OUALL OUR DRINKTIPS HAVE BEEN TESTED BY ANIMALS
TASTING NOTES
Scotch whisky offers an amazing range of tastes, aromas and character. While Scotland is slightly smaller in total land area than the state of South Carolina, the ocean, mountains and climate ranges all have an impact on Scotch whisky. Market Watch recently gathered a selection of single malts and blends and compared the characteristics of each brand.
BLENDS
Chivas Regal: This whisky, a blend of 12-year-old malts, is rich and smoky with hints of maple and spice.
Clan MacGregor: This blend, bottled in the United States, offers a sweet, honey nose with a smooth finish that has a hint of oak.
Cutty Sark: Slight hints of vanilla and a subtle, smoky peat flavor mark this blend.
Cluny: This blend, bottled in The United States, has a soft, smoky nose and a light, peaty flavor.
Dewar's White Label: This whisky has a heathery nose, with a mellow, smoked peat flavor that finishes with a slight grassy taste.
J&B Rare: This whisky is an interesting spicy mix with heather undertones.
Johnnie Walker Black: A 12-year-old blend with a hickory and smoky peat base, a hint of licorice and a warm, smooth finish.
Johnnie Walker Blue: This blend, which includes some 60-year-old malt, is dark with deep wood tones and a superb peaty flavor.
Johnnie Walker Gold: This blend of 18-year-old whiskies has a balanced licorice and grassy bed of flavors.
Johnnie Walker Red: This whisky has a smoked peat and wood nose with a complex flavor that hints of spice and roasted nuts.
Old Smuggler: This blend, bottled in the United States, has a floral nose, and is slightly dry with hints of nut and heather.
Scoresby Very Rare: This blend, bottled in the United States, is straw colored with a mellow nose and a slightly peppery flavor.
Usher's Green Stripe: Also bottled in the United States, this blend has a syrupy texture with peat in the nose and hints of fresh green grass.
SINGLE MALTS
Aberlour: This 10-year-old single malt Highland with tea leaf and cedar aromas has hints of butter. Subtle yet rich, with lots of flavor, this textbook Speyside malt is well-balanced and fresh.
The Balvenie Founder's Reserve: This 10-year-old single malt has a nice golden color with touches of honey and spice.
The Balvenie Double Wood: This smooth whisky, a Speyside single malt aged for 12 years in traditional Bourbon barrels before spending a number of months in sherry casks, offers hints of honey and citrus fruit with an almost minty finish.
The Balvenie Single Barrel: The 15-year-old whisky has a buttery, smoky wood flavor. The 101 proof of this whisky shows in the warmth it leaves.
Carduh: This 12-year-old Highland single malt has a pleasing initial sweetness that is balanced by some hints of smoky peat and spice.
Clynelish: This 22-year-old single malt has plenty of smoke and a handsome salty finish.
Cragganmore: This 12-year-old single malt is a dry whisky with grassy tones and a smoky peat base.
Dalwhinnie: This whisky, a 15-year-old Highland single malt, has a honey syrup texture and pleasing flavor.
Glenfiddich Cask Strength: This 15-year-old uncut whisky is 102 proof. It has a pronounced smoked peat flavor with peppery tones and a slight hint of banana.
Glenkinchie: This 10-year-old Lowland single malt is a spicy drink with a flowery heather aroma.
Glenlivet 18-Year-Old: This single malt is rich and smooth, with a buttery almond flavor profile.
Glenmorangie Madeira Wood Finish: This Highland single malt--aged first for 12 years in Bourbon barrels then transferred for finishing in Madeira casks--has a slight tangy flavor with hints of fresh black pepper and a burnt peat finish.
Glenmorangie Sherry Wood Finish: This golden Highland malt is finished in sherry barrels. It has a honey, syrup texture with hints of hazelnuts.
Glen Ord: This Northern Highlands single malt is 12 years old with a rich amber color, mellow nose and an oaky, deep flavor.
The Glenrothes: This amber-colored Speyside single malt, with a 1979 vintage to mark the distillery's 100th anniversary, has a slight heathery nose with a honey palate.
Lagavulin: This 16-year-old Islay malt is a rich amber color with plenty of oak, seaside saltiness and a warm, smoky peat finish.
Loch Dhu: This is an interesting black whisky that gets its color from double-charred barrels. It has a hint of maple and a warm roasted flavor.
The Macallan: This 12-year-old Highland malt is finished in sherry wood. It has a deep amber color, maple nose and complex flavor.
Oban: This 14-year-old West Highlands single malt is rich tasting with spicy characteristics but finishes with a slight sweetness.
Royal Lochnagar Selected Reserve: This single malt has a rich aroma with heathery and spicy tones balanced by a smoky peat base and almond finish.
Talisker: This 10-year-old single malt from the Isleof Skye has salty peat undertones and a warming, peppery flavor.
