Tastes

I got this one as a birthday gift a few weeks ago. I've heard a great deal about Dalmore, both positive and negative, so I must say I was quite intrigued by this one. After all, it's one of the most well-known single malt distilleries, and until this one, I'd never had the chance to try it. Right off the bat, this one has one of the most interesting and complex noses I've experienced. Christmas pound cake takes the lead here. I also get apples, plums, and the new car leather I often associate with sherried Scotch. Overall, it's a superb nose. The palate is where this one falls short. I still get the fruit, pound cake, and leather, but here they all just seem muted. Somehow, the wonderful nose doesn't translate to a comparable palate. It's good, but not great. On the finish, there isn't much else to talk about. It really dissipates here. It's indistinguishable from other sherried Scotches I've had in the past. It's fine, but not memorable. Overall, I think this a fine drink for a fan of sherried Scotch. I happen to be, so I enjoy it for what it's worth. Though it was a gift, I understand that at $65 (at my local store) it is a good $10-20 more expensive than the average 12 year single malt. Definitely not great bang for your buck. There are better options in this same wheelhouse if you consider value for money. If you can find it on sale, it's worth a try. It's an enjoyable whisky; it just doesn't deserve the pricing and hype that it currently gets.

One of my go-to bourbons. This a quality bourbon, especially considering the price point. Nose: Gala apple, black cherry, and Vick’s Vapor Rub. Brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla. Orange citrus, apricot, and light pipe smoke. Raisin. Honey and toffee. Almond and walnut. Easy-going and rounded out with nice oak. Palate: Big-time black cherry, gala apple, and Vick’s Vapor Rub. A touch of carrot cake. Fudge. Caramel, toffee, brown sugar, and vanilla. Cocoa with some light tobacco smoke and leather. Plum and raisin. Almond and walnut. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and more oak. Finish: Gala apple, apricot, vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar. Orange peel, tobacco smoke, and black pepper. Clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length. An American classic—though certainly not the treasure that it’s cracked to be as of late. I break entry level, basic bourbons into three standard flavor profiles. Chewy, fruity, and spicy. Virtually every bourbon embodies all three of these attributes, but typically, only one stands in the forefront. Buffalo Trace offers a markedly fruity profile—and it’s one of the best entry level representative of its kind. It’s been a go-to for years and a staple in my bourbon diet. With that being said, it’s not worth buying by the case, so if you’ve been doing that and thus aiding and abetting the cause of the price-gouging retailers, please consider expanding your horizons. 4/5 even. At $25, you’d be hard pressed to do better in the VFM department. Excellent stuff, BT.

Very friendly and approachable whisky. Notes of apple and toffee with just a hint of smoke. It's a bit mild, so there isn't a ton to report on with this one. Classic speyside through and through. It's a solid background whisky. Worth a try.

This was the single barrel, which I did not see listed on the site. Anyway, this is an interesting one. It has a unique flavor profile compared to other ryes I've tried in the past. Honey and maple on the nose. Brown sugar and iced tea on the palate. Not a particularly memorable finish. Overall, it's decent. 3 stars, and that may be considered a bit generous. It's not objectively bad, just not for me. Still better than their bourbon, which I found to be highly disappointing. At this point, I think I'll stay away from Hudson in the future.

I'll start by saying that this is an automatic buy. It has an age statement, it's BiB, and is significantly better than many bourbons double its price. Vanilla and cola on the nose. Heavy tobacco. Strong oak and caramel notes on the palate. Spicy on the finish, which lingers quite a while. Top notch stuff from Heaven Hill. One of the best I've had, and certainly one of the greatest value-for-money purchases you can make in all of whiskey. Amazing stuff.

Another great offering from Lagavulin. Peat smoke and sea salt on the nose. On the palate, it's citrus and vanilla. Less depth and complexity than the 16, but enjoyable in its own right. On the finish, the chocolate notes present in the 16 are detectable. It's got a good punch; a little bit of a burn. Overall, this is solid stuff. The youth is masked to a degree by the ABV. If you like the 16, this one is worth a try. It's unique enough to warrant a purchase; and, though I prefer the 16, I must say that this 8 year is worthy of the Lagavulin name. 4-4.5 stars.

Best I've had from New York thus far. While it is noticeably young, it is very balanced. Rich and sweet on the palate. This a good effort from a young distillery, I look forward to seeing what a few years does for their product.

Solid limited edition release at a very reasonable price. Light peat on the nose. From here on out, this one could have easily been named Cane & Fire. On the palate, I get the classic Glenfiddich flavor profile. Apples and toffee. The presence of the rum casks are very prominent at this point. On the finish, there is a resurgence of peat flavor. It's an abrupt but welcome shift from the cool, sweet cane to a fiery finish. Definitely worth a buy, especially at the price point. Glenfiddich delivers on this one

Delicious bourbon. Easy drinking for a 100 proofer. It packs a punch but not so much that it stifles the flavor. There's a strong presence of oak on the palate. Apple and caramel take over the on the finish. Top-shelf bourbon for a mid-shelf price. If you see it, buy.

Very standard stuff. Nothing offensive, but nothing to write home about. I suspect it's the same mashbill as Basil Hayden's. There is definitely a heavy rye influence in this one. Great to throw in a flask, and at $22 per bottle, there is much reason to pick one up. Not great, not memorable, but it's a solid value. 2.5 stars.