Tastes

Some speyside peated whiskys are great, but some others, not so much. The nose on this guy is inviting with a young peat smoke, lemon, vanilla, lavender, and green apples. The palate is spot on without the twang, with more incoming peat smoke, met with medium mouth coating cream, herbal properties, slight medicinal and brine. The finish is medium length, salty, and dry. This would be a great beach sipper. The theme to this dram is should be "Surfin' Safari" by the Beach Boys. I think a 3.75 is in order. Thanks @Scott_E for the sample!

It's really surprising that the cask strength didn't carry over the flavor for me here. Typical speyside nose with tropical pineapple and coconut qualities, but has more of a floral honeysuckle, vanilla, cream, and very little smoke at all. The finish is very mild and short with light syrup and powdered sugar, without any alcohol burn. A couple drops of water will bring out honeydews, cantaloupes, and watermelons. It's such a mild and delicate dram for the ABV. The theme needs to be a soft and sweet song like "Open Arms" by Journey. Hmm, a 3.75.

Tropical nose! Pineapple, coconut, slight floral, but not earthy or herbal notes. Slight tobacco leaf in there as well. The palate has a thin mouth coat, but a blend of caramel, light grapefruit, banana, white grapes, and tobacco notes come in the forefront here. The mouth coat improves in time. I tried it with water, but it was not beneficial, and actually a couple drops was even too much. It brought out sourdough bread and green beans. Finish was medium length with oranges, butter, and cream. The major tobacco tones should effect the theme song. I am thinking something by Johnny Cougar (Mellancamp for all you outsiders) like "I Need A Lover". Slap a 4.25 on it!

Thankfully, I didn’t get as much dill as @Generously_Paul did, but it is there. I was also getting a lot of white pepper, caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon but there wasn’t a lot more there either. It was enjoyable, even with a couple drops of water. A nice medium sweet syrupy finish of brown sugar. A bit on the dry end. I am not a master of rye, but this brought me over to the side of trying more of them. 3.75. The theme of this one needs to be a little spicy. I’m gonna bring out some San Juanito. How about “Cuatro Esquinas” by Samy. Thanks so much for the the sample Scott!

A pleasant surprise! I enjoyed the finish on this more than the Ceobanach, even though it's 20 bucks cheaper. The nose will remind you of the Caol Ila 12 from the start. Peat! Peatier than the Ceobanach as well. Maritime notes with sea spray, along with lemon curd, dark chocolate and vanilla. Not much fruit other than lemon on the palate, but brings more smoke, vanilla, slight TCP, cream, barley, icing, cake batter, and malt flavors. Medium finish and a heavy mouth coat. A breakfast dram similar to a Lagavulin 8. A solid 3.5. The theme needs to be a smoky one too. Something like "The Doomed" by A Perfect Circle.

I'm in love! Nothing but adoration for this dram. The nose brings fantastic peat, pork belly, bacon, caramel, fat sizzling on a wood stove. The Douro Valley cask is very nicely present here. Floral properties like roses show up in time. Coastal brine and a sweet tomato too.... Wow! The palate brings smoked barbecue, balanced with the sweetness and a lot of peat remains. Even at 50%ABV, it's not hot. A couple drops of water on it will not kill it either. Reminiscent of a Lagavulin 16 blended with a Glendronach 15. I don't know what Kilchoman is doing to make a younger whisky taste like this, but kudos to them. I have to give it a 4.75. This finish is long and has sherry notes, woody tones, earthy peat and campfire. The theme of this dram is "Magic" by The Cars. What a classic!

This is an older bottle from 2015. Iodine and medicinal properties from the nose right off the bat. Toffee, orange pith, white grapes, and smoke show themselves as well. The palate brings toffee, caramel, sulfur, and oranges. A very interesting dram, and this is going to be a love it or hate it one. A nice alcohol burn with apple and dark chocolate/bitter espresso finish, medium mouth coat, and full of flavor. The theme of this dram needs to be old school and funky, maybe "Get Up and Jump" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 3.75. If you don't like assertive bottles, maybe wait for a sample.

This is the 45.7% ABV version. No water needed for this gem. Colossal thanks to @LeeEvolved for the sample. Oh man, this offering just leaves you almost speechless. The nose brings deep dark fruits with sweetness, bourbon, floral heather, cinnamon, and sherry. The palate has tropical notes of coconut, pineapple, oranges, dark chocolate, plus everything you get from the 18. It's like the Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask on steroids. Some people are turned off by the bitterness in this glass, but I applaud its existence because I actually thinks it helps with the balancing of the sweet and savory factors there as well. The price at 600 American is on the high end to me. If it was 300-400, I'd say it would be more worth it, but we are talking about 25 year old whisky here. The finish is a little too dry for my taste. The theme of this dram should be something epic. "The Gates of Delirium" by Yes seems fitting. 4.75!

Glengyle rocks it, man. I thought the 12 was absolutely a must have, and this should be right along side of it. The nose is sherry forward, balanced with the wood. Cherries, fresh cut lawn, and more floral properties with a couple drops of water. The palate is great with a heavy mouth coat of oil, cinnamon, spices, caramel and dark fruit. The finish is good too! Thankfully not a dry one, and brings out a woody toffee flavor met with even more spice and sugar. 4.0. Excellent dram and the theme should be "Sherry" by the Four Seasons.

Thanks to Everwind for a sample! The nose brings floral/herbal notes, sweetness from ginger, honey, vanilla, strawberries, raspberries, and deep tea. Bright and effervescent. 46% ABV, so just a couple drops of water. The palate brings some complex flavors of grapes, cola, savory liver, leather, and maritime salt. The finish is medium in length with a nice mouth coat. There is a Caol Ila type of smoke lingering. This dram is in a class of its own without comparison. The theme should be something equivalent, like "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" by Genesis. 4.25. It really makes me want to find an 18 or higher age statement from them.