Similar in flavor to the Aberfeldy 12 reviewed below, but with more depth. There’s more orange rind in the marmalade notes, along with Clementine and coconut. The whisky finishes drier too, with a spicy flair. Still quite clean and nicely balanced throughout. A whisky for those of you who want a fun whisky that’s not heavy on the palate.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

One of the best kept secrets in rye whiskey. Not quite as refined as the Sazerac Rye 6 year old, but it makes up for it in its sheer brute force. It is darker, deeper, and more rustic (but in a good way). Chewy toffee and dark molasses balance the spicy rye notes and soothe the alcohol heat.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

More mature and with more depth than the US-1 expression reviewed below. Lush, sweet notes of caramel and toffee up front are followed on the palate by light fruit, dried spices (cinnamon, evergreen, and a hint of ginger), finishing long and dry with more spice, leather, and suggestions of tobacco.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

There are still some casks of 1960s Springbank surfacing (even if most are from the independent bottlers). This one is a lighter, more delicate example of the genre. Exotic notes of tropical fruit, citrus, vanilla, linseed, and honey combine with a gentle, fresh brine tang and some background dried spice. The flavors are slightly muted, but this is not surprising given its age. (A Park Avenue Liquors Exclusive.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Delicate, yet nicely balanced. Notes of peaches and cream, meadow flowers, subtle berry fruits, soft vanilla, and light honey. Gentle, pleasing oak finish. Nice dovetailing of flavors and very drinkable. A good example of a lighter-style mature blend, and quite the antithesis of the Johnnie Walker Blue Anniversary bottling reviewed above. A pleasing warm weather scotch, or perhaps before dinner as an aperitif.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Nice malty foundation and soothingly creamy, with sweet notes (sticky toffee pudding, vanilla cream, caramel custard) integrating well with dry oak spice and fruit (peaches, blueberry, and currants).l Very easy-going and friendly. A very nice Glencadam and reasonably priced for its age.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Every once in a while you get whisky where the palate is completely different than the nose. This is one of those whiskies. Aged in bourbon casks and 37 years old, its aroma expresses tropical fruits (similar to other older Bowmores), with papaya, lemon, mango, strawberry, coconut, and banana. This is balanced by vanilla, crème brûlée, honey, and just a wisp of smoke. Bowmore’s Islay roots are more expressive on the palate, which starts off sweet and slightly oily, quickly evolving to tropical fruit, damp oak, and then leafy smoke through to the finish. The sweetness emerges again towards the finish, with subtle brine and seaweed. (120 bottles for the U.S.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

The tell-tale rich honeyed Balvenie personality is spiced up by finishing it off in new charred oak casks, making a normally masculine whisky even bigger. The honeyed malt impacts the palate first, with intermediate notes of citrus fruit, followed by dried spices (cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, and cocoa). The new oak impact is most evident on the whisky’s long, dry, spicy finish. A nice whisky, but perhaps a tad too much new oak for greatness?

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Placed in a new barrel after 8 years and 8 months. Very spicy with an oak sappiness. Loads of maple syrup and corn sweetness up front, with the spice and some subtle lush fruit kicking in mid-palate. Leather and tobacco follow through to a very masculine, dry oak finish. While a very enjoyable whiskey, the dominant, hot, and lingering oak on the finish keeps me from scoring it as high as its siblings.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Aged in bourbon and sherry casks, and then finished off in oloroso sherry casks for two years. The sherry provides a good measure of lush fruit, brown sugar, and a slick texture on the palate. The sherry is clean and uncluttered, if somewhat overshadowing the traditional Deanston honeyed malt foundation. I’m also picking up some burnt marmalade, lemongrass, and ginger. Soft, sweet, fruity, finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Fresh and floral, with lively tropical fruit, honey, and vanilla. Gentle on the palate, with a slight syrupy texture to its malty foundation. Youthful, orange marmalade finish with a hint of spice. A pleasant, easy-going whisky.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

This peated expression of Springbank is fresh, powerful, and unbridled. A brief, gristy, sweet malt intro quickly becomes quite aggressive, with an attack of tar, damp peat, kippers, mustard seed, Spanish olives, and Poire Williams. The sweetness emerges again briefly, before succumbing to an assertive, fiery finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Youthful in nature, and fairly straight-forward. Fresh, minty spice notes accompany some candied citrus fruit and some light toffee. What’s there is pleasing enough. I just wish there was more there (in both flavor and depth).

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

A single cask bottling of The Glenrothes aged in a first-fill sherry cask. Only 519 bottles, all destined for the U.S. It is the richest, chewiest, sweetest, and fruitiest of all the Glenrothes whiskies reviewed here. Deep mahogany color, with notes of toffee apples, waxed fruit, burnt orange, prunes in syrup, and dark chocolate. The intensity of the sherry and length of oak-aging gives the whisky a flavor profile that begins to transcend traditional whisky flavors, expressing notes of port wine, pot-still rum, and rancio.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

A sherry cask-matured Bowmore. Introduced as "the brother" to the 1989 vintage Bowmore released about a year ago (aged in bourbon casks). Notes of waxed fruit, dates, fruitcake, and raisin permeate through tarry rope, leather boots, wet socks, and ripe peat. Underlying notes of demerara rum, chocolate-covered coffee beans, and sea salt. A hedonistic Bowmore with an earthy, rustic demeanor. (1,800 bottles for the U.S.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)

Very mature and quite rich on the nose with thick toffee, molasses, maple syrup, suggestions of Pedro Ximinez sherry, deep sappy oak notes and background spices. Similar on palate entry, too-a mouthful of rich, chewy whiskey-but the whiskey then unfortunately turns very dry, with oak and leather notes that dominate. Save some $$ and get the more balanced 21 year old.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2006)