Scottish Whisky

Glengoyne 18 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Matured 18 Years
43% ABV
$120
Website

What the Distillery Says
Fresh, malty and spicy

Spicy vanilla fruit, ripe apples and a rich, luxurious mouthfeel. This is the result of eighteen long years and a generous proportion of first-fill sherry casks.

What Richard Says
Nose: Heavy sherry forward with lots of under ripe apples, cocoa, citrus rind, and vanilla.
Palate: Creamy butterscotch, baking spices, mounds of sherry, and more citrus.
Finish: The spices and wood linger.
Comments: This is a great example of a classic sherry forward well aged single malt. Are you tired of paying nearly $200 for that bottle of Macallan 18? Then you should definitely give the Glengoyne 18 a try.
Rating: Must Try

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Glengoyne 15 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Matured 15 Years
43% ABV
$65-$75
Website

What the Distillery Says
The depth and sweetness of dried fruit
Complex depths and bright tropical notes – with a spicy oak finish. Hints of candied lemon and pineapple reveal the influence of first-fill bourbon casks, balanced by the rich intensity of our signature sherry wood.

What Richard Says
Nose: Rich, meaty, and sherry forward.
Palate: Stewed dark fruits and raisins with a deep nutty framework.
Finish: A nice balance of peppery heat and solid oak with a lingering sherry backbone. When all else fades a sprinkling of cocoa powder remains.
Comments: Of many “double wood” single malts blending sherry and bourbon wood that I’ve tried, this Glengoyne stands out with more robust strength and backbone than similar whiskies. The nose and palate are very enjoyable but the lingering finish keeps me coming back.
Rating: Stands Out

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Glengoyne 10 Year

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Matured 10 Years
40% ABV
$43
Website

What the Distillery Says
Smooth, fruity and incredibly moreish. Fresh green apples, toffee and a hint of nuttiness. This is the taste of distilling slower than anyone else in Scotland, of barley we dry by air – never peat – and of hand-selected sherry casks crafted from European and American oak.

What Richard Says
Nose: Malty and crisp with notes of fresh apples, leather, and malted barely.
Palate: Green apple sweetness.
Finish: Short and clean with a hint of nutmeg.
Comments: The 10 year old is by no means an exemplary bottle of Glengoyne but it is a very enjoyable malt none the less. It offers a very good sub-$50 alternative when you go to the liquor store seeking Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, or Glenmorangie.
Rating: Stand Out

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Black Bottle

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky
40% ABV
$25
Website

What the Blender Says
Nose: Fresh and floral with freshly sawn oak aromas. Spicy with hints of smoke.
Palate: Silky, mellow and fruity with balanced smoky / peaty flavours then sweet oak and heather honey.
Finish: Soft, elegantly spicy, nutmeg, pepper and a gentle lingering smokiness.

What Richard Says
Nose: The nose is a bit of a ruffian with a rough and meaty structure to it.
Palate: Creamy and smooth with the sweetness of a wildflower honey watered down for bar use. The honey sweetness is augmented by notes of apricots and peaches with a light handed layering of smokiness.
Finish: This finishes with just a dusting of pepper and smoke wrapped around a licorice core.
Comments: Black Bottle is a lovely fellow. It is easy drinking on the smokier side. It works well as an inexpensive table dram or a nice subtle introduction to smokier whiskies.
Rating: Stands Out

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Smokehead

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
43% ABV
$55
Website

What the Bottler Says
Contemporary, individual and exciting, Smokehead appeals to bold and adventurous whisky drinkers who are looking for something challenging and different.

A heavily-peated Islay single malt whisky of the highest quality, Smokehead hits you like a cannonball and takes you on an explosive rollercoaster of peat, smoke and spice with a little delicate sweetness thrown in.

Flying in the face of traditional whisky packaging, Smokehead’s striking tin and unique label are hard to miss.

An award-winning Islay single malt with a cult following that stands out from the crowd.

What Richard Says
Nose: Briny and meaty. Notes of licorice, honey, and rich earth (sort of like compost but not).
Palate: The taste is much more mellow and balanced than the nose would foretell. Sea salt, herbal liqueur, smoked salmon, and caramel and fruit sweetness.
Finish: It finishes with a light bit of campfire ash and cracked pepper around the edges.
Comments: The package and name are clearly geared toward a younger drinker and bristle with masculine undertones. The whisky itself is much more muted. I was expecting something along the lines of Big Peat but this is more reminiscent of a young Caol Ila or a lightly peated Bunnahabhain. A nice pleasing dram for sure.
Rating: Average

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