2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 24

Here we are - the end of the road, and today is my birthday, so... time for something old - not as old as me... but close! We have Glenlivet Distillery Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 40 Years, 40% ABV. Distilled in 1972, bottled in 2013. This is a bottling done by Alexander Murray for Costco. Saw this on the shelf for something like $700... then discounted to $400... then in June of 2016 it was down to $200 - which is when I could no longer resist the temptation. For the most part the Kirkland branded Scotch Whiskies I have tried have been pretty good - and how many times will I see a 40 Year Glenlivet at a 'reasonable' price.

I wasn't sure when I was going to open it - figured it would need to be for a special occasion. Then on November 2nd, 2016... the Cubs won the world series. I *almost* cracked it open.. but would have been drinking it alone, so I waited. I *almost* cracked it open for my 50th birthday - but I honestly wasn't in the mood to celebrate (: So finally, on November 9th of 2019, after over 22 years together, Judy and I got married - and I had the opportunity to open it up and celebrate with a few friends and family.

I figured I would wrap up things for the 24 days of Whisk(e)y with a review of this one. It's not something I'll drink often, but it *is* my birthday - so Cheers!

Aroma is nice and sweet, chocolate and honey - but with a bit of spice as well - maybe cinnamon. You get some of the chocolate in the flavor, along with some wood and a bit of citrus in the finish. I've had a few samples of other old Scotch Whiskies, and my recollection is they are usually are a little bit more interesting. This is good, but it's a bit disappointing overall. Rated 3.75/5.0

And with that - 24 Days of Whisk(e)y is done. I actually had a couple of bottles from my 12 Days of Whisk(e)y 2018 survive the whole year without being finished off. My guess is several of the bottles from this year will make it to see the end of 2020 as well.  

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 23

Day 23, made it through another Monday - but it was a bit easier since I had the day off (: Today we have Bushmills Single Malt Irish Whiskey Triple Distilled Aged 21 Years, 40% ABV. I bought this one a few years ago, decided it was time to crack it open.

Aroma is inviting, you have fruit along with caramel, toffee and vanilla. It's simply amazing. Taste is full of body, you get nice sweet fruit and wood, along with some spices. Lots of layers going on and every time you take a sip you find something new. Finish has a lot of wood along with some spice and malt. After a number of 40% ABV samplings I felt were watered down or too weak - this one has no issue. I bought this bottle on sale, but I would buy another bottle of this without question. Rated 4.5/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 22

Day 22 - today we have Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended Scotch Whisky, 40% ABV. This was in the 4 pack of Johnnie Walker 200ml bottles that I bought earlier in the year - mostly so I could try this one out.

Mellow aroma on this - you get a hint of sweet like syrup along with some wood and a touch of dry smoke. Very smooth taste, lots of body and richness with a lot of subtle flavors getting your attention. Some floral notes along with some honey and some spice. A bit of smoke and tobacco as well. I do wish it had a bit more oomph though. Not something I am likely to buy a bottle of for myself. It's good and interesting, no question, but for the price point I'd want something that I personally enjoyed more. If I wanted to start a Scotch collection, it would be one to get. Rated 4.0/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 21

Saturday - Day 21... nearing the end of the road. I bought a 4 pack of Johnnie Walker 200ml bottles a while back so I could give the lineup a try. Today I'm having the 18 Year Blended Scotch Whisky, 40% ABV. This one can be bought for less than half of the Johnnie Walker Blue - but it is getting a bit spendy unless it's good.

Sweet floral aroma with some vanilla and fruit, along with some brine. Taste is smooth, a hint of brine and a touch of vanilla and spice. A dash of water seems to bring out a peppery spice. Could certainly use a more oomph that a 46% ABV or so would give it - it's a bit weak overall. Still, it's very drinkable and enjoyable. Rated 3.25/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 20

Woo! Friday!!! Day 20, today we have Highland Park 12 Year Old "Viking Honour" Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 43% ABV. I bought this over the summer and have been slowly working on it since then, but figured I'd give it a review.

You get some nice salty aroma along with some sweet honey and a touch of smoke. Taste is sweet initially, but then becomes less sweet and there is some fruit and wood coming in. I recall not being a huge fan of this initially, but I think it's grown on me some. I don't know if it needs to be a permanent fixture in the liquor shelf, but perhaps I'll buy a different Highland Park to try. Rated 3.0/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 19

Day 19... almost to the weekend - which is a 5 day weekend for me, so there's that (: Today we have Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Aged 15 Years, 46% ABV. Got a sample of this a while back to see if I'd be interested in getting a full bottle. So far Redbreast has never let me down.

