St. George Baller Single Malt Whisky

Wow is this interesting! Definite notes of orange peel. It may be a take on Japanese whiskey but I don’t taste peat. I hear it’s supposed to be good for Japanese highballs, hence the name.

Made for highballs. It’s good but there are great whiskies for highballs for half the price.

Smokey. Good warmth. Some sweetness.

Nose is very light, with peach and plum and a bit of yeast. The taste is where the fun is. It’s incredibly light on the tongue, almost oily but without feeling slick. Plums, peat, with hints of barley and wild honey, and a nice lingering heat to round it out. Very interesting. Not for everyone, but I dig it!

Dank bottle aesthetic - keep it coming. Flips the bird to the run of the mill corporate marketing department. A pale straw in the glass. Weak legs but a smidge of oil to the liquid. A bit of a floral+chemical nose with a muted vanilla undercurrent. It doesn’t nose harshly, but nevertheless usually forces me out after a solid huff, confirming the youth. Hint of prune, but hard to place overall. A bit of paint thinner. Not a killer, but surely not a selling point. Thin, but retains a tease of oily texture. A light vanilla opening reminiscent of recent experiences with Toki or Hatozaki. Those prune notes eventually return as the spice and saccharides gradually build. Carries a pervasive mustiness that I like to characterize as “oat” but clearly is young barley and has this creamy starch to it that’s hard to embrace. The floral character often roars like a dragon, then disappears. And every now and then you can catch a distinct vein of smoke, but it is impish and only shows itself every seventh sip. The plum liqueur finish definitely sets this apart and creates a reason for the palate to be intrigued, but tragically doesn’t seem to ever quite arrive at desirable. While this is drinkable, it isn’t really up my alley. I’m all for supporting American single malt but I think this bottling has been overbilled. It is serviceable and I’d have a pour on a whim, but I’m not sure why I’d ever purchase another bottle. There are more than enough established and composed single malt options around this price range that ultimately just provide a more enjoyable experience.