Tasting Notes By Region
Islay  |  Islands  |  Campbeltown  |   Speyside   |   Highlands   |  Lowlands

Irish Whiskey  |  Blended, Vatted & Grain  |  American Tasting Notes

    How to taste whisky

1. Start with a tulip shaded glass (never a whisky tumble). This will concentrate the aroma of the spirit.
2. Nose the whiskey two to three times
3. Take a small sip and let the whisky coat your mouth and note what flavors you pick up
4. Add water to the spirit to open it up and to release the oils in the dram (I add just a splash)
5. Take a big sip and note the overall body of the spirit
6. Move the whisky around in your mouth to pick up additional flavors
7. Swallow and note how long the finish is
8. Take your time and try only a few at a time and drink plenty of water between sips.
   
    

Glen – 98

The standard by which other Islay’s are judged. An intense dram full of peat and smoke. A powerhouse that needs to be sipped slowly and enjoyed on cold nights around the fire. Lagavulin 16 has the best finish in the business, long and dry.

Jeff – 90

Massive, peat-smoke typical of southern Islay, yet with a dry finish & a hint of salt that makes up a classy package. It has a long finish with great complexity. Not for the beginner

 

Brett’s take: 96
My desert island dram.  Peat, smoke, brine, seaweed,
a balanced sweetness to set it all off.  If I ever need a transfusion, please use this! 

Available at most fine Liquor stores but becoming more rare and pricey.

$$$

Glen – 92

A refined dram for the true Islay connoisseur. More subtle and salty than the 16 year old and not as much of a punch in the gut.

Jeff – 91

Some smoke and saltiness, with pleasant peat-smoke. Well-balanced, leaving a sweet-peat aftertaste. Not as much sherry characteristics as its older brother. Great Whisky that should be a dram to savior.
 

Brett’s take: 88
Not better than the 16 year old; not worse either.  Definitely different, though. 
Less balance.  Notes of tar and burnt rope (in a good way).  More fun, less contemplative than the 16. 

Limited availability at some fine Liquor stores.

$$$$

Glen – 90

This is one very tame Lagavulin. Still fantastic, but in a much different way. The dram is well balanced and the sherry doesn’t overpower the whisky. The great dry Lagavulin finish (which I love) is gone, but it’s been replaced with an equally complex long and sweet finish. Subtle, rich and deep. Still, nothing compares to the 16 year old, which is not a fair comparison (to any dram).

Nose: Malty, sherry, fresh sea air, a whiff of smoke
Body: Chewy and sweet
Finish: Long, sharp and sweet, drying with some peat coming through in the end

A sweet Lagavulin.
 

Jeff – 92

A fantastic whisky that seems to get better with each sip. I think this is the best besides the Lagavulin 30 year old.

Lots of vanilla in the nose with a roasted maltyness that keeps you coming back for more. The body is heavy with a sweet salty taste that all most makes you call your ex-girlfriend and invite her over.

Finish is long and with some dried fruit with hints of peat. WOW I'm in love just don't tell my wife.

Brett's Take: 92
Secondarily matured in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, one whiff will help delineate this Lagavulin from its brethren. As you would expect, this is a very sherried dram! Almost Cabernet-like, this whisky also noses blueberries and floral notes along with its light peatiness, and one taster even picked-up stewed fruits. A medium mouth feel gives way to a not-overly-complex finish, predominated by a pleasing astringency that is actually almost cooling! Wine-like in its tannic character, this dram wafts away on a pillow of dried nuts. Very enticing.

Not Available in the US

$$$

Glen – 91

Dec/2007
A great lagavulin that has everything except that long and amazingly dry finish that defines the 16 yr old. The nose is dominated by maple cured bacon and peat smoke while the body is thick and mouth coating. The finish is big, dry and medium length.

Nose: Maple cured bacon, a camp fire, leather and peat smoke
Body: Thick and moth coating
Finish: Big and dry, sharp, medium length

Not a classic but respectable.

