Tastes
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This is an interesting one. Not one I had ever heard of before it was gifted to me. So I’m not really coming in with any expectations. Let’s see what The Dancing Goat Distillery is all about. Batch No. D14. 45%. Nose: Lemon and orange candies. Honey, butterscotch, and vanilla. Toasted almond. Toasted marshmallow. Pistachio. Macadamia. The slightest hint of sun-dried tomato. Rye spice and black licorice. Clove and nutmeg. Huge oak spice note. Palate: Gala apple, pear, apricot, and floral notes. Milk chocolate and butterscotch. Vanilla frosting and sugar cookie. Arcor strawberry candy. Lemon and orange citrus. Rye spice and black licorice. Oak spice, cocoa, and peppercorn. Finish: Gala apple, pear apricot, and grapefruit. Vanilla, toffee, and sugar cookie. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg and oak. Medium finish. Pretty good stuff. The first whiskey I’ve had that mentioned Limousine casks as part of the marketing, but I’ve had plenty of French oak. It’s possible that I’ve had one aged in this type of cask before, but either way, the wood influence is apparent, and was the best part. It’s a very unique whiskey. Some notes I haven’t gotten anywhere. It’s by no means an elite rye, but it’s a solid entry level expression. I didn’t pay for this, but I’ve seen it at one of my local stores for $45. Seems a fair price for it. 3.5/5.45.0 USD per Bottle
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Highland Park Cask Strength Release No. 1
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed February 11, 2024 (edited February 12, 2024)The Highland Park Cask Strength is a much-welcome addition to their core lineup. Sitting at a formidable 63.3% ABV, this is a heck of a way to kick off what is hopefully a long-lasting series. Nose: Vanilla custard, butterscotch, and caramel. Apple, pear, apricot, golden raisin, and toffee. Background plum. A floral note. Milk chocolate. Dried apricot and cranberry. The faintest note of brine and sea salt. Cinnamon, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Powerful spice. Palate: Caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, vanilla, graham cracker, and butterscotch. Plum, raisin, cranberry, date, fig, and prune. Cola. Sherry casking is evident. Some honeydew. Soapy brine and sea salt. Chestnut and toasted almond. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, white pepper, and oak. Finish: Plum, cola, raisin, and red grape. Dried apricot and cranberry. Caramel, toffee, butterscotch, and vanilla. More of that cinnamon, white pepper, and oak. Long finish. Good first effort. My first impression was that this one was a bit disjointed and had the brashness that I enjoy without the complexity. Turns out it just needed some time to breathe. 4/5. $120 is steep for an NAS whisky, but the cask strength status makes up for that. This is a nice wrinkle in the HP portfolio. I’m looking forward to trying future releases. Solid first effort.120.0 USD per Bottle -
Blood Oath Bourbon Pact No. 8
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed February 9, 2024 (edited February 12, 2024)This makes for my 4th Blood Oath Pact. I felt that the previous release, the Sauternes Cask, was the strongest, and that each one I had (5-7) was notable improvement over the one before it. Calvados cask is an interesting choice—the first I’ve had of that kind. I’m hoping it allows this one to continue the trend. Nose: A strong apple note. Caramel (caramelized apple.) Incredibly potent toasted almond note. Vanilla, toffee, and raisin. Green Apple Jolly Rancher. White grape and white chocolate. Brown sugar. Strawberry jam. Cinnamon Applejack cereal. Torrone (Italian nougat.) Peppercorn. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: Another huge caramelized apple note. Raisin, vanilla, and toffee. Almond. Brown sugar. Raisin and strawberry jam. White grape. Vanilla frosting. Cinnamon Applejack cereal. Green Apple Jolly Rancher Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. Finish: Apple, caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Raisin and grape. Brown sugar. Toasted almond. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Long finish. My notes may betray the experience I actually had. The apple and nut notes were by far the strongest components throughout. The candy sweet notes were plentiful but were mostly secondary and tertiary notes. Regardless, this was an incredibly unique whiskey. Calvados casks made for a fun experiment. 4/5. This ranks 3/4 among the Blood Oath Pacts I’ve tried. This couldn’t touch the Sauternes Cask. And the it’s definitely better than the Rum Cask. It’s about even with the Cognac Cask—I’ll give a slight preference to the latter. Factor in cost—this is $50 more expensive—and it’s a no-brainer. This still hits the mark though. A solid effort from Lux Row and a worthy addition to the Blood Oath line.150.0 USD per Bottle -
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2020 Port & Wine Casks
