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Paul John Edited Single Malt
Distiller Score 87
Islay-esque, but not Islay, Edited is reminiscent of old-style Bruichladdich. Whiffs of peat show as lightly antiseptic bandages, then the maltiness that characterizes Paul John. Wheat germ or cream of wheat porridge is lightly dusted with savory spices – like barbecue spice. Peppery heat, another hallmark of the distillery, injects piquancy into a rich, round body, while hints of fruit sugars add sweetness. The whisky finishes in a slight, pleasant, woody bitterness. Served blind you’d swear this was Scotch. Improves greatly after sitting in an open bottle for a few weeks.
Reviewed by Davin de Kergommeaux
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Teeling Hybrid No. 1 Edition
Distiller Score 92
Big Islay-whisky notes on the nose, which is full of peat and iodine, sea salt, anise, and an underlying creamy vanilla. On the palate, one also gets smoke, pepper, maple syrup, ginger, allspice, cinnamon toast, and vegetation. The finish is warm and long. A complex, excellent marriage of Islay and Ireland.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Three Ships 5 Year Premium Select
Distiller Score 89
The signature peatiness on the nose is woven into the blend as one of many rounded components. But the whisky really sets sail after the first sip. Vanilla sweetness leads a robust smoky charge into a slightly sour bready note. This is a tight peated blend with heavy Bartlett pear syrup and traces of lemon in the finish. It’s this sour citrus note that completes the circle inviting another well-deserved sip.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips
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Mars Iwai Tradition
Distiller Score 89
Here we have a full meal from the whisky’s kitchen. Fumes of briny peat, malt, and robust smoke emanate from its double doors. The palate serves up smoked meats, crushed almonds and peppercorns, along with a generous helping of creamy malt. You’ll want to chew on this for a bit.
Reviewed by Sam Davies
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Lot No. 40 Canadian Rye
Distiller Score 91
A hint of maraschino appears on the nose along with the touch of brown sugar and salted caramel. On the palate, this lives up to the mash-bill. Tons of black pepper and barrel spices along with tobacco and a bit of bitter coffee. There’s a nondescript fruitiness on the long tannic finish. A fine Canadian example.
Reviewed by Paul Belbusti
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J.P. Wiser's Alumni Whisky Series Wendel Clark
Distiller Score 90
Wendel Clark punched with his palate for this balanced rye beast. The nose beautifully combines all of rye’s glory with floral lilacs, herbal dill, spiced caraway, dried fruits, vanilla toffee, oak and rye bread. The palate elevates the nose’s rye spice with sweet, sour and floral intonations that add depth to the whisky’s sweeping grainy character. The sweet finish is longer than a two-minute minor allowing the rye spice to cool down.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips
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J.P. Wiser's Legacy Canadian Whisky
Distiller Score 94
J.P. Wiser would be rolling in his grave. Not because this whisky insults the name, quite the opposite in fact – he’d be rolling to bust out and try it. The whisky’s nose pulses from one note to the next where a potpourri wafts in and out like a star-studded movie full of cameos. The cast includes maple, baking spices, vanilla, rye bread, charismatic oak and the full spectrum of orchard fruits. Missing is George Clooney. All of the same notes land in the palate mingled with a sweet and peppery citric zest. Toasted oak comes through and fades into tobacco as Legacy starts rolling its long list of delicious finishing credits.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips
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J.P. Wiser's Alumni Whisky Series Larry Robinson
Distiller Score 91
Robinson’s stylish game is on full display in this impressive whisky. It is a refined monster with a complex nose that darts between berries, dark plums and oak smoke dressed with herbal and wild floral tones. This sophisticated nose is seasoned with spice on the palate with a range of oak flavors that lands like a figure skater. The rich spicy finish sends anything in its path into the boards.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips
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Gooderham & Worts Four Grain Canadian Whisky
Distiller Score 93
Dr. Don Livermore masterfully layers subtlety after subtlety in this soon to be classic Canadian Whisky. Poised spices are discreet but big enough to direct vanilla, dusty straw and crisp dry grains from over acting. This is before even taking sip. The flavors blend with a sturdy wood framework seamlessly held together without nails. Freshly baked bread and cereals lead into a complex finish that lights up the mouth with just a shade of tannins. The gusto flavors extracted from each grain is woven so tight that pulling them apart would produce a thesaurus of words worthy of Webster.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips
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Tap Rye Port Finished Canadian Rye
Distiller Score 86
Port aroma is faint on the nose, but more prominent is classic rye spiciness. As for the palate, well, port lovers need not apply. Surprisingly, there’s not much raisin, dark berries, or any other port characteristic to be found. What is detected are plenty of savory spices, faint smoke, and a tempting dry finish. The rye itself is of high quality, but I can’t help but wish the port was as integrated as advertised.
Reviewed by Paul Belbusti
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The Gospel Straight Rye Whiskey
Distiller Score 87
Aromatically the whiskey shows lots of toasty oak notes, dried herbs, raw apples, sweet tobacco and mint. As you taste, it's medium light in body and more of those tobacco/raisin notes show up along with more mint. There's also a touch of vanilla and char smoke there on the finish, but those flavors are light. It's nice to experience the rye flavors without the whiskey being overly sweet. The finish is a little hot and dry and while it's on the young side, it is still worth picking up.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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BEARFACE 7 Year Triple Oak
Distiller Score 90
Whisky maker Andres Faustinelli has blended a whisky that takes complex oak finishing process and converts it into a warm bear-hug of balanced oak-driven flavors. Spicy oak and floral tones on the nose coat caramel, sweet corn and maple that carries into an opulent palate running the gamut between spicy, fruity and tart. A well-calculated oak frame is built atop this flavor base. That sweetness slowly fades to toasty corn nuts then dry peppery spices. Starts sweet, finishes dry, perfect for any whisky forward cocktail or sipped on its own.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips