70-79 points - WhiskyRant

All whiskies, which have received over 70, but below 80 points by WhiskyRant blog.

June 7, 2016

Clontarf Irish Classic Blend review

Clontarf Classic is a blended Irish whiskey that used to be a single grain whiskey from Cooley distillery. That’s not the case anymore, nowadays this Irish dram contains a very small amount of malt. The grain comes from Irish Distillers. Jim Murray scored Clontarf Classic Blend 86 points, so in […]

February 23, 2016

Suntory Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve review

The whisky industry is booming with NAS products (non age statement) so two of Suntory’s malt distilleries, Yamazaki and Hakushu decided to jump on the NAS wagon by releasing Distiller’s Reserve whiskies without age statement. Released in the spring of 2014, I finally got my hands on Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve. Well, […]

February 21, 2016

Loch Lomond Single Malt Whisky review

Loch Lomond Single Malt is a non age statement whisky from Loch Lomond distillery in Highland. Founded in 1965, the distillery has a 4 million liter capacity with 1 wash still, 1 spirit still and 4 Lomond stills. It was closed between 1984 and 1987. In 1993 the new owners […]

November 25, 2015

Glenglassaugh Evolution review

Glenglassaugh distillery was closed in 1986 but resurrected in 2008. After the distillery was reopened, they made Glenglassaugh Revival – matured in first and refill bourbon casks and finished for 6 months in first fill Oloroso sherry butts. Glenglassaugh Evolution is a limited cask strength release follow up to Revival. […]

November 11, 2015

Tomatin Cu Bocan single malt whisky review

Tomatin Cù Bòcan gets its name from a legendary spectral dog named Cù Bòcan. Tale tells that the dog has haunted the Inverness based Tomatin village for many years. According to the legend, the dog dissolved as smoke over the moorlands when a distillery worker tried to touch it. That […]

October 5, 2015

Glenmorangie 10 year old The Original review

Glenmorangie 10 year old, aka The Original single malt whisky comes from far north from the Highland region in Scotland. Glenmorangie distillery is known for the tallest stills in Scotland, where only the lightest and purist spirit vapours reach the top. That gives Glenmorangie its signatory floral and fruity character. […]

October 3, 2015

Seagram’s VO Canadian blend review

Seagram’s VO is quite classic Canadian blend, made of whisky at least 6 years of age. I noticed that Google suggest gives you search phrase “VO Scotch”. Apparently people search with that phrase and think the brand is Scottish. So for the record, it’s not. The whisky comes from Canada. […]

October 1, 2015

Balvenie 14 year old Caribbean Cask review

Balvenie 14 year old Caribbean Cask is an interesting dram from the Dufftown based distillery in Speyside. This single malt whisky has been matured for 14 years in traditional oak casks and after that, transferred to Caribbean rum casks to give some extra character. Always intrigued to try a rum […]

September 10, 2015

Talisker 10 year old review

Talisker 10 year old is truly a seaside dram. Powerful single malt whisky from the Isle of Skye, filled with coastal notes and strong character – classic Scottish Island dram. I am not a big fan of seafood and if you have to name one whisky that resembles seafood, Talisker […]

July 16, 2015

Kilchoman Machir Bay 2012 review

Kilchoman Machir Bay is a young peated and sherry cask finished malt by the newest distillery in Islay, Kilchoman. They started in 2005 and by doing so, they were the first distillery built on the region of Islay in 124 years. Kilchoman is a farm distillery, so in some releases […]

July 15, 2015

Bushmills Black Bush review

Bushmills Black Bush is one those “bang for the buck” blended whiskeys. Coming from The Old Bushmills Distillery in Northern Ireland, it is a malt and grain whiskey blend. For a single malt lover this is worth a try, because it has 80% of triple-distilled single malt whiskey. Aged for […]

July 5, 2015

Aberfeldy 12 year old review – the old version

Aberfeldy 12 year old single malt comes from the Highland region of Scotland. Aberfeldy distillery was founded in 1896 by John Dewar & Sons, Ltd. So naturally it is the base malt for Dewar’s Blended Whisky. Aberfeldy also offers 18 and 21 year old single malts. Their visitor centre, “Dewar’s […]

July 4, 2015

Old Pulteney 12 year old review

Old Pulteney 12 year old single malt whisky comes from the town of Wick – Pulteney distillery is the most northerly distillery on Scottish mainland. Being next to the sea, Wick used to have herring fishing industry, but it isn’t the case anymore. They claim that Old Pulteney has absorbed […]

July 4, 2015

Amrut Single Malt review

Amrut Indian Single Malt Whisky is their basic stuff from the famous Indian distillery. It’s been distilled from barley grown at the North West of India. No age statement and I haven’t bumped into any suggestions, but my guess is, this can’t be more than 5 years old. Matured in […]

February 19, 2015

Old Overholt 4 year old Straight Rye whiskey review

Old Overholt has been in production for a long time and it is one of those straight rye whiskies available at most liquor stores. Originally from Pensylvania, nowadays produced at the Jim Beam distillery in Kentucky. It is a popular ingredient in classic cocktail mixes (Old Style Manhattan for example). […]

