Aberlour Double Cask Matured 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky

After standing in front of the scotch display for what I thought was 10-15 minutes deciding what to get, I picked up a bottle...or should I say a cylindrical box of Aberlour Double Cask Matured 12 year old scotch whisky. The bottle costs $56.45, but I am sure our neighbors to the south can pick one of these up for a lot less.

The first thing I noticed about this was the deep amber color which was nicely accentuated by the beautiful bottle. The scotch has a sweet, warm, buttery aroma with a lot of spices and a hint of citrus. The mouthfeel is medium to heavy and rather oily. Dried fruits, spices and more of the buttery goodness make up the taste up front with some smoke coming in towards the end. The finish is long, a tad smoky with a lot of buttery and sweet, fruity notes in the short run and some citrus and candied lemon peels in the long run.

I liked this as a sipper and I really thought that a dash of water opened it up a bit more.

Scores:

Cost - $56.45

Taste - 8.5/10

ABV - 43%

Overall - 8.5/10...loved the warmth on a cold winter night

Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Scotch Review

Not having had premium scotch in a while, I decided to get myself a small, 200 mL, bottle of Chivas Regal 12 year old scotch. The 200 mL bottle costs $13.95 while the 375 mL $23.45 and the 750 - $44.95. I like these 200 mL bottles for two reasons - first they are cheap, second, they are more easily found than the 50 mL sampler size bottles. Most LCBO stores have at least 1 display with 200 mL bottles with a variety of alcoholic beverages.

Don't pay attention to the color of the scotch in the picture. It does not represent the true color because the bottle is thin and the light is bright. Pouring a couple of fingers into a glass reveals its true color - deep gold/copper. Swirling the glass shows a medium oiliness the scotch has. It sticks to the walls, but it does not stick as much as Century 15 or Maker's Mark. The aroma the scotch gives off is mostly sweet with hints of caramel which reminded me of Cadbury's Caramilk chocolates. A few more swirls reveal a flowery undertone mixed with a sharp alcoholic scent. The Chivas Regal 12 year old has an oily and sticky mouth feel. The taste is similar to the aroma only stronger on the alcohol. Some smoky notes appear at the end and come back again in the finish which is medium to long. Surprisingly, the caramel flavour does not last a long time in the finish, but makes way for the flowery notes. For a premium scotch, the finish is flavourful, but I have had better ones.

Once I had a couple of fingers straight, I decided to go for the spring water and cut the next pour. This resulted in a stronger caramel aroma with less of the alcoholic scent, a slight overall improvement. It even unlocked a bit of the smoky character which was previously more noticeable in the finish. The taste changed, but only slightly. I was able to detect a hint of the sweetness not only at the beginning but also at the end. The finish remained the same.

I will not be trying it in a Rob Roy tonight, but if you have tried it, leave a comment and let me know how it is. I will update this post in the future if I decide to make a Rob Roy with this Chivas Regal.

Scores:
Cost - $13.95 CAD for 200 mL bottle, $23.45 for 375 and $44.95 for a 750
Taste - 7.8/10

Overall - 7.8/10...it's OK, but nothing exceptional for a premium scotch

Glayva Liqueur Review

I got this sample with the bottle of Forty Creek I reviewed a few weeks ago. To save you the effort, a 375 mL bottle costs $19.95 CAD while a 750 mL one $35.95 CAD. I guess these prices make this a somewhat of a premium liqueur though not as expensive as Grand Marnier, which I am not a big fan of because of the sweetness.

The first thing I noticed about this liqueur was its color, a deep golden/amber one. The little bottle poured smoothly and I noticed that it wasn't as thick as Grand Marnier, though still thicker than most spirits. I was greeted by a bittersweet, warm and spicy aroma, a blend of herbs and scotch. The herb notes reminded me a lot of Jagermeister. The liqueur has an oily feel to it and the taste literally explodes. The aroma is one thing, but the taste is so much different. The taste is still bittersweet, but the scotch base really jumps out and compliments the spices and herbs to create a pleasurable experience. A touch of orange can also be noticed, which leaves a long lasting aftertaste. The finish is smooth and warm. This of course comes with a price. The sweetness does not allow you to have a lot to drink. I got a mild headache after I had this sample so I can only imagine how I will react to more than this. Other than that I really enjoyed the liqueur and might buy a bottle for guests.

Scores:
Cost - $19.95 CAD for a 375 mL bottle and $35.95 CAD for 750 mL one
Taste - 7.5/10

Overall - 7.5/10...the extra herbs and spices help make this more enjoyable for me than a glass of Grand Marnier

The Glenrothes Select Reserve Review

Yes, the photo is a bit overexposed but I thought it's nice. I do have some normal shots but who wants to see them? We all love what is not normal, right?

I got a bottle of Glenrothes Select Reserve as a present for my birthday a few months ago. I absolutely love the box it came in - check it out. I saved so once I am done with the scotch I will put the empty bottle back in the box and put on display on our bookshelf in the hallway.

This particular scotch costs $59.95 at your local LCBO is they even carry it. I have been to a few stores that carry several of the Glenrothes scotches and this is one of the more popular ones as it is the cheapest. You do pay a premium over the regular "premium" spirits, but I think it is worth it. The bottle is made of nice, thick glass and comes with a very nice wooden top. 

I thought this scotch is quite nice for a single malt as it is not as rough as other single malts I have had. I have to note that I haven't had many single malts that were aged over 15 years so I am a bit inexperienced in that field. It is easy to drink and quite enjoyable. At first I wasn't able to unlock its potential, but once I put a small piece of ice (maybe 1/3 of a small cube) I noticed it tasted a but fruity...and this was before I even read the label. Slightly chilled it became much more enjoyable and complex. I tried it with a splash of water (more like a dash of cold water) and once again I tasted its many ingredients. Another thing I tried was to make  Rob Roy with it. It didn't live up to my expectations. This scotch is made to be strictly enjoyed straight or with an ice cube or a splash of water. 

Would I recommend it? Sure I will if you have $60 to spend and want to try something not so popular in Canada. But for the money I would buy a large bottle of Black Label. Yes, the Black Label passes all tests including the Rob Roy test...it makes a hell of a smooth one.

Scores:

Cost - 6/10

Taste - 8/10 (in my opinion it is better with a bit of ice)

Overall - 14/20

Té Bheag

I picked this up a few weeks ago because I felt like trying something new. I have been a fan of the Black Label for a while, but I decided to venture out and try as many whiskys and scotches as I could. Not all LCBO stores stock the scotch so you may not have seen it before. It comes in a 700 mL bottle, which sells for $36.95. Not that expensive for a premium spirit...at least not in Canada.

As I lack experience, the ability to taste and I can't find my way with words, I will say one thing - GOOD. I like this scotch - it is smooth and a bit smoky, which makes it quite enjoyable for beginners (as I am one). There are plenty of professional reviews available on the web, so I will not add my extremely poor version. The bottom line is that I love it and I would buy it again. If you want a premium scotch, but do not wish to spend the money on a Black Label, or something more expensive, go for this one, you will not be sorry.

Scores:

Cost - 7/10

Taste - 8/10

Overall: 15/20