My TOP 10 - JACK DANIEL'S OLD NO.7

Website: http://www.jackdaniels.com

By  SpiritsReview Chris Carlsson

Tennessee Whisk(e)y - Jack Daniel's Old No.7
Jack Daniel Distillery
Jack Daniel Distillery (Lynchburg, Tennessee)
Grain - Corn (at least 80%%), Rye (12%), Barley (8%)

PROOF: 80 (40%) *
AGE: 4 Years + or -
TYPE: Straight, Sour Mash

         The Tennessee Whisky to most of the world (there are only two to begin with and George Dickel is the other).This distillery is much larger and produces larger batches of younger whisky (on average) than its competitor who is a distant second on quantity and sales. It is double-distilled in copper column stills then aged in new charred oak barrels. In their charcoal mellowing they drip the whiskey through about 10 ft of sugar maple charcoal over a 4 to 6 day period.
This whisky also uses a higher proportion of corn than most bourbon, proprietary yeast strains and large multistory warehouses (over 50 in number). This is a straight (unblended) sour mash bourbon with 10 hours of charcoal filtering for finishing.
This is the youngest,cheapest brother of Gentleman Jack, and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel.
Appearance: Dark gold in the bottle, wheat color in the glass.
First Impression: Heavy corn presence, saddle leather, vanilla, grass, oak grain influence, trace of mint, and char developing.
Taste: Light body, sweet with slightly astringent follow on, oak then pepper developing and causing the tongue to tingle. Charcoal causes the mouth and tongue to pucker and numb a bit. Spicy, aromatic, some grain and malty notes- medium dry finish. Smoother than I remember (I used to drink the higher proof version (90 and 93)), so that accounts for some of it.
Drinks: Works well for most bourbon drinks. Remember it is a bit drier than a bourbon, with the charcoal aftertaste.
Final Thoughts: Pretty much the iconic Tennesee Whiskey for most people and one of the most recognized brands in the world. Some may find the dryness/char of Tennessee Whisky not to their liking as a beverage choice. While it is a good whiskey I prefer Dickel as it has more complexity and age.That being said it is a decent whisky, if a bit lacking in complexity.
Bottle: Basic clear glass, square shaped with rounded shoulders with thin neck with faceted neck. Name of whiskey is pressed into the glass at sloped shoulder. Old-style script with is printed on the black label. Simple layout and fonts give it a antique feel.

By Crookedmouth "(Son of Olaf)"

Jack Daniels Old No7 is a Tennesee Whiskey - bourbon, basically. It has smooth caramel/toffee undernotes and a hint of woodsmoke. However, to my (rather untutored) palate, the dominant and most distinctive flavour is one of over-ripe bananas. The flavour is very familiar but I just couldn't put my finger on it for a long time, but when I did it was almost shocking. Nearly rotten bananas, but without the cloying sweetness.
JD is, therefore, very much like a good single malt - the tastes and aromas can be almost overpowering and are very much an acquired taste. Whereas a single malt benefits from a dash of water, however, JD really needs ice to temper the strength of the sensations it leaves on the tongue (although I prefer to drink it neat, like any halfway decent whiskey).
Anyone who mixes this with Coke should be taken out and shot.