Aroma is very nice on this one, citrus, fruit, some honey as well. Taste has some pepper and other spices coming in, along with some fruit and wood. I could drink this one all night - really enjoyable, and it's quite a bit different than the Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength. I wouldn't say the 15 Year is better than the 12 Year Cask - but it's really close. 4.0/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 18

Day 18... Hump Day!!! Into the final week, today I have a gift from my brother Troy, 2016 Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 47% ABV, aged 3 years. This arrived on my doorstep last December right after I wrapped up last years 12 Days of Whisk(e)y. It took willpower, but I was able to sit on this one until today (:

Aroma has a bit of sweet along with some wood. Taste is good overall, you get the bourbon sweetness, along with some nice pepper and wood. It's got some kick, seems stronger than the 47% ABV. A dash of water seems to bring the pepper to the front, along with a bitter finish. Probably better neat, overall, pretty good, 3.5/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 17

Day 17, getting into the holiday spirit, wrapped some presents tonight (: Today we have Cedar Ridge Iowa Bourbon Whiskey, 40% ABV. A friend from Iowa got this for me last year for Christmas, and so I figured I would open it up for 24 days of Whisk(e)y. I am pretty sure I have not seen this out in Oregon - I think I've had it before, but it's been quite a while.

Good typical bourbon aroma. Taste is well balanced and pretty good. I do not know how long it's been aged, but it might be a bit better with some more time, and it does taste a little watered down. It's not overly sweet, and it does have some good flavor overall. I'd put it on par with Evan Williams Single Barrel - which I like but do not currently have to do a side by side comparison. Rated 3.25/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 16

Day 16, made it through another Monday. Today we have Redbreast Lustau Edition, 46% ABV. I bought a sample of this to see if I would want to buy a full bottle. This doesn't have an age statement, but from online googling it says '9 to 12 years before being transferred over to first fill Oloroso Sherry casks from Bodegas Lustau for a year'. So... 10 to 13 years (:

For the aroma, you get some fruitiness that is missing from the Redbreast 12, along with some toffee, really quite nice. The sweetness is in the taste as well, but not too much - and it still has some of the Redbreast overall flavor and richness that I enjoy. Has some punch in the finish as well, though I don't think I'd want to add water or ice. Overall the Redbreast 12 Cask Strength is probably better - but I could see being in the mood for this one from time to time. Rated 3.75/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 15

Day 15, Lazy Sunday ... pretty darn nice out. Went out for a walk, back home ready to try today's Whisky... Talisker Single Malt Scotch Distillers Edition 2005 (Bottled 2015), 45.8% ABV. I had the 2008 (Bottled 2018) a few weeks back and was quite impressed. Went to the liquor store and grabbed the *dusty* box off the shelf that had the 2005 edition - meaning it's been sitting there for 4 years. In theory, things don't change - but you never know if the seal might have been broken.

The good news is the cork is still squeaky and everything seems good. It's not bottled to be any different from year to year, so it shouldn't matter if it's 2005 edition or 2009 edition - it should be more or less the same. The Distillers Edition starts with the 10 Year Talisker, then  finishes it in Amoroso (sherry) Casks. Aroma is just inviting - some fruit sweetness, candy, along with sea freshness. The taste is quite good - you get the expected Talisker pepper, along with some other spices, but then you get the fruit sweetness as well. Still have some sea brine going on too - really quite enjoyable. A dash of water seems to bring out the brine in the aroma and in the taste too - seems better neat. One of the best so far, 4.0/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 14

Day 14... rainy Saturday in the Portland area. Tomorrow is supposed to be nicer, we'll see! Today we have Glen Garioch Single Malt Scotch 1797 Founder's Reserve, coming in at 48% ABV. This was on sale at the local booze store 1 mile from my house, so I bought a bottle. Is it any good?

The aroma is nice, sweetness and some spice come through. The taste seems to have some honey to me, a bit of burn though as well. There is no age statement for this, so I have no idea how long it has aged, but maybe it's a bit too young. Water seems to bring out some wood flavor for me and tames the burn somewhat - might be the way to go. Rated 2.75/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 13

Day 13... a Laphroaig day. Today we are checking out Lore - The Richest of the Rich, a no age statement single malt scotch, 48% ABV. This comes well reviewed and recommended.

