Advent Week 3! Heaven Hill, Islay #1, Linkwood, Macduff, Royal Brackla, Speyside #3 & Teaninich

Alright, who’s up for some quick burst filler content! I’ve been reviewing these goddamned whiskies for 10 months now ffs.

In keeping with that, I think I reviewed like the last 10-12 whiskies in one go, not because I wanted to get drunk (I did) or to channel my inner whatshisnuts, but because honest to god I just got sick of having this thing in my house. I’m not a Kondoist but I’m not big on keeping junk. Every so often I purge all the whisky dross that collects – boxes, merch, etc. And then shortly after that I curse having no props for photos. The circle of life.

It’s Covid Thanksgiving. I hope you’re warm and fed. Here’s another 7 short reviews for 7 short whiskies, not all of them scotch:

Heaven Hill Corn Whiskey 9y Batch 1

nose – soft, sweet, almost berry, def corn, mild solvent, vaguely bourbonesque

neat – like a memory of bourbon? definitely aged corn whiskey, not a lot of flavour but a lot of pop

finish – hella burn at the back, mild gag

splash – more drinkable, not more interesting, very just a whisky

overall – 5.7/10

Heaven Hill Corn Whiskey 9y Batch 1 – 49.5% 30ml – $ – USA

Try it? Uh sure. Buy it? No

Islay #1 10y Batch 4

nose – salty bacon high five, meat, the sea, smoked meats, cleansing fire

neat – less than the smell, like a sailboat crash, sea spray and wood and people in the water but nothing no fire

finish – warmth but eh, good smoke tho

splash – warm smokey hug

overall – 7.9/10

Islay #1 10y Batch 4 – 47.9% 30ml – $ – Islay

Try it? Sure. Buy it? … yeah okay

Linkwood 10y Batch 7

nose – hot medicine hug, wood, smoke, kinda nice, everything went quiet

neat – sweet heat, ham sandwich

finish – simple, clean heat

splash – perfume, rounder, quite smooth

overall – 7/10 this is exactly what a seven out of ten tastes like

Linkwood 10y Batch 7 – 48.2% 30ml – $ – Speyside

Try it? Yes. Buy it? Sure.

Macduff 12y Batch 5

nose – perfume, the colour brown, like licorice allsorts

neat – licorice allsorts, also fire, for no reason, really hurt, motherfucker

finish – bad, it’s just bad

splash – not better. if whisky could be an asshole

overall – 2/10

Macduff 12y Batch 5 – 49.9% 30ml – $ – Highlands

Try it? No. Buy it? No.

Royal Brackla 12y Batch 1

nose – mash mashy mash mash. “bleh” how does a 12y smell like fresh moonshine

neat – not great. just whisky, like a kick in the face but less character building

finish – eh. nothing noteworthy

splash – completely defarted. nothing noteworthy. i may have oversplashed. this is whisky #7

overall – 3/10 because it sucks and i wanna eat chinese food

Royal Brackla 12y Batch 1 – 47.9% 30ml – $ – Highlands

Try it? I guess. Buy it? No.

Speyside #3 8y Batch 1

well i spilled half of it, fuck

nose – burning, skunky, good mash

neat – pineapple, peach, corn syrup

finish – lip burn, tongue burn, very front

splash – not appreciably better

overall – 6/10

Speyside #3 8y Batch 1 – 50.7% 30ml – $ – Speyside

Try it? Sure. Buy it? Nah.

Teaninich 11y Batch 2

nose – it’s just kinda fucking whisky i dunno this is review number 9 i think my nose is burnt

neat – sharp and thin, paint thinner, brunt tongue, just hurts

finish – burnt throat, thin, fire

splash – not better, more aggressive & sour

overall – 4/10

Teaninich 11y Batch 2 – 47.9% 30ml – $ – Highlands

Try it? Eh. Buy it? Nah.