December 10, 2014

Michael Jackson the whisky and beer author

Michael Jackson Blend review

After Michael Jackson, the famous whisky and beer writer, passed away, Whisky Magazine and Doug McIvor (Berry Bros & Rudd’s spirits manager) decided to make a blend from his impressive whisky collection. The Michael Jackson blend was first available at Whisky Live London in February 2009 and part of the proceeds […]

December 9, 2014

Dalmore King Alexander III review

Dalmore King Alexander III was crafted in honor of the act of saving Scotland’s King in 1263. It is an expression, where 6 specially selected casks have been united. This Dalmore contains whiskies matured in Kentucky bourbon casks, Matusalem Oloroso Sherry wood, Madeira barrels, Marsala casks, port pipes and Cabernet […]

December 5, 2014

Penderyn Madeira Single Malt review

Tried to tame MOBY DICK This is a Welsh whisky matured in bourbon casks and finished in Madeira casks. Penderyn distillery was launched in 2004 and at the moment this whisky is part of their core range (also called Penderyn Madeira Finish at some web shops). Too stingy and fruity […]

September 8, 2014

Rebel Yell Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey review

Rebel Yell is a wheaten Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Matured in charred white oak barrels. The first bottle of Rebel Yell was produced 14 years before the great battle of Chickamaunga, Georgia. The brand has been around since 1849 and it truly is a reminder of the “old South.” Until the early […]

September 1, 2014

Glenfiddich 15 year old review

I’M GOING HOME without it I’m Going Home (Vou Para Casa) suits well with this Glenfiddich. The title of that Portuguese movie came to mind, when I first tasted this dram. Portuguese oak tuns are also used for Glenfiddich 15 year old single malt. Glenfiddich 15 yrs is matured in American […]

August 19, 2014

Dalmore 12 year old review

HELLO, DOLLY! I’m leaving you Dolly The Dalmore 12 year old single malt is matured in American white oak and Oloroso sherry casks. For my taste, a contradictory dram. Pure with fruity sweet notes, yet with a bad twist. I detest marzipan and unfortunately Dalmore 12 yrs had it a […]

August 14, 2014

Johnnie Walker Blue Label review

The Blue Label by Johnnie Walker tries to capture some of the earliest whisky blends from the 19th century. In my opinion, most overpriced whisky there is. Cardhu distillery malts have been used as the core of this blended whisky. This is like CUTTHROAT ISLAND Johnnie Walker Blue Label is […]

August 14, 2014

Bruichladdich Links Valhalla 15 year old review

Matured for 15 years in bourbon casks, this dram is part ten of the Golf themed Links series from Bruichladdich distillery. Limited edition of 18 000 bottles, each bottle has been made of casks selected by Master Distiller Jim McEwan. The label has a painted golf themed Valhalla in it […]

August 8, 2014

An Cnoc 12 year old review

Like tasting 500 DAYS OF SUMMER The 12 year old single malt by An Cnoc didn’t rock my world too much. Not a bad whisky, but a bit too flat-lined on the taste and finish. Yet, very easy to drink but not offering anything special. This sweet and spicy dram […]

July 2, 2014

Benchmark old 8 bourbon review by WhiskyRant!

Benchmark Old No. 8 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey review

SUPER 8 for the price, you’re getting it! Benchmark Old No. 8 is made in Buffalo Trace distillery. “Aged at least 36 months” as it says on the label, this young bourbon has made some reputation being “bang for the buck” bourbon. It has even won Gold Medal at the […]

June 10, 2014

Nikka Blended Whisky review

Nikka’s product range can be a bit confusing, because there’s products with similar names. Blended whisky is a good example: Nikka has The Blend and Blended Whisky – 2 different products. I actually didn’t know, which one I was getting, when ordering my dram. Well, the one I got and am reviewing […]

May 20, 2014

Macallan 18 year old Sherry Oak review

Macallan 18YO Sherry Oak is an okay whisky but it was bit of a small disappointment for me. That’s because I tasted it very early, while starting my “whisky tasting career”. Nowadays I already know, what kind of whiskys I might like. Back then, when I tasted this, Macallan 18 […]

May 16, 2014

Macallan 12YO Elegancia and 10YO cask strength reviews

Macallan 12 year old Elegancia review

First of all, Macallan Elegancia is a interesting addition to the whisky world. Especially for whisky drinkers, who love wine. I’m not one of those but still this dram managed to capture me a bit. The Elegancia, which I tasted, was a part of Macallan tripack: that included 3 x […]

May 16, 2014

Macallan 10YO Sherry Oak and Sherry Oak Cask Strength reviews

10YO Sherry Oak – SHERRYBABY right from the start Macallan Sherry Oak is matured in selected sherry oak casks from Jerez. Unlike the Macallan Fine Oak, which is matured in different kind of casks. I got the Macallan tripack, which includes 3 x 33,3 cl of the 10YO, 12YO Elegancia and the […]

May 14, 2014

Speyburn 10 year old review

For many years, Speyburn 10 year old has been one of the cheapest single malt whiskys in Finnish liquor stores. And compared to the low price, many people might call this one a “cost efficient whisky”. If you may use that kind of term about the king of alcohol – […]