Tastes

This is the "old" Old Pulteney 12. The one that came in the tube, as opposed to the new release which comes in a box. Pulteney has claimed the juice has remained the same, but there is plenty of information on the internet that supports the contrary. For one, the color is different. And, apparently, so is the taste. Not to mention, my bottle is at 43% ABV as opposed to the listed 40%. At any rate, I've got no basis for comparison. But I have had a bottle of this previously, and I enjoyed it. Let's see if it holds up a couple years later. Nose: Apple, pear, apricot, orange, banana, and white grape. Honey, vanilla, toffee, and marshmallow. Definitely a sweet one. Less salt than I remember. There is some salted caramel. Some floral notes and oak notes. Not a hint of alcohol. It's easy-going but enjoyable. Palate: The fruit notes transfer to the palate: apple, pear, apricot, orange, banana, and white grape. Now with lemon. Big malt notes, as well as vanilla and toffee. Some chestnut and almond. Salted caramel and sea salt... there's the salt. Butterscotch and honey. Shortbread cookie. Green, grassy notes. It's very similar to the nose, with a couple added notes. The major addition is salt. It's a nice one. Finish: Baking spices. Sea salt, cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Big oak. Some of that shortbread cookie and vanilla. Citrus is prevalent. Nuts as well. Above average in length, which is impressive for a whisky at 43%. This is an easy sipper, but not a boring. Its coastal qualities distinguish it from the standard Highland profile. It's a nice change of pace to find pronounced maritime qualities in a non-peated malt. This whisky finds a great niche in the vast landscape of Scottish whisky. If you can still find this expression in its old-style incarnate, grab it. It's one of the cheaper single malts; yet, it's one of the better flagship bottlings out there. Unfortunately, it seems OP has decided to tamper with the secret formula. The Distiller score plummeted from a 95 to an 84. And the internet's whisky experts almost unanimously agree. Don't fix it if it ain't broke. Is that a cliche or a fundamental truth? I lean toward the latter. I haven't tried the new 12-year, so I won't condemn it. But I will say this. This has everything you could ever ask of a sub-$50 bottle. Money truly well-spent. Pulteney: as a wise man once told me: "Don't blow it." Solid stuff.

If Talisker isn't my favorite distillery, it's right up there. I formed that opinion after years of drinking the 10-year and never having the opportunity to try anything else. Now, after having had a couple variations, I think that opinion holds true more than ever. Nose: Briny as they come; just what I expect of Talisker. Big seaweed, big sea salt. The ocean spray from a wave hitting the coastline displayed on the packaging could not be more fitting. Lighter on the smoke and peat, but still present. Honey, vanilla, toffee, malt, and a bit of milk chocolate. Roasted almonds and salted caramel. Orange and pineapple citrus. Amazing oak touch of oak. Some apple and pear, as well as marshmallow and jelly. I could go all day with this one. Superb. Palate: More of those briny, sea salt, ocean spray notes. Peat and smoke are ramped up, but are still at medium intensity. Some savory meaty notes, as well as big caramel and milk chocolate. More apple, pear, orange, and pineapple. Vanilla, honey, and toffee. Honeydew and cantaloupe now as well. Beautiful oak once again. And the peat hits at the mid-palate. It's still not particularly smoky, but instead it's that black bean, red-pepper chili I've now come to associate with Talisker. Baking spices to boot: black pepper, cinnamon especially. Phenomenal. Finish: Spice bomb. Sea salt, cinnamon, and black pepper. The chili is all in tact. Ginger makes an appearance. A healthy dose of oak. Vanilla fills in the cracks to bring what makes for a very long finish to a satisfying conclusion. Absolute winner. Didn't even have to check the stats before awarding this a 5/5. This is one of the best whiskies I've ever had. Talisker doesn't provide a large pool of offerings, but everything they do have is stellar at worst. As a whole, the Islands can hold their own with Islay. There is plenty to see here. Talisker 18 is quite easily one of the best bottles I've ever owned, and I'd urge any Scotch fanatic to buy without hesitation. It artfully tows the line between the world of intense coastal peat and the realm of eloquent, layered, and balanced malt. Well done, Talisker.

