Port Charlotte 16 Year

Gorgeous for anybody loving peaty whisky. Just perfect with very long finish

Dram 3 of my day off. I'm doing about half oz pours, maybe less so please keep that in mind with these scores and overall reviews. It's the best I can do with samples. Nose - rich alcohol forward with a really powerful sweetness to it. This one reminds me more of some kind of shoe varnish, though not leathery. Going back in there oak is over powered but still a nice clean mellow almost buffalo trace like oak is coming through. Very clean and engaging. I'm really getting overwhelmed by this sweetness, it's just simple sweetness but really intense. Perhaps driven by some savory BBQ sauce notes. I'm digging it and it's really interesting how little the peat is showing here but it's still here. Taste - OK we have a winner for the day so far. A full spectrum of flavors here. Starting off with the sugary candied sweetness, some light vanilla, oak starts to show up, then a bit bold peat driven Hawaiian pig roast peat, then finishing with light oak and vanilla. There's some spice in there as well, very classic isaly and oak driven. Lovely lovely whisky. This should become a staple for them. For about 100 bucks this could be a must have on a bar, even at 125. It's a shame this is a one off. I'm going a gleefully high 3.0. This is one to seek out if the prices are reasonable, not just to buy if you see but actively go find one.

This is Port Charlotte 10 turned up to, well, 16. Age has not tempered it. It’s bigger, brasher, peatier and sweeter. The nose is heathery peat and menthol layered over the flesh of white grapes. It’s oily and sweet in the mouth, with a dash of pepper. The finish is long and sweet, and perhaps a little cloying for my taste. I passed on buying a full bottle of this despite drawing a winning lottery ticket as the price gave me pause. I’m glad I did. While it’s a very well executed whisky, the Sauternes casks are a little too dominant for my liking. If you like your peat with a sugar coating, however, you’ll enjoy this sweet 16.

Big peachy nose with hints of salt, toffee sweetness. There is an underlying cheesy funk that ruins it for me.

This is a first impression only. Smoke is ample but balanced with the sweetness of the malt and cask additions. It’s almost as if the smoke lifts and supports and lifts the malt and sherry to the center. Remarkable dram very delicious. Does not blow my mind for the price, but I’m not upset. Lots of complexity in it to explore over time.