Tastes
-
Bowmore is one of the more overlooked Islay distilleries. I've seen some very mixed reviews for its core lineup around here. I happen to be a fan of the 12 year, so seeing the 18-year drop from $115 to $90 at my local liquor store, this purchase was a no-brainer. Nose: Sherry cask-aging is evident. I get dried red fruit, cranberry (craisins perhaps), and the sort of baking spices you'd smell around Christmas. Orange peel and honeydew. Big on the honey, and relatively light on the smoke and peat. Some sea salt and brine, but again, it's less pronounced than in your average Islay. Oaky bitterness which is likely a symptom of age. Palate: Sweet honey, vanilla, butterscotch, and toffee. Very jammy and there's a bit of caramel. Savory dark chocolate. A bit of smoke then reveals itself, followed by a more substantial wave of briny notes; sea salt and seaweed. Getting some orange and plum for the sherry influence coupled with some more unique notes like honeydew and cantaloupe. Amazing and easily the stand-out portion of the overall experience. Finish: More of that dark chocolate and some salted caramel and toffee, culminating in some cinnamon and black pepper notes. The oak one would expect from an 18-year old malt is most prevalent here. Short-to-medium in length. Solid combination of Islay-peated malt aged in the standard bourbon-sherry cask combination. The words rich and balanced come to mind. And talk about a kick-ass value. This was certainly worth its salt at $90. For now I'll drop it at 4.5. This is one of the few 18-year old single malts I've ever seen for under $100. It performs on par with bottles over double its price, so if you're a peat-head looking for a change of pace, grab this one. Damn fine effort from Bowmore right here.90.0 USD per Bottle
-
Bunnahabhain 12 Year
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed November 12, 2019 (edited August 22, 2020)For my first review in some time, I figured I'd try something a little different. This is my first (nearly) unpeated Islay. I've had some great experiences with peated Highland/Speyside Scotches, now it's time to flip the script. Nose: Sherry notes jump out of the glass. I get both white and red grape, raisin, date, cranberry, and fig. I'm also getting orange and caramel. Big toffee note and a bit of baking spice. Honey, graham cracke, sandlewood. A healthy dose of oak at the end. The profile falls in line with a sherry/bourbon cask aged highland malt. Palate: Orange peel and those red sherry notes of cranberry, fig, date, and raisin. More grape and now there's some pear. Vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Much spicier than the nose suggested; black pepper and clove. Oak note coming presented as bitter chocolate. Similar notes to the nose, although the spice is now equal to the sweetness and bitterness. If you told me there was no peat at all, I'd believe you. Finish: Best part of the whisky. A slice of rich chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. The red fruit/orange/grape notes remain present before it transitions to black pepper and cinnamon to the conclusion of a moderate length finish. Great stuff here. I know full well that there is a bit of peat here, but I will admit that I don't even pick up a trace. Perhaps my palate isn't up for the task, but I'm detecting nothing remotely characteristic of the Islay region. And yet, that's not a bad thing. Bunna 12 does quite well for what it is. Respectable age statement, quality barrels, appropriately proofed. And on sale for $50 (down from $55) it's a damn good value. Approachable enough for the novice, complex enough to satisfy a seasoned drinker. What's not to like here? It's a rich, well-balanced malt that demonstrates that the Islay region is capable of producing much more than the peat bombs I've come to expect. Highly recommended. Well done, Bunna.50.0 USD per Bottle -
I had a pretty good idea of what this was going to be before I bought it. I was inspired to make this purchase after watching Don Draper drink this stuff on Madmen. I figured that if he can habitually sip this for over a decade, I can get through a single bottle. Nose: The big note is something like a Vanilla Coke or a Rootbeer float. Other than that it's dusty corn and a bit of rye spice and herb. Extremely grainy and young. Maybe a bit of orange peel. It's ever so slightly floral. Not too bad actually. Palate: Sweetness coming in the form of corn notes, but not like a bourbon. It's really a one-note pony. It's all vanilla. Outside of that, there's a medicinal quality. Not like an Islay Scotch though. It's simply reminiscent of the aftertaste of some non-flavored syrupy medicine. Rough. Finish: All rye spice. More vanilla, some herb, and a dash of pepper. Very boozy. Thankfully, it's over pretty quickly. Whisky must have come a long way since the 50s. I'd expect better of a multi-millionaire like Don Draper because this is a downright uncomfortable experience. Even the Crown Royal Bourbon Mash was more tolerable and considerably more interesting. I know I'm being harsh on something that is clearly intended to be used as a mixer. But hey. I've had much better experiences from the bottom shelf. This tasting was akin to ripping off a bandaid. I was dreading it after my first few tastes but am glad it's out of the way. It makes Johnnie Walker Red taste like a high-end blend. It was only $13, so I'm done complaining. Instead, I think I'll go brush my teeth with hydrogen peroxide and try to forget that any of this happened.13.0 USD per Bottle
