Tasting Notes Rated: 6

Rating 6/ 10
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St Lucia 9 year Cask 26 The Secret Treasures John Dore Still 55%

Nose: Most people treat creme brûlée like they are all equal. Let me assure you there are not. St lucia has delivered a powerfully simple nose, with sweet depth. A luxurious cinnamon creme brûlée, salted dulce de leche, honey glazed peanuts. Touch of cherries.

Palate: Mild and pleasant, but it is missing the evocative character I was looking for. The oak seems to be the main element followed by a general sweetness. On a larger pull, a hint of bitterness, grapefruit peel and dark chocolate. The element of salt coming through at the end, which I quite enjoy.

Rating: 6 / 10 – A perfectly pleasant rum, a 5 at first, but letting it sit really helped surface more depth and I went back for a second pour.

Rating 6/ 10
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Lochindaal 2007 / 2019 Cask Mos19016 58.1% for Malts of Scotland

Nose: We took the kids for breakfast yesterday to Lava y Salt, a new bakery that makes epic light scones. Instead of whipped cream, she paired them with a bowl of mascarpone frosting. Both sweet and yet slightly funky. A tiny dash of sea salt. More body than cream and a definite step up for me. Kids were nonplussed. My daughter ordered golden milk, a daring adventure into the unknown, which turned out pretty delish and not at all what we expected. Ginger and cinnamon, honey, a dash of coconut and a fair bit of turmeric. More earthy than spiced chai. Thankfully this wasn’t as hippy as it sounds, so no incense, but that would basically cap this nose off perfectly.

Palate: Incredibly salty, which works for me given my heavy hand in the kitchen and years as a surfer, but you have to be into that and it’s a lot. Coriander and cardamom. Lime leaf and green plantains. The bitterness of green bell pepper. And a medicinal peat vibe, which feels unusual as I typically think of Lochindaal closer to the bbq smoke than classic Islay style of other brands. A palate of the sea and the soil.

Rating: 6 / 10 – I think what I love most about Lochindaal is how consistent they are. If you like one, you will like them all. It makes reviewing them a touch dull at times, but given how much joy they bring, screw it, it’s a delight! Drink it and have a nice day. But, given its my prerogative to be a touch picky, this isn’t hitting quite all the right notes for me at the moment. I find myself focused on the unusual bitterness. One of my last favorites bottles to date, which isn’t saying much as you can see from the score and is still excellent. Splitting hairs.

Rating 6/ 10
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Talisker 30 2011 45.8%

Nose: Pork cutlets. Apricot honey. Dates. Orange furniture polish. Roasted watermelon and baked apple. Warm straw and dropped overripe fruit in the orchard. What a pleasant nose.

Palate: Lemon pledge cleaning spray. Waxy tinged with old attic dust. Distinguished old cancerous psychologist. My grandfather would sit with me in his final years, and we would debate. It was a place of love and heady discussion. Of thin old wool sweaters. Of pipe tobacco.

Rating: 6 / 10 – This is both lovely and unpresumptuous. My buddy Tom sent a small care package so that we could enjoy both some epic scotch, and some horrific rums. What an awesome start to a few good nights on zoom together.

Rating 6/ 10
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Domaine de Charron 1988 47,4%

Nose: Coca cola concentrate. The shit my shop teacher used to degrease engines and dissolve baby teeth overnight. Black forest cake and dark chocolate cherry liqueur candies. Green turtle car wax. Brand new birthday balloons.

Palate: Carob. Licorice root extract. Portobello. Earthy and dense.The concentrator herbal intensity is off the scale. The syrup used to make Ricola. Then an oddly chemical moment, tastes like blowing up a balloon. Its got everything from the nose, from cola to chocolaty goodness. But that balloon overwhelmed it all.

Rating: 6 / 10 – If you love the herbal nature, this is freaking outstanding and probably an 8. I just don’t. So I can respect it enormously, but can’t love it.

Rating 6/ 10
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Jean Luc Pasquet Lot 70

Nose: My son wandered by, stuck his nose in the glass I had left out to breathe and asked if it was a beer. And now I can’t unsmell a blond ale no matter how hard I try. Power of suggestion? Or simply nailed it? I wish I had the Capovilla eau de biere with me to compare. It is the light pastry vibe that connects over to summer ale. Apricot pound cake and an almond danish; that heavy butter and baking spice yeastiness. A gentle and long waft of nutmeg.

Palate: From the nose to the palate. Pancakes with a heavy handful of baking soda. Almost sparkling on the tongue. My kids prefer them fluffy, myself nearly deep fried, with warm butter and a dusting of cinnamon sugar. Fresh almonds and crisp apple tart. And a dollop of natural greek yogurt, the tartness, not the creaminess. I’ve always loved my fruits best at the firm pre-fully ripe stage, with a zing of tartness. Greengage and limeade. But be warned, this sucker runs hot. Even with an hour of rest it zings.

Rating: 6 / 10 – I love the tart nature of this pour balanced with the rich oak spices. If the alcohol was less of a club, I’d drink this regularly.

Rating 6/ 10
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Sotol Por Siempre 45%

Nose: Fermented pineapple juice, Taco Bell hot sauce, hops, barnyard funk and wet hay, false pepper tree, green mojo with blood orange, granny smith apple, sour oranges. Man this thing is just rocken good.

