91 The Whisky Advocate

The new Original, changed from 10 to 12 years old, stands tall with fresh ripe orange and peach fruitiness on the nose, then honey, vanilla cream, wood spice, and exotic flora notes. The palate revolves around lemon, vanilla, apricot, peach, and orange, plus cinnamon and banana bread. The ripeness of the fruit and the creaminess stand out above the floral and vanilla elements of the old 10 year old.

98 Wine Enthusiast

A stunning limited-edition añejo. The golden color and caramel scent hint at what’s to come: sweet agave flavor, a lingering whisper of smoke and mellow notes of tropical fruit, Sauternes and butterscotch. — K.N. (5/1/2011)

90 The Whisky Advocate

Earthy and moreish, the nose leads with forest floor, spearmint, charred oak, and a prominent pepperiness. The palate is more subdued in terms of spice and is quite fruity with orchard fruit, sweet melons, and zesty lime. As the whiskey evolves, some of the pepperiness returns but never overtakes the bright fruity notes, which continue through the finish, expertly balancing sweetness and spiciness

96-100 Wine Enthusiast

The early fragrance emits subtle, almost floral/fruity scents of banana, matted rose petals, field grasses and marzipan; aeration releases deeper aromas, especially oaky vanillin, sautéed butter, deep-fried pork rind and buttered sweet corn. Palate entry is semisweet, oaky and honeyed; at midpalate, toffee and light caramel tastes merge with the gentle bite of spirit. Finishes lean, off-dry and regal. The best whiskey value in the world, bar none.

94 Tastings.com (Beverage Testing Institute)

Amber color. Aromas and flavors of vanilla, butterscotch, and toffee, cornbread, honey, and beeswax, and yellow cake batter with a round, vibrant, dry medium-full body and a warming, refreshing, medium-long finish with notes of caramel mocha drizzle on cornbread in a cast iron skillet., and tobacco and pumpernickel. V8 engine in a Corvette; delicious corn flavors married to an oak barrel showcase two great things from Kentucky that prove simplicity can be fantastic. BEST BUY

90-95 Wine Enthusiast

Extremely pale yellow. Wonderfully alive in the nose, as subtle, woodsy scents of juniper, thyme and laurel make an impression. It’s clean, dry and refreshing at palate entry; midpalate shows traces of citrus, pine and berries. Aftertaste is harmonious and medium-long. The finest dry vermouth money can buy. — P.P. (12/31/2002)

92 The Whisky Advocate

Aromas of raisins soaked in sweet syrup, hazelnut, peppercorn, plum, and preserved strawberries, a result of a secondary maturation in their own muscat barrels after initial maturation in French and American oak wine barrels also from Morris of Rutherglen wineries. Syrupy in the mouth, with dark sugars, prune, raisin, cough syrup, and nippy clove, the flavors remain resolutely bold to the end, adding molasses, dried fig, and stewed fruit to finish.