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…
Tag: blended whiskey
Father’s Day 2025 Whiskey Gift Guide
Father’s Day is just around the corner – less than two weeks away! If your dad enjoys a glass of whiskey, I’ve got you covered. Below is a curated list of whiskies I’ve personally tried and loved over the past year – prefer picks to make his day extra special. Reviews of these are either…
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…
Keeper’s Heart Irish + Bourbon Whiskey Cask Strength
I’m a huge fan of this brand. Their whiskey was one of my top whiskies of 2022, so I was very excited to sample their cask strength recently at a tasting event, but is it as good? Keep reading and find out. Nose: vanilla and oakPalate: earthy, vanilla and pepperFinish: spices and herbsCost: $50 (msrp)ABV:…
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…
Penelope Architect
Here’s an example where American whiskey meets French Oak and it’s simply done right. Penelope Architect is a collaboration with Tonnellerie Radoux of France, the market leader in oak barrel manufacturing and innovation. Architect combines three of their bourbon mash bills composed of corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley and finishes off in two different…
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…
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