Palate: Green peppercorn, grilled green bell pepper, wheat grass and lemon juice. A bright cedar, and green apple on the long pull. The earthiness of slightly unwashed weggies.. well veggies but that works too. Touch of eucalyptus, chamomile, frankincense and myrrh. Even so far as sandalwood oil. Slightest hint of big red cinnamon gum.

Rating: 5 (Shane) 6 (Ryan) / 10 – What a spectacular nose. The palate is nuanced and incredibly vegetal. I wish it was a hint brighter.

We’re pretty darn new to Sotol, so the ratings are based upon pure enjoyment and aren’t really a fair measurement of this spirit within the genre.

Rating 6/ 10
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Killowen Dalriadan Part 1 of 2 11 year 57.5%

Nose: An intense sea breeze tossing layers of salinity onto the shore. Lemon peel. Heavily smoked almonds and grilled nectarines. But I wouldn’t call it sweet bbq smoke. Too coastal. And a rich layer of hot chocolate, straight up cola-cao, and my grandfather’s pipe tobacco in the pouch.

Palate: A neurotically graceful pairing. Went coastal hiking with the kids in Porto today and packed snacks. Dried pineapple and salted peanuts. Which is nearly as bizarre as it sounds. Who would have guessed B would pair that in a glass. We had to feed my daughter before she killed me in a feat of hanger a couple hours in. Fortuitously, some dude was grilling ribs and salmon for sale along the trail. Brilliant, sketchy, delicious. The man measured salt in handfuls and crushed peppercorns with his fingers. Got to love Portugal. The salinity on this pour is off the charts. As a surfer, it brings it home for me.

Rating: 6 / 10 – It is a fascinating and challenging blend and just plain good. But I couldn’t see going to it often, it will take me a while to finish this one.

Rating 6/ 10
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Domaine de Charron 2004 Bottled 14/09/2016 Cask #94

Nose: Cherry coke bordering on Mike & Ike’s cherry cola. This blossoms into a spicy heat that I henceforth dub this dram the hot tamale. A lovely dusty oakapalooza. I wish the floors of our new home would look like this pour smells, all deep warm cherry reds and well aged with vibrant grain. But we live in Europe and everyone here sells oak. Awesome in my barrels but not what I want covering my house. Still a bit scarred from the 80s/90s. Hints of sawdust and molasses. Honestly, this is an armagnac in bourbon trappings. No wonder the Americans love this shit.

Palate: Oak my goodness. This has oaky waves of grain throughout, although it absolutely dominates the finish. The cherry en bouche is more cough drop than fresh fruit. Sour red plums. There is a light hint of anise and a heavy herbal craft soda vibe. I became mildly obsessed with Cockta on our last trip through Croatia, which is a soda made from rose hips and a bunch of other herbs by the slovenian government. Sadly, not sold here in the Canaries. But I’m struggling to find much beyond the coke & oak tonight.

Rating: 6 / 10 – Delicious bruiser of a pour. Wish it had a touch of subtlety to it. My initial instinct was that I would gladly own one. But, I then didn’t bother googling or looking for one. I even tried to talk myself into it, and couldn’t. So in honesty, it’s probably a 7 on some night, but a 6 tonight.

Rating 6/ 10
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Bushmills 1995 25Y Causeway Malaga Casks 53.5%

Nose: When I first got serious about triathlons, I went through a phase of trying to make my own energy sources, given the disastrous effects on my stomach 20 miles in from the commercial ones. And after a variety of experiments, concluded date paste was my favorite base. Dates, dried apricot and nut butter, almond or cashew. Dusty and dry stacked wood cord. Stale chocolate crunch bar from last Halloween – which to be straight up, is my favorite form of chocolate. The alcohol is overly present on the nose, blocking some of the more subtle notes… I keep hoping it will fade but it hasn’t much. Not a rocking nose, but it’s alright.

Palate: Dry and well spiced. Bayleaf. Coriander and cumin. I love to add oil which has held chiles de arbol, spicy, a touch of earthy fruitfulness. I wonder if anyone ever makes a spicy creme brûlée. That could be worth the novelty. And the taste in my mouth from when we burn sage. Cacao nibs with dried blueberries.

Rating: 6 / 10 – While the nose is a shrug off, the palate is legitimately interesting. The mouthfeel is a delightful journey into the land of spices. The age and rarity of this is fun, but I’ve had Bushmills I loved, and this isn’t a keeper.

Rating 6/ 10
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Ardnamurchan AD/CK.364 Paul Launois Champagne Finish Batch 1 58.2%

Nose: I swear my nose hair got shorter. A nice kumquat marmalade note.. Citric yet enticing. Got to be careful with these young whiskies. But as I got used to it, I was thrown back to childhood. It smells like play dough. Honey sweet with a slightly salty and wet clay layer. And a potent wall of passion flowers on a hot day.

Palate: Oh that is fun. I’m sure it’s psychological, and yet the mouthfeel is pétillant. Tingles the tongue. White peach gummies. Candied lemon peel. White peppercorn. I tried a white port + tonic in Oporto for the first time last week while there for work. A perfect balance and sweet and tart. Nailed it. The mouth-drying feel of pear skins. The champagne cask really plays a huge role, and in this case, it just works.

Rating: 6 / 10 – I like this so much more than I expected to. Pleasantly dry with sweet elements. Looking forward to catch two.