MrWizard's Ramblings

Glen Moray 14, Warehouse 1, Sauternes Cask, 59.6%
Distilled and bottled in 2006, this new expression is exclusive to the UK market. At the very least this has sauternes cask finish. The nose is full-bodied and punchy with dark fruits and sweet, light caramel sugars. Perhaps fruity tarte tatin. The palate is rich, woody, spicy, and mouth-clinging. Dark chocolate, chili peppers, sticky dark toffee, coffee notes. Sweet chocolate and vanilla extract dominate the lingering aftertaste, finishing with some warming spices. Water is recommended here, making it slightly less punchy but a lot more manageable on the palate instead of being a full on tongue-punch. Overall: Enjoyable cask finish on a solid malt base, but somewhat unbalanced at the same time and doesn’t quite know which way it wants to be. Too much finishing cask without some water. Still not too bad for what it is. Value: Priced at $80 to me, great deal. MSRP is slightly higher.
Score: B+

Glen Moray 15, Warehouse 1, Tokaji Cask Finish, 53.6%
Distilled in October 2005 and finished in oak casks that once held Tokaji Aszú wine, this is cask proof batched bottling. The nose is very flavorful and surprisingly strong here, sugared oranges and ginger, sweet vanilla extract. Velvety palate, surprisingly gentle, maple syrup on pancakes, moist angel cake sponge, sugar and chilies. Medium-length aftertaste, brings some more lingering chili spice and pronounced almond nuttiness. Overall: Sweet, balanced and perfectly proofed, I really like this! It’s definitely very cake-like to me. Value: I’ve paid $80 for it… A solid deal.
Score: A-

Glen Moray 30, Binny’s SP, Single Cask Nation, 57.8%
A Single Cask Nation bottling, exclusively for Binny’s in Chicagoland. This was aged for 30 years in new toasted oak hogshead. Fruit-forward and flowery oak on the nose, strong vanilla undercurrent. Rich, earthy, slightly nutty, quite okay palate now that it settled… Originally this was a lot like drinking perfume, with some oxidation this is rather… nice and oakiness balances out the fruitiness. Lingering aftertaste with more or less everything from the palate, sweet dried fruits and flowers balanced out by some oak tannic bitterness. Overall: Not quite like just about everything in the scottish malt world, this is very flowery, fruity, rich, and intense. I wasn’t a huge fan of this originally, but it’s sure growing on me with some time and oxidation in the bottle. Value: Between $250 and $300 - depending on sale and shipping - this is certainly… not cheap, but a good cask and high age… I’ll give this one a pass on value.
Score: B+ (maybe A-)

Glencadam 13, Single Cask Nation, 60.2%
A 2011 Glencadam, aged for 10 years in ex-bourbon barrel, then finished for 3 years in 1st fill str sherry barrique - cask #18050. Bottled by Single Cask Nation in 2024. On the nose, it’s very boozy eastern european dried fruit compote bordering on paint-thinner intensity - still smells rather nice. The palate is incredibly intense, yes there’s plenty of wood and fruity flavors but the underlying alcohol is also so intense it’s nearly overwhelming any positives and sending my palate in to state of shock… Floral, sweet and rich palate… with cloves, apples, plums, peaches all mixed up together. Aftertaste lingers with slightly bitter woodiness. Overall, while it’s not the hazmat proofed but it’s some other sort of unbalanced intensity that doesn’t quite mash with me. This feels like a mismatch or a mis-proof of a cask… Not sure if they were fixing the ex-bourbon… or messed it up with the sherry str… but something isn’t particularly yummy for me here. Blended with something more neutral this becomes a lot more palatable - but I’m not rating blendability here. Value: Paid 125 for it so with shipping, not too bad… for any other bottle from that source and age. It’s hard to argue value - and stay unbiased - when not liking the flavors.
Score: C

Clynelish 12, Single Cask Nation, 61.1%
A twelve year old Clynelish in 1st fils bourbon cask bottled by Single Cask Nation, cask #180387. It came in a bundle with Glencadam above. Classic honeycomb and waxy clynelish with a slight funk on the nose - unsurprisingly alcohol is front and center, but still balanced enough. Palate waxy sweet classical clynelish, no surprises here. The aftertaste is classical sweet vanilla clynelish… Overall: This doesn’t break the formula, nor does it refine it… It’s kinda more of the same… but when the same is this good… it’s okay to have more of the same. Value: IIRC this was another 125, similarly to the bottle above… A touch over where I was happy to pay it but still not in the area where I’m unhappy to pay this, so let’s call it ‘reasonable’.
Score: B+

