Tastes

Junior-varsity Lagavulin, but nothing wrong with that. So gulpable that I wouldn’t have guessed it’s 48% ABV. Super light straw color. Nose is more perfume and petrol than peat, though the smoke is there in the background. Pasta and asparagus and salt water in the mouth. Mid-length finish. Not nearly as complex as the 16, obviously, but it’s a steal in comparison.

Color is Longhorn burnt orange. The overall impression, for me, is cinnamon red-hots. Pepper, acetone, caramel, and a subtle whiff of bark on the nose, and in the mouth you can almost taste wood staves and leather, reminiscent of an old library. Lots of power, but all in balance, and dry as the desert. More expensive than the standard Whistlepig 10-year, but a better buy for my tastes.

Rough around the edges. Weedy peat and plaster on the nose; salt, stone, and green beans in the mouth; and surprising mint or melon (I think) on the back end. Nice complexity and length. Tastes like a windy fall day somewhere near water.

A fuller, spicier version of the standard Maker’s Mark, and for me that’s a good thing. The overall impression is a fluffy honey-wheat bagel. Shows cinnamon and a little caramel on the nose, backed by Bit-O-Honey and Wheaties on the palate. It’s somehow focused and round at the same time, and it complicates things with some minerality on a medium-length finish. I love this at the price.

Classic caramel/toffee and maybe some Cheerios on the nose, followed by shoe polish on the palate. Definitely a step down from the Weller 107 and the 12-year, both of which are personal favorites stylistically. This one’s skinny, short, and uncomplicated. It’s a good sipper for the price, but that’s about it.

Compact nose shows sea breeze, petrol, butterscotch, and just a little smoke. The palate is where the peat explodes. To me, the Laphroaig 10 is like the inverse of the Lagavulin 16: the Lagavulin is heavy up front with peat but then dials it back in favor of other flavors, where the Laphroaig holds the peat back and then suddenly smacks you in the mouth with it. It’s not overwhelming, though. Saltwater, mint, generic melon, and new tires turn up in the mouth, too. The lingering burn makes it seem like higher than 43% ABV, and in the best possible way. It’s full, oily, and multidimensional, with a long weedy finish. Hard to ask for anything more at this price.

Criminally underrated, in my view. Granted, it’s sort of generically Bourbon on the nose — vanilla, honey, and a hint of allspice — but it puts the pedal down on the palate. For me, buttery kettlecorn is the predominant note, but I also get a little smidgen of cola and/or pomegranate. And as another reviewer mentioned, there’s a sharp oak char there as well. That and the shiny 45% alcohol give it a jagged edge I really like. It’s not complicated, but it’s such a steal at $23. I think if it were less available and more expensive, the pros would rate it more highly.

Refreshing sea spray, red apple, and maybe even shoe polish on the nose, along with a lot of biscuit in the mouth. Generically fruity finish. So cool and balanced that you can drink it almost without noticing, but that also means (for me, anyway) that there’s not a ton of excitement here. Looking forward to trying the Lustau and the 15 for a little something different.

Almost too friendly, like someone who’s always smiling. On the nose, I get raisin, brown sugar, and syrupy sweetness more generally. (Other reviewers said tobacco and dried fruit, and I can definitely see where they’re coming from.) On the palate, I get something more baked, like oatmeal raisin cookies. There’s a mouth-watering aspect that keeps things balanced. That earns it some extra points in my book, as do the reasonably long finish and the agreeable price. I’ve tried to score it for quality, not for enjoyment — it’s sort of cloying for my tastes, but people who like a cuddly whisky will enjoy this well-rounded and fairly complex one.

Mild-mannered and citrusy on the nose, with honey and lemons and dates and almost no heat. There’s some burn in the mouth, though, along with an Irish-like biscuit note. Long finish of something resembling pasta. Angular and really refreshing as a change of pace. I think I like it more than the conventional wisdom would dictate.