The first rye whiskey I have tasted to rival the Sazerac Rye 18 year old. This is a great whiskey from beginning to end. Soothing layers of sweetness (vanilla, maple syrup, cookie dough, toffee) are balanced by candied fruit and waves of spice (mint, cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa powder).l The palate is clean, the flavors are deep, the spices are well-defined, and there’s not one hint of excessive or tired oak. A bench-mark rye. (A Ledger’s Liquors exclusive.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

(Previously reviewed in Vol. 15, No. 1.) A wonderfully crisp, clean rye for 18 years old (or any age, for that matter), with incredible depth and balance. A perennial classic.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Formulated to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Johnnie Walker. This is a fabulous whisky for anyone who can spring for the bottle. It is deep, dark, and quite powerful with a hefty malt foundation and sweeter notes of toffee and vanilla combined with resinous oak, complex fruit (both bright citrus notes and darker pit fruits), crisp mint, tobacco, polished leather, and heavy peat smoke. A tour de force of a blended scotch-as big as many single malts reviewed here.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Bottled to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the distillery. Classic Bunnahabhain-toffeed and quite nutty. Almost rummy in nature, with rich molasses notes throughout and layers of sweetness. Some salt emerges on occasion, as do notes of honey, coconut, and candied fruit, with a pleasingly dry, gently spicy finish to round everything out. Surprisingly youthful for its age, nicely balanced, and very drinkable. A great Bunnahabhain!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Aged in French oak barrels, in which the staves were air-dried for 24 months. Incredibly rich notes of caramel, chewy toffee, and maple syrup. All this sweetness is balanced nicely by firm, polished oak, and the whiskey is kept lively with delicate candied fruit and crisp mint. Dry, elegant finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

The barrel was heated to 102°F for 23 minutes to dry the wood. A lush, silky-textured bourbon and very seductive. Caramel, coconut cream, marzipan, vanilla wafer and bright honeyed fruit abound, while teasing notes of tobacco, anise, subtle mint and a suggestion of bitter chocolate offer intrigue. A broad-shouldered, heavyweight bourbon with plenty of grit.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

The newest member of the portfolio and worth every penny. It’s the distillery’s "super-premium" offering, produced in small batches and (for now anyway) small quantities. It is my favorite of the three Dickels from a pure taste perspective, with a lushness, roundness, sophistication and grace not often seen in a bourbon or Tennessee whiskey. All of the flavors of the other two Dickels are in here, and they’re in perfect balance and very tight. (Note: my review was from the first bottling, which was a rectangular-shaped bottle with white lettering. There has since been a second bottling, which I have not yet tasted.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Darker, chewier than the Sazerac 18. Thicker, too, with more toffee and molasses in the middle, reminiscent of demerara rum. More wood and spice on the finish. Not as pristine as the Sazerac 18 (especially regarding the fruit notes), but with plenty of complexity and sheer entertainment to warrant a score in the 90s.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Very much in the same vein as the Rittenhouse Rye, with just a bit more oak, spicy, heat, and some leather on the finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Dark, chestnut-copper color suggests a sherry cask, and one nosing confirms it. A very multi-faceted whisky-the sherry is quite profound, but there’s a lot going on in addition to the sherry. Deep, succulent, and chewy on the palate, with fig cake, raisins, old rum, tobacco, pencil shavings, and almond fudge. Quite a mouthful!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

The most recent vintage from the 1980s. This whisky is very bright and lively. It dances on the palate with orange, tangerine, and lemon gum drops, balanced by vanilla, light caramel, hint of anise, and delicate oak. A whisky with great finesse and drinkability.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

A very clean, elegant Bowmore with a naked beauty that shows its Islay roots. You’ll find fresh brine and seaweed on a bed of honeyed malt and soft vanilla cream. Subtle berries, citrus, and melon fruit add a complex fruit dimension. Fresh, appetizing finish. Nicely done! (Exclusive to The Party Source.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Aged exclusively in first-fill bourbon casks and bottled unfiltered and at natural cask strength. This takes the usually subtle Glenlivet and makes it more vibrant, amplifying its flavors while accentuating the bourbon oak. Tight notes of honeyed malt, vanilla bean, toasted oak, bright fruit, and nuts, are peppered with more subtle floral and spice notes. Dry, spicy finish. A Glenlivet with pizzazz.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

(Previously reviewed in Vol. 15, No. 3.) Similar to the other two rye whiskeys reviewed above, with less heat on the finish and slightly more minty spice notes.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

According to the Christie family who owned North of Scotland Distillery before it was sold to DCL in 1982 (and closed it shortly thereafter,) they would purchase the least expensive grain possible to make their grain whisky. In 1964, it was barley. The barley, combined with the fact that the whisky is finished off in port casks, makes for a surprisingly rich, sweet, and fruity grain whisky, expressing notes of demerara sugar, perfumed candles, cherry almond tart, caramel and vanilla. Remarkably restrained wood notes for such a mature whisky, which expresses itself mostly in its soft, creamy finish. Unique among whiskies.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Aged in first and (mostly) second fill sherry casks. The sherry is kept in balance and does not mask Auchentoshan’s subtle beauty. The classic Auchentoshan creamy, grassy, freshness abounds, complemented by honey-soaked almonds, cereal grain, and an array of bright fruit (citrus, sultana, mandarin). Not as polished as the Auchentoshan 21 year old, but quite entertaining. (420 bottles for the U.S.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

(Previously reviewed in Vol. 15, No. 3.) Certainly the most idiosyncratic of the bunch. A great whiskey if you like the flavors, but some might find the spices to be too “over the top,” and almost gin-like. Try it before you buy it.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

The newest expression from the 1990s. Heavier, richer, and more ripe that the 1987 Vintage reviewed above. It is very creamy and mouth-coating, with layers of sweetness (vanilla, caramel, light toffee, white chocolate), fruit (sultana, plum), along with a good underpinning of oak spice. A very nice effort for a whisky this young.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)