Tastes
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Cragganmore 12 Year
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed March 27, 2017 (edited August 5, 2017)Continuing the tasting tour finds me in the Speyside with a sample provided by generously Paul. Sometimes it’s refreshing to take something (a book, movie, music, etc) to wind down and relax. This Cragganmore is nice compliment for such a moment. An aroma of a morning breakfast. White, sugary cereal (Frosted Flakes) with orchard fruits. Then there is the sweet floral notes of heather and honey. While these are the basic aroma notes, they perfectly balanced and you can find yourself nosing this for a good length of time. Arrives on the palate with a honey sweetness. The body is thin and lightweight. A touch of smoke is detectable along with some oak and salted nuts. A bit more time and honeydew melon is drawn out. It finishes short leaving behind notes of honey, brown sugar and some nuttiness with a final exit of fresh, cleansing ginger root. This is a lovely, sweet whisky that is the exemplar of a Speysider: fruit, floral and sweet. This is definitely appealing to the masses which understandably makes this a staple of the Johnnie Walker blends. Thoroughly enjoyable and enjoyably delicate. [Dry Glass: Honeysuckle][86/100][Tasted: 3/24/17] -
Ardmore Tradition
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed March 21, 2017 (edited January 29, 2024)Finished watching South Carolina defeat Duke for entrance into the Sweet 16 bracket. Fun game to watch while sipping on this whisky thanks to Paul. A straight forward nose with essentially three elements: peat, fruit cocktail and brine. Vanilla and oak do, however, hover buried further back. On arrival, it is deep and warming to the core, courtousey of the high ABV. Peat and brown sugar are balanced and the two binary flavors dance: one step, peat; two step, brown sugar. The dance continues and dances away to a hot and spicy peppery finale. The finish is oaky and sweet with vanilla-honey and smoke/ash. The flavors don't remain long and I wished it to last longer. I found this to be more on par with an Islander than a Highlander. This has the foundation to be in the upper tier of peated whiskies, but I find it lacks a maturity as it feels somewhat forced to "grow up"; artificially expeditited to give a superficial maturity (if that makes any sense). That being said, this is still a rather enjoyable. The peat and sweetness make it a nice wintertime warming dessert. [Dry Glass: Salted Caramels][85/100][Tasted: 3/19/17] -
Edradour Caledonia 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed March 20, 2017 (edited July 9, 2019)Another end to a weekend finds me watching some March Madness basketball. Perfect time for a dram and watch the drama and action unfold. Eradour Calendonia pours out in the glass as a rust colored liquid. By a purely visual observation, you would be in err to think that this was unnaturally colored and chilled filtered (this is the natural color and is NCF). The initial nose is floral and citrus with heather, orange rind, peaches. Over time, a malty and sucrose sweetness are detected along with some tea and honey notes. A bit of saddle leather lurks in the depths. I have said before, when nosing, I envision where a dram takes me. I find myself on that first warm spring day where you know the winter is well behind (unfortunately, this spring, not yet!). Arrives in a light and thin body with brown sugar and mixed nuts. Mostly sweet but tempered somewhat. Oddly, cola flavors come forward after some time in the glass. The cola could be considered or on par with the maple syrup flavor that others have experienced. A zing of black pepper and ginger root spice as this fades to a finish. The sweetness and cola flavors strenthen over time. A long and simple finish of orange bitters, caramel and a touch of ginger and oak. Thanks Pranay for the sample. This is a sweet whisky that evolves to an even sweeter one. The oddity of cola, for me, made this slightly unique. Not a flashy whisky or one that pushes boundries. Stays sweet and enjoyable. Somewhat akin, for me, to Balvenie. [Dry Glass: Salted Caramels][86/100][Tasted: 3/19/17] -
Laphroaig Triple Wood
