Tastes

Given its very moderate price, this Kentucky straight bourbon came as a very pleasant surprise. The nose is delicate and appealing with fruity sweetness, honey and vanilla toffee. Notes of flowers, corn syrup and fennel can be found in the background. Tastewise, Four Roses Yellow Label is gentle and creamy with caramel, orange marmalade, mild spices and some alcoholic burn. Hints of American white oak and black tea characterize the short and restrained finish. It's a very drinkable bourbon, an excellent value and a convenient mixer. Recommended! RATING: 2.9/5.0 stars ≙ 78 pts → AVERAGE [-]

Light, accessible and rather undemanding - that's probably the best way to describe Glenmorangie's 10-year-old entry-level single malt. Matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks, the nose is fresh and clean with unripe, sour fruits (green apples and grapes), vanilla cream and honey. With water, some herbal/minty notes start to emerge. On the palate, it arrives spirity and aromatic with citrus fruits, pears and nutmeg, turning more dry and bitter in the development. The finish is of medium length, nutty and mildly spicy. Solid average but nothing special. RATING: 3.0/5.0 stars ≙ 80 pts → AVERAGE

Almost every bar on the planet has Johnnie Walker Black Label available for a reason: it's a solid and reliable choice. On the nose, you get distant Caol Ila peatiness, rich honey notes, apples and citrus fruits. Not a very intense aroma - but altogether pleasant. Peppery Talisker-spiciness dominates the arrival, while the taste of this blended Scotch is surprisingly substantial with fruity sweetness, cinnamon and well-measured cask influence. The finish lingers with delicate peat smoke and mild spices. An easy blend with restrained grain whisky bitterness. RATING: 3.0/5.0 stars ≙ 80 pts → AVERAGE

The Balvenie range has a rather good reputation compared to the mass-produced Glenfiddich. Their 12-year-old 'Double Wood' expression greets the nose with juicy oranges, creamy vanilla and hints of marzipan - very harmonic and distinctly elegant. Tastewise, the spicy arrival builds up steadily before turning honey-sweet and nutty. Altogether, it appears spirity and thin (too low ABV). The finish is swift and mildly bitter with notes of milk chocolate and cinnamon. A decent but not very exciting single malt that is begging for a higher bottling strength. RATING: 3.4/5.0 stars ≙ 82 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE [-]

I must confess: I had my doubts. Could this 200th-anniversary edition of Lagavulin 25 fulfill the high expectations? With natural cask strength of 51.7% ABV (bottle no. 1573), the nose achieves perfect balance between delicate peatiness and intense but not too dominating sherry cask influence. Cigar smoke, orange peel and dried fruits harmonize with notes of strong tea, cinnamon and dark chocolate. The taste is impressively zesty, rich and peaty dry, leading to a prolonged and bitter spicy finish. A truly superb Islay whisky with a hefty price tag. RATING: 4.7/5.0 stars ≙ 93 pts → SUPERB [+]

If you are a peathead and want to widen your horizon beyond Islay, this single malt is waiting to be discovered! At first glance, Ledaig 10 (peated Tobermory) is very reminiscent of Islay malts - but it's less sweet and distinctly different. A complex bouquet of smoked ham, sea salt, citrus fruits and both floral and savory notes hides behind intense, mineral peatiness. The arrival is strong, fresh and quite dry, followed by burned licorice, aniseed and loads of white pepper. Distant maritime notes and hints of mint crown the substantial finish. A first-class malt! RATING: 4.0/5.0 stars ≙ 87 pts → FIRST-CLASS

Perfection is an illusion - but this Japanese masterpiece of a sherry bomb certainly comes very close to it (bottle no. 11218). The nose of Yamazaki 25 is overwhelmingly complex and heavy with overripe strawberries, red roses, raisins, dried figs and a touch of old leather. After the sweet arrival, the palate turns peppery and mildly dry with Christmas spices, cloves and ginger. This whisky was matured in first-class sherry casks, leading to a long and aromatic finish with delicate hints of coffee and cocoa. A stellar single malt with quality from start to finish. RATING: 4.9/5.0 stars ≙ 94 pts → PERFECT [-]

Once known as 'cheapest of the cheap' among Scotch drinkers, the quality of this Cinderella malt has improved significantly over the past years. Hailing from the Isle of Mull, Tobermory 10 features a lovely marine quality. On the nose, you get light, crisp and floral notes with butterscotch, sour berries and anise sweetness lingering in the background. The taste is zesty, peppery dry and rather astringent in the development. Along with its medium-length, malty and chocolaty bitter finish, this single malt has a real personality that will not suit every palate. RATING: 3.4/5.0 stars ≙ 82 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE [-]

This blended Scotch is not what it once was after the radical 'rebranding' to please market demands and make it 'easily accessible'. The aroma of Black Bottle is restrained with wood sap, bitter grain and some floral notes. Peat smoke? Nope. Tastewise, youthful harshness and sweet malt combine with honey, ginger and faint peatiness. Dominated by cheap grain whisky, the finish is bitter, short and altogether featureless. Having lost the characterful impact of Islay malts, this blend only remains a shadow of its former glory. It's drinkable - no more, no less. RATING: 2.4/5.0 stars ≙ 70 pts → SUBPAR [-]

From the award-winning distillery in Taiwan, Kavalan Single Malt is their entry-level bottling. Being matured in six different cask types, the nose is reminiscent of a quality blended Scotch. Very fruity with ripe oranges, mango and pineapple at first, the aroma turns more floral and honeyed upon adding a little water. Werther's Original drops, maple syrup and measured oak influence characterize the rather simple taste of this young malt. The finish is quick, chocolaty and slightly bitter. An interesting but very 'engineered' whisky with a hefty price tag. RATING: 3.2/5.0 stars ≙ 81 pts → AVERAGE [+]