Tastes

Nose: Green apples. Hard candies. Waves of peat smoke, not too heavy though. Caramel. A little pepper. Some malt. A beautiful nose! Palate: Smokier than the nose. Fruitiness more complex, citrus coming through alongside the apple. More hints of pepper. Subtle sweetness of honey and taffy. All rounding out with malt. Finish: Medium-long. Very warm. Smoke and apple lingering. Overall Score: 91. This is delightful. I had been sold on West Cork from the first time I tried their Black Reserve but this has just raised the bar immensely for them. This is an absolutely delicious whiskey. I read some comments that made me a little weary but I certainly was not expecting a heavy peat nose and palate like a Laphroaig. So I wasn’t let down in any way. This is easily my new favorite of the West Cork selections.

Nose: Sweet apples. Vanilla. Sugar. Some spice. Hints of smoke. Palate: Fruity but not as sweet as the nose. Vanilla again but with a little caramel blending in. Some smoky waves. Malt coming in towards the back. Finish: Medium. Smooth and smoky. Vanilla lingering. Overall Thoughts: Very smooth and very tasty. It’s full flavored and very hearty. Perhaps the only thing I’d change would be the cask type. I think it would have been better suited with an oak cask. There’s some lovely stuff in this bottle and I think I’ll go out and get another Singleton soon.

Nose: Very subtle all together. Caramel. Spiced fruit. Honey. Oak. Buttered biscuit. Palate: Oak coming on stronger. Slight alcohol burn giving a little kick but it’s quickly diminished with a lovely honey flavor. Some chocolate notes peeking through. Faint taste of brownie batter. Finish: Brief. Some heat. Smooth. Overall Thoughts: Not a mind blower but a good dram to be sure. What it lacks in excitement it makes up for in drinkability. I certainly wouldn’t turn it down but it’s certainly the one I’ve enjoyed the least out of the GoT collection.

Nose: Sweet and smokey. Tree fruits, apples and pears blending beautifully. Sweet tea biscuits. Palate: Smoky as expected. Oatmeal raisin cookies. Some citrusy waves. Graham crackers. Simpler than expected. Finish: Medium. Warm. Salty caramel. Overall Thoughts: Quite nice. Definitely has bite to it but it’s not overly complex by any means. I honestly think something a little older would have been a better fit for the GoT editions. The nose is the loveliest part while the palate seems to fall behind some.

Nose: Sweet and slightly smoky. Floral notes, very pleasant. Apples and cinnamon. Some vanilla. Hints of caramel as well. Palate: Sweet as expected. Apples stronger here than on the nose. Smoothness of honey blending with the fading smoke. Some malt rounding it out. Finish: Medium. Slight burn but not offensive. Fruitiness lingering. Not much sticks around but unexpectedly, the smoke stays the longest. Overall Thoughts: Not bad at all. A pleasant surprise. It’s nose has quite a bit going on but the palate keeps it simple. It’s very pleasant and easy to drink. I’m certainly considering adding a bottle to my collection.

Nose: Grains and oak. Subtle citrus fruits. Hints of caramel. A simple nose. Palate: Sweeter than the nose. Vanilla strongest here with honey coming in waves. Fruity notes, apples mostly. Finish: Brief. Warm. It’s smooth at first but gives a little kick on the way out. Overall Thoughts: I quite like it. I’ve seen some somewhat negative reviews about this one or just simply saying it’s mediocre. The nose is simple but I think it’s a very solid blend and I quite enjoy the interesting complexity on the palate. This is one of those whiskeys I’d consider to be one that’s perfect before bed after a quiet day.

Nose: Strong ethanol smell. Charred oak. Grains and cereals. Some hints of sweet honey. Oranges. Confectionary sugar. Palate: Light feel but burns like hell. Charred oak much stronger here. Vanilla coming through nicely. More citrusy as well. Slight malty taste. Finish: Brief. More burn. A little sweeter, more like the nose. Overall Thoughts: I don’t hate it but it definitely tastes like a $12 bottle of Scotch. It packs a wallop but it’s not without its subtle pleasant characteristics. Not much else to say about it besides if you were to ever want a Scotch to shoot, this is the one.

Nose: Heavy ethanol. Apples and cinnamon. Vanilla. Hints of citrus, limes to be exact. Light smoke. Palate: Smoky and light. Some vanilla. Light malty flavor. Salt water taffy. Pretty simplistic. Finish: Medium. Warm and sweet, nice vanilla. Overall Thoughts: Another cheap one, but not without some nice notes. Simple and easy to drink. Nothing to write home about but certainly has heart. A proper bargain Scotch.

Nose: Fruity, mostly apples, cherries, and grapes. Some plums. Malt is very present as well. Some honey. Faint hint of chocolate. Palate: Malt coming through fastest. Smoke peeking through. Cherries stronger here blending with a little bit more vanilla. Chocolate rounding it out. Finish: Brief. Smoky and malty. Very simple finish. Overall Thoughts: A step up from the regular Dewar’s blend, but a blend all the same. Tasty and hearty but doesn’t send me over the moon. Fruitiness on the nose was complex and interesting but the palate falls a bit short. Definitely would be happy to try again after I get a little more palate experience!

Nose: Honey. Apples. Some cinnamon. Ethanol. Faint hints of chocolate coming through. Palate: A little smoky. Honey and vanilla competing. Slight bit more chocolate towards the end as well. The smallest hint of grassiness as well. Finish: Medium-Long. Warm and sweet with some grain and grass. Overall Thoughts: To be honest, I consider this to be more of a Scotch staple than Johnnie Walker. It’s tasty and it’s simple. Never a bad choice when it comes to a blend. Dewar’s was one of the first Scotch whiskies I ever tasted when I was a teenager and when I was trying whatever I could get my hands on. It’s a hearty dram that’s not bad but not groundbreaking. Gets the job done for sure! Always good to have a little bottle in the back cabinet, imo.