Tastes

Bottled in 2017. There is absolutely no complaints from me for this single malt from Knockdhu distillery that is priced below $50, and sometimes below $40, with bonus ABV in the US at 43%. This is currently my favorite budget single malt. This whisky would be better with more maturation, to be sure. It’s not about the 12 year age statement being too low; it’s about the low activity of the casks involved. This is a spirit-driven, malty, fresh fruity style that I’m sure would be improved with more cask influence, but also highlights the potential of the AnCnoc brand. I am instantly reminded of spirit from the renowned Glen Grant distillery, which is creamy, bright, fresh, and very sympathetic to prolonged aging. AnCnoc 12 reminds you of oatmeal with a few berries and shreds of apple and pear; and a slight twang of white vinegar and mint. This is an anytime single malt if there ever was one. I will probably be suspicious of AnCnoc’s NAS whiskies, because this one already tastes too young; but I will have no problem purchasing their higher age statements in the future; all of which are priced below the competition currently. Score: * (unforgettably good) How much does a bottle cost?: $35-45 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $55

Bottled in 2016. The folks at Belle Meade were placing bets that the consumer will arrive at one of two conclusions when having this XO Cognac finish: Wow, there’s an interesting fruity and spicy sweetness to this bourbon that I don’t get with other bourbons. It must be the cognac influence. Or: Wow, this is a shit bourbon. It must be the shit bourbon they used. I arrived at the latter conclusion, and about half of this bottle found its way into the fire for cooking. And I don’t think any food I made with this was spectacular either. This isn’t supposed to happen at $80, but all the warning signs are there: NO AGE STATEMENT. Just put the age on the bottle. It doesn’t have to be a big font, and it doesn’t have to be a big number. No age statement whiskies just reek of trying to hide a scam. LOW ABV. If you are NAS, at least justify a higher price by making the product cask strength or at least 50% ABV. This 45.2% is sketchy for a $50+ bourbon. Drinking strength is nonsense, lowering the ABV is only for stretching the product to make more profit. Alcohol is a drug. No cocaine dealer will try to spin their cocaine content by saying it’s brought down to snorting strength. CASK FINISHING. This is new-age hip-hop whiskeymaking. When the marketer’s biggest point of emphasis is what they used to finish the whiskey, be suspicious. This is like a car being advertised for its chrome rims. At best, Belle Meade Cognac Cask Finish is not undrinkable whiskey. After about a year open, I think the finish finally integrated itself, and my last few sips of this bottle was just a sweet bourbon that was about as pleasant as Angel’s Envy Port Cask Finish, which is already overpriced for what it offers at $50. This is just horribly disappointing at $80. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost?: $60-100 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $20

Bottled in 2019. This is not an 85. This is a particular jab at Ardbeg An Oa because this is a review on this particular whisky, but this whole sycophantic relationship most reviewers have with the industry, where obviously mediocre expressions get at least an 85, is a wider problem. When a whisky reviewer gives An Oa 85 (or better), that is a problem. I remember how happy I would be, and how hard I would have to work, to get an 85 on an assignment in school. If I turned in Ardbeg An Oa as a book report – here you go teach; I read the inside cover and made up the rest – I would not get an 85. Whisky reviewers have to be harsher (and kudos to the ones who are). If you love whisky, then you have to hate some whisky. You can’t let these whiskies with no purpose in life slide by with 85 ratings; and now we are in a market inundated with mediocre whiskies. Let’s be honest. Nobody will ever like An Oa. If you like An Oa, you’re either lying, or you’ve tried less than 5 whiskies. If I was stuck in a bar that only served Johnnie Walker Black and An Oa, would I pick Ao Oa? Probably. But that bar does not exist. That situation does not exist. People like JW Black because it is a staple of the industry that is affordable and lends itself well to mindless drinking. Ardbeg may want to join that rank of agents of mindless consumption, but it’s not nearly there yet. It still has some real fans, and real fans know the introductory expression that this distillery deserves. Ardbeg Ten exists. And there is no reason for this “more approachable” imposter that occupies the same price range. An Oa is not approachable for beginners. This is still a very peaty whisky. It is Ardbeg, that is too young and still in need of gestation, vacuumed out of its ex-bourbon womb prematurely like an abortion; and blended with a bunch of other casks, which together may as well have the same effect as neutral grains. And I don’t care if you’re pro-choice or pro-life – it is not my intention to start a political debate on a whisky review – but I think we can all agree that splashing a little PX sherry onto a fetus to see if it’ll taste better is poor form. Anyways, here’s my fucking notes: Nose: I’m not getting 85. Palate: Not 85. Maybe a hint of zero. Finish: Nope still not getting 85. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost?: $50-60 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $35

