Tastes

This is a heavily peated single malt that was distilled back in 2003 then matured in a single refill hogshead for 18 years and bottled in September 2021 exclusively for The Whisky Exchange at 51.3% with a total output of 285 bottles. The nose starts with a mix of powdered sugar, caramelized peaches and tangy crispy pork belly then a fresh lite campfire with fallen leaves followed by bergamot orange, freeze dried apples, lime zest and vanilla creme brûlée that transitions to fresh picked herbs, cavernous minerality and charred hay bales with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits that quickly fades to tangy balsamic glazed short ribs followed by a mild ashy oak spice that fades to roasted cacao nibs and charred pine cones then fruits of cherries jubilee, candied limes and sautéed apples that transitions to anise, candied ginger, black pepper and pine sap with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with roasted cacao nibs, key lime pie, tangy barbecue ribs, cavernous minerality and charred pine cones that lingers for minutes. This one is absolutely incredible that starts with a complex nose that balances notes of sweet fruits, tangy barbecued meats, hay and scorched earth to draw you in before the taste that takes the notes found on the nose and elevates the experience with some tropical fruits, charred forest and earthy chocolate before the finish that seems to last forever with a perfectly balanced mix of earthy minerality, burnt forest, charred meats and creamy citrus. This is near perfection for my palate with the main flaws being a slight out of balance bitterness on the taste and that the flavors aren't as dense and rich as I'd prefer. At the price of nearly $200, this is an expensive dram that really elevates the already fantastic taste of the Ballechin 10 year to showcase what an additional 8 years can do to the heavy peated distillate and would be an incredible addition to any peat head's collection.

For the finale of my small Glen Scotia series, I have a small sample of their 25 year that bumps the ABV of the 15 and 16 from 46% to 48.8%. The nose starts with a mix of lemon meringue pie, limes, burnt hay bales, light ocean brine and dusty old leather bound books then pipe tobacco along with seaside rock minerality followed by chamomile tea, brut champagne, apricots and mango that transitions to ginger, cloves, black pepper, and antique polished furniture with light ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with slightly soured but creamy tropical fruits before a mild pepper spice that quickly fades to charred lemon, kaffir lime leaves, burning bales of hay, light ocean brine and dusty old leather bound books then dark chocolate covered toasted almonds followed by chamomile tea, brut champagne, apricots and mango that transitions to ginger, cloves, black pepper, and an ashy oak spice with medium ethanol burn The finish is medium length with burnt hay bales, soft creamy tropical fruits, sea salt taffy, spicy dark chocolate mocha and dusty old leather bound books. This is an excellent dram that brings in those typical Glen Scotia notes of citrus, farmyard, ocean brine, rocky minerality, and tea that the additional aging has polished out those sour fruits into softer, sweeter and creamier fruits along with dusty books and antique furniture. The flavors are much bolder than the 15 or 16, likely from the additional years resting in the barrel and the extra ABV, that are expertly balanced, but have a bit more of an ashy bitterness than I'd prefer in the beginning of the taste and start of the finish. At a price of $400+ a bottle, this is an expensive treat that I wouldn't recommend buying as you can get better whisky for a much lower price. If you happen to be able to find a sample or a fair price at a bar, I'd recommend giving it a try as it's a fun one to explore, but not something that I think can justify that premium price.

The nose starts with a mix of charred lemons and limes, burnt hay bales and ocean brine then pipe tobacco along with seaside rock minerality followed by chamomile tea, grapefruit, golden raisins and vanilla custard that transitions to ginger, cloves, leather and polished oak with light ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy tropical fruits that then veers towards a mild bitter spice before fading to charred lemons and limes, burning hay bales and ocean brine then dark chocolate covered almonds along with seaside rock minerality followed by chamomile tea, tart apples, golden raisins and vanilla custard that transitions to ginger, cloves, leather and polished oak with light ethanol burn The finish is medium length with soft creamy tropical fruits, sea salt taffy, burnt hay bales, dark chocolate orange, leather and espresso. The nose is fairly bold with a mix of charred citrus, farmyard, ocean brine, rocky minerality, tea and well aged oak that carries over to the taste with the addition of creamy tropical fruits that has a slight off-balance bitterness fading into a very enjoyable finish of creamy fruits, hay and earthy notes. Side by side with the 15, the 16 isn't quite as balanced but has richer and bolder flavors that I think helps it edge out the 15. Another very tasty dram from Glen Scotia and thanks @Richard-ModernDrinking for sharing this one with me.

