94 The Whisky Advocate

Toffee up front, with vanilla, green apple, pot still spice, milk chocolate, peppercorn, ground ginger, and aromatic hints of coffee. To taste, a bounty of toffee, chocolate, espresso, tobacco, vanilla pod, and burnt sugar notes, with coriander seed and fennel spices, then burnt orange and more coffee before a delicious creaminess spills over. The integration of chocolate and coffee notes really elevates this vintage as a particularly fine whiskey.

94 Jim Murray - WHISKEY BIBLE

9 YEARS AND UNDER BOURBON OF THE YEAR 2015.

95 Wine Enthusiast

Mild almond aromas lead into a palate that unfurls hints of vanilla and brown sugar. The midpalate surprises with plum skin, espresso and rootsy sarsaparilla, plus mouthwatering lemon zest, drying to a long and spicy finish laced with cayenne, clove and sandalwood.

93 Malt Advocate

Straw-gold color. On the nose, sweet toffee, citrus notes, seaweed, and spice complement a powerful peat smoke infusion. In body, it is thick and oily. On the palate, a somewhat sweet maltiness up front is run over by a powerful peat smoke locomotive. Again, the whisky is enriched with citrus and pear notes, spice, and seaweed. The finish is powerful, long, and warming. The smoke lingers for minutes, if not hours. If you like your Ardbeg to go to a phenolic extreme, you will cherish this one. This big, powerful whisky makes no apologies for its Islay roots. And the fact that this whisky is bottled at 46% ABV just makes this big whisky even bigger.

93 The Whisky Advocate

A whisky so aromatic that peat lovers will likely smell an open bottle within 10 miles. On the nose there are kiwi, pine needles, fennel seeds, hot asphalt, lemon lozenges, iodine, peppery herbal notes, and briny aromas. Sweet and smoky with intense spicy heat on the palate, there’s honey, lemon, shortbread, and maltiness, though water yields sweeter citrus flavors, candied lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, toffee, and molasses, with a finish of butterscotch, menthol, eucalyptus, and salty seaweed. Darn good.

94 Tastings.com (Beverage Testing Institute)

Steely clear color. Aromas and flavors of anise seed and fennel and celery stalks with an oily, vibrant, sweet fat body and a hot, delightful, very long finish with notes of black licorice and rock candy, straw, and coleman’s fuel. A bold anise liqueur with unmistakable Sambuca style.

92 The Tasting Panel

This golden tequila offers a light toasty scent and flavors including soft honey and wildflowers, plus white pepper sparks and brisk oak midpalate. The long, warming finish is brushed with butterscotch, lemon zest, and a hint of chamomile tea. — Kara Newman

90 Tastings.com (Beverage Testing Institute)

Pale golden color. Aromas of honeycomb, lychee, potpourri and fig bread. Round and supple with a fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body. Creamy nougat, spice, and ginger notes cascade on the long peppery, tingling finish. Great vibrancy. International Review of Spirits Award: Gold Medal