Tastes

Octomore will always be a nice dram to finish a dram session, and I don’t think that will ever change. What has changed is whether or not the price is worth it. I recently had the privilege of trying Octomore 2.1, and that instantly became my favorite Octomore. This Octomore 8.1, with 3 additional years of aging, cannot compare. Octomore 8.1 is 8 years old, and previous x.1 Octomore offerings are 5 years old. I have had the 7.1, 6.1, 5.1, 4.1, and 2.1. This 8.1 tastes younger. Without water, it is just wound up and tense. It needs a massage. Flavors are strong, and most of them are weird. Sewage. And I don’t know if it’s a “pleasant sewage.” Of course, tons and tons of ash. The rich buttery counterbalance of previous Octomores is missing. With water, this one is much better. The flavors are milder and quite pleasant. Vinegar, tart, raw fish, caviar, loads of salt, and a satisfying heap of peat. But the butter is missing. I have not tried the 9 or 10 series of Octomore, but I will, because I am still a believer. But my expectations are lowered after having had 8.1 and 8.3. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost: $170-200 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $120

This is a whisky without flaws. From first nose to the last sip’s finish, it just makes sense, and it makes no mistakes. That is very rare, and something to be cherished, these days. But it is not a perfect whisky, which is one that takes risks and makes mistakes, but the imperfections add to its perfection. This dram introduces itself with crisp, clean fruits such as peaches and plums. On the palate, the texture is very creamy and there is a rich caramel. The finish is dark chocolates and a soft pleasant woody linger. I’ve never smelled or touched sandalwood, but I’m guessing it is soft, and is what gives a well-aged Japanese whisky that meditative balance. This is not a beginner whisky, not just from a pricing standpoint, but beginners will enjoy it. There is a force of purpose behind this whisky and you can tell it is blended so that flavors synergize to increase the amplitude. This is more complex and textured than most single malts, and there is a lot of stuff for you to sink your teeth into. The closest comparison for me would be Compass Box This Is Not a Luxury Whisky. I do not remember Hibiki 21 that well enough to say for sure which one is better. I do remember that trying Hibiki 21 was not a moment when time stopped, as I was promised. Time did not stop for the Taketsuru 21 either because it did does not challenge you with any unique notes, but it is priced somewhat appropriately for a flawless, but not perfect, luxury dram. When I tried the Hibiki, it was on shelves for around $500. Today, if you can find it on a shelf, it’ll be more like $800. This Nikka Taketsuru 21 is much more common on shelves in my area, and it’s around $350-400. Certainly from a price standpoint, this is more reasonable. Score: ** (unimaginably good) How much does a bottle cost: $350-500 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $320

This review is for a bottle from 2017 It seems harsh to score a decent whisky zero. But once you become an enthusiast of something, most of the time, you are just not impressed. Why should that get an 87? I also enjoy film, and even though I am careful about what films I choose to see, more than half of them are wasting my time. This Oban 18 is trying to be a blend. It is a complex whisky, but it doesn’t pick a direction. And it doesn’t win the best directionless smooth sipper award. Off the top of my head, from what I have open right now, Johnnie Walker Gold, which is far from spectacular, is something I would rather drink, for a flavor profile that has been buffed into a perfect sphere. This Oban 18 has a little of everything, like Johnnie Gold, but it has some distracting spikes. The caramel flavors are richer, but they are fighting the citrus and orchard fruits. The saltiness is a courageous tip toe, but steps on the floral notes. What does this whisky want to be? I don’t know. It’s a whisky that does not let the spirit shine through, but the cask influence has also not reached peak maturity; it’s a whisky that’s aiming for the rich and sweet profile; but also the fresh and fruity; it’s a whisky that has fallen off the highlands and drowned trying to swim to the islands. I also don’t like how when this was first released several years ago, it was a premium limited release that was around $140; then, they decided to release it every year and make the price cheaper – I found my bottle for $100. Now, I see some 2019 bottlings on shelves for close to $140 again. Oban, make up your mind. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost: $95-140 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $55

This review is for a bottle from 7/24/2017 (Batch 15) at 56.5% This is one of the dirtiest, funkiest Springbanks I’ve ever had. Of course I love it. This 12 year old tastes like a 10 year old, and its reported 70% sherry and 30% bourbon maturation, noses and tastes more like 50/50. I have another 12 year CS open to compare – batch 11 from 2015, which is one of the most sherried and elegant of the 12 CS batches that I’ve tried. I cannot decide which one I like better. Honey and mud smothers all types of fruits. Wet socks dipped in orange sorbet. Soot gingerbread cookies. This is a wild dram. If there is a complaint, this definitely needs water, like all the 12 year old cask strength Springbanks do. Without water, there are metallic notes and the finish is brutally syrupy yet bitter. This particular batch is particularly powerfully; it can withstand, and deserves, a nice teaspoon for a 1.5 pour. Score: * (unforgettable) How much does a bottle cost: $80-120 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $120

This review is for a bottle from 2018 I gave this bottle 96 out of 100 back when I was giving scores out of 100. Now that the bottle is finished, I give it 3 stars, which is my highest rating, and the only other whisky to get it is Balblair 1990. There’s nothing much to add to my previous review. Now that the bottle is finished, it feels like I’ve lost a best friend. This gem is simply the best standard release bottling from any Scottish distillery; matured 18 years exclusively in delicious casks. Seriously, when a bottle is this good, you really don’t care about investigating its pedigree. I was a little superfluous with the notes in my previous review, so I’ll keep it simple here: on the nose, spectacular; on the palate, spectacular; and the finish is… spectacular. $200+ is a little pricey for an 18 year old, but if pricing were based solely on quality, this would be worth twice that. Score: *** (I am not worthy) How much does a bottle cost: $190-220 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $450

