Tastes

Lives up to the hype. Incredible complexity here - shortbread, fruit, spice, vanilla - with an incredible oily thickness. I love this.

Been all over the map on this one and went from absolutely loving it to finding its smoke quaities acrid and overblown.

Semi-blind taste. No toast or smoke on the nose at all, more like a fruited dessert. It's a pleasant but largely character-free taste, save for some very late wooden tannins in the finish.

Compared this in a blind taste against Green Label. Blue had a toastier, milder smoke nose than Green and a softer and more harmonious taste overall. Very little complexity here - there's oak, maybe some minor brine notes and faint caramel - and Green's got far more going on in each sip. Blue is still my preference though, and I could chug this like (very expensive) water.

Compared this in a blind taste against Blue Label. Green had more smoke on the nose with fruity depths Blue lacked. This is a complex blend with many layers and may be in discord with itself, each sip revealing something different. Smoke and spice both present. Green is more interesting than Blue, but ultimately Blue's my preference.

"Smooth" is one of the laziest words you can use to describe a whiskey, but it's also the only word coming to mind here. Such a generic, soft, gentle drink with maybe the faintest hints of nondescript fruit and vanilla cream. Borderline liqueur. Worst thing you can say is that it lacks character and depth.