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Hibiki Japanese Harmony

Could I have dragged my feet any longer on this? I will admit I am still mourning the loss of the Hibiki 12-year. And that’s partially why I waited. I didn’t think I could be impartial, bitter as I was about the disappearance of my much-beloved, plum-wine-cask-aged, Japanese whisky.

And I was probably right to.

It’s lovely. It’s light and surprisingly complex and I like it a whole lot better than many other whiskies, many other Japanese whiskies even. But as a replacement for the 12-year, it’s just disappointing.

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Spirit Works Distillery Straight Rye Whiskey

So tasty I went back for seconds. It’s mildly sweet, interestingly spicy, and definitely a high-rye-rye. This is a treat that doesn’t taste like every other rye on the back bar.

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Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey

This has now stood up to several revisits. Crisp, tart green apple along with brown sugar and vanilla and sweet-not-spicy cinnamon. Almost like dessert but not cloying or even really that sweet. I like it better without ice than with.

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Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey

Starts off with characteristic rye spice then rounds out with a smooth, lovely maltiness. I loved their vermouth-finish. This is very nice, too.

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Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Port Cask Finished, 21-year

This was the scotch that made me understand scotch. I love it a lot. So much that I forgot to grab a picture until it was almost gone.

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Ohishi Whisky

Made from malted and unmalted rice this has a nose, a start, and a finish like the heartiest sake but it’s definitely a whisky. Very tasty. Very interesting. I would have this over and over again.

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Koval White Whiskey - Rye

I tried this the first time at Whiskies of the World last year and enjoyed it then. I was excited when I walked into my neighborhood dive and discovered it was the current monthly whiskey special. 

It’s. Like. Candy. 

Smooth-drinking, rich, and sweet rye. It’s easy to have too much, both neat and on ice.

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Clontarf 1014 Trinity Pack

Clontarf 1014 Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Weak nose, almost watery. Tastes coppery without much else to redeem it to my palate. With the addition of water you get a strong burst of earthy, washed-rind cheese (or gym sock, depending on how your taste buds interpret that particular note for you.)

Clontarf 1014 Reserve Irish Whiskey

This has a nose like someone distilled the pennies out of a shopping mall wishing well. Really unpleasant copper and chlorine. BUT. If you can get past that, it tastes really lovely. Sweet and creamy with a tiny, tart bite, like a citrus custard.

Clontarf 1014 Classic Irish Whiskey

This also has a nose like wishing fountain  pennies. It also redeems itself upon tasting. Similar to the Reserve but with some spice elements. Upon the addition of water, the spice blooms in a nice fiery way but the copper tang also comes back through pretty strongly.

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Highland Park Dark Origins Single Malt Scotch Whisky

I love a whisky out of a sherry cask and this is no exception. It has some nice chocolate, spice, and nutty notes along with some mild peat. So very good.

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Forty Creek Barrel Select Whisky

Tasty. It’s a very bourbony whisky, which endears it to me. I like it better than most of the other Canadian whiskies I’ve tried. 

Forty Creek Copper Pot Whisky

Similar to the Barrel Select but tips over a little into decadent. It’s richer, rounder, fuller. I enjoyed this the most of the four Forty Creek offerings.

Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve Whisky

Take a bourbony whisky and finish it in american bourbon casks and you get this lovely creature. 

Forty Creek Confederation Reserve Whisky

Something didn’t quite work for me for this one. Perhaps because the others were so similar to each other and had primed me to expect the same smooth, creamy, nutty, lucious experience from this, too. I didn’t get it. It was a little more combative. Pepper and pennies overwhelmed the smoother elements for me.

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GlenGrant Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 10-year

Stone-fruity, creamy, and a little nutty, all three of these are matured in ex-bourbon casks but it’s the most obvious in this expression.. I find it quite, quite pleasant. 

GlenGrant Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 16-year

It’s little brighter, more astringent, stronger fruitiness with fewer creamy elements. I’d almost think it was mixed up with the 10 if I hadn’t seen them poured right in front of me.

GlenGrant Single Malt Scotch Whisky, The Major’s Reserve

Everything good about the 10 and the 16 with just a little more. It’s more interesting, more layered. My favorite of the three shown here but, honestly, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at any of them and might reach for them first over some of what have become my staples.

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SIA Blended Scotch Whisky

Crowd-funded scotch. Who’d’ve thunk it? It’s mild but still interesting with notes of honey, mild spice, smoke, vanilla, and a little nuttiness. I quite enjoyed it. I might favorably compare it to some of Compass Box’s blends, Great King, in particular, which is my favorite among their offerings.

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Compass Box Hedonism Blended Scotch Whisky

Red fruits, stone fruits, spices and cream, this is every bit as delectable as the name might suggest. I have enjoyed everything I’ve tried from Compass Box and this is no exception.

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J. Seeds Apple Cider Whiskey

I do not understand why you would do that to a perfectly good cider. Or whiskey. But, unlike the Paddy Bee Sting, I think this might be redeemed with some ginger ale or something.

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8 Seconds Blended Canadian Whisky

More bourbon, leaning than I was expecting. Some nutty notes, some toffee, and vanilla. A little bite to it that goes on a full spicy assault with the addition of water.

8 Seconds Black Blanded Canadian Whisky, 8-year

Okay. Wow. You have my attention. This, for me, was the belle of the ball. This was the smoothest, richest, most pleasant thing I had all evening. I went back for more. I’d compare it favorably to the Elijah Craig 12-year. I would have this again and again.

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Catocin Creek Roundstone Rye, 92 Proof

I’d had this one before and was really impressed. That hasn’t changed. It’s bready and yeasty and spicy and really, really drinkable. Normally I plonk my rye tastings down into one or the other but this is just the perfect balance between the two.

Catocin Creek Roundstone Rye, Cask Strength

This is the 92 Proof turned up to 11. It’s also nicely balanced between warm, soothing bread and a spicy kick. It’s incredibly smooth for something cask strength and I would sip this just as long as I could. 

Catocin Creek Roundstone Rye

Similar to the other two but with a metalling tang to it that makes it a slightly lesser version of itself. Not bad, per se. But I’d rather have it with a mixer than neat.

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Whistle Pig Straight Rye Whiskey, 10-year

I haven’t had this one since early in my tasting effort. I didn’t like it then but figured since it had been a while, it was due a revisit. It’s still not for me. It has a note (to me it reads gym sock; to others it reads earthy or washed-rind cheese) that renders it undrinkable for me.

Whistle Pig Old World Straight Rye Whiskey, 12-year

The pungent note is much, much less prominent and really only present in the finish but it’s still there and I still don’t enjoy it. BUT if you like their 10-year  rye, you will probably really appreciate this expression as well. It’s finished in a succession of interesting casks that give it some lovely layers and surprising notes. Lovely enough, surprising enough, interesting enough that I really, really wish I could drink it.