92 AND ABOVE   85-91   70-84  

84
Arran 13 (Bottled by Loch Chaim at 43% ABV, tasted 10/2010): This is a kosher Arran aged exclusively in ex-bourbon casks, and the nose is vanilla, oak, and dark chocolate. The taste is cinnamon, pears, nutmeg, and a hint of brown sugar. The finish is long and peppery with a hint of vanilla.

Bowmore 2009 Feis Ile Limited Edition (Distillery bottling at 57.1% ABV, tasted 7/2010): This 8-year-old Bowmore was finished in Limousin Oak barrels, and the warm nose reflects some red wine heritage, along with almonds and a touch of peat. The taste is full of cinnamon, smoke, and hints of oak and brine. The finish is lingering with notes of brine and peat. A little young. 

Dry Fly Wheat Whiskey (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 6/2011): This whiskey is made in Washington State, and the nose is warming with touches of caramel syrup, dark chocolate, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. The taste has a good, thick mouthfeel and a cinnamon spiciness that builds nicely but doesn't overpower the notes of oak, caramel, and a slight pepperiness. The finish is dry with touches of oak and peppercorns.

Early Times Kentucky Whiskey (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 5/2011): This is not a bourbon, since it's aged in refill bourbon barrels. That gives it a soft oakiness on the nose, along with allspice and a touch of molasses. The taste is spicy and smooth with a caramel sweetness underneath and a touch of spearmint. The finish is soft and short with touches of cinnamon and caramel.

George Washington's Rye (Distillery bottling at 43% ABV, tasted 7/2010): If you ever get a chance to taste this, go for it just for the historical significance. Unaged rye spirit from the restored distillery at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate in Virginia, this was produced by hand using Washington's original recipe. The spirit is clear, with a nose that is clean, light, and fruity with hints of pears. The taste is sharp and tart with lemon and pear notes, while the rye influence is barely noticeable. The finish is tart and clean.  

Glann ar Mor Kornog "Taouarc'h Kenton/First Peated One" (Distillery bottling at 57.1% ABV, tasted 2/2010): Just 244 bottles of this peated French single malt from the Brittany coast were produced, and even though it's just three years and four months old, it compares well to many young Islay malts. The nose is full of peat, with tar and heathery notes. The taste starts off peaty and peppery, then fades slowly to reveal notes of maple syrup The finish is lingering, and this malt holds up well with a splash of water.

Glenfarclas 10 (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 4/2010): The nose is sherried with subtle spices, apricots and dried figs. The taste hits the top of the mouth and tip of the tongue with a cinnamon prickliness and a good mouthfeel, notes of toffee, caramel, vanilla, and burnt sugar. The finish is long and spicy with cinnamon notes that hit the back of the throat.

Glen Grant 1955 (Bottled in 2008 by Gordon & MacPhail for La Maison du Whisky at 50% ABV, tasted 11/2008): The nose is sweet with dried figs and raisins, a touch of hazelnut, and a kiss of cinnamon. The taste is sherried sweetness with a touch of tart citrus flavors. A nice balance that leads to a toffee and caramel candy finish with just a hint of saltiness. Complex and interesting.

Glenrothes Alba Reserve (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 5/2009): This is a rarity from The Glenrothes: a kosher expression aged in first-fill American Oak casks and certified as meeting Jewish dietary laws. (Sherry cask-aged whiskies, which make up the entire Glenrothes range, do not meet those standards). The nose is green apples and fruity, with notes of honey and brown sugar. The taste is tart and well-balanced, with notes of fresh wood and chili peppers. The finish is spicy, lingering, and long. If you've ever wondered how The Glenrothes would taste in a bourbon cask expression, seek out this one.

Jim Beam Devil's Cut (Distillery bottling at 45% ABV, tasted 4/2011): You've heard of the "angel's share", but the "devil's cut" refers to whiskey that remains soaked in the wood after a cask has been emptied. Jim Beam uses steam and hot water to extract the "devil's cut" from the wood, then uses it to reduce the proof down to 45% instead of plain water. This gives off a rich and spicy nose with notes of caramel, oak, and black pepper. The taste is more tannic than usual, too, with notes of molasses, a slowly-building cinnamon spiciness, and a touch of vinegar-based barbecue sauce that lingers well into the finish.

