Tastes

Really amazing dram. Love these Bowmore cask strenght/high aged bottles. Really one of the best I’ve tried. This bottle requires patience, left it opening for 20+ minutes. Once it opens up, a wave of dried fruits, chocolate, elegant smoke, pine/minty aromas and flavors shows up. The palate is coated perfectly, and the finish is spectacular. The arrival is layered, following the same structure found in the aromas, plus some more. Really interesting when you check the nose while it is opening, you can notice how this whisky is transforming with time.

This is one one of the best bourbons I had. The nose is fantastic: Complex, sweet, notes of brown sugar, caramel, hint of vanilla and marshmellow. The taste takes you in a ride, going from honey, caramel, sweet, ripe prunes, right into some subtle oak notes at the end. The glass I had have been opening for more than 20 min, it felt a little harsh at the start, but it opens up and then becomes more balanced. You need to be patient with this one for sure.

Bought a 2019 bottle. This thing is a beast, capital B. 62 abv, the nose overwhelms your brain with strong oak, baking spices, and dark fruits. It provides a lot of sweetness as well. The first sip bites you with heat, but then the oily character takes over and it provides a long finish. Notes of caramel, maple syrup, molases, baking spices, vanilla, cinnamon, and clove. It’s like maple syrup on top of a delicate pancake with spices. Amazing bottle, specially given its $80 price. The finish stays with you for minutes. You could keep enjoying one dram for hours, just amazing.

Sherry-forward. Definetely you can identify the PX character at the nose. Smells of raisins, prunes, dried fruit, nuts, and some acetone. On the first taste it brings sweetness, a licorish follow-up, then comes the apricot, a litle bit of toffee, and caramel. The finish is long, oily, full bodied. Spices like cloves and nutmeg arrive. Keeps going for a while, not too bitter aftertaste. This one is not hot at all, considering its 48% plus AVB. Great addition to the Balvenie lineup. A little expensive too: I bought this one for $220 at London Heathrow. Worth it? I believe so, specially if you are a Balvenie fan like me.

Wow, ok there is a lot going on here. The many cask finishes gives this dram a very complex character that requires careful analysis, and just because of that, it becomes a really interesting experience. The nose has dark fruits, sherry, musty, dark chocolate, vainilla and caramel. Sweet at the fist taste, its followed up by dark berries, plums, apricots, coconut. Finish is long, oily, filled with spices and some bitters. I know it’s colored, and probably chill filtered, but who cares? My wife and her friend loved it - ladies love this dram too! I strongly believe this one could pair perfectly with a dessert, specially a christmas dessert. Really enjoyed it. Glad I bought it.

On the nose you can find sweetness, dried fruits, raisin, caramel and vanilla. The influence of oloroso is present, and looks like the sherry casks used here were American oak, not European. I couldn’t notice any hints of spices. On the palate I did find it light, with a fruit marmalade profile. Dark chocolate, caramel again, cinnamon, and a short to medium finish. A good whisky, it’s like a less-complex, less refined Glenmo 18, but with more punch.

On the nose is fruity, fresh berries, some zest, caramel and cloves. On the palate you notice spices immediately, followed by a sweet note of grapes, almost raisin-type, almond and cinnamon. Finish is balanced. This is my favorite Glenlivet so far: I prefer this one over the 12, 15 or 18. It’s more complex than those, and different in profile at the same time.

On the nose is full, with a small hint of the typical Macallan acetone smell. Smells as toffee, very dark fruis, maybe figs. Oaky, cinnamon, and clove are also present. On the palate is smoother than the nose suggests. Very oily, strong oak notes, the finish is long and filled with spices, and dark chocolate. A little of alcohol burn, not too noticeable. It doesn’t have the dark fruity flavors of the 12 at the first sip, you start getting those on the second. Definitely feels old, like old, wet wood, musty.