Tastes
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Interesting concept here. Pulling the whiskey that soaks into bourbon barrels to make a new whiskey. I can get behind that. Not a lot else to say here—besides that this was responsible for the worst drinking experience of my entire life roughly ten years ago to the day and that I haven’t had it since. But I can’t blame that on Jim Beam, or the Devil for that matter, so I’ll try not to let the past play a role in my rating. Nose: Peanut brittle and oak. Almond and woody notes. Vanilla and toffee. Banana and vitamin notes. Heavy barrel char and tobacco smoke. Cocoa. Lord of spice. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, allspice, and oak. Palate: Caramel, almond, wood, and cocoa. Pistachio, macadamia, and a big-time walnut note. Peppermint. Dusty corn note indicates youth. Sawdust. Orange citrus. Ginger. Heavy spice. Cinnamon, black and white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Cocoa. Dusty corn. Caramel and vanilla. Sawdust. Tobacco smoke and orange citrus. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. No bad experiences this time. It’s what I’d consider to be perfectly decent whiskey. A tad on the boring side even—at least for something boasting the name Devil’s Cut. It’s young-ish. It isn’t particularly complex. But it’s a perfectly fine drink. I’m going with a 2.75/5 here. It only ran me $28, and where I live, it’s tough to find a drinkable whiskey for under $30 these. This clears the bar for “drinkable” and then some. It may be better served as a mixer, but I don’t mind it as a sipper. Without considering cost, this would have been 3 stars or lower, but factoring the absurd price hikes over recent years, and VFM is an incredibly important component when it comes to my scoring process. Decent stuff here.28.0 USD per Bottle
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This seems to be a standalone NAS, not part of the order NAS line or the current one. If it sounds like a random purchase, that’s because it was. I vaguely remember trying it a whiskey tasting and putting it on my list when this came out several years ago. Well, here it is. Nose: Classic Macallan. Milk chocolate and orange citrus. Vanilla, toffee, and butterscotch. There’s almost a molasses sweetness here. Pencil shaving and tangerine come in light I’m going in pretty much blind in terms of backstory with this one, but I’m getting plum, raisin, fig, date, and red grape that indicates sherry. That’s expect of Macallan, but I know they’ve gotten away from their standard formula in recent years. Apple, pear, and apricot in the background, along with some oak. Palate: Milk chocolate, orange and tangerine citrus, and vanilla once again. It’s like fruit and cake for dessert. The apple, pear, and apricot are more at the forefront of the palate. Honey, toffee, and malt. More plum, fig, date, raisin, and plum. A touch of honeydew. Finish: Milk chocolate, orange and tangerine citrus, and vanilla once again. Toffee, malt, and honey. Golden raisin, fig, date, and plum. Ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. Moderate-long finish. This is a nice, easy-going whisky. It is a good representative of the Macallan profile during the “Edition series.” It drinks cleaner than any of them, and while it doesn’t pop in any one direction, is probably the most balanced Macallan I’ve ever had. Now, I have to consider VFM. Judged purely on quality, this is an undeniably solid malt. But when I consider I can get three bottles of some top-notch Scotch for what this one ran me, I’ve got to take that into account. At $275, this is perfectly pleasant, but doesn’t stand out in any way. 3.75/5. It’s a 4.0 star whisky if I didn’t know the cost. It really is very good. Something you’d like to pour into a decanter to impress people that are—worth impressing—if you do that sort of thing. And for the most part, it delivered. Cost hurts this. Yet, it is undoubtedly a fine representation of the Macallan flavor profile. I wouldn’t buy it again, but it’s certainly worth a go if you can snag yourself a pour. Cheers.275.0 USD per Bottle
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This is the inaugural release of Redbreast Iberian Series. Scotch and bourbon brands o’plenty have been using the annual NAS release gimmick, so it’s nice to see Redbreast start this trend for Ireland. I believe this PX line has been re-released, but this is the from the first batch. Let’s check it out. Nose: Gala apple, toffee, caramel, and vanilla. Shortbread cookie. Plum, raisin, date, fig, and cranberry are suggestive of the PX influence. Orange citrus and milk chocolate. Blackberry and raspberry add an interesting twist. Black pepper, cinnamon, baking spice, and oak. Palate: Orange citrus and milk chocolate are the dominant notes. Vanilla pecan ice cream. Nougat and toffee. Butterscotch. Some apricot and gala apple in the background. Shortbread cookie. Golden raisin, date, and