Tastes

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.

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.

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.

This was truly a random grab for me. Usually I put a lot of thought into buying bottles. I bought this a long time ago, but there was no rhyme or reason to the purchase. I just bought it. Consequently, I have no expectations for it, though it was the oldest bourbon I had ever purchased (at the time.) With that in mind, let’s give Stitzel-Weller a go. Nose: Heavy, heavy, heavy oak. The age statement is unquestionable here. Pipe smoke. Clove, nutmeg, and loads of black pepper. Cocoa. Gala apple, caramel, vanilla. Fudge. Almond. Dried apricot and orange citrus. Banana walnut muffin. I mentioned both individually, but I have to throw in caramelized apple. Mint chocolate. Awesome nose. Palate: Gala apple and caramel. Vanilla. Sawdust. Dried apricot and almond. Peanut brittle. Cocoa. Black tea and a light tobacco smoke note. Orange citrus. Raisin. Strong leather note. Toffee, cotton candy, and graham cracker. Fudge. Oak. Black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Bitter, but not in a bad way. Finish: Cocoa, black tea, and heavy tobacco smoke. Vanilla, milk chocolate, fudge, and caramel. Orange citrus and sawdust. Cotton candy. Red Hot Tamale. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and, if you hadn’t already guessed, a ton of oak. Moderate-to-long finish, which is surprising considering the 43% ABV. It serves as a testament to the aging process. I’m sure many people out there have bought this for the sole purpose of using as a decanter (the IW Harper labels are literally stickers that are meant to be peeled off.) Maybe I’ll even do the same. But man is the juice inside the bottle worth the squeeze. This was an absolute steal at $90. Even more so when you consider that this a 15 y.o. That alone caused me to bump this a half star. The nose was fantastic—I have to say that again. And it holds up remarkably well considering the low proof. Awesome stuff. 4.75/5.

This was a good find. Glen Grant 10 was discontinued a few years back, along with the 16. They were replaced with a new lineup, from which I have reviewed the 15 year and found it to be significantly better than the 16. So far, my information is limited, but I’m going to have the old lineup another chance with this here. Nose: Vanilla, honey, and orange citrus. Toffee and almond biscotti. Gala apple, pear, and a little apricot. Some golden raisin. A bit of mint in the background. White pepper, clove, nutmeg, and faint oakiness. Notice I used a slight of words that suggest that this is subtle. That’s because it is. But what I can grasp is solid. Palate: Gala apple, pear, grape(white and red,) apricot, and raisin pop at the forefront. Orange and lemon citrus. Vanilla, toffee, and honey. A little bit of what I’d call soapiness (not in any way a negative, just a note I find here and there.) Vanilla frosting. Light cashew and almond. Not a hint of spice, outside of some faint oak. Not quite as inspiring as the nose, but still pleasant. Finish: Vanilla and toffee. Honey and sugar cookie. Caramel. Apple, pear, grape, apricot, and raisin. Melon and some tangy plum. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Short-medium length. Good whisky. I tasted this while watching the second to last episode of The Wire. No spoilers because I may not finish the show by the time you’re reading this. Anyhow, the events of this episode were definitely the most interesting part of writing this review. Like I said, the whisky is good enough. Really enjoyable. But I’d wager a guess that I wouldn’t have plowed through a whole episode whilst writing a review of the 15 year GG. In summation, the old Glen Grant lineup was fine. But after having the 15, I’m okay with letting this 10 and the 16 go in favor of the 12 and 18. As for this one, I liked it. Glad I bought it, and happy to be partaking in the enjoyment of something that is technically dated, much like the show I am about to finish. 3/5.

Based on my experience with Bunnahabhain 12, this distillery may be one of Islay’s underrated gems. Their flagship 12 year is unpeated, while this Toiteach serves as a peated alternative. I’m hoping this delivers and that Bunna isn’t just a flash in the pan. Nose: Moderate peat smoke, brine, seaweed, and sea salt. Red pepper, black bean chili. Ash, bandaid, and a touch of iodine. Some soft notes of honey and toffee behind the more intense ones that jump out of the glass. Caramel and a big-time butterscotch note. Heavy notes on dark chocolate and vanilla as it starts to open up. Palate: More of the coastal and peat notes. Brine and sea salt. There are now some additional earthy peat notes, more ash and some rubber. Some smoked meat/brisket notes. Black bean, red pepper chili adds some nice heat. Heavy butterscotch and peanut butter. Sugar cookie. Vanilla and caramel. Cinnamon and white pepper. Finish: Mix of briny and earthy peat and smoke. Red pepper, black bean chili. Caramel, vanilla, sugar cookie, malt, and toffee. Cinnamon and black pepper. Moderate length. Solid. Across the board. Good nose, good palate, good finish. Respectable ABV. I appreciate the non-chill filter. Great balance between coastal and earthy peat. At $70, this is exactly where this should be priced—not a dollar more or less. It’s a strange one. It fails to exceeds expectations in any one place, but simultaneously checks every box. Bunnahabhain, as a distillery, seems to be game. Definitely going to dig deeper. 4/5 even.

