Notes

Very basic but inoffensive

I'm pairing this one with an episode of "Super Why" on PBS Kids while George takes a nebulizer treatment. Not entirely sure what this is. Maybe Scotch? Maybe Japanese?

This is the first bottle in this year's calendar that I finished all in one sitting ... which has gotta say something. I liked it.

Tasty, but a bit rough. Opened up nicely with a splash of water. I’m not great at notes, but thought I got some chocolate in there.

Shockingly little on the nose, which was what put me off a bit. Leather and cherry flavors, a hint of chocolate if I reach…. But overall just kind of bland and it’s only alright for me, Dawg.

This has been my favorite so far—Scotch?!

Sage and emerald are my clans colors, the McKay’s are here. Shoe polish to some, sweet nectar to me. Grab me some haggis and tell me a story of Robbie Burns and the Bonnie prince. Tell the English to kiss my arse and I’ll show them mine quite easily. If this ain’t a scotch then I officially cannae tell my whisky from my whiskey. It’s sweet on front like me Ma, but kicks you in the teeth with smoke like…me Ma. Gather round the campfire and take a big whiff, or just sip on this one instead.

Dear Scotch, We have to stop meeting like this. You and your high proofs make me think you're leading me on and as soon as I give you my heart, you're going to go back to your low proof ways. I just don't want to get hurt.

Nope, this one isn't for me. It almost seems like a high proof scotch with a peppery finish of a rye. Did not expect that based off the nose.

This is complex, rich, seems boutique, seems expensive, tastes well made. Would be awesome if it’s cheap but doesn’t taste cheap at all. This one is really good.

Tastes like a scotch trying to be a high proof bourbon…which doesn’t make sense, maybe something the Japanese would try to pull off. It’s amazing, whoever made it.

Bringing the HEAT this year. I get caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, feinty. Intense. Bites on the sip. Shoe polish. Too much bite. Metallic? Tastes purple? Have a feeling letting this breathe for a good bit would do it favors - low rating only because the bite distracts. Scotch. Japanese? Cydne reminds me that nobody cares where I end up in the standings so I'm going for it!

Ok I know I’ve been off this year but this is clearly a delicious scotch — and following the trend this year, it’s spicy one. (Hope we tone it down moving forward because this is not my favorite trend…) Wonderful flavors here, fruit, wood, peat. Dried fruit on the nose. Beautifully complex. Really lingers well. The more I sip this, the more I'm falling for it. Probably my favorite so far! If only it didn’t have that bite…

I was really excited at first, because the nose was all sweet and butterscotchey, but then I tasted it... ;-)

'Twas the night of the eighth tasting, and in my glass clear, A dram sat before me, both puzzling and dear. It smelled like a Scotch, with its essence refined, Yet doubts lingered softly in the back of my mind. A sweetness arose, like a candied delight, But its name evaded me, try as I might. Its flavor was rich, its warmth held me close, A comforting riddle in this amber dose. Though it whispered of Scotland with a Highlander’s croon, I sensed I would find out my guess was wrong again soon. So I'll savor this puzzle, let its mysteries unfold, For each sip of whiskey is a story about to be told.

This one is fantastic. I will buy this one for sure. Nice a fruity with a great burn on the end.

What a journey this nose is. What is this thing? Overall, not bad and a nice finish, but it’s an odd journey to get there.

Don’t love it. Similar to last night it seems. Getting malty scotch notes on the nose. Very hot and seems unrefined and not aged long. Better with some water for sure.

Fire flames hot. Peppery, high proof, but also something that tastes like scotch at the end. So it's either a rye, a scotch, an other, a weird bourbon, or something else that I probably won't get right.

Wow. The first standout of the calendar. This is outstanding!

I love it. I'm buying a bottle. Please don't be expensive.

High heat. Some sweetness on the nose and pallet. Not bad overall but a bit overpowering.

Like this one a lot. Sweet and smooth but somehow still spicy. This one’s got a lot going on.