Nose: Butterscotch, cedar, touch of sulfur
Palate: Caramel, lemon peel, mongo white tea, sulfur.
Rating: 5 / 10 – too dirty sulfur for me but it’s an exciting pour.
Nose: As a kid you couldn’t force me, but somehow in my 40s I’ve finally acquired the taste for well crisped fat. Especially with the charred caramelized bits. Rich decadence off the charts. I’ve had cassis on the brain all week. Stained glass purple tinted fingertips. Blackberries from the warm side of the train tracks, ultra ripe sticky deep red figs, veering into vieille prune. Old saddle tack and grandpa’s pipe tobacco. Black shoe polish, restrained, deep, elegant.
Palate: A full suitcase of gentle flavors. Sorry sir, that won’t fit into the overhead bin, would you like us to check this for you? You don’t look to be in a rush. A sweet dustiness, with hints of polish. Boom. Warm, wood embrace, which for me is good but won’t suit everyone. I blew my nose after a big sip and could see the quercus vapors curling out of my nostrils like puff the magic dragon. Sweet and dry tones of a well-tuned fruit leather. I’m back into running long distances after a 5 year break and was praying the industry had shifted from sickly fruit flavored energy sources to anything less sweet. No luck, but the natural fruit jellies have come a long way. I really enjoyed the green banana, ginger and cardamom chews. Add a bit of oak extract, and you are on point.
Rating: 7 / 10 – What a nose. And the palate is no slouch, if you can really slow down and give it space. I love this level of wood, but my instinct is that they waited too long. Would have loved to try it at 30 years in cask.
Nose: Chicken satay peanut sauce, peanut brittle. FRESHLY CRACKED DENTAL DAM. We sure he logged this right? Smells like a madeira. So savory. Rosemary. Mince and apple pie. Curried apples. Golden raisins. Lebanese rice pilaf with dried cranberries and almonds. Wet hay and clovers.
Palate: Usually when the palate matches the nose, that is a plus. But noooope. Nope nope nope. This goes onto the cheap street food that keeps you up all night and industrial rubber spectrum. Then it shifts into a kinda pleasing apple pie vibe. But it doesn’t save it.
Rating: 4 / 10 – Friends don’t let friends drink this alone. Hold my hand Ryan. This juice is for savages. The dry sherry vibe is so darn overwhelming.
Nose: A summer alpine meadow. Honeycomb and chamomile. Waxy and polish. Sugar pea vines in bloom.
Palate: A subtle entrance that blossoms with time. White tea, orange peel and a spoonful of honey. Rose hips with a gentle non-cloying sweetness. A pimm’s cup.
Rating: 6 (Shane) 7 (Ryan) / 10 – this should be served in a garden cafe. With little cakes and cucumber sandwiches. The perfect summer bottle.
Nose: Mace and flash fried sage leaves. Walnuts, apple butter, Nasturtiums on a bitter salad with a mix of rocket and arugula. Ripe green grapes, with a hint of acidity. Light pickling spices/herbs, and meringue. If this had Grosperrin on the label, I wouldn’t bat an eye.
Palate: Grosperrin, is that you? This continues to drink like a cognac!? Wood is quite present but balances out pretty well with the rest of the palate. Sweet grape paired with a light Indian spice funk. Grapefruit peel. Honeydew. Cinnamon, nutmeg and coriander. Pue’r and hints of leather. This is so lovely. I’m Waxxxy and I know it.
Rating: 6 (Ryan) 8 (Shane) / 10 – What are the odds Kay fucked up and gave us a 1972 cognac? But then again, there is a style of whisky from the 70s that crosses the stream. Ryan finds it just a bit too woody/astringent, but I love the pairing with the fruit.
Nose: Violets and honeysuckle. Sphagnum moss and orchids. Orange sweetened dried cranberries. Rich deep scone vibe, with a huge dollop of fresh whipped cream and a couple ripe strawberries. And a mint leaf for garnish. Sugar cookie batter. Slights hints of fresh celery.
