Tastes

I like the nose on this bottle. It is rich and fruity for me. I can pick up the Sherry casks. The palette is soft with a honey-like sweetness. I did pick up some subtle baking spice with some nutmeg. At the finish, I got black tea notes. But it wasn't bitter; the honey sweetness carried forward, providing a balanced finish. The finish lingered longer than I expected. I enjoyed GF15. I love the GF branding. The shape of the bottle is great. It is a little expensive, coming in at 120 CAD in my neck of the woods. Overall, It is a balanced whisky from start to finish. 7.75/10

The nose is delightful. I got a vanilla sweetness with hints of cherry. It was sweet like candy, reminding me of vanilla/cherry coke. On the palate, it coated my mouth like honey with some spicy sweetness. The finish was short and very smooth, with a touch of heat. Overall, it's good. The sweetness upfront on the nose along with the silky smooth finish makes this dram memorable. 7/10

I got my first bottle of Blantons through a special release at my local Liquor Mart in Manitoba, Canada. I know there is a lot of hype around this bottle, so I entered with some skepticism. After opening the bottle, which is unique from the rest on my shelf, I was impressed. The nose is rich and sweet with deep, whole notes. I got vanilla, brown sugar, maple syrup, and an oak baseline. Everything on the nose was pleasant. I sometimes get dusty grain notes on bourbon, but it wasn’t present on this dram. The notes on the nose continue into the palette. Rich and full with some good spice. I love the spice, so that was a pleasant surprise. I even got some chocolate truffle along with a sweet corn syrup taste. The finish is warm and smooth with a lingering sweetness. Not long, but not short. Overall, I think it lives up to the hype for me. It is my favourite bourbon to date. If available, this is a bourbon I would have on my shelf all the time. 9/10

I stumbled upon this bottle, and I'm glad I did. I was at a Lounge, and after glancing at their back shelf, I noticed that Laphroaig Quarter Cask was the only bottle they had that wasn’t a mainstream mixer. I asked to order an ounce neat, and that began my encounter. I’m not overly familiar with peated scotch, but I’ve had Laphroaig 10yr and a few others. I can’t completely recall my L10 experience, but I had a good idea of what to expect from Laphroaig. The nose started how I recall L10, but as I sat with LQC, it began to open up into a very unique experience. I got Peat, Smoke, and Briney notes off the top, evolving into sweet honey floral notes, and then one level further with berry and cherry notes. The palette is a rich experience that coats your mouth with a spicy start. I love the spicy tingle that erupts. A well-balanced mix of smoke and floral sweetness follows that. It's hard to explain, but I would say the sweetness helps balance the harshness of the smoky peat. The finish is smooth. I think the proof point is perfect at 98. It is complete, helping to carry all of the flavour. The smoky, peaty, and salty notes you get at the start come back at the end like a faint breeze fading away over the countryside. Laphroaig does a bang-up job with its branding. The bottle and case are classic. I love how they gave me a little booklet detailing how to claim a sq/ft of islay. It's pretty cool for a Canadian Boy who lives on the prairies, nowhere near an ocean. This will be a bottle that I will be returning to repeatedly. 9.25/10

I bought this bottle because I wanted to try an Irish Old Fashion cocktail that called for it. The cocktail was good, but when I tried the whiskey neat it wasn't as desirable. The nose is fruity and full. I researched the bottle because I was expecting smoky notes, considering it's called Black Barrel. I found out that ex-sherry barrels were used along with ex-bourbon barrels, which made sense because the jammy, cherry, fruity notes that I often get off sherry casks comes through front and centre. I found it very enjoyable. On the palate, I got some fruity notes from the sherry influence, along with some subtle spice, but not much after that. However, I didn't enjoy the finish. There was a harsh bitterness that's hard to explain. Overall, it's not really my thing. 5/10

My favourite whiskey to date. LOT40 Dark Oak does everything a whiskey should do. It smells great and provides a full smooth tasting experience from beginning to end. I get an immediate menthol rush on the nose, it then dissipates and opens up with fruity maraschino cherry, spice, and charred oak notes. I find that the longer the whiskey sits in my Glen Carin the more the oaky notes start to come to life. I thought it smelt so good during my first experience with the bottle that I took the empty glass and placed it on my night stand, filling my room with subtle oaky notes. A little weird… I get it. I love the spicy explosion on the palette. The combination of spice, cherry and dark chocolate notes is very delightful. To top it off, I was then left with a tingling almost minty cooling effect as the whiskey slowly faded away. I think the branding looks great. It is a classy modern unique look that stands out at the store and on my shelf. The overall experience combined with the value per bottle ($65CAD) makes this a must have on my shelf for as long as it is available. I also love that it is Canadian! Overall: 9.75/10

I started my LOT40 journey with LOT40 Dark Oak. Dark Oak is one of my favourites to date. I had to pick up the regular Lot40 to see if it measured up for $20CAD less. The nose has a lot of the same similarities between the two bottles. I get a rush of menthol off the top as if you just bit into a piece of excel gum. Once you get past that, I get maraschino cherry, sweet spices, and oak. Not as much oak as I get from the Dark Oak bottle, but it is there once I let the dram sit for a little. The palette is spicy, light, and smooth, with a hint of chocolate. It is very approachable. The spicy warmth lasts longer than expected for me. LOT40 has become my go to for Old Fashions and other whiskey cocktails. I will also use it as an entry point for friends who want to level up from the generic mixers. If you remotely enjoyed this bottle you need to try the Dark Oak version. Overall 6.75/10

I was initially skeptical when this bottle was first introduced to me. Alberta Premium is known as a mixing whiskey, so how good could it be. But the proof point did catch my attention and if nothing else, it was worth a try because of the alcohol content being over 64%. The nose is good, but it isn’t the best part of the dram. On the nose I initially got a dusty rye smell, which then opened up to a sweet caramel, vanilla, and green apple notes with a touch of cherry and oak. Next is where this whiskey stands out from the others. Once it touches your palette it explodes with power. It’s like a fireworks show of sweet and spice. The liquid coats your mouth and has a warm numbing effect that stays long after your sip. The only reason why I’m not giving this one full marks is because the nose didn’t stand out and I was disappointed with the twist off cap. Otherwise the bottle looks great. To date, this has been my best palette experience with a whiskey. 8.5/10

I like the look of the bottle, but that’s about it. The nose wasn’t desirable. I felt like I couldn’t get off a vanilla extract note. When I gave it time I could pick-up other sweet notes but it was tough beyond the Vanilla Extract. I got some caramel sweetness on the palette, but it was thin and vanished quickly. The finish was smooth, but I did get a longer aftertaste that wasn’t enjoyable. The kind of aftertaste that you need to get rid of because you don’t want it to stay. Overall, it isn’t for me. But if someone is just entering into Whiskey drinking this is a mellow pour that is more welcoming than most. 2/10