Tastes

Not "Scotch," not "blended Scotch," but rather a good quality grain whisky that usually would be used in blending. It is smooth and has butterscotch overtones---and that is it. It is bottled in an impressive blue decanter style bottle to put on a good show, but show is all it is. When first released in my area of midwest USA most stores were pricing it at $60-$80 a bottle. Now they are clearing them out at $19-$25 a bottle. If you don't like whisky, but feel compelled to drink some for some reason, this may be for you. Go stand next to that apple-pie vodka swilling teenager!

One of my go to Scotch blends for good quality at a good price point. Only a hint of smoke, but ample honey, malt, and fruit. Has a good mouth-feel, as good as many of the lighter single malts. I have never mixed it; but, only drink it neat or on ice. I think it can hold it's own.

My local mom/pop liquor store here in Excelsior Springs, MO scored a case of Stagg Jr August '17. She is a nice (smart) lady. She often prices the top shelf spirits a little under the suggested retail price, so her small town customers will give them a try. I was able to get my first bottle of Stagg Jr. for $46. I have seen stores in nearby Kansas City price it as high as $100. This has to be the most impressive bourbon I have ever tried. (I have never tasted Stagg original or a Pappy.) Smooth enough at 129.5 proof to sip neat, but the flavors are even more pronounced with a few drops of water to open it up. (Drops, not a splash!) The taste and aroma of warm dark brown sugar is full forward, underlain with the sweetness of corn, jazzed with rye spice, and followed by a lingering orange zest. The finish is long and inviting.

This is a wonderful vatted malt representing the single malts of the six Scottish isles that have distilleries. This Scotch blend is smooth and clean, with notes of honey and biscuit, a slight floral edge in the middle, and an accent of peat smoke throughout. There is a lingering finish that encourages you to sip another dram. Really quite good. Look for it. Encourage your local store to carry it

I have been sipping this off and on for the past three years, since I first tried it. I really enjoy it. There are notes of biscuit, oak, malt, honey, dried fruit, and vanilla. The sherry influence is just right for me, an accent and smoothness---not a sherry bomb. This is not quite as smooth as the impressive 12 yro, but I think I prefer it. It is a wonderfully crafted whisky with wonderful nuances of flavor, but knows it is a whisky. This is one I would consider keeping with me on a desert isle. It is that enjoyable for my palate.

Surprisingly similar to Glenmorangie 10 flavor notes of honeyed malt and pie crust. I get no smoke, a slight hint of sherry I think. Only the slightest hint of salt and iodine in spite of it's seaside location, but no surprise to me, being on the lee side of Scotland's winds. It has a wonderful long finish. To me this tastes like a wonderful Speyside malt. I intend to always keep this in my collection.

For a bottom shelf price this bourbon offers many nuances and wonderful flavor notes. there is old leather, spice, caramel, dark fruit, a little vanilla, I don't get the smoke that Tango observed. But,that is what makes this so fun. Not a top shelf bourbon, but really good for the price point.

This is a nice vatted malt. Nose is sweet honey-biscuit and sherry with a touch of smoke. The taste is true to these and lingers long on the follow-through. My bottle is 43% ABV. There is no age statement and you can tell that the malts in this blend are probably 6-7 years old; but, still a nice dram. It is not available in my part of Midwest USA (near KC, MO) so I shipped it in from the west coast on the chance that some reviews I had seen were correct--and they were. It is worth the $29 plus shipping. One of highlights for me is the fresh sherry influence on this blend, so many taste like old raisins to me.

A fine intro to Tennessee whiskey. Smoother and more flavorful than Jack. A good sipper, flavors of good pipe tobacco, vanilla, rye spice, a little fruit cake. Moderate finish of spice and corn sweetness. Not as complex as Blaton's or Stagg, Jr; but, I got 1.75 for $27 pre-tax. How can you argue with that?

This is a very good well balanced rye. Rye spiciness is distinct on both the nose and taste, with a hint of vanilla. Even though it is a Tennessee style rye, it has a good mouthfeel.