Tastes

After almost two weeks of absence, i can rate another whisky. This is my second Canadian Whisky, and now that i have tasted two, i can tell there is a profile that identifies canadian drams: maple syrup. bottled at 40%abv, this "Premium extra" whisky is rather good, specially on the nose. Tawny color, very appealing. On the nose: Very sweet, with maple syrup, honey, vanilla, prunes and creme brulee notes. On the palate is sweet but also grassy, with pleasant oaky notes, oranges, with a sensation of toffee and tobacco at the same time, with a medium spicy finish. It is light bodied and after adding water the nose turns fully honeyed and the palate turns into lemon bitter notes and tobacco finish. Good average dram, very sweet.

It is a shame that after 300+ whiskies i have never tried before any Bushmills, maybe the most iconic irish whiskey (maybe Jameson is more iconic); but is more of a shame that it is so bad, because even if it is a blend (allegedly), it sure feels only as if it were a grain whisky. Bottled at 40% abv. Pale straw color. On the nose is not very enjoyable due to a strong initial alcohol note (well, it is a $22 bottle), who then develops some grain whiskey aromas: Wine white, Apple juice, Tobbaco, Dim milk chocolate note. On the palate it is almost a single grain. Nothing bad if you like this type of whiskies, just not my cup of tea. Main notes are Corn, dry grass and I can bet the mashbill also has rye because it has that rye spicyness. Very creamy as all grain whiskies are. Aftertaste is medium long with rye spicyness. Overall i give this classic dram a 63 over 100, not what i expected at all.

This Famous Bourbon is nothing special, but fairly drinkable. Bottled at 45%abv with an amber color. On the nose is your usual bourbon, vanilla, grapes, cola, cream, somo citric aroma like lemons, and cake notes. On the palate is Bitter and Hot mostly, with a strong oaky note not very pleasant, prunes and oranges and a short bitter finish a little harsh that burns your stomach. Overall it is a 76 over 100. Better than some bourbons. Cheers

I love my cask strength whiskies, and i am not a fond fan of rye based drams, even if lately i have had a couple of them. This straight Rye Whiskey, is famous and seems to be a little expensive for what it is. Bottled at 64.5%abv, this is one of the strongest whiskies i have ever had. Even if i am capable to handle high abv drams, this was hard. On the nose, it is just to strong and seems young due to the alcohol note. Soap, rice and Rice water are the main notes i got. This are typical notes on young american whiskies. On the palate and aftertaste is just very spicy. Rye whiskies have this sweet spiciness but this one was too raw and grainy. I dont usually use water on any cask strength so i figured out i shouldn't use it here too. If the whiskey was good, a little natural air will do. Overall this is not what i expected it to be. Way to spicy, not pleasant and really plain for a dram that should be full pf flavor due to its higher abv. 61 over 100.

Buchanan's is normally a nice blended whisky, and now they have come up with a new experiment, finishing their normal whisky in casks that previously had Tequila Don Julio. So, how did the tequila finish influence the whisky? That is what i am about to tell you, but first let me say that i am not a fan of tequila. I am one of those people who had a bad tequila experience when i was 20, and since then, i am unable even to smell it. Bottled at 40%abv. On the nose: aroma is interesting. Sweet at first, with lots of influence from Don Julio's Tequila. Vanilla, Milk chocolate; Slight agave/tequila. Sugar cane. Very sweet and inviting. Straightforward but easy aroma. After first sip a dim orange note appears. On the palate: Tequila. Salt. Very spicy. In a blind tasting event, you wouldn't guess it is a Buchanan's. It doesn't feel like whisky. It is more like a "puro" (raw liquor / moonshine). Aftertaste is not something to remember. Is short and salty. That's it. Overall this is my least favorite Buchanan's, i don't know if this review will be popular, but i want my whisky to feel as whisky and not tequila. For me, this is a failed experiment, eventhough the nose manage to score some points. 73 over 100.

Caramel on the nose and a little floral. Very sweet, mellowy and with good body, there is orange in there as well. Finnish is very short and sweet.

3.5 score but feels like a lot less. A 50%abv expression of an Islay malt, UNPEATED. Except for ardmore (a highland peated malt) i am not fond of those types of experiments, if i buy islay i expect peat. The bottle is arguably beautiful, some hate it, some love it, it looks like a shampoo container. Pale straw color. On the nose: women makeup. That creamy makeup women use to hide dimples. Wet rice, in the rice maker. Chinese rice candy. Butter. Wet grass. In some ways similar to a single grain but powerful. Interesting, Different, Creamy. The palate is where everything goes south. Spice bomb. Wasabi. Pepper bomb. Hot very hot, Sulphuric. Orange peel hints. mposible to enjoy due to the excesive spicyness. Its a 50%abv i'll drop water on it. Finish with ginger spice, mouth numbing. With water: gets worse. Nose almost dissapear. Lemon new note. Water kills palate feels like gas water and some spice. Overall i give it a 74 and it is due to an interesting nose, that i have never had before. Not my cup of tea.

Of all Islay distilleries, Bowmore is the least interesting for me, due to a past experience with the 12 and 15yo core expressions. 18yo was good and i think i once had another that was fine also, but you know how prejudice works on a man, there has to be something that completely changes my mind about the whole distillery, but this 10yo wasn't the case, eventhough i recognize it is not bad of a dram for a 40$ 10yo dram. Bottled at 40%abv On the nose it is wonderful. That has to ve said. Perfumed heather peat, cake crest and after a long while (about 5 minutes) honey and Hazelnut start to develop, like a sweet snack called Hanuta. It was great! I had my hopes up and i kinda managed the whole non-smokey-peat bowmore profile. On the palate it is sweet at start. Medium peaty sensation. Burnt moss. Heather. A very simple and dim spicyness of pepper. It is a very regular, entry level to peat scotch. Not bad, not wonderful. Finish is very short, some ashy/oaky notes, overall a pleasant easy drink. Not one of the fruit notes they say it has, appeared to me. I believe that even for a peaty whisky, this might go well with water or cola. I think for the price is good but you can have some nice laphroaigs for almost the same so 76 over 100 feels right for this dram.

Oh dear Bowmore... how could you do this to me after i gave you a perfect score on your Devil's cask iii? Got my hands into this expression, another Bowmore that promises but can't deliver. Although it is not a bad dram, you just have to wonder why a 17yo costs $86 on whisky exchange. Well.... Bottled at 43%abv, tawny color. On the nose, it is maritime and coastal. Sea foam, beach, sand, slightly peated and a little orange. Can't blame them on naming this one "white sands" On the palate, peat, pepper, ashes, gun powder, meat with salt. Aftertaste is very very short, salty. Overall this dram could be better, but i guess is good for $86, but you can get better (like your old friend lagavulin 16yo). My score for it: 74 out of 100.

Very fair whisky. Nothing special. On the nose it "stinks" of peat. There are whiskies that have pleasant peaty notes and there are others (like this) which reaks of peat. There is also medicinal plants (maybe sea weed) and almonds in there. On the palate is hot and spicy but not too hot or too spicy. Nothing special here, maybe ashes and oak. Medium body, finish is short and a little woody. I wouldn't buy it for myself anymore. Hopefully i bought a small 5cl bottle. I have my hopes on the bowmore 15 and 18 that also came in my small bottle combo.