Aroma is inviting, with some sweetness but also smoke that would be expected from Laphroaig. I'm sure if I had tasted this when I was first getting into Scotch Whiskies I probably wouldn't have liked it - lots going on here. You get a bit of spice and sweetness initially before the smoke, ash, tar and other flavors come in, and then you get some bitterness. Overall quite interesting and enjoyable. I see this as a one drink and done type Scotch - I wouldn't want several pours of this in an evening. Good, not great, 3.75/5.0

on edit - over time I came to really enjoy this one - certainly the best Laphroaig I've had, and I'll need to pick up another bottle at some point (: Updated rating, 4.0/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 12

Day 12 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y ... half way there! Today we have Baker's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 7 Years, coming in at 53.5% ABV. Last year I reviewed a Booker's for my 12 Days of Whisk(e)y ... and that was one harsh bourbon, at 63.35% ABV. I mentioned it to some drinking friends, who said they preferred Baker's ... so here we are (:

This one is pretty good overall, nice spice on the aroma with some sweet as well. The taste is well rounded, I get some bourbon sweetness along with some vanilla and wood. Much more drinkable than the Booker's. A splash of water in the Baker's brings things down a bit more - not sure if it's needed, you do get some more spice with a splash of water. Overall, darn tasty, rated 3.75/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 11

Day 11... Hump Day! Today we have what might be my favorite Irish Whiskey, Redbreast 12 Year Single Pot Still Cask Strength, coming in at 57.2% ABV. I really like Redbreast 12, but the Cask Strength is better overall and much more interesting. I reviewed this last year - and the bottle survived until now. There's a bit left, but not much (:

My review from last year: The Cask Strength Edition is more interesting (than Redbreast 12 Year) - good flavor, and you can choose just how strong you want it to be by adding water/ice as needed. Straight you want to take small sips to be sure - but there is some nice spice, sweet, body, and richness. There is the cask strength burn though. Adding a splash of water does mellow things out a bit but does also bring out the spice to the front. Overall very good - I would want this as a permanent fixture on the liquor shelf. 4.0/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 10

Day 10... after 8 days of Scotch in a row - time to bring out an Irish Whiskey ... Connemara Peated Single Malt, Cask Strength coming in at a hearty 57.9% ABV. I've had this one before, and I've been working on this bottle for most of the year, but have not reviewed before.

You do get the alcohol in the aroma as expected, but earth and smoke are present as well along with some sweetness. You get the peat and some malt and fruit in the flavor, but the combination along with the cask strength makes my lips and tongue vibrate. Small sips are in order for this one. A dash of water doesn't change the taste much. While not usually recommended for single malts - this might be best over an ice cube as it lets things mellow out. I have had the Connemara 12 Year before, and recall enjoying it more - in the future I'll stick to that one. Rated 2.5/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 9

Day 9... made it through another Monday, woo! For today we have the last of the Game of Throne Scotch releases I purchased - Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Aged 9 Year, aka House Lannister, 46% ABV. Lagavulin puts out an 8 Year Scotch that is hard to beat for the price, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one.

Aroma is deep and inviting, nice smoke, smooth, rich, some sweetness. The smoke seems a bit musty for lack of a better word. The taste is good, seems richer and more buttery than other Lagavulin Scotch, but the smoke seems more like Johnnie Walker Black, where it's a bit ashy and dusty. A dash of water seems to tone down the sweetness and brings out the ash a bit more, I think it's better straight. I could see some people enjoying this, but for me it feels like a step back a little, rated 3.0/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 8

Day 8... feeling a bit tired today - we'll see if the Scotch perks me (: Today we have Oban Bay Reserve - Game of Thrones The Night's Watch, coming in at 43% ABV. It's been quite some time since I've had any Oban Scotch - so I've been looking forward to this one.

