Tastes

Hazelburn 14 (2019) was matured exclusively in Oloroso barrels. It’s a deep, rich and complex whiskey. I taste salted caramel, dried cranberries and tart cherries, dark cocoa powder, fresh raspberries and some peppery wood notes. There are some tannins here that were strong when I first opened the bottle but are starting to mellow. The finish is lovely and lingers for quite a while. This may be one of the best <15 year Oloroso matured whiskies I’ve had. Time will tell. Really good!

Whiskey extravaganza #7 This is the best Highland Park I’ve had in a while and I’m shocked by it. This is not a typical HP - it’s only matured in bourbon, it’s bottled at 47.2% instead of 43%, and it’s chill filtered but only brought down to 4 degrees Celsius so HP has only stripped away a portion of the delicious oils and esters. Should someone punch their marketing department in the bean bag for calling this “full volume” when they’ve clearly turned down it’s natural volume - yes, that is warranted. And referencing Spinal Tap on your packaging by pointing the dial to 11 when you’ve served the whiskey up at an 8 - not cool ... not cool at all. But it’s still better than most of the duds that HP has been pumping out lately. It’s packed full of rich vanilla bean, pear, and smoked caramel. It reminds me of Tomatin’s Cu Bocan line. And this is 17+ years old for $85; that is a steal by HP standards. If you see it, buy it while you can because I’m guessing it won’t be back. But burn the box - shameful HP marketing, just shameful.

Whiskey extravaganza #6 I just opened this bottle and have only had 2 drams so I need to give it more time but I can say that this is a rich and flavorful American single malt. It’s currently tasting like a bourbon/scotch hybrid, which is unexpected and delicious. Looking forward to seeing how it evolves over time. Thanks for the rec @dubz480! And @PBMichiganWolverine I’ll pull your sample over Labor Day weekend.

Whiskey Extravaganza #5 This is fantastic! I don’t have full details on how this whiskey is made and there are some things (like the 43% abv) that chap my ass. Even just bumping it to 46% would make a difference. But still there is some magic going on with the cask work here. Sherry + Mizunara + American oak = deliciousness for all!

Whiskey Extravaganza #4 This was my first time have the 18 and I probably drank it a little too fast and didn’t give it enough air/time to do it justice. So I will revisit but my initial reaction is that I prefer the 14.

Whiskey extravaganza #3 This is good - it’s more interesting than standard Jameson but even an 18 year old whiskey can only be so good when it’s been neutered down to 40%. I’ll save my money and grab a Redbreast 12CS or Tyrconnell 16 instead.

Whiskey extravaganza #2 This is good; the quality of the sherry cask is very evident and it makes up for a lot of what Macallan does wrong with this whiskey (most importantly watering it down to 43% and chill filtering it). It has beautiful spiced chocolate and rich fruit flavors. Is it worth the price tag? NO! Not even close. We’re living in the golden age of whiskey, there are incredible options out there for a fraction of the cost. Would I turn down a glass if offered - no, of course not; it’s delicious. But I wouldn’t buy a bottle.

Whiskey extravaganza #1 This is one of the whiskies that got me excited about scotch. I hadn’t had it in a while so I was wondering if it would hold up. It does; it’s just butterscotch deliciousness! Do I wish it was bottled at a higher abv, yes ... but it’s still really good. Also, of any scotch I’ve had, the empty glass the next day smells incredible. Great value and anyone you serve it to will dig it; can’t miss on this one.

This is a young one (4-5 years old) but because of the extreme heat in Indian, it ages faster than other whiskies. I had a 10 ounce sample and, when I first opened it, I was surprised by the lively flavors. I got caramel, applesauce with cinnamon, almonds, and a touch of smoke. The 50% abv definitely helps punch things up a couple of notches. I had hoped that it would continue to develop as it oxidized but that didn’t really happen. It started losing its energy, the flavors became more muted and it started showing it’s youth. Overall, it’s interesting enough that I’ll look to explore other, older Amruts in the future but don’t plan to buy a full bottle of the Fusion.

This is an interesting bourbon. I like the wine influence but it’s a little unbalanced - the flavors are good but the palate transitions are disjointed. The experience doesn’t match up with the price tag.