As The Spirit Moves Me

Nose: Candied orange peel, sultanas, plums, cocoa, figs. Palate: Raw barley, plum, citron, sloes, allspice. A hint of chocolate. Finish: Long. Baking spices, milk chocolate, oak. Verdict: Not quite as complex as the 18 Allardice, but still damned good. I'd love a bottle of this. Quite nice. Would I buy this: I would! I wonder if the newer releases are this good. Would I order this in a bar: Definitely, if I wanted a nice sherried dram. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Please, and thank you! Rating: ★★★★

Nose: Figs and dates. Bovril. Hazelnuts. Cocoa. Light molasses. Palate: Christmas cake. Rum. Milk chocolate. Allspice. Finish: Medium in length. Blackcurrants. Clotted Cream. Resinous wood. Black tea. Cocoa powder. Verdict: Pretty complex. All the sherry notes are there, but it's balanced by wood and the malt as well. A fantastic dram. I wish it had just a little something more going on. Would I buy this: I would! I wish it were a bit cheaper here in the US, though. Would I order this in a bar: Definitely, if I wanted a nice sherried dram. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Please, and thank you! Rating: ★★★★

This was mystery dram #2 of my 2018 Secret Santa swap. It's light as hell. Let's see what Santa has for me Nose: Lemon peel, ashy smoke, green apple, pastry crust, milk caramel, seaweed Palate: Hot ashy peat, nori, sea salt, cereal grain, vanilla, honeydew melon, green grape, butter caramel. Finish: Long and full. Round. Light smoke, caramel sweetness, sea salt, a little woodiness. Verdict: This is weird. It's like Caol Ila, but it's also like Bunnahabhain. The nose is light and lemony and smoky. There's some of that in the Palate too. But there all that Bunna-like caramel. And the peat is somehow light and hot but also like a long banked fire. It's weird. I'm going to guess it's an IB Bunna that's just off profile. It's sure as hell good. I'd buy this if it weren't too pricy. Would I buy this: I would! It's honestly pretty good. Would I order this in a bar: Yes! Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Defin

Nose: Acetone, vanilla, baking spices, slightly herbal, a hint of Virginia tobacco and leather. Palate: Cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla mint. A little bit of peanuts and popcorn with caramel. Surprisingly light on the palate. Finish: Medium. Lots of baking spice. A little mint again. Some pepper. There's something just acidic in the finish. Verdict: It's certainly not bad stuff. Pretty middle of the road bourbon, not a ton of complex things here but not much for flaws either. I'd solidly put this at 2/5 stars, same spot I put things like Evan Williams BiB and Jim Beam BiB. Would I buy this: At the price they're charging? No. It should be half that. Would I order this in a bar: If they had no other BiB Bourbon? Otherwise Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Sure! There's nothing especially bad about it at all. Rating: ★★

This dram was a mystery included in my 2018 Secret Santa swap. It was tasted and reviewed blind. Nose: Stewed plums, cocoa, toasted nuts, clove, Virginia pipe tobacco, honey, vanilla, raspberries. Palate: Sweet red berries, vanilla, oak, rich cocoa, figs, dark cherries, caramel, black pepper, honey. Finish: Finish is long. Dry and tannic, but with a little caramel and clove at the tail. Verdict: Definitely some heat. Like 100-110 proof, maybe? It's very rich. I think it's port finished, based on what I'm tasting. Would I buy this: Depending on price, I would. Given it's from Astor, maybe not. But it's awfully good. Would I order this in a bar: I would, definitely. Delicious dram. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Oh, yes please! Rating: ★★★★

Nose: Walnut, vanilla, cardamom, honeysuckle, leather Palate: Wood, baking spices, vanilla, chamomile Finish:  Long and oaky. Walnut, baking spices, mildly sweet. Verdict: This whole thing is a bit hot. The herbaceous notes are not fantastic. I feel like it's unbalanced a little over woodsy. I don't love this. It's not terrible by any means, but if I'd sampled this I would not have bought it. Would I buy this: No. Would I order this in a bar: Probably not. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Sure, it's not terrible stuff. Rating: ★★

Nose: Bruised apple, overripe grapes, vanilla, old wood, violets Palate: Thin on flavor. Sweet windfall fruit, underripe pear, maple syrup, white cardamom, ethanol. The mouthfeel is amazing, thick and viscous, like gelatin in water. Finish: Tart cherries, bilberries, vanilla, black grape, oak, black tea. Dry on the finish. Short. Verdict: The mouthfeel is amazing. There's enough going on to make this a decent introduction to armagnac. For the price I'm exceedingly happy with it. Would I buy this: I would! Would I order this in a bar: If I wanted armagnac, absolutely. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Most definitely. Rating: ★★★

Nose: Vanilla, pale caramel, light oak, chamomile, a touch of acetone. Palate: Slightly thin. Corn sweetness, a bit herbal, vanilla, allspice. It's not that hot, but the alcohol is more forward than I'd like. Finish: Baking spices, sweetness. Then it gets woody quick. The wood in the finish is light and more than slightly bitter. Verdict: This isn't bad, but it's sure not great. It tastes like a young rye or high rye bourbon, maybe? The finish really twists this negatively for me, it's not enjoyable. Bitter and woody in a not fun way. It starts out pleasant enough, and it's all downhill. It's like Mellow Corn with more vanilla but a sad bitter aftertaste. Would I buy this: No, I would not. Would I order this in a bar: Probably not. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Yes, but I might ask if they had anything else after the first. Rating: ★★

I received this as a blind review sample from LCBThrowaway. Let's see what he has for me! Nose: Walnuts, red currants, sour cherries, dried leaves, Virginia pipe tobacco, vanilla. Palate: More than a bit hot. Leather, dried plums, vanilla, sweet hay, oak. Finish: Fairly long. Musty oak, nutmeg, pomegranate, vanilla, toffee. Drying more than sweet. Verdict: I have no idea what this is. It comes across as fairly hot to me. Lots of complexity, it's sweet and tannic, dry and fruity, all at the same time. High proof Bourbon of some stripe? There's far more wood here than I usually get, I'm feeling like it must have some age on it. Would I buy this: No, I wouldn't. It's interesting. But nto great. Would I order this in a bar: Maybe? It's a bit weird. I could see a mood that might call for this. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Sure! It's not amazing, but there's nothing wrong with it. Rating: ★★