Tastes

Nose: Vanilla. Apple and subtle pear notes. Oaky. Bit of an ethanol smell to be honest. Palate: Vanilla blended with fruitiness. Smooth and simple. Not harsh and slightly sweet. Finish: Medium. Vanilla stays strongest throughout but hints of pear and oak. Very smooth. Overall Thoughts: Not a bad whiskey. I’d never heard of it before I found it at my local liquor store. It’s pleasant and easy to drink. Not much negative to say about it aside from the somewhat potent ethanol smell on the nose.

Nose: Sweet and fruity. Honey is the strongest aroma. Some toffee notes as well. Palate: A little malty. Honey is just as strong here too making it sweet but not overpowering. Fruitiness as well comes and goes. Finish: Medium-long. Dried fruit lingers with a little vanilla and honey. Overall Thoughts: For its price, this is a great whiskey. I’ve always preferred Jameson as my go to budget whiskey but I’ll have to keep a bottle of Tullamore safely stocked as well. Easily sipped and would be nice to have a glass or two before bed.

Nose: Bright and sweet. Citrus fruits blending with honey. Some apple as well. Delightful. Palate: A tad oily. Orange and apples come through immediately. Vanilla lingers with a hint of ginger. Finish: Medium. Smooth and virtually no roughness. Apples lingering the longest of anything. Overall Thoughts: This is a delightful whiskey. It isn’t rough around the edges or too demanding on the palate. Very little alcohol burn. Delicious blend of flavors. I picked this one up a year ago and I’ve never regretted it. A fine choice to sit and relax with. Thank goodness for the Banner County!

Nose: Apples. Spices. Malty. Some ethanol. Not much going on in the nose. Palate: Very smooth. Smoky and dry. Caramel and spice blending nicely. A hint of taffy. Tree fruits lingering as well. Very pleasant. Finish: Long. Peachy sweetness coming through subtly. Some butterscotch. Malty flavor peaking through. Overall Thoughts: Very smooth and easy to enjoy. A delightful blend of flavors that are subtle enough to keep the taster guessing. A gentle whiskey that I’m glad to keep in my collection from now on. A drop of water helps a bit too. Very much looking forward to trying more from Knappogue!

Nose: Caramel. Fruitiness. Some floral notes. Honey mixing with butterscotch did a very sweet aroma. Some spices and malt. Palate: Slightly smoky but less than expected. Caramel again but pleasant and not too syrup-like. Spices coming in nicely and citrus on its way down. Copper taste as well giving it a fuller feel. Finish: Medium. Malt strongest here. Fruit lingering with some caramel. Slight alcohol burn on the way down but it’s Jameson. C'est la Vie. Overall Thoughts: Pretty good! I think Jameson does an excellent job marketing this whiskey to be above the rest but it’s relatively average to me. Nothing that elevates it to the top tier club. Not bad by any means but it certainly isn’t phenomenal. However, if I were to make a choice between regular Jameson or Black Barrel, I’d go with the regular.

Nose: Darker flowers like violets and irises. Some tree fruits as well. Lots of oak and grain, not surprising from a grain blend! Palate: Fruity, seems like a mix of peach and apple. Very sweet and gentle. Some vanilla notes as well with some toasted almond coming through. Finish: Medium. More toasted almond and vanilla. Slightly less fruity but still there. A quiet goodbye as well; no burning. Final Thoughts: I’ve been excited to try this one since it was released. From what I understand, it’s the first blended blended grain whiskey from Ireland. JJ Corry bottles are pretty hard to find here in New York so I’m glad to finally have my second bottle and I absolutely love it. It’s very impressive from the start seeing as that blends are typically not my favorites. The flavor works beautifully and the whiskey is pure quality. If you can grab a bottle, do so. I’m on the hunt for every JJ Corry bottle there is, they make a phenomenal whiskey.

Nose: Apple and malt. Slight citrus notes. Pretty subtle overall. Palate: Some smoke to it. Malty as well. Some hints of fruit and a little peaty. Finish: Medium-long. Similar to the palate. A little smokier. Simple. Overall Thoughts: It’s nothing special but it’s not bad by any means. There’s not an awful lot to say about it aside from the fact that it would be something to drink to pass the time. Probably would be enjoyable to have while watching sports or mindless TV programs.

Nose: Peat! As expected, of course. Absolutely delightful blend of smokey and oaky. Smells of the seaside, pleasantly salty. Palate: Sweeter than the nose with some hints of vanilla and cane sugar. Saltiness and smokiness blending together. Some very light malty notes as well. Finish: Long and smokey. Very gentle and subtlety salty. Feels like the end of a nice beach day. Overall Thoughts: This is one of my absolute favorite Scotch whiskies in the world. It’s one I’ve gifted for very special occasions and one I always recommend to newbies and one I love to enjoy with my whisky-drinking friends. Laphroaig truly is a rich and special whisky.

Nose: Vanilla. Charred oak. Hints of barley. Some honey. Palate: Apples and pears blending together. Some more honey but a little stronger as expected. Hints of spice. Finish: Medium. Oak flavor lingering with waves of fruits and vanilla. Overall Thoughts: Nothing special really, a simple drinking whiskey at best. Could be ordered at a bar while killing some time. It’s branded as this really special blend from masters of the craft but at the end of the day it’s basically Bushmills in a green bottle.

Nose: Vanilla. Toasted almonds. Some apple and pear. A touch of honey and cane sugar. Palate: Honey is stronger. Some grain notes. Slight citrus fruitiness blending with apple. Finish: Medium-long. Sweetness lingers. Vanilla and marzipan. Some tartness of lemon. Overall Thoughts: It’s a gentle blend that has a little kick to it that keeps it interesting. I enjoyed it and I think any Scotch drinker whether new or experienced would as well.