On this brisk and blustery Columbus Day, I wanted to share a quick update on one of my longtime favorites — Highland Park Cask Strength Edition No. 1. After sitting proudly on our shelf since 2021, we’ve finally finished the bottle. So, the big question: Would we buy it again? Read on to find out….
Category: cask strength
Hirsch The Horizon and The Bivouac
The first Hirsch expression I tasted was their Single Barrel Double Oak – an exceptional pour that did leave an impression. Since then, I’ve sampled The Horizon and The Bivouac. Let’s dive in and see how these two compare. The Horizon Nose: Vanilla and oak Palate: spices, cinnamon, pepper and oak Finish: oaky and peppery…
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…
Ardbeg Eureka! Committee Release
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably already know that Ardbeg is one of my favorite Islay whiskey brands. I hold such a special place for them in my heart that they were the very first distillery we visited when we traveled to Scotland. Ardbeg is an incredible brand, but lately, I’ve…
Port Askaig 17 Years
We’ve been experiencing a particularly rainy April so far, making it perfect weather for enjoying whisky. In light of this, let’s shine a spotlight on this Port Askaig 17 Years. Port Askaig is a small village situated on the northeast coast of Islay. The Port Askaig brand was established in 2009 by Elixir Distillers, an…
Bruichladdich 18-Years
When Bruichladdich comes to mind, peated whisky is often the first thing that I associate with it. However, it’s important to note that now all Bruichladdich whiskies are peated. This Bruichladdich 18-Year expression is one of those unpeated variations. Now let’s dive into the details of this whisky. This expression is crafted by utilizing…
UPDATE Old Ezra Aged 7 Years
Well, after having this bottle on our shelves for six years, we have finally finished it. Now, it’s time for an update on my overall impression and whether I would consider repurchasing it. Before we proceed, let me briefly recap the notes. Nose: oak, vanilla and toffee Palate: wood, vanilla, cinnamon, lightly sweet with notes…
Dark Arts Toasted Mizunara Bourbon
One of my current favorite bourbon brands is Dark Arts Ambura Oak Stave Finished, Small Batch Rye. They had me at cinnamon and just when I thought they couldn’t top that, Dark Arts Toasted Mizunara Bourbon entered the chat. Let’s get right into this. This whiskey has a mash bill of 64% corn, 24% rye,…
Lochlea Single Malt Scotch
Lochlea whisky is a recent discovery for me, and I had the pleasure of trying their Lochlea Our Barley, Harvest Edition (first crop), and their Cask Strength Batch 2. The Lochlea distillery has an interesting history, previously operating as a dairy farm until 2006. In 2017, they transformed their piggery into a distillery and repurposed…
San Patricios 7-Años Single Malt Irish Whiskey
I am continuing my Irish whiskies features this week. Today, I want to introduce a unique Irish Whiskey that pays homage to the story of the 200 Irish Volunteers, known as the San Patricios, who fought for Mexico during the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. This Irish Whiskey is a 7- Años (for those not familiar…
Blue Note Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Now let’s explore a distillery that is new to me – Blue Note. Blue Note is a Tennessee whiskey produced by B.R. Distilling Co. Interestingly, when I asked if they were new, they shared that they are not a new distillery, but it was only recently that they made their products available in Massachusetts. I…
KAIYō Cask Strength Japanese Whisky
Back in 2021, I wrote a post about KAIYō (Japanese for Ocean) whiskies. In that post I sampled the Signature; Cask Strength; The Single and The Peated. Of the four samples I had that day, the Cask Strength was my least favorite. You can find the info on my thoughts and about KAIYō in that…
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