That’s right 30 year old scotch, moving up in the world.

This was a gift from my parents on their last visit, thanks dad and mom.

In a previous blog I had mentioned how Lagavulin 16 reminded me of fond childhood memories.  Highland Park 30 had a similar effect.  I poured myself a healthy glass, about 1-1.5 inches, brought it up to my nose a took a deep breath.  The first thing I smelled was exactly the smell of a new vinyl LP, some of you may remember these devices used for recording music in ancient times.  That was a wonderful surprise.  I also noticed turpentine or nail polish remover, probably similar to the vinyl smell.  The taste was somewhat complex with many flavors from different flavor categories.  What I noticed right away was a unique combination of smoky and sweet.  The sweetness was more in the after taste and not subtle, it was like white granulated sugar.  There are hints of wood and tobacco in the smokiness but it’s not as strong as an Islay scotch.  There is a little bitterness, a rubber flavor in the after taste.  Ice makes the sweetness more pronounced.  All in all I really like this, not just because I didn’t pay for it.  It is a really good scotch and a great experience every time I drink it.

copyright 2014

Have you even gone swimming in the ocean and accidentally swallowed a huge mouth full of salty sea water?  Well, that’s Ardbog.  Sorry.

All of the Ardbeg scotches (at least the few I’ve tried) are in the same flavor group and have common flavors.  I was very excited to try Ardbog when I first saw it in the liquor store.  My first Ardbeg experience was Corryvrecken and that changed me forever.   However, the cost of Corryvrecken and lack of availability prevented me from making it a regular part of my diet, hence Ardbeg 10 year.  For details on these see my other blog reviews.

Ardbog was disappointing.  It has almost the same flavor profile as Ardgeb 10 year in my opinion with the following exception, Ardbog is very salty whereas Ardbeg 10 year has a slight mild saltiness.  The salt flavor in Ardbog is overwhelming and shadows the peat and smoke flavors that I enjoy in the rest of the Ardbeg family.

copyright 2014 David R Bergman

God blessed the earth when he made Scotland and the Scots blessed the lord with Lagavulin.

This is one of my favorite single malts.  I was introduced to this around new years in India at a family reunion on my wife’s side on the family.  One of her cousins from CA brought a bottle of Lagavulin 16 year with him.  We all had a shot and after that I think I polished off the entire bottle one ounce at a time.  This scotch brings me back to my childhood.  Not because I drank Lagavulin, I did not of course.  Neither did any member of my family, my parents have never drank alcohol a day in their life and don’t keep it in the house.  It brings me back to my childhood because I used to love building and painting plastic models and I also used to oil paint.  The smell of Lagavulin reminds me of the sweet smell of Testors model paint, Grumbacher oil paints and paint thinner, and thickener.  My room smelled like that all the time.  Also, since my room was in the basement it was a little musty, the smell of old slightly moldy books is also here in this scotch.

The nose is strong, smoky, musty, grassy (or peaty).

The taste is also strong with definite presence of liquorice, salty, turpentine, smoky peat.  The flavors are perfect and oddly enough, thought it is a very strong scotch it doesn’t burn or leave a bitter or burning after taste.  It’s actually pretty damn smooth.  The after taste is a bit salty and rich with peat and medicinal flavor.

Lagavulin have a very singular taste, I’d know it anywhere.  There is not a lot of complex dimensionality to this like I find in Laphroaig 25 year.  But it’s the perfect taste.  I don’t know what they did but they better keep doing it.  This is nectar of the gods.

copyright 2014 David R Bergman

My wife likes the aroma of Corryvrecken, she says it smells like a meadow.  I do agree and think it reminds me of cut grass in the summertime.  This is an amazing tasting scotch.  In general Ardbeg is on the peaty smoky medicinal side of the spectrum so it’s kind of a sure thing that I’d like it.  The flavor of Corryvrecken is not quite like the Ardbeg 10 year I reviewed earlier.  Perhaps not surprisingly it’s flavor is similar to Lagavulin 16.  However, there are differences.  Lagavulin is strong and smooth, amazing.  Corryvrecken strong and stronger.

