Kirkland Signature Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $37

- 100 Proof

- NAS

- Islay

I have had a lot of fun grabbing some of the Kirkland Signature offerings at Costco.  Of course, some of them have indicated which distillery they come from. Some have been clearly higher end or more limited release items, carrying healthy age statements at reasonable prices.

This bottle, however, is just a simple, off-the-shelf Islay Single Malt.  The bottle doesn't indicate where it's from. It doesn't carry an age statement. And, it only states that it was "matured in oak casks."  But, for a mere $37, I was more than happy to throw it into my cart.  I do love those smoky Islay single malts, and at the very least I figured I'd be getting something along the lines of Ardbeg's Wee Beastie.

The nose was full of those phenols, giving off a strong peat aroma. It was definitely along the lines of a campfire soot type of smoke.  I didn't really get the band aid note, or even fresh campfire note. It was that charcoal and ash note.  Interestingly, there was something sweet in the aroma as well. It wasn't prominent, but there was definitely a honey and even a butterscotch note.

As to flavor, this was unquestionably an Islay single malt. It was smoky, filling my mouth with that freshly put out campfire note that I was getting off the nose. It was fairly heavy and definitely took over the pour.  

However, the sweet notes were there as well.  The butterscotch that I got on the nose and was hunting for on each sip was there, but it was fleeting. However, there was a light honey note as well as a sort of cereal note that reminded me of graham crackers and even Honey Smacks cereal . . . but smoked. I assume that this is a fairly young whisky. So, it was interesting that I also got a somewhat prominent oak note. It wasn't bitter, but it definitely had that oaky flavor to it. 

The finish left that smoke all over my mouth. It was hard to escape, and it reminded me a bit of smoking a cigar, where that taste just doesn't seem to go away, no matter if you drink something else, eat something or even brush your teeth. I like the peat, but here it was just so one-dimensional that there wasn't much else left on the finish.

For the price, this is a buy. However, I'm not grabbing this off my shelf if I'm in the mood for a really good Islay single malt.  

Grade: C+ 

Weller Full Proof Binny's Single Barrel Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch #5

VITALS:
- $60

- 114 Proof

- NAS

- Batch #5

- Kentucky

I'm not sure if the hype or love for these bottles still remains.  I'm guessing it does, I just can't claim to have my finger on that pulse any more. That said, I know that I'm still grabbing these up whenever they are made available to me. In fact, this and Antique store picks are about all that I really grab any more from the Weller lineup.

These Full Proofs have yet to let me down, whether as the standard release or as a single barrel pick.  This one is a bit odd, though.  The sticker is a bit misleading. It identifies it as a "Single Barrel Select" but then also includes a "batch" number rather than a barrel number.  I suppose a single barrel can also constitute a batch, but that seems a bit counterintuitive.  So, I guess I don't know if this is a small batch or if it is actually a single barrel.  

On the nose I got those traditional bourbon notes I've come to expect from these Weller Full Proofs. It's certainly on the sweeter side, with a distinct toffee note. There are notes of chocolate and even a little bit of cinnamon as well. But it definitely leaned sweet on the nose.  I went into my first sip anticipating a dessert whiskey.

But, the flavor was never too sweet. It had those caramel and chocolate notes. I even got a pretty decent amount of sweet vanilla bean. Certainly all of these notes together gave off confectionary vibes.  But, it never seemed to cross that line into being overly sweet or anything I'd consider a "dessert whiskey."

I think the sweetness was tempered a bit by a fairly health oak note. I don't typically find oak in these bottlings, so that was actually kind of a pleasant surprise. It added a touch of bitterness as well as a bit of earthiness, both of which were certainly welcome and helped balance the bourbon out. I also got a bit of a cherry note, kind of a candied cherry, that added just a touch of tang and fruitiness to the flavor.

The finish is where the cinnamon note really came through. It ended up being much spicier than I expected as a result, as that cinnamon note, along with the chocolate and toffee notes, hung around for quite some time. It actually made this bourbon fun, for lack of a more creative word.

The price of these bottles remains approachable, and I'm just going to keep buying them when the opportunity presents itself. Always delicious pours, and this barrel/batch, whatever it is, was no different.

Grade: B+

Longrow Red 11 Year Tawny Port Cask Matured Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $170

- 115 Proof

- 11 Years

- 2023

- Campbeltown

When it comes to Scotch, I certainly do love those peated whiskies matured in wine casks. I love that peat and sweet!  And of those, I particularly love the Longrow Red collection.  Every single one of these releases has been absolutely outstanding! And of those, I've particularly loved the port finishes!

So, it was a foregone conclusion that I'd be grabbing the 11 year Tawny Port cask when it was released in 2023.  While I have bemoaned the pricing on these bottles, at least going in I knew I was going to love this bottling, and, quite frankly, it did not disappoint.

When I popped the cork, I got more peat than I expected. Usually these Longrow releases are a bit more muted, but this one filled my nostrils with a sweet smokey aroma. That was immediately followed, though, by a rich and sweet jammy note, like raspberry and currant.  Bright and fruity, and yet dark and rich all at once. 

And what I loved most is that it had a flavor to match. Again, the peat smoke was present immediately on the tip of my tongue.  It was no Laphroaig or Ardbeg, but the peat notes were certainly there. There was also a certain salinity to it, kind of like a campfire on the beach.

But what made this release a superstar was that Tawny Port cask! This was the kind of pour that you'd want after a heavy Thanksgiving meal (even if that's not a thing in Scotland!).  It was like a smokey fruit pie, full of fig and raspberry and stewed cherries. It was unquestionably sweet, but yet almost subtly so. The dark fruits provided all of the sweetness, never giving way to being too sweet and always playfully working with the peat smoke.

I did get some graham cracker notes, and even at times a bit of honey and wheat. That really just kind of balanced out the whole pie comparison.  Every now and then I'd even get surprised by warm baking spices, like cinnamon and even nutmeg.

But, rest assured, from front to back, it was that jammy blackberry, currant, stewed cherries, fig impression from the Tawny Port that was the absolute star here, making for one of the best pours I've had in a long time.  Damn those stupid prices--I'm stuck just grabbing these Longrow Reds as I find them!

Grade: A+