Kavalan Single Malt (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 4/2010): This is the first expression from Taiwan's King Car Distillery, and it shows promise for the future. The nose is clean with hints of tropical fruits, floral notes, vanilla, and honey. The taste has a spicy start that fades to show notes of mango and papaya that linger on the tongue. The finish is sweet, but too short -- the only area where this malt could be better.

Michael Collins 10 Single Malt (Distilled at Cooley for Sidney Frank Importing and bottled at 40% ABV, tasted 1/2011): This is the second-generation Michael Collins single malt, and is the first to carry an age statement. The nose is nutty and clean, with almonds, straw, vanilla, and cocoa. The taste has a spicy buildup of black pepper, but is muted by vanilla, peaches, and pears with a hint of caramel candy. The caramel candy note carries into the relatively short finish with a touch of brown sugar.

Nant Unpeated (Distillery bottling at 43% ABV, tasted 9/2010): This Australian single malt has a light and clean nose with hints of honey, vanilla, and light oak. The taste is rich and mouth-filling, with honey, light spices, allspice, oak, and licorice. The licorice note carries into the finish with a hint of citrus underneath.

Nikka Miyagikyo 1991 Single Cask (Distillery bottling at 62% ABV, tasted 9/2010): The nose is coconut cream pie, marzipan, vanilla wafers, raspberries, and red grapes. The taste is dry, intense, and sharp with red wine tartness, a hint of berries, and coconut that shows through as the tartness fades. Water opens up peach and other tree fruits, and makes this dram less one-dimensional. The finish is slow, tart, dry, and knife-sharp.

Spey Reserve 12 (Bottled by Harvie's of Edinburgh from an undisclosed distillery at 40% ABV, tasted 8/2011): This Speyside malt is mainly available in Asia, and the nose has notes of smoke and cinnamon with honey underneath and a touch of roasted almonds. The taste starts off spicy with cinnamon and nutmeg notes at first, but fades quickly to reveal a good balance of honey and citrusy tartness underneath. The finish is lingering and soft with touches of nutmeg and honey.

Springbank 1996 Single Cask (Distillery bottling for Kensington Wine Market at 55.8% ABV, tasted 8/2010): The nose has notes of dried fruits, oak, a hint of peat, and is slightly citrusy. The taste is tart and spicy with citrus and cinnamon notes, a bit of smoke, ashy, and slightly bitter. The finish is long, smoky, and oaky.

Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey (Distillery bottling at 47% ABV, tasted 8/2010): This whisky comes from casks between two and five years of age, and a combination of altitude and climate help them age more rapidly than whiskies made closer to sea level. The nose is spicy, oaky, and intense with notes of apricots, vanilla, and a subtle touch of molasses. The taste has a peppery bite on the tip of the tongue, good malty notes, and a finish of caramel, cola, and brown sugar.

Tomintoul 16 (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 8/2010): The nose on this Highlander is sherried and sweet with orange peel and a bit of nuttiness. The taste is softly spiced with dried fruits and orange peel, and the finish is short, soft, and warming.

Wemyss "Smoke Bluff" 12 YO Single Cask (Bottled by Wemyss from undisclosed distillery at 46% ABV, tasted 3/1/2010): This Islay single malt spent 12 years in a refill bourbon cask, and the nose is classic Islay with notes of tar, creosote, dried leaves, and a slight nuttiness. The taste is thick, oily, and peppery with cinnamon notes and an understated peat that develops slowly. The finish is soft and smoky.

Wemyss "Smooth Gentleman" 8 YO (Blended malt bottled by Wemyss Malts at 40% ABV, tasted 4/2011): The nose is dark chocolate, roasted almonds, and dried orange peel. The taste is rich and tart with blood oranges and hints of lemon and chocolate. The finish is tart and medium-length with a hint of heather.

83
Balvenie Madeira Cask (Distillery bottling at 43%, tasted 9/2009): This is the 2009 release in The Balvenie's series of 17-year-old limited edition malts. The nose is light and dry with notes of orange peel and lemon, and the taste is thick and sweet with a large dose of maple syrup and a touch of cinnamon to balance things out. The nose fades too quickly for me.    