My Top 10 - JOHNNIE WALKER GREEN LABEL

By WhiskyCritic
Johnnie Walker is without doubt one of the most well-known whisky blends in the world, and for good reason; their whiskies never fail to offer not only good value for money, but indeed high quality regardless of price. For those of you who like to read a bit of distillery history with your review, I would recommend that you check out my review of the Johnnie Walker Black Label as I have presented what I could find there.
Now, the black label is one of the cheapest Johnnie Walkers and as such it also serves, along with the red label, as their standard expression – the one most people would go for if faced with a shelf of JW’s and not quite knowing what they’re after – and they won’t be disappointed. There is, however, a general consensus amongst whisky lovers that spending an extra £8-10 and upgrading to the Green Label is highly worthwhile doing, and I would most certainly agree. Indeed, my hopes were high when I finally got around to tasting the Green Label: with so many positive reviews floating around the internet already, and having achieved an outstanding 95-point score in Jim Murray’s 2010 Whisky Bible, how could they not be?
The nose is an instant classic; it seems almost a stereotype, hitting nearly all of the notes that a well-balanced whisky should hit, with there being pepper, a certain saltiness, fruits (both ripe, sweet citrus flesh and apples), some caramel sweetness, and just a touch of earthiness – all combined into a full, thick aroma. For a blended whisky costing under £30, this is a superb nose. The palate does not fail to live up to expectations either, and packs a healthy bit of spice along with a touch of smoke, and the citrus fruits are still very much present – though the apple has been replaced by a mixed bag of dried fruits. Add to that a spoonful of heather honey, some toffee and a couple of nuts and you’re home.
In short, then, the Johnnie Walker Green Label is a fantastically well-balanced blend and presents a wide range of both smells and flavours that both experienced whisky fanatics and those who have recently lost their whisky virginity are sure to enjoy.
Colour: White wine.
Nose: Peppery, slightly salty, ripe citrus flesh, apple, caramel, slightly earthy.
Palate: Spice, some smoke, citrus, dried fruits, heather honey, toffee, nuts.

JOHNNY WALKER GREEN LABEL – A FAREWELL

My fairest child, I have no song to give you;
No lark could pipe to skies so dull and grey:
Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you
For every day.

Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever;
Do noble things, not dream them, all day long:
And so make life, death, and that vast for-ever
One grand, sweet song.

Charles Kingsley – A Farewell

By TheScotchLife.com
The news of Johnny Walker Green Label being discontinued shouldn’t upset too many people but I think it’s a little sad to lose the only label in the JW line that I recommended people try. Where else can you get a blended scotch of high quality (all Malt, no grain) scotch? I’m sure there are several but I’m not a blend guy, mainly single malts. When you drink a dram of Green Label you are drinking Talisker, Linkwood, Craganmore, and Caol Ila products at once. Quite an affordable blend and unique experience.

Efficiency and product trimming has evidently hit the JW line and the Green Label must be the weak link. If I had my way, I’d discontinue Blue….. So Diageo probably knows their market and this must seem like a good move on paper. They are evidently sponsoring a final “official” tasting that you can apply to be at on their Facebook page.

The first time I ever bought the Green Label was a few years back while in St. Thomas. The costs were supposedly lower, not sure about that, so I bought a bottle there. I think it’s a very drinkable dram, nothing extremely special but a good everyday or with guests that you don’t want to pull out the “good” stuff for. For myself, it’s just a bit of nostalgia that the brand is going away, so I may stock up for no good reason but to have a “rare” product one day.

If you are a regular Black label drinker and have not tried the Green, I would encourage you to try this one. Unlike your Black label, this one does not have any grain whisky in it. On top of that I’d say its finish is nicer and more complex. If you only drink Red label, please switch to Black!, and you too will notice a large difference in quality.

Cheers to you Green Label! And Farewell!

My Top 10 - GLENFIDDICH 12/15/18/21

By WhiskyCritic
Glenfiddich 12 Year Old
The name means “Valley of the Deer”, and the deer portrayed on the bottle and packaging is, perhaps, the most well known in the world. I certainly can’t think of one more commonly seen. Glenfiddich is, as you will probably be well aware, one of the best selling whiskys in the world. This, I suppose, is both a blessing and a curse for the distiller – while their sales are massive, their reputation among the snobby inner circles of whisky fandom is poor. As with so many things in this world, though, their poor reputation is likely down to their high level of recognition by the masses.
Don’t get me wrong, it is by no means a world-leading whisky in terms of flavour, but it does deserve more credit than it is often given. The subject of this review will be their 12 year old expression, which you’ll find in virtually any shop that sells whisky and has a price tag around £25 ($35) which rather unfortunately puts it in the same range as the much better Aberlour 10 year old.
The nose is fruity and fresh with the distinct scent of green apples, Williams pear, buttery honey, a touch of wood and almond paste. An easy nose to come to terms with and not without its charm, overall quite pleasant indeed. The body is smooth and soft and presents toasted, nutty flavours along with almond, pear and a touch of cloves. The green apples come back for a final farewell on the medium-short finish.
As I said before, it is by no means spectacular, but I don’t at all blame people for liking it. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it, nor would I hesitate to keep a bottle at home – but I wouldn’t make it a priority to keep it in stock, nor will it ever see a place in that most holy of places; my bar globe.
Colour: Sunlight stricken gold. 

