Tastes

This is a new Tennessee Whiskey. And i know what most of you are thinking: there is only one Tennessee Whiskey in the world, Jack Daniel's. Well, actually there are 11 Tennessee Whiskey brands, only a handful are really "famous". For legal and didactic purposes, a Tennessee Whiskey is essentially a bourbon that is subject to an extra step in the making, a process called "The Lincoln County Process", which is charcoal mellowing the whiskey. Ok, so here is the now very famous story of Uncle Nearest. For more than 150 years, history told us that a Boy called Jasper Newton Daniels (Jack Daniels) learned how to make whiskey from a preacher called Dan Call, and that boy founded Jack Daniel's distillery at the age of 16. Well, in june 2016, New York Times released an article that basically said that Jack Daniels really learned how to make whisky from an African American Slave called Nathaniel Green; often called "Nearis" (a spelling mistake for "Nearest"), and supposedly, Jack would have owned him as a Slave. This theory was born because of a picture where Jack is shown sitting beside an African American which is Nathaniel's son. One year later on 2017, the whole story was completed, and it has been proven that Nearest Green was not a Slave for JD, since slavery was abolished two years before young Jasper started the distillery. At the same time, The JD distillery acknowledged the story and recognized Nathaniel "Nearest" Green as the first "head Distiller" (nowadays Master Distiller) of Jack Daniels, and he actually teached young Jasper how to make whiskey, under the order of Dan Call, the preacher. Ok, lets talk about the spirit itself. It is actually pretty good. Bottled at 50%abv (100 Proof), tawny color. NOSE: As soon as you uncork the bottle, you blindly say "oh, its a Jack Daniel's"! On the Glencairn, started as your typical american whiskey: Banana, Caramel, Vanilla, maple syrup, prunes; so... your standard Jack Daniel's. But then, letting it breath, it released a lot more. Glue, cherries, tobacco, coffee, RUM AND RAISINS ICE CREAM (WOW). After the first sip it gave me dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream. Cinnamon, lemon leaf and toasted bread. Very complex, very well crafted. The high abv does its job here. On the palate, it is good: burnt caramel for 3 seconds then a spice pepper bomb explodes; red fruits and gum. Prunes and Vanilla on the second sip. Aftertaste is very particular. A Scorching pepper bomb, vanilla and oak. Second sip gave me a very bitter finish, bitter green prunes. Overall, this is a very good whiskey. It won a lot of prizes, and you can think it is because of its political story, but it is not. This is actually a powerful dram with a strong character. I really liked it, my score for it is 90 over 100. Cheers!

Do you realize how confident you have to be if you are a renowned distillery to actually release a 5yo whisky and use that age statement AS YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY? Well, i bet Ardbeg is feeling pretty confident since they didn't just released it, they sold everything; and the most important part, they made a very, very good whisky. "Wee Beastie", is Ardbeg's new expression, that represents a scottish phrase used to describe any type of beast (it might actually be a mosquito, lol). They sell it as "the monster dram", invoking the concept of how peaty drams are way more powerful when they are young; that is why most Islay drams tend to use a 10yo age statement which has been proven a good age for smokey flavors and aromas. Bottled at 47.4%abv, pale straw color. On the nose it is amazing. Starts with a very perfumed coffee note, with lemon and tar. Feels very maritime, creosote notes are very distinguishable. Chocolate. Floor disinfectant (so crazy), vanilla, smoked ham. Dulce de leche is somewhere there, under a pretty powerful peat layer. After the first sip it became so much sweeter, that it resembles a Smokey Vanilla milk shake (if such thing exists). On the palate is very nice, it actually starts being very sweet, with a very clean vanilla note, but after two seconds, it explodes into this pepper bomb. It feels young but not unpleasant, very herbal like tea. Slight notes of leather. Aftertaste is very sulphuric but really enjoyable. Smoke, salt, coal, burnt popcorn, more salt, sea water. There is also this PENCIL aftertaste note (that is right! it tastes like chewing those old wooden pencils). Very salty, very maritime, very peaty. Nice stuff. Overall this is a well balanced, fully flavored whisky. It is rewarding, it is fun, it is interesting, and it is young and cheap. Ardbeg nailed this one, it is not an untamed beast, but it is surely a powerful dram. Loved it, 92 over 100 is my score for it. Sláinte!

I believe this is my third or fourth time tasting a different Oban expression, and i still can decide if i like their offerings or not. This is actually not a whisky that i will remember, i really did not like it much and i believe Little Bay was good and maybe the standard 14yo was also decent, but definitively this distillery is not on my top of mind. This Destiller's edition is also a 14yo (2004 -2018) expression, double matured, first in ex bourbon casks, then in Montilla Fino casks. Bottled at 43%abv, Tawny color. On the nose is nice, with dehydrated oranges (turkish delight), pecans, an artificial sugary orange, lots of salt. A little floral, perfumed. Flan caramel, lemon appears after a while. After a couple of minutes, some thick, nice orange marmalade appears. Very similar on the nose to some other amontillado sherry expressions, like Glenmorangie Tayne. Maybe some coffee somewhere. On the palate, it starts falling apart. Orange, ginger, salt. Some fresh notes, orange peel. That's it. Aftertaste, new wood, sawdust; ginger. Very mineral, mostly salty and "rocky". Overall, for a Distiller's edition, this is too simple, difficult to enjoy due to disonant flavors, not the best dram. If you have a double matured dram, you expect to add flavors to a base, not mix them strangely. My score for it is 74 over 100. Sad.

