Tastes
-
Glencadam Origin 1825
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed October 17, 2017 (edited November 20, 2017)I decided to put in a little work towards our sample group this morning by knocking out the Glencadam Origins 1825 single malt. Distiller lists this malt as unavailable in the U.S. market but a quick search found it readily available here for the paltry sum of around $45-50. That’s not a bad price for what you get IMHO. This is a NAS whisky from the Highlands/Speyside region that comes in at the industry minimum of 40% ABV. It’s a very light gold in the tasting glass and slowly forms some watery legs when you give it a hearty spin. The legs turn into droplets as it begins to settle which indicate there’s quite a bit of water blended in to get it down in alcohol percentage. I wonder what the overall flavor profile offers at cask strength? As it is, the nose is extremely sweet and floral. There’s some fresh cut oak in there too, but I really get candied citrus fruits on the nose. It’s like those sugary, candy balls that were wrapped in cellophane that your grandma always kept in a cheap, crystal bowl on the living room coffee table. You know the ones- really sweet with lots of fake citrus twang in them. I personally couldn’t keep my hands off of them and ole Meemaw knew it. I miss that sweet lady. On the tongue I get those sweet, vanilla cremes that’s initially very smooth and cavity-inducing, but it turns a bit harsh by mid sip. That’s evidence of the young whisky used here, I think. There’s still a pretty light mouthfeel overall- even into the finish. Speaking of finish, it isn’t long or really hot at all but it leaves a lingering warmth as it washes away surprisingly smooth. I don’t get any sherry notes anywhere even though this one is advertised as being finished in Oloroso casks. The duration must’ve been short. My first impression of this was that it’s a pretty good clone of the Glenmorangie Milsean whisky that GM charges over $100 a bottle for. Yeah, the overall profile was a bit stronger with that one, but the sweetness was off the charts like it is here. I’d gladly pay less than half the asking price for the Glencadam, but you really have to be in the mood for a candied whisky to really enjoy either one. Sure, there’s a time and a place for this and I’d even admit it could turn into a guilty pleasure of mine if I had a bottle of this sitting around. It beats the hell out of those little candies my gram-gram used to push on me. Thanks to Pranay for supplying this one for our group to enjoy. I know on his review he said it was a dud, but I don’t agree. It’s a light and sweet, warm weather dram for sure that will rattle your fillings but hey, it’s got alcohol in it and gets you where you need to be. 3 stars, with a extra half star for making Milsean its bitch. Cheers. -
Old Line American Single Malt
American Single Malt — Maryland, USA
Reviewed October 17, 2017 (edited December 14, 2019)This is an American take on a single malt whisky. It was supplied by a member of our scotch sample trading group as an extra. Our extras range from craft beer to tequila to gin to Indian whisky to bourbon and even other scotches. This one was sent by Scott from Long Island. He picked it up on a trip to Baltimore, MD. Thanks, my friend. It’s a deep mahogany in color and makes some fat legs in the taster. It gives off your typical bourbon aromas on the nose: vanilla, cinnamon and fresh cut cedar. The palate is a bit harsh, but I found that this stuff is only 2 years old and was aged in very small, 10 gallon charred oak barrels and made using malted barley sourced from the Pacific Northwest. The finish is hot, somewhat harsh and long. You can tell it’s very young, but the flavor and punch are there. It would be very cool to try this stuff after it sits in the barrel for 7-8+ years. I’d love to know if it mellowed while it kept extracting that beautiful charred oak flavor profile. As is, it’s better than I expected but I’d have a hard time justifying more than 3.25-3.5 stars. Overall, an enjoyable extra. Thanks again, Scott. Cheers. -
Jim Beam Vanilla
Herbal/Spice Liqueurs — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 14, 2017 (edited December 13, 2019)“Atticus said to Jem one day, “I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it. “Your father’s right,” she said. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing except make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” – Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird There. I figured it would be better for you guys to read something beautiful than to spend time extolling the non-existent virtues of this free sample of a vanilla flavored abomination of a liquid that was hanging limp from a bottle of Jim Beam I purchased today. Curl up with a good book and a great dram and avoid Jim Beam Vanilla like you’d avoid your bitching mother-in-law, an after hours phone call from your work or reality television. You’ll thank me for it later. Cheers. -
Talisker 10 Year
