Geierwasser, a german whisky made in a bakery shop. On the nose, it smells like bread. Diet salt crackers. Yeast. On the palate i get bread and dim green grapes. Aftertaste follows the same rythm, green grapes and yeast. Overall, this is one more whisky in my list. That is all, lol. I drank it, just for you to know that this exists and it is not worthy. My score for it is 64 over 100.

I can't believe i have never had the popular and not-so-expensive Glenrothes 18yo, a bottle that somehow has been avoiding me. On the nose, i get crushed almonds, hazelnut. I can describe it as an almond bubblegum. Cherries maraschino. Bubble gum. The palate was a little dissapointing. Paper, almonds and strawberry jam. Aftertaste follow the same (kinda boring) rythm. Almonds, hazelnut, grass. Overall, this wasn"t what i was expecting at all. I was truly dissapointed by it, too simple, boring and forgettable. It lacks emotion and tasting and aroma notes. My score for it is a 77 over 100

A wonderful dram that i had on my visit to Uncle Nearest distillery, was this amazing single barrel expression. Nose: grain whiskey, vanilla, honeycomb, milka chocolate. Palate: milka chocolate; salty, grainy. Aftertaste: tobacco, dry, sugar, vanilla smores, sulphur. Overall, this magnificent Tennessee whiskey is one of the finest drams i had on my whiskey trip to Kentucky and Tennesse. Solid, enjoyable, sweet, salty and bitter. My score for it is 92 over 100.

1488 whisky reviews later, i finally tried one expression from the oldest distillery to this day that is still working. Glenturret 7yo is a peated limited released (i was told). On the nose, i get lemon & peat. Lemon pie; meringue and sawdust. On the palate, it follows the same rythm. Lemon, cigarrette smoke. Gunpowder, ashes. On the second sip it becomes a little watery. Vanilla. Aftertaste is all about cigarrettes, ashes, lemon and vanilla meringue. Overall, a super balanced, straightforward but enjoyable whisky. Nothing too complex here, good enough to achieve an 84 over a 100 in my books.

My first Moon Import, the renowned and legendary Italian Independent Bottler, was this "Lawless" Expression, made out from 99% Laphroaig and 1% a Highland Malt. This is one was the bottle 140 of only 384 ever made. The nose was wonderful. Wet land, rubber, socks, chocolate, gooseberries, wet ashes. Mint, it also gave me this aroma of a sauna. Moss, kelp. On the palate it was delicious, perfect score. Gooseberries, vanilla, lime and a bomb of salt. Very oily Aftertaste gave me some crazy merthiolate notes, dentist room, aniseed and leather. Overall, this one was amazing, full peaty experience. I don't know why Moon import used 1% of a highland malt for this one, but it doesn't matter. My score for it is 95 over 100.

There are 3 certain things in life: Death, Taxes and José Massú buying any crazy Talisker that exist. This is the case of Talisker Distiller's Art Unique Star bottled for LMDW; a 48%abv bottling, one of only 355 bottles ever made. On the nose: sawdust, old library, iodine, vanilla, puffs of smoke, rain, petrichor, beach stones with mold, yeast. After a first sip, the aroma changed into cotton, almonds, detergent and chilli. On the palate: vanilla, chilli, Bbq sauce and hand sanitizer. On the second sip i got vanilla ice cream, metallic notes, brie cheese, salt & smoke. Aftertaste was magnificent. Wasabi, Tabasco, salt and a chilli bomb. Overall, you can never go wrong with a Talisker and this one followed that rule. Another stunning expression, my score for it is 93 over 100.

Gordon & MacPhail's Macallan Speymalt 2005 is an independent release of the prestigious juice from the Macallan distillery. Since i am not the fondest fan of Macallan, i am quite intrigued in an independent bottling of it. On the nose: Banana and "Maduro" which is a sweet old fried green banana from Ecuador. Gummy bears, plantain, banana bread. After a first sip, the aroma became humid, like a library, old books. There is also notes of oranges, dark cake and raisinets. On the palate, i get the banana bread, fancy vanilla, toffee. Thick orange note here as well. Delicious. Aftertaste was fairly spicy, hay, chilli, butterscotch, dark chocolate and tobacco. Overall, this one was a home run. Truly a nice experience, this is what Macallan should be. My score for this is 96 over 100. Super interesting, complex dram.

I saw a new whisky for my records standing at my older brother's home bar and of course i opened it. It was this Bowmore Vault Edition Second Release, bottled at 50.1%abv. On the nose i get the typical Bowmore's honeyful peat, thick caramel and some tangerine citrusness. The palate waa all about Pepper, salt, spices like cardamom. Honey. Aftetaste was very smoky. Rich puffs of smoke and very salty. After some sips it followed the rythm or the honey, milk & salt. Overall, this was a very balanced and enjoyable Bowmore expression, maybe too easy drinkable for a 50.1%abv dram which makes it wonderfully dangerous. My score for it is 88 over 100.

Part of the Travel retail exclusive Harmony collection, the fifth release of Macallan's new saga is this "Amber Meadow"; a whisky that leaves behind the coffee and chocolate profile of its predecessors from the same collection. Bottled at 44.2%abv, it has described itself as "an inspiration from natural Scottish grasslands to create a single malt Scotch whisky that would be reminiscent of warm meadows and mature barley fields". On the nose, a fresh grassland, hay, grass, very herbal. Tobacco, lemongrass and lemon verbena. Very citric. After a first sip, aroma changes into a super fruity profile with oranges and chocolate. Orange caramel. On the palate it is a Vanilla and toffee ice cream. Pepper, salt and sulphur. Aftertaste is nicely crafted with a beautiful spiciness. Chilli, wasabi and metallic notes. Overall, this is the best expression from this collection by far. The aroma and tasting notes were very clean and enjoyable. Truly a wonderful dram, which is not something that i say about Macallan often. My score for it is 92 over 100.