Tastes

As I smelled the whiskey I had notes of oak and sweet vanilla toffee. At first taste the full notes of wheat come across the pallate. Very sweet in flavor that settles in and stays. The whiskey is a smooth, easy drinker that I could drink all night.

The nose is full of spice, almost too powerful as you bring the glass up. The whiskey itself is very abrupt in flavor. Spices are the first thing that stand out, sweeter undertones come to life as you chew it. For me the spice is strong, even excessive at times. It is good, but not for me.

Nuts are definitely prevalent on the nose as I raised the glass. The whiskey itself is extremely smooth and easy on the tongue. Nuts were more apparent as I sipped, the spice comes in strong towards the end and it finished by bringing everything together. I will find a spot for this bottle in the cabinet very soon.

The whiskey is definitely different from other Irish whiskeys I've had. The flavor is well balanced with smoke and fruit complimenting each other nicely. The whiskey is not dry on the pallate which for me is a downfall in the Irish category. I think the simplicity of it is what makes this whiskey a stand out for me.

At first taste I got a lot of caramel followed by quite a bit of spice. As I continued to make my way through the glass the spice prevailed. The full body of the whiskey and spice balance well, but the bourbon for me is a bit of a dud. I would not reinvest in this bottle, save your change for the signature craft 12, 4 more years makes a big difference.

Smoke and peat are extremely pronounced in this smooth whiskey. Bacon and brisket sit on your tongue as you sip which adds to the profile. Maybe a little more oily than I prefer but the brine offsets it well. The scotch is definitely a top notch whiskey at an excellent price point for what you get.

Across the nose you get a rich toffee smell that speaks for the flavor you're about to have. Once you sip it, you find an extremely smooth but robust flavor. The sweet notes of chocolate and toffee ride well on the subtlness of the brine and smoke. For the price I think this an excellent bottle to have on standby in any collection.

I think this is an underscored whiskey when it comes to the Distiller rating. The bottle I tried was marked as 86 proof, but either way was an awesome whiskey. Fruity and sweet definitely describes the whiskey with a smooth flavor across the pallet. The blend is solid coming from a lineup of quality distilleries, and it definitely does not disappoint for the price.

A little rougher to drink than I was expecting for a 10 year. I had notes of spicy flavor that came across, but the rich flavor overpowered and made for a mediocre drink.

Being that it is slightly higher proof, you get a warmer bite as you drink it. However, once you chew it you get the fruity, sweet notes that comes from a good whiskey. The rye spice is present in the taste and makes for a great finish. It is great to try, but I wouldn't rush out for another bottle.