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Glenmorangie Astar
Distiller Score 89
The wood really comes through on the nose followed by pears and citrus peel. The dram is fairly smooth on your palate, but the proof intensifies the cinnamon and coffee aspect. With water, you get more of a honey sweetness and brighter fruit.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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The Glenrothes 1995
Distiller Score 91
For those that like their whiskies on the sweet side, step right up. This is a creamy and rich whisky with notes of almond covered toffee. Ripe apple fruits covered with cinnamon syrup and hints of orange zest round out the flavor profile.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Aberlour 15 Year Select Cask Reserve
Distiller Score 85
This is a slow to get going whisky, but once it has an opportunity to sit in the glass for just a minute, it really opens up. The dark sherried notes come through on the nose, but also checking in for a visit are honey, orange peels, and cooked apples. Some dark chocolate and cinnamon appear and chewy oak tannins arrive fashionably late to the party.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Glenfiddich The Original
Distiller Score 85
A bright, biscuit-y nose, full of youth but not aggressive. Tastes of malt and grass, honey and pears. Maybe a bit of toasted nuttiness. Not particularly memorable. Just a good, old fashioned scotch. Definitely a young whisky, but still nicely balanced. Finish is short and pleasant. A solid, uncomplicated dram, but for the price it just doesn't offer enough.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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BenRiach 20 Year
Distiller Score 92
There is a noticeable char smoke, but more so from a smoked charcuterie, a sweet smoke. The whisky starts off creamy and vanilla sweet on the palate and then becomes slightly bitter with nut shells, cinnamon, and bitter chocolate.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Balblair 1999 2nd Release
Distiller Score 94
This whisky is a lot of fun to drink - definitely parties like its vintage year suggests! Ripe apple and orange mingles with spice and caramel. Then malted chocolate shows up fashionably late and everyone mixes it up into the wee hours. You'll definitely want more sips to keep the festivities going!
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Tullibardine 20 Year
Distiller Score 89
The nose is wonderful and brings honey and vanilla, allspice, oatmeal cookies, even something a little tropical like cocoa butter and papaya. The taste follows suit, with lots of vanilla, salted caramel, malt, orange oil, and oak. The wood threatens the other flavors but never goes overboard. The finish is medium and sweet, and full of Tullibardine's signature vanilla note as well as gingerbread and raisin.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Balblair 1990 2nd Release
Distiller Score 96
This silky smooth Scotch has a lot going on - tart berry fruits, dark chocolate, marzipan, sweet pipe tobacco, baking spices, black pepper, even a touch of root beer. The bourbon casks lends just the right amount of leather to tie everything together. It's complex, but it's also tidy and easy to get along with, finishing smooth and strong.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Madeira Cask 19 Year
Distiller Score 90
At first sniff, it’s obvious this is a whisky that reflects the theme of exploration. If you could pour it whilst sitting on the veranda overlooking an exotic bay, even better. It's full of pineapple, chocolate, figs, and oaky spice. Taste follows suit, full of dark fruit, vanilla, shortbread, cinnamon spice, rosewater, and candied ginger. There's even something smoky lingering beneath it all, like tobacco. Complex and well balanced but with a shorter finish than one might expect of a 19 year whisky.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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BenRiach 15 Year Pedro Ximenez Finish
Distiller Score 84
This is certainly going to please those sherry whisky lovers by attacking your senses on the nose and the palate with raisins and nuts. There is a moderate amount of wood spices, particularly on the finish. The proof helps to make this whisky not too sweet, but the dried fruits stay with you to the bittersweet end.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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BenRiach 15 Year Tawny Port Finish
Distiller Score 90
Along with a delicate floral aroma, there is a fair amount of dried red fruit on the nose as well. The whisky is a touch sweet and with some apricots and more of the dried red fruits. The finish is pleasant with a hint of cinnamon spiced caramel.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Hazelburn 12 Year
Distiller Score 82
The nose is very soothing, almost cake-like with a bit pepper, dried fruits and notes of sweet citrus such as mandarin. The palate is full and smooth which is what you might expect from triple distillations, but is completely incomparable to say Auchentoshan which seems quite a bit heavier than this single malt. There’s a touch of ginger and bitter lemon with the finish ending on the dry side, perhaps due to the sherry casks.
Reviewed by Brock Schulte