Tastes
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I had heard this whisky was very good and extremely peaty. 50% of that statement was true... since it is not THAT peaty. So, you have figured out already that i loved it; and that is good because i have the overall impression that Compass Box is more marketing than Whisky. Bottled at 48.9%abv, this has a gold color. On the nose, the first sniff is smoke with pepper. Citrus, slight vanilla and a very clean grapefruit note. A little dim on the nose at first, mostly citric flavors. After the First sip, The nose becomes incredible, with the most beautiful Chocolate note ever. On the palate, it rocks. Incredible milk chocolate, milk powder, grapefruit, everything happening surrounded by a peppery wall. Vanilla. Very sweet and spicy. Amazing. Aftertaste is more sulphuric, with peat smoke but very pleasant, more pepper and some citric flavors. Overall this is one bottle i would definitively buy repeatedly. Nice dram, interesting, lots of flavors, spiciness, sweetness and peatiness all in one, inna very balanced way. 90 over 100. Thumbs up.
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Glen Garioch Hand Filled, 33 years Old, 1985 Vintage
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed April 26, 2020 (edited May 3, 2020)When the Barman of the Hotel in Speyside opened the special cabinet and took out what he said was a rarity, i knew that something very special was about to happen. This is a Glen Garioch 1985, 33 year old bottled in 2018, matured in a sherry butt, where only 199 bottles where made from each cask. Its color is Pitch dark. It is like Coca Cola. Bottled at 43.1%abv. BLACK COLOR. On the nose, dried fruit. Chocolate. Citric notes; prunes. Its like a box of raisins. On the palate, it is perfect. Bitter Dark Chocolate; milk powder. Very dry. Raisins. It is so good. Aftertaste is also amazing and out of this world. Very old dried fruit, feels like they are about to expire. Ultra sweet raisin flavor. Overall this is a delicious very dark dram. There is this feeling of a chocolate madness everywhere. If it weren't for some points deducted on the nose, this would have a perfect score. Still it is an outstanding dram. 95 over 100. -
Carsebridge 52 years old, Batch I, That Boutique-y Whisky Company
Single Grain — Scotland
Reviewed April 26, 2020 (edited May 3, 2020)Lets start by telling everyone that i normally despise grain whisky. And when i say i despise grain whisky, i find rye whisky the most awful of them all. Lets get the things even more interesting: i bought this 52yo sample with another sample, an invergordon 41yo which was horrible. After explaining all this, i got to say that i am very happy to have bought this sample, to have tasted my oldest whisky up to this date and that i really enjoyed it. On the nose it is absolutely beautiful. It really surprised me. Super sweet, Creamy, Rye, custard cream, Caramel and vanilla; Herbal vanilla plant, Acetone dim note, Banana, Bronzer. Sweet very sweet Lemon pie. The palate is not as good, but still a fairly decent dram. Hot not unpleasant. Cream, Dark chocolate dim note. Rye all over the place, a typical rye whisky. Rye clove spice turns bitter; and After a couple minutes gets sweeter. Finish is medium but actually was in my mouth after a long while that i took a glass of water. I feel that i have enjoyed the best single grain whisky so far, 83 over 100. -
This week I was lucky enough to try a very special whisky, only for sale in the worldwide Duty Free stores, the Ballantine's 23, matured in American White Oak. Ballantine's, famous for using whiskies from each of Scotland's regions in their blends, has made a great expression here. On the nose: Oranges and that Ballantine vanilla, fondant typical aroma. Cake, Minerals like salt. Herbal like a fresh field. Slight peat, Toffee and Grapefruit. Pretty nice on the nose. On the palate, only 3 flavors, a little straightforward. Chocolate, vanilla and pepper. Aftertaste is a great reward for this whisky. It is literally a vanilla ice cream, with dulce de leche. Lemons and currants. Overall, This blend is especially soft, easy to drink, and although the fruity and sweet is its most notorious profile, it does not cease to have a certain mineral sensation that the small portion of peat has given it. 84 over 100.
