Ardbeg An Oa–   Pour me a bland & weak whisky, said no one ever……In order to drive that point home, just grab a bottle of powerful smoky goodness from Islay.  The nose is delightfully peaty with a serious dose of sweetness.  The flavors here include butterscotch, mild pepper, and some subtle dark chocolate.  This amber malt has been aged in charred oak, sherry, and bourbon barrels. The marriage seems to have created an explosive harmony second to none.  The distillers left off an age statement but do not shy away, this dram is worth your investment.  At 93 proof, it will get your attention right off the bat, strong, rounded, and proud of it.  I advise tasting it neat as bottled, but if you add a bit of water, it may cloud up, as it is non-chill filtered.  The wacky name comes from a seaside mount called Oa, which shelters the distillery from the Atlantic Ocean’s fury and allows the makers and nature to do their work.  So instead of bland and weak, I choose power and character, rated a muscular 8 on the snob scale.

Aerstone 10-  I have a lowland malt to share with you that has rested for a decade near the Scottish coast. The seaside terroir has given us a thick and glassy smooth drink with no edge or attitude…..The nose is light and sweet with the flavor of shortbread right from the oven.  My bottle was enjoyed by the tasting team and vanished post haste.  While not a winner in terms of character or complexity, it still made for a pleasant fall dram.  With only 80 proof in the tank, it was mellow and caramel rich but less than satisfying.  This may be the appropriate single malt for you if you have a tiki bar next to your hot tub.  Be sure to wear the neon tropical bathing suit, that might get more attention than the whisky. Rated a generous 6.5 on the Snob scale, adequate, but a tad dull.

Mortlach 16- They call it the “Beast of Dufftown”, but that seems like a misnomer…..The decanter should be your first clue that character and quality are in store. I found a complex mixture of caramel and vanilla with a good whack of welcome power.  Waves of nutmeg and sweet fruit surfaced mid taste along with some subtle pepper.  As the “ Distillers Dram” would suggest, this is a top shelf whisky with a pedigree to boot. Deep amber with a delicate nose from sherry aging is just about perfect in your glass.  When all is said and done however, “the beast” is docile and delish.  The rich mouth feel and lingering finish are right up my alley and the whiff of smoke is transcendent.  Highly recommended as your next special keeper and rated a solid 8 on the snob scale. 

Highland Park Odin-  Hide the women and children, the Vikings are landing on our shore.  If ever we’ve reviewed a more potent malt, it certainly escapes my memory.  This deep amber barbarian checks all the right boxes, massive vanilla and spice, powerful and salty nose, and full-bodied mouth feel.  The package’s dark wood cradle mimics a ship’s bow and the roughcast bottle really enhances the entire experience.  The intensity of this single malt is epic with a whiff of peat no doubt from the driftwood beach fire.  The finish is earthy and complex with a long lasting bite that perfectly suits this beast.   Delicious!……Search for this treasure and buy at least 2 bottles as the release is once and done.  The proof on this whisky is a potent 112 with a sweet sherry flavor that masks the power so use caution with your pour. The malt was aged for 16 years and the time in casks did nothing to dull the intensity, thank goodness.  Rated a swashbuckling island worthy 9

Glen Fohdry 12- “Aiteal an Oir” indeed….Finding new malts is always a challenge and my quest has landed me in the Speyside region once again.  This limited release has spent a dozen years exclusively in American oak barrels and at 94 proof it packs a significant punch.  The head distiller also opted out of chill filtering, which allows all of the apple and pear notes to mingle with a deep rich vanilla nose.  As an aside, this could also allow your whisky to cloud up a bit if you add a few drops of water.  The zesty character is quite a treat as is, so I would avoid the dilution altogether.  I found a crazy long finish with an extra dose of sweetness to boot.  Sometimes decoding the gobbledygook on a whisky label is tough for those of us who don’t speak Scottish Gaelic.  However, this one was the Malt Master’s pet name and it translates into “The Colour of Gold.”  He speaks the truth about this 7 rated beauty, which is better than average but not a star. Slainte, now more than ever….