Nose: Green apples, Williams pear, buttery honey, touch of wood and almond paste. Pleasant.
Taste: Smooth, toasted nuttiness, almond, pear and a touch of cloves. Green apple finish.

Glenfiddich 15 Year Old
What makes whisky so interesting, and at the same time daunting, is the sheer range of variations, flavours, brands and expressions gathered under its banner. Even if you have your daily dram as prescribed by any doctor worth his salt, you can go a whole year without drinking the same dram twice. Not literally the same dram, of course – one would assume (hope, even) that you could go a lifetime without doing that, regardless of the frequency of your consumption. It follows, then, that you might go for months on end without revisiting the same distillery twice.
Then, one day, it dawns on you that you haven’t so much as glanced in the general direction of a certain distillery, and you feel that familiar tinge of excitement reserved for revisiting an old friend. That’s what happened to me just the other day. I was browsing my local pub’s whisky offering, trying to decide what sort of mood I was in, when I came across a very familiar name indeed: Glenfiddich. How I ever managed to forget it to the extent where I haven’t had it for nearly a year is beyond me, but I did. In fact, the last time I had Glenfiddich, so far as I can remember, must have been just before writing my review of their 12 year old expression – which was in April of last year!
As such, I felt obliged (and delighted) to opt for a dram of Glenfiddich 15, and of course I took down a couple of notes. The nose is nice and fruity; very sweet indeed. I had some difficulty in trying to put into words the initial sweetness, and the closest I could come with is a combination of a freshly opened bag of molasses sugar and juicy, succulent raisins. That initial sweetness is soon followed by a well-rounded fruitiness, in particular I’m getting ripe pears and lightly fried plantain with sprinkling of sugar. It’s a lovely nose, a definite step up from the 12 year old.
The palate initially provides more of an alcoholic kick than one might expect, but not in a bad way. Said kick mellows out quickly, however, and is followed by a quite earthy combination of oak, honey, a mild leatheriness (pretty sure I made that word up) and again some fruity sweetness; cooked pears and warm, mild banana, and some spice. Not as nice as the nose, in my opinion, but delightful nevertheless.
In summary, then, the 15 year old is an all-round improvement on the 12 year old expression and on the whole a lovely whisky in its segment.
Colour: This may sound rather unflattering, but the first thing to come to mind was apple concentrate.
Nose: Lovely. Molasses sugar and juicy raisins, fruity (ripe pear, lightly fried and caramelised plantain).
Taste: Initial alcohol kick, oak, honey, slightly leathery, cooked pears, warm banana, mild spice.
Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Having recently “rediscovered” Glenfiddich, I decided to make their standard 18 year old expression my dram of the day. Since I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m developing a cold, I also decided to make it my second dram of the day – just to be on the safe side.
Rather than blabbering on in my usual fashion, I’m going to get straight to business with this review. My very first thought when putting dram #1 to my nose was “I bet this would go well with a cup of coffee”, a theory I proved right some 5 minutes of impatient waiting later. Do note that I said with and not in, by the way. The nose has a lovely and well rounded scent to it, packed with sweet dried fruits (apricot, apple, raisins) along with a vanilla fudge note, as well as a lovely bit of citrus which brings a perfect measure of balance to the sweetness. I can’t quite decide whether it is better than the 15 year old, though… I suspect they may be on a par.
The palate is very gentle; if drinking Cutty Sark is like being slapped across the face with a trout (it is), this is like being caressed by a mermaid. Once again there’s that sweet fudge and some of the fruitiness is still present, though it has been joined by some oak and spice notes. There’s also that same honey sweetness you find in the 15 year old, but unfortunately I can’t find the warm banana which I so enjoyed in that expression.
As I hope is obvious from the above, I am definitely a fan of this whisky. It’s very drinkable and a perfect dram for just sitting back and relaxing with a good book, or a cup of coffee, or both. That said, though, I’m not sure whether it’s worth the extra £7 or so to upgrade from the 15. I guess it depends on the thickness of your wallet, but I do think the 15 offers better bang for your buck.
Colour: Light gold.
Nose: Dried fruits (apricot, apple, raisins), vanilla fudge, citrus.
Palate: Sweet, fudge, same fruits as nose, oak, spice, honey.

