Tastes

In a tasting glass at the Irish Heather in Vancouver. Not a lot of nose. Not a lot of color. A good whiskey in a narrow range. Decent.

In a tasting glass at the Irish Heather in Vancouver, October 31st 2018. Big big fruity nose. Also caramel and oak. The big nose can be attributed to the cask strength ABV. Big, rich and fruity. Wow!

Canadian Rockies 21 Irish Heather in Vancouver October 31st 2018 Served in a tasting glass. Not a lot of color Sweet honey and caramel on the nose. Maybe a trace of smoke on the nose. Not a lot though. Vanilla and oak and spice. A bit fruity. Follows through on the palate. This is a refined whiskey. Would I put down a hundred for a bottle? Not today no.

September 14th 2018 at Darby’s Gastown in Vancouver. Served in a Glencairn glass. $17. Looks about the color of chardonnay, so I'd say there's no added color. Big delicious briny peat smoke on the nose. Wow! Honey notes in the background. A very pungent and complex nose. Enough so that it's worth spending a few minutes just on the nose. Price is similar to Lagavulin 16. Yes, there's some bite on the tongue that ascribe to the 46% alcohol. Without being able to try them side by each, I'd say this the equal of Lagavulin 16.

September 6th 2018 at the Irish Heather in Vancouver. $14 an ounce. Served in a tasting glass. Big fruity sweet and peaty nose. The peat is understated. This is not Lagavulin 16. Not intense but delicate and complex. In summary it's a damn nice nose. The mild peat makes it more interesting than the average fruity scotch whiskey. Sweet and fruity on the palate. Trace of smoke on the palate. Definitely more interesting and complex on the nose than on the palate. I don't have a control whiskey for comparison, but I think this is punching over its weight price wise. Actually my control just arrived and it's HP 18. I think this compares very favorably with the 18. I think the extra 6% alcohol makes it punchier. A very nice dram for two thirds the price of the 18.

September 02, 2018 at Darby’s Gastown in Vancouver. Well now, this is an Islay whiskey, but not what I'm used to. There's smoke here, but on a whole lighter note. Thus is nice indeed. The smoke, such as it is, is quite subtle and muted. There's a huge and subtly sweet malted background here that almost defies description. Very intoxicating, even on the nose.

September 02, 2018 at Darby’s Gastown in Vancouver. Served in a Glencairn glass. I've had this before, but it never ceases to amaze with the smoky peat notes. It absolutely blows me away, and at my advanced age that's saying something. Behind the peat smoke is honey, caramel and wooden barrel. Love it!

Weller bourbon September 02, 2018 At Edwards Seafoods in Gastown A decent bourbon, so for contrast I ordered up a Knob Creek. They're similar, well yeah, cause both bourbon, but the Knob seems a bit punchier.