Tastes

WRITER’S TEARS Copper Pot Blended Irish Whiskey This whiskey is a blend of Single Pot Still and Single Malt Whiskies only. There is no grain alcohol used. NAS 40% ABV Left the bottle open for about 1 hour to breath COLOR: Deep Golden Brown with many legs running swiftly. NOSE: Upon opening the bottle there was a rich fruit note; in the glass there is a malt base with a sweet licorice note surrounded by a light fruitiness. PALATE: A very light creamy coco note in the arrival with a medium creamy mouthfeel. There is very Light pepper on the tongue. The pepper picks up as I swirl it around The mouthfeel stays creamy with a light sweetness. There is another note mixed in that I can not identify but I enjoy. The second mouthful has a licorice arrival with a bit of a metallic note, but that detracts little from the overall experience. The Coco note fills in with a bit of spice, reminding me of a pepper spiced coco I once had. FINISH: Light coco going down with light pepper rising from my throat and tongue. A Light Coco sweetness remains on my tongue along with a drying. I have enjoyed this glass. This is the first time I have experienced Coco notes in a whiskey and it is very enjoyable. It is unexpected yet pleasant to have my tastebuds experience Coco in a whiskey. I also enjoyed the creamy mouthfeel. The stewed fruit note upon opening the bottle led me to expect a fruity nose, but I am very happy with what I experienced. Michael P. Gaughan

TEELING Small Batch Irish Whiskey 8/13/17 NAS 46% ABV Non-Chill-Filtered and Uncolored. Finished for 6 Months in Rum Casks. COLOR: Similar to Strained Apple Cider with many legs running variously NOSE: The Nose is very Flat a faint Sweetness if I focus hard. PALETTE: Light Pleasant Sweet Arrival with some pepper dancing on my Tongue. The mouthfeel is light and pleasant. As I roll it around in my mouth a light pleasant Licorice arises. FINISH: A Light Fruit note rises as I swallow followed by Light Spicy with the classic Drying. Adding two drops of water and letting it sit, brings out more sweet fruit notes in the Palette. This is my third glass of TEELING Small Batch and while it is pleasant in the Mouthfeel, there is not much complexity which is most likely due to it being NAS. I Liked the combination of sweetness and spice in the Palette and how water brought forth more of a sweet note. TEELING Irish Whiskey does not seem to be afraid of experimentation so I would Love to try a 10 or 12 y.o. fully aged in Rum Casks and I recently learned that they just brought it out so I will be on the hunt for it here in NYC Michael P. Gaughan

TÉ BHEAG Nan Eilean 40% ABV 2nd Pour Non-Chill-Filtered A Blended Scottish Whisky from the Isle of Skye Blended By Praban na Linne (Prah Bawn Nah Linne) Linne=(small body of water) Shabeen of the Pool Shabeen=Roadhouse, house pub Let it sit in the Glass 30 minutes COLOR: Medium Reddish Brown with a number of Legs Running Slowly. Nice Ring NOSE: Brine, Licorice PALETTE: Light Creamy Mouth Feel Sweet Arrival with Licorice. Peat Smoke Rises nicely as I swirl it; Mixing with the Sweetness. Some Light Pepper. Light Sweetness remains amidst the Peat Smoke. FINISH: Light Sweetness going down; followed by Drying with Some Pepper, Briney Notes remain as I breathe along with Licorice and a Hint of Peat Smoke This is my 2nd Glass, In My opinion, this is a Very Good Blended Peated Scottish Whiskey. The Light Sweetness on the Palette mixes nicely with BUT is Not overwhelmed by the Peat Smoke. A Flavorful combination. I would prefer a Thicker Mouth Feel from this NON-CHILL FILTERED Blend, but there is a Nice combination of Licorice Sweetness with Peat Smoke. As an IRISH Gaelic Speaker, I greatly appreciate the significant use of SCOTTISH Gaelic in the Name and the rest of the Label. The Isle of Skye along with some of the other Scottish Islands has a small but significant Gaelic Speaking population and this Blender is Keen to uphold it, MAITH SIBH (Mah or My Shiv) Good For You (Plural)