A light easy drinkable whisky, was my not too much impressive, Strathmill 12yo Flora and Fauna. My first dram from this distillery and it was a fair treat. Bottled at 43%abv, pale straw color. On the nose, it smells actually grainy. There are yellow apples, cooked. Like mashed. Some citrus notes, Creamy chocolate fudge. Its a little harsh and "alcoholy" on the nose. Lots of fruits, specially apples. It doesn't get easier on the nose after taking a first sip, but a remarkably clean honey note appears. Still a lot of alcohol on the nose after taking a second sip. Dulce de leche appeared. It is not that bad, it is a little harsh. After a while the burnt grass that i will later found in theaftertaste is also on the nose. I let it breath for 10 mins. The alcohol went away, but the apples stayed. On the palate is quite good. Nice creamy vanilla with apples somewhere there. Pepper and cinnamon. Second sip is dulce de leche, with apples which is actually a nice combo. It is not bad at all in the palate. It is so sweet and nice the first seconds of the palate then it shows a little roughness but not unpleasant. Remember i told you that the harshness of the nose left after 10 mins? Well it went to the palate. Nothing on the fourth sip, just alcohol and no aftertaste. Aftertaste is not the best. Burnt grass and hints of peat. Apple liquor. Old apples. Overall this is a normal whisky, which i believe originally went for $50,00 and that would be a fair price for it. It is not bad, not great either. 73 over 100.

Arran has become my "go-to" brand if i want something fruity, since its offerings are often very well crafted and tropical. This brand is no speysider, but also not your typical islander whisky. Côte-Rôtie cask finish is one unpronounceable expression which refers to a specific french zone where a special type of syrah wines are made. It means a "roasted slope". Bottled at a nice 50%abv, which Arran uses constantly. The color is quite impressive, it is actually PEACH. On the nose it is very interesting with some tropical aromas i have never experienced in whisky before. Starts with white chocolate, then it releases an outstanding cantaloupe and papaya. Amazingly fresh and fruity; Actual Peaches, Some salt and spice, maybe a slight maritime character. Cheap strawberry hard candy. Very Tropical, White wine style. After the first sip: flowers and papaya juice. White chocolate. On the palate it is very enjoyable. A cantaloupe note, so nice. Then a Pepper bomb but very pleasant, mixed with the tropical fruitiniess. Second sip gave me milk chocolate, a white kit kat bar. Aftertaste is great: Slight smoke and a pepper pleasant burn; Very nice. Interesting and different dram, it feels fancy, classy. Nice spiciness, long lasting, very rewarding with some grassy notes. Overall this is a very good dram, very balanced and for the price (around $50) is unbeatable. This is a limited edition and i will recommend you to buy it. 89 points over a 100, and it surely feels like an unfair score for it, should be higher.

Highland Park is one of my favorite distilleries, and it belongs to the Edrington group, just as Macallan; this important since it seems they have followed the same marketing and business plan: to release a lot of new expressions, most of them NAS, very well packaged and highly collectible. The real challenge here is actually making good whiskies, but in this case, they accomplished just that. Highland Park Voyage of the Raven tells the story of two ravens, called Huginn y Muninn, who were they eyes and ears of the viking god Odin. It is also about how vikings used ravens when navigating, to find new lands and return home, by just following them. Not only the story is beautiful, the bottle itself is quite nice. Bottled at 41.3%abv, a very dark, tawny color. ON THE NOSE: it is just marvelous. Figs / raisins/ blackberry marmalde WITH A earthy peat in the back, very perfumed. Some red fruit syrup, smells thick. After 2 minutes earthy peat changes into a glue aroma. Then it becomes winey, a chocolate bathed raisins note appear. Raisin note is very accurate; Very,very pleasant. Wow some clean lemon note just appeared out of nowhere after 5 mins.Bitter Coffee beans. This notes are coming one after another, not at the same time, so complex. The notes are very clean: Now it is dusty, like Peat became stronger. Hay. Lemon. After first sip, a sugary arrificial orange aroma note appeared, like cough syrup. Pecans, wow amazingly clean. First time i got this in a whisky. The orange Is getting more natural, than sugary. After a second sip, a melted milk chocolate aroma has been thrown here. It is amazing. Oranges. ON THE PALATE: Starts very dry and woody. Changes into a winey, spicy dram, lots of black pepper, not unpleasant although a little powerful. After 5 seconds in the palate it turns grassy / peaty. Second sip is clearer, it is a little watery, there is a punching peat flavor with pepper, but pleasant. Orange flavor is there but very dim. It is a pleasant dram on the palate but not nearly as complex as it was in the nose. Third sip gave me creamy vanilla notes. AFTERTASTE: is pretty nice. Plain new wood, very dry. Leaves a pleasant yet scorching spiciness on the lips. No fruitiness found after the first sip. Second sip gave me a little, but very pleasant puff of smoke, very dry, but VERY PLEASANT, i loved it. Nice, long lasting. I love the simple, peaty, burnt new wood aftertaste, it is rewarding even if it is not very complex. Overall, this is a wonderful, and not expensive dram. The peat and the sherriness worked very well here and specially on the nose. My score for it is a solid 93 over 100, for a $56 dram, its absolutely a must-have. Skal!