By Chris Carlsson
Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 Year-old 
Glenfiddich Distillery Ltd. (Dufftown, Banfshire, Scotland)
Grain - Barley Malt
PROOF: 80 (40%)
AGE: 21 Years
TYPE: Single Malt -Highlands-Speyside
Notes: The Highlands have a few different sub regions and styles- this one is considered a Speyside by location and style/profile.
Glenfiddich or "Valley of the Deer", was established in 1887 and is owned by the same people who make Balvenie. This company has a range of malts 12,15,18, 21, 30, 40, and 50 year-olds, and a number of special bottlings.One of the better known industry heavyweights in the Single Malt category.
Uses smaller pot stills to make it's whisky and a variety of woods to age them in. In this case they use Rum Casks - which is highly unusual in the industry.The exact origin of the casks varies (or so they say) as the non U.S. bottling's use Cuban Havana Club Rum casks, and the U.S. version only state "Caribbean Rum" - no origin beyond that.
Appearance: Pleasing bronze/gold, nice edge line on the glass when you swirl it, smooth layer of whiskey on swirling.
First Impression: Light peat smoke, honey, heather, malt/toffee, dried fruits, oak and sweetness of the rum cask wood comes through.
Taste: Sweet oily feel to the malt. Medium-weight mouth feel (for a scotch) Dried fruit then Cream Brulee then Cafe con Leche (Cuban coffee with milk and sugar) then malt and heather. Finish is sweet turning drier (lime, ginger, pepper, at the end).
Drinks: Decent spirits glass (Riedel or better yet Celtic Malts Spirits Glass) glass only.
Cigars: Yes, but something light - try a Natural Wrapper or Connecticut Shade Ashton, maybe?
Final Thoughts: A immensely drinkable Single Malt, not overly woody and lively - which is amazing given the age - and very easy to appreciate even for a novice drinker. A wonderful malt to enjoy before a fire and dreaming of warmer climes. A excellent choice for a gift (for yourself or a good friend).
Bottle: Traditional Glenfiddich rounded triangular bottle however the glass is more brown (with a matching label) than the deep green of the more well known 12 year-old (which has the black and gold label). Comes in a presentation shipping tube. Real cork closure.

My Top 10 - THE GLENLIVET 12 YEARS

By ScotchNoob
A conundrum, the 12 year-old expression of The Glenlivet can be found in a surprising array of American retail outlets. I got my current bottle at Rite-Aid for $24. One might be tempted to write off the biggest-selling (and one of the most inexpensive) Single-Malt scotch in America as a “for the masses” bottling of quality-compromised mass-produced watered-down imitation of real Scotch whisky. However, a taste of The Glenlivet reveals a delicate balanced whisky with floral and citrus flavors, a bright fresh minerality, and a lingering sweetness. The Glenlivet epitomizes the “daily dram” concept of a whisky that you don’t have to feel bad about drinking frequently.
While unable to stand up against heavier, flavor-forward Scotches like The Macallan and Aberlour, nor able to compete with the delicacy and complexity of pricier Speysiders like The Balvenie, this Scotch is nevertheless a must-have for beginning whisky drinkers, and even commands a constant presence in the cabinets of many enthusiasts.
While The Glenlivet is aged partially in second- or third-fill bourbon casks, it does not seem to be in them long enough to pick up any heavy oakiness. At most, a background of vanilla is derived from the wood.
Color: 

Pale gold.
Nose:

 is a limited range of sharp and herbal notes, not silky or caramel-like. Aromas of grass, hay, and green apple. There is some undertone of sugar and butter, like stale shortbread cookies.
There is a cereally brightness to the flavor, developing out of the initial burn with notes of vanilla, spices, and brown sugar. Reminds me of hot oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon. There is something Bourbon-like about the dry notes, like a corn syrupy sweetness instead of a malty one, but it is a pleasant sweetness.
The finish is of medium length, but rounds out the earlier flavors, and does not lessen the experience. More cinnamon.
All in all, this is a two-dimensional whisky with some pleasant flavors and no outstanding negatives. It has no outstanding positives either, but for a single-malt that you can get for $24 at Rite Aid, this is a good one to keep on hand. Its tame flavors also make it a prime starter whisky for newbies.
The Glenlivet (12 year)
40% ABV