Wolves 5, American Single Malt 48%
Wolves 5 Year American Single Malt Whiskey begins under the intense Arizona heat, where the whiskey matures for five full years in seasoned California wine barrels. Then spirit barrels are hand-selected, blended, and given a final resting period in aged Cognac casks. On the nose, it’s a little wine-forward in a touch of way that doesn’t mesh well with ASM… Bit of a sharp yeast-sour note. The palate - on the other hand - is surprisingly nice, with dried fruits, toasted nuts - in as so much that un-sherried malt can be nutty - and some noticeable chili and nutmeg spices. Lingering aftertaste with more of the same from the palate. Overall: Drinkable, and if not for that nose this would be quite enjoyable as a casual pour… The nose spoils the entire experience for me. Closing my nose while drinking it seriously improves its approachability. Value: This was in Trader Joes at $20, which is phenomenal price… MSRP is circa $80 iirc… which is somewhat okayish… but people just not going to buy a quirky ASM for MSRP.
Score: C+

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

Courage & Conviction 7, SFWBSS Pick “Maple Train”, 60.5%
We’ve got Courage & Conviction American Single Malt, aged for 7 years in a cuvee (Wine) STR cask #2572. This one was picked by our good friends from SFWBSS group. The nose is quite impactful - dark red fruits, wood lacquer, good quality old furniture, port wine! I kept on trying to figure out the nose but it’s port… that red wine and alcohol… Not super dark port but nicely aged, spicy, strong and vanilla-forward one. The palate is a mix of dried orchard fruits, very generously spiced with chili and baking spices, and drowned in pure alcohol and sweet brown sugar. It’s very strong and unapologetic with the proof, but the alcohol itself isn’t abrasive, instead it’s velvety and welcoming. The palate is nice, lingering, like a sweet tea that’s been spiced with mulling spices (sans cinnamon). Overall: this is enjoyable but doesn’t quite reach amazing territory in my book. It blends really well with an under flavored malt for quite a terrific combination. Value: This was $65 or so, an extremely solid price considering nice packaging it comes in.
Score: B

GlenFabulous (Glenfarclas) 13, K&L/Faultline Sp, 55.1%
We’ve got Glenfarclas independently bottled by K&L Wines, distilled in 2010, and aged in for 13 years in a single hogshead (ex-bourbon) cask. Glenfarclas really dislikes their name on anything independent thus the ‘GlenFabulous’ naming. It’s should be noted that this is another one of the 6 Faultline malt bottles released by K&L in 2025, alongside with Glentauchers, Ardbeg, Balvenie and 3 others. Back to this… Classic speyside ex-bourbon nose, green apples and white grapes - that’s new. Very classic speyside malt palate… honestly more of the same from the nose. Lingering long aftertaste with a spike of spices towards the end that enhances the experience and makes you want more, baking spices and a touch of tobacco in the very end that lingers. Overall: Excellent, fabulous and all that… I got some stuff in backlog where I truly want to say ‘this is what ex-bourbon should be’ but this is very much what a *young* ex-bourbon malt should be! Value: Listed at $59… this is fantastic (fabulous) value.
Score: A-

Tomintoul 14, Cadenhead Small Batch, 46%
Tomintoul-Glenlivet - as Cadenhead calls all Speysiders - is a 14 year old single malt aged in bourbon casks and bottled at 46%. The nose is buttery speyside malt, nothing spectacular here, more or less what you’d expect. Vanilla, some light fruits, but rather mute nose overall. The palate is actually quite lively, starts fruity and slightly sweet, but quickly evolves in rather impactful ex-bourbon profile with chili spice and something tropical in the mix. Chili spices and surprisingly present alcohol linger around in a medium-length drying aftertaste that finishes with a mineral note towards the end. Overall: This is punching above what I have expected from this bottle. Honestly, what you see is what you get. Solid 14 year old speyside malt. Nothing much to sing praises here, but also nothing to complain above either. The aftertaste isn’t bad by any means but not having it lean towards sweetness is a bit of a letdown. Value: I paid $25 for this so yay me. About 60-80 is what i’d expect to this in a store.
Score: B