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed March 13, 2017 (edited September 1, 2021)Cold and brisk outside on this Sunday evening. Country music playing with a warming fire blazing in the wood stove. A bit of evening stillness of an impending freezing Nor’easter somewhere, at this moment, creeping towards us from the Midwest. A perfect time for an Islay whisky. Fortunately, I have a sample provided by Lee. I am greeted with that lovely, Laphroaig sweet peatiness with a maritime touch of salt, seaweed and iodine within a damp earthiness. A sweet side of toffee, vanilla with a hickory-smoked meat. This nose is one I can inhale all day as this conjures up visions if a wintry New England seaside fishing harbor. Delivered in a strong wood-influenced body that is very drying; as if I am chewing on a toothpick. Traceable amounts of sherry and pecans, walnut lurk in the background. A crescendoing black pepper spice rises and fades rapidly near the end as it work towards the finish. The palate is left with cigar smoke, sweet BBQ char, ash, oak and spearmint flavors. A touch of creme brulee creeps up and the very end of the finish. This is a nice, warming whisky that brings forth a bit of the sea, BBQ, woodiness and earthiness: classical elemental simpleness of fire, earth, water and air with a fifth element, not aether, but of sugary sweetness. An Islay peatiness that is not overdone. [Dry Glass: wet-charred wood with tea and honey][88/100][Tasted: 3/12/17] ---------------------------------------------------- Initial sample review: Whisky on the Hudson 9/18/2014 : Trace amount of peat with some spice and fruits on the nose. Fruits, spices and oak on the palate. Balanced, sweeter finish which is pleasingly long. I enjoyed this a greatly. I need to add to my collection. -
Jefferson's Reserve Groth Reserve Cask Finish
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed March 13, 2017 (edited June 23, 2018)As the end of the work week closes, I look forward to sitting back and tasting one of many samples (and then some). I decide to deviate a bit from the Scots and go American. I sit back and pour myself the Groth while catching up on ‘Billions’ and ‘Homeland’. This American pour was not what I expected at all. A pour and a nose exposes sweet, dark fruit; port-like wine notes. But this fruity juice also has a inviting, balanced spicy side of rye and cinnamon. As it opens, the wine notes tend to dominate but the spicy notes remain and that rye-ness becomes more of an allspice. The bourbon traits of vanilla and brown sugar also rise up and this dram becomes a lovely potpourri. The first sip is initially spicy-hot blast from the nice higher proof. The medium viscosity liquid, upon the initial sips, reveal the Cabernet finishing as the grape notes are slowly drawn out as well as wine-grape tannins. So far, this sounds like a wine review, however, this is definitely a whiskey. Those wine notes blend and intermingle with bourbon flavors: corn, vanilla, rye, brown sugar. The blending creates a mulled-wine effect. As all this intermingling and dance of flavors begins to wind down, the fruity wine notes remain on the palate, along with wood/oak and vanilla, however, unfortunately and surprisingly, brief. I was actually impressed by this whiskey as this was something rather unique. The wine casks actually provide a pleasant twist to a bourbon. The darker wine provides a counterbalance to the sweet and spicy flavors. A versatile whiskey that can pair well as an aperitif, a main meal or with dessert. The only negative is not of flavor, but as accessibility, in terms of price. The whiskey sells for upwards of $86 and that places it in the upper range of cost and will price many out. However, this is worth seeking out in a bar or restaurant, if not to own. Thanks Lee! [Dry Glass: Grape juice and butterscotch][89/100][Tasted: 3/10/17] -
A cold and crisp Sunday evening finds me in front of the wood stove where streaming 1980’s music is playing. And so, I find myself reminiscing about my days of yore with the Jura 10 in my hands, provided through a small group of mates on a scotch journey: the SDT (thanks Lee). The atmosphere is all perfectly set for a nice, complex, contemplative dram. Alas, this would not be the case. The nose is rather faint. An earthy, mineral quality forms a soft aromatic foundation. Honey, sweet tea with a slight maltiness are most dominant; the qualities one may find in a Highlander, not an Islander. The liquid has a very thin mouthfeel with the simple flavors of honey, sweet tea, with oranges or tangerines. A small amount of maritime saltiness can be detected. All this simplicity leads to a short finish. Small amount of oak-drying tannins remain, with a touch of orange bitters and toffee. This is a rather simple whisky that does venture much beyond the parameters of itself, from nose to finish, it is the same profile: tea, honey and citrus. This would possibly be slightly improved and a bit more complexity with a punched-up ABV, say 43% to 46%. It’s not a bad dram, just not a sophisticated one. It makes a nice summer sipper or an introductory single malt. [Dry Glass: Sweet tea with lemon][84/100][Tasted: 3/5/17] *200th Distiller Note.
