Tastes

Weirdly unpleasant. Maybe we had a couple bad bottles? Nose is inoffensive, plenty of spicy rye notes. Palate however is bitter and medicinal, almost tastes like chemicals were added to it. Very little of the warm, spicy mouthful a good rye delivers. Nasty medicinal taste lingers on the palate. Disappointing, given the positive things I heard. Was only good for toasting to justice being done a few weeks ago....

An enjoyable, fun pour. Nose goes heavy on the sherry with black currant, apricot, pears and chocolate in the background. You therefore assume it's a sherry bomb. Nope. Sherry is definitely on the palate, but it recedes to reveal baking spices, cereal, citrus fruits, oak. What's more interesting is how the peat smoke crashes the party at the finish. It tastes almost "Islay light" at the end. Finish could last longer, but the lingering peatiness is fun. Not a ton of depth to the palate or finish, but a great introduction to the flavors you can find in a good single malt.

Not your typical light, gentle, fruity Glenmorangie: this is thick, viscous rich stuff, and all the better for it. The deep amber color clues you in - it tastes like it looks. Nose is very heavy on the port wine, which makes sense. A little cordial cherries, sugars and cinnamon too. Maybe even a tiny whiff of peat smoke? Rich and intense flavor hits the palate: cherries, oranges, dark chocolate, candies, brown sugar and yes fortified wine. It feels dense and syrupy on the tongue. The 92 proof level adds a nice dab of heat. Finish drops off fast at first, but candies, cherries, peat smoke, oak and a little tobacco linger. Rich and sweet, this makes a fine dessert pour - though you need to be in the mood for it. Heavier than most sherry bombs and just a little peated, the Quinta Ruban is unique in the Glenmorangie range and a great value for what it is. One of my favorite sub-$100 drams.

A light, balanced, approachable whisky. Nose is bright and floral, yet with some sherry and more than a whiff of peat in the background. Palate doesn't blow you away at first, but sit with it and a few things stand out: citrus, oak, vanilla, buttery toffee with a tiny bit of peat smoke. Its also surprisingly spicy. Finish is rich and long-lasting, with the butter and citrus notable. Balvenie's 12 year definitely leans on the light and dry side (fans of sherry bombs or peat beasts look elsewhere), but its a great introduction to the varied flavors you can find in a scotch whisky.

An exquisitely well blended scotch. Nose resembles an older sherried single malt more than the typical JW smokiness. Palate is a delicious mix of dried fruit, sherry, chocolate, cinnamon and tobacco, with just a touch of peat smoke. The finish slowly, smoothly recedes. Whiskey enthusiasts love to slag on Johnnie for high prices and excessive marketing, but this speaks to what their master blenders can do when they're at their best.

A deliciously smooth, refined, complex rye. Not particularly intense, but blends the dry spiciness of a good rye with notes of fruit, peanuts, chocolate and brown sugar. Would love to spend more time with this one. Would I buy it at MSRP? Perhaps not given the great ryes available for less, but very thankful for the generous pour from a friend.

A different experience from either Small Batch or the delicious 9 Year Single Barrel Knob. Nose is heavy on the vanilla and spices, with some freshly chopped hardwood thrown in too. The palate doesn't hit you in the mouth quite as hard as 9 Year (due in part to being lower proof) but is more refined and complex. You will taste vanilla, honey, bananas, toffee, baking spices, oak, and caramelized brown sugar. The finish pulls up a chair and hangs for a while: cordial cherries, vanilla, bread pudding, oak and syrup. Thick and viscous, too. A wonderfully complex bourbon. Grab it if you can.

Delicious sherry bomb, brilliant bang for buck. Nose is rich with sherry, toffee, butterscotch, black currant, wood, and berries, all of which carry over in the palate. Finish is somewhat less elaborate but is very long lasting, with plenty of cherries, butterscotch, maybe even a little citrus. A smooth yet quite flavorful dram. If you like Macallan 12 Sherry Oak, Aberlour 12 or Glenlivet 15 you'll love this.

There's more going on here than the Ardbeg 10, which is a very good peat monster. That Islay peat is still here in spades, but this one has a sweetness to it that makes it more complex and approachable at the same time. Noise is peaty with whiffs of grapes, apples and pears. First thing you'll notice on the palate is some high-proof heat and spiciness, along with that signature peat and notes of pears, butterscotch, citrus, even bread or cereal. Finish lasts a long time and is quite oily in the mouth, with both the peat and the fruity notes lingering. Highly recommended - its a fun twist on Islay peat beasts and the high proof is something more Scotch distillers should explore.

A light-hearted, pleasant sipper. Nose is strongly fruity: cherries, peaches, apples, even bananas. The palate continues that theme at first, with noticeable vanilla, citrus and cereal. Finish is a bit abrupt but the vanilla and citrus noted linger. Not one that will blow you away with strong flavors, but it's nevertheless an enjoyable pour, smooth and refined. Aberfeldy 12 is a great intro to single malts, as it boasts an approachable flavor profile and stacks up well with better-known labels costing significantly more.