The nose is, as I said, like fresh cut grass, a little smoky too but actually fresh.  I recall saying this about Ardbeg 10 year.  This is an interesting feature of Ardbeg, whereas other’s in this flavor group are musty, and heavy Corryvrecken is almost refreshing!  There are hints of salt, brine and smoke but a meadow is the scent that dominates.  The taste is straight salty smoky peat.  Not musty, no old books or leather.  Very nice indeed.  When I want just this flavor and not messing around this is the medicine.  I’d have to say that my favorite in the under $100 category is a tie between Lagavulin 16 and Ardbeg Corryvrecken.

copyright 2014 David R Bergman

In a previous post I had mentioned that my usual 12 year choices had suddenly jumped in price, some by as much a 10$ per bottle.  So last time I went to buy a low priced bottle I used it as an opportunity to try something new.  That’s when I came across a bottle of Tomintoul 12, Limited Edition Sherry Cask.  I think I was enamored by the ‘Limited Edition Sherry Cask’ and the fact that the price was right, low 40$.

I had to try a few glasses over time before writing this review.  The nose is very nice but difficult for me to identify.  The label says creamy but I don’t know what that means.  The more I smell it the more I think bakery, I smell crushed cashew, like marzipan, and a malty scent.  There is also the hint of wine, and there is sweetness present, like bubblegum.  So, in short I’d say the nose is baked goods, bubblegum and wine.

To me the taste is strong, initially very spicy, with a robust dry red wine flavor.  There is a strong spicy flavor and bitterness, like rubber and or motor oil.  There is also the flavor of bread, definitely a cake/bread/baked goods flavor.  The bitter rubbery taste is the after taste.

The bottle advertised light sweet balanced delicate flavor with a hint of sherry.  I’m not sure I am tasting what the maker intends but I like it a lot, the flavor is more like the kind of scotches I usually like.  This was an interesting surprise, I’d say a success.  I find myself thinking about the flavor of this scotch long after drinking it.  It has a very interesting flavor that seems to reveal something new each time I try it.  I am impressed with this scotch and will ration it for some time.

copyright 2014 David R Bergman

Now that I’ve read through Whiskey Classified I’ve changed my mind about a few things.  I find the variety of flavors available out there to be very interesting.  Now I consider it a challenge to identify different flavors and, even though my favorite scotches are on the smoky medicinal side, I am curious to taste every type of scotch out there.  Second, since what I consider good scotch is driven by how smoky it is I would have tended to rate Laphrioag as being better than Glenlevit or Glenfiddich.  My guess is that I will always prefer smoky over sweet and fruity but it is a jump to judgment to say one is better than the other.  At this point I am starting to form the opinion that there are no bad scotches just ones I don’t like, we’ll see how long that lasts.  As previously stated, I consider it a challenge to identify the flavors in different scotches.  That was the motive behind purchasing Auchentoshen 12 year.  This type of scotch is the opposite of what I usually choose in terms of flavor.

As usual, I pour a healthy glass and try it neat.  There is not much nose, a subtle citrus perhaps orange flavor, and a spicy scent that reminds me of fresh chopped or grated ginger.  The taste is fruity and acidic but also bitter, it is as if I am tasting a piece of citrus rind.  This actually makes it more enjoyable for me as I usually don’t like sweet fruity tasting scotches, the bitterness is a pleasant surprise.  There is definitely spice in the flavor and as it sits in my mouth it definitely tastes like ginger.  There is also a floral taste, like edible flowers, though they all smell the same to me so I can’t identify the type.  But there is definitely a floral taste.  The after taste is not strong, and somewhat bitter, a little like a citrus rind.