This is the 2017 Ardbeg Day release. There is a rumor that whatever virgin black magic black sea cask this Ardbeg was aged in made the whisky “too intense,” so it had to be blended with some Ardbeg Ten. This is what is wrong with the whisky industry currently! Can’t even let the balls hang out a little on a special yearly limited release. Shame. The Kelpie is like an Ardbeg doing a good impression of a Port Charlotte or Octomore. It is so salty, peppery, and savory. It is the most maritime Ardbeg Day that I can remember, but it is also fungal and farmy. The name Kelpie technically refers to a mythological sea demon, but I’m sure the folks at Ardbeg also realize that this shit tastes like sea plants. Brown, briny, slightly sweetened, very umami, seaweed and kelp, washed onto a mushroom farm. I’m sad if there is an uncensored version of this whisky that was not allowed to hit the market (perhaps the committee release is what I dream of? Or is it just an unwatered version of the standard release?)). Even so, this is my favorite Ardbeg Day release since 2013’s Ardbog, including this year’s rather impressive Blaaack. What holds this back is a metallic note that plagues many of today’s Ardbegs and an unfulfilling glimpse into a truly spectacular whisky that Ardbeg, before it needed to worry about a worldwide fandom, would have no problem in seeing through. Score: * (unforgettably good) How much does a bottle cost?: $100-130 if you can still find it at retail. Now up to $200 on secondary. How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $130

Bottled in 2015. This is one of my favorite widely available standard release single malts of all time. Not many people will share the same opinion because it can be difficult to appreciate this whisky because it’s ugly on the outside, but beautiful within. If you need either the pleasant simple sweetness of a Balvenie or the rich barbeque smoke of a Lagavulin in all of your whiskies, then Craigellachie is probably not for you. The distinguishing character of Craigellachie is sulfur, which is intentional and embraced, even more so than with Springbank. The sulfur is that of a tinderbox and some very, very dry-aged meat. Other than that, Craigellachie is hard to describe other than admitting that it is indeed very complex. The labeling suggests Craigellachie is “anything but smooth” and “rivals whiskies twice its age.” So, if you fancy a feisty little old lady carrying around a tinderbox to smoke some unsauced bone-dry meats, then Craigellachie is probably for you. This 13 year old is actually one of my favorite expressions, and certainly the only official release that offers value for money (older Craigellachies are rather hard to find and prohibitively expensive). There is little to no sherry influence here, and the whisky needs none. There are some light, floral, and fruity elements with apples and oranges, but there is definitely an interesting taint to these familiar flavors. Imagine a man named Glenfiddich smoking some peyote. The light fruitiness is warped by the earthy sulfury smoke of Craigellachie, and it starts to even be reminiscent of tequila and mezcal. My only complaint is the wood has influenced this beautiful spirit too much. All of the releases from Craigellachie have prime number age statements, and an 11 year old Craigellachie in a spent bourbon cask would be perfect. The spirit has enough bombast to do without needing the bombast of some active American oak. Score: ** (unimaginably good) How much does a bottle cost?: $50-70 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $95

Batch 5 at 62.7% ABV. I’ve been drinking more bourbon this summer than anything else, and I’m starting to appreciate the nuances and complexity from some recent releases, but not Bulleit Barrel Strength. This is a nice bourbon to enjoy by itself; it certainly has some chest punching power, and it may be the ideal bourbon for an old fashioned. But, when you have it in a line up with some more expensive options (like Barrell Cask Strength), the highlights of this bourbon aren’t very high, and the flaws start to show. Even when you line it up with a similar priced, similar styled high-rye high-proof option like Four Roses Barrel Strength, Bulleit is outclassed. It smells like bourbon, like bourbons do to me. There is lots of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon, wood, and salted peanuts. The arrival is delicious with raisins and butter, but it becomes a little unpleasant with intrusions of wax and plastic. The high rye content and high ABV hides the flaws on the finish well, but it just gets a little bitter and sawdusty for me. This is borderline sipping quality, and I’ve been guilty of using this bottle for cooking and for mixing. That would’ve been fine at $35, but at $50+, there are better options. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost?: $50-65. How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $35.

Act 5 Scene 6 I hated Shakespeare, but thou art I fucking love this. I find this to be at least as enjoyable in the summer as in the winter, when I prefer smoky scotches. I definitely get the winter holiday sweet aromas and flavors with this dram. Pine cones, rumcake, fruitcake, raisins, and berry jams; this is balanced well with the dill and caraway of the whiskey’s rye backbone. But when it’s cold, I tend to like the savory, smoky game meat flavor profiles. The summer is the perfect time to enjoy something sweet and herbaceous. So, just as well, this can be a mindsummer night dram too. The issue with this bottle of rye is that it can be difficult to track down at retail pricing. I was able to get my bottle of Act 5 Scene 6 in the 2018 holiday season for about $90. I understand the low end of price range now is around $120. Even adding a little premium to that price is, in my mind, worthwhile, and I will be repurchasing future acts of this bottle. I am not sure how much batch variation there is, but I hear the earlier versions (acts 1 and 2), before High West was bought by Constellation Brands, which can be found on the secondary market for around $1000, were much better. Here’s hoping my next bottle will not be much worse, because Act 5 is still wonderful stuff worthy of a celebration. Score: ** (unimaginably good) How much does a bottle cost?: $100-200. Older versions end up on the secondary market for much more. How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $150.

