Fahrenheit 173 - Whisky Ratings
| Whisky | Age/ Vintage | Origin | Richness | Peat/ smoke | Sherry influence | Rating | Comments | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springbank (Cad) 50.5% |  | 1965 31 | Campb. | 8 | 8 | 95 | Wonderful nose with with lots of very nice sherry; water brings out the Springbank character but the sherry is still in the foreground; complex palate with sherry, vanilla, citrus fruits and cardamom | ||
| Highland Park 48.3% (Cad) | | 1985 28 | Islands/ Orkney | 6 | 1 | 0 | 91 | The nose is subtle, complex and very nice with oak, green fruits, vanilla and mint, also a hint of peat. Rich, sweet, fruity palate with notes of vanilla and oak. It's sweet, fruity and oaky in a beautiful balance. The finish is oaky and spicy but very nice. By far the best independent bottling of HP I've tried (and one of the best bottlings overall). | |
| Balblair (Cad) 51.7% | | 1990 23 | N Highland | 6 | 0 | 0 | 90 | Fragrant, fruity nose with apple, pear and melon, also honey, malt and a little oak. Very nice! The palate is classic Balblair: rich and sweet with lovely fruity notes of citrus, apple and pear, also oak. Rather nice finish with oak, citrus and a note of mint. | |
| Girvan (Cad) 46% | | 1979 33 | Grain/ Scotland | 5 | 0 | 0 | 90 | Fresh, fragrant, rum-like nose with citrus and crème brûlée, also notes of oak and dark chocolate. Wonderful! The palate is at first sweet with a note of citrus but quickly drying and turns spicy and oaky. The finish is dry and oaky but has nice notes of gingerbread and mint. All in all it starts with a wonderful nose but goes downhill from there. | |
| Strathisla (Cad) 54.5% | | 1987 26 | Speyside | 5 | 0 | 0 | 90 | Very nice, fruity nose with mandarine orange, orange marmalade, honey and vanilla. The palate is sweet and fruity with malt and oak providing structure in a lovely balance. The finish is oaky and spicy with a note of mint, simplistic but nice. All in all smooth, beautifully balanced and very more-ish. | |
| Caperdonich (Cad) 56.8% | | 1980 27 | Speyside | 5 | 0 | 0 | 89 | On the nose it's nice yet a little shy with notes of honey, orange marmalade and vanilla. Sweet palate with honey and citrus. Also oaky and a little spicy. Notes of vanilla and custard. Fresh, smooth and balanced. Nice finish with notes of oak, orange and peppermint. Surprisingly light and fresh for its age. (From the Chairman's Stock line.) | |
| Glencraig 50.8% (Cad) | | 1981 31 | Speyside | 6 | 0 | 2 | 89 | Fruity, quite oaky nose with orange candy and oak shavings. Unfortunately also a flowery note. Unusual. Sweet, fruity palate with apples and pears (pears in syrup), develops notes of oak and orange marmalade. Very nice! Nice finish with notes of oak and orange. All in all unusual and uneven but very nice. (Distilled in Lomond stills at the Glenburgie distillery) | |
| Glenrothes (Cad) 53.8% | | 1994 15 | Speyside | 3 | 0 | 0 | 89 | Very nice nose: light and fresh with notes of vanilla, mint, apple, oak and cinnamon; light, clean, subtle palate, sweet and fruity, develops spices and oak, then citrus at the end, complex and beautifully balanced; nice oaky finish; smooth and more-ish (I usually find Glenrothes too sweet but this one is just right!) | |
| Laphroaig (Cad) 53.0% | | 1994 16 | Islay | 7 | 8 | 0 | 89 | Powerful nose with peat, coal, tar and iodine; rich, sweet, malty, creamy and (of course) peaty palate; wonderful finish with peat, peppermint, iodine and citrus | |
| Lochside (Cad) 54.9% | | 1981 30 | E Highland | 6 | 0 | 0 | 89 | Huge nose with oak shavings (and lots of it). It's almost vulgar but also has nice notes of citrus and fudge. The palate is surprisingly nice: smooth, sweet and fruity with notes of orange and honey. It's still oaky but to a lesser degree. Very nice, in fact. The finish is oaky but with nice notes of cream, mint and wild berries. All in all uneven but actually quite nice. (The oaky character makes me suspect a new oak finish.) | |
| Ardbeg (Cad) 57.0% | | 1994 16 | Islay | 6 | 9 | 0 | 88 | Very peaty nose with iodine, burnt rubber, coal and tar; light, sweet and very peaty palate with a minty note; very nice finish with lots of peat and notes of mint, apple and cinnamon | |
| Ardmore (Cad) 55.2% | | 1997 16 | E Highland | 5 | 5 | 0 | 88 | Young-ish nose with malt and a mild peatiness. The palate is light and sweet, also malty and fairly peaty with notes of citrus, lime and mint (makes me think of a peaty mojito!). Peaty, malty, rather nice finish. | |
| Banff (Cad) 47.1% | | 1976 32 | E Highland | 5 | 0 | 0 | 88 | Fruity, complex, very nice nose; the palate is fairly rich and a little spicy yet mild with a very nice balance of fruity and oaky notes | |
| Ben Nevis (Cad) 66% | | 1990 16 | W Highland | 7 | 0 | 7 | 88 | "Loud", fragrant nose with sherry and fresh fruity notes; the palate is at first fruity then develops spices - unexpectedly mild after the nose; it's rich, sweet and very nice; the finish is a little too fiery, however | |
| Glen Elgin Rum Cask 56.8% (Cad) | | 1991 22 | Speyside | 7 | 0 | (2) | 88 | Very nice nose with oak, peppermint, brown sugar and citrus. Rich, sweet, chewy palate with oak and orange marmalade. Dry, quite oaky finish, spicy and hot. All in all very nice but the finish is too oaky. Shows a nice and balanced influence from the rum wood. | |
| Glen Moray (Cad) 55.4% | | 1992 21 | Speyside | 5 | 0 | 0 | 88 | Nice, fruity nose with a note of honey and a faint wine character. Mild, sweet balanced palate with notes of orange, honey and mint. Also oaky and malty which provides structure. The finish is oaky yet mild and nice with a note of gingerbread. All in all balanced and more-ish. (Aged in claret wood.) | |
| Heaven Hill (Cad) 63.5% | | 1999 10 | Bourbon/ KY/USA | 88 | Very nice, fragrant nose with notes of vanilla, orange, apricot and oak; the palate is sweet, fruity and surprisingly mild | ||||
| Longrow (Cad) 56.8% | | 1992 9 | Campb. | 7-8 | 7 | 0 | 88 | Powerful, peaty, musty nose with a shy note of oranges hiding behind the peat; rich, sweet palate with fruity, spicy and peaty notes in a very nice balance | |
| Old Pulteney (Cad) 56.9% | | 1990 20 | N Highland | 6 | 1 | 0 | 88 | Fragrant, fruity nose with notes of caramelized sugar, citrus and crème brûlée, also briny with a note of peat; very nice, balanced palate - rich and sweet with vanilla and dark chocolate | |
| Old Pulteney (Cad) 56.7% | | 1990 21 | N Highland | 6 | 0 | 0 | 88 | On the nose it's a little shy yet nice and fresh with notes of citrus, vanilla, custard, oak and peppermint. Rich, chewy palate. Sweet, fruity and fairly oaky with notes of honey, orange marmalade and malt. Very nice! Oaky, fairly spicy finish. Nice and complex with notes of citrus, spongecake and mints. Black pepper at the end. | |
| St. Magdalene (Cad) 52.7% | | 1982 26 | Lowland | 6 | 0 | 5 | 88 | Fruity, flowery nose (almost perfumed); rich, sweet palate with notes of dried fruits, ginger and cloves; all in all mild, balanced and very nice | |
| Brackla, Royal (Cad) 54.7% | | 1992 16 | Highland | 4 | 0 | 0 | 87 | Gentle, subtle nose with very nice fruity notes; the palate is mild and sweet with lots of fruits: banana, apple (like in fruit-flavoured candy), very nice at first but the fruits fade as oaky spices develop | |
