Whisky review: Glengoyne 12 years old Cask Strength, bottled @ 57.2%

Whisky review: Glengoyne 12 years old Cask Strength, bottled @ 57.2%

-Great whisky, sadly out of stock at SAQ
-Great price.

Colour: Dark gold, medium bodied, short legs.

Nose: Hot brown sugar, sharpie, spices, hints of vanilla, very spirity, ether.

Mouth: Lots of spices, sugar, caramel, wood notes, very tingly, very hot and sweet. Considering its 57.2% per volume, it remains a bit rough around the edges. However, it could be drunk neat. Adding water, bring out more green wood notes, green sugary, very Highlandy character. No mistake.

Finish: spices, wood, bit ethery, broken sugars, very typical highland.

A for the price. 73.25 (SAQ) was a great deal. Sadly, it's no longer available.
B+ for the taste. This one might be better off with no water.
A for the presentation. Simple and clean label with all the needed info.

Whisky review: Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition blended scotch, bottled @50%

Whisky review: Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition blended scotch, bottled @50%

Colour: bright gold, straw, light bodied

Nose: Very intense spirit, hot pepper, hot-sweet-lemon-pepper, some caramel blinded hot spirit, very robust to say the least

Mouth: Very strong peppery-lemon attack, intense spirit burn, can give hiccup if drank unprepared, long burn in as well, some malty notes, sweet, but so powerful it almost not enjoyable. A few dashes of water help to calm this one down. Brings in more caramel notes, lemon and pepper....way too much pepper.

Finish: pepper, robust, harsh.

A for the price. 35,25$ (SAQ) is worth trying.
C for the taste. It's a young spirit and it's harsh. I however commend the 50% bottling.
A for the presentation. Nice looking black bottle.

Whisky review: BenRiach, Authenticus 25 Years Old, Bottled @ 46%

Whisky review: BenRiach, Authenticus 25 Years Old, Bottled @ 46%

Colour: Dark gold, bright, medium bodied, long legs

Nose: thick prickly smoke, wet ashes, white smoke, sweet medicinal notes, ocean salt, sea water air, citrus, very dense smoke, light peat, very complex and intricate nose.

Mouth: Smoke assault, green peat, burn grain, wet grass, peppery notes, massive wet ashes, dense smoke, eating a bond fire, sweet notes, spices, distant sherry and some woody notes.

Finish: lingering smoke and more smoke....never ending smoke.

D for the price. 349$ (SAQ) ....need I say more? Sad to say i'd prefer their Peat Smoke edition for the price.
A for the taste. Amazing overall. 
A for the presentation. Neat Benriach bottling. 

Spirit review: De Luze Fine X.O Grande Champagne

Spirit review:  De Luze Fine X.O Grande Champagne, bottled @ 40%

-2nd De Luze.
-Not sure if it's composed of 20 years old spirits and up or if there are 20 years old spirits in...

Colour: Dark copper, gold hints, thick with long legs.

Nose: Minerals notes, leathery, dense fruit paste, comfit fruits, very complex yet does not feel totally settled.

Mouth: fruits, fruit paste, peppery, mouth covering, leather notes, hot, minerals, prunes, plums, dried apricots.


Finish: peppery, light fruits, juicy fruits

D for the price. 195.25$ (SAQ) for that product? No way. I'd prefer 25 years old Armagnacs (around 100$) or even some better VSOP
B+ for the taste.It was ok, but easily forgettable. The nose is better than the liquid here, sadly.
A for the presentation, I love these decanter bottling.

Spirit review: De Luze Cognac VSOP Fine Champagne

Spirit review: De Luze Cognac VSOP Fine Champagne

Colour: Bright gold, hints of copper, light bodied

Nose: lots of mineral notes, medicinal oils, fresh apples, comfit red fruits, figs, prunes, very decent.

Mouth: very rich, sweet mineral notes, peppery, thick fruit paste, still harsher undertones, more red fruits. Not superb, yet decent.

Finish: Light fruity, sweet, boiled cherry pie mixing.

B for the taste. Decent yet, I wouldn't got for this VSOP in the Cognac range.
C+ for the price. 88$ (SAQ) is a farce considering I can get much better VSOPs or even XO Argmagnacs.
C for presentation. So so bottle from the 1970s ...need to update that.

Spirit Review: Zacapa Centenario 23 years old Sistema Solera No. 23, bottled@ 40%

Spirit Review: Zacapa Centenario 23 years old Sistema Solera No. 23, bottled@ 40%

-Made with rums aged between 6 and 23 years old.

Colour: Dark thick gold, copper, oily, long legs

Nose: thick sherry, broken cane sugars, molasses, spices, cherries, old wood, distant fruit, very sugary

Mouth: very thick and sweet, maybe too sweet. roasted cane sugars, faint wood, maybe an old cask?, maple water

Finish: red apples, lingering sweetness, oily.

B- for the price. at 80$ (SAQ) it's fairly decent, however, it's hard to tell how much 23 years old spirit we are actually getting.
C for the taste, too thick and too sweet as in 1 glass and I'm done.
A for the presentation. Cool looking bottle and not over the top.

Whisky review: Bulleit Frontier Bourbon, bottled @ 45%

Whisky review: Bulleit Frontier Bourbon, bottled @ 45%


- Long overdue !

Colour: light , gold, hints of reddish notes, light bodied.

Nose: Very canadian to begin with, sherry notes, spicy, hand cream, lighter than Rye, you can feel the sweetness of the corn.

Mouth: Again very Canadian, but maybe a bit softer. Less tasty than the Dark Horse, yet well balanced, with hints of vanilla, rye spices, wood chips, creamy.

Finish: light, sherry notes, rye, light sweet notes.

A+ for the price. for 36, 25 (SAQ) you can't go wrong with this.
B for the taste. I am not a fan of Rye, yet this could replace my Dark Horse if I ever run out.
A- for the presentation. Very Cow-boy-ish looking bottle.

Spirit review: Plantation Trinidad Multi-Millésimes 1999/2001/2003 Single Cask fini en fût de Claret, bottled @ 46%

Spirit review: Plantation Trinidad Multi-Millésimes 1999/2001/2003 Single Cask fini en fût de Claret, bottled @ 46%

Colour: Dark gold, red hints, medium bodied, long legs

Nose: Broken sugars, heavy mineral tones, hot, crème brulée, wood powder, very nice complex nose which indicates lots of maturation. However, it might a bit all over the place.

Mouth: Very dense sugary arrival, bit much in fact, maraschino cherries syrup, cough drops, cough medicine, very sweet molasses.

Finish: Syrupy sweet, thick, sticky cherry cough drop

C for the taste. Way too sweet and sticky for my taste. The heavy burnt sweet are overwhelming.
C for the price. 104$ (SAQ) makes it unattractive vs. more reasonable options such as the 12 years old Arcane.
B+ for the presentation. Decent looking bottle.

Whisky review: Mortlach Rare Old NAS, bottled @ 43.4%

Whisky review: Mortlach Rare Old NAS, bottled @ 43.4%

-Goes into JW blends.

Colour: Crisp gold, medium oily body

Nose: fresh, green fruits, green apples, waxy, sweet, crushed apples, vanilla, very light.

Mouth: Light arrival, turn to wood sap, green apples, long sweet notes, remains thin, vanilla.

Finish: Malty, sweet, some bitter notes, more green apple and vanilla.

B- for the taste. Nothing overly complex and no wow factor either. I'm not sure how old this is, but certainly not above 12-13.
D for the price. 100$ (SAQ) for this? No way.
E. For presentation. Way over the top as if they are trying to sell the container to compensate the liquid's shortcomings.