Rumson's Grand Reserve Rum
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with the sweet and decadent scents of brown sugar, butterscotch, vanilla, and brown baking spices with treacle, leather, cigar box, and rustic oak notes. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and sweet core of brown sugar and treacle with waves of spice, gingerbread, and sexy oak accents. Full-bodied and certainly sweet while never finishing heavy benefiting from a generous dose of spice and just enough acidity to keep it vibrant. $45 – 4.5 Stars
Rumson's Spiced Rum
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are hauntingly similar the the Rumson's standard Rum with a greater focus on sweet vanilla, nutmeg, and golden syrup. The palate is in full agreement with the nose offering a rich baking spice driven core supported by sweet butterscotch and sugar giving it body and weight. It's a Christmas cake in a glass. Medium-bodied with waves of sweet spices and sugar notes while never becoming too sweet. $32 – 4 Stars
Rumson's Coffee Flavored Rum
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is unmistakably coffee offering scents of roasted coffee beans, as well as brewed coffee, cocoa nibs, vanilla bean, and mocha. The palate supports the nose adding a deep, roasted bean note on the sweet, coffee-centric core with accents of vanilla cream and sweet brown sugar. Medium-bodied and very well-balanced especially for the style as we are accustomed to these being cloyingly sweet while this offers a brilliant roasted bean edge. $32 – 4 Stars
Highland Park Dark Origins Single Malt Scotch Whisky
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewBrilliant, crystal clear. The Sherry casks are quite evident supported by notes of dried berries, roasted hazelnut, earth, orange zest, banana bread, and charred oak. Dark fruit and cocoa nibs take the lead with pretty smoke and meaty notes, with treacle, baked apples, and stewed berries all enveloped in sweet Sherry. Bold and assertive but ideally balanced with a silky texture and peppery finish offering great length. $79.99 – 4.5 Stars
Talisker Storm Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose offers more assertive peat, smoke, and pepper notes and fewer fruit notes as compared to the iconic Talisker 10 with hints of roasted nuts and red fruits. The palate confirms the nose as the Storm lives up to its name on the palate hitting with power bursts of pepper, smoke, and earth from the entry to the finish. Medium to full-bodied with assertive spice and smoky embers that linger for minutes. $66 – 4 Stars
Port Dundas 12 Years Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is subtle and seductive with scents of wild flowers, honey, blanched almonds, sandalwood, and a sweet Amontillado Sherry note (despite there being no Sherry casks used). The palate echoes the nose delivering a a pretty marriage of subtle orchard fruits with floral and honey notes leading to a spicy finish. Medium-bodied and ideally balanced with soft trailing finish. $49.99 – 4 Stars
Port Dundas 18 Years Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is beautiful with vibrant notes of wild flowers, butterscotch, toasted grains, nutmeg, and vanilla bean with hints of dried apple. The palate echoes the nose with a generous grain and caramel core that becomes drier and peppery with a spirity note on the finish. Medium-bodied with a nice marriage of grain Whisky, wood, and spice with a bit of a hot note on the finish. $99.99 – 4 Stars
Glenfiddich The Original Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. At the first nosing your nose will confirm your eyes as the cask influence plays second fiddle to the bright floral and toasted grain notes with hints of hay, green apple, roasted almonds, coconut, and then a burst of sweet Sherry. The palate perfectly echoes the nose delivering a vibrant and pleasing core of grain and fruit mingling with more floral and citrus notes as it trails toward a subtle and dry finish. Medium-bodied to light with nuance being prized over heft while presenting a perfectly balanced dram. $99.99 – 4 Stars
Oban Little Bay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. A beautifully complex nose showing sweet malt notes supported by hints of herbs (peppermint), peach, orange zest, burnt sugar, brown baking spices, and sea air. The palate continues with rich malt and fruit in the lead with firm spice and charred cask notes that actually outpace the sea air and classic shortbread notes found in other bottlings of Oban. This rich malt is nearly as lush as the iconic 10 year old with a prominent spice note and lingering notes of oak and sea. $75 – 4.5 Stars
Laphroaig 15 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is quite beautiful and if one could ever call Laphroaig understated this one could carry that moniker. Scents of citrus, apples, fresh green herbs, and subtle cigar notes mingle with the peat and sea. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering vibrant fruit core with generous supporting spice, oak, sea salt, smoky peat, and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied with perfect balance and vibrant flavors that are both generous and sprite. $79.99 – 4.5 Stars