Bruichladdich 18 Kosher Wine Cask (Distillery bottling at 46% ABV, tasted 1/2011): Strictly, this is not a kosher whisky, since the distillery hasn't received Kosher certification. This expression started out in bourbon casks before being re-racked into Kosher wine casks from Israel's Carmel Winery. The nose is light with notes of vanilla, red grapes, green apples, peaches, and nectar. The taste has peaches balanced with a green apple tartness, along with vanilla and brown sugar that come out as the tartness fades. The finish is slightly tart, but fades too quickly. An interesting experiment.

Caol Ila 28 1981 Vintage (Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail at 46% ABV, tasted 11/2010): This was distilled in 1981 and matured in a refill hogshead. The nose is peaty and phenolic with oak, vanilla, and cocoa notes. The taste is smoky with charred oak, honey, vanilla, and dark chocolate, and the finish is long and smoky with a touch of honey.

English Whisky Company "Chapter 6" (Distillery bottling at 46% ABV, tasted 1/2010): This is one of the first official single malt whisky releases from England's first distillery in at least 100 years, and while this expression is barely three years old, I expect future expressions to improve with age. The nose is light and fruity with notes of green apples and pears. The taste starts off fruity, but develops a spicy kick that fades to a slightly tart finish. The youth shows, but again, this distillery has great potential for the future.

Ichiro's 4 of Spades Malt (Distilled at Hanyu Distillery and bottled by Ichiro's Choice at 58.6% ABV, tasted 12/2010): This was distilled in 2000 at Japan's Hanyu Distillery, and the nose is light and nutty with hints of grass and straw, coconut, hazelnut, and butterscotch. The taste is peppery, thick, and mouth-coating, and the initial spicy blast fades to reveal a slight cherry cough syrup note, black licorice, and a hint of menthol. The finish is aromatic and nose-clearing, but leaves a syrupy note in the back of the mouth.

Isle of Skye 8 (Blended Scotch bottled at 43%, tasted 8/2009): Ian MacLeod bottles this blend from a mix of Speyside and "Island"malts, and that's clearly reflected in the nose. It has a coastal influence with Talisker-like smokiness, along with heather and grassy notes. The taste is smokier than the nose, and the peat influence shows itself here, along with briny notes and a nutty touch of almonds and hazelnuts that linger into the finish. 

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 3/2011): This whiskey liqueur combines Jack Daniel's with honey, but you'd be hard-pressed to find the Jack. The nose is muted with sweet honey, nectar, honey-glazed ham, and burnt leaves. The taste is honey, orange, cayenne pepper, and the whisky disappears under the sweetness and spice. the finish is light and subtle with raspberry jam and hazelnut coffee. Good, but the Jack in it can sneak up on you quickly.

Lagavulin 21 (Distillery bottling in 2007 at 56.5% ABV, tasted 11/2008): The nose is dry and slightly spicy with a touch of pepper and light citrus notes. The taste is smooth and balanced with a nice blend of pepper and citrus notes. The lemon doesn't overwhelm the black pepper, and provides a nice contrast on the finish.

Laphroaig 1999 (Cooper's Choice bottling at 46% ABV, tasted 3/2010): This single-cask bottling was aged in a refill butt, and while it's the same age as the distillery's 10-year-old bottling, there are differences. The color is lighter, and the nose is dry and peaty with hints of oak and straw. The taste starts off slightly tart, then develops a spicy peatiness that builds well into the finish, which remains smoky and intense with just a hint of lemon.

Loch Lomond Single Malt (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 1/2011): The nose is floral with lavender, rose petals, and lilac notes, as well as honey and vanilla. The taste is light and nutty with subtle spices, peaches, pears, coconut, and vanilla. The finish is light and aromatic with a honey sweetness and a touch of spices. 

Mortlach 1990 (Cooper's Choice bottling at 46% ABV, tasted 8/2010): The nose is soft cinnamon and oak with figs, almonds, and a touch of Christmas cake. The taste is spicy, thick, and chewy, with notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, and toffee. The finish is spicy and lingering with a touch of toffee.

