Tastes

A dedicated solo #whiskyreview of the long-awaited Glenmorangie Signet. After reading all the great reviews about this treasured #scotch and overcoming the hefty price tag ($163 for 750mL bottle), I opened this beautifully bottled whisky for my first taste - ever. Before I start the review, here are some vital facts and stats. The #Signet is comprised of two unique types of malted barley: Cadboll malted barley and malted “chocolate” barley (often used to create craft beers). After being distilled twice, this whisky is matured in virgin American oak casks (as well as ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks) and said to contain batches that are 35 to 40 years old. It's #nonchillfiltered and #nocoloradded at 46% ABV. Reviewed on 8/31/2018. ....…......….…........................................................................... Nose: 95. Rich @Godiva milk chocolate. English toffee. Vanilla custard. Baked cinnamon buns. Tiramisu. Banana creme pie. I can literally sniff this dram for an hour without drinking it. ....…......….…........................................................................... Palate: 94. Spicy ginger and zesty orange peel evolve into a creamy mocha and vanilla custard. Smooth and velvety texture that coats your mouth with sweet, spice, and zest all around. ....…......….…........................................................................... Finish: 95. Long spicy finish with dates and dark chocolate that linger. ....…......….…........................................................................... Overall Experience: 95. It’s a wonderful experience both with and without water. Although it's a #nonagestatement, you can taste the quality and age of this #whisky. Kudos to #Glenmorangie for this unique and outstanding creation. ....…......….…........................................................................... Value for Money: Although this bottle sells for about $200 USD, the quality is not lacking in any way. Even the packaging is over-the-top with the cork that can be used as a paperweight. You will save this botle (and box) when it's empty. I got this bottle for only $163 @allendalewine

#WhiskeyBattle between 2 fine 18 year-old #Highland #SingleMaltScotches: #Glenmorangie18 (43% ABV) vs. #Tomatin18 (46%). Reviewed on 7/15/2018. ....…......….…........................................................................... NOSE: Slight edge to Glenmorangie 18, which radiates delicate scents of vanilla, coconut, orange, bright honey, and apricot. Tomatin 18 also has pleasant notes of rum raisin, candied walnuts, thick manuka honey, and bitter citrus (grapefruit). 91 for Glenmormagie and 90 for Tomatin. ....…......….…........................................................................... PALATE: Now this is where Tomatin’s thicker and natural color/filtration provide richer flavors of dark chocolate, orange, toffee, and maple syrup. Glenmorangie is more delicate (and thinner) but has rich flavors of vanilla custard, toffee, green grapes, and orange blossom honey. Glenmorangie reminds me of a rich and buttery Chardonnay. 92 for Tomatin and 91 for Glenmorangie. ....…......….…........................................................................... FINISH: I have to admit that the first sip of Tomatin was too spicy for me — think ginger and peppermint. It has a spicy and dry finish that opens up more flavors with a dash of water. Glenmornage has a sweet, medium finish with a grassy note. Tomatin gets a 91 and Glenmormagie gets an 88. ....…......….…........................................................................... OVERALL: Tomatin gets an extra point for the extra ABV, #nochillfiltration, and #nocoloradded. Tomatin gets 92 and Glenmorangie gets 90. ....…......….…........................................................................... VALUE FOR MONEY: Tomatin 18 is a much better buy at $80 USD vs. Glenmorangie 18 that sells for $100 to $120 USD. Glenmorangie has a nice packaging, but Tomatin has better content — and better craftsmanship. VFM goes to Tomatin 18. Go buy a bottle before their prices rise. ....…......….…........................................................................... @glenmorangie @glenmorangieusa @tomatinwhisky

Happy 4th of July! To celebrate, I cracked open a #MacallanFineOak15 for a solo #whiskyreview. This bottle was matured for 15 years in 3 casks: European #sherry oak, American sherry oak, and American #bourbon oak barrels. ....…......….…........................................................................... Nose: There’a a delightful floral scent with vanilla, lemon, honey, and a hint of green grapes. 90/100 ....…......….…........................................................................... Palate: It’s a smooth dram with a chewy texture. Flavors of vanilla, honey, and orange permeate your mouth with spice and dried oak in the background. 91/100 ....…......….…........................................................................... Finish: The dram ends nicely with a sweet, floral, and slightly spicy finish of medium length. 88/100 ....…......….…........................................................................... Overall Experience: It’s a fantastic dram and I give it an overall score of 90/100. ....…......….…........................................................................... Value for Money: I found this bottle for $100 USD in June 2018, but many stores sell this for north of $120 due to the worldwide popularity of The Macallan brand. It’s a bit expensive, but I think there may be some exclusivity for this bottle in the near future as Macallan is moving towards non-age statement expressions. ....…......….…........................................................................... @the_macallan @usmacallan #Macallan #FineOak #scotch #whisky

