A nose of orange peel, dusty spice, licorice, cherry, dark fruit, and cola leads to a palate that’s spiced and smooth, and offers notes of lemon, orange peel, and pepper. Water enhances the citrus notes, and also brings out bitter cherry, dried orange slices, leather, and cracked pepper. The finish has good length, with a fair amount of oak influence, orange marmalade, cigar ash, dark chocolate, and bitter herbs.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2020)

Toiteach A Dhà means ‘smoky two’ in Gaelic and follows the previously released Toiteach. The nose opens with aromatic smoke and brine, while red berries, caramel, nutmeg, and cloves develop. Significantly greater sherry wood influence on the palate compared to the last version, plus Jaffa oranges, pipe tobacco, nougat, cloves, black pepper, and smoked fish. Medium to long in the finish, with drying sherry, oak, pepper, salt, and dark chocolate.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2020)

On the nose, fresh fish wrapped in bacon with a squeeze of lemon, cooked at a beach barbecue. Floral and allspice notes emerge. The palate is lightly oily, medium-peated, meaty, and softly spiced, with pineapple and melon. The finish dries, with more fruit and peppery peat. Balanced and inviting.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2020)

GlenDronach is known for its unpeated sherry-matured whiskies. This peated expression was matured in Pedro Ximénez and oloroso sherry casks, and some port pipes. Hand-rolled tobacco smoke, ginger, honey, malt, and barbecued bacon on the nose. New leather, smoky orange, treacle, and milk chocolate on the earthy palate. Light smoke, wood polish, mixed nuts, and licorice in the lengthy finish. Pleasing balance of sweet, savory, and smoky notes. (£51)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2020)

Hawthorn, apple, caramel, ground almond, shortbread, and finely ground pepper on an alluring nose. Gentle, creamy mouthfeel with caramel, dried apple, a moderate attack of clove and pepper, and a finish of mild spices and bakery treats. Irish oak-finished whiskeys are a rare occurrence, making this a good stepping-stone into the category, though it’s mellow by pot still standards. (10,500 bottles for U.S.)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2020)

Taking a leaf from other successful virgin Irish oak finishes, Glendalough is the first to deploy this powerful tool on aged Irish single malt. Dark gold with complex aromas: treacle, toffee apple, walnut shells, new leather boots, hints of blackcurrant, bramble, prune, whole spices, and roasted meat juices. Sour plum, 100% cacao, peppercorn, cassis, and slight bitter tannic notes, becoming liqueur-like with dark toffee and roasted nuts. (750 bottles for U.S.)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2020)

The sixth batch in this highly regarded series comprises whisky aged in five refill sherry butts, seven DoubleWood refill sherry butts, and nine bourbon barrels. The nose is soft and inviting, with honey, pineapple, vanilla, caramel, and ginger. The palate is rounded, rich, and sweet, with honey, vanilla, apples, and pears. Tangy citrus fruit, star anise, and oak in the lengthy finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2020)

Buffalo Trace asked fans to “Craft Your Perfect Bourbon” and this is the result. Cracker Jack and butterscotch sweetness appear on the nose, with cedary oak and black cherry soda lurking just beneath. On the palate, the flavors are bold, mouthwatering, and juicy, like dark berry fruit sprinkled with baking spices and spearmint. This has big impact, but is also delightfully drinkable, as the finish delivers citrus oil, stone fruit, and blackberry.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2020)

Pure, clean malt shines throughout this whisky, the first Daftmill bottling for sale in the U.S. Shortbread, candle wax, Golden Delicious apple, rose garden, apricot, ginger, and cinnamon on the nose. The palate is biscuity and sweet, with vanilla, shortbread cookies, candied pistachios, and crushed almonds; lemon and orange peel and lively rose oil perk things up once water is added. Tobacco, cinnamon, and toasted almonds and hazelnuts fade like a whisper on the gentle, soft finish. (1,260 bottles)

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Spring 2020)

Blended from 20 year old Strathisla, Longmorn, and Braeval whiskies to mark Manchester United’s treble—triple trophy win—in 1999, this is a drink of understated elegance. Orange peel, toffee, fine-roasted spices, vanilla extract, with hints of cocoa and malt on the nose. Creamy palate with Whoppers, candied orange peel, orange sherbet crystals, and mild spices, with a later phase of baked orange and butterscotch, it remains creamy and soothing to the finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2020)

The nose is fragrant and well-integrated with the oak, offering candied orange slices, peach, and notes of dried red berries. The palate is smooth and has flavors of bright fruit, drying oak tannins, raspberry jam, and semi-sweet chocolate. The finish is lengthy, with more fruit notes as well as brown sugar, chocolate, and pepper spice. The oak flirts with being overdone, but creates a balanced and solid expression of well-aged bourbon. (3,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2020)

Initial maturation of this expression took place in refill casks, followed by heavily charred American oak hogsheads, and finally European oak puncheons. The nose is relatively light, fruit-forward, slightly floral, spicy, and mildly ashy. Citrus fruits and sweet peat smoke on the palate, with fruit and oak spices. Orchard fruits in the finish, with just a hint of classic Talisker pepper. (6,000 bottles; distillery only) (£95)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2020)

Dark tobacco, horehound, saddle leather, mesquite smoke, and dried fruits rightly suggest the intensity to come from this Arizona malt. The robust palate features grilled corn, heaps of char, and savory smoked meats, with a burnt-sugar note that is both bitter and sweet. This is bold and flavor-packed, like drinking a glass of brisket. The no-holds-barred finish displays campfire smoke, milk chocolate, and burning citrus oil. (1,650 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2020)

Saline, smoke, seaweed, and iodine mingle with biscuity shortbread, lemon, bubble gum, bright berry fruit, and wafting floral aromas. The palate glides silkily from lemon, orange, and soapy-floral flavors to almonds, hazelnuts, drying oak, and hints of ginger, with peat smoke and salt weaving throughout. Sweet, then bitter on the finish, showcasing cigar ash, leather, and polished oak. Actor Nick Offerman, who collaborated with the distillery on this single malt, could hardly be described as reticent, but his whisky has a sweet shyness that works well in the glass

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Spring 2020)

Malt and mango on the nose, with just a hint of meatiness and earth. Pear and resin notes appear in time. Orchard fruits, vanilla, cloves, and cocoa powder on the palate. The sweet fruit notes are quite intense. Hazelnut and fudge in the medium-length finish. (£48)

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Spring 2020)

The nose is minty and herbal, with a fragrant note of potpourri. It’s powerful on the palate, with honey, coconut shavings, vanilla frosting, and spice. Lots of robust age on this one, with a finish that offers almonds, dark chocolate, vanilla cream, oak char, and good length. The barrel influence is strong, as would be expected from a whisky of this age, but is restrained enough to let the flavors emerge.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2020)

A hint of caramel corn, along with nutmeg, oak char, blackberry jam, and earthy notes of wet clay and tea leaves. The palate has loads of spice, black tea, and a subtle earthiness. The finish brings on chile-pepper heat, bitter chocolate, burnt walnut, cooked cherries, and light herbaceousness. Very unusual, successfully venturing outside the box, with a deft mix of sweetness, chocolate, earthiness, and spice.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2020)

Named because it’s triple-distilled and matured in sherry, bourbon, and malaga casks, this has a syrupy, fruity sweetness with notes of red cherry, green apple, pear, peeled clementine, vanilla toffee, and a generous helping of pot still spiciness. Orange and lemon segments, red apple, caramel, Jell-O cubes tossed in powdered sugar, and background spices make this sweeter and fruitier than regular Jameson, though the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. (U.S. Travel Retail exclusive)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2020)