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91 points

Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve, 44%

Aged in a mix of American white oak barrels, oloroso casks, and cabernet sauvignon barriques. Sherry, vanilla, caramel, ripe cherries, and sultanas on the nose. The palate yields characteristic Dalmore orange, plus brittle toffee, bitter chocolate, and cherry liqueur. Spicy licorice and soft oak in the finish.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Kaiyo Mizunara Oak The Peated (2nd Edition), 46%

This is utterly unique; made from imported Scottish peated malt, it spends 2 years in madeira casks, then 6 years in mizunara casks. Light, clean, fruity refreshment: apple, white grape, lingering cigar smoke, coconut macaroons, and ample Japanese oak influence. Apple and watermelon flavors, developing a more sugary fruitiness of Life Savers hard candy, all brushed with gentle spice and a swish of smoke.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Kaiyo Mizunara Oak Cask Strength, 53%

Fully matured in mizunara oak on land and sea, this has tangy orange, ground ginger, fennel seed, cedar, and incense, though it seems a little more tightly wound than the standard strength whisky. Juicy orange, quick firecracker spices, and more toffee sweetness; it becomes heavy and thick, flaunting high alcohol, then turns creamier with marzipan, orange Jell-O, and singed oak spices.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Glenrothes Whisky Maker’s Cut, 48.8%

The nose offers rich fruit—plums and sultanas—with milk chocolate and new leather. The palate is silky and luxurious, with medium-sweet sherry, vanilla, blackcurrants, and treacle. Dark berries and black pepper in the lengthy, mildly oaky finish.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Old Line Cask Strength American Single Malt (Batch 1M), 60%

Sweet and lightly smoky on the nose: toasted marshmallow, campfire logs, Sugar Babies, dried orange rind, Nilla Wafer, smoked almonds, and rich hot chocolate. Without water, the proof shows itself, but add a few drops and what was a dry brush fire is now smoked chili-chocolate, cinnamon, black pepper, orange oil, almonds, and a little bacon. Ashy and sweet on the finish, with chili heat, orange, nuts, and chocolate. Potentially divisive in its profile, but its powerful character is undeniable.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Clyde May’s Alabama Style 110 Proof American Whiskey, 55%

The nose begins with notes of earthiness and tobacco, followed by banana, crème brûlée, cherry hard candy, and cocoa powder. With water, fragrant apple, clementine, coconut, bubble gum, and cotton candy notes emerge. The palate is also candied, with cherry, raspberry pastilles, grape jelly, milk chocolate, and cracked pepper. On the finish, it’s chocolate cream pie, almond, and a halo of tobacco leaf. A veritable chocolate factory, balanced against a tart espresso note and tobacco.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Tommyrotter Cider Cask Finished Tennessee Straight Whiskey, 47.5%

Hugely herbal from the start: coriander seed, licorice, dill, and black tea aromas, with some grape and blueberry jam, lemon, and oak. Sweet fruit tempers the herbaceous and mineral palate; layers of cooked berry, Coca-Cola, cherries, lemon oil, and peanuts create a silky, rounded profile, all tied up with generous oak. Finished in Black Bird Cider Works hard cider casks.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Eifel German Rye, 46%

A dark amber dram made from 90% rye yields a nose of chestnuts, mushroom consommé, earthiness, nutmeg, and clove. Dark berries dominate, with bramble, crème de cassis, black cherry, plum, and mixed peel, then chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg—a great autumnal dram after an invigorating walk in the countryside. Unique and confident whisky with an inky blue-fruit finish matched with dry and gentle spiciness. (3,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Murray McDavid 2003 Òrdha Meas 13 year old, 46%

An incredible surround-sound sensation of heavy peat smoke, with toffee, blackened spices, salted caramel, and warm leather. The journey is impressive, from the sweet toffee torn asunder by huge gusts of pepper, the tangy strands of citrus and banoffee pie with baked banana, the apples baked in brown sugar, before a final return to the smoke. A sweet and spicy finish, though the flavors recede fairly rapidly.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Driftless Glen Bourbon, 48%

