Auchentoshan The Bartender's Malt

I saw this bottle on the bottom shelf at my local liquor store and thought to myself that, while I’m not a huge Auchentoshan fan, this one has quite a high level of eye-rolling marketing going on. So for $44 I thought, why not? It will at least mix well. Let’s start with the marketing: it’s got shiny copper stickers on the box and bottle proclaiming is an annual (there’s more to come), limited release (collectible) and that this is the first release (#1’s are really collectible). Yesssssss! The eye roll part is that Auchentoshan rounded up the 12 best bartender’s from around the world, had them collaborate on this blend AND DECLARE THEM AS THE NEW MALT ORDER!! (It’s actually on the label). Holy hell, so now if the apocalypse comes I need to find one of these cats so I can get a fitting End of the World cocktail. Let’s evaluate this whisky before we crown them as saviors, shall we? Well, first of all, it’s bottled at 47% ABV. That’s quite hefty and I’d say that the group probably decided a higher ABV was needed for when they were slinging this stuff into flaming cocktails, dumping it across 4 inch ice cubes or planting that cliched umbrella into the highball glass. It’s light copper in color and makes some nice runny legs if you give it a twirl. Here’s where things get interesting... The nose is flat out incredible! It’s kind of sweet with honey-dipped apple and apricot notes, but then a crazy floral and spice note appears that’s really similar to Four Roses bourbon. The high ABV really punches up those notes to a higher level. The smell is mesmerizing. Well done. The palate gives away the majority of the youthful whisky at play here, though. There’s some nice sharp ginger and lemon zest that liven things up very well. The harshness is still present even into the finish, but I can see where this would hold up really well in a mixed drink. It’s a bit of a chore to handle it neat, however. Water may be your friend here. The finish is long with pepper and oak spices ruling the day. The mouthfeel is vibrant and not very mouth coating, but that’s okay I think. Overall, the cheesiness of the whole NMO thing and the Bestest, Annual, Limited Blah Blah is a bit overplayed, but what counts inside the bottle, is there. I even saw that Auchentoshan has brought the group back for round 2, so they must be happy with the finished product and sales. If they keep the pricing around $40-45 I would definitely buy it, and I certainly recommend this batch, as well. Buy a bottle and sling some crazy cocktails of your own- before the real apocalypse arrives. 4.25 stars. Cheers, my friends.

Soft but full arrival, no initial bite, very well rounded vanilla/cream soda, some saltiness, little almond, oak bite at the finish. A solid dram.

2018.01.30 - 47% ABV and amazing. Amazing nose. Great taste. Equally good with water but I think I like it better without water. Nice nose!

I like but needs water. Cost $49.00

Good overall.

Straight, this has a complex flavor that's heavily masked by its spicy finish. But with soda water, this is a fantastically complex sipper, lots of fruit and caramel with a full oak finish.