The label screams tradition so are the tasting notes going to be the same?  Many of us enjoy the unusual rule breaking distillers, but when push comes to shove, this whisky wins by a Highland kilt!  The bottle tells us that the sweet citrus notes are commingled with beautiful floral notes…..thanks to the gardener of the house!   The nose is ultra aromatic and full of spices , almost like a bake shop.  I found a wonderful complexity and a creamy mouthfeel that would pair nicely with a smoked salmon dinner, yum…. Its mild at 80 proof so why not sub this in for wine next time around?  I have done that more this fall and it’s a winning combination.  This isn’t a dram for the snooty peat lovers, or the status seeking snobs, ( did I just say that?) .  On the flip side however, you’d never get a complaint if you served this 10 year old to a sophisticated friend.  As the benchmark song in “ Fiddler on the Roof” says……Tradition, always welcome here.  Rated a solid 8 , best enjoyed before all the leaves drop. 

Major Grant , our subject malt today, is a fall appropriate whisky in its flavor profile, and in its leafy coloration.  There is an amber warmth here that is second to none, and a massive dose of honey in your initial taste….enough in fact to make a beekeeper swoon.  Our porch is surrounded by flowering plants artfully tended to by my better half.  Those flowers are currently mobbed by honey bees, which brings us back to the malt in my glass.  The complexity here includes dried fruits, bountiful vanilla and at 43 proof, just the right power for neat consumption. My outdoor tasting method is highly recommended, the crisp early fall air makes for a delicious event.   At nearly 2 decades in oak, some of that in rebuilt hogshead barrels, the glassy mouthfeel is spot on terrific.  Generous time aging equals a remarkable tasting experience. Its a splurge bottle at a buck and a half but you’ll savor every dram, spend it!  The finish was nearly forever and my glass actually attracted a few of the local bees!  I’m pouring a second and you should find a source post haste…..Snobishly rated 9, make sure you share the wealth!

Meyer’s French Whisky- Sacre´bleu mon ami ! Recently, while traveling  across the charmingly scenic countryside in Alsace-Lorraine, I happened upon a distillery.  Lucky me!  I spent some quality time with the distillery master and learned a good bit about how the French accomplish their task.  We Scottish types think we are the only quality game around but my new pal Jean-Claude begs to differ.  The spirit in question was floral and grassy on the nose with some woody notes in the background.  I found honey and mystery spices in the first taste with a solid and rounded mouthfeel. The aging process relies on once filled french oak wine casks, and ultimately it’s finished in Pinot Noir oak. . The barley used in the making was all grown on site in the Rhine river plain , a historically rich agricultural region. Also worth noting is the entire process is held within the family and the nuances are closely guarded secrets, intriguing indeed.  While the flavors here are unique to me, they are also very enjoyable….Maybe the lesson learned is to broaden our horizons, there are plenty of interesting spirits to sample. So in closing, “Le Whisky Artisanal” is tres bien and rates a solid 7 on the snob scale.

Finlaggan-  Your faithful reviewer travels far and wide to keep you on the cutting edge of the spirits world.  Last fall I travelled to Amsterdam Holland and while touring that great city, I happened upon this unique single malt.  The name comes from an island castle but there is no distillery present. My faithful network of spies think the spirit comes from young barrels of Lagavulin, but that’s simply a guess. There is a smokey brine right up front with a not so subtle caramelized orange peel…..yup really.  The oaky notes come from the acorns packaged right in the bottle.  I found spices aplenty mid taste and a very thick mouthfeel.  The nose is sharp and fiery, right in my wheelhouse.  I loved the deep amber color and make sure to try it neat !  The bottom line is ”peat with sweet”, and in typical Islay fashion,  the iodine makes it complex and oh so warming.  Fun fact, the actual castle is seasonal and it opens on April 5th !  So fire up the Gulfstream and report back on your findings.  We’ll all look forward to your photos and observations….. Rated a snobbish 7, and let me know if you find it in your neighborhood.  Oh yeah, I fibbed about the acorns, but they made for a cool photograph.

Tamnavulin Double Cask-  As a diversion from the storms of winter & world madness, let’s enjoy an earthy pleasure.  As we all know, the scalawags in whisky marketing are masters at creating cool looking labels and names.  I was hooked by the former, and the sunset like color !

