Whisky review: The Balvenie 14 ans Caribbean Cask, bottled @ 43%

Whisky review: The Balvenie 14 ans Caribbean Cask, bottled @ 43%

-The long awaited rum Cask !

Colour: pale yellow, light straw, medium bodied.

Nose: vanilla, sugar canes, light wood sap, rum notes, agricultural rum,

Mouth: light vanilla, spices, nice sweet rum notes, sugar canes, white fruits, bit rough, hints of oranges.

Finish: lingering fruits, sugar canes notes, spices.

C+ for the price. 110$ seems a bit high considering its age as the Balvenie Doublewood goes for 84$.
A for presentation. Nice clean looking Balvenie.
B for the taste. Interesting rum finish, yet, a tad too sweet. It would have been nicer to try older rum cask to get more wood influence.

Whisky review: Aberlour 18 years old, bottled @ 43%

Whisky review: Aberlour 18 years old, bottled @ 43%

Colour: copper notes, dark golden red notes. Nice sherry colour

Nose: deep caramel, lots of spices, touches of white pepper, light spicy sweet notes, more red fruits

Mouth: watery, very light, chili, sweet spicy, roasted coconut, hand cream, lotion, sherry wine, light fruits. Yet one would feel an 18 yo should be a bit more complete...not watery

Finish: spices, sherry notes, red dried fruits, medium finish.

B- for the taste. It's a good Aberlour/Sherry whisky, but it's too light and does not give a complete experience.
A- for presentation. Waxy top and nice chubby bottle.
D+ for the price. 157$ (SAQ)....No way I'm spending this amount. Go for another expression instead.

Whisky review: Big Peat vatted malt D.Laing bottled @46%

Whisky review: Big Peat vatted malt D.Laing bottled @46%

-Nice Islay blend from D.Laing
-Says to contain Port Helen .....like a drop maybe.

Colour: light gold, very pale, straw and bright

Nose: peat, iodine, medicinal oils, some citrus notes, not too dense...as in lots of part are trying to take control yet nothing comes through

Mouth: Strong peat and smoke arrival, dark ashes, butts, more of a laphroiag mouth than Ardbeg or even Caol Ila. More peat, juicy peat, ashes, hot cinder, remains light bodied.

Finish: lingering peat, smoke and ashes, long presence felt. Very pleasant.

D for the price. For 85$ I would simply buy a Laphroiag QC (70$), Islay Mist 17 (72$) or even a Bowmore Tempest....so no thanks.
C for presentation. Yes it is different but...looks more like someone being blown a very unpleasant smell on the face than ''peat''.
B+ for the taste. It is very decent and peaty, very nice finish as well

Whisky review: Scallywag blended malt, bottled @ 46%

Whisky review: Scallywag blended malt, bottled @ 46%

-2nd new blend from Douglas Laing
-Small batch
-Non-chill

Colour: dark gold, oilier than the previous, medium bodied

Nose: sweets, spices, bit rough as well, fruits, burnt fruits, chili, light white pepper, mineral, metallic notes, sweet sappy notes

Mouth: fruits, spices, vanilla, rough notes, fresh, sour fruits, caramel.

Finish: light spices, sweet notes, broken sugar notes, hints of vanilla

B- for taste. It is ok, yet it remains young a bit unsettled. Nothing memorable either.
C for the presentation. Yes, it is Fred Laing's dog...but again who cares?
E for the price. It is to be 85ish dollars as well when it arrives (SAQ)

Whisky review: Timorous Beastie, Vatted Malt NAS bottled @ 46%

Whisky review: Timorous Beastie, Vatted Malt NAS bottled @ 46%

-From Douglas Laing
-Non-chill
-No caramel

Colour: Very pale, light straw, list mist, only a little oily.

Nose: Mineral notes, touches of floral, bourbon notes, spices, light candy, vanilla, honeycomb, honey, very nice nose yet some rough notes.

Mouth:  spices, lots of sweets, mouth covering, a tad rough around the edges, lingering broken sugar notes,caramel.

Finish: lingering sweet notes, very short finish.

B+ for the taste. I love the mouth covering effect. But it's nothing very memorable.
A for presentation. Nice black bottle and postal stamp label.
E for price. Was listed at around 85$.....No way.

Spirit review: Armagnac dartigalongue 1986 bottled @48%

Spirit review: Armagnac dartigalongue 1986 bottled @48%

-5th and last....sadly

Colour: Dark gold, reddish copper notes, light bodied.

Nose: plums, peaches, apricots, cherries, all mixes in a cake, touches of raw sugar, a bit harsher than the 1976.

Mouth: depths of fruits yet again, wet rocks, vanilla, light woody notes, but remains onto comfit fruits, leather, more fruits and so complex.

Finish: right on more fruit cake batter, oily, long fruity notes. very long and on the fruit.

A for the price. 126$ is great in terms of price for such a good product and from a small-scale operation.
A for presentation.
A- for the taste. Very nice yet remains a bit below the L-P and 1976.

Spirit review: Armagnac dartigalongue 1976 bottled @ 45%

Spirit review: Armagnac dartigalongue 1976 bottled @ 45%

-4th one oh and an awesome one.

Colour: deep copper tones, caramel liquor.

Nose: another dimension of fruits......leather, so dense and thick, vanilla, basin of fruits, yet remains very fresh and very settled. Aged very well and expressed a full maturity.

Mouth: I'd say ''rabbit hole'' depths of thick juicy comfit fruits. very oily, vanilla bourbon, macerated cool fruits, candied fruit paste,hints of mineral notes, cherries.

Finish: long and goes on and no, sticky fruit. It's like you can't really come back up from all this complexity of comfit fruits. It just stays.

A for the price. Considering its age (38), 162$ is more than decent. I would buy it anytime if I could.
A+ for the taste. Totally awesome. So rich and complex it will convert anyone to Armagnac.
A for presentation.