Spey Reserve 15 (Bottled by Harvie's of Edinburgh from an undisclosed distillery at 40% ABV, tasted 8/2011): The nose has notes of toffee, caramel, almonds, and tropical fruits (mango and passion fruit), along with a touch of honey. The taste starts off spicy with tropical fruit notes that come out as the spices fade, along with touches of almonds and nutmeg. The finish is tart and muted, but lingers well.

Speyburn Solera 25 (Distillery bottling at 46%, tasted 5/2009): The nose is nice and malty with dried grasses and straw, and the taste starts off sweet and syrupy at first with good honey notes and a hint of almonds and hazelnut. However, there's a black pepper kick that takes away all of the balance and leaves the dram slightly bitter. It's not a bad dram, but it could have been much more.

Springbank 1999 (Bottled by Specialty Drinks/The Whisky Exchange at 53% ABV, tasted 6/2011): This single-cask bottling is part of the Single Malts of Scotland Series at The Whisky Exchange, and the nose has notes of dried fruits, ginger, a touch of brandy, and hints of honey and licorice. The taste is beefy, with pungent pipe tobacco and leather at first and a mouth-coating touch of cinnamon followed by a slight bitterness. The finish is slightly bitter and leathery.

Teaninich 1973 Single Cask (Bottled by Berry Bros. & Rudd at 41.8% ABV, tasted 6/2010): The nose is a nice mix of honey and lemon zest, coconut and banana. The taste is tart and spicy with strong notes of lemon and pepper. The pepper fades fast, but the lemon stays around for the finish with a hint of green tea.

Very Old Barton (Distillery bottling at 43% ABV, tasted 10/2010): Strong vanilla on the nose, along with hazelnut, dark chocolate, caramel, and oak notes. The taste starts off with caramel and molasses notes, followed by a peppery buildup that fades to reveal cola and vanilla notes. The finish is smooth with honey and hazelnut notes.

82
Breizh Whisky (Distilled by Distillerie Warenghem and bottled at 42% ABV, tasted 4/2011): This French blend has a nose of honey, lemon, and hazelnut with a touch of vanilla. The taste is tart and lemony with touches of furniture polish, cinnamon, and graham cracker pie crust. The finish is long, tart, and lemony. Very consistent, but dominated too much by one note.

Early Times 354 Bourbon (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 5/2011): This is the revival of Early Times Bourbon in the U.S., and will eventually replace the Early Times Bourbon sold in export markets. The nose is classic bourbon with caramel, oak, dark chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar notes. The taste starts off soft at first, but a muted cinnamon spiciness builds up and lasts through the finish with vanilla and oak undertones. The finish is spicy with a caramel note underneath, but the overall impression is that it's a bit thin.

George Washington's Mount Vernon Bourbon (Bottled by Mount Vernon at 60% ABV, tasted 7/2010): This is a rare vatting of bourbons from most of America's largest distillers to celebrate the restoration of Washington's distillery at Mount Vernon. It's only sold at the Mount Vernon gift shop, and the nose is classic vanilla, caramel, and oak. The taste is black pepper, vanilla, oak, and honey, and the finish is honey and caramel. Lacks overall balance, but remember that this was never intended to be a mass-market product. 

Glen Elgin 12 (Distillery bottling at 43% ABV, tasted 1/2011): One of the rare official bottlings of Glen Elgin, the nose has a touch of smoke with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, toasted oak, and subtle orange peel. The taste starts off with an intense black pepper note, fading to reveal brown sugar and caramel candy with a hint of lemon-lime tartness. The finish is short and slightly spicy.

Grant's Ale Cask (Blended Scotch at 40%, tasted 3/2011): This version of Grant's is finished in beer casks, and the nose has a malty and hoppy influence, with grass, straw, coconut, vanilla, and hints of orange marmalade. The taste is malty with citrus notes, lemon peel, and slightly creamy. The taste is tart, malty, and long.

