Barely legal at 51% rye, Rittenhouse packs lots of corn, offering a different profile than those higher-rye whiskeys from Indiana. Straight from the glass burst caramel, campfire smoke, and vanilla, with hints of dill weed and Herbs de Provence. Ripe in flavor, it shows slight mint from the rye and a complex voyage of herbs with a touch of chocolate here and walnut shell there. There’s a reason bartenders love mixing with this; it’s good neat or on the rocks.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2016)

Launched in 2015, this is a solid pick for the under-$30 club. Think butterscotch and caramel dripping over popcorn: the cooked sugars first, then corn kernels. Dulled spices, oak, vanilla, hints of saddle leather and earth. This isn’t complex or complicated, but the medium-to-long candy corn finish leaves me wondering about its status with two more years in the barrel. Of course, that would mean the price would go up, too.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2016)

Baked almond desserts liberally splashed with cream, light caramel, malted milk, and an invading cloud of smoke from newly ignited twigs: a lucky strike from a forest survivalist. On the palate, it is soft and blushing, with marmalade and warm butter, ground ginger, moving to chocolate orange, toffee, and Ovaltine. A whirl of spices and chunky chocolate round off this blend’s finish stylishly. This has all the hallmarks of a perfect nightcap.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

We get off on the wrong foot with that vegetal note common to certain Strathclyde bottlings. It quickly blows over to release candied lemon and orange slices, fresh-baked honey biscuits, eucalyptus, clove, and eventually some fresh breath mints. Divinely sweet orange and lemon puddings, caramelized sugars close to burning, and soor plooms. Despite the lemon sweetness at the fringes, there remains a central core of mint and clove. Sherbet lemons fizz on the tongue to finish. All is forgiven. £88

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

There is wonderfully sweet smoke on the nose that overrides a base layer of fresh mint and mounds of velvety cocoa powder. Neat, there is a powerful alcohol kick, a harbinger of sweet purple berry fruits and brown sugar before it settles down as it dilutes with pools of calming milky cocoa and chocolate. Give this a good splash of water and it will reward you handsomely, unlocking extra layers of sweetness, fresh melon, and lime. (290 bottles, The Whisky Exchange only) £62

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

People tend to moan about Macallan having lost its mojo. Not here. This is a vatting of different sized American and (mostly) European oak casks, so no surprise that it’s oak-led, but Macallan is a heavy distillate and it needs oak to prosper fully. Here you get rosin, marmalade, green fig jam, and the power of concentrated oils. The palate is powerful and supple, with some clove, ginger, and yet more chocolate. Substantial and well worth checking out.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2016)

Assorted mashes and barrels ensure each batch of Two Brewers malt whisky is unique. When mature, about 7 years later, these are blended into multi-layered whiskies. Sweet, crisp nose, then Cheerios, dry grain, and fresh malt. Vague herbal tones balance hints of ripe fruit. Bright palate with gingery peppers sprinkled on fall fruit—soft apples, plums, peaches. Lush body, then a slight woody, tannic pull. (Canada only) C$95

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Summer 2016)

Vanilla pod, dark toffee, fudge, manuka honey, and chocolate-dipped banana bites greet the senses, quickly followed by a palate of tiffin, raspberry jam, damsons, poached pear, slightly bitter cacao, and Nutella scraped across hot toast. Smooth, medium weight. Malty notes emerge, yet sweetness battles to the fore. This is the taste of modern, young Australian whisky: Australian barley, Australian barrels, and matured in the Australian climate at Melbourne’s New World Whisky distillery. Unsurpassed drinkability: it just wants to please. A$83

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

Launched in December 2015, the first release of Balblair’s Vintage 2005 replaces the previous 2003 expression. This is the youngest bottling in the brand’s portfolio. It was matured in bourbon barrels and is non-chill filtered. The nose is relatively light and fruity: vanilla, ripe bananas, honey, a wisp of smoke, and soft spices.  Toffee, malt, vanilla, a biscuit-like note, more bananas, and new leather on the palate, closing with a lengthy, spicy finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2016)

