Tastes

Nose: grapes, malt, caramel, sour apple Palate: brown sugar, golden raisins, salted toffee, earthy malt Finish: medium; dry, bitter dark chocolate At first I wasn’t impressed, but a time after opening the bottle and a rest in the glass this gives some nice white wine mixed with toffee notes. Not at all the Bunnahabhain 12 I know and love. This is something different. A bit sour, a bit more bite. An interesting pour I’ll keep around but I may not replace. An adventure pour that every Bunnahabhain fan should try at least once.

Nose: campfire, dark fruit, tobacco leaf Palate: up front is lots of dark fruits, the smoke arrives shortly after with a hint of dark chocolate, sometimes a bit vegetal. Finish: charred meat over a campfire ending with sweetness Price: $130 ; worth it as a special treat Bottle Design: Score: 8/10 ; Buy it! Final thoughts: This is a great bottle for sweet and smoky. The first Lagavulin I’ve bought and I’m loving it. The beginning of the bottle was fruity and smoky while the end of the bottle was more meaty smoky. With a higher price than the 8 and 16, I probably won’t buy another. I’m glad for the experience this gave and will definitely explore others from this distillery. Pairs wonderfully with some burgers from the grill!!

Nose: Toffee, honey, orange zest, smoke Palate: Honeycomb, cereal, smoke, orange peel, nuttiness, red fruit Finish: Smoked honey, brown sugar Bottle design: 4/5 A beautiful design that looks great with under/backlighting. Rating notes: Oh honey, you are a tasty one! A light touch of smoke with an handful of honey cereal. A touch fruity and dark sugar. A delicious bottle that should be a great addition to any shelf. Worth the price at around $60-70 in my area.

Oban 14 Nose: Light juicy fruit, apples, pears, salt water, light smoke Palate: Much like the nose, tons of light fruit, a bit of smoke with a touch of seaweed. Finish is medium ending on an ashy note. Refreshing and interesting leaving you wanting more. Price: <$100; pricy but worth it, absolute rebuy Score: 9.2/10 - Amazing pour - Stock it! Final thoughts: I’m in love! I’m in love and I don’t care who knows it! This is a beautiful whisky. Perfect for any occasion and any season. The fruity burst on both the nose and the palate makes this an easy sipper and a definite rebuy. Even with the increased price I’m still convinced this is worth the splurge. I’ve loved every pour from the bottle and I’m sad to be nearing the end. To me that is a sign of a great scotch. What do you think of the Oban 14? Is it a classic staple on your shelf? Would you recommend it to a friend?

I’ve seen a lot of negative reviews about Jura. Honestly I don’t get it. This stuff is delicious! Pure chocolate every time. Malted milk balls, brownie batter, a hint of smoke. I’m sad to finish the bottle but excited to grab another. This one will be a “stock it” for me!!

The nose matches the taste with really heavy marzipan, cherry, vanilla and some salt water taffy on the end. This is a dessert whisky all around. Very light and sweet. Worth giving a try.

Nose: A basket full of strawberries; fresh baked pumpkin bread; a hint of leather Palate: Sweet fruit arrival turns to baking spice. Raisin bread. Malt shows up late. Bite: 43% abv; Medium; The baking spice lasts throughout ending with a nice zing. Slightly nutty. Price: <$70; Good value. Score: 8.0/10 - Seasonal pour - Stock it! Final thoughts: This is a drink for autumn leaves and long sleeves. I get serious pumpkin spice vibes along with strawberry fields. A favorite among the Glenmorangie fans for good reason. Of all the core range offerings, this is the one to keep on the shelf. A good example of what a port cask can do.

Nose: smoke, iodine, cream, lemon zest; it’s a lovely earthy smoke that has a sweet undertone Palate: smoke, vanilla, sweet malt, cream, earthy peat; I swear I get a smoked cream soda on this. Just delightful. Bite: 46% abv; Medium. Quite nice. Not too intense. The smokiness tempers it down a bit. Price: Less than $60. Amazing value for what you get. Easy decision to keep this one stocked up. Score: 8.5/10 - Weekend pour - Stock it! Final thoughts: There is a reason Ardbeg is so popular among the Islay heavyweights. The peat is very distinctive and the 10 is a great way to experience that. A good one to introduce beginners to peated scotch and I imagine even experienced people would appreciate a pour. I’ll definitely be buying another bottle sooner than later.

The most evolution in a bottle. The palate changes so much it’s a mystery every sip. Beginners should avoid this one, but experienced should give it a try. I will replace the bottle eventually, but it’s definitely not for everyone. Nose: Toffee, honey, apple, white grape, smoke, fungus Palate: Pears, red apple, honey, peat, ash, green grape Finish: Short/Medium- malted honey, funk, mushroom

This is something special. Meaty and smoky. Cooking bacon in a cast iron over a campfire. The nose is addictive. Extremely rich and lingering palate. A must have bottle. The value is definitely there at the price.