St. George Single Malt Lot 17

St George has been my white whale for some time so I was excited to finally get some into my glass. It did not disappoint. This is a beautifully balanced malt, a serious, confident whisky that is leagues ahead of its American brethren. The influence of the fortified wine barrels introduces itself through aromas of stewed fruits and bananas. There’s a rush of cream on the first sip that swells into a rich crescendo of honey and a long throat-coating finish that leaves the dark sweet notes in your mouth for an age. There’s a hint of smoke too on the back end, courtesy of some unroasted barley that is smoked over beech and alder wood. To put in another way, think of a Midwinter Night’s Dram spliced with Talisker and Old Pulteney DNA and you’re in the right ballpark. I had a smaller sample of Lot 15 too, which was very different: a fresh spicy nose with hints of raspberry tea and a classic malty body. I’d rate that a notch below the 17, though I didn’t really have enough to get to know it well. Regardless, consider me slayed by St George.

Note: I unfortunately didn't record which St. George Single Malt batch I tasted, so I toot my best guess and I'm leaving this tasting for batch 17. This has a more robust flavor than St. George Breaking & Entering bourbon. It is sweet with rich chocolate and cherries coming out immediately, along with a smokey backing. There is some yeasty barley in here, as is typical of American single malts. It is rich for its category, but compared with other whiskeys it tends toward the weak side (not terribly so though). It's sort of like generic American single malt meets Symbole National. It's very rich and tasty with a good amount of complexity. It doesn't knock my socks off, but it's a great example of a rich, fruity whiskey. It's comparable to Glengoyne 15. The balance is great with only hints of alcohol or minerals.

Outstanding representation of a single malt Irish style by a great distillery. Grassy and salty, sweet cereal grain, light light light peat smoke, floral finish. Hard to find...like a jackalope.

Deep copper color. Honey and burnt orange then chocolate on the nose. Initial Taste of chocolate and leather. Overall not bad, but I don't think I would buy it again.

Hmm. I think it tastes sweet. Feels better letting it wash over my whole mouth as opposed to simply gulping.

Nice flavors and a little more than a hint of smoke.