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed February 3, 2024 (edited February 12, 2024)Laphroaig Cairdeas needs no introduction at this point. This is my fifth year of a Cairdeas, 2016-2020, and I’ve loved all of them before this. I expect nothing less of the Port & Wine Cask release. Nose: Classic Laphroaig. Brine, seaweed, sea salt, idodine, tennis ball, campfire smoke, and peat. Bandaid. Dark chocolate. Ballpark pretzel. Hazelnut. Lemon and a huge grapefruit citrus note. A salsa note. Blackberry and raspberry. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Palate: Brine, seaweed, sea salt, campfire smoke, and iodine. Bandaid and tennis ball. Salted caramel and dark chocolate. Some mint chocolate as well. Juicy plum. Lemon and grapefruit. Some candy: black licorice and Twizzler. Toasted marshmallow, vanilla, and graham cracker. Add the chocolate from before and you’ve got s’mores. Tobacco smoke and ash. Black bean, red pepper chili. Smoked brisket and other meats. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Finish: Long. Dark chocolate. Sea salt, seaweed, and brine. Campfire smoke, tire rubber, tobacco smoke, bandaid. More smoked meat. Black bean, red pepper chili. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Amazing. Easily one of the best Cairdeas releases—maybe the best. I’ll have to sit with this one a while longer to make that sort of statement. Either way, this is fantastic. The port definitely makes itself known despite the massive power of the Laphroaig peat. I’m not sure what the other wine casks are, but the combination of sweet and peat is impeccable. This one makes the 5-star club. An absolute gem. It’s a beast of a whisky at 52%, yet boasts a great deal of nuance and complexity. Every element that makes this whisky what it is elevates it—the casks and the peat make for an incredibly synergistic combination. It’s impressive and powerful. My only complaint is that this is a one-off. Well done, Laphroaig.90.0 USD per Bottle -
WhistlePig Old World Cask Finish Rye 12 Year
Rye — Indiana (bottled in Vermont), USA
Reviewed February 2, 2024 (edited February 12, 2024)118.0 USD per Bottle -
Not much to say about this one. You’ve had it. I’ve had. I just haven’t reviewed it yet. So without further ado, here’s the one and only Johnnie Black. Nose: Apple, pear, plum, and raisin. Honey, vanilla, toffee. Caramel, almond, walnut. A touch brine and peat smoke. Orange citrus. Mild black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and black pepper. And oak. Palate: Brine, seaweed, sea salt, and peat smoke. More pronounced than on the nose. Milk chocolate, caramel, and fudge. Vanilla, honey, and toffee. Apple, pear, raisin, apricot, orange citrus. Tobacco smoke. Black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Oak. Finish: Peat smoke. Burnt tire rubber. Ethanol. Pipe tobacco. Sea salt and brine. Toasted almond and caramel. Milk chocolate and vanilla. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Medium-short length. It certainly gets the job done. It’s served me well at weddings and parties where the selection is limited. I have a bit of a soft spot for this one for that reason. But it’s also decent on its own merit. 3.5/5. This is a 3.25 whisky, but I threw in a quarter star for VFM. There aren’t a lot drinkable whiskies at $30 or under in today’s market. At $30, this hits its mark. Classic.30.0 USD per Bottle
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Amrut Fusion Indian Single Malt Whisky
Single Malt — Bangalore, India
Reviewed January 20, 2024 (edited January 22, 2024)I picked this one to be my first Indian whiskey. My first venture into the category is long overdue. This one is interesting because it uses 75% Indian malted barley, with peated Scottish barley making up the remaining 25%. Apparently this doesn’t qualify it from being a true Indian single malt on a technicality, meaning I call this my first foray into the genre. This is from Batch No. 85, dated January 2020. Nose: Banana. Big time. Not completely ripe. Vanilla, toffee, and malt. Some sea salt, peat, seaweed, and brine. Hookah smoke. Ballpark soft pretzel. Some lemon citrus. Earthy peat exists but more in the background. Root beer or cream soda. Fudge and cocoa. Something like that. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. It’s interesting, a touch young, but the pros outweigh that con. Palate: Caramel and vanilla. Peat, brine, sea salt, seaweed. Some earthy peat Ballpark soft pretzel and hookah smoke, again. Dark chocolate. Malt and honey. S’mores. Toasted almond. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Finish: Caramel and vanilla. Malt and toffee. Toasted almond and cashew. Seaweed, brine, peat smoke, sea salt. Red hot tamales. Cinnamon and black pepper. Medium-long finish. Very unique whisky. Also a very good whisky. A little young on the nose, not in a bad way though. The palate gives the impression of more maturity, even though I doubt it’s spending much time aging in the Indian climate (feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.) 4/5. Extremely interesting product. Decent value at $63 considering it stacks up to a comparably-priced Scotch. Thumbs up for the fusion. I will definitely be exploring more of what Amrut has to offer.63.0 USD per Bottle -
