Tastes

*Score* 77 *Color* Somewhat rusty bronze. *Nose* A terribly uninviting nose. It smells like stale gym socks crammed in a locker for several months. Or a decomposing log in the woods. *Palate* Leaning towards thin. *Finish* The initial finish is off-putting; reiterating completely the uninviting nose. It’s like, “I told you not to drink this.” *Notes* A little water tones down the offensiveness, but doesn’t improve. It’s just not as bad because it’s watered down. This one may be better used as a blend, perhaps add some depth to Jameson.

*Score* 79 *Color* Bronze. *Nose* Flat, peat, cereal. Best described as overwhelmingly flat peat. *Palate* Thick and oily. *Finish* Moderate. *Notes* Opens up a little with water. Initially adds a little sea spray, and ends up being more pleasant with hints of honey.

*Score* 86 *Color* Deep amber rust. *Nose* Sweet, cola, floral. *Palate* Moderately oily. Almost feels like the flat coating a banana leaves on your tongue. *Finish* Sweet and lasting. *Notes* Leads with cherries, floats across your tongue, tapers off to floral heather, and leaves you with a touch of lavender and coriander. At times you can pick up on a plank of wood that makes you want to chew on this. It gets super spicy with a few drops of water. This is very easy to find – most bars with even an extremely limited selection will feature Woodford Reserve. A solid go-to at a fair price.

*Score* 88 *Color* A very distinctive Golden yellow that offers implications of royalty. *Nose* Hits you with peat and slightly burns the nostrils. *Palate* Earthy, briny with a lemon twist and hints of honey and baked cereal. *Finish* Surprisingly long lasting from such a thin color, but still a tad short. Quickly fades into a thin smoky ash. *Notes* A little water tones down the initial burn, and opens a bit more complexity. Makes it a bit more like a campfire. I hate to say that the Ardbeg 10 is a bit of a letdown. I only say this after I’ve tried Ardbeg’s other expressions which set the bar so high. One key flaw is the 45 proof has a little too much alcohol burn. With the 10, I don’t pick up the complexity like I do with the other expressions. Overall, I would say the Ardbeg 10 is a very good scotch, better than most scotches, but lower when compared to other expressions in the Ardbeg family. Almost a victim of its own success. Basically, if you want to try an Ardbeg I would not suggest the 10.

*Score* 85 *Color* Golden, pilsner. *Nose* Faint hints of wood, surprisingly no IPA or hops. *Palate* Thin, bit of an alcohol burn. *Finish* Thin and quick to vanish. *Notes* Standard Glenfiddich experience with very shallow fruit and nuts. Surprisingly, I don’t feel like the IPA Cask adds very much complexity or depth. I did pick up a lot more with water. Overall, it’s just kind of the same thing and a little pricier than other Glenfiddich expressions. Although it’s a little higher proof, of which you’ll never hear me complain.

This is why we drink scotch. *Score* 93 *Color* Amber, lager *Nose* deep oaky wood. Peat with a touch of smoke. If you know to be on the lookout for cinnamon, you can pick up faint traces. *Palate* thick and dense. *Finish* Robust and peppery. Just let it linger as long as it can. *Tasting Notes* The first taste on its own offers moderate enjoyment. It’s difficult, if not impossible for me, to evaluate this dram on its own merits prior to adding water because I know how much I’ll love it because I know how much it will change and how much I prefer it with a few drops. Merely a single drop of water unleashes the best scotch I have ever experienced. To piece together expert notes, “The lava of the Cuillins”…“explodes on the palate.” Talisker delivers such a long beautiful aftertaste. Complex and dense, you’ll notice ashy smoke almost like a cigarette aftertaste with a tincture of cinnamon underneath the smoke. A few more drops that seem to damper the smoke and engage the cinnamon. A finish so strong and perfect I don’t ever want it to end. This is a perfect example of a scotch you need to revisit. Be very precise in noting how many drops you add and what nuances you pick up. This is a completely different scotch with no drops versus three drops, and even increasing to several more drops. If you like Talisker even a little bit, buy a bottle and explore.