The real story here is Speyside terroir that brings its character to the bottle.  The valley soils in that region grow remarkable barley that morphs into our subject malt .  The twist here is after the once filled bourbon barrel aging, the  liquid gold is given a sherry barrel vacation which brings out cherry notes and sweet cake flavors. It’s a common technique, but seldom seen at this bargain price point.   Ultimately, this golden beauty gives us an entire fruit salad in a glass. At a mild  80 proof, you definitely need to enjoy this neat…..The finish was a tad speedy but this tasty malt earned my respect.  It overachieved in character and earned a solid 7 rating.  Cheers to the entire team……

Torabhaig , Shaped by Skye-  A hearty and happy Hogmanay to you !  Let’s begin 2025 with a positive outlook and a new whisky to savor….. This young punk is from the Island of Skye where once only Talisker was distilled.  While I always appreciated the later, it’s time to recognize a fresh talent has landed.  As if to say, “look at me” , the new kid has a unique bottle shape and a split label , I like ‘em both. The dram itself is straw colored and briny with some fruit and vanilla cream.  There is a welcome peaty nose and flavor and at 92 proof , a strong whiff of alcohol. The spirt was probably in oak barrels for only 4 or so years , and therefore has a significant bite, edgy but not unpleasant.  The finish was zippy, with some added char and sweetness, not un-expected and quite punchy.  Now be honest, did you immediately look up Hogmanay?  Well if not cheers to you Gaelic knowledge.  Also, the pronunciation is  “Tora-Vaig”.  So as far as your resolutions this year, please add a few comments for your favorite whisky blogger, I enjoy the feedback.  Rated a solid 6.5 , just barely recommended , but new and promising , much like 2025. Cheers !

J.P. Wiser’s Canadian-

J.P.Wiser’s Canadian-  Diversity is a hot topic these days, right ? So I’m doing my part. We are enjoying peak fall color right now, so I poured a generous dram of autumn in my glass. Our fine neighbors to the north do many things exceptionally well and distilling whisky is right up there…..On a side note, they even spell it properly !  Before you even smell this classic, the fancy decanter gets your immediate attention. I found a massive amount of pepper and delicate caramel in the nose.  The palate was earthy but sophisticated, and no , that’s not a contradiction smarty pants……The mouthfeel was creamy and quite complex, right up my alley.  You will taste the toasty grain and rich rye notes which have a gentle bite, no doubt mellowed by the 18 long years in oak barrels.  The color reminded me of thick and delicious canadian maple syrup, my all time favorite on buckwheat pancakes.   I love the heritage involved too, they have been at this since 1857 !  The finish is a tad quick but the experience is long lasting.  To quote their original mantra, “ Horses should hurry, but whisky must take its time”.  You don’t need your passport to grab a bottle either, it’s widely available.  Fall in a glass is the order of the day, now get busy.  Rated an inclusive 8 on the leafy scale. 

Laphroaig Cairdeas-  In the world of Islay whiskies, none rate higher than this family of great depth and variety.  The term itself means friendship in Scottish Gaelic and it is a special release annually . There is a festival on the island each spring called Feis IIe and the special bottles are the center of attention.  Our featured malt has no age statement and usually that suggests a bit of harshness , but not here. The Islay profile is fully present with huge peat smoldering on the nose , absolutely wonderful.  The mouthfeel is dominated by sweet fruits and spices from the Port and Madeira cask aging.  My guess is several months in each and the spirit picked up some added golden color in the process.  At 104 proof , it’s a muscular dram sure to please the educated palate.  There is a brininess in the taste which is enhanced by the oak barreling where all the magic started.  And the seaside location no doubt has its influence too.   I found that adding a few drops of water, not my usual method, improved the experience noticeably.  There are not many opportunities to get a bottle of this quality so get crackin’ ……….I rate this an 8.5 on the snob-o-meter, make sure to share it with your best friends, remember the naming concept?

Balvenie Portwood 21- Skip the mortgage payment, max out the Amex…….Our subject is an elegant dandy from the copper stills nestled in the bucolic Speyside region.  The nose on this richly textured malt is sweet with candied fruit and a heady whiff of warm alcohol.   After 20 years in quality oak barrels, the wizards of Spey finished their jewel in Port Wine casks. The final months made all the difference. We frequently mention smoothness in refined single malts but this dude takes it to a new level.  The flavors are creamy vanilla with cinnamon and toasted raisins.  I found an oaky dimension with subtle chocolate notes and layers of honey.  Do you think a spirit can be elegant?  Can a whisky be graceful?  My answer is a definite yes sir !  At 86 proof, there is just enough power for most, but adding water killed the golden goose…….The finish was medium in length and just a tad melancholy, that means the glass is empty.  Savor this premier pour and share it with your friends, life is short and you can make 2 payments next month.  Did I mention it’s a tad pricy?  Rated a 9 on the ultra snob scale, this is one special drink. 

I can’t imagine a better way to enjoy finishing a round…..Once the score has been tallied up and the lies have  all been told, a proper drink is in order.  Our single malt will settle the nerves and your companions will forgive your minor outburst when you dunked your tee shot in the pond.  I found a subtle sweetness on my initial sip and noted the complete lack of any smoke.  The floral nose was quite pleasant and the mouthfeel was soft and mellow. This is not a terribly complex malt but if that’s your thing, jump right in.  At  only 80 proof you could probable enjoy one on the back nine with your overcooked hotdog. I found the finish contained a batch of honey and was of medium length, pretty darn good …..So the next time you hear a loud “ fore” , duck and protect your drink !  Is it a coincidence that the game and the spirit came from the same country ?????  I think not.  Rated a one over par bogey , drinkable but less than exciting.