It's hard to call yourself a peat-head if you've yet to review this one. It's about damn time I got around to it. This is one of the two high-octane releases in Ardbeg's core range (along with the Corry). It's one of the most highly-touted whiskies from Islay's holy trinity. Let's get into it. Nose: Big peat, big smoke. Campfire smoke, iodine, and a touch of band-aid. @Generously_Paul told me to look for a tennis ball note in Laphroaig. I've yet to test that with a Laphroaig, but I do find that in this one. There's also sea salt and brine. Lemon and grapefruit citrus. Black pepper spice. Creamy custard notes. Some smoked meat. Vanilla, berries, and roasted chestnuts. Small bit of sulphur and tar. I'm not going to try to guess which flower, but I'm getting April flowers. If I didn't stop here, I don't know that I ever would. Stunning nose. Palate: Peat, campfire smoke, iodine, sea salt, sulfur, and brine. Classic Islay. Lemon, lime, and grapefruit. Beacon and brisket, maybe some ribs. Loving the char. The sherry is in full force here. Double chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. With a cherry on top. Some of the dry red fruits on the mid-palate. Sherry-cask aging manifests very differently in peated whiskies, and it's absolutely amazing when the two are working in tandem. As is the case here. Black pepper, cinnamon, and some heavy-hitting chili. Honey, graham cracker, and marshmallow. Once again, I feel like I'm missing a lot, but it should suffice to say that I'm very impressed. Finish: Beast of a finish. Starts off with some residual sulfur and band-aid notes. A bit of dried fruit takes the forefront before the black pepper, cinnamon, and oak notes take over to deliver the tail end of a very long finish. 5/5. I could cut this review right here, but I'll say a couple quick things. This is one of the best peated whiskies I've ever had. One of the most complex. Easily one of the best VFM purchases. And, like Laphroaig Lore, Oogie embodies the true spirit of whisky. It has a bit of everything a die-hard whisky fanatic could hope to find a single bottling. Heavily-peated, near-cask strength, bourbon and sherry barrel aging. And the sum is much greater than the parts. Up next is the Corryvreckan. Between the two, I've had a terribly difficult time deciding which I prefer. So when it's time to write that review, I'll reveal my choice. But for the time being, I'll conclude that this is simply amazing juice. Hell of a job, Ardbeg, here's to you.

Relatively unknown by the general public, but well-respected within the whisky community. Here we've got the flagship bottling of one of what I consider to be one of Scotland's premier distilleries. While it may be second-tier in terms of popularity and distribution, this does not reflect the quality of the distillery's product. Nose: Sherry notes. Cola, poundcake, plum, cranberry. Maraschino cherry, stawberry. Unique lime citrus note. Poundcake is prominent. The fig, date, and raisin notes that I expect of a sherry-aged whisky are there, but they are very subdued compared to other sherry-aged malts. Toffee, honey, and vanilla. Plenty of baking spices. No alcohol. Leather and sawdust. The last one is a weird note, but I don't mind it. Solid start. One of my favorite noses in the Scotch category. Palate: More plum, poundcake, and cola. The lime is now more like key lime pie. Red fruit. In addition to the plum, there's cherry, strawberry, raspberry, and cranberry. Still toffee, honey, and vanilla. Sweet and jammy. Slight leather note. There's a healthy dose of oak, but no spice. Rich red fruit and zesty lime are the key points here. Finish: The plum and cola carryover, until there are replaced by the spice, which is finally present. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. And some more oak. Medium length. I hear that this stuff used to have stock aged well beyond 12 years. I've also heard that this stuff was much better when Billy Walker was running the show. Well, I can only imagine how good that must've been, because I think this iteration of GD 12 is fantastic. My personal favorite sherried 12-year. Strong from start to finish. Respectable ABV and age statement. Great quality. I'm sold on this stuff. Good for a beginner or an experienced drinker, and it's sure to convert any beginner from Macallan. At my local store, Glendronach dropped from $60 to $54, while the standard Mac 12 jumped from $53 to $63. All within the last year. So this may not win the popularity contest, but, for me, it emerges as the best 12 year-old sherry-aged single malt coming out of Scotland. Which is a very deep category. And that's true whether you consider VFM or not. Awesome stuff, GD.