My Top 10 - OBAN 14 YEARS

By The Scotch Noob
My Scotch journey began with three drams. A Laphroaig 10, an Aberlour a’bunadh, and Oban 14. In that order. It’s no wonder that, at the time, my impression of the Oban was that it was light and largely flavorless. Anyone assailing his or her taste buds with the peat attack of Laphroaig 10, and following that up with a cask-strength Sherry monster, cannot be relied upon to taste anything, let alone a floral, nuanced highlander like Oban. To illustrate something of the journey I’ve taken in these short few months (I’ve been drinking single malts for 8 months, as of the date of this blog post), here are my tasting notes 8 months ago, and my tasting notes today:
- 10/2/2010
Nose:

has honey, oily green fresh herbs. Super light smoke with seaweed and the lightest touch of smoke.
Palate:

has honey, strawberry jam,rosemary, baked fruit pies.
Finish:

is long. Clover honey, port wine?
- 6/19/2011
Nose: 

Orange peel (Gran Marnier?) and coriander. Heather blossoms, rose water, peach sherbet. Deeply honeyed, floral, and rich. White fruits, even a touch of white port. Perhaps a touch of peat, in a pithy, green herbal note. A dash of water brings out a little green apple and mown grass, and heightens the very small amount of peat (in a mossy/earthy way, not smokey).
Palate:

Viscous and honeyed. Full bodied if not creamy. Sweet baked goods (sugar cookies), raw local honey, red raspberries. Later, there is some jammy red fruits like pie filling. Very smooth, with nary a tongue burn. Water does this a dis-service, thinning the body with only a few drops, and stinging the tongue with alcohol.
Finish: 

A touch of oak, drying in the back of the throat. Medium-long but with nice floral passes and a lot more of that raw, herby honey.
Overall:

A satisfying dessert dram. Honeyed and full-bodied, it reminds me a lot of white port, but with more bite. It’s hard to imagine anyone not loving Oban 14. Leave off the water on this one, though.
Oban (14 year)
43% ABV

My Top 10 - TALISKER 10 YEARS

By Richard Thomas
Talisker is so esteemed a single malt that it’s name it’s not one of those distilleries known only among scotch enthusiasts, but instead is one of a handful that is known to casual whisky drinkers after the big pair of Glenfiddich and Glenlivet. Part of the reason lies in the quality of Talisker’s whiskies, but part also stems from Talisker being the only distillery located on the fabled Isle of Skye.
After a number of false starts at other sites, Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill found its current home in Talisker House in 1830. The site was leased from the chieftan of Clan MacLeod, and has been in business more or less ever since. The current distillery mostly dates to the 1960, when it was rebuilt after a fire. The current stills are exact reconstructions of the old ones and the system still uses worm tubs instead of modern condensers, since these are believed to deliver a fuller flavor. On top of that, the pipes are looped so the alcohol vapor is already in the midst of condensing before reaching the worm tubs. Throw in that it’s a middlingly peated malt made with water that flows over peat for good measure.
It’s touches like these that make a place stand out in the eyes of experts and geeks, but it’s whether it makes a difference to what goes in the bottle that matters to everyone else.
The Scotch
“Made by the sea,” Talisker comes in a clear glass bottle, topped with foil and a cork stopper, and with that classic label inked with a map of the Isle of Skye. The whisky is bottled, not at 46% abv, but at 45.8%.
In the glass, this single malt has the lustrous, deep golden coloring of apple juice. The nose is a classic, practically the benchmark for a fragrantly oily, smoke, spicy whisky scent. Whiffs of green apple and sea spray add some complexity, giving you something to sniff at each time you bring the glass up for a sip.
The flavor is richly sweet at first, before a wall of smoke blows in. On the back, the flavor takes a turn to pepper and minerals, and this is what gets blended into a handful of ash and thrown into the aftertaste. For a whisky with such a big personality, the finish is suprisingly light, delivering only moderate warmth. Even so, that warmth just goes on and on.
What has long set Talisker 10 Year Old apart in my mind is how it balances having big flavors not necessarily against themselves, but against it’s complexity. The single malt is easily among the most interesting and pleasurable in its youthful class.
Addendum by Kurt Maitland
Rating: B
Talisker 10 Year Old is bottled at a very particular 45.8% abv. As for its other characteristics:
Nose – Sweet peaty smoke with a whiff of iodine
Color – Golden
Taste – Neat, Talisker tastes sweeter than it smells. It has a heavy mouthfeel, full of smoke and iodine, with a peppery finish. It tastes better than it may sound. If you like peat this expression of Talisker will reward you.
With a few drops of water, the flavor opens up in new ways, with the Talisker becoming almost milky and sweeter with the pepper and peat flavors becoming more rounded.
Talisker is a great pour. It is peaty but not a peat monster like some of its brethren (i.e. Ardbeg) and while it is generally the youngest of Talisker’s offerings, it is probably the most representative of what the distillery has to offer.
The Price
Another point for Talisker 10 Year Old is that it’s a big bang for your buck single malt if you are in the UK or Europe. The British price hovers around £35. In the U.S., however, I have seen priced range from a reasonable and comparable $50 to an exorbitant $75.

