At a recent event, I had the rare pleasure of tasting Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky — a remarkable recreation of the original whisky shipped to Antarctica in 1907 by the legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton. Crafted to honor that historic expedition, this whisky is both elusive and exceptionally high priced, making it a true…
Category: blended scotch
Compass Box Nectarosity and Crimson Casks
As a devoted fan of Compass Box, I am excited to share my thoughts on two more intriguing expressions – Nectarosity and Crimson Casks. Let’s dive in! Nectarosity Nose: honey and fruit Palate: vanilla, toffee and fruit Finish: Sweet with hints of cinnamon and vanilla ABV: 46% Cost: $60 Crimson Casks Nose: spices, fruit and…
Compass Box Secrets of Smoke
Recently, I had the chance to try the Compass Box whisky called Secrets of Smoke. As the name implies, this blend includes peated whiskies, but it differs significantly from their Peat Monster expression. If you didn’t enjoy Peat Monster, I believe you’ll find Secrets of Smoke much more appealing. Let’s get into it. This expression…
Compass Box Orchard House Scotch Whisky
I am a huge fan of Compass Box, and recently I had the pleasure of tasting their Orchard House Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, and it was an immediate love. I couldn’t help but wonder why I had not tried it sooner. For those not familiar with the brand, Compass Box was established in 2000 by…
Isle of Skye Whisky 12 Year
At first glance, you’ll wonder, did a new distillery open on Isle of Skye? Currently, Talisker and Torabhaig are the only two distilleries to inhabit the island. This brand doesn’t trace back to either of them. It’s a brand put out by Ian Macleod distillers, which is one of Scotland’s independent bottlers. So no, not…
Buchanan’s Pineapple
Now this is a brand I walked by a million times and never even thought to even try. It wasn’t until recently that we got a chance to sample and well, I have thoughts. Buchanan’s is a blended Scotch that was launched in 1884 by James Buchanan. The idea was to create a smooth blend…
Johnnie Walker High Rye
Alright, when this first came out, I rolled my eyes because honestly, there are way too many ryes out there that are simply, how should I put it… crap! How does this one rate? Well, keep reading. This whisky is composed of 60% rye aged whisky matured in American oak barrels and includes whiskies from…
Chivas Regal XV
OK, so being truthful, I personally don’t think I’ve ever had a bad Chivas whisky. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they’re all extraordinary, but so far none have been terrible. This includes Chivas XV. XV is finished in French oak casks, while a portion is further aged in Cognac casks. Nose: honey, cinnamon,…
Dewar’s Cask Finish Collection Aged 8 Years: Japanese Smooth, French Cask Smooth, and Caribbean Smooth
OK, if you follow me, you already know I’m not a huge fan of Dewar’s. However, I’m still going to continue and try their brand to see if one day, I eventually like one of their expressions. Here we have a three pack. Each bottle in this discovery set is 375 ml and I purchased…
2022 Holiday Gift Guide: Bourbon and Whisky
It’s that time of year again! Here’s my 2022 gift guide to help you buy a delicious gift for someone or for yourself. This year’s list is composed of options all under $100. It’s a short list but all options are easy to find, and they are affordable. Note: If you aren’t familiar with my…
Douglas XO Premium Blended Scotch Whisky
I’ve never heard of this brand till I saw it in mini form. This is a blended scotch from an independent bottler. Although I was not expecting much, I was pleasantly surprised that I like it and think it’s better than some of the more expensive bottles on my shelf. Nose: spices, vanilla, sweetness, and…
Dewar’s – White Label, 12-Year, and 15-Year
Let me start by saying that I tried Dewar’s White Label many years ago and I didn’t like it at all. With that said, I stumbled across this set and thought, why not give it another try, so here we are. Dewar’s is a blended Scotch whisky that is currently owned by Bacardi. Their best-selling…
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