Tastes

Nose: Dominating red wine influence, sherry, dark fruits and honeyed oak. Palate: Quite sweet, buttery oakiness, lighter fruits than the nose would suggest and oak spice. Surprisingly heavier presence than typical highland at this price, but noticeable youthfulness as well. Finish: Sherry and spices, goes down with more “oompf” than a entry highland, the 46% shows. Overall: A conflicting dram for me: on one-hand, Glenglassaugh aimed to make a different entry-level highland single malt using sherry and wine casks, and the implementation was successful. On the other hand, the youthfulness and body really shows, in a detracting manner. I say this is worth a try, but unless strong wine cask is what you’re into, I doubt it will be anyone’s favorite. I would rate it 3 stars, but another 0.25 for novelty. P.S.: At the risk of inciting drama, this dram is noticeably better in a copita glass than in a glencairn. The shape of the copita glass further intensifies the wine note in the nose at the cost of masking minor details, but it hides the alcohol and youthfulness as well; a good trade off.

Nose: Honeyed sweetness, orange peel, followed by a light waft of cream and sea spray. Palate: Candied apples, honey and toffee evolving into oolong tea, as the ABV% gains a foothold; the sea breeze grows ever more distant. Finish: The malt and mineral elements surface as the sweetness subsides,tangy but not overbearing. For a entry-level NAS bottling, the Classic Laddie is an epitome of quality and taste; the sensory experience is artful. Highly recommended, along with most things from Bruichladdich!

Nose: A delicate orchard with toasty cereal and vanilla with a hint of spice. Once you get past the spice and barley, a caramel sweetness surfaces. You can nose it all day long! Palate: Much spicier than the nose suggests, but not aggressive at all. The honeyed cereal is still there, with green apples rounding off the taste. Finish: Medium finish, more of the oak and barley notes remain, rather than the fruity ones. Comparison to Yellow Spot: I prefer Yellow Spot for the more fruity nose, the addition of cream and toffeee on the palate and wine note on the finish; but Green Spot is not a lesser drink, just different. Overall: Quite a spectacular whiskey! It is an epitome of balance and complexity: it never gets boring, and always feels just right. There are better Irish whiskeys out there, but not at this price. I would highly recommend everyone to try this!

Nose: Heavy sherry, dried nuts, nectarines and butterscotch. Quite magnificent! Palate: Creamy, starts off with a surprising bit of spice that transforms into honey, citrus, almonds and a fainter sherry note. Finish: Almonds, light spice and vanilla Overall: The nose is truly something special, and the taste lives up to half of that... On the taste, I would not have guessed that this is a all-sherry cask, so you know... when it comes to Macallan, less-sherried is usually not a compliment. For $100 CAD, it’s not on my top list.

Nose: Starts off with a tiny amount of ocean brine and a bit of smoke and over sweetened (brown sugar), damp Pu’er tea. Fades into honey, caramel apples, and even a bit of oranges. You can smell the grain if you really pay attention. Palate: Full and oily, starts off fruity and sweet, then a tea bitterness (not tea notes, just the bitter finish of tea) crawls up, milk chocolate, then a trace of smoke. Finish: Medium finish, oak and a hint of smoke. Overall: Black bottle is a pretty well-made blend; I buy it regularly in my budget scotch rotation. It’s interesting enough, the notes are well done, and you don’t taste the grain sharpness from other budget blends. But you need to know this: as the bottle says, it is “curiously rich & slightly smoky”. This is not the all Islay blend that it used to be; it has as little smoke as possible while still being detectable. I suggest trying Te Bheag if you want more peat and the sea. I rate this 3, but add 0.25 for the excellent value.

Nose: A rich and enticing nose: honey, raisin, sherry and a bit of cereal. As time goes by you may catch a lighter citrus aroma complimented by butterscotch. Palate: Thick and oily and dry, with tastes of dark fruits, warm spices that end with the pleasant bitterness of a lower cocoa chocolate and a little bit of walnut! Finish: Very pleasant and gentle, no alcohol/barrel burns; only a satisfying warmth that fades away with dried fruits, espresso and chocolate. Though it’s on the short side. Overall: A remarkable 12 yo Highland from a legendary (albeit hated by some) distillery. Perhaps the 12’s only weakness is that it requires my palate to be awake; if I’m tired and worn out, the spice and oak becomes more pronounced. I would recommend everyone to try this, but note that for $85CAD it has some competition... This is a 4 star when I taste the lovely sherry, raisins, chocolate and walnut, 3.5 when I don’t. Hence a 3.75 average. P.S. I wonder if the Dalmore 15 would be a “prettier” scotch...

Nose: Initially a thick layer of smoke, with refreshing apple shining through. Just a bit of iodine. Palate: Oily, orchard fruits, some brine and a little oak. A moderate amount of smoke (the heavier, reminiscent of Lagavulin type) comes out as soon as the whisky runs past the throat. Finish: Long finish, toasty malts, gentle but prevalent. Overall: If you haven’t tried Talisker, you’re missing out. I dare say if there is a must-have Island scotch, this is it. The price is justified, the complexity is unique, and the balance is just right. Highly recommended.

Nose: Initially a dominant note of heavy peat, which evolves into fruits with peat and iodine taking a back seat. Palate: Thick and oily, smoke in the direction of burnt brisket, then a warm, spike wood note that slowly fades away revealing a little fruity sweetness. Finish: Long with notes of sea spray, peat and a little tobacco. Overall: This is a must-try Islay. It is pretty expensive (for me, in Canada); although my standby (Bowmore 12) is only half the price, Lagavulin 16 is still worth saving up and treasure on a fine night.

Nose: Vibrant fruity notes, most prominently tangerines and peach, along with some spices. Palate: Oranges, vanilla, and taste of almonds. Finish: Pleasantly warm finish of light spices. Overall: Objectively, it’s good Highland scotch that’s adequate for the price; it boasts of more complexity than Glenlivet or Glenfiddich. I personally felt the balance is somewhat “off” with this scotch: the fruity nose is enticing, the palate leaves me a little confused, and the finish is like accidentally skipping a page in a novel... (sorry, but it’s hard to describe). I will have to try another bottle in a few months. In the meantime, I will still recommend it to others.

Nose: Lemon and honey, followed by a moderate amount of peat smoke. Taste: Honey, with the peat slowly unveiling itself along with a little sweetness, until it evolves into a taste sea salt. Finish: The peat and salt gently fade away, leaving a pleasant hint of bitterness. Overall: For a relatively affordable 12yo Islay, Bowmore 12 did everything right: I like every note that is in this scotch, and I buy it bottle after bottle. In this price range and taste profile, only Highland Park 12 can put up a fight against this Bowmore. My only criticism is that Bowmore 12 lacks the complexity often found in more expensive scotches, but it's an unfair criticism for an entry priced bottle! Try Talisker 10 for a more rich and complex experience, but you'll have to pay a little more.