#Whiskybattle of #Costco white-labeled #singlemaltscotch (#KirklandSignature). Both were distilled by @alexandermurrayco and matured for final 6 months in Oloroso sherry casks at 46% ABV. Reviewed on 8/6/2018. ....…......….…........................................................................... Nose: The 18 year-old (on the left) has notes of creamy vanilla, green grapes, and raisins...with a slight hint of sulphur. Score: 88. The 20 year-old has stronger notes of vanilla (bean vs. cream), fresh pineapple, and honey. Better nose than the 18 without the sulphur. Score: 91. ....…......….…........................................................................... Palate: The 18 has notes of raisins, plums, and all the lovely dark, dried fruit. Slight alcohol burn. Score: 87. The 20 has more complexity; I can pick out notes of dried apricots, sweet caramel, honey, and brown sugar all in a smoother dram than the 18. No alcohol burn despite the same ABV of 46%. Score: 90. ....…......….…........................................................................... Finish: The 18 has a slightly sweet medium finish for a score of 86. The 20 has a nicer, lingering oaky dry finish with more flavor and depth. Score: 89. ....…......….…........................................................................... Overall Experience: It’s amazing how 2 more years in the barrel makes such a difference in every aspect (except for color, which are both tawny orange). The 18 gets a score of 87 and the 20 gets a score of 90. ....…......….…........................................................................... Value for Money: The 18 year old sells for a good value at $55 USD but the 20 year old is a more compelling value for just $3 more ($58). That’s 1 point for each $1! There’s a big difference between a 90 and an 87 in the way I rate my scotch. ....…......….…........................................................................... #whiskyreview #Speyside #scotch

Solo #whiskyreview of the popular #Oban14. This crowd-pleaser gets low ratings among professionals, but I like it. It’s a West #Highland #scotch malt that’s widely available and bottled at 43% ABV. Reviewed on 8/11/2018. ....…......….…........................................................................... NOSE: Some folks can pick up hints of smoke, but I don’t. Instead, I smell orange, honey, green grapes, and raisins...as well as jasmine and floral notes. Score: 88 ....…......….…........................................................................... PALATE: Oban 14 has a nice mouthfeel and has sweet and floral notes of honeysuckle, jasmine, figs, and orange-blossom honey. A bit of spicy oak on the tongue. Score: 88. ....…......….…........................................................................... FINISH: Medium, dry oak finish with a dash of lemon zest. Score: 87. ....…......….…........................................................................... OVERALL: I give this dram a score of 88/100 and it ranks right up there with #Balvenie14 Caribbean Cask. I do not recommend adding water or ice to this whisky. Drink neat in a nosing glass to get all the flavors and notes. Cheers! ....…......….…........................................................................... VFM: This bottle goes for about $60 USD, but I recommend grabbing them at @Costco for $54 — and only $46 during special discounts days. At under $50, this is a great value. Taste for yourself! ....…......….…...........................................................................

#Whiskyreview of Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or (French for “golden nectar”). Aged for 12 years (basically the original Glenmorangie 10 + final 2 years in Sauternes wine casks) and bottled at 46%. It’s also #nonchillfiltered. Reviewed during happy hour at @ruthschris on 8/22/2018. ....…......….…........................................................................... Nose: 89. Vanilla, peach, apricot, citrus, and maple syrup. ....…......….…........................................................................... Palate: 86. Rum, vanilla cream, and spicy oak. It tastes a bit young for a scotch that’s been aged for 12 years. ....…......….…........................................................................... Finish: 84. Medium finish with dry oak and citrus, but much of the flavors dissipate and there’s a slight alcohol burn at the end. ....…......….…........................................................................... Overall: 86. Kudos to @glenmorangie for applying a unique cask to finish this formula and bottling at 46% with non-chill filtering. I’ve never tried Sauternes wine, but from what I’ve read, it’s a sweet dessert wine with many of the flavor profiles that I picked up in this whisky. This dram has a pleasant nose, but the palate and finish left me wanting more. ....…......….…........................................................................... Value for Money: A bottle of #GlenmorangieNectarDor sells for about $65 to 75 USD and I think there are better buys out there in that price range. That being said, it’s worth a try for a simple fact that it’s different and unique compared to your typical #singlemaltscotch.

