Auchentoshan 18 Year

It’s 2020. It’s December. Let’s shut this year down with a brand new whiskey (or whisky) every day. It’s my own personal whiskey advent calendar. +6! Dec. 18, 2020 I picked up this whiskey to round out my scotch section. I needed a lowlands scotch, was eyeballing anything with the number 18, and my whiskey lady gave this a high recommend. In retrospect, none of those are great reasons to take a flier on a $170 whisky, but here we are. Nose is sea water, taffy, faint apple. Body is creamy in feel, and I get cheddar cheese, fresh dough. Finish has an incredibly pleasant spicy finish. I get jalapeño, more cheddar, and some pepper. I just realized that the thesis statement of this drink is a grilled cheese. And I don’t hate it... I just don’t understand. I mix this with Octomore, and I got myself a damn philly steak. —— So that was day 1. Here is day 2: Nose didn’t change. Body is sweet now. The main flavor I get is red delicious apples. Also sugar, possibly some watermelon. Finish is black pepper, and there’s an amazing rolling buzz that hits your lips in waves. I really really like the feel of the finish. I’m getting a hint of peat here too now. —— I’ve never quite had a drink like this before. I feel like I keep saying that, but it’s true here too. I enjoy it, and it’s really interesting. Tonight I identify this drink as sweet with a spicy finish, but last night I was convinced this was savory. I don’t know how that happens, unless it’s a neck-pour thing. I’m having trouble now getting back to that profile I would’ve sworn by 24 hours ago. Regardless, I’m glad I took a flyer on this distillery that I have trouble pronouncing. I’m excited to see what the rest of this bottle could bring. Note: a splash of water opens up the sweet notes even more. ‘Tis the season. I’m day-to-day on my whiskey selection, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments. Merry whiskey to all, and to all a beer flight!

Review #032 Type: single malt scotch Proof: 43% Comments: aged 18 years, ex-bourbon maturation Tasted after: Auchentoshan Three Wood Appearance (no score): Auburn color. Was Unable to look for legs due to an apparent water-repellent coating on the glass I was tasting with. Nose: 16/20 Very mild, almost delicate. Apples and vanilla are the only two I can detect faint smells of. Despite this, it’s strikes me as sweet, bright, and musty all at once. Palate: 34/50 Once again, everything is very subtle. Vanilla clearly dominates, but there’s also cinnamon, milk chocolate, and almonds. Finish: 31/40 Medium finish. It’s very smooth with little to no burn. Black pepper and charred wood trails off to oak tannins and leaves behind a bitter ending taste. With Water: A drop or two of water didn’t result in any noticeable changes. Total: 81/100 Final thoughts: Another easy sipper, but it’s nothing remarkable. I would probably recommend to someone just starting to get into scotch if they enjoy bourbon or even new to whisky in general. My bottle featured in the photo is missing the top half of the front label - it just wasn't there when I took it out of the box at home - so that’s a lesson to always check the bottle in every box before leaving the store. Price: $115 Would recommend: maybe Would buy: no Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.

I went out for a semi-fancy dinner with some friends today, coincidentally it was held at the biggest whiskey bar in Richmond, Va. It's called Big Whiskey Grill and it has one of the best bourbon and scotch menus in town. Unfortunately, it's also quite expensive with even some of the most mundane scotches costing a ridiculous amount. I decided I would try to keep my bill as low as reasonably possible, while still finding a couple of drams of something new (and interesting) to me. Up first, lowland single malt, Auchentoshan 18 year old. It's triple distilled, non-chill filtered and comes in at 43% ABV. The look is toffee or dark gold, and it created some thin, oily legs that formed and fell slowly down in the Glencairn. I'm not sure how long the bottle has been open, but I was probably only the second or third pour from it. The nose was initially very sweet, caramel corn with some oak and alcohol notes. It was pleasantly floral and became even more so after some time in the glass. The waiter asked me twice if there was something wrong because I must've swirled and sniffed it a dozen times before finally taking a sip. My friends also questioned (and tested) my patience... It was surprisingly young tasting, at first. Lots of lovely oak spice greeted me with the initial sip and became heavily earthy and floral before drying my mouth rather quickly. The overall mouthfeel remained thin throughout the entire sip. Pleasant enough, yet forgettable. The finish was pretty short with a little bit of a burn. Flowers and oak dominate even though it stays pretty smooth. The warmth stays in the mouth causing a drying sensation that, while not offensive, isn't very inspiring either. It's a solid, lowland style malt that fits the mold. The 18 years doesn't help or hurt it in my opinion so that makes the 2oz price of $22 seem high. A solid 3.5 stars. Cheers.

Very smooth with a palate full of soft notes. It’s easy to mistake this for a “weak” 18 year, but if you give it time and appreciate the flavour profile this is a fine dram. Not to mention it is of great value! I don’t typically mention price up front but felt compelled given this one ($129 CAD at LCBO, that is considerably less than almost all of the age statement segment). On the nose; chocolate and mint at first, subtle but hints of complexity drawing me in. A deeper pull bring a warm green tea essence with some pear and cinnamon. The nose is particularly polite, nothing in your face, both delicate and balanced. On the plate; green tea make a stronger presence here, milk chocolate follows with some cinnamon and spice. On its way down the cinnamon and green tea remain. Exhaling after brings back the chocolate to your nose. The finish is smooth and medium short. Green tea and cinnamon lasting afterwards. Compared to other at the same age statement, this is not a complex bottle, nor does it make its age known or easy to detect. However if you like your scotch to be more soft and light? this is a great bottle. Similar to that of the 12th, it’s a great smooth sipper - but has much more soft and delicate notes.

Fairly generic, save for a kind yeasty, dough-y note that almost (almost) evokes a pot still Irish whiskey. Amber colour (not egregiously coloured); nose of dough, bananas, lemon, cake batter, vanilla (lemon cake?). Cedar, fresh wood. Fresh cut apples (apple skins!), some spice (cinnamon, ginger). Herbal tea and grass. Soft taste, mildly flavoured--well-tamed heat, there's more leafy, herbal greens, a touch of mint, lemon, vanilla, fresh wood. Something a touch tart. Sour apple skins. A bit of smoke (is Auchentoshan even peated?)! Cough drops. As it sits, it does actually develop a bit more character, and there's some white pepper on the finish, leading to some back-of-throat heat and lingering sour apple/lemon/dry wood. It's good, it's well-made--but the Auchentoshan profile has never done much for me, and this guy's no exception. Pleasant glass, but no reason to buy a bottle.

"Simply under-rated by most. Not surprising as this is for me a spring and summer whiskey. There is no point comparing it to the peat or sherry ilk. NOSE - mmmmm, grass, lemon, this is a meadow after a slight shower, breeze on your skin reminding you why its so good to be alive; PALATE - light, very light, perhaps why it can be under-rated, subtle, lemons, limes, is this what a flower might taste like? FINISH:- very smooth, no burn at all, medium duration, dry as the meadow fades away you are left with the realisation that tomorrow is back to work meeting people who have no clue what whiskey is and drink awful beers or house-wines. Simply enjoyable. Hud"