Year: 2014

Review #5 – Johnnie Walker Green Label

November 29, 2014 / Joshua Reding

Johnnie Walker Green Label (43% ABV, discontinued)

Nose: Green caramel apple. Citrus. Light smoke. Fresh-cut grass. A bright nose of early autumn flavors.

Palate: Pear. Buttery. Vanilla. Tastes exactly like a pear tart.

Finish: Sweet wood. Salty; almost fishy. Medium length.

Overall: Not bad at all; quite fresh. However, I don’t think the finish balances the fruitiness of the nose and palate. The saltiness comes out of nowhere, and not in a particularly good way (after a while, I actually found this quite unpleasant). I think this is the e150 I’ve so far avoided in my other reviews.

76/100

EDIT: It’s been brought to my attention that this bottle may have been old and the dram sub-par. I hope I can try this again in the future with a fresh outlook.

Review #4 – Highland Park 12

November 22, 2014 / Joshua Reding

Highland Park 12 (43% ABV)

Nose: Strong honey; like the inside of an apiary. Brown sugar. Apple. Light smoke. Slight salty-sweet ocean air. Really quite sweet overall.

Palate: Mild. Bing cherry. Coffee cake. Maple syrup.

Finish: Medium length, and smooth. Woody and dry. Wheatgrass. I’m really having trouble picking anything else out here…it’s quite a simple finish.

Overall: It’s okay. For its price, definitely a bargain, but in whole, it’s a bit sweet for my taste. There’s nothing I actively dislike in it though. Definitely the candidate for a more regular whisky on my poor college student budget, especially as a peat fan.

84/100

Review #3 – Ardbeg Uigeadail

November 21, 2014 / Joshua Reding

Ardbeg Uigeadail (54.2% ABV)

Nose: Delicious smoke. Salty, sweet sea air. I’m back on West Sands in St. Andrews with my friends having a bonfire on my semester abroad.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly thick, coating the mouth.

Palate: Dark chocolate-covered plums. Creme brûlée. Applewood-smoked bacon. Pleasant sweetness in many different forms.

Finish: Smoke and strong wood come out the nose (I feel like a dragon). Complements of leather and sweet pine. Rosemary. A slight cough-syrupy quality, but not in a bad way. Warm and homely – dozing off by the fireplace in the winter. Lasts forever; I can still taste it half an hour later.

This is my absolute favorite whisky to date. It is incredible. I doubt I will ever find something else quite like this. The only possible improvement for me would be some sort of spice on the palate (like nutmeg), but at this point I am splitting hairs.

98/100

Review #2 – The Dalmore Cigar Malt

November 18, 2014 / Joshua Reding

Dalmore Cigar Malt (44% ABV)

Color: Deep amber. Almost red.

Nose: Quite gentle and aromatic. Cinnamon, cranberries, apples. Wonderful holiday smells approaching the Christmas season!

Palate: Orange peel with spiced dark chocolate.

Finish: Woody, leathery. Mildly bitter from a bit more citrus, but more like a cleaning product citrus.

Lovely and cosy; wonderful for a cold winter night. The nose was my favorite part of this. Honestly, I wasn’t satisfied with the bitter finish. My friend assures me that pairing this with a cigar is a heavenly experience, and I’m sure this combination would enhance the taste of the finish, but I’m not one for smoking, so I’m left wanting.

82/100

Review #1 – Oban 14

November 15, 2014 / Joshua Reding

Oban 14 (43% ABV)

Color: Deep gold, and very slightly reddish.

Nose: Dark fruits and honey. Definitely raisins. (They unfortunately served it in a tumbler, so I feel like I’m missing a lot here)

Palate: Sweet right away. Caramel and dark fruits. Warm blackberry pie comes to mind.

Finish: Dry, woody. Honey comes back a bit. The woodiness lingers for a little while. Very smooth. No burn at all going down

Overall: Would definitely try again, and works wonderfully as a dessert whisky (I am very partial to mellow and fruity desserts, so this may just be my opinion).

EDIT: This has become one of my favorite whiskies. Wonderfully rich, complex, and delicious.

89/100