Oban 18-In today’s society, everything new and wacky seems to be in vogue. Well this highland smoothy is just the opposite.  For 200 years the Stevenson family has painstakingly crafted their malt in the same building, no rushing to expand or modernize ever.  I found toffee and subtle chocolate along with ripe banana notes in the flavors (yup really) .  The peat is mellow and warming and you will find zero gimmicky nuances. It’s curiously dense and complicated, and smooth as a pond at sunrise.  The price is a tad high but, 18 years in the barrel is a long time to mature. The wood makes its presence known and the finish is nearly forever.  Tradition is not a dirty word, so break out your wool jacket, and maybe a bow tie.  Delicious, classic, and proud of it, rated a 9 on the snob scale…..enjoy.

Highland Park Valknut-  These Barbarians hail from the northernmost region in Scotland and their ancestors are Vikings !  I guess we are in for a wild ride here, so forget the subtlety…..First noted is a lack of an age statement, so I prepare for a young ( edgy)  bite but it is smoother than expected.  The nose is peaty and toasty, with a solid wiff of alcohol.  At near 47% this is a punchy dram and a tad thin…..I found dried fruit and some sherry-like sweetness, a remnant from the selected aging barrels.  The Orkney benchmark is local barley with peat roasting and we have a good amount in the palate. We have a nice mix of caramel and vanilla with a spicy fruit added in for good measure. I loved the lingering finish and the maltiness that the distillers built in.  This whisky is complex and enjoyable but might be slightly overpriced , it’s not HP’s best effort.  The 3 triangle graphic is a link from warrior to the afterlife , designed by an Orkney native with lineage to the first Earl of the region, a remarkable history.  So the Viking spirt lives on in this malt, rough and tough, strong as hell, and worth the effort. I rate it a thundering 7 , now hide the women and children and run for cover.

With the early fall upon us, it’s time to break out some malty deliciousness…….These fine folks in Glasgow call their whisky a “Speyside Glenlivet”, now I am not exactly rookie in these matters but WTF! With a lovely golden hue and an ultra mellow nose, our subject delivers a wave of creamy caramel with a dash of spicy nutmeg. These crafty rascals made an easy to like dram by holding the spirit for a dozen years in American oak, bucking the current trend of no age statement! Time well spent. There is a distinct pear and raisin fruitiness along with real shortbread, darn tasty. There is nothing remarkable here , just a solid malt for your sunset tonight. Sometimes good is good enough and this is a case in point. Pour, enjoy, share, repeat. Now get busy, rated a generous 7.5 on the snob scale.

This is the 10th edition of Big “G” ’s special releases and the first one to offer 102 proof.  The long necked copper stills again prove very special whisky comes from tradition, my guess is even a rookie could make magic with one.  The nose is very fruity and lighter than expected.  The catch here is using home grown yeast in the fermenting  process and frankly that seems a tad gimmicky, but they never do consult me. I found spicy vanilla and cookie flavors mixed with subtle citrus.  Very tasty and creamy….There is zero peat but a very nice and complex thickness, weird but real. The usual barrels gave a lovely amber tint and keep the water away, you’d ruin the character. The finish was malty and sweet with some serious staying power.  Truth be told , no rookie could make this winner, the copper still is one of mankind’s greatest inventions, like the airplane, and the string bikini.  Rated a solid 8, best enjoyed with a spring view at sunset.  

Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve-  Many of us are in dire need of warm breezes and/or some quality beach time.  If the weather has you housebound, try this sunshine in a bottle.  The distillers in the Livet valley are famous for their good but unremarkable single malt and that is about to change. This malt has been aged in rum barrels and the infusion is quite remarkable.  I found the nose to be ultra sweet with notes of pears and ripe bananas.  The flavors are tropical with toffee and a wee bit of kale.  The finish is medium in length and actually tastes stronger than the 80 proof as noted.  Ice and/or water are not a good idea as this whisky is plenty mellow and silky as bottled.  The amber color is sunset perfection so get ready to transport yourself to your favorite summer location.  I rate this non-age statement trendsetter a surprising 7 on the snob scale, oh…and the kale was just to see if you were paying attention.   Cheers!