Ah, Bushmills. The proverbial forgotten middle brother of the major Irish whiskey trio. On par with Jameson and Tully, and at times, the best of the three. Yet it gets a fraction of the love and repute. Here, we have the Black Bush, which is basically Bushmill's answer to Jameson Black Barrel. Let's see how it stacks up. Nose: Big on the fruit. Pear, apple, strawberry, raspberry, and orange. Vanilla, honey, frosting, malt, and toffee. A sweet one for sure, with very pronounced sherry notes. More malty than grainy, but I'm still getting some of the cereal notes. Shortbread cookie; an Irish standard. Slightly metallic. Not a trace of alcohol. Palate: More fruit. Pear, apple, apricot, and orange. Still some of the red fruit. Cranberry, raspberry, strawberry. More of the vanilla, honey, and frosting. Some caramel and graham cracker. Shortbread cookie, malt and toffee. Walnut, cashew, and almond. Still slightly metallic, but it's even less prevalent here. Some cinnamon and baking spice. Finish: Fairly short. Red fruit lingers, until it is replaced by cinnamon, baking spices, and oak. Oak presence is at its strongest during the finish. And it's over in a flash. I've always liked this one. I think this one can go toe-to-toe with Jameson Black Barrel. At every level. And it's a few bucks cheaper to boot. Both are decent, youngish, sherry cask-aged Irish whiskies that are easy on the wallet. Like the Black Barrel, this gets a 3.5 for me. At $35, it's a solid value. Other than the low ABV, short finish, and slight metallic notes, there's a lot to like here. It's sweet, easy-drinking Irish blend that seems to me to have a respectable malt-to-grain ratio. Good offering from Bushmills. Keep these guys in mind as St. Paddy's Day draws near.

Sagamore Spirit. While it may be sourced from MGP, it seems that they do their own blending and finishing (the former of which applies to this one). While they may not be putting out their own stock just yet, it seems that the Maryland-based distillery is aging their own distillate and well inevitably have its own product, from start to finish, out on the market. For now, let's take a look at the current, MGP-sourced base product. Batch 7A, Bottle 284 Nose: Standard "bready" notes that I often find in ryes. Obviously rye bread, but also a bit of sourdough. Some apple cider, gala apple notes. Black pepper, nutmeg, and allspice. Dill pickle and spearmint. Hints of pistachio and vanilla. Some roasted nut.Greenish, cedar notes. It's mild but enjoyable. Balanced as opposed to sweet or spicy. Palate: Caramel and vanilla. Black licorice. More of those apple notes, now accompanied by apricot. Still bready and green. Dill pickle. A bit sour, but nothing that I would consider off putting just a touch in that direction. Maybe even a bit of orange citrus. Cherry, ginger, and honey. There's a good amount going on here. Finish: Short kick of spice. There's more of the rye breadiness and then a quick burst of cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, and clove. Suffers from a lack of ABV, as it's gone as quickly as it hits. Calling it short-medium would be generous. Tough one to score. I think this was designed to be a background sipper. If that's the case, they certainly hit their mark. It's just unique enough to be noteworthy, but isn't exactly an attention-grabber. At 41.5% ABV, I think it's safe to say they were going for a more subtle approach. Subtle it is. And while I very much enjoy this whiskey for what it is, I don't score these types of drams all too high. This is the Michelob Ultra of rye whiskey. And I'm not on a diet. While the nose and palate are surprisingly enjoyable, there is virtually no finish here. The Maryland whiskey scene is the Wild West as far as I'm concerned. Pikesville is now distilled at Heaven Hill, and Sagamore's portfolio is technically Indiana whiskey. I remember trying the Sagamore Port Finish at a tasting; and I remember being impressed. Will have to try again. And while I give this 2.75 stars for now, I must say that I'd be willing to give them another go with the Port Finish. As for this, it's decent whiskey but nothing to go out of your way to try.

