Spirits Reviews

Brilliant, with a copper/amber color. The nose is filled with the scents of caramel and toffee with waves of ginger biscuits, toasted oak, baked apple, and orange peel with hints of smoke. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a baked apple-driven core with waves of brown baking spices, oak, and apricot stone with accents of citrus and campfire. Medium to full-bodied with good balance, marrying baked orchard fruits with spice and smoke. $206.99 – 4 Stars

Brilliant, pale straw color. The nose is intriguing with scents of toasted pale malt and hay filling the nose with accents of brown baking spices, citrus zest, and hints of oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a sweet, malt-focused core with waves of dried red fruits, toasted cocoa nibs, black pepper, and citrus. Full-bodied and ideally balanced with loads of spice and malt. $165 – 4 Stars

Brilliant, pale golden color. The nose is amazingly sweet with scents of honey and Sherry in the lead followed by butter toffee, tropical fruits, candied orange peel, and hints of chocolate. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a sweet, fruit and caramel center with waves of honey, fruit, and citrus with peppery spices rising on the finish. Full-bodied with a near dessert-like quality kept savory by notes of citrus, spice, and oak. $70 – 4.5 Stars

Brilliant amber color. The nose reveals a beautifully smoky, peated Whisky with waves of dried fruits, orange peel, slate, Sherry, and toffee with hints of sea grass and dried red berries. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a surprisingly vibrant and nimble fruit and caramel-driven core with generous dark chocolate, treacle, sea salt, and charred tropical fruit accents. Full-bodied while being amazingly light on its feet with trailing peat fire and chocolate notes. $75 – 4.5 Stars

Brilliant golden color with a touch of copper. The aromatics are utterly charming and complex with generous scents of dried apricot, pears, and hints of raspberry with supporting notes of butterscotch, toasted walnuts, topical fruits, and vanilla accented oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich and viscous fruit-driven core with waves of toasted nuts, caramel, vanilla cream, and hints of dried cherry. Full-bodied with a pleasingly viscous that lingers for minutes tamed by sea salt, dried fruits, and oak. $65 – 4.5 Stars

Brilliant, medium bronze to amber color. The nose is filled with the scents of dried dates and figs with supporting notes of baked apple, roasted nuts, and vanilla custard with hints of orange zest and oak. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a dried fruits-driven core with waves of allspice, nutmeg, oak, and hints of clove. Medium-bodied with a pleasing fruit and spice core framed by oak and a bright dose of acidity. A superb value. $21.99 – 4 Stars

Brilliant, medium bronze to amber color. The aromatics are quite intriguing, offering scents of chocolate biscuits, black currants, and baked apple with accents of caramel, vanilla fudge, and cinnamon. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich, fruit and butterscotch-driven core with supporting notes of brown baking spices, oak, and hints of earth. Medium-bodied with great length and ideal balance thanks to a bright dose of acidity and framing oak notes. $28.99 – 4.5 Stars

Brilliant, deep bronze color. The aromatics are thoroughly engaging, offering scents of honey and vanilla bean on a malt base with accents of baked apples, candied ginger, orange peel, and cashew butter. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a rich, silky fruit and honey-driven core with flanking notes of toffee, brown baking spices, and caramel with hints of black pepper and sea salt on the finish. Full-bodied with generous notes of honey-touched fruit, nuts, malt and spice — ideally balanced with a long, lingering finish. $79.99 – 5 Stars

Brilliant, bright golden color. The nose is quite generous and complex with scents of dried fruit soaked in Sherry cask, brown baking spices with cinnamon in the lead followed by vanilla bean. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush fruit and Sherry-driven core with waves of five spice, tropical fruits, orange peel, and cocoa nibs. Full-bodied with a sweet, opulent texture balanced by a refreshing dose of acidity and lingering pepper accents. $94.99 – 4.5 Stars

Brilliant, deep amber color. The nose is nowhere near subtle leading with classic Islay smokiness and peat with loads of brown baking spice, Sherry, and oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich and sweet peat-driven core with generous amounts of fruitcake, tropical fruits, and candied ginger. Full-bodied with a viscous, nearly oily texture that lingers on for minutes tamed by sea salt, pepper, and oak. A love letter to peat heads in the bottle. $80 – 4 Stars