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Glen Garioch 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed March 4, 2017 (edited October 30, 2020)Glen Garioch is one of those often overlooked and does not come readily to mind when seeking out a scotch. It’s bottled at a lovely, high 48% abv, is non-chilled filtered and aged at least 12 years. I believe there is coloring added (I would prefer if there was none, but I can live with it). With all these positives, I expect good things. The liquid is light amber in color (just a wee bit of artificial color?) A faint and light nose is floral, fruity and nutty. The aromas of butterscotch, caramelized-bananas, vanilla, sweet tea, honeysuckle, heather, walnuts and almonds can be found. These aromas do not all come out at once. It takes time and some digging. Take time to nose this one as it really sets up the palate (and the high ABV needs to dissipate somewhat). The first sip is sweet and hot, as expected, in a medium-thin body. A fair amount of burn, which comes from the alcohol, comes on gradually and crescendos and dissipates in a quick finale. Tea tasting similar to Barry’s Irish Breakfast Tea and white pepper are the primary flavors. Brown sugar, vanilla provide a lovely sweetness balanced by drying oak tannins. The body is short-lived, unfortunately. The palate experience, starts with a sip, right to a blast, and almost immediately, to a finish. However, the finish is fairly long of orange-bitters, tea and honey, salted-caramel and woody-oakiness. A touch of water does enhance the experience that softens the bite and bitterness and is recommended if you want this to be a sweeter dram. This is a lovely, sweet whisky that only sweetens the longer it opens. Perfect as an after meal sipper or sitting on a deck during the evening, ending a relaxing day. Some may find this a simple whisky, bordering on the plain and boring side. Glen Garioch, in my opinion, is producing whiskies that are not trying to be something that they are not. It’s a nice, sweet, well-crafted whisky that is flat out enjoyable. [Dry Glass: Salted Caramel][$57][87/100][Tasted: 2/26/17] -
Lagavulin 12 Year (2016 Special Release)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed February 27, 2017 (edited July 18, 2022)Been looking forward to tasting this 12 year old. The 16 is a quality, peaty standard. The DE has is at another level. It seems that Lagavulin can do no wrong. And once again, yes, they prove that they can do no wrong. Pour and nose. A lovely honey sweetness, dried apricots, the ever-present Islay peat, brine, maritime start the journey. As more time passes, an earthy, mineral side shows itself, along with iodine, and, eventually, surprisingly and almost oddly, bubble-gum notes. While nosing, I usually try to envision where I would be; what the nose paints in the minds eye. The nose, here, transports me to a December-chilled morning near the coast with fireplace smoke, from fires warming nearby houses, loom in the air. An incredible opening. The mouthfeel is thick, heavy and oily. A spicy burn similar to jalapeno sauce (not the flavor, but the sensation) is all around and is warming. Once you get past the spiciness, the sweeter side of brown sugar starts to be drawn out. Charcoal, smoked-meat, pine resin, iodine and black peppercorns all swirl about. Once you finally swallow, you are left with a long lasting finish of bitter lemon rinds, oak, iodine (again) with a cigar-ashy foundation that never seems to fade away. This is worthy of time. Thoroughly enjoyable for those who like the smoky Islay style. Full of a variety of flavors from nose all the way through the finish. Tuck yourself away for a wee bit of time. Sip. Reflect. Enjoy. Pranay, thank you for the opportunity for a sample. One of the best I have had. I must find this one for my collection. [Dry Glass: Charcoaled-cedar]. [94/100][Tasted: 2/24/17] -
Ailsa Bay Single Malt Whisky
Single Malt — Lowlands, Scotland
Reviewed February 23, 2017 (edited June 23, 2019)In the glass, the pale straw color liquid noses initially sweet with fresh ginger and wafts of ash. Over time, the ashy character fades reveals a rubber or new vinyl characteristic, like that new, cheap sneaker smell. The palate is dry and slightly slick. Mineral overtone with flashes of vanilla sweetness countered with a synthetic, petroleum undertone. A youngness is revealed with a bit of a bite. What remains on the palate is oak and black pepper leaving the mouth with a minty sensation with a touch of lemon bitterness and a tinge of charcoal. A small amount of water minimizes the bite and spice and brings forward the sweeter side. However, adding water diminishes the character of the whisky. In my opinion, this is a better dram without any water or, if neeeded, a tiny drop or two. This is a whisky that feels slightly young; like a teenager and is still forming a character. It lacks a "natural" feel. Almost engineered. But that strangely gives the whisky a unique character. Thanks again, Pranay! [Dry Glass: Ash and vanilla][86/100][Tasted: 12/9/16]
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