TULLAMORE D.E.W. Phoenix Blended Irish Whiskey 3/22/18 Triple Distilled 55% ABV NAS A Blend of Grain, Single Malt and Single Pot Still Whiskies Non-Chill-filtered Finished in Oloroso Sherry Casks Left the bottle uncorked for an hour to open up COLOR: Mahogany Many Legs running swiftly NOSE: Rich sweet grape note after the whiskey opened up. In the glass a complex nose, sweet grape upfront transitioning to a sweet candy note as it sits with a bit of spiciness underneath. PALETTE: Sweet grape arrival with spice quickly moving in. A little Hot yet not overpowering. The sweet grape/candy note blends with the spiciness in the rich mouthfeel to create a nice complexity FINISH: Spicy and drying yet with an air of sweetness lingering; lightly Mouthwatering With 1 drop of Distilled water NOSE: A Caramel sweetness with Spice underneath. The grape note reappears as I swirl it. PALETTE: A Spicy grape arrival with the spice emerging but the sweet grape re-appears as I swirl it to mix with the spice. There is also a drying sense. There is still a rich mouthfeel. FINISH: Very Spicy and drying. With 2 drops of Distilled water NOSE: A light caramel candy sweetness PALETTE: Very Dry arrival with spiciness rising and light candy sweetness behind. A Very Peppery tingly mouthfeel Spice Not Alcohol burn. A light candied sweetness emerges as I swirl it. FINISH: Light sweetness followed by pepper spice ending in a mouthwatering sweetness. This is a Very Nice Complex glass of whisky. The mix of grape and or grape candy sweetness and spiciness remains NEAT or with water. They just change places in my experience of them. It is interesting the the Single Pot Still Spiciness was most prominent with 2 drops of water, but the sweetness and spice did a dance across my experience with one taking center stage at one time but the other coming in to compliment it; trading places as I enjoyed the melody. A Very well done Whiskey. Highly Recommended! Michael P. Gaughan

WOODFORD RESERVE Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey PRIMETIME LIQUORS Store Selection. 45.2% ABV This is a Store Selection. Selection date 10/02/17 Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley Master Distiller: Chris Morris When I brought it home, I left the bottle air at 4:30 PM for 1.5 hours. I re-corked it and I am doing the tasting at 9:03 PM 3/7/18 COLOR: A Rich Reddish Brown with many legs running variously NOSE: Rich Vanilla with a creamy sense and some spiciness in the background. PALETTE: Some fruitiness in the arrival at the front of the tongue. Silky Mouthfeel. There is a balanced combination of Vanilla, Caramel and wood spice as I swirl it around. Nothing dominates, there is just a pleasant mix with some drying the longer I hold it in my mouth. FINISH: Slightly Hot going down with a drying sense on my tongue The drying sense is light and airy. 1 drop of Distilled water NOSE: Hint of light fruit with Caramel in the background PALETTE: Floor Polish note as it sits on the front of my tongue. The mouthfeel remains creamy, with spicy dry notes in the fore. Light Vanilla Sweetness rises as I swirl it around. Light sweetness in my second mouthful followed by a woody drying sense with spice rising as I swirl it. There is a light sweetness deep in the background. FINISH: Dry and peppery with tingling on my tongue. A mouthwatering sense arises, but still an overall dryness. 2 drops of Distilled water NOSE: Light sweetness PALETTE: Dryness with that Floor Polish note in the background. The mouthfeel is light and pleasant. A mixture of wood spice and caramel rise as I swirl it around. FINISH: Drying with pepper on my tongue and a mouthwatering sense. This Woodford Reserve Store Pick is best Neat IMO. The mouthfeel is rich and creamy; there is a nice lightly sweet fruit note mixed with the vanilla, caramel and spice. There is a nice complexity neat. With water there is a strange Floor Polish note that is slightly unpleasant. I have tasted it before in one American Single Pot Still Whiskey It does not work in either whiskey. NEAT, this Bourbon is very good. I enjoyed the Nose, Palette and Finish NEAT. Interestingly, this bourbon had a lighter sense than any other bourbon I have had. Also, it is the first bourbon were I have had a fruit note. P. S. In subsequent glasses the Floor Polish note has grown which to my palette is unpleasant

GLENGOYNE 15 43% ABV 6/24/17 Uncolored and Aged in Sherry casks from Jerez, Spain and Bourbon Barrels from the USA. COLOR: a Dark Gold with a Reddish tint, Many Legs running quickly. NOSE: A rich stewed fruit note arises as the bottle is opened and the Spirit poured, Floral notes in the background. As the whisky sits in the glass a malty sweetness arises. PALATE: Ripe Fruit notes with floral notes in the background. Pepper rises as I swirl the whisky around. Silky mouthfeel which grows richer as it warms. FINISH: Sweet going down with a dry sweetness and a mouth watering sense, a dry sweetness lingers. Added 1 Drop of water NOSE: Subdued Maltiness. There is an unidentified pleasant meaty? note. PALATE: Subdued Malty Sweetness, the silky mouthfeel remains with a rising pepper on the tongue. A pleasant malty sweetness around the edges of my tongue. FINISH: Drying with pepper rising. Pepper diminishes as drying increases. I Love the stewed fruit note when I opened the bottle and the rich fruit notes in the nose and palate with floral notes surrounding it. The Silky mouthfeel is very pleasant. Unfortunately, the Rich Fruit and Floral notes fade after sitting in the glass. There is a nice Malty sweetness that lingers but I miss the rich stewed fruit and floral notes as I enjoy the glass over an extended time. That being said, I am looking forward to how air will interact with the spirit in the bottle; My experience with GLENGOYNE 12 was very good.