The aroma has salt and sea present, with some fruit and citrus in the background along with a touch of smoke. Taste is interesting, with floral and salt coming through. A dash of water seems to bring out some sweetness for me. Overall this one is quite good, though I think I liked the Talisker from last night a bit more. Rated 3.5/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 7

A rainy Saturday in Portland, and Day 7. We have Talisker Select Reserve Single Malt Scotch, aka Game of Thrones House of Greyjoy, coming in at 45.8% ABV. I picked up 3 of the GoT Scotch Whiskies - this is the first one. There is no age statement on this one, but it was priced similar to the Talisker 10 Year. Not 100% sure what to expect out of the GoT releases, we shall see.

The aroma has a lot going on, some salty, citrus, musty, with some pepper and burn as well. Flavor is good and complex, if I knew more about Scotch I could probably describe it better, it's briny, doesn't seem peaty or smokey - peppery as well. A dash of water doesn't seem to change things. It's quite interesting, and will need to give it a second chance to see if I can pick up anything more flavor wise. Rated 3.75/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 6

Friday... and Day 6! I could use another 4 day weekend, but I guess 2 will have to do. Today we have Laphroaig 10 Year Single Malt Scotch, 43% ABV. Laphroaig was the first peaty scotch I had several years back, and holy cow - it gave me goose bumps and I wasn't sure if I would be able to finish my pour. Over time, I've adjusted, no goose bumps anymore (:

Aroma has peat and smoke, along with licorice or something similar. You get the peat, earthy, smokey, along with oak and some spice. Very flavorful overall, and it takes some getting used to - but worth the effort to do so. A dash of water smooths things out quite nicely, and might be a good way to drink this. I've had this before, but I generally prefer the similarly priced Ardbeg 10 and Lagavulin 8 over the Laphroaig. It's a good one to keep around on the liquor shelf as people that love it *really* love it. Rated 3.5/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 5

Day 5 ... Thursday! Hey, it's almost the weekend, woot, woot! Today we have Lagavulin 11 Year Single Malt Scotch... The Offerman Edition, coming in at 46% ABV, which puts it between the 16 Year at 43% and 8 Year at 48%. There's a blurb on the box about how Nick Offerman was involved in the choices of how this was matured and such… gimmick? Something? Anything? We're going to find out!

Aroma is similar to other Lagavulins, maybe a little less smoke, but still present along with peat and and maybe some vanilla, pepper, and sea salt. The taste has the smoke and peaty flavor, there is a good bit of pepper present as well, and maybe some wood. A dash of water seems to bring in some sweetness and tames the pepper a bit.

The verdict is that this is different enough to add to the collection of Lagavulin Scotch Whiskies on the shelf, and pretty darn good overall, it's certainly something! Rated 4.0/5.0 - the highest this year… so far anyway (:

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 4

Day 4 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y ...Hump Day! Today we have Talisker 10 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky coming in at 45.8% ABV. I have not tried this one before, so I've been looking forward to this. It's in the same price range as Lagavulin 8 / Ardbeg 10 and I was wanting to see how it compares.

You get some aroma of smoke and peat, the taste is peaty and smoky, but then some pretty strong pepper kicks in and lingers. Enjoyable and certainly different than Ardbeg or Lagavulin. If pepper isn't your thing - stay clear! For me this is a step back from Ardbeg 10, but not by much. 3.5/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 3

Here we are with Day 3. Today's offering is Ardbeg 10 Year Islay Single Malt Scotch, coming in at 46% ABV. The first time I had this was a few years back at a West Coast Gathering. We were caught a bit off guard by the very light color along with the nice robust flavor. It's one of my favorite mid priced Scotch Whiskies.

Nice smokey and peaty aroma, with a hint of vanilla as well. Taste has good smoke along with some citrus and maybe some vanilla. Smoke comes in with the finish. I don't normally drink this with water or ice, but a dash of water does mellow things a bit but does keep the flavor and balance about the same - I probably prefer it neat. It's really quite good overall, especially for the price - rated 3.75/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 2

Onward to day two. Made it through Monday... woot! Today we have Johnnie Walker Double Black. JW Black might have been the first Scotch Whiskey that I drank straight when a co-worker bought me a bottle to celebrate the launch of a website I'd been working on for months finally launched back in 2000 (Thanks Tim and Team Love!). I drank most of the bottle that afternoon and then stayed late at the office to sober up before driving home (:

The last few times I've had JW Black I've thought it was more dusty than smokey - it was OK and a good fall back if the selection was limited, but not something I would buy to have at home. I figured I'd try the Double Black during 24 Days of Whisk(e)y, as it has more peaty malt whiskies blended in and is matured in heavily charred old oak casks - which at least on paper sounded like an improvement.