Now here’s an interesting mashbill: 73% malted rye, 13.5% chocolate malt, and 13.5% cherry-smoked malt. Nose is an arresting mix of bitter, grassy rye and smoky dark chocolate; abrupt, but it grows on you. It’s all there on the palate, too: rye oil, sweet malt, cherry smoke, pipe tobacco, raw oak. This is rambunctious stuff, with an intense but not hot finish, a very craft-beer whiskey. Unlike similarly shouty bottlings, this one has something to say as it shouts.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2016)

Ripe fruit (peach, apricot, golden raisin) on the front of the palate, followed by layered sweet notes of caramel, butterscotch, and toffee, finishing with oak, dried vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon. Great mouthfeel. Each barrel is unique in flavor profile. There’s no barrel number identified on the label, so the one you buy may vary slightly. Having said this, the barrel I reviewed was very enjoyable.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2016)

A terrific value blend of Macallan, Glenrothes, and Tamdhu matured in sherry casks has produced one of the darkest whiskies on the market. Inescapable aromas of thick Seville orange marmalade, polished saddle leather, too-hot-to-hold sweet chestnuts pulled from a brazier, dry fruitcake, 100% cacao, and Medjool dates. Sweet prunes, chocolate ganache, cola, tannins, and singed wood spices combine to produce a formidable proposition. Heavily sherried and oaky for sure; this has been bottled not a day too early. (337 bottles, Royal Mile Whiskies only) £200

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

ICE Edition is a 17 year old matured predominantly in bourbon casks. Just 30,000 rather extravagantly presented bottles are available globally.  Fresh and fruity on the nose with light trademark Highland Park sweet smoke, ginger, and a hint of dry earth. In time the fruits become more clearly defined as pears and peaches. Full and viscous on the palate; vanilla, pepper, brief orchard fruits, then dry peat, licorice, aniseed, and a lingering, relatively dry finish.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2016)

Ladyburn malt distillery was part of William Grant’s Girvan grain distilling complex in Ayrshire from 1966 to 1975. It was located close to where Ailsa Bay now stands. This veteran bottling is mature and rounded on a nose of sweet pears, nectarines, subtle vanilla, and a hint of old hemp. Fresh fruit and lively spice on the early palate, with worn leather and malt.  The fruit lingers through the very long finish with oak, licorice, and slightly bitter citrus notes.

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2016)

This Glenturret was bottled in Douglas Laing’s Old Particular series at 28 years old. After maturation in a single refill hogshead it was released in early 2016. Malt, milk chocolate, and honey on the pleasing, mature, rounded nose. Figs and sultanas develop in time. Smooth and rich on the palate with more malt, cocoa powder, and soft spices. Very long in the finish with quite insistent spice, citrus fruit, cloves, and sweet oak. (168 bottles) £105

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2016)

Released in Wemyss Malts’ Cask Strength Single Cask Releases range. This expression of Clynelish was aged in a refill hogshead. Initially, big coffee and ginger notes on the nose. Sweet orchard fruits develop in time along with a pinch of table salt. Very sweet and spicy on the palate with icing sugar and soft toffee. Salt, white pepper, and light oak in a long, spicy finish. (274 bottles) £100

Reviewed by: Gavin Smith (Summer 2016)

Named after a supernova, not the Seven Stars, this uses a mashbill of pale ale, chocolate, and heavily-peated malt, with three specific cask specifications. Toffee apple, cotton candy, gentle leaf smoke, dry seasoned logs, cacao, vanilla seeds, and ripe bananas. A lighter mouthfeel with juicy sweetness, mixed peel, cinnamon, dry banana chips, mild ginger, chocolate notes, and cocoa. The finish feels short, then out of left field it hits you with a surging wave of chocolate and coffee.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Summer 2016)

Maybe not as massive as its higher-strength brother (see above), but don’t think that this is light. There’s immediate grumbling peatiness, mixed with dark chocolate, lanolin, and tamarind, while the spiciness brings to mind tandoori food. There’s still the seaweed element, while the lower strength pulls things into a darker core—coal tar soap, damp moss. A very oily palate, that with water takes you onto the peat bog. Seashells on a fire and more smoke round things off.

Reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2016)