fig. Cranberry, blackberry, raspberry. Some tart plum in the mid-palate. Peach as well. Orange sherbert even. Cinnamon and oak. Finish: Plum, date, fig, raisin, cranberry. Orange citrus, milk chocolate, vanilla, and toffee. Shortbread cookie, honey, and butterscotch. Black pepper, cinnamon, baking spice, and oak. Moderate-to-long finish, leaning toward the latter. The nose was initially a bit faint. Thought it did open up over and was plenty good once that happened. For a 46%’er, the finish was solid. And the palate—exceptional. The cask selection had to have been fantastic to make this flavor profile pop the way it did. Sure, all the classic Irish notes were there, but they played second fiddle to the PX notes—which validates my expensive NAS purchase. It certainly lives up to its name. Speaking of this being expensive, I paid $110 for this one. Definitely a heavy price to pay for an NAS in a brand new line of cask experimentation. And yet, I can say with confidence that my money was well spent with this one. All in all, 4.5/5 for this one. Maybe my nose is a little compromised from the pollen that’s filling the Jersey air right now. I’ve got enough for one more pour, so I’ll be sure to review my notes for the nose when my face is a bit less swollen. That aside, there is absolutely no doubt that this a superb whiskey. I’m very much looking forward to trying the Tawny Port next. Awesome stuff here from Redbreast.110.0 USD per Bottle
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I finished reviewing Talisker’s core range last week, so it’s fitting that I’d start working my way through a new island distillery now. This is my first Arran review, so no expectations. This bottle is from before they changed the packaging; it’s the narrower bottle as opposed to the newer, squat bottles, meaning that this can be treated as an “older vintage.” Nose: Heavy on the orchard fruit. Macintosh apple, pear, and apricot. Vanilla, honey, toffee, and malt add more sweetness. There is just a touch of plum, grape, and raisin adding a bit of richness to the aroma. Floral notes. Lemon drop and orange citrus. There’s a note that is extremely reminiscent of Sprite. Mild spice and oak. Palate: Macintosh apple, pear, apricot, and orange citrus once again, along with the floral notes. White grape and golden raisin. The Sprite again. Light custard with some vanilla, toffee, and honey. Sugar cookie. Banana. Medium-roast coffee. Light spice and oak. Finish: Macintosh apple, pear, and apricot. Plum, raisin, and grape. Caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Cinnamon, baking spice, and oak. Moderate length finish. Compared to its peated counterparts, this makes for a fairly mild drinking experience. Yet, at 46%, it’s actually stronger than most of the entry level malts in this category. The flavor comes across like a Highland, which threw me off just a bit. But that’s just a product of my expectations. Every Island distillery needs to be judged on its own merits. I’m looking forward to getting a grasp on Arran. As for the 10 year, 3.75. A bit pricy at $64, but a solid whisky. I’m locked in to try the rest of the range based on the quality of this flagship malt.64.0 USD per Bottle
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Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed March 7, 2024 (edited April 1, 2024)I’m moving through the Old Forester collection slowly but surely. I loved the rye and the Original Batch was solid. This is widely considered the crown jewel of their core range, so I’d be lying if I didn’t have high expectations. It’s worth noting that this bottle has the old label—the one with diagonal print—so while these batches aren’t labeled, it’s possible that this was bottled considerably earlier than the one you have. Nose: Classic OF vitamin notes. Toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Sawdust and wood. Brown sugar, nougat, and caramel. Vanilla and banana as you get past the heat into the background. Speaking of the heat, cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak notes come through in impressive force, as expected of 60%’er. Palate: More toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Tobacco smoke, sawdust, and wood. Banana, toffee, and vanilla custard. Apple cider. Caramel, cocoa, and brown sugar. Dried apricot and raisin. Plain glazed doughnut. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Vanilla and banana. Toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Tobacco smoke, cocoa, and black tea. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black and white pepper, ginger, and oak. Heavy barrel char. Long as they make ‘em. This is probably the best bourbon on the market that hasn’t become a victim of scarcity or inflated price. The only other mainstay bourbons that exist in this stratosphere are Henry McKenna 10 and Russell’s 10. This comes out ahead of the three. The Prohibition is a behemoth of a whiskey. 5/5. Truly something to behold at what is essentially barrel proof, yet incredibly tasty even without water. It’s complex, balanced, and is the best representation of the Old Forester flavor profile I could imagine. And it’s an absolute steal at $60. It makes some of the price hikes we see with other brands seem all the more unwarranted when something is on the market. Expectations exceeded. Well done.60.0 USD per Bottle -
