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Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Year Batch 1 (2019)
Distiller Score 94
This malt hits the palate with sweet, smoky grace and a flavorful fruity hook. Smoldering smoke mingles on the nose with exotic fruits braced by chili and cloves. The oily palate is rich and united, balancing an Islay S’more of dark chocolate sandwiched between crackling wood. A late liniment note tugs into a long and heavenly toasted finish with refined peat holding it together from beginning to end. Ardbeg at its best.
Reviewed by Blair Phillips
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Octomore 07.4/167 Virgin Oak
Distiller Score 90
The nose is incredibly rich and complex with Octomore peaty signature but also creamy vanilla, dried fruits and nutty hints. Past the smoke and peat, the palate is surprisingly balanced and shows subtle herbal honey, toffee and licorice. Overall, a sweet and powerful dram with a pleasant French oak influence and a lingering finish.
Reviewed by Anne-Sophie Bigot
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Octomore 12.1
Distiller Score 87
Salty sea air pairs with oyster brine and iodine on the nose, with simmering campfire, asphalt, and canned pineapples and peaches in syrup. The phenolics show heavier on a dry palate, with burnt rubber, cigar ash, and menthol in front of lighter background notes of vanilla and coconut. The finish is lengthy and smoky, with dried peat, wet soil, astringent oak, leather, black pepper, and charbroiled meats.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Laphroaig 30 Year The Ian Hunter Story Book 2
Distiller Score 94
The color is a striking deep mahogany in the glass. Find dried fruits on the nose, with walnuts, clover honey, and dates, all in front of wafts of smoke, salt, and cigar ash. The palate is rich and full, with leather, black pepper, and cedar. Towards the back, it's briny and medicinal, with iodine and menthol. The phenols continue on the finish, with peat, smoke, and tannic oak interspliced with hints of honey, powdered sugar, and citrus peel.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Laphroaig 30 Year The Ian Hunter Story Book 1
Distiller Score 93
The nose starts with a teriyaki glazed roast, with honey and meatiness, alongside creamsicle, lemon zest, heather and seawater. More of Laphroaig's typical peat smoke, charcoal and salt come out to play on the palate, all working alongside sweet vanillins of toffee and fudge. A long lasting finish is minty, peppery and herbal, with oak and pine, ash, and canned peaches.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Ardbeg Supernova 2015
Distiller Score 86
Many of the traditional Ardbeg usual suspects are here, particularly the savory, meaty and ashy profile, but green grass, dried fruits, and crushed cookies also make their mark, albeit in tiny doses. Some sweet malt appears, but your palate is soon flooded with prickly spice, tar, iodine, and campfire smoke. If you add some water, the whisky fattens and softens just a bit with sweet malt dousing the flames so to speak. Try this whisky both ways to see which you prefer, but if water is added, add just a few drops.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Octomore 11.1
Distiller Score 87
The whisky has a light golden color. Naturally the peat is the first thing you notice upon opening the bottle. But after a few minutes in a glass other aromas come through like mint, sweet malt, and mossy/grassy notes. Tasting without water is difficult, but possible if that is your preference. But you're bound to miss out on the nuances of the whisky if you don't add water. With water you'll find a little lemon zest on the nose and the whisky becomes more manageable on your palate. Still, the barrel spices--particularly cinnamon--shine. The sweet malt helps to tame the heat a little and the peat is present at all times.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Octomore 10 Year Second Edition (2016 Release)
Distiller Score 92
The nose is a bit of a "potpourri" with masses of floral and fruity notes. The Octomore signature peaty/smoky aroma, is fairly gentle considering the impressive PPM level. The palate is incredibly complex and ever-changing with new flavors appearing at all times. Apart from the obvious smokiness: citrus-y notes, lime cake, tropical fruits, oak, bay leaf, and rosemary honey to name but a few! This Octomore is seriously impressive.
Reviewed by Anne-Sophie Bigot
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Octomore OBA Concept
Distiller Score 92
The peaty Octomore signature is definitely showing at first sniff, followed by rich summer fruits, salted caramel, sweet spices, herbal honey and pine bonbons. The spices turn from sweet to hot on the palate. The liquid is warm and earthy with a strong red wine influence--think red currants and strawberries. Underlying notes of minty dark chocolate also appear after a few seconds in the mouth. The finish is lingering, still strong on the smoky side but also showing spicy and fruity hints. A killer dram!
Reviewed by Anne-Sophie Bigot
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Laphroaig 25 Year Cask Strength (2020 Edition)
Distiller Score 96
The nose is more delicate and elegant than expected, with a combination of creamy vanilla pudding and salinity. The palate offers marzipan, peaches and a bit of tropical fruit with black pepper. Moving towards the back the phenolics kick in, with ash, asphalt, leather, and peat. The finish is brief but captivating, with peat, oyster shells, and a heap of sea salt and black pepper.
Reviewed by Jake Emen
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Ardbeg Alligator
Distiller Score 92
This much char and peat can get out of control, but Ardbeg has tamed those twin beasts and delivered a malt that is full of charcoal smoke, peat, and crème brûlée-- heavy on the brûlée -- on the nose. Taste is big on mocha, peat, anise, caramel, toasted nuts, and even BBQ, all with an underlying creamy vanilla sweetness binding it together. Aggressive and challenging, but worth accepting the challenge.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Lagavulin 25 Year
Distiller Score 95
Stewed fruits and dried apricots open the nose, with a meaty smokiness, charcoal, both seaweed and seashell, and iodine. The palate enters with drying smoke, with a background of zingy ginger, citrus zest and honey, and layers of smoke, peat, and salt. Big, intense finish, with a hearty Islay trio of smoke, brine, and iodine, trailing off into peat, pepper, and seaweed. There are long finishes, and then there's this, which simply goes and goes. Ongoing flavor continues rolling in, the tumbling waves of Islay's coastlines bottled up.
Reviewed by Jake Emen