As The Spirit Moves Me

  Nose: Oily smoke, raisin, leather, old oranges, Virginia pipe tobacco, soy sauce, lemon peel Palate: Oily. Wood smoke, figs, creosote, bitter orange, dark chocolate, hazelnuts Finish: Dark fruit, smoke. Rich and amazing. Lingering and long. Sweet and acidic and then dry and a little tannic. Final thoughts: This is fantastic. Rich and smoky and Oily and delicious. Enough fruit and nut and chocolate to balance it all.  Would I buy this: I would, if someone said I could have a bottle right now for $250 I'd snap it up. Would I order this in a bar: Yes, big yes. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Definitely. Verdict: Two thumbs up!

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 : Smoke, seaweed, caramel, iodine, oily roasted nuts, old fermenting fruit, cocoa,  taffy. Palate : Malt, smoke, toffee, dirty ash, peat, seaweed, custard, butterscotch, lemon curd. Finish : Yesterday's fire, allspice, lingering caramel, bready malt, grilled plums. Verdict : Just plain fantastic. Seriously the best Cairdeas I've had. The balance is superb, the smoke and sweetness and complexity are all so nicely put together. The proof is perfect. I have one more bottle of this, and it's staying on the shelf for a bit. Delicious. Would I buy this: Yes. Would I order this in a bar: Absolutely, yes. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Yes, yes, yes! Rating: ★★★★★

Another from the vaults of lost history! Here I bring you a Kilchoman 1st edition 100% Islay review. Bottled at 50%. Man, I didn't even let the bubbles settle before I pulled out the camera. Nose : Bright clean ash, light smoke, lemon, nectarines, fresh milled pale malt, new straw, vanilla. Palate : Light peat smoke, vanilla, fresh baked shortbread, nutmeg, butterscotch, clover honey. Finish : Sweet wood smoke, vanilla, oak, brown sugar, nutmeg. Verdict : Wow, this was something! Delicious and balanced between the heavy smoke of Islay and clean floral and malt notes, with a good sweet backbone. I like this very much. I need to get my hands on more Kilchoman samples. Would I buy this: I would! I may seek out this year's 100% Islay bottling. Would I order this in a bar: Absolutely. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: For certain, yes, and thank you! Rating : ★★★★

From somewhere in the distant past, in the lost year of reviews (as I got divorced, was between homes in a way, and reddit cracked down on all kinds of things. So this one got tucked away in my notes) comes a Kilchoman sample! Nose : Warm peat, toasted almond, stewed fruit, grainy malt, metallic copper. Palate : Sweet sherry, warm mineral dirt, bright metal, toasty grain, fresh clean ash. Finish : Sweet fruity sherry and metallic notes fade to grainy malt sweetness and light spicy cardamom and nutmeg. Verdict : This is very nice. Well balanced. The warmer, somehow cleaner peat of Kilchoman plays really nicely with the amount of sherry flavor they've added with this cask. Peat and Sherry play well together, but this may be the nicest peated sherry dram I've had to date. Would I buy this: I would, as long as it weren't crazy expensive! Would I order this in a bar: Yes, it'd be fantastic to sip this before a steak dinner. Would I drink this if someo...