-
Don Julio Reposado Double Cask Lagavulin Finish
Tequila Reposado — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed September 16, 2019 (edited November 24, 2019)Considering how much I enjoyed the blanco, the use of Lagavulin casks (coming from one of my top 5 favorite distilleries) is quite the prospect. I think that this type of experimentation is great; needless to say, I'm very much looking forward to this. Nose: Very similar to what I got from the blanco. A ton of citrus. Grapefruit, lemon, and lime. So much agave, as one would expect. In the background, there is a hint of sea salt and seaweed. I wouldn't say that the Lagavulin influence is pronounced, but rather suggested here. Palate: Here, the Lag influence is a bit more prominent. It's still all about the agave, and that the grapefruit, lemon, lime citrus combination. Nice fresh cucumber, now paired with the seaweed and sea salt. There is a prominent vanilla note, one that I generally associate with whiskies. This was notably absent in the blanco, meaning that the cask influence is palpable in more ways than one. Mid palate introduces black pepper and a second wave of salt. Finish: The citrus notes are there, but toned down in favor of seaweed/salt and more of the pepper. A bit of caramel and vanilla bear credence to the use of whisky barrel-aging. Medium in length. This is a hell of a drink. It's great to this type of experimentation succeed. Don Julio has me off to a great start into my tequila journey. While the Lagavulin influence is less prominent than I had expected, it makes a beautiful contribution to a quality agave-spirit. My experience is very limited, but I'd say this is the whiskey drinker's gateway to tequila. I can't see it being accomplished any better. Well done, DJ.63.0 USD per Bottle -
Glenfiddich 14 Year Bourbon Barrel Reserve
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed September 14, 2019 (edited November 22, 2019)This 14 year-old Glenfiddich was the first whisky I ever purchased that I'd consider "beyond entry level." At the time it seemed like a big step up from anything I'd tried previously. I'm excited to see how this ranks now that I've got a proper basis for comparison. Nose: Classic speyside with a couple bourbon notes. Vanilla, toffee, caramel, orange, honey, orchard fruits (apple, pear) and apricot. Some cereal grains and oak spice to round it out. Very malty, light spice. Over time, a banana note emerges, as well as the cola note I usually only get in bourbons. Palate: Vanilla, caramel, apricot, apple pear, honey, milk chocolate, and orange. More of the big malt notes, but it seems more mature and refined here; none of that cereal grain. The oak is also more pronounced here. A bit of cinnamon and baking spice. Bourbon influence is apparent. Finish: More of the same, fruity, floral notes. It's more of that apple, pear, apricot, orange until the oak and baking spices/cinnamon take over. Short-to-medium length finish. After an additional taste, I get a superb toasted oak note that really brings this up a notch for me. Solid effort. Nothing too crazy. This is a nice cross between a Speyside fruit bowl and a touch of bourbon of influence. I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It hits all the right notes and it's balanced throughout. Factoring great VFM, I think 4 stars is fair. If my memory serves me correct, this may be my favorite Glenfiddich I've had to date, regardless of price point. Well-balanced. Glad this one holds up for me. If you're a fan of the classic Speyside profile, you're in for a treat with this one. Well done, Glenfiddich.61.0 USD per Bottle -
Don Julio Blanco Tequila
Tequila Blanco — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed September 7, 2019 (edited May 16, 2020)True to my name, I've exclusively reviewed whiskies up until this point. Now is time for my first foray into another spirit. For that I've chosen this Don Julio Blanco. Don't expect much, I've very green in my tequila career. Nose: Citrus bomb. Lemon, lime, grapefruit, and maybe even a tad bit of pineapple. A pinch of salt and a dash of black pepper. Beyond that, I really just get that classic agave and floral tequila nose. Quite good. Palate: More of that citrus. Lemon, lime, grapefruit. In addition to the fruit, I'm getting some green vegetable notes. Here it's green pepper and cucumber. More of that salt and black pepper, as well as that floral/agave note. And maybe, just maybe, a briny note. I don't know it that's just the salt or my lack of experience in this genre speaking. Either way. This is a damn good sip. Finish: Moderate-to-short