If you’re looking for a good solid Speysider without heavy-handed wine finishes or sherry aging, this one fits the bill, and isn’t overpriced. Also, if you’d like a gentle introduction to cask-strength whiskies, this one is a lot easier to handle for a first-timer than something like Aberlour abunad’h or a cask-strength from Islay.
The youth of the malt means all of the complexity is in the peat, which delivers a lot of intense flavor, but not a lot of secondary notes. The alcohol burn is a bit rough – likely because of the quick maturation – but nevertheless, this is a powerful, peaty kick in the head that any true peat-head should take a look at.
I will admit freely that this tastes smoother and better than Jack Daniels’ regular offering. If you’re a Jack fan, give this a try, but there are plenty of better American whiskies available on the market at similar prices.
At $116 for 750ml, I can’t say I recommend that everyone run out and buy this. However, if you’re looking for a splurge and love complex, meaty sherried Speysiders, this one is hard to beat.
Nicely complex. This whisky does not tow the line of Speyside style, instead branching out in eclectic ways. Raw cane? Anise and lime juice? I would not have pegged this as a sherried Speysider.
Not a great introduction to Macduff. It’s hard to say if the few unpleasant notes were a result of cask choice or simply reflect the distillery style. If I had spent $66 on a bottle of this, I might be disappointed. At least it’s cask strength and craft presentation.
I don’t really consider mild 12 year-old highlanders without complexity to be worth $60 a bottle, so I can’t say I would shell out for this. However, there are exactly zero flaws in the presentation here, and if you’re trying to check every distillery off your list, this one may be worth seeking out.
Re-tasted from a full bottle instead of a 50ml miniature. If you want something you don’t have to pay attention to for less than $30, you can’t go too wrong with Chivas 12, but I urge regular Chivas drinkers to expand their horizons with an occasional bottle of sub-$40 single malt.
I’m not sure I would call this “easy drinking”, and I don’t think I would buy a bottle (if it were still available!). John did manage to achieve part of his goal: a big, peaty Caol Ila with a powerfully sweet highlander to give it some background.
Not bad. A lot more corn than I usually like in my ryes, but flavorsome and smooth. No doubt the large majority of this rye’s production is used for making cocktails, as there are much better sipping ryes available.