Tastes

I bought the Glenmorangie Taster Pack for $34.95, which includes 4 x 100 mL of Glenmorangie Original 10Y and the three primary finished versions. That breaks down to $8.74 for each, which is overpriced for the original but decent value to try the Lasanta. (In NC the 750 mL is $54.95.) The Lasanta barely beats out the Quinta Ruban, mainly on taste and finish. The nose is more subtle, you need to deeply inhale to get the same effect as a whiff from the Quinta. However, it tastes of a Christmas dessert with nuts and dried fruits, and not as sticky on the finish. I really enjoyed this taster pack, but damn are Glenmorangie options expensive. If you buy a bottle, I recommend everything but the Nectar.

I bought the Glenmorangie Taster Pack for $34.95, which includes 4 x 100 mL of Glenmorangie Original 10Y and the three primary finished versions. That breaks down to $8.74 for each, which is overpriced for the original but decent value to try the other three. (In NC the 750 mL is $44.95.) The best way I can describe this Highland is pretty. It is light and fruity, and really easy to drink. I think this is a solid flagship Scotch to buy considering the price of other Highland and Speyside Scotch brands in the $40-50 range. However, I think the Original 10Y tastes similar to Tomatin 12Y. That Scotch is $10 cheaper and to me is better. If you haven't had either I'd go with the Tomatin first, but you can't go wrong with Glenmorangie.

I haven't bought this outside of a bar in forever, so I purchased the 50 mL just to try it in a sober setting for once. Even the 50 mL is pricey at $3.95 in NC, as much as the priciest 50 mL available (outside of Johnnie Walker Blue). Maybe because they also needlessly wax dip this tiny airplane bottle as if it would be affront to eschew this practice for tiny consumables. This has a nice nose and easy vanilla oak taste that is expected with wheated bourbons. I like it better than Larceny. I don't really understand why some people think Larceny is leagues better than Maker's as I've seen on multiple whiskey YouTube channels. Either way, Maker's 46 is much tastier and more complex than the original, and I highly recommend buying that over this.

This is an average Scotch, and I'm glad I only bought the 375 mL for $24 because this is certainly overpriced. Usually price is a marker of rarity, but in the case of the biggest name Scotches on the market, price is a sign of marketing and gouging. This is a fine basic single malt but there's no way in hell I consider this a worthwhile purchase of $48 for the 750 mL bottle in NC. I can get numerous better Scotches around $40 and so many bourbons less than that. Of the recent Scotch purchases I've made I'd say this is the worst of them. Since Glenlivet is so widely available I'd suggest trying it at a bar first.

Wow, for 110 proof you only get one quick punch of alcohol. This is a fantastic creamy tasting bourbon with a subtle nose that is less harsh than others I've had between 100-120 proof. It is a little pricy but I highly recommend for a special occasion. I was originally going to get something like Baker's or a name brand cask strength, and I'm so glad I went with this instead. At 110 proof this is basically a cask strength anyways since most are between 110-130 proof. I'm anxious to try Rare Breed next and compare the two. Update - I've had this open for nearly 2 months and it has mellowed out. The nose is really soft now, but it is so drinkable. If I didn't know the proof I'd say it was 95-100. I barely get any alcohol burn even with swishing around my mouth. This is a fantastic bourbon.

Larceny is touted as a great cheaper sipping bourbon and that's exactly what it is, an affordable bourbon that is easy to sip without nuanced flavors. I only bought a 50 mL to try it, and that was enough. I'm not sure I'd go out of the way to buy a bottle of this in the near future.

It's been a long time since I've had Knob Creek in any form, so I picked up a 375 since I've become an overeager whiskey enthusiast. Honestly this was underwhelming compared to other recent bourbon purchases. I mainly get alcohol bite on the taste. It's fine but I think are better options around this price. I'm glad I only bought 375 mL.

This surprised me because I think Maker's Mark is an easy drinker without much character and I was skeptical that the same whiskey with an extra few months of French oak staves would be worth $10 more. So I bought the 375 mL instead, and I can safely say this is clearly superior to the original version. You can get some higher proofs and single barrels around this price, but I haven't had many as flavorful as the Maker's 46. The nose is fantastic, slightly better than the taste. I can definitely taste the additional oak, which leaves a long pleasant aftertaste compared to the original version. I'm so happy they have a 375 for this btw, so you can try that for half the price if you're unsure you'll like it.

After riding high on Caskmates Stout I bought this on sale, normally priced at $39.95. It has been a little underwhelming compared to the Stout. It is nice to sip on but not enough bourbon barrel comes through. It is creamy but more subtle on the taste, and the oak or fruit doesn't come through prominently. It almost disappears on the finish immediately. You have to drink this at the beginning of your night, otherwise you'll barely taste anything after a bourbon that is over 85 proof. I bet if Jameson didn't dilute this to 80 proof, maybe 86 or 90, it would be sooo much better.

Really solid, affordable blend that is light on the smell and taste. Good way to introduce others to scotch. I see that it is supposed to have peated Scotch in the blend, which I never tasted in the 50 mL sample I bought. I think this is better than similar priced Johnnie Walker and Dewar's, but I'd buy Monkey Shoulder over this. If you like lighter Scotch than try this Chivas Regal 12 because it is never offensive or difficult.