Tastes

I think this one is underrated. Very robust and at 114 proof it packs a punch. You can water it down a bit and it still has a unique flavor. More woody and smoky than your typical bourbon. Gives you some hints of oak right from the nose then tip of the tongue. It's enjoyable. Great value. $22.00 at the big, local discount store in Denver.

My brother-in-law from Colombia introduced me to this scotch. It's very drinkable. A little peat and smoke, but just kind of bland. Old Parr just isn't up to the Parr of other scotches you can get for around $22-$30. For a tad bit more I'd go for the Dewars 12 in a blended Scotch. Nothing remarkable about it, but you can tell it's aged. Better than the Highland's Mist I buy for my wife's Rob Roys.

One of my favorite, non-scotch whiskies for under $30.00. Much like bourbon. Similar to Elijah. Smooth, vanilla and apple. Nothing to remarkable. I agree with the distiller.com profile on this one.

This is one of the best bargains going in whiskey. If you like something like Elijah Craig, you'll like this too for about 20-30% less money. It is full and rich. Maybe it's just me, but I think the charcoal filter on these Tennessee whiskies adds a bit of smokiness to it.

This bourbon is one of my favorites. Full, rich, heavy and at $25 - $30, it is a bargain. I taste vanilla, butter, and roasted pecan, but then again, I taste that in a lot of bourbons. They just aren't as individually unique as scotch in my humble opinion. Still, this is a very easy whiskey to drink and packs a punch at 94 proof. This apparently used to be a 12-year bourbon which I never had. It is now an NAS. Judging by its mature, oak flavor and mouthfeel, I still think it is probably fairly well aged.

I really like this scotch. So much that I bought it again. I think it is underrated. It just isn't really prominent for any single flavor category, yet its simplicity make it extremely easy to drink. The 2nd time I had it I recognized smoke that I didn't initially think was there. It's a bit subtle and deceptive because it is so smooth and balanced in other ways. Along with a tinge of smoke are vanilla, caramel, citrus-fruit, and a nice cookie dough flavor. Also, I get much more oil on the finish than the profile here suggests. I'd buy again. Love drinking it.

I agree with the profile on this from distiller.com. It is rich, sweet, and fruity. Butter-vanilla smooth, but hardly any smoke or peat. For some reason this and other really good Irish Whiskies have a little bit of a cookie dough sweetness to me that I am really fond. Very easy to drink. I can buy for $49.00 at one of our local big, discount stores.

For the money, this is my favorite stand by. It is genuine blended malt and has a delicious, fruity, vanilla flavor with some overtones of pear. I can get this for $26.00 at my local liquor store. Average price is probably around $31.00. I've seen for as low as $23.99. Tends more towards sweet and fruit, but little smoke or peat. This is a scotch everyone should have on their shelves and would be widely appealing to just about anyone who likes whisky, bourbon and scotch lovers, alike.

Like Laphroaig, this one has a stupid amount of peat and smoke, and I mean that in a good way. It's very similar to Laphroaig. I think of this as being very similar to Laphroaig, but a little less vanilla and maybe a bit spicier and oilier. Leather-rich, bold flavor. If you love bold, manly scotches, you must try.

If you can get this for $29.99 like I can from my local liquor store, it's a no-brainer to buy. On the mild side as far as peat and smoke, but as distiller.com profile suggests, it is fairly rich in flavor. Pear and vanilla seem to be what I taste most in this. Maybe a little peach. Kind of fruity.