Bottled in 2012. This was my second bottle of Talisker 18, and I had a problem with it. My first bottle of Talisker 18 was one of my favorite standard releases. It was just a solid, well-rounded, pleasing whisky, as good as a standard release comes. On opening this bottle, I thought it was equally enjoyable as Talisker 10, which was less than half the price. This did not get better, and when I got down to the last 100 mL or so, it just turned soapy, fractured, and demented. This was my first whisky that actually turned bad after opening, and it had been open for maybe a year and a half. I don’t know what happened. One thing I’ve always noticed about Talisker is that it always tastes best fresh. Talisker 10 starts tasting flatter and flatter the longer it stays open, but I don’t have a problem because it is well priced and so yummy that a bottle of Talisker 10 never lasts more than 6 months. Another thing I recently started to notice about Talisker is that the NAS releases are really, really bad. Just salted plastic melt, pollution-by-the-sea kind of garbage notes that I believe I’m starting to pick up in their finer releases by, perhaps, association? It’s like how watching the Die Hard sequels somehow ruins the original. Talisker 18 noses like a Talisker should. It’s a beautiful aroma balancing sweet, salty, and a pungent medicinal smoke. For me, it is the most recognizable aroma of any distillery. But, for me at the moment, the taste of Talisker is just inconsistent - an often unsettled perturbation of wooden pepperiness and minerality - and I only trust the Talisker 10 to return value for my money today, especially seeing the Talisker 18 exceeding $150 in today’s crazy prices. Score: 0 (forgettable) How much does a bottle cost?: $130-200 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $80

This whiskey is a paradox. On the one hand, there is nothing more American than cherry pie, and this is precisely what you get with this remarkably unique bourbon from Woodford Reserve. Cinammon, vanilla, pie crust, and warm sticky crimson cherries. It’s a beautiful, decadent thing to nose on your porch, or deck when a sweltering stagnant July day holding its breath finally exhales into a merciful evening breeze. On the other hand, this does not taste like a whiskey made in America. Maybe Irish? With a mash bill that contains 30% malted barley and pot still distillation, you get a malty, biscuity, and even slightly smoky experience. If bourbon is the American spirit, this deoch has a thick foreign accent. But no other bourbon tastes like cherry pie. I have had this bottle open for about 2 years now, and it’s just a little over half finished. It is an unforgettable whiskey because I have not tried anything that tastes similar, and it is a fine whiskey when I’m in the mood. However, I wish it was even more like cherry pie, and was a little sweeter like a bourbon, with a little more pie crust; rather than the dry cereal and wood notes of a more European whisky. This is one of those whiskies that I will miss if I haven’t had it in a while, but once I’ve had a pour, I am satisfied, and move on to something else. Score: * (unforgettably good) How much does a bottle cost? In 2017, this limited release was $100-110. This is not widely available anymore. How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $100

Bottled in 2019. They call Mortlach the Beast of Dufftown. This would then be an elegant beast. Mortlach is a meaty feinty distillate. 16 years of scrubbing and delousing in a sherry cask, and this beast has emerged surprisingly clean on the other side. The sherry influence is not dominating, but definitely noticeable. You get an elegant orange zest, raisins, apricots, cinnamon, and nutmeg; but there’s still a little dirt in the fur with notes of matchsticks, pencil shavings, and MSG. I can appreciate a little dirty. I am delighted by an official Mortlach bottling with the proper cask selection and duration of aging, finally, with this release. Do not bother with the NAS or 12 year official bottling. Any Mortlach less than 15 years is an abortion. This distillery not only can take on some serious aging in a cask, but it also demands a lengthy aging. I am even more delighted that an official bottling has a competitive price. A 25 year old Mortlach is great, I’m sure, but pricing it at $1000 is offputting, to put it kindly. This 16 year old gets just the one star because although it is a great standard release, I know how truly phenomenal this distillery can be with more age, more ABV, or a combination of both. Gordon MacPhail, Cadenhead, Duncan Taylor, and other independent bottlers are still what I look for first when I’m thirsty for Mortach. Score: * (unforgettably good) How much does a bottle cost?: $80-120 How much do I think a bottle is worth?: $130