Tastes

One of my favorite drams that is easy to drink but still interesting and complex.

Nose is sweet, vanilla, and ethanol. Palate is very green to me. Green tea, spices, and brown sugar. Finish is grean tea and spicy. Had a taste from a friend, but if the price is sub $20 as reported this isn't bad at all. Had a second visit on this one and really enjoyed the sweet spicyness.

Nose has some heat but is classic toasted caramel. A bit of wood in there too, more depth than the white label for sure. There is some spice and spicyness on the palate that makes me feel like it's high rye. Lots of heat for just 43%. The classic bourbon cherry is here but it's darker and more reminiscent of dried cherries and spicy wood. The finish is spicy and hot like a rye with some woody bitterness. Lasts a respectable time though. For the price there is complexity and interesting flavors that punches above this bottle's weight. Worth a try if you are a bourbon or rye fan.

The nose is sugar sweet. Think a bag of candy. Palate is jelly or candy sweet at the front, and turns into a biscuit with sweet apricot jam on it. Finish is still very sweet and reminds me of fruit. It still has the characteristics of an Irish, but buried under the rum sweetness. Overall, it's an overly sweet whiskey for my taste but some will adore it.

Batch no. 17L21. Cherry pie with cinnamon for the nose. There is some heat on the blend I don't get from it's parts. The palate is tart cherry, wood, and the spicy notes from the rye. The finish is long and spicy with cinnamon and wood notes. It's a great dram that is tasty and interesting; but generally overpriced due to its limited batches. Worth a try if you have the budget though. Some water brings out a lot of sweetness and brings the cherry pie out from start to finish. The spicy rye notes dominate the finish on this visit.

Batch no. 20B06. Nose is straw and red apples. Palate is sweet but a little thin. Having trouble placing flavors other than woody dry fruit. The finish is bitter and not my favorite. Overall it's an ok bottle for a low price point, but there are others that are better for cheaper. Second visit with water brings it cinnamon in the nose and palate, but the finish is still bitter and throws me off. On further visits this has grown on me as an easy sipper for summer days.

I get buttered bread in the nose. The pallet is the same but adds some mineral notes and fruit on top. The finish is sweet and fruity, lingering for a respectable time. Great bottle for the price!

A homecoming present from my wife post deployment. Nose is great with lemon zest, sweeter citrus, wood, and fruity notes. The palate is along the same lines with some more light vanilla sweetness and depth. The finish is moderate in length but citrus and Sweet. Second visit brought to mind the chocolate oranges you can buy around the holidays. It's so light and friendly that it goes a bit too quick! Great dram but I prefer more complexity for the price.

Monkey Shoulder is a great budget favorite, but has recently grown in reputation and is getting more expensive. It's all dried fruit, butterscotch, and light peat on the nose. The palate is surprisingly complex with dried tropical fruit mix that develops into butterscotch and smoke. The finish is light and short but very pleasant in its sweet smokey feel. This blend is a great cabinet scotch to keep around and one of the #1 whiskys to introduce newbies to smoke and peat.

A gift from my best friend for the birth of my second son. The nose is sweet butterscotch and dried fruit with a smokey overtone. I get the malt cereal smell at the end of the nose and leading into the palate. The rest of the palate is a dry and peppery peat that I happen to enjoy! It's not for everyone though. The finish is short and peppered peat but pleasant. My first Dalwhinnie but I will be trying more. Second visit gives me the smell of s'mores around the fire, with the roasted marshmallow and warmed graham cracker lasting into the palate.