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed October 12, 2017 (edited January 18, 2020)It’s time for a sample that I provided for our scotch group: Talisker 10. It’s odd that I haven’t had this sauce before. I suppose I should blame the snob in me for skipping this benchmark single malt. I just never got around to it, I guess. This one comes in at a slightly elevated ABV of 45.8%. It’s also a bright, beautiful gold in the taster. It looks nice and oily slick. The nose is sweet smoke, honey and citrus. The earthy peat and sea salt also add a bit of depth. There’s no big alcohol smell even when you take in a deep breath. The palate is honey-basted malt with a thick, heavy smoke that fades into a typical peppery oak spice. It’s very well rounded and has a nice, oily mouthfeel. The finish is big, long and maintains a healthy warmth that turns peppery and a bit hot. It’s all very satisfying. Overall, I’m kind of ashamed I waited this long for this one. As a testament to how much I thoroughly enjoyed this one- I opened the bottle in early September and by the second week of October the bottle is empty. I also left the empty bottle sitting around and stopped on a few occasions to pop the cork and just take a quick whiff. I miss this bottle. It should be a staple in every scotch lovers home. Period. 4.5 stars. Cheers. -
Highland Park Einar
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed October 8, 2017 (edited October 9, 2017)I’m not sure where to begin with this malt. I’ve been cruising through some higher end bottles from HP lately: Fire, Ice and the 25yo. This is an official sample group pour from my friend Paul in Detroit. It’s travel retail exclusive, so I’d never get a chance to try this one otherwise (thanks for that Paul), and it’s part of another NAS Viking warrior series that HP is pushing on the travel market. I have mixed feelings there for sure, but I’d like to give HP the benefit of the doubt. This one was a NAS offering utilizing European and American ex-sherry oak barrels. It’s the industry minimum 40% ABV and is a bright, new penny copper in the tasting glass. It makes some seriously quick and thin legs when you twirl it- evidence that there’s a significant amount of water used to blend the various casks and bring down the ABV. That’s not good, IMO. The nose is sherry and light maple syrup with a hint of weak smoke rounding it out. This is the best part of the whisky. It’s downhill from here. The palate is watery with vanilla and tea leaves that transition quickly to a light pepper spice and weak oak barrel note. The overall mouthfeel is weak, especially for Highland Park. The finish is medium length and drying. Those same sherry notes from the nose finish things off. Like I said, I’ve been enjoying some more expensive bottles from HP lately, and I’ve even been somewhat critical of the Fire Edition, but both the Fire & Ice bottles are miles above this offering. I recently had the 25 year and it is absolutely stunning (review coming soon). This one just doesn’t stack up. Sorry, Paul, but this one is a dud. 2.5-2.75 stars, with some of that rating getting a bump because it’s a rare bottle for me. Cheers, my friends -
It’s been a rough few nights at work lately and I need to get back on track with the other guys in our tasting group. So, I randomly grabbed a sample and plopped down on the couch. I poured the Cardhu 12, graciously supplied by Paul, into the Glencairn and leaned back to rest my eyes for a bit. Well, a bit became 35 minutes before I snapped back to life. Gotta give it time to breath, yeah- that’s the ticket... The juice is a wonderful, light gold in color and giving a spin leaves a full sticky oil slick around the entire inside of the taster. I caught a quick whiff of honey and vanilla before I set it back down. The full nosing experience is sort of unremarkable if you’re looking for complexity. It’s a Speysider filled with sweet honey, some tropical fruits and light oak barrel notes. Pleasant, for sure. The palate is all toffee-covered tropical fruit. The oily look in the glass isn’t really present on the tongue, but the vanilla really lingers more than anything else I’ve detected to this point. The 40% ABV doesn’t add any heat and there’s little to no warmth lingering into the finish. I can see why this stuff is used heavily by Johnnie Walker. There is no way anyone can be offended by this malt. It’s fruity and very light. The finish is lightning quick with just more honey sweetness ringing through. It’s a true warm weather malt that would leave you still shivering on a brisk, autumn evening. I can’t find anything wrong with this one. It ticks off all the typical Speyside bullet points and is perfect for chilling with friends and enjoying a whisky session. 3.5-3.75 stars. Thanks again Paul. Solid stuff.
-
I was able to sample a bit of this thanks to my friend Pranay as an extra to our Scottish distillery trading group. It's a bottle from the 1940 King George V series. It's a blend and comes in at the standard 40% ABV. It's a beautiful copper color and smells overly sweet just by giving it a gentle swirl. The nose smells heavily of candied corn and raspberries. It's almost all sweetness, all of the oak notes have mysteriously vanished. There's a faint musty smell that permeates through the sweet notes. It isn't off-putting, just a little funky and weird. I get an immediate burst of perfume, heavy vanilla and corn on the tongue. It leads to a higher burning sensation than I expected from a blended whisky, especially one of this age. It's a clear indication that blending skills have come a long way since the WWII era, lol. The finish is pretty short and oily. The thicker mouthfeel is warm, it just doesn't really stick around. It's a solid experience considered just how old it is. It seems to have held up rather well. I know I'd never be able to have another whisky this old on my own. Thanks again to Pranay for the chance to try something of this vintage. 3.75 stars. Cheers, my friends.
