Tastes

** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. Down to the best 2 whiskies I experienced at the festival. It’s between this and the HP The Dark 17yo. This one was so different than anything else we tasted that night. It was rich and powerful with a heavy dose of grapes and raisin sweetness. There was an interesting way the oak cask presented itself here as well. It came across as dry, because of the near 60% ABV, and it felt as though it dried/evaporated off the tongue at one minute, only to leave your mouth watering. It was insane. The sweetness lingered on as well. I actually went back to the Kavalan table 3 times to re-sample this one. The entire sipping experience is 5 stars, while the flavor profile might not be as dynamic as the HP Dark. That’s the only reason it wasn’t my Best In Show. I’ve found a bottle online here in the states for $230 and I think I gotta bite. I need more of this one. Highly recommended. Cheers.

** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. I’m down to my final, favorite 3 whiskies from the festival. I really expected the 21 Port Wood to be up here, but instead I find the 14yo Peat Week. The really was an excellent dram. Balvenie doesn’t typically peat their whiskies, but like everyone else (minus Macallan) they switch their distillery over and distill with peat for a couple weeks every so often. And I must say, perhaps they should do this annually, because this was a damn fine whisky. There were hints of sweetness floating through the palate, but it was something about the peat in this one- it just tasted so pure (I know that doesn’t make sense, but that’s how it felt). The mouthfeel was ultra smooth and the finish was soft and gentle, but lingering. I’m close to scoring this a perfect 5. It just tasted so good. I’m glad I have a bottle, but I think I should find another and drink it on special occasions. It’s fantastic stuff. Cheers.

** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. Well, once my anger and disappointment subsided from Laphroaig NOT bringing the 25yo, 30yo or the Cairdeas for VIP like they promised I had to try the 27. I have bottles of the 25 and 30 at home so I was really looking forward to trying them without having to open my personal bottles. Dammit, Laphroaig rep! Anyway, onto the 27- the latest vintage was released in the spring of 2017. It had typical Laphroaig creosote notes with a surprisingly strong oak backbone. There was a hint of vanilla mingling in and out throughout the entire sip. The finish was rather long and somewhat dry- unusual for Laphroaig. They are typically oily. It had some depth to it, but I’m not sure I need an entire bottle- especially at $600+. Cheers.

** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. I had really high hopes for this one and I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint me. I have the 2 bottles of this Vintner’s Trilogy: this 18 and the 26yo. I’m anxiously awaiting the 27yo’s release later this fall to make the set complete. It was great getting a chance to taste this one. It has the typical Bowmore sweet smoke profile, with an added bonus of the Amontillado sherry casks thrown in for good measure. The higher ABV also wards off most of the sulphuric notes usually associated with Bowmore. There was plenty of briny, sea notes here too. If the finish were a little more polished it would be a near perfect Bowmore. As it is, I’d say it was a solid 4. Cheers.

** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. We made our way back to the OP after the VIP hour ended to try this 25yo and the NAS Navigator. This 25 had similar maritime notes along with a fuller and richer sherry presence. It was still a bit rough around the edges, if you compared it to Macallan or Balvenie, but overall it was a very nice, salty sweet dram. I think I’m going to look into buying a bottle of this one to drink. I’d give it 4.5 stars all day long. Cheers.

** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. This was our planned first stop when the doors swung open at Whiskyfest. As a group, @Generously_Paul, @Telex and I determined we needed to hit a few tables not offering peated whisky first, so we wouldn’t strain our palates right out of the starting gate. A 35yo OP sounded like a smart place to begin. A lot of other people had similar thinking and there was a line by the time we found the OP table. The pour was decent in size, but we just couldn’t let it sit long enough to open up IMO. Telex and Paul both noticed some soapy residue throughout the entire sip but it didn’t register with me so much. There was plenty of salt and sea spray notes, but it surprised me by how harsh the finish was. I was expecting it to be butter smooth, but it was anything but. I guess age doesn’t calm salt- it just gets saltier, lol. This was a good dram, but I ultimately felt let down- mostly because I have a bottle of this I paid over $600 for. It isn’t worth that based on flavor so I guess the age statement will have to be flashy enough to help it hold its value. Fingers crossed for that. Or I may end up saying “F-it” and opening it to give it a real opportunity to impress me. Who knows.

** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. Ah, the Ardbeg Grooves Committee Edition. I’ve had some adventures chasing this bottle around Virginia while battling pneumonia, @PBMichiganWolverine and I played catch & release with it in NJ, I sent @Generously_Paul around Detroit looking for it, while chastising @Telex for not grabbing extra bottles when he acquired his (although he did come through for me just before Whiskyfest, thanks again bro). Well, they had it during the Ardbeg seminar so I finally got some in my belly. Did it live up to the chase? No. It’s Ardbeg, so it’s still very good. I have to say, though, this was the very last dram I had at the show so by this point my palate was wrecked and my tongue felt like someone had seared it across a hot grill. @Telex said he picked up on the berries and wine cask notes but I didn’t necessarily get that. I got typical Ardbeg notes like smoked meats and bacon along with some extra sweetness. Lucky for me, I found 2 more bottles on the way home from the festival so I have more than enough liquid to give it a proper run through very soon. I think it’s going to end up being another 4-4.5 star dram. Cheers.

** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. This was a dram that @Generously_Paul and I talked a good bit about once we saw that it was going to be poured at the festival. I’ve heard and read great things, but I don’t think there’s a widely available bottle from GM that’s worth more than $100. So, I’ve passed on buying a Signet numerous times. I seem to recall the nose being somewhat absent (keep in mind we were kind of rolling through the VIP hour so we didn’t let anything really sit for long) and upon my first sip I didn’t get any of the coffee notes everyone claims are present. As I finished the generous sized pour (A+ rating for the pour sizes at the GM & Ardbeg tables) I really picked up a nice profile on the Signet. Coffee and espresso notes lead to a fulfilling mouthfeel and lengthy finish. It was a really smooth dram all around. I’m not sure I’d pony up $200+ for a full bottle, but I definitely liked it. It’s close to 4.5 stars on flavor profile, though. Cheers.

This review was transferred from the Barreled app. I also tried this again at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. I added an update at the end of my original review: Let's face it, Jim Beam is the Budweiser of bourbons. If you forget that simple analogy, forget the high price point and take this bourbon on its own merits you'll get a delicious, sweet Scotch-like whiskey that puts a big, ole smile on your face. The presence of rye and the fact it's 100 proof assures you its bourbon, but the Pedro Ximemez sherry casks add an amazing dimension that takes it from boring Budweiser to a brilliant craft brew. Spend the money and give it a try. It won't disappoint you. UPDATE from 4/17/18: I was able to give this another try at Whiskyfest and still found it delightful. There was a more pronounced bit of oak cask at play than I recall. It makes sure you don’t forget you’re drinking a Beam product. The sherry cask notes calm the rye level perfectly. It’s a 4.25-4.5 star dram, but I should adjust my opinion and say that it’s not really worth the asking price on the secondary market now IMO. It’s worth a try at a bar if you can get it for under $12-15, though. Cheers.

""""** Disclaimer: This review is what I would consider a “Quick Hit”- meaning I won’t have my usual in-depth notes that I usually like to take. The reason: this sample was poured at Whiskyfest DC on 4/17/18. All of these reviews will not be scored and I am actively looking to try them again at some point to do them more justice. This is another malt that wasn’t listed on the official pour list, so when I saw it I immediately snagged a taste while chatting with the Glenmorangie/Ardbeg rep, Clarke Boyer, about how this new version compares to the old 2008 bottling. I echoed his sentiments upon tasting the new stuff. I had a pour of the original about a month ago at a bar here in Richmond and found it to be fantastic, especially on the nose. The 2017 release tries very hard to reproduce the nose, but fell just a tiny bit short IMO. The palate was okay- plenty of oak and vanilla, while imitating almost every other GM I’ve had at this point. It’s pretty smooth but lacks much depth. There’s complexity and florals on the nose, but the palate doesn’t really deliver (unlike the 2008 version- it was wonderful). This one plays well on the nose and had a respectable finish, I just wish it had a little more depth on the palate. All that said, it’s still close to a 4-star dram and one of my favorite Glenmorangie’s to date.