| Glenlossie (Cad) 55.1% | | 1993 18 | Speyside | 7 | 0 | 8 | 87 | Quite nice nose with notes of oak, gingerbread, cardamom and honey. Big, very oaky palate with dried fruits (reminiscent of a Spanish brandy). Sweet at first, then drying. Develops gingerbread. Oak and gingerbread on the finish. Dry yet nice. All in all powerful and quite sherried but rather nice. | |
| Highland Park (Cad) 50% | | 1979 25 | Islands/ Orkney | 87 | Wonderful nose with tropical fruits; palate is less fruity and adds spices, nice yet disappointing after the nose; the finish is slightly peaty but again, disappointing | ||||
| Macallan (Cad) 53.8% | | 1989 21 | Speyside | 5 | 0 | 0 | 87 | Fresh, fruity nose with lemon and lime; sweet, fruity palate with a note of orange, develops oak; very nicely balanced (comes from a bourbon cask, which is unusual for Macallan) | |
| Aberlour (Cad) 57.5% | | 1989 21 | Speyside | 4 | 0 | 0 | 86 | From a bourbon hogshead (unusual for Aberlour). Nice, fresh, fruity nose with notes of citrus (lemon drops), oak and mint. Fairly light palate with sweet fruits and oaky spices in a very nice balance. Oaky, dry finish (slightly disappointing). | |
| Caol Ila (Cad) 60.4% | | 1995 13 | Islay | 6 | 8 | 2 | 86 | Very smoky nose with notes of citrus fruits (think slightly burnt toast with orange marmalade), also a little earthy; the palate is very peaty, spicy and surprisingly dry; all in all nice but a little raw | |
| Cooley (Cad) 58.6% | | 15 | Ireland | 86 | Surprisingly mild undiluted; sweet, fruity (orange candy) and quite smoky palate (wood smoke); all in all rather nice and clean with a "clean" kind of smoke | | |||
| Ledaig (Cad) 55.7% | | 1993 16 | Islands/ Mull | 5 | 3 | 0 | 86 | Interesting nose with notes of apple, cream and wood smoke but also a chemical note of solvent; light, fresh palate with notes of citrus fruits and vanilla; an unusually light and lightly peated Ledaig | |
| Lochnagar Rum Cask 57.4% (Cad) | | 1996 17 | Highland | 6 | 0 | (7) | 86 | Dense, quite oaky nose, also herbal with a note of dried fruits. Rich, sweet, quite oaky palate with a nice refreshing minty note. Also notes of brown sugar, crème brûlée and orange marmalade. Oaky, spicy finish. Shows a lot more rum wood character than the Glen Elgin does but here it's a little exaggerated. | |
| Glenfarclas (Cad) 54.3% | | 1990 21 | Speyside | 6 | 0 | 0 | 85 | Unusually for Glenfarclas, this came from a bourbon hogshead. Fresh, interesting nose with notes of apples, pears and calvados. Unfortunately also a sour, disturbing note. Very nice palate, however: sweet, fruity and zesty, also oaky. Drying, develops more oak. Dry, oaky, spicy finish. Disappointingly dry. | |
| Strathmill (Cad) 54.4% | | 1995 18 | Speyside | 4 | 0 | 0 | 84 | The nose is grassy and farmy with notes of hay and old barn, also fruity with apple and melon. Incongruous. The palate is nicer: sweet and fruity with notes of citrus (mandarine orange) and mint. Develops oak. Nice, oaky finish with a note of mint. All in all uneven with a disappointing nose. | |
| Bladnoch (Cad) 53.5% | | 1990 21 | Speyside | 5 | 0 | 0 | 83 | Fresh, fruity nose with notes of lemon and lime, also oak and vanilla. Quite nice yet a little sour. Fruity palate with notes of citrus and mint. At first briefly sweet, then drying, develops notes of oak and cardboard. Not bad, but a little dull. Dry, mostly oaky finish. All in all disappointing despite the promising nose. | |
| Longrow (Cad) 55.7% | | 1998 12 | Campb. | 6 | 7 | 83 | Oily, peaty nose with coal, tar and a note of solvent (dirty boiler room); earthy, peaty palate, also fairly sweet; nice, very peaty finish with notes of gingerbread and peppermint; all in all strange and unbalanced but the finish wins me over |
Last modified on 20-Jun-2014. 2109990 accesses since 16-Nov-2000.