 

Jeff – 87

When I received this bottle I couldn't hide my emotions calling my brother and telling him he better be nice to me or else no 21. Then I had it, A very nice whisky but I was hoping for so much more. It had a nice big toffee, dried fruit, morning breakfast nose, then it kind of went south from there. The body was rich and full bodied. With peppery notes with a hint of salt. The finish was smoky, leathery and sharp.

Brett's Take: 90
Lots of overpowering stuff here. The nose is extremely perfumed; full of ripe fruits, peaches, caraway seeds, and loads of malt. It is coastal, lightly smoky, and, according to another taster contains hints of caramel fudge, though I have to admit, I’m missing that. Deliciously full-bodied and mouth-coating. The finish is also extremely big and full, stuffed with cooked fruits, sugar almonds, nonpareils, and especially smoke. Honestly, a very nice dram, though I would have liked a little more balance between the beginning perfume and the ending smoke.

Not Available in the US

$$$$$

Glen – 95

My wife gave me this bottle for my 37th Birthday and quickly announced that it would be the last bottle she ever bought me. It seems she thought the price was a little high and thought the money should go to (supposedly) more important things like the mortgage or groceries. My ramblings about the ‘water of life’, ‘Lagavulin being my favorite distillery’ and ‘price doesn’t matter for such a great work of art’; fell on deaf ears.

It’s hard to top Lagavulin’s 16 year old but this whisky makes a good attempt. It still has much of the great Islay fire that can get too tamed down after such a long maturation process. A very smooth, complex and big Lagavulin that’s very warming and flavorful. This dram stays with you for an eternity and one glass can last you the whole night. This dram will consume you whole.

Nose: Ancient and woody, sweet, tobacco, heather, peat smoke and coastal brine
Body: Medium to thick, lighter without water
Finish: Incredibly dry, long and peaty, a slow burn and then a roaring fire, some sweetness, amazing!

You don’t drink this whisky, you experience it.
 

Jeff – 94

This was the finiest Lagavulin, i've tried.Very pricy, but if your brother haa a bottle drink his. I found this whisky very well balenced and so complex. You will pick up sweet oak, vanellia, some Tabacco in the nose. then here comes the body rich, full bodied, silky with a sexy smoky finish that makes you stop for a moment and say wow was that whisky really that good.

Brett's Take: 94
Damn. Why do some expensive whiskies have to taste so darn good? Subtle and elegant, the 30 year old has very little bite, replacing that with notes of butterscotch, malt, light citrus, and fresh almonds. Medium-bodied, this whisky is just so…so…smooth, with a finish containing light peat and smoke (of course), malt, oak, Kona coffee, and fresh cream. All-consuming. I hate this dram.

Limited.

$$$$$

Glen – 85

I've always been a big Bowmore fan. Bowmore is a great whisky to start with if you new to Islays. This dram has that trademark peaty Bowmore taste and a nice sweetness to balance it out.

Nose: peat, cigarette ash
Body: Firm
Finish: Intense while it lasts, the peat sticks to your mouth, some light smoke

A great peaty dram that’s not too intense

Jeff – 83

A light Islay whisky that has a fresh coastal character about it. A nice dram to enjoy during the summer. Not as complex as the other Islays' but a good dram none the less

Available at most Liquor stores.

$$

Glen – 81

Jeff – 79

A nice Islay whisky with out the heavy price. A bit young with a sharp body. I like to add a splash of water to this one and enjoy.

Available at some Liquor stores.

$

Glen – 89

Jeff – 85

This is a nice bottle of whisky but I don't see what Glen is all excited about. I will admit I'm a speyside sherry fan, so I was pretty exited to try this whisky for the first time. It has  a winey, nutty fresh nose with a sweet woody aroma. The body and palate was very nice, chewy creamy and the finish was very delicate smooth and long.

A nice whisky but just missing that wow factor for me.