#GlenDronach 12 vs. #Macallan 12. Both are #Highland #SingleMalts with #nocoloradded at 43% ABV. They are both matured exclusively in #sherrycasks (vs. ex-bourbon casks followed by sherry cask finish), which explains their sweet, dark fruit nose and palate throughout. However, only #GlenDronach12 boasts #nonchillfiltered on its label. MC12 is slightly darker than GD12. ....…......….…........................................................................... Nose: #GlenDronach12 wins this battle easily over #Macallan12. GD12 gets my score of 91 and MC12 gets 86. Macallan 12 offers aromas of vanilla, black cherry, rum, and raisins, but there’s an undeniable hint of sulphur. GD 12 has a richer vanilla bean scent along with ginger, ripe persimmons, and honey with absolutely no sulphur scent at all. ....…......….…........................................................................... Palate: GD12 wins this battle over MC12 with a score of 91 vs. 87. GD12 has a smooth mouthfeel with notes of English toffee, prunes, sweet ginger, and butter biscuit...it tastes like it’s been aged for at least 15 years. MC12 offers notes of dark chocolate filled with rains and spicy ginger, dark figs, and (unfortunately) gun powder. ....…......….…........................................................................... Finish: GD12 has a sweet sherry finish that ends with pleasant dry oak. MC12 has a spicy oak finish with sweet dried fruit at the end, but there’s a slight scent of sulphur that remains on the tongue and in the empty glass. GD12 gets a score of 90 vs. 86 for MC12. Without sulphur, Macallan 12 would be a delicious dram. ....…......….…........................................................................... Overall Experience: GlenDronach is now my favorite 12 year-old scotch alongside #HighlandPark12. It’s a well-crafted whisky that is uniquely no-color-added and non-chill-filtered. 91 for GlenDronach 12 vs. 86 for Macallan 12. ....…......….…........................................................................... Value for Money: GD12 ($57 USD) goes for about $7 USD more than MC12 ($50), but it’s worth every dollar. #whiskybattle #whiskyreview

#GlenDronach 12 vs. #Macallan 12. Both are #Highland #SingleMalts with #nocoloradded at 43% ABV. They are both matured exclusively in #sherrycasks (vs. ex-bourbon casks followed by sherry cask finish), which explains their sweet, dark fruit nose and palate throughout. However, only #GlenDronach12 boasts #nonchillfiltered on its label. MC12 is slightly darker than GD12. ....…......….…........................................................................... Nose: #GlenDronach12 wins this battle easily over #Macallan12. GD12 gets my score of 91 and MC12 gets 86. Macallan 12 offers aromas of vanilla, black cherry, rum, and raisins, but there’s an undeniable hint of sulphur. GD 12 has a richer vanilla bean scent along with ginger, ripe persimmons, and honey with absolutely no sulphur scent at all. ....…......….…........................................................................... Palate: GD12 wins this battle over MC12 with a score of 91 vs. 87. GD12 has a smooth mouthfeel with notes of English toffee, prunes, sweet ginger, and butter biscuit...it tastes like it’s been aged for at least 15 years. MC12 offers notes of dark chocolate filled with rains and spicy ginger, dark figs, and (unfortunately) gun powder. ....…......….…........................................................................... Finish: GD12 has a sweet sherry finish that ends with pleasant dry oak. MC12 has a spicy oak finish with sweet dried fruit at the end, but there’s a slight scent of sulphur that remains on the tongue and in the empty glass. GD12 gets a score of 90 vs. 86 for MC12. Without sulphur, Macallan 12 would be a delicious dram. ....…......….…........................................................................... Overall Experience: GlenDronach is now my favorite 12 year-old scotch alongside #HighlandPark12. It’s a well-crafted whisky that is uniquely no-color-added and non-chill-filtered. 91 for GlenDronach 12 vs. 86 for Macallan 12. ....…......….…........................................................................... Value for Money: GD12 ($57 USD) goes for about $7 USD more than MC12 ($50), but it’s worth every dollar. #whiskybattle #whiskyreview

#WhiksyBattle #1: #MaCallan Edition #2 vs. #3. Both are non-chill filtered, contain natural coloring, and contain high ABV (48.2% and 48.3% respectively). Date of review: 6/12/2018 ....…......….…........................................................................... 1) Nose: 90/100 to #2 and 91/100 to #3 Edition 2 has abundant dark fruit, chocolate, and ginger notes. Edition 3 has a completely different nose — more vanilla, sweet cream, and oak...and gentler fruit aroma. ....…......….…........................................................................... 2) Palate: 90 to #2 and 91 to #3 Edition 2 is a sherry bomb with ginger and spices...very rich and flavorful. Edition 3 has a more creamy texture and taste...less sherry and more creme brûlée...and a very light and gentle smoke in the back. ....…......….…........................................................................... 3) Finish: 90 to #2 and 89 to #3 Edition 2 lingers in your mouth longer with a spicy and sweet finish. Edition 3 has a slightly shorter finish, but has a pleasant and smooth ending. ....…......….…........................................................................... 4) Overall Experience: Edition 3 gets a slight edge (91) over Edition 2 (90). Most people prefer Edition 2, but I guess that makes the world go around. ....…......….…........................................................................... 5) VFM: Both editions are expensive for non-age statement expressions ($100 USD each), but they are delicious, full of flavor, contain high ABV, and produced in limited quantities that make them worthwhile purchases. ....…......….…........................................................................... @the_macallan #macallancreates #themacallan #scotch #whiskyreview