Tastes

Glencairn, neat. Color: Burnt amber. Aroma: With a swirl baked cherry jam, rye spice and dill with a tingle of cinnamon. Settles down to light butterscotch. Not overpowering, but wafting I can draw out the dill. Taste: Creamy and smooth, the dram leaves a pleasant coating across the entire palate with a light sting on the tongue tip. A steady taste throughout the mouth of cooked stone fruits, with cherry the dominant component. Slight toffee and butterscotch at the back end. Finish: Long, warming and smooth, with a slight lingering burn across the palate. Overall: Satisfactory. There is complexity in the aroma, with subtle layers that reveal a unique dill element that I found intriguing. Taste is more or less one-dimensional, with only hints of flavor change from mid to back palate. Definitely aged but not overly oaked, and there is balance in the taste and finish.

Glencairn, neat. Color: Medium gold. Aroma: Singular profile of cereals; with a swirl I get hints of vanilla and butterscotch. Somewhat underwhelming. Taste: Slight burn up front that fades to oily at the back. Malty cereals with notes of brine. Reminds me of a lightly sweetened granola in almond milk. Finish: Medium, resting along the entire palate. Still get the cereals with a touch of brine. Overall: Satisfactory. A pleasant dram that I have enjoyed more then once on the back porch watching and listening to an evening rain. Not a complex whisky, but a comforting one that’s easy to reach for.

Glencairn, neat. Color: Pale amber. Aroma: Chocolate-covered orange slice; hints of brine and peat. Very inviting. The orange comes out more with a swirl. Taste: Like a 75% cacao chocolate bar; spices towards the middle and back. Creamy mouthfeel that heats up over time as the spices roll in and complement the softer cacao notes. I also get that brine on the back end. Finish: Long and pleasant as the spices build and then fade to a lingering creamy cacao taste that stays for awhile. Reminds me of when I would nurse my chocolate shake as a boy. Overall: Exceptional. At no point is this whisky trying to be clever; its brilliance is in its subtle but unmistakable marriage of flavors from start to finish.

Glencairn, neat. Color: Light amber. Aroma: Invitingly sweet; honeysuckle; dried cherries. With a swirl I also get ripe peaches. Taste: Spices up front, with medium burn towards the back. Maple, dried fruits, and hints of vanilla cream. Finish: Medium to long, landing on the sweet side. Overall: Satisfactory. A pleasant balance of sweet and spice. Originally I purchased to use in a particular Old Fashioned recipe that called for Tennessee whiskey and featured a pecan-smoked maple syrup - this bottle served its intended purpose admirably by making a fantastic cocktail.

Glencairn, neat. Color: Dark copper. Aroma: Leather; butterscotch; old, dusty wood. Fills the glass, but isn’t overwhelming. Taste: Soft upfront, with mild burn towards the back. Unsweetened tea; slight anise; oak undertones. Not much complexity here, fairly smooth but a bit flat. Finish: Medium, with little burn and a small, youthful aftertaste. Still tasting unsweetened tea. Overall: Satisfactory. Aroma leads to an expectation that taste doesn’t quite deliver.