Tastes

Probably a 3.5 rather than a 3 here. It's a sherry bomb, for sure - LOADS of dried raisins and fig on the nose, with a big hit of banana (and sweet...almost like banana cake or banana bread), some vanilla, and a pinch of baking spice. The mouth seems a little thin at first, but then BAM - in comes an intensely rich flavor profile full of banana cake, sherry raisin, vanilla, and milk chocolate. The finish is a bit short, with a light hint of chocolate and banana hanging on. Is this the best whiskey around? Nope. Is it pretty tasty and priced well? You betcha.

This is worth tracking down, especially if you're a fan of coastal/Island whiskies. The nose is complex and quite savory - herbs, a floral note, grass, lemon, salty sea air, a bit of dark baking chocolate. The palate is as delightfully complex as the nose - the herbs and grass lead the way, followed by a tight ribbon of citrus and salt that runs down the center of the flavor profile, with some light vanilla sweetness and dry, crumbly dark chocolate at the end. The mouthfeel is rich and a bit oily. A real humdinger, especially for the fairly reasonable price tag.

Really a 4.5. Classic Glenrothes personality - Creamy vanilla and caramel, dried fruit, almond/marzipan, baking spice, and a bit of coconut.

While not as flashy, complex, or well-integrated as some of the age statement selections from Glenrothes, this is still a perfectly fine dram. Dried fruit, caramel, vanilla, spice, and coconut. Fairly short finish. I'd give this a 3.5 if, ya know, half-stars were a thing here (c'mon, Distiller!).

Rich and luscious. Dried dark fruit and apricot, cocoa/baking chocolate, vanilla, coconut flakes, and amarone wine on the nose. The mouth beautifully harmonizes these elements - baking spice, creamy (but not overly sweet) dark chocolate, amarone, and creamy coconut. A delicious after-dinner dram - well worth seeking out!

Quite enjoyed this one. There's dried fruit, Marcona almonds, vanilla, herbs, olive, and seabreeze to be found on the nose and palate...the savory notes emerge more clearly with a tiny splash of water. It's really a brilliant example of cask selection - you can tell most of the signature notes of Manzanilla sherry (which is rich, but salty and savory) while also not losing the soft, sweet character of the Tomatin malt. Well done!

There's more than initially meets the eye. The first nosing and taste is SUPER sweet - it's practically creme brulee in liquid form, caramelized sugar and sweet vanilla custard. With a few minutes to breathe, there's a bit of salt and sweet pipe smoke that begin to emerge, as well as a nuttiness (amaretto/marzipan). Rich and luscious with quite a bit going on when you give it some time to open up.