Overall this is nice and drinkable. My biggest complaint would be that it feels a bit watered down, probably due to the 40% ABV - I would not have this with water or ice. I'd have to do a side by side taste test to know if I liked it more than JW Black - but I'm guessing I'd prefer the Double Black. I doubt I'd buy another bottle of this, but I'll grab this one when I want something easy to drink. Rated 3.0/5.0

2019 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 1

And here we are - something old but new. I've been a fan of Templeton Rye since I was first introduced to it at a friends wedding near Templeton, Iowa about 10 years ago. Back then I lived in Missouri, and the stuff was hard to find outside of Iowa and Chicago. Things have changed, and Templeton Rye is distributed across the country now.

The Barrel Strength version came out in 2018 and I've been meaning to give it a try - finally snagged a bottle and thought I'd start things off for the 24 Days of Whisk(e)y with this one, a little taste of 'home'. Quite a bit of booze in the aroma. It certainly is stronger when drinking, with some nice warmth. The good Templeton Rye taste that I came to love is still there... this is probably more interesting than the standard 4 year or 6 year versions. A dash of water tames the burn down a little but doesn't really change the flavor much. Would probably be nice with ice as well. A fine addition - it says 'limited bottling' so I'm not sure if they're planning on keeping it around. I'll rate it a 3.5/5.0

19 Year Winner

The Port Askaig was the clear winner - nothing really came close. It had good character, good flavor, nice body... overall good presence. Cheers!

Glenfiddich 19 Year Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask 40%

Glenfiddich 19 Year Age of Discovery Bourbon Cask (40%/80 proof). Unsurprisingly, very smooth, but not overly impressive. This could probably use a little more oomph. Rated 3.5/5

Glenrothes 19 Year Chieftain's 50%

Glenrothes 19 Year Chieftain's (50%/100 proof) Mild aroma and some fruity overtones with some spice and heat as well. More interesting than most of the pours today, rated 3.5/5.

Glencadam 19 Year Single Malt 46%

Glencadam 19 Year Single Malt (46%/92 proof). Fresh aroma, smooth taste with some warmth and spice, pretty good. Rated 3.0/5 (though more like a 3.25 but at the time I was sticking to half steps).

Benrinnes 19 Year Old Malt Cask 50%

Benrinnes 19 Year Old Malt Cask (50%/100 proof) Not much aroma, some spice and warmth, but lacking anything special. Rated 3.0/5

Arran 19 Year Single Cask 55.3%

Arran 19 Year Single Cask (55.3%/110.6 proof). A bit of floral aroma. Good warmth in this one, some after burn as well. Rated 3.0/5

Loch Lomond 19 Year Single Grain 51.5%

Loch Lomond 19 Year Single Grain (51.5%/103 proof) Nice aroma, a little spice and a hint smoke and toffee. This one is quite enjoyable. Rated 3.5/5

Port Askaig 19 Year 50.4%

Port Askaig 19 Year (50.4%/100.8 proof) - I've had other Port Askaig Scotch in the past and have generally liked them. Light smoky aroma, matched by nice flavor and warmth. Really quite nice. Best so far of the day. Rated 4.0/5

Miltonduff 19 Year Lady of the Glen 51.4%

Miltonduff 19 Year Lady of the Glen (51.4%/102.8 proof). Light aroma with some pepper spice, but well balanced overall. Solid, but not fantastic. Rated 3.0/5

Tomintoul 19 Year Single Cask 54.6%

Tomintoul 19 Year Single Cask (54.6%/109.2 proof) Nice aroma on the nose, the proof comes through. Some nice spice, but not my style overall. Rated 2.5/5

Balvenie 21 Year PortWood Finish

First up was a non-19 year Scotch that we both wanted to try... Balvenie 21 Year PortWood Finish (40%/80 proof). Smooth, and easy drinking. It lacked smoke or character, but is very drinkable. I gave it a 3.5/5

Dusting the old blog off - old reviews...

I'm going to dust off this old blog and post some old reviews of scotch/whisk(e)y that I did in 2017 and 2018.

In March of 2017 I travelled to a friends house and we taste tested nine 19 Year Old Scotch Whiskies. I had purchased two samples of each for us to try over the weekend. This was to decide which full bottle to buy for an event.