I’m not sure what I think of this little experiment.  I was not blown away by the taste of this scotch, I’m not a flavor convert.  But compared to other scotches on this side of the spectrum, which I find a little too sweet, I find this more to my liking.  If I’m ever in the mood for something fruity I’ll grab another bottle.

copyright 2014, David R Bergman

I tend to have very expensive taste in everything.  My favorite scotches tend to run $80 to $100 per bottle, and I tend to consider this “affordable”.  I like to keep a regular supply of inexpensive single malts in my collection to enjoy on a regular basis, saving the 18 year and up and special editions for special occasions (e.g. when company is not coming over).  Don’t get me wrong, inexpensive doesn’t mean poor quality.  In general the younger scotches are cheaper than their older counterparts.  My go to affordable scotches tend to rotate among Glenlivet 12, Ardbeg 10, Glenfiddich 12, Glenmorangie 12, Balvenie 15.  This set represents a diverse cross-section of the flavor spectrum and tend to cost less than $45 for a 750ml bottle.  Though I’ve previously stated that I prefer the smoky, peaty, medicinal scotches I do sometime crave a smother sweater flavor.  Variety is the spice of life, right?

But this is a review of Glenfiddich 12 so let’s get to it.  A deep breath through the nose reminds me of an apple jolly rancher.  The fruitiness is obvious and is accompanied by sweet and sour overtones.  The taste is medium in strength.  There is a strong presence of fruit, apple and or pear.  Almost like an apple pie or tart, baked crust or bread is present in the flavor too.  I also taste a little cinnamon and honey.  There is definitely a honey after taste.  Despite this description its not at all too sweet or fruity.  There is still a bit of smoke flavor and something like rubber.  That’s right rubber.  The smell of a car tire is present in the flavor.

The fruit flavor hits you right away with cinnamon and spice when you swallow.  After swallowing there is a honey flavor followed by a nice smoky rubber after taste.  All these flavors are medium, not over powering at all.  With ice added, I don’t know why but with it tastes more rubbery, unless my ice machine is broken.  Also there is a stronger spice flavor with ice added.  This scotch tastes much better neat in my opinion.

This is a good tasting scotch.  Very enjoyable, very drinkable.  Too easy to drink.  The last bottle I purchased was $39.99 on sale and this was a surprise.  I’ve purchased this bottle before for only $32.

This is a very special bottle of scotch for many reasons.  I am a big fan of Laphroaig to start, I have a lease for one square foot of their property and do plan to go stand on it some day before I die.  In general Laphroaig is on the peaty smoky medicinal side of the flavor spectrum.

As usual I started with a healthy neat glass, drank about half in several small sips then added an ice cube or two.

The nose contained the smell of old books and it was a little medicinal.  At the same time it was sweet smelling, almost like a cotton candy machine.  The combination of cotton candy and medicine is almost like cough syrup.

The taste has a strong musty flavor, like a basement or a smoky room, more of the old books in the taste and strong medicinal taste.  There is a little bit of bitter spice present and the after taste is nice and bitter, almost herbal, maybe sage and bay leaves.  There is definitely a tobacco flavor present as well.  Flavors are strong in this bottle and although moderately complex, they are consistent.  The taste is much stronger than the nose and all flavors of the nose are present except for the sweet candy smell.  The flavors are complex in the sense that there seem to be many but they are all in the same flavor category, like a well spiced curry.  The flavor leans toward the smoky peaty medicinal side of the spectrum.  But its like I’m tasting a whole cigar store or spice store inventory in each sip.  The after taste gets more musty and bitter.  I like this very much.

Ice (or a little water) brings out the sweet overtones more, but doesn’t kill the nice musty flavor or the strength.  It deadens the nose a bit but actually makes the taste a little stronger.

This would go great with a Hoya De Nicaragua cigar or Aurora Brazil (if they still make them).  The smell of old books makes me want to drink this in my library, though I’d have to say I couldn’t read after a few sips.

This bottle was an anniversary gift from my wife.  I think the initial price was $500 – $550, but I was a member of a club at the store where it was purchased and got a discount which brought the price down to $375.  I am very impressed with the flavor and love Laphroaig 18 year so this was a good choice for me.  But it is not a scotch for every day use, unless you’re a rock star, or perhaps Donald Trump.  I wouldn’t run out to the store and get another when this bottle is empty.  But I’m grateful that I have this bottle for now.

copyright 2014 David R Bergman

I was very excited to try this scotch after it received so much hype.  I have to say I was not disappointed.  This is a very fine scotch with a complex refined flavor.  It’s the opposite of what I usually like.

