Distilled in March 1992, this single cask expression was matured in a refill hogshead (#1266). The nose yields heather in bloom, a hint of machine oil, vanilla, orange fondant creams, and a wisp of sweet wood smoke. Smooth on the palate, with creamy orange notes, gentle spice, and, ultimately, soft peat smoke. The finish is relatively long, with Jaffa orange, black pepper, and drying oak. (209 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2017)

A blend of Canadian whisky with 1% sherry and 8% bourbon. Dried and stewed fruits, baking spices, leather, and earthy tobacco blanket light-bodied vanilla sweetness. Assertive dark chocolate and coffee, raisins, and prunes are balanced with sweet peppered jerky. The generous sweetness is tempered with water. Finishes like a Cadbury Fruit & Nut bar, but with more personality.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2017)

Are you a bourbon lover with an untapped curiosity for Irish whiskey? I have a job for you. Try nosing out the cinnamon, molasses, sultanas, tarte Tatin, and sweet crème brûlée on Colum Egan’s young creation aged in first-fill bourbon casks. A brash combination of spice, cinnamon, cooked apple and pear, caramel popcorn, bitter vanilla, and spun sugar, which finishes with wood char, burnt sugar, and toffee apple.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2017)

Distilled in October 1995 and aged in refill hogshead #8937. Slightly earthy on the early nose, with allspice, vanilla, then creamy toffee and caramel notes emerge. Big, boiled sweet notes on the full palate: nutmeg, soft toffee, and aniseed. Long and drying in the finish, with chili spice. (261 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2017)

Distilled in June 2007 and bottled in October 2016, this expression spent 6 years in first-fill bourbon casks, then 3 years in Barolo wine casks. Fresh on the early nose; herbaceous, with pineapple and a hint of oil. Big in the mouth, with white pepper, more pineapple, dried fruits, and coconut milk. Drying to tannins, with dark berries in the lengthy, minty finish. (10,800 bottles)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Fall 2017)

Delicate aromas of chamomile, marigolds, gardenias, peaches, apples, and vanilla undergirded by biscuity cereal notes transition seamlessly to an elegant palate of vanilla, green apples, malted milk balls, and fresh herbs. The finish has gentle spice that fades into warm chocolate with continuing creamy grain. A blend of Japanese and other whiskies that responds well to water.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2017)

Rich notes of baking chocolate, compacted dry earth, runny caramel, and garam masala highlight the versatility of aromas between these expressions. Chocolate digestive biscuits, plain chocolate nibs, caramel, a hit of mouth-puckering pepper and chili heat, but the chocolate endures. A zinging finish akin to Tache spiced bark.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2017)

Briney sea air, wet stones, and pretty wisps of campfire smoke give this a strong Scottish bent, while the medium-bodied palate nicely balances the sweet malt, salt, and smoke in a bit of salt water taffy. Showing nice complexity and balance overall, the finish smolders and evolves to become more herbaceous.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2017)

An aged island dram to mull over during the distillery’s lengthy closure for essential upgrades, this brims with lemon sherbet, summer fruits including cantaloupe, and Bartlett pears poached in cream. Tangy citrus balanced with ginger and peppery spice, cocoa notes, and black bun make for a lively mouthfeel. Creamy fudge and Jaffa cake rule once the spices die back. An enchantingly delicate orange sorbet flavor appears when diluted.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2017)

Few single malt whiskies from the Speyside Distillery make it to the U.S. This noses like a gammon joint glazed with sliced orange and a side order of sugar mice. Hesitantly, a sip brings relief with dark chocolate, stewed rhubarb, strained raspberry juices, walnut, and burnt bakery goods. Dry finish with remnants of cocoa. Worth experimenting with water, as lovely candied peel and golden syrup notes peek out.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2017)

Blends of single pot still and single malt Irish whiskey without grain deserve their own category, but there’s no use crying about it. Roasted spices, Quaker Oats, light honey, and fresh apricot; a little reserved and demure. Golden honey sweetness, light citrus, green apple, peach pit, dried apricot, cereal notes, creamy vanilla, and a firm strand of pot still spiciness. Dry spice heat, citrus peel, and a dark vanilla aftertaste.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2017)

Craft skeptics will find this very aligned to mainstream bourbon, with its enticing nose of Peanut Chews candy, gooey caramel, and cocoa powder. The palate pours on sweet cornbread and marzipan, just a touch hot and slightly antiseptic, before the long finish of cherry and sweet vanilla. Lots of good stuff going on here.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2017)

Named after the warehouseman’s preferred piece of pilfering paraphernalia, the 125 year old Craigellachie Hotel’s Copper Dog bar now boasts its own whisky. It’s an appealing blend of eight Speyside malts, with honey, warm toast, pecan nut, apple turnover, fudge fingers, and orange peel. Vanilla, orange pith, wood spice, caramel, and fresh apple develop into creamy nougat. Takes a while to come into focus, then concludes with a spicy finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2017)

Cotton candy, campfire smoke, cinnamon, pilsner beer, butterscotch, and vanilla start a whiskey conversation that’s about balance, easy sipping, and the pursuit of spice. Around mid-palate, a plethora of baking spices—clove, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice—charms the senses. It’s set up to be a great run, but the approach softens toward the finish with muted brown sugar appearing. Still, the flavor and balance make for a fun sipper and great cocktail mixer.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2017)

Some bourbons are balanced or complex; this is an all-around versatile pour with initial notes of lightly toasted oak, brown sugar, and butterscotch. A fun maltiness, concentrated caramel, and slight hints of cinnamon and watermelon Juicy Fruit hammer home its sipping potential, but its short to medium finish suggests that it’s more suited for cocktails. But hey, why not both?

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2017)

Aromas of woodsmoke with hints of hot tar and rubber are draped over ripe berry fruit. Dark and somewhat brash, it comes off a touch hot, fully revealing its 100 proof, becoming more fruit driven on the palate, as sweet berry, buckwheat honey, and sorghum syrup give way to smoldering baking spice on the drying, oak-laced finish. More muscle than finesse, however the 21% Quercus garryana is revealing itself more in this second iteration.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2017)

Caramel and cigar box lead the way, but leather comes in strong, followed by oak, earth, and mushrooms. On the palate, Nutella and roasted almonds resonate over crème brûlée, salt water taffy, vanilla icing, and nutmeg, with slight hints of apple and pineapple, at which point I think it really starts to pick up and take on some complexity. Alas, the short finish hurts what was a delightful experience.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2017)

Floral and spice, including orange blossom and clove, this pours berry fruit on the palate before the chocolate malt balls set in. Seamless, nicely done, and certainly moreish, as the clean, drying finish gives way to biscuit, brioche, and pain au chocolat.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2017)