Laphroaig 10 yo

Laphroaig 10 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Islay
Straw gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, smoke, grapefruit, hint of cumin, hint of leather, hint of prawn crackers.
Mouthfeel: Medium body. Grainy, numbing, gritty and sandy.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Seaweed, cedar, peat, citrusy.
Finish: Long. Miso, nori, cigars.

Comments:

The classics are classics for a reason - this whisky is very good indeed. Aggressive smoke, with just a bit of refined fishiness and fragrance. Like walking along a pebble beach, windy and damp and salty. Great stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Oban 14 yo

Oban 14 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - West Highlands
Amber
43% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Raisins, peat, toffee, herbal soup, hints of flatulence. Very pleasant despite the unpleasant descriptor, however.
Mouthfeel: A little oily, smooth, medium body.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Plums, ume, chinese sour plums.
Finish: Toffee, hint of peat, musty, leather, candied winter melon.

Comments:

Very maritime, and slightly Japanese. Evokes the Japanese pickles you get along with a bento box. The nose isn't unpleasant, despite the manure characteristics. Something you could drink in a musty old library while munching on sushi.

Verdict:

I like this.

Macallan 10 yo Fine Oak

Macallan 10 yo Fine Oak

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Straw
40% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, raisins, nutmeg, eggnog.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, viscous, slightly astringent.
Tasting: Sweet, hint of smoke, more caramel, maple syrup, buttered pancakes.
Finish: Short. Bitter, peanuts, peanut skin.

Comments:

Matured in a mixture of bourbon and sherry casks. I enjoyed this the first time I tried it, but as I educated my palate a little more I found that there really wasn't much in here. Apparently cutting back on the use of sherry casks (as a cost saving measure) has allowed more the distillery's character to emerge with this expression, but I don't think the distillery character is an improvement over the sherry monster.

Verdict:

I like this.