Karuizawa 1971 (Distillery bottling for Number One Drinks Co. at 64.1% ABV, tasted 11/2008): The nose has dried figs and raisins on top, with a hint of citrus undertones and a touch of caramel candy. The citrus notes take over and dominate the taste, with a lemon and lime tartness that tingles the tongue, but fades to reveal a touch of caramel candy sweetness on the finish.

Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask (Distillery bottling at 58.4% ABV, tasted 2/2011): Caramel, oak, dried figs and plums on the nose. Thick and spicy taste with strong black pepper on top of a caramel syrup note at the start, followed by cloying raisin and plum notes as the pepper fades. Finish is short and disappears quickly.

Speyburn Bradan Orach (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 6/2011): Bradan Orach is Gaelic for "golden salmon" and pays tribute to the fishing along the River Spey. The nose is young and fruity with fresh berries, soft spices, and honey. The taste is young and fiery, but still has some complexity with cinnamon apples, honey, banana, coconut, and a touch of allspice. The finish lingers nicely with soft spices and a touch of fruit.

W.H. Harrison Indiana Bourbon (Distillery botling at 40% ABV, tasted 2/2011): While much of the corn for Kentucky's bourbons comes from Indiana, this is billed as the first bourbon to be produced in Indiana since Prohibition. The nose is spearmint with a touch of vanilla, and the mintiness continues on the creamy taste with hints of brown sugar and molasses underneath. The finish is short and minty.

White Owl (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 1/2011): This is a rare find, a "white whisky" aged in oak instead of being bottled right after distillation. Highwood Distillers in Canada came up with a way to filter the aged whisky through charcoal four times before bottling, removing the color but leaving the taste. The nose is clean and light with subtle rye and nutty notes. The taste has notes of rye bread, hazelnut, cilantro, and spearmint. The finish is minty, clean, and slightly nutty. This won't appeal to every whisky drinker, but is worth trying at least once.

81
Balblair 1973 (Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection 2006 bottling at 45% ABV, tasted 10/2008): Spicy with a peppery kick, a hint of lemon, and a nice touch of toffee and dark chocolate consistent with the nose. Smooth, long and sweet finish.

Bruichladdich 18 First Edition (Distillery bottling at 46% ABV, tasted 1/2011): Germany's Trockenbeerenauslese wines tend to be sweet and fruity, and this Bruichladdich expression uses Opitz One TBA casks along with ex-bourbon casks. As one might expect, there's a clash of cultures here. The nose is rich with vanilla, nutmeg, hazelnut, brown sugar, and fresh peanut butter cookies. The taste is tart and chewy, though, with dry white grapes and a touch of vinaigrette that dies quickly. The finish is magical...in that it disappears into thin air with a "poof". Not enough balance from start to finish.

Glen Flagler (Blended Malt bottled by Inver House at 40% ABV, tasted 8/2010): It's not clean how much of this blended malt actually came from the long-closed Glen Flagler distillery. The nose is grainy, buttery, and light with a touch of allspice. The taste has a strong licorice note on the tip of the tongue, and is malty and crisp. The finish is licorice with a slightly tart touch.

Glenturret 12 (Distilled in 1992, bottled by Signatory at 43%, tasted 10/2007): The nose is light and grassy with notes of goldenrod and wildflowers The taste is spicy and floral balanced well with a touch of black pepper, and leads to a smooth and lingering finish.

Junior Johnson's Carolina Moonshine (Distillery bottling at 40% ABV, tasted 2/2011): The NASCAR legend was equally famous in North Carolina for his family's moonshine, and this comes as close to that recipe as possible. Unlike most "shine", this is distilled from grains, and the nose is crisp and clean with notes of boiled sweet corn and vanilla. The taste is thick and chewy, reminiscent of corn on the cob with pepper. The finish is smooth and lingering with a slight sweetness. Very drinkable.

Yamazaki 1995 Owner's Cask (Distillery bottling for La Maison du Whisky at 54.9% ABV): The ex-sherry cask gives this a rich nose full of dried apples, Christmas cake, vanilla, orange peel, nutmeg, and almonds. The taste is rich, smooth, and fruity with pears, peaches, plums, cola, caramel, and dark chocolate. The finish is long with dark chocolate, vanilla, and a hint of fruits.

