Tastes

Drinking this side to side with the 12 year this edged it out simply for the higher abv which I now prefer. I'd love to see the 12 year non cask at the same strength to better ascertain the impact of Olorosso only vs bourbon influence. Also I've since moved on to enjoy more intensely flavoured sherry bomb and in your face peat style whiskys so it'd be interesting to see how I now rate this one year after I finished my last bottle. Update: Roll on several months later and a new bottle. Does it still hold up? I perhaps unfairly put it up against my gold standards in the peat and sherry world's - Laphroaig 10 and Glendronach 15 Revival. Amazingly it held up not to badly. Is it as good? No if they are a 5 this is more a 4.2 - 4.5, it doesn't have the intense flavor profile I love.. But still a lovely viscosity...If I'd tasted this for the first time after these two it'd have got a 4 so sadly down it goes

Although I lived in Ireland for a number of years a long time ago when there was only 3 distilleries and drank many a whiskey I was never really wowed with the selection on offer. Fast forward a decade and then getting hold of a bottle of this and it was a revelation. Beautiful oily finish that never ended. I've since moved on and my preference is now to enjoy more higher strength fully flavoured sherry bomb and islays as my mainstay but I still give this a 5 for the quality whiskey it is. The 15 year at 46 % is now my preference.

I really love this whisky. I much prefer the viscosity/ oiliness of a Glendronach over thinner spirits such as Glenfarclas. Also the toffee flavour of Olorosso cask influence vs the much sweeter PX. This was one of the 18 yr bottles that contained much older stock so it'll be interesting to see how the next bottle I buy turns out Ok update a 3 years later and a new bottle...one of the last from Billy Walker. Has it held it's own against time and my evolving palette? The answer is a firm yes. Now a 4.75 is a bit high on my current rating scale it's more a 4.25 on an off day (for my palate) and 4.5 on a good one. This dram on a clean palate may initially be a bit reticent and not fully come into it's own but man does it do well as a final night cap. Given this is a recently opened bottle I know it'll mellow, evolve and shine further in it's lifetime on my shelf. Update. Yeah back to 4.5 to 4.75 territory already. There really isn't anything like it. Update 2: Well yes there is it appears. In a later match up between this, the original 15 Revival and the new the old 15 yr was a winner 4.75. This and the new 15 pretty close.

My least favorite Laphroaig. It shows it's youth and perhaps the quickness of maturity in a small cask as the peat and sweetness seems 'glued on'. From the 10, An Cuan and others you get a lovely finish. This seems to be quite artificial, like drinking something that has aspartame in vs sugar. It's not terrible just not that great

I've been drinking this bottle for a year now and I've swung between this and the 18 year Glendronach as my favourite. I lined this up against the 15, 21 and 25 Glenfarclas last night (newly opened) and this came out on top. In one word 'toffee'....in spades. For me perhaps to much but I'm still rating it a 5 as even after a year it has a richness and depth like no other sherried whisky. It really has improved over the year I've had the bottle open which is rare for whiskeys I find as their flavour usually fades. Update many years later and another bottle. This is truly great stuff surpassing the bottle of the 18yr I matched it up against.

Not to bad at all for the price of $50 USD. Usually prefer the sherry bombs and islays rather than the more traditional spreyside but this has a nice balance of smoke and honey/ sweetness with lovely viscosity

Tried back to back with Eagle Rare 10 and this definitely pipped it. More depth of flavour and mouth feel. $110 USD in NZ though so definitely not worth that price. Have drunk cheaper scotch whiskeys that are a fair bit better