Virginia Distillery Co. Port Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky
Blended Malt — Multiple Countries
Reviewed January 11, 2024 (edited January 20, 2024)When most people think of Virginia and whiskey, they probably think of the Bowman family. But there are also some interesting things coming out of Virginia Distillery Co. This one happens to a port-cask aged American single malt with some Scotch blended in. Interesting concept. This happens to be from Batch No. 14. Nose: Malt, toffee, vanilla, and cereal grain. Cocoa. Sugar cookie. Apricot. Some fig, date, raisin notes from the port cask. Cranberry. Pear. Almond and cashew. Pecan. Dried Gouda cheese. Cola. Pomegranate. Oak. Palate: Apple, pear, orange citrus. Vanilla, toffee, malt. There’s a peppermint Icebreaker or maybe a Mentos note. Sugar cookie. Caramel. Pecan. Coffee. Honeydew. Blackberry, plum, raisin, date, and fig. Cranberry to boot. Finish: Cranberry, fig, date, and raisin. Pear, apricot, orange citrus. Sugar cookie, vanilla, toffee, malt. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Black pepper and oak spice. Medium-length. Fantastic. A true diamond in the rough if I’ve ever had one. It’s unique, as expected of an American-Scottish single malt hybrid. But more importantly, it’s a clean, crisp, and powerful combination of the distinct attributes of both nations’ best work. At $47, this boasts some of the best VFM you’re going to find in the whiskey category. If you’re feeling the squeeze from the tariffs and price hikes on your Scotch, this is by far the “Scotchiest” American single malt, and it’s much cheaper for us than anything comparable from across the pond. 4.5/5. A unique whiskey in so many ways. An American/Scotch malt hybrid aged in port barrels. It works, no question about it. Looks like I’ve got to track down the chard and cider casks next, and then move on to their fully in-house stuff. Excellent.47.0 USD per Bottle -
Glenmorangie Spìos
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed January 5, 2024 (edited January 20, 2024)Release number 9/10 of the now complete Glenmoramgie Private Collection. It’s the only one I managed to nab, though I think I can still get my hands on the Allta. Either way, this one is a cool get. Aged exclusively ex-rye barrels, I think that’s a personal first as for as Scotches go. Let’s check it out. Nose: Honey, toffee, vanilla, and butterscotch. Almond. Apple, pear, and apricot. Orange citrus. Black licorice. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, a touch of rye spice, and oak. Palate: Apple, pear, and apricot. Banana. White grape and red grape. Golden raisin and fig. Orange citrus. Vanilla frosting, caramel, milk chocolate, and toffee. Brown sugar. Almond and macadamia. Floral notes. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Vanilla, caramel. Gala apple, pear, and apricot. Orange citrus. Vanilla, sugar cookie, milk chocolate, and toffee. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length finish, bordering on long. This was a great find. I was late to the party on getting this one when I found it a couple years back, and it was absolutely worth the purchase at $90. It’s a balanced profile yet earns its name as the spicy release in the edition. Ex-rye cask Scotch was a great idea. I forget what the Allta’s schtick was, but this was good enough to warrant a purchase on sight and find out later. 4.5/5.90.0 USD per Bottle -
Knappogue Castle 12 Year Bourbon Cask Matured
Single Malt — Ireland
Reviewed December 31, 2023 (edited February 27, 2024)Knappogue Castle is one of my favorite lines in all of whiskey. So when I noticed that I had a one-sentence from 5 years ago for their flagship offering, I realized that simply couldn’t stand. So here’s another look at what I consider underrated Irish classic. Nose: Classic Knappogue Castle. There’s some honey crisp and some green apple. Green Jolly Rancher even. Caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and toffee. Macadamia, coconut, walnut, and cashew. Plenty of oak, black pepper, and some more spice. Nice start. Palate: More of both type of apple, and the Green Jolly Rancher. Vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Raisin. Milk chocolate. Grapes: green and red. Chinese pear and apricot. Macadamia, walnut, almond. Bran and cereal grain. Sugar cookie. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Sugar cookie, vanilla, toffee, and milk chocolate. More apple. Fig and raisin. Almond, walnut, macadamia, Cinnamon, black spice, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length finish. Still excellent. Well-balanced, strong palate. It’s a traditional Irish profile, but with the nut and oak notes dialed up a bit more. At $43, this is an absolute steal. Probably the best bang for buck of any flagship Irish whiskey. It’s got enough grit for a single malt Scotch drinker as well. 4.25/5.43.0 USD per Bottle
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