Laphroaig 10. I've reviewed so many bottlings from this distillery, and somehow am just getting around to reviewing its staple product. The first peated whisky I had ever owned. Or tasted for that matter. And I absolutely hated it. I actually thought it was expired. Slowly, it grew on me. And the rest... Nose: Classic Laphroaig notes. Seaweed, sea salt, brine, iodine, and band-aid. Peat and campfire smoke. Black pepper and oak. Ash and charcoal, grapefruit and lemon citrus. Smoked meats, rib, and brisket. A bit of custard and vanilla sweetness, maybe even mint chocolate. Some of the classic Laphroaig chestnut note, though it disappears after about 10 minutes. But brine, smoke, peat, meat, oak, medicinal notes, and citrus dominate here. Very complex for 43% ABV. Palate: Campfire smoke, ash, charcoal, and peat take the forefront. Brine, salt, seaweed, iodine, and band-aid remain. Surprisingly, I'm getting strong fruit notes: the lemon is still there, but takes a back seat to apple, pear, peach, and apricot. Still getting the meat notes, as well as the vanilla. Some dark chocolate appears with time in the glass. The custard is gone, and it's a bit thinner than the nose let on. Still getting oak and black pepper, now with cinnamon. Very good. Finish: Medium-long. Heaps of charcoal, ash, smoke, and sea salt. Dark chocolate carries over, even stronger than on the palate. Then it's black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. The spice also presents as a red-pepper e chili here. Impressive finish, especially considering the proof. And there it is. The fact that I now enjoy this stuff, which I once considered undrinkable, is a landmark in my whisky journey. I've enjoyed this for years at this point, but this is the first time I've put those thoughts to pen and paper, if you will. This is one of my defaults at bars. It's very common, which means I've almost always got a top-notch pour available. This is one of the great flagship products in all of the whisky world. Worth the time of experienced peat heads and beginners alike. And it's easily one of the best VFM purchases one could make. Nothing but good things to say about this one. If you haven't tried it yet, and can handle a bit of peat, make buying this one a priority.

This is my second batch of ECBP. The C917 is one of the top few whiskies I've ever had. Hell, even the standard Small Batch is some really good stuff. With the 92 rating on Distiller, I've got some expectations going into this one. And as a side note, I'd like to point out this is the strongest bottle I've ever owned in any category, clocking in at a whopping 67.6% ABV. Nose: Caramel and cocoa jump right out of the glass. Toasted marshmallow and roasted coffee. Butterscotch. Some dry fruit and citrus notes. Pencil shavings and a touch of leather that I can't quite compare to any particular item (somewhere between a new baseball glove and an old book cover). I even get some of the carrot cake I get in Henry McKenna and even a bit of tobacco ash. Loads of cinnamon, allspice, and oak. Some barrel char. A bit of a burn but enticing nonetheless. Great start. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, cocoa, and cola sweetness are accompanied by something that I can only describe as a Hawaiian Punch Gusher. Oddly specific, but I cannot deny that it's there. Carrot cake and candy corn. A bit of cherry and some dried fruit. Hazelnut, almond and maybe some roasted pecan. Barrel char is now out in full force. Just a touch of milk chocolate. It's very oaky, and some of the cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and allspice notes start to creep up at the tail end of the palate. Finish: Black pepper, gloce, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice. Loads of oak. A real spice bomb. Caramel and vanilla, roasted coffee and tobacco smoke. Barrel char and lemon and orange citrus notes. Some more carrot cake. Even though it's a spice bomb, there's a lot more going on in what makes for an extremely long finish. Well done. Superb. 5/5. Not sure if it's better than the C917, but I'll tell you why it's worthy of similar praise. This takes some of the best aspects of the C917, which is ultimately darker and more decadent, and combines them with some of the sweet and tangy notes typically found in Henry McKenna. This Batch tows the line between two of my all-time favorites and presents that combination in a uncut, unfiltered, and unprecedented expression. At $75, this is a steal. I'd gladly pay more. There is much to love here. They've moved pretty far past this one, as I think it's already over a year old. If you can still find it, I highly recommend buying on sight. After two 5-star batches, I'm a batch or two away from crowning ECBP as on the greatest lines in all of whiskey. Cheers!

