96 Wine Enthusiast

This Cognac has a deep amber hue and bold allspice and caramel aromas. The palate opens with concentrated caramel and toffee, winding into a deep, warming finish dusted with espresso, black pepper and clove.

90 Malt Advocate

More subtle and complex than the new 12 year old, and not as sweet. Creamy in texture and floral on the nose, with dried vanilla, gentle spice, nectarine, kiwi, plum, and lemon gum drops. Soft, elegant finish with a hint of mint. Great balance of a variety of flavors and lots of finesse. A well-crafted whisky!

91 The Whisky Advocate

The nose is utterly irresistible with rich, honeyed aromas of granola, malted barley, vanilla, ground almond, and cream on hot porridge. The slightly waxy mouthfeel gives it a luxurious sheen, with flavors of citrus, heather honey fudge, vanilla, and peppery spice, followed by dried fruits, notably apricot and mango, oak, and hints of bourbon biscuit. A lively, mouth-coating finish of cinnamon and pepper round it out handsomely.

91 The Whisky Advocate

This release from Barrell’s annual series rings in the new year with flash and panache. The nose is resplendent with lemon candies, spiced apple cider, baking brioche, and tropical fruit punch. The palate is spicier, with cinnamon and cloves, mint chocolate chip ice cream, and candied ginger. Overall, this whiskey is bright and its aromas and flavors are loud and clear. The finish has good length and is gentle for the proof, with cherry, chocolate, and cinnamon fading slowly.

91 The Whisky Advocate

Fragrant and herbal aromas, with pine needles, basil, green bell pepper, pea pod, black truffle, peppercorn, and smoke from smoldering dry mosses and wood shavings. It’s very smooth and refreshing, with pear, peppermint, lemon, lime, green tea, kiwi, and herbal notes, finishing with chopped mint, more herbal layers, and gentle peppery spice. A unique composition and a quintessential Japanese whisky experience.

92 Tastings.com (Beverage Testing Institute)

Dark amber color. Aromas and flavors of dill pickle, chocolate toffee and espresso bean, and toasted panettone with a satiny, bright, fruity medium-to-full body and a warming, complex, long finish that exhibits notes of molasses roasted nuts, sweet baking spices, cola and sassafras floats, and blonde tobacco and minerals. A rich and poised well-aged Rum for sipping or cigars.

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.

92 The Whisky Advocate

Scotland has hundreds of islands, many of them familiar to scotch lovers, but the one known as Arran has flown beneath the radar. This sleeper single malt has a sublime aroma of bread dough that barely hints at the lively flavors that await in the glass, which include freshly shelled almonds, sweet berries, and clover honey, plus a toasty finish with a lovely (if not overly long) chocolate note. A balanced, elegant, and flavorful whisky that’s lively on the palate, and a true bargain at only $50. Number 13 in the 2021 Top 20