The Talisker 10 Year Old is a classic Scotch whisky with a peaty flavour; if you do some research, you’ll find a ton of excellent reviews for it online. It isn’t cheap — expect to shell out around $50.00 for a bottle. But it’s worth every penny. The Talisker Distillery is based in Carbost on the Isle of Skye, and specializes in premium single malt whisky. The distillery has quite a history, going back to 1830. The original distillery was lost in a fire and was rebuilt in 1960. If you enjoy something bold and flavorful with a lot of distinction, then you will probably enjoy the Talisker 10 Year Old.

In the bottle, the Talisker 10 y.o. has a rich, warm golden hue. The aroma from the whisky smells of brine, seaweed, smoky peat, and fresh fruit — probably apples, pears, and some kind of citrus, maybe orange. There is also something spicy going on as well. The flavours are very smoky and briny, immediately bringing to mind the Isle of Skye where the distillery is located, classic Scotland. Pepper and cinnamon add some spice, while the fruit flavours add in a hint of sweetness, balancing everything out. There is also some kind of wood flavour here as well, possibly oak.

All in all, the Talisker 10 Year Old is a wonderful dram with a rich, complex range of flavours and aromas, and makes for a memorable and delightful experience—one I hope to repeat often. I can see why this is a favorite for so many whisky fans. One word of warning, however; if you are new to whisky, you may find this one a bit overpowering. And if you don’t like peat, you’ll probably want to steer clear. Otherwise, if you love the flavour of classic Scotch whisky, enhanced by rich, delicious fruits and spices, you will love the Talisker 10 Year Old.

Summary

Colour: Warm, bright gold.

Nose: Smoke, peat, seaweed, cinnamon, fruit.

Palate: Smoke, peat, seaweed, orange, apple, pear, cinnamon, pepper, oak.

Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey is a distillery named after one of its founders, George Stranahan, who founded it together with (then) volunteer fire fighter Jess Graber, and Jake Graber – who still serves as production manager and Head distiller today, though the company has been sold to Proximo Beverage Corporation. According to the company history available on their website, George and Jess met when the Jess was one of the firemen to respond to a fire in George’s barn. The two got talking, and as it turned out they both had a passion for the Colorado nature and a tipple of fine whiskey – and that’s where it all started.
 
 
Interesting, George Stranahan also owns the Flying Dog brewery – which just happens to be one of my favourite American breweries. If you haven’t tried their Gonzo Imperial Porter or Double Dog Double Pale Ale yet, I would highly recommend them both. Needless to say, then, my hopes are once again set high! Now, let’s get back to Stranahan’s Colorado Malt, which (to my knowledge, at least) is the only whiskey they make.

It pours a beautifully dark, mahogany-gold, which is very inviting indeed. The nose is thick, warm, and packed with fresh vanilla – when it comes to getting vanilla right, trust the Americans to know how. Regular readers will perhaps have noticed that there is one particular note that will always increase my liking of a whiskey markedly: banana. In the case of Stranahan’s, there’s a fair bit of it, and it’s joined by another favourite of my – cinnamon. They go together absolutely beautifully, and add complexity to the sweetness of the vanilla. There is also a definite bit of fresh fruit crisp that breaks off the thick syrupiness beautifully, consisting of apples and just a touch citrus. A true stunner, this one.

The palate starts out where the nose ended, with a bit of apple, but this is soon replaced by a very healthy serving of vanilla – once again very thick, creamy and lovingly warm – and that seductive banana from the nose. The citrus is slightly more pronounced and a bit less sweet, sugared grapefruit perhaps? All of it is balanced out by a pinch of spice that does nothing if not make you long for your next sip.

Priced around £60 in the UK it’s not a cheap whiskey, but if you ask me it’s worth every single penny. A true masterpiece, I would warmly recommend it to anyone and everyone. Oh and I nearly forgot- as some of you will know already, I’m a sucker for a well-designed bottle, and by god this one’s a beaut! From the shape of the bottle to the thin, hand-written wrap-around label, to the quirky cap, it’s one for the bar globe.

Summary

Colour: Mahogany/Gold.

Nose: Warm, thick, fresh vanilla, banana, cinnamon, apple and a touch of citrus.

Palate: Apple, lots of vanilla, banana, sweet grapefruit, pinch of spice.

Here is a guest bourbon review, written by Martin from WhiskyCritic.com. Enjoy!

Corner Creek is a small Kentucky-based distillery that makes only the one expression: Corner Creek Reserve Bourbon Whiskey. Unfortunately I couldn’t find much information on the distillery itself, which means we will just have to jump straight into the tasting. Well, I say straight, but before we move on to contents of the bottle I’d like to say a quick word about the bottle itself: I’m not a fan. It has deeply sloped shoulders and were it not for the label telling you that it’s bourbon, I would’ve thought it was a bottle of white wine I was holding in my hands. The label does save it a bit, though, as it’s a really nice design.

