Tastes

Color: Dark molasses. Nose: Chocolate overwhelms, but is lightened a bit by roasted peanuts and grilled pineapple. Assertive but not cloying nutmeg and (yes) sherry. Some ground coffee fragrance as well. Palate: Apple pie with cinnamon crust, black treacle, orange rind, and fresh maple syrup. Spicy and dark with a hefty mouthfeel. Finish: Almost arboreal. Barrel wood, yes, but also pine nuts and sap. Lingers with a savory bitterness, like crispy dark bacon. Diluted: Nose is *much* more floral with water, and adds a sweet mellow caramel as well. Palate is both sweeter (honey, brown sugar) and meatier (pork belly, sweet potatoes). Finish holds a minty, loamy version of its forest character.

Color: Dark maple. Nose: Chocolate fudge and hot buttered cider meet a lighter dessert note, like crème brûlée or vanilla ice cream. Palate: Leather notes arrive with sprigs of mint and tobacco. Doesn't quite keep the nose's richness, but pleasantly herbal. Finish: A little flat, but nice and warm with cinnamon and barrel character. Diluted: Stronger nose of vanilla blooms along with fragrant wood shavings. Palate gets a little sweeter but maintains a leafy, spicy core. Finish is actually a little nicer with water - stretches it out a little more.

Color: Butterscotch. Nose: Caramel corn, orange peel, and vanilla cookies. Rich baking smells with toches of the dessert wine sweetness. Palate: Powerful orchard fruit cuts through some rich cinnamon spice. A little pleasant acidity from the wine casks. Finish: Pears and marmalade with brown sugar. Sweet, is what I'm saying. Diluted: Nose features milk chocolate and fresh berries, like raspberries. Palate is all honey and graham crackers with a floral, fruity finish.

Color: Dandelion wine. Nose: Cereal malt and a juicy lemon zest. Citrus notes give way to grass and a little light buttered toast. Palate: Mild nuttiness, like lightly roasted cashews, with a continuation of the citrus notes. Faint powdered cocoa and marzipan. Finish: Short and shallow - would like to try this at full strength. Nonetheless, pleasant floral tang and bready sweetness. Diluted: Nose is sweeter and fruitier, with banana and honeycomb. Palate holds the honey with a light dusting of mandarin shavings, though the finish remains a little disappointing.

Color: Singed tawny. Nose: Pure sherry with fresh black garden soil and dark berries. Chocolate syrup with roasted notes. Palate: Black liquorice and dried fruit, with sea salt and a concentrated treacle sweetness. The barest hint of vegetative peat. Finish: Pleasant bitterness with espresso beans and savory bacon grease. Good body and very smooth. Diluted: Sweeter fruits, including strawberries and cherries, on the nose. Palate doesn't lose any of its savory saltiness, but adds a dollop of honey. If there's any drawback, it's the finish, which is noticeably shorter/weaker.

Color: Dusky gold. Nose: Grassy and grainy, with barley malt predominating and rich vanilla peaking through the floral meadow character. Palate: Silken honey and chewy grains, with a little funk hanging over everything. Delicate citrus notes accent the earthy sweetness, along with a wonderful mouthfeel. Finish: Very light caramel character with a mildewy dampness, like wet leaves after a rain. Diluted: Ripe pears and mossy forest undergrowth on the nose. Palate erupts with increased sweetness; e.g., vanilla fudge and treacle. Finish remains soft, smooth, and funky.

Color: Caramel corn. Nose: Blackberries, currants, rose bushes, and a light medicinal smoke. Fruit-forward, peat understated. Palate: Chocolate and espresso at the fore, with dried fruits as you go. Some meatiness, as you find bacon with maybe a little maple. Once again, sweet sherry notes balance (i.e., mellow) the peat. Exactly my style, but just a little less oomph than I want. Finish: A bit more Islay smoke here. Sooty and savory, if not overly developed. This is where it most resembles the standard Laphroaig 10 Year. Diluted: Water actually seems to help you find more of the peat on the nose, with a nice marine character. Same to an extent on the palate, but it also plays up the berry sweetness in particular. Finish is a little more caramelly, and just a touch too juicy for my taste.

Color: Sunny dandelion. Nose: Creamy banana meets a surprising level of salt and seawater. Some classic Lagavulin campfire smoke but a sweeter and more marine nose than I'm used to. Palate: Rich and meaty and saturated with charcoal. Still, however, vegetative sweetness persists - redolent of butternut squash or grilled plantains. Finish: Smoke gets dialed up on the way out, almost to a point of ashiness. Pungent plumes from a tailpipe. Diluted: Graham cracker smores erupt from the nose, with more layered bourbon notes on the palate. Palate retains its smoke, almost in its entirety.

Color: Bright amber. Nose: Tart berries, lavender, and apple blossoms. Also reminiscent of freshly stained wood with a pleasantly dry spice. Palate: I know they say it's not peated, but I could swear... Almost a lighter, more delicate highland smoke. Otherwise, the sherry notes are pleasantly subtle, with a fruited dryness and cinnamon. Finish: More of the sweet notes, with some brown sugar and toffee. The malt character is really clean and clear, and shines most here. Diluted: Opens up more of the sherry, with raisins and roasted nuts on the nose and candied dates on the palate. Finish is mellow and rich, but just a little shorter with water.

Nose: Pale wheat. Nose: Gasoline and a nose full of seawater. Pungent kelp drying on the beach. Drenched chacoal. Palate: Dynamic combination of banana, honey, and vanilla with velvety peat smoke. But rich and malty at core. Finish: Overcooked popcorn with plenty of salt. Lingering wisps of peat smoke. Diluted: Nose is richer and sweeter, palate is crispy burnt ends and pork fat. The finish is sublime, with horseradish and manuka honey in equal measure.