My second Tamdhu ever reaffirmed my impression of this distillery: its good... it is really good. Fully matured in spanish oloroso sherry casks, this 15yo is a limited edition (it says limited reserve) and it can be a great rival for Glendronach 15, which is a lot to say. Bottled at 46%abv, tawny color. On the nose it is beautiful. An incredibly clean and accurate Creme brulee note, Toffee, Cofee. Every note feels toasted, so amazing. Fancy caramel; dates and slight cinnamon. Second sip reveals dulce de leche and more toffee. Orange marmalade. Lovely. On the palate it is very enjoyable. Milk powder, orange, brown sugar; hard dulce de leche, very Sugary. Apricots. Toffee. Sweet and great. Aftertaste is also fantastic and gives you a whole new layer of flavors. Oak spice, leather and dulce de leche ice cream. Overall, as soon as you taste this you inmediately know how solid this whisky is. A fancy yet complex and sweet dram, very well crafted. My score for it is 93 over 100, and i definitively recommend it. Good job Tamdhu.

Let me be sincere about this dram, it wasn't what i expected. I held an all sherried whiskies tasting event and this one was by far the worst dram of the night, without being a bad whisky at all. Starward is an Australian Distillery, located in Melbourne, which is famous for maturing their whiskies in barrels that previously held different types of wines. This Solera expression is supposed to be matured in a Fortified wine cask using a Solera system; (its sherry, but it cannot actually be called "sherry" because it does not come from the Jerez Triangle zone in Spain). Bottled at 43%abv, tawny color. On the nose: Banana bread, Brown sugar, ripe bananas, honeycomb, fresh apples, Almonds; Cereal cornflakes, honey candy and Cinnamon. Feels so "Speysider". After first sip, it releases an artificial orange aroma. Letting it breath makes it better, very fruity. After having a second sip, the aroma is exactly coffee with milk. Decent aroma. On the palate, it is not that good. Very standard. Sweet Cinnamon, pepper and oranges. Second sip reveals vanilla and milk chocolate. Coffee with milk once again. Aftertaste is nice but it lacks emotion. Orange peel; Oaky, Coffee beans, Pepper. Very Sugary. Overall this could be a lot better, i expected a lot more. Its more an everyday dram rather than a super rare amazing whisky that you reserve for special occasions. 82 over 100 is a fair score for it.

My first Bladnoch, was this 15yo Adela, which is a pretty interesting dram, fairly good for a lowland whisky and complex enough to get a high score. Beautiful bottle and the promise of the flavors and aromas from the oloroso sherry casks. Bottled at 46.7%abv, tawny color. On the nose, very appealing. Chocolate milk powder; Amaretto, Nutty; Hanuta, Coconut, Liquorice, caramelized apple and cherries. After the first sip it gets much more floral and earthy. It has this sown land aroma, or a floral field. On the palate, it is better than the nose. That is not so usual. Cherries, a nice fruity spiciness; astringent. Red fruits and a strong Chili spice. Old winey raisins. Second sip reveals more vanilla and chocolate. Aftertaste keeps the same profile of the palate, with Chocolate, red fruits, and chilli notes. Bitter Tobacco and Earthy peat. Long salty finish. Overall this is a solid dram. I wasn't sure of what to expect, but the complexity of the flavors and the different layers you can find in it makes it an interesting spirit. I would have only a drink or two, because it is not my kind of whisky, since the chilli note is way too potent (but not unpleasant) and it feels like drinking the whole bottle would take years. 89 over 100 is a fair score for it.

I am not a fan of grain whiskies, but i have had a few that were good enough. One of those, was the Bain's 15yo, which i was lucky to try when i never expected to. After that, i bought a sample of this one, the award winning one. (I believe it was 2018 or 2017 when it won best grain whisky of the world). So i bought it, and... it was not worthy. This dram, is a smooth, normal whisky. It can be defined as the most standard grain whisky you'll ever had. Bottled at 43%abv, golden color. On the nose, your typical grain whisky: Vanilla, Butter, Fresh maize fields; Citric, lemon and Lime. Aroma changes a little bit after first sip, revealing dulce de leche and fondant. On the palate, Vanilla and pepper. Creamy. Nothing else. Aftertaste is corn. Eating corn that is, actually you can feel the flavors from chewing fried corn with butter. Overall this is a simple, smooth, normal, boring grain whisky. Forgettable in every sense. 68 over 100 is my score for it.