Islay Mystery (Ardbeg) 26, Faultline (K&L) SP, 54%
Another bottle from the recent batch of faultline bottlings by K&L wines. This is an Islay Mystery - Ardbeg - distilled in 1997 and aged for 26 years in ex-bourbon hogshead. A nose is spectacular with old heavy peat, salty and clinging - almost musty. Powerful smoke on the palate, vanilla sweetness, complex herbaly and earthy flavors, candied lemons somewhere in the secondaries. Lingering, sweet and smoky aftertaste that just lasts and lasts eventually ending with some lingering mint notes that linger into forever. Overall: “They don’t make them like they used to” is appropriate here. Powerful - and old - high quality malt that integrated to near perfection along the distillery’s profile. This is the one that definitely makes you sit back in your chair and just zone out while enjoy it. Value: Listed at $300 on the website, it’s not quite a bargain bin discount savings level but for pedigree, age, and quality it’s almost worth it.
Score: A

Fettercairn 16, First Editions, 56.9%
Fettercairn 16 - distilled in 2008 - bottled by First Editions by Hunter Laing. This was aged in oloroso butt HL21245. The nose is light sulfur and dark chocolate. The palate is bitter dark chocolate, light sulfur and chili spices. The lingering aftertaste is chili spice, dark chocolate, vanilla and everything nice. Overall: very consistent start-to-finish malt that is both a sherry bomb - and - executed well. Value: Priced at $99 at K&L Wines I’d count a bottle of this as a solid buy.
Score: A-

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

Hazelburn 15 (2023), 55.8%
Hazelburn 15, oloroso cask matured. Bottled in September of 2023… Number of bottles in this batch 9,000. Hazelburn - for those unaware - is the unpeated branch of Springbank. The nose is sweet, slightly funky and inviting. The main note other than toasted wood spices that I’m getting here are a fig-and-plum compote. The palate velvety-smooth, more of those figs-and-plum sweetness, immediately counterbalanced by baking spices, lots of nutmeg, black pepper, chili, dark chocolate. The aftertaste lasts and lasts, more of the vanilla dark chocolate truffles dusted by chili flakes. Quite sweet, yet somewhat savory at the same time. Overall: A pleasure to drink for sure. It’s phenomenal and delicious. An easy A score from me. Value: I believe MSRP on this was $240 or so, which i think is a touch too much for a 15 year old.
Score: A

Inchmurrin Madeira Wood Finish, 46%
Inchmurrin is one of the several brands distilled at Loch Lomond distillery, this one happens to be somewhat peated variant. This bottling was part of Island Collection and finished in madeira - Portuguese fortified wine - casks. I quite enjoy the nose, the cherry notes and wine sweetness balance light smoke and alcohol well, and it ends up smelling like hot cherry pie. The palate is soft due to proof, reasonably mildly, sweet and cherried. There are some toasted nuts in the mix as well as tingling spices, perhaps nutmeg? Medium long aftertaste that’s bitter-sweet in a pleasant way wraps it up. Overall: I’m quite pleased with this. It’s by no means overwhelming or too memorable, but it’s ‘just right’. Just right amount of intensity, just the right amount of everything. Very solid evening dram, thought perhaps not impressive to most connoisseurs. Value: I believe the MSRP was ~$75 which is reasonable, while I paid $25 for this… a win for me!
Score: B

Tomatin 10, Cadenhead, 46%
A Tomatin 10 from Cadenhead Original Collection, matured in oak and bottled at 46%. This isn’t a single cask, but instead a Tomatin blend, still keeping it’s single malt designation. Quite pale in the color department and 46 abv does not make this a flavor bomb, but is it still good? Aromatic dried orange skins on the nose, integrated alcohol, some grain notes that are complementary here. The palate… is more or less same as the nose. The aftertaste is more or less same as the palate, with a touch of gentle chili spice emerging towards the end, making the finish somewhat savory and mouth-watering, which makes me want more of it. Overall: Gentle, enjoyable and incredibly ‘crushable’ this is a surprise drink that I can just continue drinking and continue enjoying. Is it memorable? No. Is it enjoyable? Yes. Value: N/A I’d guess $60-80, whereas I - once again - paid $25… Another score for me.
Score: B

Teeling 14 (Single Malt), Carcavelos Cask, 55.8%
A Teeling 14 Single Malt - really a Cooley Single malt - aged for 14 years in Carcavelos, a Portuguese white port, casked in Ireland. Distilled in 2002 and bottled in 2016 this is 100% guaranteed to be Cooley malt. Nose… interesting but notable honeycomb note under somewhat unidentifiable spice mix that leans sweet - maybe garam masala, but it’s sure is complex even if not punchy. The palate got heavily toasted nuts, sugars, and while it tries to be sweet initially, it descends into savory chili notes almost immediately. Proof here plays to its strengths and maintains intensity without being overpowering. Lingering sweet and savory aftertaste that’s quite hard to classify in terms of where it’s going. I’ll approximate it to warm spice mix combined with oatmeal cookie. Overall: I’m genuinely at a loss of how to really describe this as it’s really unlike just about anything else i had in the past. It’s clearly a malt through and through. It’s tasty. It’s sweet. It’s also quite ‘odd’. Value: N/A since this is from 2016. These prices don’t exist anymore.
Score: B+

