A wardrobe of Whisky Blog - tasting notes, collection and best shops for buying whisky online A wardrobe of Whisky Blog - tasting notes, collection and best shops for buying whisky online
Login
“Because you can't buy happiness... but you can buy whisky and that's pretty much the same thing”

Read stories about Tasting of A Wardrobe of Whisky blog.

You can read here older articles posted in A Wardrobe of Whisky since 2009.
The articles are sorted by publication date. You can either browse here, check the featured articles section or use the search bar on the top of this page.

The Famous Grouse Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , The Famous Grouse

“Truly a great whisky for its price. It has a lot of a good sherried whisky: Macallan, but also has a lot cheap grain blended there too.”

85
Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky
First produced in 1860 (when it was just 'The Grouse'), The Famous Grouse has been the No. 1 whisky in Scotland since 1980.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (86): strong. peaches, wood, raisins, honey, citrus, malt. Great nose but alcohol spoils the fun. A pity.

Palate (84): light, oily, powerful. raisins, wood, spices, citrus, sulphur.

Finish (85): longer than average. wood, cocoa, raisins, honey.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky with 85 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

Save money when you buy Blended Whisky online. Check for the best prices from best online shops below:



Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

The Snow Grouse Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , The Famous Grouse

“Like a bourbon but with less flavour.”

85
Snow Grouse
Made from grain spirit and matured in oak casks before being gently chill filtered, the light and vanilla-sweet Snow Grouse whisky has a smooth taste. With a "sweet gloopy mouth-feel, it has a cool taste sensation when served seriously chilled"

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (85): strong. peaches, vanilla, honey, corn, floral.

Palate (85): light, powerful. honey, corn, wood, vanilla, spices.

Finish (85): average. corn, honey, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Snow Grouse with 85 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

Save money when you buy Grain whisky online. Check for the best prices from best online shops below:



Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

Hakushu 12 years old Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Hakushu

“Nice but a hell more subtle than Yamazaki. Although Hakushu single malt is supposed to be peated I get no peat on this one”

89
Hakushu 12 year
A perennial favourite and a must-try for anyone interested in discovering Japanese whisky. Hakushu is owned by Suntory, founders of the first Japanese distillery, Yamazaki. The original Hakushu distillery was built in 1973, with another distillery building called Hakushu Higashi (west) added in 1981.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, floral, citrus, peat, wax. Interesting but more subtle than Yamazaki.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, floral, wood, spices, pepper, vanilla, smoke, citrus. Nice. Really complex taste.

Finish (89): longer than average. honey, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Hakushu 12 year with 89 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

Save money when you buy Single Malt Whisky online. Check for the best prices from best online shops below:



Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

Nikka Miyagikyo 15 years old Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Miyagikyo

“Rather interesting nose with a great taste of honey and peat. Lots of spices swimming in this whisky.”

90
Nikka Miyagikyo 15 year
A top-quality malt from the Miyagikyo distillery (also sometimes known as Sendai). A previous batch of this managed a hugely impressive 92 points from Jim Murray. This malt has a wonderful fruity character.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (90): strong. floral, apples, honey, wood, cinnamon, cocoa.

Palate (91): oily, powerful. floral, honey, peat, wood, spices, citrus.

Finish (90): long. peat, honey, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Nikka Miyagikyo 15 year with 90 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

Save money when you buy Single Malt Whisky online. Check for the best prices from best online shops below:



Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

Macallan 30 years old Fine Oak

By Miguel in Tasting , The Macallan

“Really delicate nose with an outstanding taste and a long a delicious finish. If only this whisky were done for humans being like you and me...”

91
Macallan 30 year Fine Oak
Thirty year old Macallan is a rare and rarefied whisky. The time spent maturing in carefully selected European and American oak casks which have previously held Sherry or Bourbon creates a rich, intense liquid, with a deep colour achieved wholly naturally through the interaction between spirit and wood.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (91): strong. candies, floral, honey, wood, a little cocoa.

Palate (92): smooth, oily. peaches, dried fruits, wood, candies, smoke, floral, cocoa.

Finish (91): very long. dried fruits, raisins, wood, honey, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Macallan 30 year Fine Oak with 91 points over 100.

Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

Laphroaig Vintage 2000 by Signatory Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Laphroaig

“Good Laphroaig Signatory has here... Sweet and with a lot of peat. It reminds me of Quarter Cask.”