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Very Very Old Fitzgerald, 12 years old
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed April 26, 2020 (edited May 6, 2020)Every now and then i get invited to taste a super old, super expensive whiskey. This time my friend, who already invited me to taste a "Very Old Fitzgerald", now scored a "VERY VERY OLD FITZGERALD" a 12yo bourbon, 100 proof (50%abv). I am not as studied in bourbon as i am in scotch, but i will always love a good dram, specially if it is vintage, rare and wonderful. On the nose, it is incredible. Feels old in the aroma: smells like an Old library, Cherries, Prunes, Soap. Brownies and figs. Very refined. Glue. On the palate, it is also amazing. A strong prune note. It is like prune POWDER, don't ask me how that works. Feels old. Green mangos, reminds me of my time as a highschool student; the school bus stopped at certain semaphores where people sold this green mangos. Aftertaste is a whole different thing. Still a great one. Spent matches, Wonderful spices, Wasabi and/or Chilli. Tastes like Dust. Cardboard. Yes, all that is true. Overall this is a super interesting dram. It just doesn't feel as anything i have ever tasted before. I wouldn't stay a whole night drinking it, but to taste it once seems interesting enough. Because of how good it is, but so different on the nose, palate and aftertaste, i will deduct 2 points on balance. So 98/100. Cheers! -
Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask, Port Ellen 1982, 26 years old
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed April 26, 2020 (edited May 6, 2020)I am so proud about this review. The reason why, is that i have been reviewing whiskies for four years and one that i always wanted to try, was a Port Ellen. I know this is one from an independent bottler, but it has a lot of magic on it. For me it was very important to actually had one before the re-opening that is set to occur sometime in the near future, just to taste a dram from a distillery that closed its doors back in 1983, the year i was born. From that moment on, whiskies became a collectors item and prices went crazy. I was in this amazing bar in Aberdeen, called the grill, and i saw it. A 26yo, 50%abv islay malt, old malt cask's Port Ellen. So... how was it? ..... It was fantastic. On the nose: a super interesting note of "Box of Cigarretes". lemon Zest, Oranges, Dry grass. Citric, peaty, simple but great. A Lemon note that feels super fancy comes up after first sip. Prunes and LEMON PIE. On the palate it was a superb dram: Super smooth; Fancy peat with Mild pepper. Vanilla, lemon, pepper and Chocolate. Perfect score here. Afteraste is the most "normal" part of this experience, but still a good one. Ginger/peppery spice and hints of peat. Chocolate milk aftertaste. Overall, this lived up to my expectations, you know that i try to be as objective as i can in my reviews, and this was great and my pre-feelings had nothing to with my score for it which is a solid 96 over 100. Mission accomplished, i had a Port Ellen. Sláinte Mhath!! -
Strathisla 13yo The Distillery Reserve Collection, Single Cask
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed April 26, 2020 (edited May 18, 2020)Another expression from this beautiful "The Distillery Reserve Collection", this time the heart and soul in every Chivas Regal, the Strathisla Single Malt. A 13yo whisky, cask strenght, single cask, a real rarity and a nice treat. Bottle 58.3%abv very Reddish color. On the nose: Pedro Ximenez sherry. I Don't if any PX was used but it definitively has its aroma. Berries. Marmalade. Sherriness. On the palate it is SUPER SMOOTH. A real Sherry bomb. Chocolate. Figs. Marmalade and Dark chocolate. Incredible. Aftertaste is perfect. A raisin, plum, blackberry jam madness. Overall this is such an amazing dram. 5 stars without a doubt. Very enjoyable, no alcohol at all at this high strength, my score is 97 over 100. -
Talisker 1996 Distillers Edition (Bottled 2008)
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed April 26, 2020 (edited May 18, 2020)Oh! Look! Its another 5 stars Talisker!! This time is the distiller's edition 1996, bottled in 2008, with its traditional strength of 45.8%abv, a jewel on its own. The color of this dram... unreal deep copper. On the nose: LET THIS BREATH FOR FULL ACTION: Sweet sherry madness, Pepper, Blacberry, Herbal, Medicinal. Nice aroma. Starts sweet, becomes peaty. Maraschino cherries syrup. Bacon. On the palate: Mild peat, Sherry, cinnamon spice. Ashes and Salt. Incredible smooth. Delicious. Aftertaste is super mouth numbing. Ginger atomic bomb. Salt and sherry sweetness. What an experience. Overall this dram is a 96 over 100, talisker does it again. -
Talisker 2005 Distillers Edition (Bottled 2015)
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed April 26, 2020 (edited June 22, 2022)As soon as you read "talisker" in the title of this review, you knew the score. Man, this was absolutely amazing. Its like "Talisker 10 meets Glendronach 18". I haven't even heard of amoroso wood cask before, it seems to be a type of fortified wine / sherry. Amoroso in spanish, my native tongue, means "a person who loves". I am very "amoroso" with this dram. Bottled at talisker's classic 45.8%abv, tawny color. On the nose, it is heaven. Wonderful peat, Sherry, figs, Marmalade blackberry, Mostly earthy; Not as peaty as other talisker, Salty And Plums. On the palate is... well, perfect. Glazed pork mixed with a Pepper bomb; Butterscoth, Citric, Gunpowder, Bonfire. Such a strange but wonderful combo. Aftertaste is eternal. Super smoky, Salty, Citric and Burnt meat. There are no easy parts here, this is a fight against an ufc fighter, no rest here, from the first second it just explodes in your palate. My score for it? 99 over 100. Amazing. Slainte. Go buy it now. -
Talisker 1999 Distillers Edition (Bottled 2010)
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed April 26, 2020 (edited May 5, 2020)Hi, my name is José and i am a talisker fan. I was dictating a whisky course and the house host asked me to review one of his whiskies. Excitement was felt right away. He grabbed his 1999 D.E. of Talisker and i knew i was going to have a nice time. This is actually a very different Talisker, specially on the nose. It is finished in Amoroso casks. As always, 45.8% abv, tawny color. On the nose, bacon, bonfire, vanilla, salt, cherries, coastal, maritime aroma notes. It is very sweet but also salty and also peaty. Great. On the palate is beautiful: cake, toffee, pepper, MINT LIQUOR (lovely), peat. Amazing. Finish is very long, herbal and salty, very peaty. Earthy peat. Heather peat. Overall this is a spectacular dram, didn't make it to a perfect score but it was close: 96/100. Slainte!
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