Talisker is an Island Single Malt Scotch whisky produced by the Talisker Distillery, Carbost, Scotland.
The only distillery on the Isle of Skye.
Talisker is known for its above average peat content, and "salty" (or "spicy") character.
Distillery: Talisker
Style: Single Malt
Age: 10 Years
Alcohol: 45.8% abv.
Region: Scotland, Island of Skye

My Top 10 - LAGAVULIN 16 YEARS

By Whiskey Noobs - November 18th, 2015
Editor’s Note: We welcome another whiskey review from the Whiskey Noobs review team.
Lagavulin was our 1st journey into the world of Islay. The 1st time we breathed in the peaty goodness that is Lagavulin and experienced the taste of a peat bog we knew that scotch was for us. Lagavulin is a distillery located on the island of Islay off the south western coast of Scotland. The distilleries there are know for their peaty character and Lagavulin is one of the leading distilleries in the world. They have been distilling peaty goodness since 1816 (just two years after the Star Spangled Banner was written and the British burned the White House!).
I still don’t understand why it took as long as it did for us to sample such a delicious spirit! Getting the idea yet that we enjoyed this scotch?
Aged in bourbon barrels, the 16 Year Old is their flag ship whisky and can be found in just about any liquor store. It is on the pricey side coming in around $100 a bottle so if peated whisky is not your thing you may want to pass on this one but for peat lovers this bottle is well worth the price.
Matt
Color: Amber
Nose: Peat, an iodine saltiness, smoke, underlying sherry sweetness
Palate: PEAT! smoky oak, sea salt, orange, toffee, with spice towards the end
Finish: Smoke, peat, freshly cut grass, peppery, long and heavenly.
w/ Water: Ruins a great scotch.
SCORE: 95
Jim
Color: Deep amber
Nose: Peat, smoke, salt, oaky sweet. All that is good in a well peated Scotch.
Palate: Peat punches you in the face, followed by his buddy smoke. Then it hits you up with salt and orange and spice. Great for a fireside drink on a brisk autumn day.
Finish: Smoky, long, & peaty. Long with pepper, too. Surprisingly more complex than just peat and smoke everywhere.
w/ Water: Completely falls apart. Better without.
SCORE: 94

by Whisky Drinker
One of the world’s rarest bottles of Single Malt Scotch Whisky has returned to its ancestral home at Lagavulin Distillery.
The 130-year old unopened bottle of “Lagavulin Liqueur” contains single malt whisky that was distilled at Lagavulin Distillery on Islay on 2 June 1881. After 30 years in cask, the single malt was bottled on 2 June 1911 by Mackie & Co of Glasgow, then owners of Lagavulin Distillery.
The bottle was acquired at auction by Diageo and forms part of their spirits industry archive and was recently exhibited at the visitors’ centre at Royal Lochnagar distillery on Deeside.
Donald Renwick, distillery manager at Royal Lochnagar and former distillery manager at Lagavulin, travelled to Islay to carry the bottle back home, where it has been deposited in an ultra-secure display case in the Visitors Centre.
The handover to Lagavulin’s present manager Georgie Crawford took place on June 2 2011, the 100th anniversary of the bottling and the 130th anniversary of its distilling.