Tastes
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I must commend Lagavulin for giving this 200th Anniversary bottling an honest age statement instead of opting for NAS! Fresh and vibrant notes of sea salt, smoked cheese and gentle, earthy peatiness greet the nose, followed by anise, sweet berries and traces of diesel oil. Tasting pure and entirely spirit-driven (8 years!), this single malt features a convincing simplicity: crisp apples, roasted peanuts and creamy honey are buried under a thick layer of dry ash. The lasting finish bids farewell with pickled ginger, salt sticks and a dash of sucrose. A true delight! RATING: 4.2/5.0 stars ≙ 89 pts → FIRST-CLASS [+]50.0 EUR per Bottle
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Highland Park 8 Year The MacPhail's Collection (Gordon & MacPhail)
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 27, 2017 (edited March 5, 2024)As one of Scotland’s oldest and most respected independent bottlers, Gordon & MacPhail represents a reliable source of quality single malts. The nose of this 8-year-old Highland Park is light and delicate with sour apricots, vanilla toffee and faint hints of smoke. Young, fresh and gingery in the arrival, the taste develops with honey sweetness, mango and traces of black pepper. Again, not much peat. A slightly dry and bitter aftertaste accompanies the clean but one-dimensional finish. I think that a few more years in the casks would have been very beneficial. RATING: 3.2/5.0 stars ≙ 81 pts → AVERAGE [+]37.0 EUR per Bottle -
Tomatin 18 Year Oloroso Sherry Casks
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed September 24, 2017 (edited March 5, 2024)Once upon a time the biggest distillery in Scotland was located in the Highlands with 23 running stills. Although these times are long gone, Tomatin is a name worth remembering. A bit innocent at first, the nose is fruity and creamy with honey, sweet cherries and whiffs of wood smoke. Cloves, raisins and cocoa indicate noticeable sherry influence. On the palate, the oak is taking over with lemon zest, blood oranges and strong notes of dark chocolate. The finish is easy and flawless. Altogether, Tomatin 18 is a solid single malt but missing that little extra. RATING: 3.9/5.0 stars ≙ 86 pts → FIRST-CLASS [-]63.0 EUR per Bottle -
Arran 14 Year (Old Label)
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 22, 2017 (edited March 5, 2024)This lesser-known whisky from the Isle of Arran takes you on a fascinating journey of smell and taste. A tropical fruit basket with papaya, mango, pineapple and melon awaits the nose, enriched by aromatic spices, honey and cereals. It's quite complex! After an intense and citrusy arrival, the taste evolves floral and gingery with hints of sage, coriander and fructose. The oak kicks in nicely, leading to a robust and chocolaty bitter finish. For a mid-aged single malt, Arran 14 is really hitting the spot. It's a big event, an excellent value and highly recommended! RATING: 4.0/5.0 stars ≙ 87 pts → FIRST-CLASS40.0 EUR per Bottle -
Edradour 10 Year The Distillery Edition
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed September 18, 2017 (edited February 24, 2020)Based in Pitlochry and owned by independent bottler Signatory Vintage, Edradour remains one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland. Rich honey sweetness, heather and a diffuse flowery scent encounter the nose on first contact. Very nice, but obviously young. Something bothers me on the palate. It is neither the sweet maltiness, paired with oranges and spices, nor the soft and creamy character. There is something sharp and herbaceous that is hard to pin down. The finish is fairly short with honey and bitter nuts. Not a bad malt, but slightly disjointed. RATING: 3.0/5.0 stars ≙ 79 pts → AVERAGE37.0 EUR per Bottle -
Kavalan Concertmaster Port Cask Finish Single Malt
Single Malt — Taiwan
Reviewed September 15, 2017 (edited March 5, 2024)Let's go back to the other side of the world, to King Car distillery and their Port-finished NAS whisky 'Kavalan Concertmaster'. Nosing this Taiwanese single malt is quite pleasant, despite the intense sweetness and spirity youthfulness. Tropical fruits, icing sugar and a touch of menthol blend nicely with honey, nuts and raisins. With only 40% ABV, the taste is rather thin, sweet and slightly sour, featuring berries, roasted coffee and a dash of pepper in its brief finish. Again, a very 'engineered' and certainly overpriced malt that didn't blow my socks off. RATING: 3.2/5.0 stars ≙ 81 pts → AVERAGE [+]50.0 EUR per Bottle -
Talisker Distillers Edition
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed September 11, 2017 (edited March 5, 2024)Wood finishing can add an additional layer of complexity to a whisky, but it can also spoil the existing character of the malt. In case of Talisker Distillers Edition (2006/2016), the Amoroso finish is hitting the spot! The nose is delivering restrained bonfire smoke, brine and a lovely note of sweet BBQ sauce. On the palate, the famous 'chili catch' is less punchy as in the original, while the feast continues with salty spare ribs, sweet grapes and bitter hints of European oak. Charcoal, mild pepper and fruity sweetness remain for dessert. A fantastic single malt! RATING: 4.0/5.0 stars ≙ 87 pts → FIRST-CLASS46.0 EUR per Bottle -
Balblair 2003 1st Release
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed September 10, 2017 (edited March 5, 2024)The concept of vintage bottlings with a craft presentation is a prominent feature of Balblair. Distilled in 2003 and matured in ex-bourbon casks for 12 years, the aroma of this young single malt accentuates crisp apples, salted caramel and blossom honey. Tastewise, expect a roller coaster ride of zesty, sour and at times unpleasantly dry flavors. Is it possible to distill lemons? Bitter oakiness, thyme and hints of sweet ginger accompany the short finish. Malt beginners beware! This Highland whisky is demanding and most likely not to everybody's taste. RATING: 3.4/5.0 stars ≙ 82 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE [-]46.0 EUR per Bottle -
Highland Park 25 Year
Single Malt — Orkney, Scotland
Reviewed September 4, 2017 (edited March 5, 2024)It's hard to find words that do this single malt justice. For many connoisseurs, Highland Park 25 is the Holy Grail of the distillery's official bottlings, and rightly so. I could literally spend hours with my nose in the Glencairn. Dark fruits, white chocolate and juicy oranges take turns with spices, cocoa beans and rummy notes. An explosion of sweet, dry and peppery flavors coats the palate while being perfectly balanced and complex at the same time. Distant hints of smoke remain of a prolonged, sweet and spicy finish. This Orcadian whisky is liquid gold! RATING: 4.7/5.0 stars ≙ 93 pts → SUPERB [+]409.0 EUR per Bottle -
Highland Park Dark Origins
Single Malt — Orkney, Scotland
Reviewed August 30, 2017 (edited December 16, 2019)Fancy bottle, marketing-driven NAS presentation and a hefty price tag: why on earth would I review Highland Park Dark Origins? Because it's surprisingly good! Heavy sherry aroma with spices, baked apple and distant peat smoke greets the nose. I get raisins, dates, polished wood and, oddly enough, menthol cigarettes. The taste is sweet, then astringent, before the sweetness returns with walnuts, black tea and well-measured sherry cask influence. After a savory and mildly peaty finish, I must confess I am almost sad that this whisky has been discontinued. RATING: 3.9/5.0 stars ≙ 86 pts → FIRST-CLASS [-]65.0 EUR per Bottle
Results 161-170 of 238 Reviews