91
Laphroaig 2000 Vintage Signatory
Another young bottling of Laphroaig from Signatory, and really great stuff if you like your drams up front and peaty.

Pure peat muscle bottled at cask strength. You can't get wrong with this one.

Delicious single malt whisky that reminds me of the stunning Laphroaig Quarter Cask.


This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (93): strong. honey, peat, malt, iodine, salt, citrus.

Palate (90): oily, powerful. peat, honey, citrus, iodine, wood.

Finish (90): long. peat, citrus, floral, woo.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Laphroaig 2000 Vintage Signatory with 91 points over 100.

Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

Rittenhouse Straight Rye 100 Proof Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Rittenhouse

“Excellent rye with a lovely taste.”

90
Rittenhouse Straight Rye / 100 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey
A rye whiskey in the Pennsylvania style, this "carries a famous old Philadelphia name". Very tasty and aromatic.

This dram has a mahogany-like color.

Nose (89): strong. corn, honey, vanilla, sandalwood, floral, spices.

Palate (91): light, oily, powerful. corn, floral, roses, honey, vanilla, spices, wood.

Finish (91): long. corn, floral, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Rittenhouse Straight Rye / 100 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey with 90 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

Save money when you buy Bourbon online. Check for the best prices from best online shops below:



Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

Lagavulin 12 years old Special Reserve Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Lagavulin

“With less sherry than the standard 16 years old expression, this Lagavulin 12 years old has an most interesting spices finish.”

92
Lagavulin 12 year Special Reserve
This 12 year old natural cask-strength Lagavulin comes from a whitewashed jumble of buildings by the sea on Islay's rocky southern shore, just a mile away from Laphroaig

It's pungent smoky and maritime aromas and taste are best appreciated with two parts still water to one part whisky. Any cloudiness is normal in an unfiltered cask strength malt.

If you want to know how Lagavulin tastes without any sherry, this is your answer. Simple pure peat muscle. I love it!

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (92): strong. honey, peat, earth, wood, citrus.

Palate (92): smooth, oily, powerful. peat, honey, malt, wood, spices, floral, citrus, cocoa.

Finish (92): long. peat, honey, spices, cinammon, blackpepper.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Lagavulin 12 year Special Reserve with 92 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

Save money when you buy Single Malt Whisky online. Check for the best prices from best online shops below:



Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

Southern Comfort Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Southern Comfort

“Very poor and synthetic. Avoid it!”

67
Southern Comfort
The excitement and vibrancy of New Orleans is what attracted bartender Martin Wilkes Heron. In 1874, he decided that the home of Mardi Gras deserved a smoother alternative to the harsh whiskies from Kentucky and Tennessee. By adding a secret blend of fruits and spices, he struck upon the perfect combination - Southern Comfort. Later, in 1900, Southern Comfort picked up a Gold Medal for quality and taste at the Paris World Exposition. Another followed four years later at the St Louis World Fair. Today, New Orleans wouldn't be the same without Southern Comfort. Best enjoyed with lime and lemonade, its distinctive taste is shared by friends on great nights. No wonder Southern Comfort's the drink at the heart of Mardi Gras - the best party in the world.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (60): more than average. vomit, amoxiciline, sweet, peaches. Awful smells. Really synthetic.

Palate (70): oily. sweet, peaches, wood, honey. God blessed that this doesn't taste like it smells.

Finish (70): short. sweet, a little peaches.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Southern Comfort with 67 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

Save money when you buy Liqueur online. Check for the best prices from best online shops below:



Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.

Hakushu 18 years old Tasting note

By Miguel in Tasting , Hakushu
90
Hakushu 18 year
A massive step up in quality from the standard Hakushu 12 yrs, this 18yo is amazingly well-defined (as we've come to expect from Japanese whisky) with deliciously rounded fruit and cereal flavours, at times surprisingly reminiscent of the finest Irish potstill whisky

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (89): strong. fruity, apples, ginger, citrus, peat, wood.

Palate (91): oily, powerful. floral, honey, peat, malt, wood, spices, a little candies.

Finish (90): long. peat, wood, earthy, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Hakushu 18 year with 90 points over 100.

Buy this bottle at

Save money when you buy Single Malt Whisky online. Check for the best prices from best online shops below:



Write a comment Share your thoughts! comments written.