Orange, lemon peel, iced tea, cinnamon, and blueberry jam aromas are undercut by earthy notes of mulch, chili powder, cracked corn, and dill. Oak leads the flavor parade, but is well-tempered by raspberry, pomegranate, cinnamon, orange, licorice, walnuts, and black pepper. Chocolate, more pomegranate, chili powder, and silky oak round out this lush bourbon, which shows impressive maturity for its 2 years.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Peg Leg Porker 8 year old Tennessee Straight Bourbon, 45%

Nashville barbecue icon Carey Bringle filters this whiskey through hickory charcoal, bottling it under the name of his restaurant. A candied nose of saltwater taffy and bubble gum, followed by peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla cake, banana, cracked pepper, and spicy oak. The palate offers almond, chocolate, coconut, tobacco, brown sugar, and blueberry pie. Water brings out rich milk chocolate, strawberry jam, and cherry cobbler. The finish is smooth and flavorful, with more chocolate, nuttiness, coconut, tobacco, and oak.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Dublin Liberties Keeper’s Coin 16 year old, 46%

Mandarin segments, ripening lime, brown sugar breakfast pastries, cardamom, star anise, marzipan, and seasoned oak on this triple-distilled Irish single malt. It’s fruity, sweet, full-bodied, and wonderfully rich thanks to the Pedro Ximénez finish. It glides from tangy orange to marmalade, with fruit-flavored hard candy, clove, and allspice. They’ve got this bang on. The spices shut down quickly on the finish, leaving baked peel flavors. €340

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Jameson Caskmates Great Divide Brewing Co. Edition, 40%

The association with this Denver brewery has produced a whisky redolent of crabapple, tinned peach, leather bootstraps, vanilla pod, roasted malt, and spices left to blacken in the pan. This is a scrumptious whisky layered with mixed citrus, honey, shortbread, and lashings of vanilla creaminess. The clove, ground ginger, and black pepper lay down a solid foundation, superimposed with oak char and black coffee grounds in the latter stages.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

West Cork Export Stout Cask Finish, 40%

The trend for finishing Irish whiskey in beer barrels now connects Skibbereen and Castle Island Brewing Co. in Massachusetts, creating this breezy dram with aromas of lemon curd, shortbread, vanilla frosting, and dry spices, with plenty of coastal character. Melon, blossom honey, and peach on the palate, before a real creaminess develops, smudged by gentle spices. The later phase has toffee oozing from lemon bonbons, vanilla cake mix, and more fruity richness. (3,900 bottles)

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Octomore Dialogos 10 year old, 56.8%

Distilled from malt peated to 167 ppm, this whisky’s complex maturation program includes first-fill port and cognac, second-fill American whiskey, and virgin oak casks. The nose is sweet, with ginger, marzipan, rock pools, and floral smokiness. Initially, barley sugar and malt on the palate, then drier, with a hint of iodine, medicated soap, old leather, and dried peat. Peppery, with antiseptic and smoky oak in the finish. (12,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Teerenpeli Kaski, 43%

The nose is lavish, with dried orange peel, raisins, plum, gingersnaps, aniseed, and menthol. It’s a thick, malty, statement whisky, rich with raisin, prune juice, heather honey, fig, and walnut, and laced with aniseed and clove. Pleasantly reminiscent of childhood cough medicine, there are long, sweet, syrupy prune notes at the end. It feels like it must be doing you some good. (3,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

90 points

Dewar’s 27 year old Double Double, 46%

The palo cortado finish is restrained, with notes of pale sherry, crisp green apple, honeycomb, cocoa, cooked plum, tangy citrus, and tobacco smoke, yet the palate has a generous, mouth-drawing fruitiness. Lemon meringue pie, tangerine zest, lime, and pineapple form the whisky’s substance, which is augmented by a time-delayed progression through caramel, ground almond, espresso, and chocolate brownie. Smoke hangs like a specter at the feast.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)

89 points

The Senator 6 year old Barrel Proof Straight, 60.7%

Bottled in Fall 2018. A blast of orange blossom on the nose, along with raspberry tart, cherry, and dried currants, set against leather and drying tobacco. A nutty palate with notes of toffee, orange peel, herbs, and light tobacco, with chocolate brownies and blackberry emerging with water. Tropical rye notes of orange, melon, guava, and grape on the finish, along with chocolate, ginger, herbs, and white pepper. Lots of heat, but also depth, flavor, and balance.

Reviewed by: (Summer 2019)