Year: 2015 (Page 1 of 2)

Review #18 – Glenfiddich 18

September 6, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Glenfiddich 18 (40% ABV)

Color: Light amber

Nose: Certainly apples. Caramel apples, spiced applesauce, apples, apples, apples.

Mouthfeel: Thin.

Palate: Slightly salty and sweet. Apple and pear tart with a buttery crust. Shortbread.

Finish: Short. Creamy. Vanilla, creme brûlée, pears. Really quite sweet and grainy. As someone who doesn’t have a big sweet tooth, it’s a bit overpowering.

Overall: Too sweet for me. I could see it being quite fitting for a summer afternoon on the porch, though.

77/100

Review #17 – Virginia Highland Malt

September 5, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Virginia Highland Malt (46% ABV)

For those who don’t know, this is a Highland malt which is shipped to Virginia after being produced and aged in Scotland for the required legal time, and then finished in Virginia port casks.

Color: Amber

Nose: Sweet. Caramel and honey, with a slight woodiness. Really smells like a somewhat subdued bourbon nose.

Mouthfeel: Light

Palate: Sweet and fresh. Bright fruits. Apple, pear, lemon, raspberry, more honey.

Finish: Sweet wood and lightly grassy. Quite fresh, like the palate.

Overall: This is really a fascinating dram. The American influence is clear in the nose and a bit in the palate, as it almost comes across like a bourbon in places. However, the combination of that and its Highland origin surprisingly results in a taste and finish similar to Balvenie 12 Triple Cask, a Speyside. I really quite enjoyed this, and found it much more interesting than the Balvenie, as it has a different dimension of sweetness to it. I mentioned in my Balvenie review that it would be a good alternative to bourbon in the summer, but this, in my opinion, would be an even better option.

87/100

Review #16 – Caol Ila Hermitage Wood Finish 2001

September 2, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Caol Ila Hermitage Wood Finish 2001 (45% ABV)

Color: Deep amber

Nose: Sweet and woody. Red fruits, strawberry and cranberry, honey, light ocean breeze.

Mouthfeel: Medium, with no burn. Somewhat chalky.

Palate: Salty and herby. Rosemary, mint, more wood. Ossobuco and similar wine-marinated meats.

Finish: Long. Light smoke that marries beautifully with the sweetness of the nose and herbs/meatiness of the palate. Very well-rounded.

Overall: Delicious. This is one that falls more into my “a meal in a dram” category, rather than “a dessert in a dram.”

90/100

Review #15 – Balvenie Triple Cask 12

August 4, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Balvenie Triple Cask 12 (40% ABV)

Color: Gold

Nose: Sweet, bright, and fruity. Candied apples and pears. Lemon. Honey.

Mouthfeel: Light

Palate: More fruity sweet. Honey. Spiced applesauce. Lemon peel.

Finish: Vanilla oak. Fresh-cut grass. More apple.

Overall: Primary flavor is clearly apple; sort of a one-idea dram. However, it’s quite nice and light, and certainly befitting the summer. I would certainly consider buying this again as an alternative to bourbon in the hotter months. Any other time of the year, and it’s thinness would come across as unsubstantial.

84/100

Review #14 – Bowmore 12

July 23, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Bowmore 12 (40% ABV)

Color: Shiny gold

Nose: Sweet and salty. Saltwater taffy. Light smoke. Faint citrus and mint.

Palate: Light. Similar to Talisker. Maritime salty breeze. Sea vegetation.

Finish: Sweet barbecue smoke and meat. Vaguely fish-y.

Overall: Pretty good. I’d place this just above Caol Ila in my preferences of Islays, but still not close to Laphroaig, Lagavulin, or Ardbeg.

86/100

Review #13 – Laphroaig Select

July 19, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Laphroaig Select (40% ABV)

Color: Gold leaf

Nose: Certainly more subdued than the Laphroaig 10 nose. Still smoke, but not billowing. Fruity and spicy. Red apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, salted caramel, mint.

Mouthfeel: Thin. (Noticeable that it is only 40%)

Palate: Salty and sweetly vegetal. Tree sap, fresh-cut grass, ocean breeze, citrus.

Finish: Medium. Salt and charred wood. Black tea.

Overall: Interesting herbal and vegetal flavors, but certainly subdued for a Laphroaig. I’d take the 10 any day.

83/100

Review #12 – Benriach 17 Burgundy Finish

July 15, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Benriach 17 Burgundy Finish (46% ABV)

Nose: Fruity, creamy, and rich. Honey, red berries, creme brûlée, toffee, coffee cake. Excellently balanced. I’m drinking this in.

Mouthfeel: Medium.

Palate: Wet and fruity. Clear evidence of the burgundy finish here. Dark grapes, blueberries, blackberries. Pie crust.

Finish: Medium. Woody and bitter. Lightly herbal. Mint.

Overall: Seriously delicious. A full dessert in a drink.

89/100

Review #11 – Auchentoshan Three Wood

July 3, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Auchentoshan Three Wood (43% ABV)

Color: Deep Amber

Nose: Honey, caramel apple, toffee. Sweet and sticky.

Mouthfeel: Medium.

Palate: Salty and earthy. Roast meat and potatoes with thyme.

Finish: Bitter and spicy. Very woody, like the smell of fresh mulch. Surprisingly long.

Overall: I was pleasantly surprised by this one, especially the substantial mouthfeel and finish. I would definitely consider buying it in a regular size.

86/100

Review #10 – Caol Ila 12

April 18, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Caol Ila 12 (43% ABV)

Color: Light gold.

Nose: Light smoke, sea salt, heather honey, floral, lemon peel. Saltwater taffy.

Mouthfeel: Medium.

Palate: Sweet and dry. Mild smoke, chocolate, toffee, salt, maple syrup, nutmeg. Darker sweetness than the nose.

Finish: Medium-long. Grass, wood, iodine, metallic, salty. Seaside vegetation. Coffee and sugar after a while – interesting.

Overall: Decent. I would recommend this as an entry-level Islay to beginning aficionados.

85/100

Review #9 – Lagavulin 16

January 14, 2015 / Joshua Reding

Lagavulin 16 (43% ABV)

Color: Amber

Nose: Quite bright flavors. Sea salt. Lemon peel. Wood smoke. Green apple. Caramel. Wheatgrass. Nutmeg.

Palate: Sweet and savory. Vanilla. Chili pepper. Pine. Rosemary. More lemon peel and salt.

Finish: Long. Dry and vegetal. Cabbage. Seaweed. Metallic. Faint smoke return.

Overall: Very nice. Fresh with many oceanic notes. Another dram that takes me away to a rocky shore in bonnie Alba.

88/100