Dalwhinnie Winter's Frost (Game of Thrones-House Stark)
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed March 6, 2024 (edited March 8, 2024)It’s been at least 5, maybe even 6 years since I reviewed the Lagavulin 9, which I believe was the Lannister bottle. That was solid, but I had a fair comparison with the mainstay Lagavulin 8. I hadn’t seen the show then, but I watched the whole thing a year ago. This is just an NAS Dalwhinnie, so I’m not expecting much here. Choosing a Highland malt is a fair choice to represent the Starks, though. Nose: Floral notes, with some orchard fruit. Granny Smith apple, pear, and apricot. Toffee, vanilla, malt. Caramel. Unripe banana. Graham cracker. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: Vanilla, honey, caramel, and toffee. Milk chocolate. Sugar cookie. Apple, pear, apricot, and golden raisin. Plum. Custard. Clove, numteg, cinnamon, and oak. Finish:Vanilla, honey, caramel, and toffee. Apple, pear, apricot, and golden raisin. Clove, nutmeg, white pepper, and oak. Moderate length. Pleasant enough whisky. Definitely could’ve used more time in the barrel, but it’s fine for what it is. $60 is too much even considering the gimmick, so I docked a quarter star for VFM. 3/5 even. This may not have done the Starks justice, but drinking it was certainly a better experience than watching the show beyond the at which the writer’s ran out of George’s source material.60.0 USD per Bottle -
Many of us have had their share of this stuff in various Johnnie Walker blends, but this is a single malt that should not overlooked. Respectable age statement, reasonable price, not much else really to say. Let’s check it out. Nose: Light peat smoke, and brine. Smells like a morning on the beach. Honeydew, gala apple, pear, and apricot add a nice layer beneath the coastal notes. Pineapple and maybe even some peach add a bit more sweetness. Heavy butterscotch. Toffee, vanilla, and malt. Honey and caramel. Sugar cookie. Toasted almond. Some obscure freshly-baked pastry. Light cinnamon and oak. Fruity, juicy, and sweet. Nice start. Palate: The honeydew, pineapple, and peach are out in full force. Very sweet. Apple, pear, and apricot. Raspberry. Orange citrus. Honey, toffee, vanilla, butterscotch. Caramel and milk chocolate. White pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Finish: Malt, toffee, butterscotch, and vanilla. Apple, pear, apricot, and golden raisin. Orange citrus. Milk chocolate. Black and white pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Moderate length. Diamond in the rough. With a single malt this good, it’s a shame that Clynelish doesn’t have a more robust portfolio. This reminds me of Oban on the nose, but resembles a more traditional Highland malt on the tongue. It’s unique, and more importantly, it’s excellent. My rating for this was a 4/5. That’s before factoring VFM. If I feel that a whisky hits the mark in terms of value, I generally boost by a quarter star. But for a $64 14-year at 46%, I’m bucking that trend giving this an extra half star. They took no shortcuts in ensuring this would be a quality malt. I highly recommend it. 4.5/5.64.0 USD per Bottle
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Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban Port Cask Finish 14 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed March 2, 2024 (edited March 6, 2024)When I found out Glenmorangie was revamping their core range, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel. I thought the concept of having different 12-year old variations of the standard 10-year was a fantastic idea. Toying with that was a risky idea. This is my first foray into the new line. The Quinta Ruban was arguably my favorite of the original line, but fortunately for me, this was the only one that got a boost on paper. Looking forward to seeing what an extra two years in the barrel can do for the port variant. Nose: Strawberry and blackberry jam. Raisin, Vanilla, toffee, malt, and honey. Vanilla frosting and custard. Raspberry. Apple, pear, apricot, and floral notes. Honeydew. Orange citrus and milk chocolate. Cola. Black currant. Black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, and oak. Palate: Blackberry and strawberry jam. Raisin, Apple, fig, date, some dried apricot, raspberry. Vanilla, milk chocolate, toffee, malt. Orange citrus. Pomegranate and honeydew. Walnut and pecan. Black currant. Black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak. Finish: Blackberry and raspberry. Black currant. Walnut and pecan. Vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak. Moderate