80
Armorik 8 Single Cask (Distillery bottling for La Maison du Whisky at 55% ABV, tasted 11/2010): The nose is white grapes, honey, ginger and hazelnut with a slight grassiness. The taste is slightly floral with a hint of rose petals leading to a spicy buildup of pepper and cilantro, a slight red wine vinaigrette note and a hint of oak. The finish is lingering with notes of vanilla and ginger.

Douglas XO (Blended Scotch whisky by Douglas Laing & Co. at 43% ABV, tasted 8/2010): The nose is dry and grassy with sherry notes and a hint of spearmint. The spearmint note dominates the taste, with hints of sherry and lavender underneath. The finish is soft and minty. This whisky is a bit too minty for me, but my wife loves it. Remember that your tastes may be completely different from mine.

Longmorn 30 (Bottled by The Whisky Exchange for TWE Masterpieces at 58.1% ABV, tasted 11/2008): The nose is sweet with notes of honey, figs, and raisins. The taste has a touch of pepper balanced by a hint of honey. There's a lingering finish with a touch of molasses and figs.

79
Arkansas Lightning (Distillery bottling at 62.5% ABV, tasted 6/2011): This is distilled from a corn and wheat mash, and aged just long enough to qualify as whiskey. The nose is corn on the cob with a strong alcohol burn and hints of brown sugar and raisins. The taste has an alcohol burn at first, followed by a slight tartness and hints of raisins leading to a clean finish.


Bowmore 1998 (Bottled by Queen of the Highlands as Kelting's Quarter Cask Edition 21 at 53.9%, tasted 5/2010): There's no age statement on this malt, which has a nose of smoke and vanilla with a slight brininess and a hint of smoked herring. The taste is fiery and young with an intense pepperiness that fades quickly to lingering ashiness on the finish. Water smooths it out and adds notes of caramel sweetness and brown sugar.

English Whisky Company "Chapter 4" (Distillery bottling at 46%, tasted 1/2010): This technically isn't a whisky yet...it's an 18-month-old peated spirit that's a preview of the single malt whisky to be released in mid-2010. The nose is peat and dried grass, while the taste is thick and oily, syrupy-sweet with a touch of caramel candy, peat, and creosote. The finish has a delayed spicy kick that lingers. This spirit has great potential, but its youth shows in the lack of overall balance.  

Inchgower 26 (Bottled by Adelphi at 59.8% ABV, tasted 11/2009): The nose is oak, old leather, and dry leaves, with a hint of dried apples and pears. The taste is chewy and sweet, with green apples and pears fading to reveal caramel candies and cola. The finish is slightly sour, though.

Littlemill 1990 (Bottled by Signatory at 43% ABV, tasted 8/2009): This Lowland malt has a very aromatic nose, with notes of green apples and cinnamon and a bit of an alcohol burn. The taste is syrupy-thick and spicy, with a strong peppery kick at first. Water tones down the spices and reveals apple pie and nutmeg notes. The finish is dry and short, and the dram lacks overall balance.

Roughstock Montana Whiskey (Distillery bottling at 45% ABV, tasted 11/2010): The score for this initial release is low, but Roughstock shows promise for the future with more aging. It's made from 100% Montana-grown barley, and carries no age statement, but is probably around 2 years old. The nose is malty and fiery with notes of licorice, vanilla, and toasted oak. The taste is young and fiery with notes of chili powder and black pepper that fade to reveal caramel, vanilla, and dark chocolate. The finish is spicy and slightly ashy.

78
Blend 285 (Blended Whisky produced by International Beverages and bottled at 35% ABV, tasted 6/2011): This is a blend of locally produced Thai whisky and peated malts from the Inver House distilleries in Scotland, and sells a million cases each month in Thailand. The nose is fuel oil, ginger, and dried flowers. The taste is ginger and curry powder with honey underneath and reminds me a bit of cough syrup. The finish has touches of smoke and spearmint. Surprisingly drinkable.

