Tastes

Tasted 10/15/2014 : Somewhat sweet nose with acetone (?), sea salt (reminds me of Great South Bay). On the palate, I found it to be briny with a bite. Addition of water rounded the bite but enhanced the briny quality. Probably best over ice. Not bad for under $30.

Celebrating a special occasion with family and this whisky was the perfect compliment. Give it a long time to breath. As it breathes, dried pineapple, rich toffee, mixed nuts, honey and floral backed with sea salt/ocean air, as from a late spring, crisp beach day. A very full, buttery texture and wonderfully delivers sweetness; brown sugar, toffee and caramel palate. You may find yourself getting lost in the enjoyment, smoothness, which is what a good dram should do. The sweet flavors eventually tone down and are balanced by ground cinnamon spiciness and mint. Finally, when you take it all in, the balanced flavors give way to oak tannin, sea salt and a trace amount of smoke char. This is a whisky that is perfectly balanced, easy yet complex and memorable. I always enjoy Highland Park, ever since the old round bottled days to the oval shaped of today and have always been fond of their product line. This 18 year is a near perfect malt. It needs a good length of time to reveal all it holds. This should be enjoyed slowly and with good friends and family. [$130][95/100][Dry Glass: Oak, chocolate, vanilla][Opened: 3/13/16; Tasted 12/23/16;10/15/14]

Tasted 10/15/2014 : Light sweet nose. Smooth and creamy and well rounded. Sweet vanilla palate. Long sweet balanced finish. Very good dram. Lacks the smoke/peat like the 12 year old.

Tasted 10/15/2014 : Starts on the nose with vanilla, fruit sweetness and sherry. On the palate a very rich and dry body. A fruity finish with slight burn on the sides of the tongue. Overall, a very good dram. As some have mentioned, not sure if the cost is justifiable.

Tasted 10/15/2014 : I was looking forward to tasting this one, having the opportunity. I have always been partial to Glenlivet. This dram starts off with a banana and butterscotch sweet nose. On the palate, this is light, creamy, full and sweet. A short, sweet, full finish, which I wish was longer because I found this to be a wonderfully, enjoyable scotch.

Tasted 10/15/2014 : Sweet and light toffee nose. Similar to the 18 year old sibling. Full bodied. Finishes slightly sweet. My notes are sparse on this one, too. Definitely hoping to get another opportunity taste this again.

Sitting by a fire after a Father's Day BBQ with family and poured a dram to top the meal. Toffee, cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of maritime breeze and a touch Vasoline start the adventure. Rich fresh ground cinnamon, mixed nuts and Demura sugar swirl in and around the palate over a rich, deep amber body. Over time, the malty sugars work their way into the palate and sweeten the dram as if you dumped a spoonful of sugar. A nice, rich, long finish of drying oak and spice remain leaving you chewing on the flavors. Finishes slightly bitter leaving a pleasant, oaky and dry palate. Treat this slowly and respect and you are rewarded. Happy Father's Day. Sláinte. [92/100] [Tasted 10/15/14; 6/19/16]

Tasted 10/15/2014 : Not being a huge fan of Jack Daniels (as a sipping whiskey), I was curious about this and had the opportunity to taste. This starts off on the nose with a strong banana nose; more intense than the Old No. 7. Brown sugar/caramel sweetness in present all around. Similar to fried bananas with a brown sugar glaze. Exceptionally rounded, full and sweet palate. A bit of burn in the back of the tongue. This finishes sweet and clean. Very good to enjoy neat. Pleasantly surprised. Is it worth $150-200? Definitely worth the effort to get a taste.

Tasted 10/15/2014 : Sweet, caramel nose right up in your face. Full, sweet, creamy on the palate with vanilla/toffee/caramel sweetness. A pleasant bite that creeps up. This finishes along the same sweetness, caramel theme. An enjoyable, easy dram.

Give this a few minutes to let it open and you will be rewarded with sweet butterscotch, coconut and banana fruits, nuttiness of pecans as well a bit of and floral. The palate is rewarded with a thin, velvety body that reveals an initial blast of brown sugar and gives way to vanilla and oak with a pinch of rye spice. The palate is left oaky and bitter and last for a good length of time. A touch of water is recommended and enhances the brown sugar sweetness and lessens the bitterness on the finish. A very good, easy sipping sweet bourbon at a reasonable price that can be enjoyed anytime and should be shared. [$43][88/100][Whisky on the Hudson 9/18/14; Opened: 5/15/16;7/8/16]