I won’t go on about the bottle any more, though. The nose is quite sweet and presents vanilla along with caramel and honey. There’s also a spicy rye note, and perhaps a touch of dried fruits? No great complexity to be found here, and the wheat that is supposed to be present in the mix isn’t very convincing, I caught an occasional whiff but I couldn’t swear that this wasn’t simply down to knowing that it was supposed to be there.

The palate once again starts out sweet with caramel and a fair bit of vanilla, the fruit is a bit more pronounced here than on the nose and brings to mind fried plantain, which is nice, and there’s a bit of oak in there as well. The spicy rye note from the nose is also considerably more pronounced on the palate, and any hope the wheat stood of making an entrance is firmly rejected by its dominance.

By no means a bad drink, and at around £20-25 quid I suppose it offers fair value – especially if you take into account the fact that it’s fairly unusual, at least in the UK – but there are far better, more balanced and more interesting whiskeys around in the same price range. It sort of feels like it’s about to get started, accelerating towards something, but fails to get there on account of a lack of horsepower.

Colour: Light honey.

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, honey, faint wheat (perhaps?), rye spiciness.

Palate: Caramel, vanilla, fried plantain, some oak, a good ole serving of spicy rye.

Here is another guest whisky review, written by Martin from WhiskyCritic.com. Enjoy!

Bored stiff with the drudgery of day to day life, I realized, just the other day, that I hadn’t actually been in central Edinburgh – Old Town and the Royal Mile in particular – for at least a month, maybe two. It’s a realization that tends to dawn on me a couple of times a year as I rarely have any real reason to go there, yet every time I do go I swear to myself that I must make the 15 minute bus journey more often. The more cynical reader may think that this post has been sponsored by VisitScotland, which unfortunately it hasn’t, but I honest to God don’t think I have ever been in a more picturesque city. It’s absolutely beautiful.

It was during this visit to old town that I found myself in the tourist mecca of whisky which is the Edinburgh Whisky Experience. I didn’t do the full tour, mind, just browsed the shop for a bit, and while doing so I overheard a tourist – southern European of some description – asking for a good “spyside whisky”. I sniggered with the undeserved smugness of someone who speaks only the one language, whilst continuing to listen in to the conversation to see what the shop assistant would recommend – much to my surprise they didn’t go for Aberlour, Dalwhinnie or even Glenfiddich, but Benromach! Specifically Benromach Traditional – which, at that time, I had never actually tried. This was a situation which needed to be rectified swiftly.

And rectified it was, that very same day. A bottle of Benromach Traditional will set you back about £25, making it rather affordable. For anyone interested in finding out just a little bit more about the distillery, and reading about another expression of theirs, let me direct you attention towards my previous review of their 10 year old bottling. Now let’s take a sniff: this is definitely a light whisky, that much is obvious from the start, and every single element of its aroma is light as well – light smoke, light peat, a small pinch of peppery spice, a shy bit of vanilla and fruity citrus sweetness. Nothing stands out, and I find myself wanting just a bit more of everything.

The palate, again, is light – very light. That same light peat and smoke is there, as is the shy bit of vanilla, though the spice is a bit more pronounced than on the nose. Very similar to the nose indeed, and unfortunately it suffers – in my opinion – from the same issues as well. It just leaves you wanting a little bit more. What is there is far from bad, don’t get me wrong, and that’s precisely why you want a bit more of it. Regardless, I would definitely recommend that you splash out an extra £5-6 and get yourself a bottle of the Benromach 10 instead. Alternatively, if you’re looking for an interesting bottle and don’t want to spend more than £25, I’d recommend you consider Old Pulteney; not because they’re all that similar, mind, but because it’s interesting.

Colour: Light gold.

Nose: Light smoke, peat, pinch of peppery spice, shy vanilla, some fruity citrus sweetness.

Taste: Similar to nose, light peat and smoke, shy vanilla, a bit more spice.

Here is another guest whisky review, written by Martin from WhiskyCritic.com. Enjoy!

Jack Daniel’s is a distillery that causes a lot of emotion; particularly their standard expression. Due to their heavy marketing, pricing strategy and what not, they have become one of the (I would even say the) world’s most famous whiskeys. There are those who would drink nothing else, and who swear by its outstanding quality; and there are those who turn their nose up at it, stating that it’s 90% marketing and 10% utter rubbish. Me, I have to say that I like it – rather unexpected for some, I’m sure.

Fact of the matter is, I think it makes for an excellent mixer – I wouldn’t choose to drink Old No. 7 straight, however. What a lot of people tend to forget is that Jack Daniel’s offer a range of other expressions as well, and I shall be looking at one of them – the Single Barrel – today. Going for around £40-50, it’s considerably more expensive than their standard expression, and not something you would readily dilute with coke or ginger beer. Nor do you need to.

Starting, as ever, with the nose, it is sweet and spicy; there’s warm apples, maple syrup, corn and a bit of leather in there. In a way, it is actually quite similar to the standard expression, but fuller and better-rounded; it seems more mature. Then there’s the palate, which is even better. It starts out with dried fruits and maple syrup, and fades into cinnamon, coal, and rye – all the while there’s a firm undertone of oak and spice, which keeps it all together. The body is quite rich, especially when compared to their standard expression, and a bit dry.

