Tastes

Thanks to the nifty app we all use here, I was able to do some research and learn more about Canadien whisky. Canada gets a bad rap, though the options available to us in the USA are somewhat limited and the rumor is that they keep all the good stuff for themselves. Maybe they’re smart to do so, but I’m glad they shared this one with us. Drinking this reminds me of being in a dusty wood shop while roasting s’mores. The unique blend has a malty, biscuity mouthfeel with some subtle notes of chocolate, and a nice long finish that’s perfect for curling up in an armchair with a large book. At under $30, and with a little water to open it up, this is one tasty deal!

One of the finest (and more affordable!) bourbons I’ve purchased. Bottled in Bond spirits are enjoying a resurgence, likely due to the fact that it’s a mark of quality and craftsmanship in American whiskey. The whiskey itself has the classic bourbon handshake of caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar, but also possesses a lingering toffee note on the finish. The whisky is oily and chewy, and the finish is good and long, like a hot summer afternoon in Texas. Served neat, there’s a bit of an understandable burn at 50% ABV but the party really begins with a little water, really opening up some of the oils and rich toffee flavors. Grab this before everyone realizes what a good deal it is!

This is Lagavulan. And yet it's not. The smoke is there like the Lagavulan 16, but it's more mellow than its older counterpart. The finish is long and savory. If the 16 is ordering a big, meaty Texas brisket, then the 9 is like ordering ribs. Still awesome. Still smokey, but a slightly different experience. Pick it up while you can. This one and the Talisker are worth whatever you can find them for. As for the GOT tie-in, I'm with many of the other reviewers here in thinking that this would have been a better fit for house Targaryen, but it's not the strangest pairing of a house with a single malt in this collection, and the whisky is good enough that I won't dock it for being mismatched with a GOT house.

My favorite budget bourbon!

This is a fine whisky on its own. Creamy, malty mouthfeel and a classic Highland smell on the nose. The whisky is oily, with an extra long finish. I like mine with just a splash of water, as it brings out a few more of the more honeyed qualities. I also like the 43% ABV, as some of the whiskys in the GOT set are bottled at 40% presumably to maximize profit, so kudos to Dalwhinnie and Diageo for not caving in this one. Where this one looses points is the GOT tie in. This is a nice, sunshiney whisky and I don’t buy the House Stark tie in. The bit on the tube about Dalwhinnie being the highest distillery in Scotland and using only juice that was only distilled in winter is all well and good, but I was hoping for something a little more hearty for the Stark clan, like an Ardbeg or Highland Park (neither of which are owned by Diageo...). Still, a good dram if you can get it for a good deal like I did. Not sure if I’d pay retail for this one.

This may be the whisky deal of the year, and along with the Lagavulan 9 is one of the best of the GOT set. It’s got the classic Talisker nose of brine, light peat, etc. and a long satisfying finish. It has all the qualities I love about the Talisker 10, just condensed and dialed back a bit. I like the higher ABV (45.8) and the $45 price tag is a steel for Talisker, even a NAS one such as this. Grab this one while you can, as it seems less prolific than the GOT Lagavulan 9.

Lots of malt and baking spices on the nose. Other reviews say there’s some green apple but I get more of a warm apple pie. Nice and mellow on the palate and a decently long finish with no burn. From a marketing standpoint, this one (along with Greyjoy and Tyrell houses) hits the mark and you can’t argue with the $30 price tag.

This is without a doubt one of the most unique and tasty whiskeys I’ve ever tried. Due to the multi-national composition of the blend, it’s hard to pin down as one type. Imagine the taste of a bourbon with the complex spicy mid-palate of a rye with the smoky finish of an Islay or Island scotch. The Distiller review here is understandably low because the early incarnations of this whiskey were poorly blended but the versions from 2017 on (see the Whisky Advocate Top 20 for 2017 review) hit the Mark perfectly. High West also sells a 375 ml version of Campfire. The perfect desert dram and something perfectly unique for your collection!

I received this one as a 30th birthday gift last year so it holds a special reverence every time I drink it. The Ardbeg Ten is a classic, but it’s also a lot if you’re not in the right mood. The medicinal side of the peated malts, particularly in Ardbeg and Laphroig (or Octomore if you’re in a higher tax bracket than I am) can be a turn off to most folks. That’s where I feel like this expression from Ardbeg shines. The peat is still there. On the nose, on the palate, and on the finish it lingers plenty long. This is Ardbeg after all. But there’s a roundness to this relatively young spirit (no age statement provided) that makes it more accessible than the standard Ten. This is likely due to the PX sherry cask influence, which gives the standard Ardbeg a sticky, sweet roundness that oddly complements the peat. Some folks think that peat and sherry don’t mix and exist at two different ends of the single malt spectrum, but this malt (among others...) proves that wrong, and in the right hands, the combination of the two elements can create something magical.