Again, this uses malt peated to 45 ppm, which is evident by the nose of salty beach bonfires, though there is an intense, honeyed sweetness to enjoy: golden syrup bars, toasted English muffins, stroopwafel, and a cool line of spearmint. Although the alcohol roars loudly, there is honey and banana, some Tabasco heat, and flashes of orange. Water adds creaminess to the nose, but the structure doesn’t respond so well. Tough it out at full strength. (295 bottles) SEK 953

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

The broad grin on the face of Mike Janssen speaks volumes about his enthusiasm for the beers and spirits he produces at the Wilderen brewery-distillery. This first cask from 2011 has a young, grassy, and herbal nose, with orange peel, artichoke, and delicate black tea. Lithe yet warming flavors of citrus, pleasant barley notes, pepper, spice, and ginger, but with creeping vegetal notes. It still needs taming but it’s early days. Ginger, pepper, and celery on the finish. (300 bottles) €60

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

The “(SB)²RW” stands for “small batch small barrel rye whiskey.” Smells like it: small barrel, fresh-cut oak smell, clove cigarettes, and a fair amount of heat. A bit thin on the tongue, with a medicinal bite of rye grass, warming heat, and some sweetness, and the medicinal part expands into the finish.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Fall 2015)

Smells kind of…Canadian. Light caramel, sweet candy, and a bit of oak. Light and sweet on entry; not cloying, with some hints of vanilla and fresh-sawn cedar. Body seems to thicken as it hits the tongue, and the finish spreads and hangs: sweet, with that very light cedary note. Simple, sweet, but not overly complex. Sourced whiskey.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Fall 2015)

William Grant & Sons Rare Cask Reserves are micro-blends created jointly by Brian Kinsman and various liquor store proprietors, drawing on a choice of over 40 different single malts (importantly, not Glenfiddich or Balvenie). Quite herbal, with tarragon, cilantro, boiled candies, and unripe plums. A slow starter; vegetal notes yield to fudge, milk chocolate, orange, and maltiness, with pepper, oak, and spices in the latter phases. Stocked in only five U.S. retailers.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Bowmore in unusually oily guise here, with linseed oil, hot seashells, background water mint, completely integrated smoke, and a cooling note that brings to mind a lido (without any chlorine, I hasten to add). The palate has a limey lift which flows into a quite thick, creamy/oaty mid-palate, with the smoke bedding itself on the tongue. Smoky and mineralic on the finish. Water makes it even more gentle. A light expression for the early morning. £98

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

A single cask (#10699) bottling of Talisker, distilled in the winter of 2008 and matured in a refill hogshead before bottling in May 2015. Initially, a slight hint of new make, soon displaced by digestive biscuits, brine, and black pepper. Sweet oak, earthy peat, and orchard fruits on the palate. The finish is medium in length, with black coffee, licorice, and long-lasting spices.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2015)

The ‘Golden River’ was nicknamed after the color of the River Lys due to rotting flax. Here, a cool, breezy nose of lemongrass and almond paste meets aromas of black currant conserve and blueberry muffin as the sherry flavors try to cut in. There are initial dark, jammy fruits hidden in warm bakery goods, with damson, bramble, and malt, swept aside by flavors of mint, antiseptic, and Fisherman’s Friends. The finish is clean and icy cool with penetrating aniseed. €38

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

A blend of 94% rye-mash whiskey and Virgil Kane's High-Rye Bourbon (60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% barley). Floral rye grain spice bursts from the nose along with cedar plank and graphite. The entry is thick and sweet, with maple syrup, young oak, and rye spice. Things don't heat up until the end of the mid-palate where a dash of heat drives a long, spicy finish. An interesting mix of flavors that could benefit from a little more complexity.

