Tastes

I have mentioned in a couple of my notes that I am a single malt scotch man all the way. And I'll also point out that I don't just lean towards the Islay scotches, I live in a peat bog vicariously through them. I tend not to like bourbon because it tends to be too sweet for me, but Booker's is actually pleasant to drink because of its relatively heavy smokiness and very light sweetness. I'm having a hard time deciding if I like this better than Bulleit because I tried them so far apart, but I suspect that Booker's will take the win thanks to the smoke, which I don't remember being so prominent in Bulleit.

I really like the deep, peaty smoke of this one. The taste of a pristine, freshly-dried and slightly charred wood is also present, peeking up through the peat along with a hint of sweet tobacco. The impressive alcohol content purrs like a kitten on your tongue, having been expertly lion-tamed by Ardbeg's distiller. The only thing working against this Scotch is that I like Ardbeg's "Uigeadail" better.

Peaty and smooth. This scotch has the gentle caress of the Lagavulin 16, but adds a little more peat and smoke to the mix. I'm really having a hard time deciding which one is better, and I really think it might be a draw.

This scotch is a nice break from the raw peaty goodness of a Laphroaig or Lagavulin. Don't get me wrong, the peat is still strong with this one, but the Oloroso sherry casks bring a pleasant extra fruit and spice along with a tiny hint of sweetness on the tongue that enhances the taste overall. The only thing about this bottle that might turn you away is the burn, but I can still enjoy it neat, even as a Scotch newbie. I'm not sure if I would rather have this over the Lagavulin 16 or Laphroaig 18, but at the moment I am happy with it being the only single malt in my current collection.

I'm more of a Scotch man, which may be why I really like this Bourbon. While it does have that Bourbon flavor, the rye takes that sweetness down a notch. In addition to the pleasantly diminished sweetness, this Bourbon is impressively smooth. So, while I'm not really a Bourbon guy, I'm happy to share a glass of Bulleit Bourbon with anyone.

The only Glenlivet I have tried thus far is the 12. I actually got it in a flight along with the Macallan 12 and the Glenfiddich 12. While the Macallan dazzled me with flavor, but burned my tongue and throat, the Glenlivet and Glenfiddich might as well have been the exact same smooth, but disappointing glass. I guess if you just want to catch a buzz, this is the scotch for you... but I pick scotch when I want something wonderful. If I wanted to catch a buzz, I could save my money and get a Canadian whiskey for half the price. (Granted, any scotch is better than Canadian whiskey)

The 12 year is the only Glenfiddich I have sampled so far in my scotch-tasting career, and I must say, I was disappointed. While the smoothness achieved in such a young scotch is amazing, the lack of character and complexity is baffling. If Glenfiddich could pull off The Macallan 12's flavors (or if The Macallan could be as smooth as Glenfiddich 12), then I would really be able to get into liking 12 year old scotches. Unfortunately, the only 12s I have tasted so far that have any character are too rough for a teetotaler such as I.

This is the first scotch I tried that I really loved. It is pure heaven in your mouth compared to many other scotches, and practically all other whiskeys. The only thing it has too much of is sweetness, and the only thing it is lacking is the smoke I love. Regardless of its faults, anyone who buys me a glass of this is my friend, and anyone who buys me a bottle is instantly family.

As smooth as The Macallan 18, but smoky, peaty, and not sweet. All in all, as close to perfect as Scotch might ever get for me.