Tastes

N: very astringent. Lemon, sawdust, vegetal. P: really not much depth to speak of. Bitter almonds, cough drop sweetness, some herbs. No rounded fruit or caramel flavors at all. F: continued cough drops, faintly menthol. I've never literally drain poured anything, but this is testing me. I would happily drink water if this was my only option for any alcoholic beverage.

N: syrupy and sweet, evergreen, strawberries, wood shavings. P: maple syrup sweetness follows the nose, woody tannins, coffee, black pepper. There a slightly menthol quality that makes me think of irish whiskey, but fairly gentle all around. F: quick, what remains is the breakfasty sweetness. Overall this is probably the best of the American Single Malts I've had so far in the burgeoning category. Most that I've had are pretty solventy and thin, but this is quite well rounded, if simple. The big advantage over others is the nice, juicy viscosity that it has, and pleasantly approachable breakfast notes.

N: spicy, evergreen, peppermint, toffee P: medium-dry and spicy, herbal, thin. Viscosity is lacking compared to most ryes and bourbons. F: average length, lingering rye spice I'm assuming that either the cask is a refill or the mashbill doesn't qualify for bourbon or rye, for this not to qualify as either. Rye is definitely what carries the nose and palate, with the dry herbal qualities. Because it doesn't commit one way or the other, I'm afraid the effect is a bit anemic. It's pleasant enough to sip, but it doesn't have the rich, vanilla dessert qualites of bourbon nor the more robust, complex spicy edge of good ryes.

The label says it's aged for at least 2 years, which I take to mean that MOST of the stock is aged 2 years with some older barrels vatted with each batch to round it out. I'd like to try this at an older age statement, because I like what Deerhammer is doing but it needs more time to soften the edges. N: Nougat and chocolate on first sniff. A bit dusty. P: Sweet. Orange, coffee, cocoa, a bit of menthol. A bit harsh. F: More coffee, and an acetone aftertaste. There's a good beginning here but even a couple more years I think would help round this out.

Tasting the 2018 edition N: char but not the intense smokiness of younger Islay expressions. It's more like the boiling sugar smell in candy making. Sweet, there's a lovely cherry and chocolate after the char. P: deep, plummy fruit. The PX has had a very rounded jammy influence, as opposed to tartness like many sherry casks. The peat is there but more muted than lagavulin's standard bottling, and none of the seaweed and iodine of other Islays. Strong tea and salted crackers round it out. F: sweet and salty finish. The lingering whisps of campfire remind you where it's from but the distiller's edition is Lagavulin dressed up and perfumed for a night out.

N: soft on the nose, more so than other Booker's I've tried. Silky cocoa, cream, tiramisu, roasted pecans. P: Intense arrival. Brown sugar and cinnamon first. More roasted nuts, then vanilla, almond-y bitterness, coffee, and maybe a little orange peel at the end. F: long and warming like most Booker's. Tasty, but not as complete or transcendent as other output under the label.

N: Probably the most off kilter part of the dram. Heavily perfumed with sweet damp hay, vanilla, candy, corn, but also some white wine muskiness. Very mixed bag. P: Delicious and hides the alcohol well. Pears, honey, carmelized fruit and sweet onion, a little dry mesquite. F: long, sweet, slightly peppery.

N: Green apples, and bright tropical fruit like lychees and melon. Slightly nutty. P: dry white wine, apricot, mineral, strawberry F: clean, dry, gentle fruit This is one of the staple entry level malts on my shelf, one of the better values you can buy and a good introduction to gentle sherried Highland malts.

This is called a NAS whisky but the packaging has distillation and bottling years, I can presume that mine is a 5 year old expression. I've seen 7 year bottles in bars though. This smells its age. Very grassy and green, lemon, ginger, followed by an earthy/spicy quality like cedar. None of the rounded, cakey qualities of older expressions. Dry entry, black pepper, lemon zest, mineral water, green apples. Finish is clean, herbal, savory. This is an interesting example of unique qualities that young whisky has. Very bright, astringent, but in an appealing way.

My initial impressions were slightly underwhelming, but after 3 or 4 tastings of the bottle I got a few months ago, I do enjoy it. This doesn't reinvent the wheel but it's pleasantly sweet with dried fruit, brown sugar, vanilla, pound cake. Very little rye sharpness on the palate. Easy going and soft finish, with not much burn. The Us*1 unblended american whisky stands tall as a really decadent dessert whisky, but this is a pleasant entry in the Michters line up.