Tastes

2 notes come through in joyful abundance: jammy and salty. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would buy again.

This was a sample shared with me by a friend who shelled out the dough. So I won’t talk about the price. Other than to say it’s too damned high. Sadly I don’t see this trend reversing anytime soon. Strong notes of lemon, followed by yoghurt funk and mild peat and smoke. It’s very balanced and easy to drink. Maybe it’s the extra fermentation or 13 years in the cask but the smoke and peat come on slowly and in moderation. Kind of a muted Ardbeg but enjoyable for all that. Since i didn’t buy it I’m giving it a 4. It was enjoyable and I wanted more of it. Not at $200 though. If I’d paid for it I might dock it .25-.5.

My first Blair athol and won’t be my last. Has a very musty, malty opening that’s right up my alley. Only had a small sample but it left me wanting more.

Really enjoy kaiyo. It’s hard to find interesting spec Japanese whisky for under $300 these days and kaiyo isn’t afraid to experiment. From the web: “3 years in Japanese Mizunara oak barrels. 3 Month Ocean Maturation. 7 additional years maturing in Mizunara. 4 last months finished in first-fill ex-Ruby port pipes.” It’s an interesting combination and one that pays off IMO. Candied oranges and milk chocolate on the arrival, with a moderately long finish punctuated with wood spice. I’d consider buying another although it’s not exactly cheap. I suppose it’s all relative given what Japanese whiskies retail for these days.

This is excellent. The brandy finish rounds off the rye spice in a very complementary way. It benefits from a modest amount of water as the proof definitely bites. A very unique whisky.

Is it possible to thoroughly enjoy something and yet be somewhat disappointed at the same time? This is how I find myself feeling when I drink this. That’s partially due to the price point, which is creeping up to the $6-700 range, and partially due to the excellence of any aged bunna I’ve had up to now. I simultaneously want more and yet can’t convince myself this is 2-3x more than the 18. At any rate, taking price out of it, here’s my tasting notes: Nose: berries, stone fruit, bubble gum? It’s not a sherry bomb and takes a little time to open up. Palate: complex. It tastes like very old quality scotch finished in a sherry barrel. The fruits hit first, dark stone fruits, turning mildly bitter like espresso/high cacao content chocolate. Finish: I’ll let you know when it finishes. Goes on for a fair bit. Somewhat dry like a good old red tannic wine, but there’s a sweetness that balances it out. Other: There’s a creaminess to it - my friends dubbed it ‘cookies and cream’ and although I wouldn’t have come up with that myself it’s a good tasting note. It’s more interesting and complex than the 18. If I were to choose one for a dram, I’d take the 25. But it doesn’t require a refill like the 18. Ok i went this long without talking price but If you’re interested and lucky enough to find this in the $300s I’d buy a bottle. For $6-800 I’m not sure it’s worth it. I wouldn’t pay that much.

Have the 12 year version of this but assuming all else comparable. This is my second wine finished glenallachie and I have to say i think they know what they’re doing with these casks. Tastes luxurious, creamy, but without hiding the base malt. Price has been inching up on all of these re-casked and/or otherwise finished Glenallachie bottles and I can see why. I’d buy at $90-110 but otherwise consider getting the base 12 - around me it’s $40 cheaper. This is a very small upgrade to that IMO.

This is the cleanest, best, purest example of a vegetal peaty scotch single malt I can find. It’s good For beginners who might balk at the medicinal, ashy profile of most islays. But for the advanced it offers the embodiment of its type. I’d always want one of these on my shelf and at under $70 it’s still affordable. We’ll see how long that lasts!