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Speyburn Bradan Orach
Distiller Score 78
The nose is full of rich malt, lemon, and some vanilla. There is a bit of a dirty quality on the nose, but despite the unevenness of the whisky, it is a good value for its price. The finish is full of fruity and honey tastes followed by a slight bitterness.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Hankey Bannister Original Blend
Distiller Score 82
The nose contains a rich and malty aroma, but proceeds on the palate more delicately. The whisky is very agreeable on the palate with a touch of almonds, vanilla, and sweet creamed corn. The wood and gingery spices come through on the finish ending pleasantly bitter.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Black & White Blended Scotch
Distiller Score 74
A pretty standard blend, with little to delight or disappoint. Light, with a nose of citrus, biscuits, and even something a bit sour. The taste grapples with the high percentage of young grain whisky in the blend, yielding salt and caramel, lemon, and something musty. Not much of a finish to speak of. Better suited perhaps for a highball than sipping neat.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Dewar's Ilegal Smooth
Distiller Score 80
An intriguing application from Dewar's, although it doesn't ultimately expand beyond the basic sum of its parts. A cheerful fruitiness opens on the nose with apricot leading the way. Malty and nutty aromas give way to some agave notes from the barrel finish. The spirit drinks with a nice plushness, offering pound cake and citrus flavors. In the finish, the agave returns with a spicy, bitter accent.
Reviewed by Colin Howard
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Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch Red Rye Finish
Distiller Score 80
Quite a versatile whisky that can be enjoyed both neat or as a perfect base for cocktails. Fairly easy-drinking, light and sweet with some bourbon-esque hints of vanilla, caramel & honey. Banoffee, rye bread and sweet oak spices come wrap this all up in a pleasant creamy mouthfeel.
Reviewed by Anne-Sophie Bigot
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Bank Note 5 Year Scotch Whisky
Distiller Score 80
Mild honey, delicate tangy citrus, hints of stone fruit, and cereal chewy grains greet you as you bring this blended whisky to your nose. The palate is more of the same; under promise and over deliver. Upon your first sip you will taste creamy vanilla nougat, milk chocolate, more grainy malts and a bitter and slightly astringent lemon zest. The finish is short and sweet of toasted bread, caramel, citrus and the most delicate wisps of peat smoke.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Vat 69 Blended Scotch Whisky
Distiller Score 79
The nose shows caramel, lemon zest, and soft wood spices. The palate has a touch of menthol and cinnamon and there's an average malty quality and body to the whisky, not too rich, not too thin. The finish is dry, but soft. Though you wouldn't necessarily write home about this blended whisky, it is serviceable.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Dewar's Japanese Smooth
Distiller Score 77
Honey, heather, and hay combine forces on the nose, along with butterscotch and black pepper. The palate is somewhat thin and one dimensional, with highlights of dark chocolate and and dried fruits. The finish is short, with a bitter astringency, toffee, and hints of the Mizunara oak in the form of wispy incense smoke and wood spice.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Dewar's French Cask Smooth
Distiller Score 89
This whisky is like two desserts in one! The nose is all spiced apple cake slathered in vanilla frosting, with hints of sandalwood. The palate is tarte tartin with flavors of baked granny smith apples, orange and lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a generous dollop of vanilla cream. There is a slight toasty, sesame-like element that pulls the flavors out of the cloying realm and carries them into a roasty, spicy, and fruity finish with more of that vanilla having the final word. It's definitely a dessert whisky, or one to sip as an aperitif with mild cheeses and pate.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster
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Dewar's Caribbean Smooth
Distiller Score 86
This is a fun blended Scotch from Dewar's, with finishing in rum casks bringing a little more depth to a fairly straightforward blend. It's a pleasantly sweet whisky, with notes of cereal, vanilla, orange peel, and chamomile. A rounded, butterscotch sweetness gives it weight. At 80-proof and affordably priced, it's a very sessionable Scotch.
Reviewed by Jacob Grier
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Whyte & Mackay Special Blended Scotch
Distiller Score 65
Strange musky aromas, balsamic vinegar, and sweet menthol are the dominant aromas. Some orchard fruits were found with some vanilla, but the other off-aromas were hard to ignore. Those qualities are subdued on the palate, as dark vanilla and a rummy quality take over. The finish seems out of balance with the alcohol seeming hotter than 80 proof.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Duggan's Dew O'Kirkintilloch
Distiller Score 73
It's not going to make you spontaneously jump up to do a Highland jig, but it won't kill you. It's really sweet, with lots of vanilla, caramel and milk chocolate and finishes with somewhat of an acetone kick. But at this price, there are plenty of worse things to drink, especially clear things, and you can always mix it with some soda, ginger ale or put it in a Rob Roy.
Reviewed by Amanda Schuster