Tastes

Gigantic, heavy hitting and slow burn is the name of the game here. The nose is actually surprisingly fruity, floral and light, deceptive for what comes next. The is a bit of a heavy pepper and oak undertone that betrays, the flavors though. The palette is full of leather, oak, vanilla and banana. Incredibly thick, like a less potent version of GTS (but better?) Finished with a long slow burn and a pepper kick in the nose.

Very similar, but strikingly different to the original. Doing a side by side as we speak. Nose is full of vanilla, caramel, honey, tobacco, raisins, and what my nose is calling cherry. The palate is a very smooth liquid cinnamon mixed with cream, vanilla and finished with an oak & pepper undertone. Thick creamy mouthfeel. It finishes medium to long and has a nice mouth burn. What sets to gold version apart from the original is slightly more honey, and significantly more spice."

Damn good stuff rite her! Literally makes my nose burn with a deep sniff. With a shallow sniff I get lots of oak, vanilla, banana and stone fruits. The flavor profile starts off nice and sweet, some caramel, toffee, grains and a little banana. It morphs into this intense rye driven beast that tingles your tongue as you roll it. It finishes with.... and I had to think hard but it hit me like a barrel... pickle brine! Nice and viscous, it sticks around.

Not quite as good as I was hoping but good nonetheless. Vanilla, oak, smoke and char are upfront. There is an interesting brine salt quality that none of the reviews I read mentioned that is paired with leather as a finish. Nice unique complexity. Finish is hot, great burn that lingers. The perfect pain.

Very unique, almost a bourbon with a splash of scotch. I need another dram to give a good description but smoke and cacao were up front and ultra ripe green banana to the end. Nice and oily, delicious and a decent finish that last but isn’t too hot.

Drank a very health pour after a nice dinner with a wine pairing, so not at my optimal tasting. Definitely a bold bourbon that should be drank slow and savoured. Typically I’m almost always neat but I may drink this with a rock and let it slowly melt. Lows or charred oak and burnt maple flavours. Intense concentrated flavours and heat. Finishes very spicy and with cinnamon with lots of mouth tingle.

Amazingly smooth rye, maybe too smooth. Very fruit and vanilla forward with the spice as an afterthought. Nice linger, not overpowering and sustains a nice reminder of the flavours

Although not the cheapest this is at the top of my list. All the flavours and smells are in perfect harmony, there is no competing for dominance here which is a testament to the ageing. There is a very light, yet ripe fruit nose about the scotch. Smoked honey, oranges and burnt caramel. Oily wet smoked grains mix with salted honey and slightly overripe apples, oranges, and bananas. Nice long cocoa, dry finish that makes you crave another. This scotch is a perfect balance between the peaty smoke of islay, and the fruits of the highlands.

One of my favourites. Well balanced but definitely on the smoky, peaty side. Nose of bandaids and iodine. Initial flavours of dark cherry, pear and tobacco give way to more medicinal flavours of iodine, herbs and peat, smoky bacon but not overly so. Finish is long and dry with a bit of pepper, spice and some heat.

Amazing bourbon. Nose is full of vanilla, caramel, honey, tobacco, raisins, and what my nose is calling cherry. The palate is a very smooth liquid cinnamon mixed with cream, vanilla and finished with an oak & pepper undertone. Thick creamy mouthfeel. It finishes medium to long and has a nice mouth burn.