Highland Park 12 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Deep gold to amber copper color. The nose is a textbook study in the art of subtle aromatics while gorgeous toasted malt mingles with oak, smoke, baked orchard fruits, wild flower honey, and Highland Park’s calling card — heather. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering rich, sweet malt while dry and spicy with notes of pepper, smoke, and cloves. Full-bodied with generous malt and spice notes while maintaining a perfect balance with bright acidity and spice notes. $55 – 4.5 Stars
Amrut Indian Single Malt Whisky
Brilliant, deep golden to copper color. The nose is bright with the scents of sweet toffee with a generous dose of sea salt, toasted grains, brown butter, anise seed, and rich honey. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush, silky honey and caramel core with waves of Bourbon, oak, and brown baking spices in support. Medium to full-bodied with ideal balance and great length. $54.99 – 3.5 Stars
Amrut Fusion Indian Single Malt Whisky
Brilliant, deep golden to copper color. The aromatics are quite beautiful as the rich, honeyed malt is equaled by sweet, peated malt with supporting notes of toffee, Bourbon, and oak. The palate echoes the nose revealing a dense but silky caramel malt core with generous waves of peated malt, Sherry, brown baking spices, and oak with hints of citrus and vanilla. Full-bodied with ideal balance perfectly concealing its high proof. $69.99 – 4 Stars
Usquaebach An Ard Ri Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully complex offering scents of stewed fruits along with fresh pear, pineapple, and red apple supported by waves of brown baking spices (allspice and nutmeg are prominent), caramel, black pepper, wood, and toffee. The palate confirms the nose delivering a lush and silky fruit driven core with accents of baking spice, toasted grains, wood, Sherry, and dry black pepper notes on the finish. This is an intense and multilayered blended malt that changes constantly in the glass as it aerates, revealing new layers of flavors. $200 – 3.5 Stars
Speyburn Arranta Casks Single Malt Scotch Whisky
See the Full BevX Featured Review - Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, deep golden color. The aromatics are absolutely gorgeous with gobs of butter toffee, toasted coconut, wild honey, brown baking spices featuring nutmeg, with accents of butterscotch, roasted nuts, and vanilla bean. The palate fully concurs with the nose delivering a lush but spicy malt and caramel-driven core with flanking notes of baking spice, oak, brown butter, and bright citrus accents on the finish. Full-bodied with generous malt and spice notes while maintaining a perfect balance with bright acidity and the perfect dose of oak. $40 – 5 Stars
Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum
See the Full BevX Featured Review - Beverage of the WeekBrilliant copper color. The nose is so seductive offering a wave of decadent aromatics led by caramel and butterscotch supported by cinnamon, nutmeg, and Christmas spices framed by toasted oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich, spicy Rum core that oozes butterscotch with an exotic spice blend that is far from overly sweet rather finishing with a dry vanilla and oak accent. Medium to full-bodied with ideal balance thanks to a fresh dose of acidity and a melange of spices that are so carefully portioned that a master chef would be envious. $29.99 – 4.5 Stars
anCnoc cutter Single Malt Scotch Whisky
See the Full BevX Featured Review - Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, pale straw color. The nose is very expressive with the expected wave of thick, phenolic peat smoke met by anCnoc's classic scents of honey, butterscotch, toasted grain, roasted nuts, and ripe orchard fruits. The palate fully concurs with the nose as the juicy apples and pears take center stage with waves of peat smoke, lovely brown spices, and rich malt notes that show accents of salinity and citrus on the finish. Medium to full-bodied with generous fruit and malt supported with loads of peat and spice while delivering perfect balance and a lush texture. $79 – 4.5 Stars
Boondocks 11 Years Old American Whiskey
See the Full BevX Featured Review -Brilliant, golden straw color. The nose offers a beautiful balance of fruit and grain with accents of blanched almonds, brown butter, nutmeg, baked apples, and subtle toasted oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich and silky fruit and grain driven core with flanking spice notes, butterscotch, and brown bread. This Whiskey is packed with flavor and despite the high proof it's incredibly balanced with silky flavors and a long, lingering finish. $39.99 – 4.5 Stars
Boondocks Cask Strength 11 Years Old American Whiskey
See the Full BevX Featured Review -Brilliant copper color. Like their 95 proof Whiskey, this cask strength Whiskey perfectly marries fruit and grain but this expression shows accents of caramel, toffee, vanilla bean, toasted oak, and allspice. The palate fully confirms the nose delivering a fruit and grain driven core with waves of caramel, roasted nuts, butterscotch, and subtle brown baking spices. This is a very intense Whiskey thanks to being drawn straight from the cask with no dilution. This needs water in your glass to be enjoyed but with the water addition it is incredibly balanced. $59.99 – 4 Stars
Herradura Colección de la Casa Reserva 2016, Port Cask Reposado, 100% Agave Tequila
Brilliant copper with hints of pink. The aromatics are amazingly complex offering scents of sweet baked agave, dried cherries and raspberry, blood orange, and allspice with hints of cigar box. The palate echoes the nose delivering a silky fruit-driven core featuring both agave and red fruits with flanking notes of spice, oak, cocoa nibs, and hints of sea salt. Medium-bodied with a complex mélange of fruit and spice framed by bright acidity providing perfect balance. $89.99 – 4.5 Stars