in length. More citrus and a nice sweet vanilla note. On the way out it's salt and pepper, and more of that brine that I may be mistaking for something else. And there you have it. It's quite good. I'm no expert in this field as I've pointed, but this is definitely something I will keep stocked in my home bar. It's a great change of pace, and is well worth the $46 I paid for it. Really delicious stuff. Would love to try this at a slightly higher proof, but it's a small qualm. And perhaps tequilas are usually bottled at 40% ABV? I couldn't say. Next up is the DJ Lagavulin cask. This seems like a fun genre for a whisky drinker. I've tried a couple good mezcals which appeal to inner Islay fanboy. But for now, this is a great way to kick off my exploration into tequila. Highly recommended.46.0 USD per Bottle -
I reviewed this one about a year ago. Gave it a 4, but was pretty non-descript in my otherwise. Saw it on sale a month back and decided to bring this one back into the home bar. It was my first Japanese whisky back then, let's see a year of experience and an updated rating system change my original score. Nose: Young and grainy. Lots of cereal. Big malt and toffee notes. Orange peel, green apple, vanilla, and honey. A pinch of black pepper and basil. Some almond and even shortbread cookie. Surprisingly a bit astringent. Palate: More orange and now some grapefruit and lemon. Much more bitter than I remember. Big cereal grains. More vanilla and honey sweetness, with an artificial green apple Jolly Rancher note. A bit of milk chocolate and more malt. Both bitter and sweet, as well as young and grainy. Finish: Orange and grapefruit still come through. There's more milk chocolate, vanilla, and honey, and then a burst of cinnamon, pepper, and oak. I get a soapy note somewhere along the way, and roasted nuts on the tail end. Moderate in length. Best part of the dram. Not quite how I remembered it. It's fine, and it offers solid VFM. When I wrote my last review, I wrote something to the effect of, "This was interesting enough to get me to explore the genre of Japanese of whisky." And it succeeded in doing so. After trying the Hibiki Harmony, I can't deny that that is head and shoulders above this one. To peg it at double the price of this Toki is fair in my opinion. This one hits it's mark at its price point and is worth a shot. Definitely a worthy gateway to Japanese whisky, as it was for me. Great choice if you're looking to get into Japanese whisky or if you just want to try something new and are on a budget. After a subsequent tasting, I was definitely a bit harsh on this one. Must have been an off night. Bumping the 3 to a 3.5.37.0 USD per Bottle
-
I'm a huge fan of the Jim Beam Small Batch collection. Needless to say, I was excited to see new blood in the lineup. Not to mention, the folks from Suntory apparently had some influence in this one. Should be a good one. Nose: Unlike any bourbon I've had before. If it weren't for the heavy dusty corn note, I'd say it was reminiscent of a single malt scotch. Raisins, fig, date, cranberry; the wine/sherry cask finish is evident. There is also caramel, gala apple, maple, toffee, crumb cake, peanut brittle, roasted nuts, toasted almond, and oak. Cinnamon and black pepper. Even mango, which is a first for me. Awesome. Palate: Sweet and jammy. Specifically strawberry jam. I also get raspberry, cherry, and plum, along with more of the raisin, fig, and date. Concord grape. Some honey, vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar to remind me that this is in fact a bourbon. Some leather, baking spice, and more of those nutty and oaky notes. Very nice. Finish: Moderate-to-short in length. Red fruit from the wine/sherry influence. Raspberry, cherry, apple. Cinnamon and black pepper. A nice touch caramel, baking spice, and oak. You can hardly tell that this clocks in at 47% ABV. Not as exciting as the palate or the nose, but it does nothing to detract from a great experience. Another winner for the Beam SB series, and a superb first output from the Beam-Suntory as collaboration. It hits all the marks. It's completely unique, soundly executed, and a great value for your dollar. I paid $40 for this and I feel like I made off like a bandit. Hopefully this is the beginning of a great new partnership between two formidable distillers. Business and politics aside, I think this proves that a cross-pollination of whiskey culture and craftsmanship can yield amazing results. Often times, when ownership of a distillery changes hands, the quality tanks. However, the quality of the existing Beam lineup has remained in tact; and now, we have this gem. Buy with confidence. Impressive stuff.40.0 USD per Bottle
-
