Tastes

Incredibly complex — so complex in fact that’s difficult to figure out what’s going on in there. May yet revisit it, but didn’t “wow” me. May yet revisit.

Sherry, nuts and toffee on the nose. Palate is the same with a mid-palate burn you might expect from a younger whisky (alcohol? wood?). Finish is, you guessed it, sherried and nutty, but also a bit off; maybe it’s the “bitterness” the staff review mentions, but I wouldn’t grade it as a positive. Not bad but a bit lacking in complexity and balance.

Nose is dominated by toffee, vanilla and candy corn, with a whiff of fruit (peach?) and charred wood smokiness. Palate is the same, with medium body and a decent aftertaste. Water brings out the sweetness. Very good, abundantly typical bourbon. This was tricky to get a hold of here in Brazil, but if you can get it for the price of a Jack or a Jim, it’s no contest!

On both nose and palate, fruit is immediately evident, more so with a few drops of water — I got orange first, then apples or pears, with smoky peat and vanilla up next, then a whiff of heather, honey and a pinch of salt. No chill-filtering means a nice, full body, and a very satisfying fruity aftertaste. A bit more burn than expected, particularly on the mid-palate. Very good whisky overall!

Smoke, brine and a herbal note (camphor?) greet one up front, and stick with you throughout the experience. Nice full body balances out the alcohol content. Lemon and honey timidly insinuate themselves mid-palate. Finish is peaty, smoky and briny as well, with a peppery note, and more burn than I expected. Interesting, complex, full-bodied scotch. Looking forward to trying more Islays.

Sherry, lots of it, plus toffee and rum on the nose. Maybe a little vanilla on the background. Full-bodied, sweet and spicy palate, with more toffee and a dash of ginger. Finish is long, smooth and tastes of raisins and dried apricot. A very fine sherry bomb by any standards.

Citrus, vanilla and honey up front, with subtle smoke and brine up next, and a dash of white pepper with the fruity finish. Fantastic whisky. The definition of a crowd pleaser.