Glendronach, Ode to the Dark, 50.8%
Glendronach Ode to the Dark is a new NAS expression from distillery, aged exclusively in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. Bit of a throwback to the good old days of single sherry type maturation as opposed to current expressions are a mix of different style casks. First of all, this is dark in color. On the nose, dried plums and other dark dried fruits, reasonably balanced by the proof. Interestingly, it leans slightly towards sour prunes and cherries - and leather - a opposed to sweet molasses. The palate is rich, somewhat drying, woody, spicy, dark chocolate, a light touch of tobacco, sweet - not too sweet - only enough vanilla extract to balance the rest of the notes. Baking spices and chili peppers show up in secondaries and continue into a lingering aftertaste. Overall: A highly concentrated, very enjoyable Glendronach tribute to sherry wood. Value: At about $90 it’s rather well worth it if one likes that slightly over-wooded sherried speyside note.
Score: B+

Westland x Holy Mountain Cask Exchange, 50%
Another Westland and brewing house collaboration. This time wetland malt has been aged in holy mountain’s casks that had held American Strong Beer. The nose is herbal, caramel-forward, very slightly beer-y and full of the typical Westland coffee-chocolate note mixed with a bit of a stout beer nose. The palate is an impressive combination of flavors where reasonably mellow beer profiles meshes excellently with the proof. This consistently carries into a lingering aftertaste with more coffee/chocolate beer/westand notes, maltiness and chili spice. Overall: This is somehow more-’Westland’ Westland bottling. If you like craft beers that aren’t overwhelming on the profile (light stouts, heavy lagers).. This will be right up your alley. It’s really quite enjoyable for what it is. There’s no really getting away from beer note here, but it’s by no means unwelcome! Value: Gift from a friend… but should have been about $100. Reasonable deal for a unique bottle.
Score: B

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

Well, it’s been a while here are some randoms!

Willett Bourbon 7 years old, Cask #3884, 65%
A Willett single cask, nicknamed “Happy Accidents”, at 130 proof this makes it very fiery! Strong sichuan peppers and cinnamon upfront. This is a flavor bomb of the light-toast variety. The palate has more cinnamon candy, balanced oak notes, sugar molasses, a note or roasted almond but only a touch. The aftertaste lingers for a while and leans towards bittersweet chili chocolate. Overall: This is a very ‘bourbon-y’ bourbon that leans to the lighter bourbon spectrum with cinnamon and chilis vs dark wood and cherries that others do. Quite fiery, very enjoyable and definitely needs of a few drops of water to appreciate. I’ll be very clear, it’s not quite ‘my favorite profile of bourbon’ as I lean towards wood and cherries, but it doesn’t make it any bad at all. Value: N/A sample.
Score: B

The Boss Hog 9, Whistlepig Rye, “Siren’s Song”, 56.7%
A small sample, so I’ll be brief here. This is a “well-aged rye” from casks that previously held Greek Fig Nectar and tentura they made themselves. If it’s your first time seeing the word “tentura”, don’t worry, it’s mine too so I’ve Googled it for us: “a traditional liqueur from Patras, Greece. It’s made by infusing brandy or rum with herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and citrus fruit.” Medicinal, camphor and herbal infusions. Silky smooth. Quite fantastic if you’re sorta in that herbal, tentura flavors profile… And btw, it’s basically pumpkin spice! There are no faults here, other than it will probably offend rye purists simply by existing.
Score: A

High West Yippee Ki-Yay Rye, 46%
High West Yippee Ki-Yay is a discontinued, limited-release blended straight rye whiskey finished in vermouth and Syrah barrels. It typically features a blend of rye whiskies aged 2-16 years. Sweet, enjoyable, somewhat mellow rye notes. Well polished and *very drinkable* but not particularly memorable. Almost like a well-done rye cocktail. Definitely sweeter than typical rye would be due to the finish. Again, a sample but this is also something I’m not compelled to review in-depth. It’s fine. It’s sweet, it’s enjoyable.
Score: B+