Old Forester is often overlooked in the Brown-Forman portfolio. I really enjoyed the rye, and now I’m making it a priority to tackle their bourbon lineup. Up first is this 1870 Original Batch, which, as the name suggests, is their imitation of the distillery’s original recipe. Note: This bottle is from before OF changed the label. It’s the one with the diagonal print, meaning it was bottled a couple years ago at the very least. Nose: Lots of cocoa, black pepper, black tea, and pipe tobacco. Toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Apple cider. Cola. Rye spice, cinnamon, white pepper, and oak. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, and gala apple. Brown sugar and toffee. A big dried apricot note. Golden raisin. Black cherry. Plain glazed doughnut. Finish: Brown sugar. Apple cider. Toasted almond and macadamia. Black cherry and dried apricot. Black tea and tobacco. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, white pepper, and oak. length. Moderate length finish, maybe even slightly above, which is respectable at 45% ABV. I’m off to a good start with the Old Forester line. Admittedly, this isn’t the most complex bourbon, but it’s also far from boring. There are some unique notes, and this is a well-rounded, easy-going sipper. I think it’s a good place to start with this line. At $48, this was a solid VFM purchase. I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the line has to offer, especially consider the intensity ramps up pretty steadily from here. As for this one, 4/5 even.

I’m tearing my way through the Dalmore core range. Here is the newest member to the lineup. 14 years old, aged in PX sherry casks—the latter of which is a departure from their standard use of Olorosso if I remember correctly. Let’s get right into it. Nose: Cranberry, raisin, date, and fig. Apple, apricot, and pear. Cherry and cola. Black currant. Plum and orange citrus. Milk chocolate, toffee, and vanilla. Cocoa. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: Plum, raisin, date, fig, and cranberry. Milk chocolate, vanilla, toffee, malt, and orange citrus. Gala apple and red grape. Some pound cake and some chocolate/vanilla ice cream cake. Pear and apricot appear a bit later. Butterscotch. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Plum, grape, gala apple, raisin, fig, and date. Butterscotch, caramel, milk chocolate. Pear. Cranberry. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and oak. Moderate length. This is a very strong addition to the Dalmore lineup. Between this, the 12, 12 SS, Port Wood, and the 15, I think this is the winner of the bunch. At $100, this is a fine deal. Pedro Ximinez is an interesting wrinkle in the Dalmore lineup, which typically features Olorosso. I like how it interacts with the spirit. A welcome addition to the core range. 4.5/5.

Ardbeg Grooves is my third go with the Ardbeg annual releases. The Perpetuum and the Kelpie were both solid. The older releases are hard to come by nowadays, and are usually only available for twice the original MSRP, so I’ll try to keep that in mind when I consider VFM. Let’s get into it. Nose: Vanilla custard, toffee, and dark chocolate. Bandaid, iodine, sulfur, campfire smoke. Tennis ball. Hookah and ballpark soft pretzel. As it rests, the coastal notes break through. Seaweed, sea salt, brine. Black bean red pepper chili adds some spice. Oak. Palate: The dark chocolate, vanilla custard, and toffee are pronounced once again. This time accompanied by grapefruit, lime, and lemon citrus along with agave. More seaweed, brine, and sea salt. Bandaid, iodine, sulfur. Hookah and ballpark soft pretzel. Something like raspberry or strawberry jam. Fudge and milk chocolate. Chestnut. Black currant. Black bean red pepper chili. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Finish: Agave, lime, and lemon. Dark chocolate, vanilla custard, and toffee. Chestnut. Sea salt, brine, seaweed, campfire smoke, bandaid, iodine, and tennis ball. Mint chocolate. Hookah and ballpark soft pretzel. Black bean red pepper chili. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak. Long finish. Fantastic whisky. Ardbeg peat plays well with the ex-red wine casks. It offers a great blend of brine, smoke, and earth and rich sweetness. 4.75/5. Like I said before, I bought this years after its release. Naturally, I can’t dock this too hard for the price hike ($180) when I’m the one who was late to the party. I’m a sucker for a one-off—they’re the bane of any collector’s existence and yet can prove to be some of the greatest gems. I’m glad my compulsion to try them led me to buy this. Well done, Ardbeg.

I’ve had solid experiences with Kaiyo so far. It seems they source their juice, but they do plenty to keep it interesting. It looks they’re going to be continuing that trend because this is labeled as entry No. 1 in their Ariake Wood Collection. Chestnut cask is a first for me—looking forward to it. Nose: Vanilla frosting. Sandalwood. Licorice. Wild berry. Sugar cookie. A massive lavender note. Toasted almond. Orange and lemon citrus. Honey. Cashew. Caramel. Pound cake. Clove, nutmeg, white pepper, and oak spice. It is quite literally all over the place, but very, very good. Palate: The lavender and sandalwood transfer over in a big way. Honey. Kiwi. Vanilla frosting. Dried apricot. Toasted almond. Caramel. Pound cake and sugar cookie. Malt and toffee. Maple syrup on pancakes. Banana. Walnut and pecan. Grape and raisin. Smarties candy. Finish: Sandalwood. Maple syrup. Walnut and banana. Sugar cookie. Toasted almond. Raisin and grape. Coconut. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and wood. Moderate length. This a fantastic experiment. Chestnut cask is a winner. Kaiyo continues to prove that they can come up with unique and interesting ideas. It’s a necessity considering they have very little age-stated whisky. And they’re delivering. 4.5/5. $70 is a steal for this level of quality. I am very much looking forward to checking out the rest of the Ariake Wood Collection and am glad I got in at the beginning. Hats off to Kaiyo.