Tastes

Brine, iodine, and sea water full of seaweed jump out at you, and is the signature of Laphroaig. Taste is a bit sweeter and has some citrus behind but it's still dominated by the iodine and seaweed. The peat smoke comes out mostly on the finish around the medicinal iodine notes that stick around for a long oily finish.

Nose is sweet and rich. I get the notes of buble gum (yep, the pink stuff in a bag), raisins, leather, and some floral notes. Palate is richer and a bit more robust with the leather pairing with wood, sugar covered dried fruits, and brown sugar sweetness. Not brown sugar itself, but the lingering sweet and savory flavor it gives when eaten raw. That stays until the finish Wich is bittersweet and lasts for a fair amount of time. Water made the nose much more honey and floral and did the same with the palate along with adding a pepper note. Overall this is a really interesting and tasty whiskey. I'm excited to be getting access to great American single Malts at a fair price.

Nose is vanilla extract, light sugar and cinnamon, and thick sweetness. Palate is more vanilla, oak, a bit of salted caramel, and finishes with cinnamon which lasts for a just a few seconds. Overall it's better for the Canadian whisky I've tried... But still not my thing. The more a sip on it the more it becomes vanilla extract sweet that turns directly into cinnamon sugar and oak.

The nose is pretty standard bourbon at the front but after a minute you can pick up some interesting and rich notes. Vanilla and coconut with some nuttiness. The palate starts as sweet and bourbon standard with cherry and wood notes but then develops into a spicy cinnamon. The finish is mild and sweet. Water just amplified it all for a minute and brought the cinnamon and spice forward. Overall I really enjoyed this and it's worth a try for a bourbon lover. It's also got some history behind it so that's appreciated by a WT nerd.

Nose is sweet and butter bread. Palate is simple and much of the same. This is a pretty down the middle Irish. The finish is buttery and pleasant. It's a simple but enjoyable whiskey that is worth the low price. It's sweet enough it makes a good breakfast dram with some bacon and jam on toast.

Nose is right down the lane of dried tropical fruit. Crystalized sugar, fruity, a hint of salt. Palate is almost identical but turns into quintessential Glenlivet for me with honey and citrus. The finish is longer and stays sweet throughout. A good dram to try but a bit sweet for my taste. This is straight up a dessert whisky!

Sweet grassy notes, caramel, and dusty bags of feed on the nose. Lots of herbal and spicy notes. Honestly it's much of the same in the palate and a bit alcohol hot. Sweet and dusty caramel with herbal spicy notes on the back end. The finish is respectable and herbal. A kind of bitterness on the end i don't like though. Overall, this is an ok Bourbon, but not sure it lives up to the hype. There are plenty more in the same price range I find more enjoyable. In my area it's hard to get but still pretty affordable. Water makes it much more sweet and brings forward some of the cherry that bourbons are known for.

Made in Moore, OK, veteran owned. Notes from the bottle: "Leadslingers Spirits proudly presents Leadslingers Minuteman. Distilled in the heartland of America, this 120 proof single malt American whiskey offers subtle hints of toffee and malt in a mellow presentation that is sure to impress. Just as the bold and heroic colonial Minutemen were cornerstones to the founding of this great nation, we hope Leadslingers Minuteman is a cornerstone to your whiskey choices."

Nose is strong butterscotch that jumps right out of the dram. After it sits for minute I get a musty note on top of the butterscotch. On the palate it is initially the same butterscotch and toffee but develops into an odd sweet mustiness that lasts into the finish. A little salted caramel too that also comes out on the nose after a few sips. The finish is the same sweet butterscotch with salted caramel and toffee, but an odd musty note lingers that I don't care for. A bit of water tames the alcohol and mustiness but just leaves it very sweet. Still reminds me of the sugar free butterscotch candies my grandfather always had. A bit more water (it's bottled at 60% so you have room to play) just ruins it and brings more moldy mustiness out. My least favorite part is that after the finish fades there is still a very long secondary finish that is a moldy mustiness I really hate. I wanted to like this more since it has an awesome name, is local (Made in Moore, OK; I'll post the label verbage in another note), and owned by a group of fellow vets. Supposedly the same guys that have a clothing line. It's ok, but that odd as hell finish just didn't do it for me. Still worth a try if you can get your hands on it.

Nose is creamy and buttery like Jameson, but with an odd sour twist. Palate is the same and the hop influence becomes apparent quickly of it didn't already on the nose. The finish is much like the Stout Cask with it being mostly Jameson with a add of the same finish you get from an IPA. The beer shines through so if you like an IPA, you'll likely enjoy this. I enjoy the sip after adding water, it makes the dram more complex and spicy.