Tastes

sample/excellent whiskey, strong peat but not overwhelming

sample/relatively smooth vs other Canadian whiskeys; sweet & floral

May not totally deserve a 4* review, but great value. Plenty of oak though more subtleties appear w/ patience: honey, nuts, and a hint of fall spices on the nose. Follow up: vanilla might be dominant on first smell. Taste - big oak, some unripened banana. The overall finesse exhibited here might be it's biggest strength.

sample/intense but better than similar type whiskeys I've tried

sample/solid

solid blended whiskey / second sample - nothing to rave about yet still worthwhile

sample / sample 12/2/17 solid yet unremarkable

sample -- sample 2/a cut above the lowest Irish whiskey rung; I get chlorine notes, which I actually kind of like. 3rd Tasting - smooth for the price point. Almost worthy of 4 stars.

Nose is honey w slight smoke. Balanced flavor, hint of sweetness, smoke dominate in finish. Oak and salt (sea?) notes present. Second tasting... admittedly this is superb in every way. The rich texture, extended finish, and overall complexity...they all add to the reputation. I try to factor cost in my ratings and thus only gave this 4 stars but I don't think I can in good conscience not give this a perfect score. Even with the intangibles, the fullness of flavor is so complete. More floral on nose than I remember, with smoke present. Honey hits tongue first, smoke is dominate. Peat somewhat present, and I almost get a saltwater taste with that long finish.