Spirits Reviews
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
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are a bit heady at first but this is calmed considerably by adding a splash of water. It's bold and spicy with black pepper and clove while at its core its pure Glenfarclas with scents of baked orchard fruits, toffee, and rich Sherry. The palate echoes the nose with waves of fruit, brown baking spices, roasted nuts, Sherry, and oak with a trailing smoky note that lingers for minutes. This is a big and bold Whisky with incredible warming powers while never being awkward or out of balance. $89.99 – 4.5 Stars
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is rich while being sweet and spicy as well. Notes of caramel-soaked toasted grains leap from the glass supported by dark chocolate, orange peel, lavender, and baked apple with hints of pine cone. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering lush and round core that ideally marries fruit, honey, spice, and oak with accents of cocoa nibs. Medium to full-bodied having more weight than the De Luxe while still maintaining a clever balance. $50 – 4.5 Stars
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with rich, caramel soaked grain with supporting notes of dried red fruits, vanilla, allspice, clove, nutmeg, and charred oak. The palate is in full agreement with the nose as it delivers a rich and spicy fruit and grain core with loads of spices ranging fiery black and white pepper to brown baking spices and vanilla bean. Very intense with no punches pulled as this delivers dense and assertive flavors of grain, wood, and spice. $60 – 4.5 Stars
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are so pure and forward offering bright scents of candied, sliced blood orange with accents of mandarin orange and red grapefruit. The palate is in full agreement with the nose, rich and concentrated orange flavors that focus on the juice and pulp with a vibrant dose of zest that add an edge and keep it fresh. It's a big mouthful of orange with waves of sweet juice and zesty peel. $28 – 4.5 Stars
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are quite complex while subtle with scents of toffee, Marcona almonds, orange peel, Sherry, earth, vanilla, and sultanas. The palate echoes the nose delivering a generous, unctuous caramel and fruit core with layers of nutmeg, nut, citrus, brown butter, and hints of clove. It's a medium-bodied Brandy with complex layers of fruit, caramel, spice, and wood with perfect balance. $55.99 – 4.5 Stars
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is quite alluring with sweet malted barley and grains drenched in ripe fruits with baked apples, buckwheat honey, roasted walnuts, toffee, vanilla, and clove. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush fruit core with silky baked fruits layered with caramel and loads of brown baking spices with black pepper and oak notes emerging on the finish. (It really needs a splash of water to come alive.) Despite its obvious strength (100 proof) it is really quite approachable and delicate while being incredibly generous with fruit, caramel, toffee, and spice notes. $29.99 – 4.5 Stars
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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. $80 – 4.5 Stars
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Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is vibrant and focused with delicate, sweet grain notes supported by scents of mineral, wet river stones, chalk, dried flowers, and hints of white pepper. The palate confirms the nose delivering a bright, grain-driven core with generous floral and mineral notes and a peppery finish. Bright and generous flavors are far from neutral while remaining clean with vibrant acidity and assertive pepper notes. $27.99 – 4.5 Stars
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Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is deep and dense with a sweet, fruity wine core with generous supporting notes of bitter herbs, cloves, allspice, orange zest, and anise. The palate confirms the nose while possibly being more robust with a fruity, vinous core that brilliantly merges sweet Vermouth and bitters. Wonderfully intense and full-bodied with robust and assertive fruit and bitters in one ideally balanced package. $18.99 – 4.5 Stars