Tastes

This was one of my first experience with single malt, and ever since part of my permanent collection. Nose: Wax. Marzipan. Orange Zest. Vanilla. Caramel. Furniture polish. Very characteristic stuff! Palate: Smooth. Nice oily mouthfeel. Honey. Vanilla. Nice. I still find this a very nice whisky, and always interresting to compare it to the special finishes (Port, Sherry, Sauternes).

„The whisky that will divide you.“ The bottle and the label are fun and pretty to look at. A little booklet at the bottle neck tells us the story behind it. This whisky is supposed to be smoky and sweet at the same time. Or one at a time? Or either without the other? Glenfiddich asks us on the label: „What do you get?“. Maybe my nose was not in shape today: But I didn‘t get that much smoke nor that much sweetness. After a while - yes - a bit of both elements are there in the nose allright. But it is not a bomb of fire & cane, more of a slightly burnt marshmallow. The palate was a bit spicy, with pepper and chilli. Not that smooth. Not very malty or sweet. Funnily, it reminds me on some Highland Park 18 yo … with which I still have some issues… An ok dram, not bad. Interresting, but not very emotional . I was happy to taste it, but it is not my favorite bottle on the shelf.

Well, this is when it all began: During my first 50 years, I did not care about whisky at all. I didn‘t like the smell nor the taste of this kind of spirit. But did I actually know what a good whisky tastes like, or even what whisky IS? No. My only association of whisky was as a mixer with cola at the bar when the nights got really long and no other ideas came up. It all changed when my former boss, whom I invited to my party to celebrate my big birthday, gave me the High Coast Berg (batch No 1) as a gift: Aha. Whisky. From Sweden. Ok. So a couple of weeks later I gave it a try and I opened the bottle. Wow! What an experience! The nose with vanilla, nuts and caramel. The palate sweet, but also spicy with cinamon. The finish warm and cosy. I liked it! And so it all began. Now, I have a nice collection of whiskies from Scotland, Japan, India, Taiwan - and Sweden. Thank you High Coast for having led me to this wonderful sensual world of smell, taste and emotions! Therefore it can’t be less than a 5 star rating.

My first Longmorn and my first Gordon&MacPhail bottling. It is not the „Distillery Labels“ but the same distillery year G&M 15 yo Longmorn 2003 (botteled 2017) „Licenced bottling“: Nose: Buttered toast. Vanilla. Caramel. Ripe Pears. Bareley. Sweet. Palate: Very nice and rich mouthfeel! Vanilla again. Pepper and Spices for complexity. Bittersweet. Finish: Warm an rich. Nice hint of bitterness. I like this! Great harmony. Very nice Speysider!

I was just tasting this outside on this cool (4*C) but sunny fall evening in the mountains, and the Classic Laddie made it all perfect: Nose: First I thought to notice a tiny hint of peat - but no - it is sea salt and brine! And then this very warm and cosy caramel and vanilla. Barely and malt. Apples. Wow! Palate: Smooth and warm with some pepper in a nice and sweet harmonious way. Honey. Finish: Warms you up. So relaxing! This is one of my all time favorites. Very good value for money. I‘m very much impressed and fell in love! Excellent. Highly recommended!

Nose: Coconut. Abricot. Pear. Orange Peel. Vanilla. Wax. Nice! Mouth: Spices. Oak. Vanilla. Just a hint of sweetness. Finish: Oak! Rather dry. The oak surely is present on the palate and in the finish. The nose is really pleasant, and in my opinion the best part, the mouth and finish a bit dry. A well made dram, good value for money, but I would not buy more than 2 bottles. But since Oak Cross will be discontinued in 2021, a must buy/try for the CB collector.

The Komagatake 2018 is my first whisky of the Mars distillery (I also own the 2019 and 2020 edition). Nose: Candy, banana, Haribo Bears, Fruit. Vanilla. Nice! Palate: Very smooth mouthfeel. More fruit. More Vanilla. Good sweetness. Oak! Finish: Medium long. Good bitterness. This is a nice and fruity dram. I really enjoyed it. Recommended!

My third CB, and my first of the Peat Monsters. I tasted a sample on three occasions (and I‘m glad I have a whole bottle yet to open). The nose is lovely. A lot of peat - of course - but in a smooth and sweet fashion. Leather. On the palate again smoke and fruit and vanilla. Nice mouthfeel. Great harmony. Good length. Ashtray on the finish indeed. I have read that the normal Peat Monster is supposed to be as good, but I am already very much satisfied with this limited monster „Arcana“. Proud to own a bottle.

My third Bunnahabhain after the 12-yo and the Ceobanach. The neck pour had this nice malty nose. In later pours, the nose was interestingly more alcoholic and thin at the beginning - after swirling it became better. Sherry - not much of it. I might prefer the 12-yo (did not compare it head to head yet). The Stiùiredair is on the sweet and grainy side as well, but with less caramel/vanilla notes. No peat. But I was a bit bothered by the alcoholic and stingy nose (like Kirschschnaps) - maybe this will disappear with open-bottle age. Maybe it is this what they call „coastal“- indeed a bit salty. The mouthfeeling here is less creamy/full than in the 12-yo. A bit bitterish - more oak ? (NAS - so it must be younger). At the end, this is an ok dram, though. But I enjoy the 12-yo much more. 2.75/5 Retasting 03.12.2021: The bottle has been opened 2 months ago. And I have to admit, it‘s getting better. The alcoholic sting is much less present now. Now the sherry is clearly there. Actually I quite enjoy it now… Upgrade from 2.75 to 3.0 now.

I discovered this jewel in a Whisky shop, when the woman on the counter mentioned that this was the favourite whisky of her boss. So I gave it a try without comparing prices, and the 70$ probably were a bit overpriced compared to other shops. I am very pleased with this dram. Having tasted 2-3 whiskys every day for the last 2 weeks (holiday), this was one of my favorites, when I wanted a bit of sweetness in the dram. Nose: Caramel. Roasted almonds. Honey. Flowers. Palate: Sweet and oily. Great mouthfeel. Again Caramel. Honey. But also spices. Delicious! Finish: Tobacco This is just fantastic, and it will be part of my permanent collection.