Palate: The palate is an exact match to the nose, which is absolutely delightful. The wood is strong but perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the sherry integration. Fatty texture. Reminds me of the first fat washed apple cider I had. Honey and warm brown sugars. Hazelnut. Shane gets anise seed but Ryan leans toward shashito pepper. A splash of raspberry. This drinks insanely smooth, and yet, minutes later, there is a big mouth tingle on the finish
Rating: 9 / 10 – This is the closest thing to whisky “dessert” I think I’ve had without having sugar shock. A level of elegance I wasn’t ready for, but have to kneel and shout… we are not worthy. Feels like I should have dressed up. Good thing Ryan wore his thong. I totally get why people chase after these older Glengoynes.
Nose: White pepper, lemon pith, crushed red chili peppers
Palate: Sesame oil, slightly salty and green bell pepper. I smoked a cigar at a wedding yesterday and can still taste the tingle on my mouth.
Rating: 5 / 10 – I bet the peat lovers will trip on this, but I prefer bbq over ciggie. It lacks depth for me but I’m sure others will call it elegant.
Nose: Cinnamon honey sticks, tangerine white tea, soft peppermint candy. I used to climb on the giant hay bales at the farm next to my grandparents, as they dried.Touch of steel cut oats.
Palate: Cloves and peppermint oil. homemade roasted & dried seaweed snack. Jasmine green tea.
Rating: 8 / 10 – I just love this profile. BBQ full forward. Bit more herbal than some but well within my tolerance level.
Nose: Cinnamon smore with white chocolate, well used hiking boots after walking on volcanic landscape (lanzarote red moon dust), monk fruit sweetener, touch of brullee
Palate: Slightly medicinal and something green. Julie bought xylitol mango gum claiming it’s healthy. Salted anise. If they smoked a california raisin.
Rating: 7 / 10 – Pretty darn yum.
Nose: Classic profile mmm, cinnamon dunnage warehouse, swamp grass and reeds, brackish river water, ocean spray, slightly dirty / funky. Buttery bandaids, sidewalk n ozone.
Palate: Oyster, seaweed salad, cedar box, clove and cinnamon toothpick, broccolini, and peach ring candy. Camphor. Tastes like bandaids with that weird texture of dental mold paste. The ones where they ask for cinnamon or bubblegum but as you are gagging it doesn’t really matter.
Rating: 5 (Ryan) 6 (Shane) / 10
Nose: Fresh leather, menthol, subtle lychee
Palate: Strong menthol, chicory coffee, dark chocolate covered espresso bean, and dandelion greens. Medical tape and gauze. Very woody, mouthfeel is tannic. A sulfur vibe I need to revisit once my sinuses are 100%
Rating: 4 (Ryan) 5 (Shane) / 10 – yup… sulfur. Ouch.
Nose: Geranium and green apple.
Palate: Cinnamon apple sauce, sugar icing.
Rating: 6 / 10 – freaking lovely. Really enjoyable but only has one dimension.
Nose: Dry grass, eucalyptus, green apple.
Palate: Green mango, green pear, lychee, touch of salinity
Rating: 6 / 10 – beautifully fruity easy drinking, clearly has caramel coloring
Nose: Dandelion, lime leaves, lychee, green apple jolly rancher
Palate: Green apple jolly rancher, on old stale juicy fruit gum, white pepper, wax paper
Rating: 5 / 10 – while the nose isn’t a stunner, it gets better as it rests. The palate is pleasant but mild. Cask strength even at 43.5%.
Nose: Spongecake with grand marnier sprinkled on, tangerine flan, sawdust, waxiness.
Palate: Wax paper, tangerine taffy, julie’s aunt’s orange rolls, white tea where you left the paper label in, orange flan
Rating: 8 (Shane) 9 (Ryan) / 10 – Be excellent to each other – Party on, dudes! So-crates – “The only true wisdom consists in knowing that you know nothing”. Ted: “That’s us, dude.”
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