E.H.Taylor (EHT) Bourbon, Barrell Proof, Batch 6, 64.05%
Ah finally, I’m reviewing something I’ve been trying to get at for a while. EH Taylor bourbon at barrell proof. In theory, I should enjoy it. Let’s dig in. On the nose, potent wood, alcohol, brown sugar, baking spices. Plate is impactful - as expected for the proof - yet the flavor intensity balances out the alcohol. Think dried yellow stone fruits mostly, apricots, maybe peach, dried mango. This leans more towards chili-chocolate and less towards cinnamon-sugar in the profile. Medium-long, sweet, slightly bitter - but also somewhat mellow - aftertaste. Overall: This is rather enjoyable and miles above the regular EHT offering, while keeping same light and fruity core. After some sips, the palate adjusts and it becomes rather nice to sip. Not a pour to overthink, this is certainly one to still enjoy at the end of the day or perhaps even in front of a fireplace. Value: At secondary it’s not worth it - but nothing really is… At MSRP it’s darn solid buy… though good luck as all the stock is bought up by scalpers on sight.
Score: A-

Sorachi Japanese Blended Whiskey, Hinoki Cask Finish, 40%
Sorachi Hinoki Cask is a Japanese-made malt blend finished in Hinoki (Japanese cypress), no age statement. In reality, this is sourced from Scotland; blended and finished in Japan. This ultimately makes it a Japan-blended Scottish malt at 40% abv. Let’s dig in! The nose is surprisingly lively with spiced lemon custard - or a key lime pie. The palate is dry and spicy, with notes of pepper, some vanilla and tropical fruits of the sour variety, think green papaya or slightly under ripe mango. Mouthfeel is rather velvety, especially considering the relatively low proof. Aftertaste got some more pepper and dry - yet sweet - malt notes lingering around. Overall: Surprisingly I don’t mind this at all. The quality is there, the sources are likely good and blending is on point. Extra maturation brings it together and adds extra flavor to something that’d be otherwise unremarkable. If i have to compare this to something, think of it as Japanese version of Compass Box blend. Low proof is one detriment here, should have been 43 or 46. Value: N/A sample (MSRP is ~$100 which is higher than I’d pay for it).
Score: B+

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown

Compass Box 5th & Harrison II, K&L Limited edition, 53.2%
A blend of Compass Box malts from Bowmore, Glendullan, and Caol Ila, this is the second release they’ve done for K&L Wines to commemorate one of their milestones — in this case, the opening of a new location. I’ll skip the minutiae; you’re welcome to look up the details online. I will note that this is a preview for a bottle I also have stashed away for later, so I’m hoping it’s good. Nose: Strong fresh pine needles, smoke, and dried citrus peels. Palate: Lively and feels stronger than the proof. The pine notes continue prominently — very reminiscent of fresh pine resin on the tongue. Smoke, citrus, and a light peppermint note are also present. The bourbon casks that make up most of the blend balance things out with reasonable sweetness and a bit of spice. Aftertaste: Did I mention pine sap yet? Mostly sweet, peppery, and somewhat smoky. There’s a savoury-sweet note that makes the finish mouthwatering rather than drying. Overall: A very competent peated blend that feels like something of its own — I don’t recall encountering this exact sweet, smoky, pine-forward profile before. Fans of that style will likely enjoy it. It’s good, and I wish I could rate it higher, but it simply doesn’t stand out enough. Value: Priced around $169 if I recall correctly, which feels like a solid price given the age of the components.
Score: B+

Compass Box Transatlanticism, 51.1%
A Compass Box + t8ke venture, a blend of Spice Tree with Clynelish and Linkwood (and Miltonduff) — more or less everything I like. Let’s dig in. The nose is excellently balanced: subtle yet potent spice notes lead, with candied orange peel and malt following behind. The palate brings a mix of fruity, sherried Speyside flavors—dried, stewed fruit dipped in sweet sherry — backed by that familiar Spice Tree spice. It’s a really nice marriage of spice, fruit, and candied sweetness. The finish lingers for quite a while, carrying more of that fruit-spice-sugar profile. No need for water here; at 51% ABV, the intensity feels just right. Overall: very much a “what you see is what you get” result. I suspect t8ke advocated for a more intensity for the ‘American palate’ while Compass Box delivered the classic Scotch profile. A competent, very enjoyable, and easy-to-understand “spicy Speyside” (plus a bit more) blend. Value: Eeeeeeeh… at $199 MSRP, that’s… spicy (HA!) — unless you’re specifically collecting Compass Box releases. Best approached at a discount.
Score: B+ (Spicy Speyside)

