Tastes

I read a lot about this well hyped whisky. This bottle is quite hard to find in my country, and as I walked in a shop with a few bottles for 79$, I purchased 2 of them without tasting. I talked with the whisky-shop dealer about the spirit, and he did not really understand the hype, judging it as an ok 10-year-old scotch, but not as special. I totally agree with him: I was disappointed big time. Nothing special at all. Nor is it characteristic in a certain direction (sweet, tropical, peaty, briny), nor is it especially well balanced. It was just a boring whisky. Would I have tried it before the purchase, I would not have bought it for sure. I am not even able to describe what it smells or tastes like - because of the lack of a characteristic profile. Do I suffer from Covid? So it is an ok whisky, and I would drink a dram when offered. But the fuzz about Springbank 10 year is not understandable for me. Batch botteled 14.07.2022 78/100. Update after the bottle has been opened for 10 days: Better now: Orange peel in the nose, briny. In the mouth harmonious and some metallic mouthfeel. Not bad - I upgrade it to 82 points. Still not outstanding. 82/100

Batch 419/08/22. Right out of the bottle, I wonder what will expect me. It is the second „smokey“ whisky by Langatun - a mix of peated and unpeated sherried malt at 46% ABV. Nose: Oh - quite industrial: Rubber. Glue. Schleich Schlumpf (smurf) Figur. Wet dog (or wolf!?). Sherry. Some smoke and peat all right. Hints of vanilla. No caramel. Not much sweetness. PS: A day after the first tasting, the glue- rubber-smurf notes were almost gone. They use plastic corks for the cap - maybe that was the cause? Palate: Good harmony between spice, smoke and some sweetness. Cinnamon. Finish: Medium. Spice and smoke. Summary: This is certainly a special whisky. But do not expect peat like in an Islay Whisky, since the Old Wolf is a blended „down“ peater. A nice dram for a full moon winter night.

This is my very first Glenallachie. Nose: Certainly some sherry notes. Some vanilla and caramel. But also a lot of oak and spice. Nice and warm. Palate: Oak again! Very spicy. Some Fruit - but not much. Not creamy. Warm. Finish: Oak and a slight bitterness. Rather dry. I am not sure that this is a super balanced dram. The fokus is clearly on the oak and the wood. If you like a lot of spice, then this is for you.

Tasted in a Whisky-Shop: Very nice design of the case and the bottle! Looks pretty. Nose: herbs and some vanilla, first I thought I smell some sherry - but I think they didn‘t use sherry-casks … so must have been my fantasy. Palate: some sweetness, but also slight bitterness, briny - ok! Finish: medium, warm This is certainly an ok and well made dram, and I would drink it with pleasure when offered (and it was!). But I didn‘t buy the bottle.

I am not a bourbon guy: Actually, after quite a bit of experience in scotch whisky, this is my first bourbon since years. Nose: Caramel, vanilla, drug store / chemist‘s shop, Coca Cola, Love Hearts candy of my childhood. Perfumy. I like it. Palate: Vitamins, cough syrup, liquorice, herbs, vegetables, not oily, not very creamy. Less pleasant than the nose. Finish: liquorice, herbs, rather dry, medicine Well - I expected much more creamyness and smoothness, more sweetness and vanilla. But this is different. Interresting whiskey. An unusual taste for me. Not love at first sight. Have to taste it again - which is no problem since I have a whole bottle left. But maybe not tomorrow.

This is the pour after the neck pour (breast pour?): Very nice. A bit Ardbegish, if I had to compare… Nose: Nice and sweet peat. Quite fruity. Apple Cider. Brine. A hint of rubber. Vanilla. Sherry. Very inviting! Palate: Smooth and sweet peat again. Smoked ham. The oak is integrated very well. I like it! Finish: Warm and smooth, and really long. Sweet peat again. So this definitely reaches the quality of Ardbeg Ten, maybe a bit sweeter. And even better!

I ordered this as a sample, so no influence of the nicely designed bottle on my rating of the liquid itself: Nose: Waxy (Bowmore?). Warm caramel. Vanilla. Roasted almonds. Smooth peat. Some sherry I guess. Not fruity. Brine. Certainly there is some old spirit in there. I like it a lot. Palate: Sweet and Spicy. Chili. Bittersweet oak. Leather. Quite pleasant. The nose was better though. Finish: Long and warm. Oak. Just the right stuff to sip on a cold and foggy November evening. Would I buy an entire bottle of this blended malt? I might.

This batch was bottled July 16th 2020. I tried it a couple of times, but I find it not to be among my favorite Compass Box creations: Nose: Apple. Pear. Honey with spices. So far so good. That‘s fine with me! Palate: Oak. More Oak. Bitter. I miss some more sweetness and maltyness. To much wood for my taste. I miss the balance. Finish: Oaky and spicy. Dry. So the nose is nice, but the palate ruins it for my taste: Too much oak - what apparently they call spice.

I knew the standard Langatun Old Deer so far, which is a pleasant and very nice Swiss whisky (try it!). This is from their limited (495 bottles) special cask finished series. I really like the bottle design - very unique and representative with a golden seal around the bottle neck and detailed information on the back-label: The whisky was distilled in August 2012 and first matured for 8 years in Chardonnay wine casks, then for another 10 months in Marsala casks. Botteled in March 2021. So almost 9 yo. Natural color: Dark caramel / gold like an old Sauternes. Nose: Winy. Malty. Caramelized Almonds. Vanilla. Marzipan. Amaretto. A bit Pedro Ximenes style. Nice! Palate: Surprisingly spicy! Caramel sweetness again. A bit Amaretto bitterness. This certainly is not boring! Finish: Quite special in a good way. Again a bit winy. It certainly warms your throat and nostrils! This is a nice and very unusual dram. Not super harmonious, but pleasant. Maybe not for the apéritif - more a late night thing.

Bowmore was one of the last of the islay whiskys I got to know of, and taste. Last but certainly not least! I think this is just a wonderful malt that gives a lot of pleasure. Nose: Wax. Furniture polish. Industrial. Steam Engine. Aceto. Smoke. This is awsome! Palate: Wonderful mouthfeel. Oily. Orange Zest. Oak! Finish: Sweet Bitterness. Great dram!