It’s that time of year again when I have to go out and blindly pick up another new and different Single Malt Scotch... so I need some help. I’ll explain what’s on the shelf, and hopefully someone might help me pick out a new one? (Reasonably priced!)
The Balvenie Double Wood 12: a Speyside and long time favorite. Nose; Hint of sweetness, citrus, apples, or fruitcake. Palate: Sherry undertones with a round taste, hints of vanilla and oak, very smooth with a warming finish and aftertaste similar to it’s nose.
The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak: a Speyside. Nose: Spices, Vanilla, light smoke. Palate: Very earthy, with wood, spice, cinnimon and light smoke. Side by side with the DoubleWood (the best way to enjoy them!) The Macallan’s palate becomes a rich and complicated taste with all sorts of sublties!
The Lagavulin 16: An Islay. Nose: Huge smokey and peaty.
Palate: Peat, smoke and woody aftertaste*.
*Having only sampled the sherry cast Speysides, tasting the Lagavulin 16 was a shock. It’s nose is gorgeous and fills the room as if a warm fire in the hearth - and it is worth it for that alone. Oddly, however, it did the same to my taste buds: Fire and wood. There is no mistaking it’s a whiskey, or it’s peaty origins, and leaves an aftertaste akin to (but less painful) having inhaled sawdust. It's not complicated, yet I get the feeling it will grow on me.
Having said all that, I need to find a fourth or fifth Single Malt to complement these, perhaps a highland might be nice? And preferably not a Glenfiddich or Glenlivet since neither have managed to ever impress me.
Open to suggestions!
Many thanks!
-Kelly
The Balvenie Double Wood 12: a Speyside and long time favorite. Nose; Hint of sweetness, citrus, apples, or fruitcake. Palate: Sherry undertones with a round taste, hints of vanilla and oak, very smooth with a warming finish and aftertaste similar to it’s nose.
The Macallan 12 Sherry Oak: a Speyside. Nose: Spices, Vanilla, light smoke. Palate: Very earthy, with wood, spice, cinnimon and light smoke. Side by side with the DoubleWood (the best way to enjoy them!) The Macallan’s palate becomes a rich and complicated taste with all sorts of sublties!
The Lagavulin 16: An Islay. Nose: Huge smokey and peaty.
Palate: Peat, smoke and woody aftertaste*.
*Having only sampled the sherry cast Speysides, tasting the Lagavulin 16 was a shock. It’s nose is gorgeous and fills the room as if a warm fire in the hearth - and it is worth it for that alone. Oddly, however, it did the same to my taste buds: Fire and wood. There is no mistaking it’s a whiskey, or it’s peaty origins, and leaves an aftertaste akin to (but less painful) having inhaled sawdust. It's not complicated, yet I get the feeling it will grow on me.
Having said all that, I need to find a fourth or fifth Single Malt to complement these, perhaps a highland might be nice? And preferably not a Glenfiddich or Glenlivet since neither have managed to ever impress me.
Open to suggestions!
Many thanks!
-Kelly
In fact the name is very similar to one of the Queen Mum's god-daughters. Or was it Ladies in waiting? Something like that. We get asked if it's French a lot.
