Tastes

Had high hopes going into this, given that I normally love port finished whiskies, and I hadn't tried Welsh whisky before. The nose is dominated by ethanol, and at first there's a weird sour note and a grain forwardness that makes it feel more like a single grain than a single malt. In short, it's drinkable, but it's a hot mess. I'll chalk this down as "I wish I'd read the reviews first". Especially disappointing considering the price.

Vanilla and light peat. Not a lot going on, but enjoyable.

Nose: Honeydew, pineapple, light barnyard funk. Taste: starts out sweet, caramel, pear. Finish is quite vegetal with some hay, white pepper, and cereal.

Decided to blow a little bit of bonus money on something that sounded appealing due to its cask finishes, but which I was almost certain would not live up to expectations. The nose was a little unexpected, but great, reminding me of vanilla ice cream with some light tropical fruit and wintergreen in the background. On the first taste, it's a mouthful of sherry, reminiscent of a Glendronach 15 Revival but with a distinct grain presence. The finish is where the armagnac dominates. Oak permeates but isn't in control. I'd describe this as a well-aged Canadian whiskey that manages to capture some of what I like about Scotch and Armagnac. This is the best North American whiskey I've tried yet. I picked this bottle over the Grey Label Seagrass, and I'm really glad I did.

First Longrow Red I've picked up in awhile. Initial impression was not good, just got a lot of astringency. Tasted it side by side with the Chilean Cabernet edition and it's not even in the same league. It does improve with some air. Sour cherry really starts to come forward, which is a pretty interesting note. In a vacuum it's not bad, but the 2-3 other Longrow Reds I've had were far better.

Just a hint of smoke on the nose, I get a little stonefruit and meringue. Taste is sweet with light, well-integrated peat and a hint of cinnamon, quickly transitioning to a very long finish with lots of oak and a little black tea. This was almost certainly distilled by Highland Park according to people who know much more than I do, and it's an excellent value under $200.