I wouldn’t say that this is the best whiskey you can get for the money – I would choose Elijah Craig 18 over this – but it does show that Jack Daniel’s aren’t just a brand, and that they do know how to make a good whiskey. Would I recommend buying it? Well, yes and no. I wouldn’t recommend anyone not to buy it if they’re curious and like the sound of it, and I would actively recommend anyone who likes the standard Jack Daniel’s to branch out a bit and try this, should they be keen to try a neat whiskey but not want to wander too far from what they’re used to and like.

Colour: Dark caramel.

Nose: Sweet and spicy, warm apple, maple syrup, corn, a bit of leather.

Palate: Dried fruits, maple syrup, cinnamon, coal, rye, oak, spice.

Here is a monthly (although the schedule has been missed a few times lately) whisky review, written by Martin from WhiskyCritic.com. Enjoy!

Meeting and making friends with people from different cultures is a great way to achieve personal growth; through introducing you to different cultures and ways of life, it helps you understand and appreciate your own and the world at large. It is with great pleasure, then, that I share with you all the story of a new friendship which recently blossomed between myself and a Japanese chap. Well, I think it’s a chap – some may disagree.

His name is Yochi – Nikka Yochi – and his age is unknown, but I’m pretty sure he’s not all that old. I don’t know much of his history, but I do know him quite intimately considering how short a period of time we have been acquainted. He smells of wild strawberries, clementine and white chocolate covered crystallised ginger (which is an amazing snack, by the way, try it!) It’s a pleasant smell, but not the best I’ve ever come across; it seems to lack something that I can’t quite put my finger on. His taste isn’t too different to his smell, and offers at first a smooth, creamy sweetness full of dark summer berries and a bit of mint; this is quickly followed by a saltiness, for which I am grateful. Without the salt his taste would have fallen rather flat – but as it stands, there’s enough there to keep me coming back for another wee taste.

How’s that for homoeroticism? I’ve likened whiskies to Monroe and the like before, and in this time of equality I figured I had better work a male ‘character’ into one of my reviews as well. I don’t want to risk seeming sexist, you know. For anyone who was utterly confused by the above; I haven’t fallen head in love with a Japanese chap, but was of course referring to a whisky. Specifically Nikka Yochi, and even more specifically the expression which comes without an age statement.

With all that silliness aside, I suppose I should end this review with an overall impression. It’s a decent enough whisky – nothing fancy, but sometimes that’s just what you want, and as I mentioned earlier it’s always good to make new friends from around the world.

Colour: Dark apple juice.

Nose: Wild strawberries, clementine, white chocolate-dipped crystallised ginger.

Palate: Creamy, dark summer berries, hint of mint, salty.

Lots of us enjoy unwinding with a good cigar and a delicious malt whisky, and now the celebrated Dalmore distillery in the Scottish Highlands is launching The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve in the US in August. This 44% abv (88 proof) whisky has been concocted specifically with cigar smokers in mind and aims to enhance the smoking experience. The Cigar Malt Reserve has already received excellent reviews and was awarded the Gold Metal in the BTI Competition this June. It comes in a beautiful gift box, and the bottle features The Dalmore’s iconic crest.

"So many of our fans would ask about a cigar malt," says Jorge Gutierrez,
Vice President of The Americas Region for Whyte and Mackay, "and many were disappointed when one was not available. Now with Cigar Malt Reserve, those fans and more will get to experience the lush, full flavors of a single malt whisky crafted expressly with cigar pairings in mind.”

[A whisky called Dalmore Cigar Malt (revew) was once available, but I believe it has been discontinued. ~Ray]

What kind of lush flavors should enthusiasts expect in the Cigar Malt Reserve? Look forward to some refreshing citrus notes accompanied by golden honey, complemented by almonds, cinnamon, and creamy toffee and vanilla. There is also a tropical edge of mango, kiwi and pear to round it all out. The Cigar Malt Reserve was aged in oloroso sherry wood and white oak bourbon barrels and sparkles amber and golden in the bottle.

"When imagining this Dalmore expression, I went back to my memory bank of unforgettable occasions when I had the opportunity to enjoy a fine cigar and an exceptional single malt,” says the brew’s creator, Master Distiller Richard Paterson. “The goal in creating the Cigar Malt Reserve was not only to provide single malt fans with an incomparable experience" he added, "but also to make an expression that pairs with the many extraordinary cigars available. I believe the new whisky is a succinct expression of pleasure." he said.

The only drawback: the suggested retail price for The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve is $125.00 for 750ml.

One week ago I posted about a very special whisky tasting event called The Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza, during which one can taste over 100 different whiskies and enjoy a cigar (or a couple) afterwards. We had 2 tickets to the event to be given away to one lucky commenter, and the winner is Lloyd L. Congrats! An e-mail has been sent to you regarding your prize. Big thanks to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America and Gabby Shayne for making it possible. Remember, CigarInspector.com readers get a $15 discount on their ticket. More details here.