The nose starts with a mix of lemon lime soda, hay and ocean brine then dark chocolate covered almonds along with seaside rock minerality followed by chamomile tea, grapefruit, gooseberries and vanilla taffy that transitions to ginger, cloves, leather and polished oak with light ethanol burn. The taste is a thin to medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of lemon lime soda, fresh baked bread and ocean brine then dark chocolate covered almonds along with seaside rock minerality followed by chamomile tea, grapefruit zest, tangerine orange and vanilla custard that transitions to ginger, leather and polished oak with light ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with soft creamy citrus, sea salt taffy, dark chocolate orange, leather and black tea. The nose on this is soft and balanced with a mix of citrus, ocean brine, rocky minerality, tea and well aged oak that carries over to the taste with the fruits being far less sour than the nose and the flavors expertly balanced before fading into the soft sweet citrus and dark chocolate finish. This is far better balanced than the 10 year cask strength version but lacks the bold flavors that the 10 year had likely due to the lower ABV that has made the flavors more muted than I'd prefer. It's still a very enjoyable pour and would likely be incredible for those that prefer their drinks at a lower proof than cask strength. Thanks @ctbeck11 for the generous sample of this one.

This is a drammers exclusive single barrel that was bottled at 55.6%. The nose starts with light notes of charred lemons and limes, ocean brine, soft vanilla and hay then a mild smoke along with sea side rock minerality and chamomile tea followed by tart apples, gooseberries and grapefruit zest that transitions to pickled ginger and a light oak spice with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy orchard fruit that quickly veers towards a moderate sour and bitter spice that fades to lemon lime sports drink, charred hay bales and light minerality followed by chamomile tea, tart apples, gooseberries and grapefruit zest that transitions to pickled ginger, cloves and a light ashy oak spice with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with mild campfire ash, sour citrus and dark chocolate orange. Overall, this is a good dram that manages to bring in a mix of sour citrus, tea, ocean brine and mild spices, but those sour and bitter flavors are a bit too much for me that throws off the balance. This is the start of a small Glen Scotia series with this being the youngest of them and we'll see how the distillate does with some additional age going forward. A huge thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for the generous pour.

The nose is dense and rich starting with figs, brandy soaked cherries, dusty old leather bound books and dark maple syrup then dark chocolate covered candied pecans followed by cinnamon apple crumble, orange flavored crème brûlée and baked pears that transitions to ginger, cloves and a moderate sawdust with low ethanol burn. The taste is a rich mouthfeel starting with apricots, cherries jubilee and dusty old leather bound books then dark chocolate pecan pie followed by cinnamon apple crumble, orange zest and baked pears that transitions to ginger, cloves and a moderate sawdust with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with a spicy mocha, candied pecans, apple fritters, creme brûlée, honey covered cornbread, leather bound books and moderate ashy oak. No surprise here that the Cowboy has stayed true to itself with those intense traditional bourbon flavors that manages to also bring in notes of old Armagnac. It's an incredible bourbon that is nearly perfect for me with its only flaw being those dusty sawdust notes that throw off the balance ever so slightly. Since I still have some of my 2019 left, I decided to do a side by side in which I found that the 2021 edges the 2019 out with a slightly richer mouthfeel and a better balance of flavors. Thanks @soonershrink for the generous sample of this one.

