Single Malt Scotch Tasters of
Tasting Notes - 2010 Home
Caol Ila 25
| Color: | |
| Nose: | Citrus, dust |
| Flavor: | |
| Finish: | |
| Brief Comment: | One of the finest single malts, but possibly in need of a wee bit more complexity… to be expected of one of more advanced years. |
| Score: | 92 |
Laphroaig 18
| Color: | straw/honey/faded copper & gold/orangish-yellow/dark-honey/mahogany/amber |
| Nose: | hay/smoke/peat/fumes/waterkillsfumes/sweet/orangey/peat/oak/smooth/seaweed/pungent/grass/vanilla/peppermint/ caramelized peat/cinnamon/maple syrup |
| Flavor: | oak/oily/creamy/peat/salt/butterscotch/benign fire/creosote/smoke/smooth/ sweet/charcoal/ complex/spices/cinnamon |
| Finish: | oaky/long/peat/smoke/warm/nutty/salty/richness/smooth/long/sweet/mellow/complex/even |
| Brief Comment: | Sharp & edgy/ better with water/ smooth/clean/lovely/complex/aggressive/haunting/wonderful Islay/distinctive but below expectations/excellent Laphroaig expression/beautiful smoky dram/complex & great/no need for water/typical of Islay – water a must/ elegant & robust. |
| Score: | 88 |
anCnoc 12 year old
| Color: | Light straw / yellow straw / faded honey / many straw with tints |
| Nose: | Honey / heather / floral / citrus / decaying fruit / orange & lemon / creamy / leather? |
| Flavor: | Cereal / herbal / light malt / sweet / spicy / light cream / citrus overtones / very light / light |
| Finish: | Short / creamy / honey / medium / short / oily / coffee / dry / earthy / warming / sourish / quick |
| Brief Comment: | OK / drinkable / easily forgotten / not special / no bragging rights / unremarkable / acceptable / weak dram / missing something / pretty much sucked / nice entry level but soon forgotten |
| Score: | 71 |
Glen Dronach 19 Single Cask
| Color: | Dark amber / mahogany / copper / dark honey / orange |
| Nose: | Sweet / honey / maplesyrup / creamy / winey / molassasas / caramel / vanilla / citrus |
| Flavor: | Sherry / creamy / syrupy / sweet / caramel / pungent / spice / malt / oily / herbal / needs water |
| Finish: | Long / long / oaky / spice / candy / a little bitter / warming / complex / sweet / spice |
| Brief Comment: | Excellent sherry finish / fine dram / excellent but pricey / spectacular / has a punch / needs water then excellent / tasty / great malt needs water |
| Score: | 88 |
Laphroaig Triple Wood
| Color: | Amber / honey |
| Nose: | Peat / nut / smoky / woody / sweet |
| Flavor: | Smoke / wood / oak / salt / leather / creosote / peat / sweet / malt |
| Finish: | Long / lingering / woody / complex / creosote / sweet / floral / salt / smokey / peat |
| Brief Comment: | 3 woods is a failed experiment / needs water / 10 is better / nice with water / has a nice punch / lacks complexity but compelling / better than the 10 / good flavor / big & powerful / no water needed, “my kind of dram” / a hairy one |
| Score: | 85 |
Longrow CV
| Color: | Golden straw |
| Nose: | Pungent citrus and sweet |
| Flavor: | Creamy sweet pungency |
| Finish: | Medium long and rich with cinnamon |
| Brief Comment: | A good to very good dram, which most feel improves with water |
| Score: | 84 |
Glenmorangie -The Astar
| Color: | Straw |
| Nose: | Floral, citrus, sweet |
| Flavor: | Creamy, sweet with a hint of spice |
| Finish: | Medium to short with some sweetness |
| Brief Comment: | A nice, pleasant Glenmorangie |
| Score: | 81 |
Talisker 57°
| Color: | Golden amber |
| Nose: | Pungent floral sweetness |
| Flavor: | Spicy cinnamon with creamy smoke |
| Finish: | Long and complex |
| Brief Comment: | A powerfully great Talisker expression |
| Score: | 90 |
1996 Peacock “Icons of Arran #1” 46% ABV
| Color: | Pale straw with a hint of gold. |
| Nose: | Sweet vanilla with malt. |
| Flavor: | pungent, nutty with cinnamon sweet tones—improves with water. |
| Finish: | Medium sweet. |
| Brief Comment: | A pleasant but ultimately undistinguished dram. |
| Score: | 79 |
Balvenie 17 Rum Cask
| Color: | Amber and brass |
| Nose: | Sweet and spicy with creamy vanilla fumes |
| Flavor: | Complex, peppery cinnamon with a definite sweetness |
| Finish: | Long with spicy sweetness at the end |
| Brief Comment: | A smooth and polite Balvenie expression |
| Score: | 86 |