Craigellachie 8 "Frisky Whisky" (Bottled by Dram House at 60.3% ABV, tasted 9/2011): The nose starts off nice with vanilla, creme brulee, mild spices, and a hint of dry white wine. However, the taste is tart and bitter with overripe orange and grapefruit notes and touches of allspice underneath. The finish is sour and lingers far too long, overly cloying and fruity. Needs a lot of water to make it drinkable...and should have been bottled at 40% or 43% instead of cask strength.

77
Kirkland 18 (Distilled at Macallan, bottled by Costco at 40% ABV, tasted 1/2011): This is the infamous "Costco Macallan" available only at Costco warehouse club stores in the U.S. after the chain acquired casks of 18-year-old Macallan from a blender. It's vaguely similar to the official Macallan 18, with a nose of dried fruits, sweet oak, nutmeg, and brown sugar. The taste is peppery, yet still sweet with a caramel note and touches of orange peel and brandy that come out as the spices die down. The finish is tart, brandy-like and fades quickly. It costs about a third of the price of the Macallan 18, and is about a third as good.

76
Celtique Connexion DM Highland Monbazillac (Bottled by Celtic Whisky Compagnie at 46%, tasted 2/2010): This is a unique whisky, starting out at an undisclosed Highland distillery before it was purchased by Jean Donnay, who took it to France's Brittany coast and transferrered it to a Monbazillac wine cask for final maturation. The nose is warm and buttery with notes of raisins, plums, and a hint of figs. The taste is spicy and tart with a bit of lemon to go along with the cinnamon spice. The finish is tart and lingering.

Wiser's 150th Anniversary Red Letter (Distillery bottling at 45% ABV, tasted 10/2007): This release celebrates the 150th anniversary of Wiser's, and the nose is classic Canadian rye. The taste is rye bread with a touch of honey and mint, but the finish is short.

75
Cragganmore Distiller's Edition 2008 (Distillery bottling at 40%, tasted 4/18/2010): The nose is light and dry with hints of spices and dried fruits. The taste has overly strong white wine notes, along with a citrusy tartness that is sharp and astringent. Those notes continue on the finish, and make it hard to tell whether this is a wine or a whisky.

Old Crow Reserve (Distillery bottling at 43% ABV, tasted 3/1/2010): This is Jim Beam's attempt to bring more cachet to the venerable Old Crow bourbon brand, with 4 years in cask instead of the regular version's 3. The nose has subtle spices and notes of vanilla, while the taste adds in hints of oak, black pepper, vanilla, caramel, and cola. The peppery notes linger on the slightly bitter finish. This bourbon is still young and somewhat fiery...I'd like to try it aged for another year or two.

Seagram's 7 Crown Dark Honey (Bottled by Diageo at 35.5% ABV, tasted 8/2010): For the record, I'm not a fan of whisky liqueurs. The nose is herbal, citrusy, and sweet with a hint of cherries. The taste is sweet and cloying with strong honey and orange notes, and the finish is orange juice and honey.

74
Carsebridge 42 (Distilled in 1960, bottled by Chieftain's Choice at 41.6% ABV, tasted 11/2008): This single grain whisky has a sweet nose with figs, raisins and a hint of caramel candy. The taste is fig cookies and frosted lemon loaf with a slightly tart finish.

72
Stewart's Cream of the Barley (Blended Scotch circa 1970 at 42.8% ABV, tasted 12/2010): This 1970's-era blend has a beefy nose with light spices and touches of cocoa, brandy, and vinegar. The taste is peppery and tart with a lemony note, and the finish is very short.

Tullibardine Coume del Mas Banyuls Finish (Distillery bottling at 46% ABV, tasted 9/2011): I'm sure that someone has bottled a good Banyuls cask-finished whisky at one point, but this isn't it. The nose is sour, bitter, and almost musty. The taste is bitter with turpentine, linseed oil, pepper and overripe fruit. The finish is sour and long.

65
Natu Nobilis (Blended whisky by Pernod Ricard at 39% ABV, tasted 11/2010): This is sold in Brazil, and is a blend of Scotch malts and locally produced whisky. The nose isn't bad, with notes of maple syrup, honey, and a slight nuttiness. However, the taste is thin and watery with a hint of cinnamon that takes forever to build and then burns through the finish. It's a one-dimensional whisky with an overall lack of balance.

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