-
Highland Park Ice Edition
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 23, 2017 (edited September 25, 2017)This is the Fire Edition's companion whisky from Highland Park. The Ice Edition came first, back in 2016. It was aged in first fill, ex-bourbon casks for its entire 17 years in existence. It's non-chill filtered, has no coloring added and was bottled at a robust, cask strength of 53.9% ABV. It's light gold and has quick-forming legs in the tasting glass. The packaging is over the top, like the Fire version. A heavy pale, greenish-blue bottle fitting in a natural oak, mountain-shaped case. The nose is the star of the show here: once you get past the fresh oak you are rewarded with a wonderful medley of pineapple and tropical fruits. What seems like smoked plantains also floats around the glass and if you inhale deeply you get some peppery ginger notes right before the powerful ABV takes hold. It's incredibly complex when you find the sweet spot. There's a nice vanilla creaminess upon sipping. Smoky oak embers quickly get seized by the powerful burn at mid-sip. At this point it becomes a drying, hot mess. This is where any resemblance to any other Highland Park whisky disappears. It becomes an American bourbon/rye whiskey clone, IMO. The finish is long and hot. That freshly split and charred oak take over and it isn't until the last gasps of breath reveal the remnants of those tropical fruits I detected on the nose. Once you know how the sip is going to play out, it's really enjoyable. That first sip is quite shocking. Overall, this blows everything you expect from a Highland Park away and starts a new chapter of what they could produce and release regularly. Some won't like this because it's so different. Is it worth the $300 entry fee? No, but I'm happier with this one than I am the Fire Edition. 3.5-3.75 stars. Cheers. -
Highland Park Fire Edition
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 23, 2017 (edited December 9, 2017)I originally opened both Highland Park Fire and Ice edition bottles at a get together with a few friends to coincide with the season 7 finale of Game of Thrones. I have been sipping on both since then and I think I'm ready to get my thoughts and impressions down, starting here with the Fire Edition. It's 15 year old whisky that spent its entire life in refilled, port wine casks. It comes in at 45.2% ABV and there were just under 4,400 bottles available for the U.S. market. In the glass, it appears very oily. Give it a spin and it creates a thick, oil slick that sticks to the walls and only slowly grows thin legs as it settles. It's not as dark as I'd expected a port wine finished whisky to be. Some reviewers claim there's a reddish hue in there but I suspect they may have sat the glass close to the bright red bottle and are picking up its reflection, lol. It was a very surprising tasting from start to finish, and not necessarily in a good way. On the nose, even after 15-20min, I still get mostly oak. There's cinnamon notes in abundance, too. It masks any sweetness I expected from the wine barrel. I also don't get any smoke. Strike One. The palate is pretty lively, especially for Highland Park. I seem to recall most of the HP juices I've tried always seem well aged, smooth with a heavier-than-most mouthfeel. Fire feels young, like a NAS whisky bottled a bit too soon. Citrus peel and spicy oak lead the way into a lightly smoked mid-sip. The mouthfeel is thinner and causes all the flavor to fade somewhat quickly. Subtle smoke finally shows up on the exhale and that saves this from being a complete letdown. Strike One-and-a-Half. The finish is medium-long with some strong, bitter chocolate notes mingling with the smoke. A balanced warmth settles across your mouth and is this whisky's saving grace. That's the Highland Park I know and love. Did you notice not much was said of the port finish? It's because it's non-existent to me. All of the magic that may have been in those barrels must've been summoned elsewhere. That makes this offering so disappointing. I absolutely adore peated, port finished whisky, so even though I may have expected the impossible, this doesn't come close to delivering. Strike Two. The ridiculous packaging and price tag are Strike Three. I can't recommend this one when you can purchase almost 3 bottles of the awesome 18 year old for the price of this one. 3 stars. Try it if you can find it in a bar for a reasonable price, but I'd avoid buying a bottle until the price drops significantly. Cheers. -
It's time for another sample from the third round of our Scottish whisky trading team. This is the Tamdhu 10 year that was supplied by Ryan (via Me). I purchased this bottle here off the shelves in Virginia for around $80. I believe that price is on the higher side, but it was a spontaneous purchase while shopping locally. This Speysider was previously considered a major player in Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse blends until recently when it was turned into a distillery released, single malt. The U.S. export bottles are 43% ABV, instead of the U.K. standard 40%. That is a welcome difference, IMO. It's a beautiful, new penny copper in color and produces thicker, yet more watery legs in the taster. The nose opens with typical sherry notes, stewed berries and candied almonds. There's a faint bit of cedar rounding things out. It's slightly Macallan-esque on the nose and palate. That's good company to be in, if I might add. The palate starts with a thin layer of caramel, chocolate and normal sherry notes before fading into cinnamon and oak spiciness. I think this is the kick from the slightly higher ABV. It turns this from a straight dessert dram into a solid, sipping whisky. The finish is shorter than I'd like, spicy and drying as the overall oak flavors wash everything away. I did notice a wonderful chocolate flavor settle in after a few minutes. I found the finish more fulfilling as time passed. Overall, this is a quality dram. It seems good at slightly imitating Macallan 12, while being 2 years younger. The problem is that at $80 it's above Macallan's local price point. If this were $25 cheaper it would be a no-brainer as a quality replacement for Mac12. As is, it's a solid whisky and still pretty enjoyable. 3.5 stars because it isn't priced appropriately, IMO. Cheers.
Results 361-370 of 529 Reviews