Reviewed by: Geoffrey Kleinman (Fall 2015)

My goodness, this woman is an innovator. Distillery owner Sophia Pantazi stored her maple syrup in whisky barrels. Then once the syrup was bottled, she refilled those barrels with whisky spirit, giving maple-aged whisky. Grain, chocolate, and winter-welcome glowing spices quickly overtake a malty, grainy, perfumey note characteristic of young whisky. Though creamy sweet, the whisky has more toffee notes than maple syrup. Hot beyond its ABV and wanting a couple more years’ maturation. (Distillery only) Price is per 375 ml.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Fall 2015)

This venerable blend has a nose of mandarin syrup cake, vanilla cream, and cut hay, with chopped cilantro and other herbal top notes. Sweet and fruity, though verging on tasting of artificial sweeteners at times, there are malt notes and a developing butteriness, with sweet mandarin notes and sponge cake. It all hangs on a light structure but it’s less smooth on the finish, with a scratch of wood smoke.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Here is Benrinnes in very summery guise, with its signature meatiness barely discernible. Instead you get lots of thyme, rosemary, and dried citrus peel. The palate is clean and concentrated, with a tart drive akin to red currant. It is this jangly effect which shows the need for dilution. Water does improve things, and while the sour fruits are still there, the effect is more calm. It does lack length though. £65

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Fall 2015)

Styled as the Original Moonshine, these aromas whisper of sweet summer fruits, golden barley, and potato farls. There is no lightning bolt of alcohol sipping at 40% ABV, but it is smooth and pleasantly tasty; flavors of melon, apple, and sugared biscuits, finishing with a barley tickle around the gums. A versatile addition to your cocktail armory from West Cork Distillers of Skibbereen, but I found it lost much of its appeal poured over ice.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

This young peated malt, aged at least 24 months, has a nice, dry peat smoke nose, backed by honey and oak. On the palate it’s disjointed: the young peat malt argues with the heavy char barrel, a struggle that needs more time to be worked out. Honeyed malt tries to lend support but everything topples in the mid-palate, where things turn dry, spicy, and slightly acidic. A medium finish wraps up a whiskey that simply needs more time.

Reviewed by: Geoffrey Kleinman (Fall 2015)

Pale gold in color, this whiskey is noticeably cloudy, even in a warm room. Swift's nose is pleasant, with malt, honey, and butterscotch. The entry is exceptionally thin, with a hint of malt and honey, but there's not much to it. In the mid-palate, it’s all about the bourbon barrel, so much so that the overall character shifts toward corn whiskey. A short finish with chocolate notes wraps up a whiskey that just doesn’t have much to say.

Reviewed by: Geoffrey Kleinman (Fall 2015)

A simple, straightforward session whisky. True North is rich in the classic caramel notes and searing pepper so coveted by shooters and tailgaters. Ginger and white pepper last seemingly forever. Given its undeniable drinkability, packaging in a plastic bottle is probably a good idea. You can sip this if you wish, but with ginger ale and a dash of bitters it becomes a Canadian Saturday night in a glass. A classic Canadian bottom-shelfer. (Canada only)

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Fall 2015)

Look out! This new Irish blend is named after the razor-nailed, sharp-toothed hoodlum who gained notoriety with the Dead Rabbits fighting gang. The nose comprises whole orange peel, boiled sugar, and dried peach pits. Sherbet, fruit polos, apple, baked almond slice, and digestive biscuit make for a sweet palate. For real street cred, Maggie needs more backbone: the thin mouthfeel needs more weight and structure. The finish is precipitously swift. Rather ordinary, though I wouldn’t tell Maggie to her face.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2015)

Screaming oak nose for a relatively young whiskey; about all that’s there is whiskey-soaked staves and some hot spice. Drillingly-hot entry; I’ve tasted bourbons at 60% that were less hot. Roaring oak fire with some underlying corn sweetness; this isn’t subtle or quiet on the tongue. Water brings out more—sweet corn, mint, rye oil—but the oak still dominates. Almost astringent in the finish. If you like big oak, here it is, but forget balance.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Fall 2015)