Some of the most impressive features of Ealanta are; 1) that it’s surprisingly light in flavor, 2) there are a lot of flavors present in this scotch but they are subtle, 3) no one flavor dominates the overall taste, 4) the flavor of each sip changes over time.  Ealanta is a very complex scotch with delicate but noticeable flavors.

Now for my take on the flavor.  As I’ve started in previous posts, I’m not a professional taster or critic.  I can only tell you what I taste, and my buds are quite damaged.

I started with a neat glass then after several sips added ice and drank another.

The nose was strong with ethanol, turpentine, spice and a little bit of a musty scent.  An ice cube almost immediately kills the strong ethanol and turpentine scents leaving a sweeter spicy scent.  Ealanta is 46% abv which is not much stronger than average.

When it first hits my tongue I get nutty (perhaps walnut) flavor followed by spice, pepper and some strong ethanol flavor.  After swallowing a peppery ethanol burn stays in my mouth for a while.  Then comes a musty after taste that turns to a sweeter caramel/vanilla taste with a hint of old leather mixed in.  I taste a spice that I cannot identify.  It starts out tasting like cinnamon or clove but to me its more like cumin or sumac, a middle eastern spice.  One thing for sure is that this is a subtle tasting scotch, it doesn’t hit you in the face like many of my favorite scotches.  This is more refined but full of flavor, more complex than I’m used to drinking.  So, to me, Ealanta has a flavor spectrum that is more broad than deep.  Also note that the nose is stronger than the taste.

Another interesting aspect of this scotch is that the transition from initial nutty taste to the spicy burn is quick while the onset of the caramel leather after taste takes a long time to notice, maybe as long as a minute.  You need to hold the sip in your mouth for a while to taste the walnut and you definitely want to savor this scotch, waiting a while between sips.  If you like the description of a string nose don’t add ice or water, that will kill it.  This scotch smells and tastes better neat.

I found a bottle for $107 with tax, under 100 before tax.  Relative to other scotches I’ve had and what I’m willing to pay for a good one this was well worth the money.  Also, it was a gift so that ain’t bad.  I would pay this price again for this scotch out of pocket without thinking twice.

copyright 2014 David R Bergman

Ardbeg 10 year is one of the Islay Scotches (my personal favorite) on the smoky end of the flavor spectrum.  More specifically, as the previously mentioned spectrum is not one dimensional, this scotch has some very distinct flavors, the most notable of which is peat.  Second to the peat is a smoky or slightly burnt flavor.

The flavor is strong when neat and tamed a little with a single ice cube.  One cube allowed to melt slightly in a couple ounces of this nectar is enough to make it as refreshing as mountain spring water.  When tasted neat the first sip is a little salty.  This slight saltiness is good in my opinion.  In the Whisky Classified salt would be a medicinal flavor. while peat is a smoky flavor.  In my opinion the smoke flavor is stronger than the medicinal flavor, contrary to the classification given by David Wishart.  It is a very strong tasting scotch, full bodied.  I don’t taste a hint of any other flavors, but then again I’m just a heavy scotch drinker and don’t claim to have a refined educated palate.

Ardbeg 10 year is not complex, which is a complement in my world.  Its flavor is very distinct and very identifiable.  It doesn’t try to be a little of everything or have a flavor that is orthogonal to its aroma (nose).  It simply is what it is, a perfect representation of how good something can be when all energy is focused on a single goal.

This scotch is lighter in color than many single malts which makes me feel refreshed as I drink it.

I have developed an expensive scotch taste, typically preferring 18 year or older single malts.  So my go to budget scotch is Ardbeg 10 year, typically 40$ – 45$ for a 750ml here in NJ.

copyright 2014 David R Bergman