Glenallachie 10, Spanish Virgin Oak, 48%
Thanks to my friend Jeffrey for a generous “sample”! This is Billy Walker’s Glenallachie 10, first aged in American ex-bourbon and then finished in Spanish virgin oak—part of their Virgin Oak series, which is exactly as it sounds. The nose is distinctly oaky, with darker wood notes. Not quite juniper wood, but approaching that territory— more of a neutral, dry, wood than juniper overall. The palate is spicy, woody, and sweet without tipping into bitterness, with vanilla-forward notes that come together as an integrated whole. The finish is long and lingering, carrying that woody profile with a touch of bitterness. Oddly, it leans almost bourbon-like on the aftertaste, or what I wish more bourbons would deliver. Overall: a competent bottle that showcases the finishing cask, backed by quality spirit and a skilled blender’s hand (Billy Walker is a living legend for a reason). This is something I’d happily drink on a random day. Value: N/A (gift). MSRP is $115… which feels just a touch too high.
Score: B+

Kilnaughton (Ardbeg) 8, Cooper’s Choice SP, Tempranillo Cask, 56.5%
Kilnaughton—a bit of internet sleuthing suggests it’s almost certainly Ardbeg—aged 8 years in a Spanish Tempranillo red wine cask and bottled in 2020. Time to dig in. The nose is fantastic: smoked, salty dried fish alongside sweet fig jam and slightly tannic wood. With time, the wood and fruit largely displace the smoke in the glass, and it becomes quite cologne-y. The palate opens with spicy-sweet, heavily toasted oak—think burnt almonds, cloves, nutmeg, and a peppery spice to a nearly overwhelming degree—then the smoke arrives to rein it in a bit. The charred bitterness lingers into the finish—thankfully never overwhelming—and ends up tying everything together rather than distracting. A bit of water relieves some of the wood intensity, but also amplifies the wine and definitely heightens the spice. Overall: definitely a weird one. I don’t love it, I don’t hate it. The cask shows quality, but the intensity is borderline too much—an overall flavor bomb that’s both off the beaten path and somehow familiar compared to other good bottlings from this distillery. I don’t mind that it’s only 8 years old; the flavor stands up well to bottles nearly twice its age. Value: MSRP was around $80; I’ve seen ~67€ online too. Very solid.
Score: B- (w/ water)

Craigellachie 11, Thompson Bros SP, 50%
We’ve got Craigellachie 11 here, distilled in 2012 and bottled by Thompson Brothers in 2023. I’ll note the label has a drawing of pineapple and worms, which my wife hates, though I digress. Let’s try it. The color is very pale. The nose brings malt and dried tropical fruits—dried candied orange and, well… dried pineapple. There may be a theme here. The palate starts gentle and slightly sweet, but before long there’s an avalanche of peppery spice rolling in like a wave. The Sichuan comparison is strong—it’s almost numbing in its intensity. The reasonably short finish acts as a sweet, gentle relief from the spice flood of the mid-palate. Interestingly, the more I sip it, the sweeter and less aggressive the spice becomes as my palate adjusts, but that first sip is quite a shock for 50% ABV. Overall: an inoffensive sweet-and-spicy sipper that feels like a near-pure demonstration of distillery character, with a Sichuan-like backbone that drinks better with repeated sips as your palate adjusts. Good for repeated pours. The more I sip, the better it gets—but that’s not ideal in a lineup where it’s a one-and-done situation. Value: I paid $80, which feels quite decent for the age.
Score: B

Aultmore 13, Total Wine Sp, A.D. Rattray #9000259, 63.3%
An Aultmore, distilled in 2008 and bottled by A.D. Rattray, aged in a sherry butt. A Speyside scotch—let’s go. The nose brings dark raisins and stewed figs—definitely sherry-forward. The palate balances spice and sweetness well, with cherry and oak. Those fruits evolve into a chili dark chocolate note on the finish, which lingers pleasantly. Overall: a well-executed sherried Aultmore that doesn’t quite stand out from a pack of other well-executed bottles. There’s not much else to say. It runs slightly hot, so it benefits from a few drops of water, though that also amps up the wood notes. Value: priced at $135 at Total Wine, it feels at or slightly above average—especially for a less well-known distillery, though the quality is there. I’ll leave it at “average” value.
Score: B+

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Scoring Breakdown: https://www.aerin.or … age=scores_breakdown