Organic Pennsylvania-grown rye, 3 years old, pot-distilled a 20-minute walk from the Monongahela River. Nose: sharp rye and hard oak, floral wreathing, but not hair-crispingly hot. Oh, nice rye mouth, flavorful, not overly bitter, the oak’s held in check, and there’s a minty sweetness to it. Finish is well-tempered, until a note of perfume sneaks in at the end.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

A wheater, 70/20/10 corn/wheat/malt, barrel proof, and 32 months old. A rich corn nose, with some wood notes and a slightly antiseptic sting of alcohol heat. Young in the mouth—cinnamon candy, a bit meaty—but all the right pieces are in place: warmth, corn, oak spice, and a smooth progression to the warm finish. Good already, and showing even more promise.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

Good to see Pittyvaich back in the Special Release roster. Here we have the heavy, nutty character of the distillery given full expression. The emphasis here is on a mix of nuts, cake mix, and dense fruits: even a little hint of cigarette tobacco. When neat, the palate has real density that is enlivened by water, which brings out fresher—and decidedly more green—notes. Worth a dram.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2015)

They say that Jerry Thomas made Kinahan’s his whiskey of choice in 1862. A sniff today might reveal molten honey, flapjacks, dry grist, and a fresh apple Danish (apple, custard, and pastry). The palate has a nip of lozenge sweeties, more apples, peppermint, vanilla, and a slow slide into chocolate, lemon pith, and cocoa. The 25% malt content presses home the flavor. Palate-coating. It’s a blend of fine quality, and Kinahan’s revival adds to the resurgence of Dublin’s whiskey story.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2015)

Wheats have a fruitier nose than bourbons, it seems, and this is no exception. Gentle, almost delicate fruits on the nose: white grapes, honeydew melon, baked apple. So smooth on the palate: sweet pastry, light baked apple, a nice oak grip keeping it all together. Sip it straight, or build a big highball with just a splash of soda on the ice. Such a friendly whiskey.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

Sharp, even a bit of a sour edge, and some stemmy grass. Sweet and chewy grain in the mouth, with a nice touch of oily rye bitterness, some hot oak that quirks the tongue a bit, then a finish that melts into creaminess.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

Beginning with dried orange peels and steely rye that smells like a creek bed, the nose slowly develops light fruit, caramel, and vanilla fudge. Finally, pears, sweet plums, and raspberries emerge. On the palate, Midnight erupts into glowing hot spices, citrusy sweetness, dark fruits, candied ginger, and mildly grassy prairie sage. The heat and sweetness build into plummy sweet and sour sauce with vague hints of barrel notes. The long finish is unusually spicy.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Winter 2015)

This has enticing flavors that will meet with the approval of the regular Grouse drinker: heady florals with fresh peach, light honey, pecan, and underlying caramel. The palate is soothing with vanilla and tangerine, hallmarks of Grouse, plus rosewater, almond, and whispering spices. Gently does it, that’s the key to this: kick back and relax. This showcases the Midas touch of Gordon Motion’s skills in liquid alchemy. A great value blend to boot. £22

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2015)

What lies beneath the surface of Dewar’s? Here, the blend is finished in virgin and first-fill bourbon casks especially charred, then scratched to enable deeper penetration. Thick wedge of vanilla and fudge with oaky accents, a dusty mouthfeel pulling in vanilla, light lemon, milk chocolate, and sweet toffee, ending on a cocoa powder note. Compared with regular White Label, this is less obviously sweet and creamy, adds complexity, and opens a bourbon connection. Certainly, this is up to scratch.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Winter 2015)

The impact given by secondary maturation in small (octave) sherry casks is what sets this range apart. Here, Glen Grant’s light fruits are given a darker twist, with some bodega notes, blackberry, and a surprising note of curry spices before milk chocolate develops; this is particularly apparent on the palate. The palate is gentle and quite creamy (cream sherry?) but it doesn’t like water. A pleasing dram. £99

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2015)

As pale as you'd expect, this year’s Special Release ‘limited’ bottling has a sweet, bready softness to it making it less angular than previous expressions. The smoke comes across very gently, allowing the sweet grassiness of the spirit the upper hand until water is added. The palate stirs in some emulsion paint, a pleasing lift of sulfur and anise, and gradually deepens. With water there are more smoke and marine notes.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2015)

Initially very ozonic, fresh, and marine. So much so that you don’t notice the smoke which is slowly building. Everything is very restrained, some cold-smoked fish, mineral, and—in time—a hint of the mash tun. That mineral note continues on the palate, which broadens into ginger nuts in the middle of the tongue. All very well-balanced, and at its best neat.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Winter 2015)

100% rye, unmalted and malted, direct-fire pot stilled, “old wood finished”: a detailed label, but no age statement or “straight.” Peppery, minty nose with a fleeting hint of coal smoke, lots of heat. Fierce rye flavor, hot and sweet, and then a fantastic finish that curls and flexes: sweet, oily, hot, pepper, and small barrel oak. The rest of it’s okay, but that finish is a marvelous ride.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

Wigle’s proud to have a full 2 years of age on this organic wheat whiskey. It’s small-barrel dark, but the nose isn’t a ripper: it’s 100 proof hot, but sweet with grain and even light fruity notes (pear and ripe melon). There’s no denying it’s aggressive, especially for a wheat whiskey, but the small-barrel oak blends well with the grain, giving a robust set of flavors: oak, hard candies, grilled fruit. A bit loud, a bit pushy, but endearing.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

Labeled “young malt” because it is only about 18 months old. Distilled from Icelandic-grown malted barley as a whole mash (not a filtered wash) in a pot still, it has a nice husky, cocoa hull note in the sweet, somewhat hot malt nose. Full mouthfeel, rich grain character, dry cocoa hulls, and just before the dusty malt finish there’s an eye-opening wash of sweetness. Good potential, and an interesting character. (Travel Retail in Iceland only) ISK 7,950/500 ml

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

This 2000 vintage expression from Glenturret was matured in refill sherry hogsheads before bottling in 2015 as part of Gordon & MacPhail’s “MacPhail’s Collection” range. The nose is earthy, with vanilla, treacle, and dark berries, plus fruit spices. Full-bodied in the mouth, with spicy, zesty plums, raisins, cocktail cherries, and nutmeg. The finish is lengthy, with black treacle, cocoa powder, and an edge of slightly bitter oak.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2015)

Distilled between October and March, matured in American (first-fill and refill) and European oak casks; meant to be served ice-cold. From the freezer, concentrated aromas of pineapple, hints of honey and smoke. At room temperature, less intense fruitiness, more honey, and ginger. A syrupy mouthfeel from the freezer, with soft spices and orchard fruits. The palate is more complex at room temperature, with heathery spice, pepper, apricots, raisins, and milk chocolate. The finish yields cocoa powder and lingering spices. £38

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Winter 2015)

A 1 year old whiskey made from rye, wheat, and cherrywood-smoked malt. An interesting sweet/sour nose, with Montmorency cherry, sweet grain, bitter rye, and a slap of fresh leather jacket. Follows through in the mouth, but more integrated, a sweet cocktail of neat whiskey with only the slightest hint of “smoke.” The leather slips in at the finish and wraps things up neatly. A bit overly sweet, a bit simple, but good.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)