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!

Nose: Malt, pine tar, vanilla, spiced apples, dry wood smoke, lemon pith. Weirdly reminds me of lemon filled jelly donuts. Palate: Lemon meringue pie, bright clean wood smoke, parker house rolls, vanilla, coconut, custard. Finish: Vanilla, black pepper, smoke, lemon, slate. Final thoughts: Very nice. Balanced, delicious, bright and sprightly. Not much of an after dinner dram, honestly. It's bright and exciting. Would I buy this: I would, as long as it wasn't too dear. Would I order this in a bar: It would be a fantastic aperitif! Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Definitely. Verdict: Thumbs up!

Nose: Yesterday's campfire, clean maritime salt, smoke, toffee, canned peaches, yellow cake, vanilla frosting. Palate: Smoked apples, orange rind, soot, nectarines, vanilla buttercream frosting. Finish: Long. Simmering smoky vanilla. Sweet and warming. Verdict: I like this a lot. It's like a sweeter, fruitier Springbank. Would I buy this: I would, it's a shame it's limited edition. Would I order this in a bar: Yes, depending on price. Would I drink this if someone gave me a glass: Absolutely! Thank you! Rating: ★★★

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...