Russell's Reserve 10 Year Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 22, 2019 (edited October 28, 2019)Russell's 10 was one of the first whiskies I ever bought that can considered above entry level. At the time, I knew nothing of the nuances and complexity of a whiskey, so this bottle has been a new experience for all and intents and purposes. The label has changed, but I won't be able to draw on my past experiences to determine if the bourbon itself has changed. Nose: Very sweet and oak-driven. Red apple, cotton candy, caramel, vanilla, almond, brown sugar, and new car leather jump immediately out of the glass. Behind that I get toffee, cinnamon, clove, baking spice, cherry, and dry red fruit fruit. Loving it already. Palate: More of those caramel, vanilla, almond, brown sugar, red apple, toffee, and cotton candy notes. It's initially sweet, but ramps up into a spice-bomb on the mid-palate. Cinnamon red hots, black pepper, baking spice, clove, and ginger. And of course, oak. The nose is sweet and leathery with spice in the background, whereas the palate is initially sweet and becomes spice-forward midway through. I read wintergreen somewhere. I can get behind that. There is definitely some mint in here. Very good. Finish: Moderate to long. Surprisingly long for a 45% bourbon. Some cherry and red apple sweetness that quickly fades into a combination of ginger, cinnamon, and oak spice. I really enjoy the ginger notes I've been finding in WT products.As it bows out, I pick up more of that wintergreen and some black tea leaves. I'm continually impressed with Wild Turkey. They have my favorite sub-$25 whiskey (WT 101). They have one of the best bang-for-buck Barrel Proof whiskies out there (Rare Breed). And now this. This stuff kicks ass. In terms of value, I put this one right up with Eagle Rare. Both 10 year, $40 bottles that outclass most things many bottles that are double or even triple the price. For $40, I think this is a must buy. I will definitely keep this one in the rotation. Major points for VFM. Wild Turkey is a dark horse distillery, often written off because of the lackluster reputation of its flagship WT 81. WT wins with a combination of quality and value. And the RR10 is a great representation of these two qualities at work. Well done, WT.40.0 USD per Bottle -
Knappogue Castle 16 Year Sherry Cask Finished
Single Malt — Ireland
Reviewed August 21, 2019 (edited March 17, 2021)With all the great bourbon and scotch out there, Irish whiskey is generally relegated to the background of the whiskey landscape. Even Japanese whiskey has surpassed Irish in terms of popularity, at least in recent years. Yet, there are some Irish distilleries that can play ball with any the biggest and best in any category. Most know of Redbreast and the Spots. Knappogue Castle is every bit as good those two. Though it isn't all that well known, these guys continue to set the standard for single malt Irish whiskey. Their special barrel 12 is one of the bottles that really got me interested in whiskey, so I'm excited to have worked my way through their lineup and now to finally have this 16 year old. Quick note: This and the standard 12 year have been bumped up from 40 to 43 ABV. This is one of those bottles. Nose: Heavy sherry influence and nuttiness. It's walnut, plum, cranberry, strawberry jam, poundcake, date, fig, and raisin. I also pick up cereal, malt, apricot, orange peel. Some shortbread cookie, but less than I get on most Irish whiskies. There are some baking spices and black pepper, along with the heavy oak I've grown to expect with KC. Solid nose. Palate: Once again, there is a serious sherry influence. That strawberry jam note comes through most prominently, along with the poundcake, fig, and date. Now, there is now ripe plum and milk chocolate. The walnut note remains quite prominent. I also get vanilla, apricot, cantaloupe, honeydew, green apple, malt, cereal, honey, and shortbread cookie. Fruity and floral, and while the sherry makes itself known, it is not overpowering. Toward the end of the palate, it's big oak and cinnamon spice. Awesome. Finish: Traditional sherry-cask finish. It's a cross between a slice of vanilla and chocolate cake, sweet red fruit, and orange citrus. As it fades out, the oak and cinnamon resurface one last time. Moderate length, and a great closing act for a superb whiskey. I'm continually impressed with KC. This may not have the VFM of the 12, 12 SB, or 14, but it is remarkable in its own right. I pulled the trigger on this one when it went on sale for $80, down from $95. At the former price point, this is a no-brainer. At the latter, I'd be on the face, but it's by no means a bad deal. My only criticism is that it doesn't nose like a 16 year old. It's complex, but surprisingly green for what is. This minor flaw is quickly rectified with the palate; this is easily in the top 5 best Irish whiskies I've tasted. Now that I've cleared the original core lineup (as well as the Special Barrel 12), I'll be looking for either the 21 or the new wine cask releases. Either way, I implore any fan of Irish whiskey to give these guys a shot. Once again, a job well done to Knappogue Castle. Subsequent tasting adds a couple new notes (plum, etc.) Felt the need to bump this up to a 5/5 after putting it head to head with some other elite Irish whiskies. This one definitely leads the pack for me. Simply amazing.80.0 USD per Bottle
Results 271-280 of 359 Reviews