So unlike other distilleries that source MGP and rebrand it under their name, Same Old Moses decided to contract with a Texas distillery to produce a 4-grain bourbon made from Oklahoma ingredients and then age it for 4 years in Oklahoma. Seems like a bold strategy Cotton, let's see if it pays off for them. The nose starts with a mix of freshly varnished oak and flapjacks covered in maple syrup then chocolate covered espresso beans and roasted pecans followed by apple butter, sour cherry jelly and tart orange that transitions to cloves, ginger and charred whole wheat toast with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a medium sour and ashy spice that slowly fades to a dark chocolate mocha and cinnamon rolls then candied pecans followed by sour apple candy, maraschino cherries and tangerine orange that transitions to cloves, ginger and over-brewed black tea with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with a mild ashy spice, dark chocolate mocha, sautéed apples, Angel food cake and pipe tobacco. Once I opened the sample and poured it into my glass this immediately strikes me with the Balcones DNA with an inviting mix of freshly varnished wood, rich syrup, coffee and sour fruits that carries over to the taste but seems to veer towards an overly oaked profile that seems to affect a lot of Texas whiskies before finishing with baked sweets, coffee and a mild ash. I tend to be more sensitive to extra oaky profiles than others and this would likely be a really enjoyable whiskey for those less sensitive that try it. Thanks so much @soonershrink for sharing this one with me.

This edition is a vatting of 7 ex-bourbon barrels and 1 ex-sherry that was bottled at 59.8%. The nose starts with a mix of light sea breeze, barley fields, smoked meats and creamy orchard fruit then light sherry influence of musty grapes, cocoa nibs and roasted hazelnuts followed by tender slow cooked Jackfruit, apricots and candied lemon peel that transitions to ginger, cloves and gauze bandages with high ethanol burn. The taste is a medium to full mouthfeel starting moderately sour with a mild spice that slowly fades to sea salt seasoned grilled seafood then creamy orchard fruit, chocolate covered raisins and roasted hazelnuts followed by sautéed apples, apricots and sour lemon candy that transitions to ginger, cloves and burning hay bales with high ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with a moderate pepper spice, lemon meringue, baked clams, dark chocolate, musty grapes and burning hay bales. This is a hell of a whisky that strikes me as a Swedish version of Octomore. The nose is a wonderful mix of smoke, ocean, light sherry and creamy fruits that carries over to the taste with a slightly higher spice where the youthful age is apparent with some mild sour fruits before the spicy finale with some sour sweets, seafood and peaty barnyard notes. I really like what Smogen has put together here and would love to try some of their stock at a higher age statement. At around $125 for a 500ml, it's priced high but it's also a very high quality product by a small craft distillery. If you happen to find a bottle and are interested in trying some Swedish whisky, I'd recommend going for it.

The nose is dense and rich starting with a mix of canned peaches in syrup, candied lemon peel and roasted pistachios then oatmeal cookies with dark chocolate chips followed by powdered sugar covered diced strawberries, dehydrated figs and cherries jubilee that transitions to cardamom, anise, and fresh roasted espresso beans with high ethanol burn. The taste is a rich oily mouthfeel starting with a moderate bitter and sour spice that slowly fades to brown sugar caramelized peaches with a squeeze of lemon on top and vanilla gelato then dark chocolate covered roasted pistachios followed by sour apples, sour cherries, and orange peel that transitions to cardamom, anise, and fresh roasted espresso beans with high ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with candied lemon peel, sour apple, dark chocolate covered espresso beans, ginger, cardamom, anise and light ash. This is a flavor bomb that the notes are big and bold with moderately soured fruits, dark chocolate and some peppery spices. The nose really surprises you with how rich and dense it is with a great balance that draws you in for a taste that falters slightly with a bitter start before those slightly soured rich flavors come in with a good balance before the finish of fruits, coffee and mild spices. At a price of around $100, I think this is an incredible value in today's market. Thanks so much @ContemplativeFox for the sample, as this was a real treat.