Tastes

Smoke, smoke and MORE SMOKE! Smoky nose, smoky initial palate, and smoky finish, both of typical peat smoke and of thick barrel char. That said, underneath the smoke you'll find the typical Johnnie Walker blend of warm cereal, floral notes, and pleasant sweetness. This doesn't have the medicinal taste associated with Islay Single Malts, even though it matches them in sheer smokiness. Definitely an interesting blend, certainly not one for beginners.

This is a simply amazing bourbon. Very smooth for it's high proof. Beautiful nose of flowers, caramel, and vanilla. Palate is sweet, luxurious, and complex. Strong flavors of vanilla and cherry, backed by complex layers of brown sugar, cinnamon, and sweet corn. Long, lingering cherry and vanilla sweet finish. This is a top notch bottle.

This is an ass kicker. Even with a hardened palate I need to add water to it to enjoy it neat. When I do, typical nice Beam notes of marshmallow, rye spice, and barrel char come to the surface, with a nice long pleasant finish.

Turpentine, gasoline, and cigar ash. This is pretty rough stuff. The difference between Red Label and Black Label is dramatic, to say the least. Save this one for mixers only.

I'm primarily a bourbon guy, but this Scotch blend really hits it out of the park. It's pricey, but it's crazy smooth, incredibly complex, and has just the right amount of smoke on the finish. Beautiful floral nose with notes of cinnamon, banana bread, sweet cereal, and fruit on the palate. This was given to me as a gift and will be treasured on special occasions.

Never quite understood the big following this one has. Guess everyones tastes are different. I find this bourbon very flat, with little to no finish. Makes a great Manhattan cocktail, but served neat I find it really lacking.

Excellent, excellent bourbon, as to be expected for the price. Bought this for a special occasion. Nose: Mild smoke smell, caramel, honey. Entry: Brown sugar, spice lots of honey, under tones almond, notes of vanilla. Mid-palate brings more of the same, with a hint of smoke arising. Finish: Long and lingering honey flavor, with mild hints of barrel smoke. Overall, this is an incredibly sophisticated whiskey that's amazingly smooth yet very complex.