to long finish, leaning toward the former. Excellent. Not only does that edge out the 12-year QR in terms of quality, but it is my favorite Glenmorangie that I’ve reviewed to date. And that includes the 18. This 14 is, unsurprisingly, very similar to the original 12, with a few note substitutions here and there and a tad more depth. It is exactly what you’d expect if you were promised two extra years in the cask and no other modifications. I am very glad that Glenmoramgie not only kept this is tact but improved it. At $57, this was a $4-5 price increase, which I’m pretty sure beats the combination of tariffs and inflation that has affected prices within the time span. Either way, it’s fantastic VFM. Looking forward to checking the new Sauternes cask; my experience here has all but assured me the Lasanta will be unblemished considering there was no change on paper there. Awesome stuff. 4.5/5.57.0 USD per Bottle -
My final entry of the Talisker core 4. I’m a massive fan of the other three, so I’m expecting a lot of the profile despite this being the youngest of the bunch. It’s technically sub-entry level, but it’s still Talisker, and for that, I’m looking forward to this. Nose: Heavy peat and campfire smoke. Sea salt and seaweed. Fudge and cocoa. Milk chocolate. Sun-dried tomato. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black and white pepper, and oak. Palate: Milk chocolate and caramel. Vanilla, butterscotch, and sugar cookie. Salt water taffy. Some floral notes. Raisin. The seaweed, sea salt, smoke, and peat are in the background here. Ballpark pretzel. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black and white pepper, and oak. Finish: Sugar cookie, vanilla, and toffee. Sea salt, seaweed, and light peat smoke. Milk chocolate. Caramel and raisin. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length, slightly above average even. Awesome. Talisker is always a winner. This is their “basic” offering. According to the notes I listed above, it should be clear that I do not consider this to be anything but basic. Bold, brash, and briny. Always a power-puncher, and consistently high-quality and complex. 4.5/5 for this one, which is the lowest rating I’ve given a Talisker. That says a lot about how I feel about the quality. Great VFM at $57. Excellent.57.0 USD per Bottle
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Loch Lomond 18 Year
Single Malt — Highlands , Scotland
Reviewed February 20, 2024 (edited February 21, 2024)The Loch Lomond 12 was one of my most pleasant surprises. That’s partly due to my low expectations for it, but even more so because it was actually very good. I’m hoping the extra 6 years makes this that much better. Like the 12, this is an older bottle from before they changed the packaging. Let’s get into it. Nose: The same fresh-baked croissant note I got in the 12. Hazelnut and toasted almond. Apple, pear, and apricot. Butterscotch, honey, toffee, malt, and vanilla. Honeydew, roasted pineapple, and lemon citrus. Graham cracker and sugar cookie. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Reviewing my notes from the 12, it’s almost identical, which is interesting, because I remember it being very different. The difference was the 12 was at the end of the bottle, and this is almost half full. I guess it just needed time to open up. Very good. Palate: A huge hit of grape jam. Apple, pear, apricot, and raisin. Dried cranberry. Hazelnut, toasted almond, and cashew. Vanilla, toffee, honey, butterscotch, and sugar cookie. Orange and milk and dark chocolate. Fudge. Honeydew. Buttered roll. Earthy smoke. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. Finish: Toasted almond. Caramel, vanilla, toffee, malt, and butterscotch. Milk chocolate and orange citrus. Apple, pear, apricot, and raisin. Friend apricot and cranberry. Earthy smoke. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length. This is a worthy sequel to the 12-year. It’s a dirty malt. You could call it unrefined, but I’d prefer to call it brash. Traditional Highland malts are known to be clean, formal, and predictable. That formula works well to bring new Scotch drinkers into the fold and to establish brand loyalty with those uninterested in exploration. I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed this profile 10 years ago. But it’s hitting the mark now. It’s strong at every turn: nose, palate, and finish. At $85, for an 18-year at a respectable 46% ABV, you’d be hard-pressed to find a comparable buy. Not that it’s the best 18-year old out there, or that it’s the paradigm for a Highland malt or even that it’s the best sub-$100 bottle. But what it does do is neatly thread the needle between the bottles that hit these marks, carving out its own place on a whisky shelf. Unbelievable VFM. Unique profile. Well-executed malt. The coalescence of these features earn this a 4.75/5.85.0 USD per Bottle
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