This review is for a bottle from 2017 It’s easy to forget what a classic malt Clynelish 14 is. This one is famous for its honeycomb flavor and waxy mouthfeel. Everything else is made to be soft and subtle. There is a light smoke, medium orchard fruits, and medium oakiness. The balance is nice. But it just doesn’t stand out for me, and at $70, I feel I overpaid. I used the last pour from this bottle to see how it compares to a 14 year old from a distillery rising in the ranks: Arran. The Arran is better, easily. This Clynelish is mostly ex-bourbon maturation, but some sherry influence is detectable against the razor precision of the Arran. The little hint of sherry used to create a well-rounded experience for the average Scotch drinker just muddles this one into the realm of forgettable drams for me; and this is sole standard bottling from this staple distillery is far inferior to the many independent bottlings and Compass Box blends featuring Clynelish that are out there. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost: $60-75 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $55

I don’t trust Scotches with “Dark” in the name. It translates to, “I am young, and I cut corners.” Right, so I’m going to go out on a limb and call this Ardbeg that is mostly 10 years old and finished in PX seasoned casks. This has become a pretty collectible Ardbeg day special release because it has obvious appeal to whisky reviewers looking for obvious flavors. A peat monster AND a sherry bomb, with PX influence to boot. Who can resist? Me. A heavily peated distillate matured in a sherry cask takes a long time to create something natural and cohesive. This whisky, in contrast, feels engineered and forced. Dark chocolate, maraschino cherry, pepper, espresso, rubber, clay, and campfire. It sounds good on paper, but the flavors just don’t play well together. I’ve never been a fan of the Ardbeg Day releases. They are enjoyable whiskies, but way overpriced. This is probably my least favorite of them all, especially because it is starting to show up at crazy secondary market prices. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost: retail was $100-120, but this is hard to find at this price now. How much is a bottle on secondary market: $150-300 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $60

This review is for a bottle from 2016. I just cannot bring myself to vacation anywhere cold. I like tropical places. What is the Scotch to have in your swim trunks at these locations? Springbank 15. No ice. Somehow, the 100% ex-sherry casks that are used to mature this whisky impart flavors of tropical fruits: papayas, strawberry jam, guava. This is a dirty sherry maturation, which works just fine with Springbank. You get the most funk for your buck if you drink this in a hot environment. A dank, earthy, swampy miasma just rises out of the glass to complement the sweetness. There’s some blue cheese, game meat, and rain-ruined leather in there as well. The Springbank distillate is made for sherry casks. I like this one much better than the 10 or the 18. Score: ** (unimaginably good) How much does a bottle cost: $95-130 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $180

This review is for a bottle from 2016. Springbank is noted by Scotch enthusiasts for having the entire production, from malting to bottling, done at the distillery. That only guarantees the price will be higher for this whisky. It doesn’t guarantee the taste will be better. Springbank got lucky. This is my favorite distillery, and it’s not even close. Okay, okay, in reality, Springbank got skills, and they love and know how to make good whisky. Springbank 10 is an advanced single malt Scotch. It’s not a sherry bomb or a peat monster; but it’s enigmatic, complex, and just full of nuances that most readily available 10-15 year olds simply lack. This one is earthy, tropical, flowery, grassy, slightly smoky, slightly briny. I get a volcanic island kind of vibe. Aloha ‘Aina. Flashlight funk is the other vibe. This is only 10 years old, so you get plenty of funky malt. Springbank is famous for its funk, and their younger whiskies feature this distillery-defining cheesy, vegetal, slightly sulfury note more prominently. I prefer a slightly more subtle funk in older Springbanks, but this is still an all-time classic Scotch. Score: * (unforgettable) How much does a bottle cost: $60-70 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $70

This review is for a bottle from 2011. For both my wife and I, this is our all-time “go-back-to” whisky. Even though the recent bottle that was just finished is an older bottling, newer bottlings are just as good. I can attest as I will frequently order a dram of the familiar and always dependable Talisker 10 at restaurants, shunning the new Macallan unicorn jizz cask that I’ve never tried before. Talisker 10, unlike unicorn jizz, is always satisfying. This is a moderately smoky whisky with a maritime lean. You get seaweed, seaspray, shellfish. This is also notoriously spicy with a white pepper kick mixed with traditional Chinese medicine herbs and spices. These bold defining characteristics are lovingly balanced with typical bourbon and sherry influences. This one is a comfort dram that is surprisingly accessible to the masses. I was pleasantly surprised at how popular this was when I decided to bring a bottle of this to a Halloween party; notably, even women who proclaimed how much they hated smoky scotches, loved this whisky. To be sure, this is not a peat bomb, but it unapologetically includes smoke in its flavor profile. Yet, it seems to draw in those uninitiated to the wonderful world of peat. This should be no surprise because Talisker 10 was the one of my first favorable experiences with a peaty whisky after I felt Laphroaig 10 was a little too extreme. Talisker 10 set me up for the knockout punch that was Lagavulin 16, which was my moment of conception as far as Scotch whisky is concerned. Yet, on a cold, rainy, miserable day, when given a choice between Tali 10 and Laga 16, I am more often reaching for my ultimate staple, Talisker 10. The only knock against the Talisker 10 is that sometimes it tastes too young, and it does not do well with oxidation. However, I tried Talisker 10 in a blind tasting with 7 other whiskies from Talisker and Caol Ila. Guess what whisky I gave the same score to? Talisker 18! (In case you’re interested, the winner of the tasting, and what I thought was the Talisker 18, turned out to be Caol Ila 25.) Diageo should consider releasing at Talisker 15, which might be a perfect compromise between the youthful boldness of the 10 and the softness of the 18. Score: * (unforgettable) How much does a bottle cost: $45-60 How much do I think a bottle is worth: $60