This 12 year old single malt is light amber in colour and has very light legs in the glass. Your nose will be treated to a clean citrus smell which gives way to a crisp toffee flavour.
This spirit reminds us why Auchentoshan is known for making “Glasgow’s Malt whisky” as it has a long and yet still smooth finish. Available for $65.00 at the LCBO this simple spirit can help anyone who has discovered a new love for single malts and is looking to begin building a single malt inventory.
Here we have a complex dram, which it owes to being aged first in bourbon casks and then being finished in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez casks.
Your eyes will see light legs of dark amber, almost bronze in colour. Your nose will smell a rich bouquet of spices. Your tongue will enjoy the flavour of these spices along with a touch of rich honey like sweetness. As you finish your dram you will receive a warmth in your chest to remind you of the lovely lowlands single malt you have just enjoyed. At $80.00 in the LCBO this spirit is best suited for someone who has been building their repertoire and can appreciate the complexity of the dram.
As you swirl your dram you will be struck by the rich molasses colour and your nose will be treated to a symphony of spices. Your first sip will bring the tastes of cinnamon and a fruity flavour that will bring cherries to mind. This will give way to a subtle, but still noticeable, warmth in the chest. This very welcome feeling will linger to remind you of the full flavoured whisky that has been gifted by the Scottish Highlands.
Nose: Very peaty smell but blends nicely with the aroma of mocha, vanilla and toasted nuts.
Pallet: This bottle is a little sweet like the original 63 but has a wonderful taste of oaky vanilla and caramelized fruit with just a touch of smoke and spices.
Finish: The finish on the Stòras is amazing and very enjoyable. The medium intensity of this easy drinker is something you need to try if you are a fan of whisky. With a long complex finish of fruits, oak and buttery goodness this is absolutely something worth indulging in if you can stomach the price tag of almost $200.
Caol Ila 30 year old is a special release from the Diageo collection in 2014. The oldest official bottling to date from the distillery. A marriage of American and European oak. Only 7,638 bottles worldwide.
Nose: As we have come to expect from Caol Ila. This 30 year old is very warm and bacon like. With a bouquet of orange and lemon, and hints of vanilla which is very pleasing.
Palate: At first sip it commands respect and reminds you that you have a dram of a fine single malt! As it sits it begins to mellow and the ashey peat begins to peak thorough followed by the citrus undertones that come through on the nose.
Finish: Is one that can be summarized in one word… AWESOME!!! This mouth coating ,well rounded flavour house, is one which has to be enjoyed with a sophisticated palate and a fine cigar .
Overall 9/10. I would still recommend an eye drop of water just to really open it up. Anyone would be privileged to have it on their bar.
For someone who has only tasted a handful of Irish Whiskeys this one was by far the best I have ever tried!
A well balanced nose which was pleasant and addictive, but that was only the beginning of this memorable experience. The palate was even more exciting with a sweet full flavour that had hints of vanilla, cinnamon and candied fruits. The finish was spicy and long lasting. When it was all over I was sad to say goodbye.
I would highly recommend this bottle to any amateur or experienced whiskey drinker. A great bottle! If you can get your hands on one…
A sniff of the glass did not produce any strong reactions. It was fruity but not overpowering so and did take a second sniff to identify even that. The taste was like the smell and was very easy going down with a sweet taste and just a hint of oak The aftertaste was dry and did not carry a strong exit taste. Overall I found this bottle as very easy drinking scotch. May not appeal to some looking for a strong reaction, but was to my taste in scotch.
Nose- The aroma off of the Balvenie is quite lackluster. With only hints of rum, then coming to a close with subtle sweet undertones (toffee, vanilla). Just that, short and sweet.
GlenDronach 18 Year Old Tawny Port Finish
Colour:
The colour is almost caramel in appearance due to the finish in the port cask
N
ose:
The nose is fruity and fudgy with hints of pear, cherry, and caramel fudge coupled with spice notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Taste:
The fruit shines through with notes of cherry, pear, and roasted apple and combines with caramel, making the taste quite sweet and syrupy with a wisp of smoke to be had. The flavor lingers on the tongue before releasing into a slow dry finish.
Overall:
I would rate this as a 7.5/10, quite a good scotch, but maybe not worthy of adding to a personal collection.
The Dalmore 15 from the Highland region of Scotland, matured for 13 years in American white oak and then for a further year in a combination three styles of sherry wood (Matusalem, Apostoles, and Amoroso), definitely showed signs of this on the nose. This was the first Dalmore that the club has sampled and it did not disappoint.
Known for their orange overtones, you could understand this as the first sip hits with a blast of citrus flavour. With the additional year of sherry cask maturation, it smoothes out the citrus with what you would typically find in a more mature smooth sherry finish. After the initial taste, this dram does show some heat but finds a way to warm nicely as you finish it off. The finish was medium-long and brought in some additional flavour including a note of vanilla.
This moderately priced bottle for one of its class is one to be added to your collection, if you enjoy a nice warm whisky near the fire on a cold winter’s day, but has a hint of summer as shown by its citrus flavour.