Nice to see stocks distilled after the 1980s ‘silent period’ turning 18 years old. The sherry influence here is complementary, but not overpowering. Notes of toffee almond, vanilla fudge, chocolate-coated citrus, bramble, and candied ginger. Polished leather, dried spice, and a hint of brine on the finish dries it out nicely and keeps it interesting. Not quite as dynamic and complex as some of those legendary pre-1980s Springers, but it’s smooth, well-rounded, and more-ish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Made from a mash containing a whopping 80% rye. The antithesis of the 21 year old reviewed above. This is one bold rye whiskey which gets more powerful as it develops on the palate. It’s crisp, clean, and very spicy (cool mint, hot cinnamon), with molasses, caramel, honey, golden raisin, kiwi, coconut shavings, and a dusting of cocoa. A lighter-weight whiskey when compared to High West’s flagship Rendezvous Rye, but this whiskey throws a mean punch!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Stylish, sophisticated. Fresh, honeyed floral, green grapes, kiwi, plum, and currant jelly. Hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Soft, gently sweet finish. Pleasing sweetness to go with the fruit.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Still in the same vein as its 17 year old sibling reviewed above, but it’s softer, mellower, with more wood impact (especially on the nose and back end of the palate) and tea leaves. Perhaps even some mild tobacco. Darker sugars in this one (molasses?) rather than honey, and more berried fruit along with the citrus, which struggles to reveal itself. Dry, resinous finish. An enjoyable dram, even if the wood outstays its welcome. But if you have to pick between the two expressions, go for the 17 year old and pocket the change with a smile on your face. Price: £75

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Good balance between ripe barley, rum-like sweetness, and damp kiln smoke. Dried oak spice, bourbon char, brine, and anise add complexity, peaking on the finish. An interesting contrast to the other Amrut whiskies. This whisky could pass for a youthful Islay malt.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Aged exclusively in first-fill casks (60% of it sherry cask), and its oak intensity shows. Sweet, but with a steady dose of dried spice, oak resin, and teasing tobacco to back it up. Silky texture and lush, with fallen orchard fruit, tangerine, chocolate-covered orange, and lemon meringue. A firm dried spice finish rounds it all out. Sort of like The Dalmore 12 year old pumped up on steroids.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

What a surprise! Really thick and malty for a blend (there’s a high malt content here for sure), and also nicely mature for 8 years old. Great balance too, with the island aggressiveness tamed by a rich, malty elegance. Delicious honey, toasted oak, firm peat, dark chocolate, and glazed citrus meld nicely with the malt, leading to a honeyed, lightly-peppered finish. Very enjoyable.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Rich, good body, blueberry muffin, black cherry, a lot of tannic grip (perhaps a little too much for balance). Not as polished as the Pomerol or Madeira.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Similar to the standard Amrut, except that it's drier and spicier, with suggestions of bourbon. Not as creamy as the standard expression, but a bit more sophisticated.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Beautiful complex fruit on the nose. Tannic grip on the palate -- especially on the finish. The tell-tale orange marmalade combines notes of orchard fruit, caramel apple, fried pineapple, banana nut bread, unsweetened chocolate, grape skin, and plain toast, peppered with cinnamon and ground espresso bean. Distinctive and evolving on the palate -- and humming along quite nicely -- until the oak turns a bit austere and aggressive on the finish. For this reason, it’s my least favorite of the range.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

Aged in fast-growth wood. Quite the antithesis of the “Fine Grain Oak” release above; the comparison is interesting. Darker fruit (plum, blackberry), and darker sugars (maple syrup, toffee). Resinous and becoming quickly dry on the palate, with leather, tobacco leaves, grape-stem tannins, barrel char, and dried spice. A heavier, more textural bourbon than the Fine Grain Oak expression. I like this whiskey a lot until the dry, leathery oak notes begin to dominate the latter half of the palate. That, my friend, is the coarse grain oak in action.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

A mouth-coating whisky, and oily in texture. Ripe vanilla malt, peaches & cream, polished oak, roasted nuts, and a hint of coconut cream pie. Soothing, creamy finish. A pleasant “anytime” dram. Bottled at 46% to better display its fine textures and subtle nuances.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

The labeling is a little confusing. Small batch implies a marriage of multiple barrels, not just a bottling from a single barrel; the label seems to imply both. Plus, there’s no indication of the source of this whiskey, or its age. Regardless, this is one of the sweetest and mellowest rye whiskeys I’ve tasted. Spicy fresh mint, cinnamon, white pepper, and subtle clove are tamed by sweet notes of toasted marshmallow, cotton candy, creamy vanilla, candied fruit, and red licorice. Soft finish. Rather gentle for a rye whiskey.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

This whisky is only 10 months old, made from 85% rye and 15% malted barley. It’s vibrantly spicy (cinnamon, mint, licorice root, nutmeg), fresh, and clean. Bright citrus and peach also entertain. Rich, underlying vanilla notes try to tame the beast, but they’re really no match. Warm, spicy finish. There’s a lot going on here. Yes, it’s youthful, but far more mature than I expected. This whisky is certainly drinkable now (for those who like their rye whiskey young and bold), but I would like to see it develop some more on oak. That’s the only thing missing here. It shows great potential.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)