Glen –

Jeff – 96 Editor Pick Spring 2008

I had the pleasure, and it was a pleasure, to taste the new Black Bowmore 1964,
aged 42 years. It was one of the top 5 whiskies I’ve tried in the last 6 months.
The first thing that struck me was how different this whisky was. The nose was
ripe with exotic fruit (mangoes, papayas) with an old feel to it that was surprisingly
very fresh. What makes this whisky so unique is, it was aged in walnut
(yes, walnut) sherry casks. The taste was silky -- not oily nor heavy, just perfect,
with no hint of smoke from this Islay, but with a sexy lingering finish.
It’s like you’re in the Caribbean on the beach, listening to steel drums with a
beautiful island girl sitting next to you. WOW!
The whisky, I feel, is almost underpriced.
 

Rare.

$$$$$ - $4,500

Glen – 83

Brett – 85

Ah…an Islay. And a nice old one at that, though you wouldn’t know it from the freshness of the nose – very pretty. There is also licorice and light sherry, but what predominates is a profound Bowmore smokiness, specifically salami and smoked summer sausages. The body on this dram continues the “chewy” theme, being beautifully full-bodied. This Bowmore’s finish was not nearly as big as the nose, though it did still have a level of smokiness to it, along with old sherry and a slight mustiness, and (possibly) too much oak. Still, nice to see how some extra time in the cask can change a classic whisky.

Very limited.

$$$$$

Glen – 75

Brett –

Very limited.

$$$$$

Glen – 77

A very different Bowmore (until the next one we tried) that came off sweeter and lighter than the distillery bottled drams we’re used too. I enjoyed the nose that had hints of smoke, must and coconut. The body was light while the finish had a sweet smoky flavor. We also picked up grape soda of all things. I love Bowmore but this one may be a little too adventurous for me.

Nose: Light smoke, must, coconut, light peat, cooked vegetables
Body: Light
Finish: Fresh, sweet smoke, dry, grade soda, unique

Sweet and different.

Rating: 77

Brett –

Very limited.

$$$$$

Glen – 88

Feb 2008
A very comforting and flavorful Bowmore that grows on you after each sip. It definitely gave up its secrets slowly. The nose was rich with hints of leather, dark chocolate and orange peel. Had a medium soft mouthfeel and a rich smoky explosion for a finish. Well done and a great Bowmore.

Nose: Leather, dark chocolate, orange peel, overripe fruit
Body: Medium mouthfeel and soft
Finish: Medium length and a rich explosion of fruit and smoke, warming

A dram you didn’t want to end.
 

Brett –

Limited.

$$$$

Glen –

Jeff – 84

A Light Islay malt, with a beautiful floral nose. Light peat gives it a nice smooth fruity body, with hints of orange. A nice sweet finish rounds out a nice glass of whisky. I do feel the heart of Bruichladdich gets lost with to many expressions.

Available at some Liquor stores.

$

Glen – 81

A young but good expression from Bruichladdich. Sometimes it’s difficult to cut through all of the different expressions that are offered from this Islay distillery. At its core, Bruichladdich makes lightly peated whisky that is much lighter than many of the more pungent whiskies found on Islay. You know your drinking a young whisky but it holds up well with a nice dry peaty finish. Bruichladdich tends to be pricey so this is a nice inexpensive option.

Nose: Fruity, crushed apples, malty, young
Body: Hot, creamy
Finish: Short, dry some peat smoke


 

Jeff –

Not widely available

$$

Glen – 82

Matured in refill Spanish oak, Links is a fruity dram that noses younger than it is. I still don’t understand the need for all of the specialty woods from this distillery. When you’re maturing whisky on Islay just let the Island and the sea do the work.

Nose: young with a tequila like character, cantaloupe, hints of lemon
Body: Medium with a fruity sweetness
Finish: Medium length, has some bite

 

Jeff –

Available at some fine liquor stores

$$$