Tastes

55% abv (110 proof) Nose: vanilla, sugar cookie and creamy rye spice. Almost dessert like. Touch of ginger and a hint of mint in the background. Palate: caramel and big rye spice dominate; vanilla and brown sugar compliment on the development; hint of tart apple at the end; full, soft and mouth-coating texture. Finish: medium length, nearly perfect balance of rye spice and bourbon notes; juicy fruit and spearmint and hint of cocoa pop up on the tail end. Value: $45-55 bucks American. Worth it. Final thoughts: this is simply a great rye whiskey that fits all moods. The rye spice is robust but not overpowering, leaving room for the barrel influence to shine. A dash or two of water balances this pour even further, making it enjoyable for high proof lovers as well as rye novices. Score: 4/5 Recommend buying a bottle.

45.4% abv Mashbill: 86% corn; 8% barley; 6% rye. Nose: OAK; toffee; vanilla; hint of dark chocolate, dark cherry & blackberry; slight clove and anise spice; did I mention oak? Palate: OAK, very woody with some bitterness; sweetness from vanilla backed by light brown sugar; salted caramel; fairly thin viscosity and delicate mouthfeel. Finish; medium-long and drying; cafe mocha and dark chocolate; cinnamon; vanilla; hint of dark fruit, orange and slight sourness. Oh, and oak. Value: at $140-200 in the U.S. = hard pass. Final thoughts: beneath the intense oakiness of this pour lies some nuance and complexity, but even the addition of water doesn’t shatter the woody bitterness quite enough, rather just enhancing the sweetness. This is a classic example of how very aged bourbon, unlike scotch, actually diminishes the quality of the experience. It’s not bad, but for the price this is a hard one to justify. While oxidization will certainly help, for the price you expect an amazing pour right away. Bottom line: there are simply too many great bourbons at half the price. Score: 2.5/5 Hard to recommend/definitely try before you buy

43% abv Chill-filtered Color added Nose; Potent peat smoke, but closer to a Highland Park heather-type peat, not Laphroaig; classic Glenfiddich green apple; some other dark sugary sweetnesses. Palate: Creamy, toffee and marshmallow sweetness from the rum finish; smoky; apple way in the background; thin-medium viscosity and mouthfeel. Finish: Too short. Lingering hint of sweet molasses; toasted marshmallow and caramel apple way at the end. Value: $45-60. $45 USD is a "Sure, I'll roll the dice;" more than that is pushing it. Final thoughts: Fairly enjoyable stuff and I like that Glenfiddich tried something new and thought outside the box. Ultimately an interesting and not super complex dram, but seem to try and act like it is, which leads me to think it could have been amazing with more age. 3/5 stars. Recommend trying or buying a bottle at a good price.

47.1% abv 13 year age statement Non Chill filtered Natural color Nose: complex; Stawberry/Raspberry/Green Apple; a faint and pleasant “mustiness;” orange cremcicle; slight vanilla; baked almond; slight raisin. Palate: sweetness from berries; spices, like coriander and a hint of mint, black pepper; tobacco; powdered sugar; drying development; medium viscosity. So much happening here. Finish: medium-long and warming; slight sourness like grapefruit, but balanced well with a sort of creaminess; hint of like charcoal smoke?; along slight cinnamon and nutmeg and the green apple returns. Value: Price ranges from $110-140 USD. Worth it. Final thoughts: A funky, complex dram of superior quality that could only come from Campeltown (and Springbank). This single malt is challenging, nuanced and rewarding, and is a must have for seasoned scotch drinkers with a soft spot for sherry. 4.5/5 Highly recommend buying a bottle

48.3% NAS Chill filtered Color added Nose: Bright and fruit-forward. Red apple; pear; a dark berry note I can’t quite but my finger on; hint of vanilla and nutmeg. Palate: Full mouthfeel, creamy and sweet. A classic sherried and bourbon cask Macallan sweetness of dark cherry and plum; vanilla again developing into mild oak with a hint of clove and ginger. Touch of smoky sulfur and alcohol in the background. Medium viscosity. Finish: Medium length; citrus note of orange and a touch of lemon. Slightly floral as well; light oak and apples carries through. Value: limited release and becoming harder to find by the day. At $110-130 USD, a bit pricy given other options at that price point. Final thoughts: A solid addition to the Macallan “Edition” range, but not a world beater at the price and offering fewer surprises and complexities than the Edition 4. A dram for those who just straight up love their sherried Macallans without too many extras. 3.5/5 Recommend trying or buying a bottle at a good price

48.4% abv NAS Chill filtered Color added Nose: Cranberry cinnamon, almost potpourri smell; allspice; dark honey; dark stone fruits like cherry and plum; cocoa; red apple and orange; slight vanilla and toffee; slight peanut or cashew. One of the best noses I’ve experienced. Palate: At first sweet and very creamy, like warm vanilla custard. Quickly developments into drying dark fruit, pepper and ginger with a hint of citrus. Medium viscosity. Finish: medium-long. Slight burn; figs and plums linger along with pepper and a hint of mint; Juicy Fruit. Value: Limited Edition bottling going for $90-110. Just a tad pricy for what you get but not unreasonable for the quality. Final thoughts: A really great addition to the Macallan line providing a nice mix of their traditional sherry along with some interesting complexities and spice notes. 4/5 Highly recommend buying a bottle.

43% abv Chill filtered Color added Nose: Orange; Red apple; creamy vanilla; touch of brown sugar; subtle cinnamon spice; Nutmeg Palate: Creamy and sweet with orange citrus and strawberry blending nicely with baking spices. Good viscosity for just 43% abv; a tad hot on the development. Finish: Long and glorious. Orange and subtle spices; hint of white chocolate. Value: $89-99? Yes, all day. Closing thoughts: An absolute Speyside stunner for the value. Not the most complex 18 year old, but if you want a pleasant dram without too much challenge yet plenty of reward, look no further. Zero regrets. 4/5 Highly recommend buying a bottle