Tastes

NOSE: Juicy rye spice, oak, grapey sweetness, dried dark fruit,  char, touch soap and slight anise and herbal notes. Not a super complex aroma, but it is heavy and brooding in a way that gives a nice perspective to a traditional rye. PALATE: Heavy rye spice, grapey sweet, oak, raspberry syrup, toffee and some herbal notes. Reminds me of a juicy IPA with the combination of the dry spice, slight herbal and juicy fruity sweetness. FINISH: Long -> Rye spice, oak, juicy sweetness fade out to a tannic dryness that somehow works...  Four Gate Ruby Rye Springs you're odd and I like that.

NOSE: Fresh pastries, oak, corn bread, butterscotch, baking spice, vanilla frosting, touches of fruit, French Toast, toasted marshmallows, bubble gum and char. Maker's Mark 2020 Wood Finishing Series aroma is complex and lovely with this overall "bakery" quality to it that moves along with the oak and spice in a way that's just... remarkable. PALATE: Oak, red licorice, fresh pastries, corn bread, butterscotch, baking spice, vanilla frosting, touches of fruit, French Toast, coconut, caramel and bitter char.  The palate is a touch muted compared to the aroma and carries a more dessert/dark sweet profile but again a solid oak layer propping it all up. FINISH: Med-Long -> Oak, cocoa, leather, char, caramel and marshmallow. A wonderful fade that slowly goes from earthy to sweet in a velvety transition.

NOSE: Heavy oaky depth and dried cherries, caramel, nuts, copper, musty spice, char and some light  vanilla and menthol. This is heavy, like coat the sinuses level heavy, and I love every second of it. PALATE: Heavy oaky depth and dried cherries, caramel, nuts, copper, musty ****, char and some light  vanilla and menthol. A carbon copy of the aroma but with the earthy-rustic-farmy-darkly-sweet profile dialed up a notch and making it feel like it gets heavier as it moves through the senses. FINISH: Long -> Oak, caramel, dark fruit, spice fade out in a way that's almost light... odd.

NOSE: Oaky, nutty, leather, dark sweets, pumpkin spice, pie crust and peanuts with a touch of yeasty-biscuity notes and green coffee beans. There's a warm, dark, pastry note that comes and goes, adding to the homey and full of character of this bourbon. The aroma holds a nice depth and complexity of notes that balance nicely against the heavy oak. PALATE: Oaky, nutty, dark fruit, leather, dark sweets, pumpkin spice, pie crust and some copper with a touch of yeasty-biscuity notes. It's dark, oaky and carries an almost sticky sweetness that perfectly balances out the heavy oak. FINISH: Med-Long -> Peanuts, oak and caramel. The finish on the Knob Creek 12 Years is the least interesting piece of this whiskey, but it's still quite nice.

NOSE Peat, honey, burnt marshmallow, phenolic plastic, spice, orchard fruit, banana cream, touch toffee. Warm and easy aroma with some good fruity notes and a delivery that exceeds the regular Caol Ila 12. PALATE Dried apples, cinnamon red hots, smoke, char, malt, toffee. Like the aroma, there’s a nice fruitiness here but there’s also a strong smoke and spice. There’s no lack of character in this 2004 Connoisseurs Choice Caol Ila. FINISH Med-Long -> Smoke, fruit and malt that mix in a slow velvety fade of sweet smoke.

NOSE Salted butter baguette, smoke, honey, vanilla taffy, honeydew, graham, spice, lemon peel. Soft “green” notes pop in and out adding to the interesting character of this whisky. It’s oddly soft for a Caol Ila, but comes across as elegant and refined instead of light. PALATE Salted butter baguette, smoke, honey, vanilla taffy, honeydew, graham, spice, lemon peel, caramel and a light chalkiness. Something different going on here, this G&M Discovery Caol Ila 13 Years kicks up more than you might imagine and pulls together rough Islay and refined pasty style notes and weaves them together. FINISH Long -> Smoke, honey, vanilla, herbal and spice that fades out to a dessert-style profile that just gives and gives. The finish is stunning.

NOSE Vanilla, toffee, smoke, grilled fruit, custard sweetness, saline, fresh muffins and honey. Rich, full and heavy, the aroma on this 2006 Signatory Caol Ila 12 Years is definitely my favorite aspect of this whisky. PALATE Ditto on all the notes from the aroma with some added notes of honey graham and touches of char and fresh griddle cakes and burnt cookies. A warm oily dram of deliciousness. Time has been very kind to this one. FINISH Long -> Smoke, malt, fruit and pastries/griddle cakes fade out in the perfect ending to a good whisky.

NOSE Minerally, spirity and vanilla fronted w/ some peat and graham and banana in the back and a touch vomity. The spirit shines through here and it’s not overly appealing but is perversely interesting which is sometimes fun… but not here. PALATE Minerally spirity and vanilla fronted w/ some peat and graham and banana in the back and vanilla, honey and white pepper. Damn, this 2010 Old Particular Caol Ila 8 Years just screams minerally clay new make and lightly drags along some herbally spice, smoke and sweet notes. FINISH Long -> Smoke, mineral and stale dried fruit (banana chips). This is the best part of the whisky, but that’s not saying much.

NOSE Peat, grapey/wine sweetness, vanilla fondant, fruit leather and smoke. It slides through with a combo of dessert-style and coastal-style notes that mingle into a wonderfully balanced delivery. PALATE Peat, grapey/wine sweetness, vanilla fondant, fruit leather and smoke with a bit of sulfur and menthol. I love how this 2009 Hepburn’s Choice Caol Ila 7 Years pulls through here with a bit more complexity and warmth but in that same dessert-meets-coastal style and a pop of sulfur FINISH Long -> Sweet dried dark fruit, smoke, vanilla and sulfur that mixes to complete the circle while going a bit darker with a rather heavy dried dark fruit note.

NOSE Grapey sweet, brown sugar, malty graham, banana, vanilla taffy and some very light baking spice. Aroma carries a warm dessert-like profile that’s heavy on the dark grapey fruit notes but with a nice malty and lightly spiced backbone. PALATE Grapey dark fruit, malty graham, char, blackberry licorice, baking spice and a touch of citrus, nuts, char and metal. Not quite as warm as the aroma, and not quite as well integrated, but instead bold with the port notes punching through almost, but not quite, overshadowing that malty spicy backbone. FINISH Med-long -> Port sweetness, malty graham, nuts and char. The finish is a lovely fade from sweetness to a subtle char that, if I’m honest, is my favorite part of GlenDronach Port Wood. It makes me want to come back for more.