Oban Little Bay. Translates to Little Bay Little Bay. This is Oban's NAS "budget" offering. I'll call it a budget offering, but the reality is that this leagues better than most single malts relegated to this category. Let's get into it. Nose: Honey, floral, and fruity. Lots of honeydew, pear, green apple, apricot, and orange. Plenty of toffee and malt. Touch of brown sugar. Some walnut and almond, and a touch of plum. Another sweet note that I can't quite place. Akin to jelly. Really no salinity or smoke. A touch of oak and a complete absence of ethanol. Extremely pleasant and approachable, yet also full. Palate: Kicks things up a notch from the nose. The walnut and roasted almond come in strong. Now there's a bit of salt, but it's table salt instead of the expected sea salt. Still very floral. Caramel, vanilla, milk chocolate, brown sugar, and graham cracker. Still plenty of orange, pear, apple, apricot, and honeydew. Clove, nutmeg, and oak provide spice. Very nice, dangerously drinkable. Finish: Vanilla and milk chocolate. Orange and apricot. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and oak add more spice. Still very easy-going, but brings some extra intensity. Moderate-length. I didn't leave any room for suspense. I think this is a really good whisky without considering price. And if you take the latter into account, this is an absurdly good value. I paid $40 for this, and I can confidently say that there are no Scotch whiskies that can even compete with this that I've ever seen for $40 or less. This is one hell of a deal. I compared this to my bottle of 2018 Oban DE. The latter won that comparison. Not by a wide margin, but it is was quickly evident that that is my preferred Oban expression. This definitely has a place in the lineup though. It punches well above its price point. I noticed "Small Cask" printed on the packaging. After doing a little research, it seems that this is Oban's answer to Laphroaig Quarter Cask, another one of my favorites. Whatever they've done here, it's resulted in a damn fine product. One of the truly remarkable examples of bang-for-buck in the whisky world.

Ah, Lagavulin. You never let me down. 16, 8, DE, 12 all knock it out of the park. Gimmicky GOT 9-year old? No gimmicks there. Damn fine stuff. At this point, even though I'm inherently distrustful of the celebrity-branded whiskies, I've actually got quite a bit of faith in this one to deliver. Nose: Heavy campfire smoke and peat, light brine and sea salt. Caramel, vanilla, custard, butterscotch, gala apple. Banana, walnut, and toffee. Cinnamon, black pepper, and oak spice. Some lemon and grapefruit citrus notes. A bit of smoked meat. Nice blue raspberry. Good start. Palate: Heavy campfire and peat now accompanied by some iodine, bandaid, and ash. Smoked meat/brisket is written all over this one. Sea salt, seaweed, and brine are now more prominent. Still getting the caramel, vanilla, and gala apple, as well as the cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. Spicy salsa/black bean, red pepper chili as well. Grapefruit and lemon. Roasted almond. There's also dark and mint chocolate. Plenty of spice and sweetness, smoke and brine, but above all else, the smoked meat notes stand out. Very nice, and notably darker and heavier than the 8 and 9, and even the 12. Finish: Mint chocolate, dark chocolate, custard, and vanilla cream. Hits like a bite of ice cream cake. The blue raspberry from the nose reappears. If the palate is the main course, the finish is dessert. Of course, there's still some of that sea salt, smoke, cinnamon, black pepper, black bean and red pepper chili, and oak. With some brisket. It's Lagavulin after all, and as is customary, those are the last notes detectable before this long finish concludes. Lagavulin, Ron Swanson, you did not let me down. Unique enough to be earn a spot in the Lag lineup. But it embodies the spirit and the quality that one expects of the vaunted Lagavulin name. It tastes much older than the 8 and 9. Even older than the 12-year bottlings I've had. Don't get me wrong; this one couldn't contend with the 12 line by any means. But the oak presence is noticeably more present. I'd put this on par with the younger bottlings of Lag. I prefer the 16, DE, and far and away, the 12. But I don't think I've ever given a rating less than a 4.5 to Lag expression. And it certainly contends with the 8 and 9, both of which I really like. At $65, I feel I got my money's worth. No complaints here; this is a fine offering and a vindicator of the celebrity-branding movement in my eyes. Ultimately, Lagavulin is Lagavulin. Great stuff. 4.75/5.