Winter 2021 Best Values: Blue Note, Tullibardine, Walker’s Cay

These two bourbons and one single malt scotch all earned high marks while remaining affordable.

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In each issue of Whisky Advocate, the editors select three great value bottles: whiskies with solid scores, modest prices, and wide availability. For the Winter 2021 issue, a French oak-finished bourbon, a Highland single malt, and a sherry cask stave-finished Kentucky bourbon all ranked as Best Values.

Check out the Buying Guide for a complete list of whiskies reviewed in the Winter 2021 issue.

HIGH SCORES, LOW PRICES: BEST VALUE WHISKIES

Blue Note Crossroads Straight bourbon
89 points, 50%, $45

Finished in French oak. Dried herbs, grape candies, saddle leather, blueberry muffin, and new wood on the nose, with chocolate, marshmallow, and toasted caramel emerging over time. Wood drives the palate further alongside vanilla wafer, cooked dark fruits, and spiced dark chocolate. There is more sweetness on the finish as well as solid spice characteristics.—Ted Simmons

Tullibardine 12 year old single malt
89 points, 40%, $45

Red apples, nectarines, white peaches, menthol, macadamia nut, clove, and notes of a closet filled with winter wool are on the nose of this bourbon-matured single malt. The palate is creamy and light, with orange tart, peach cobbler, semi-sweet chocolate, and cantaloupe. That fruit flavor carries over to a medium-length finish. Well-made, if at times simple, with strong and pure spirit character.—Ted Simmons

Walker’s Cay Kentucky Straight bourbon
89 points, 45%, $35

Finished with sherry cask staves. Mixed berries, fruit tart, lemon oil, blueberry pie, and orange slices highlight a fruit-forward nose that is also breakfast-like with maple syrup and buttered pancakes. More fruit on the palate in the form of honeydew, green banana, and cherry pie with a touch of milk chocolate and cinnamon. There’s more spice on the finish, with some floral flavors and a balanced sweetness.—Ted Simmons

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Winter 2021 Editors’ Choice: Redbreast, Torabhaig, Balcones

A single pot still, Isle of Skye peated single malt, and American single malt showcased the very best of the Fall 2021 Buying Guide.

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In each issue of Whisky Advocate, the editors select three whiskies they consider to be the most impressive, based on score, price, and availability. For Winter 2021, our Editors’ Choice selections include a cask strength single pot still Irish whiskey, a peated single malt scotch, and a Texas single malt with a sauternes finish.

Check out the Buying Guide for a complete list of whiskies reviewed in the Winter 2021 issue.

STANDOUT WHISKIES FROM Winter 2021

Redbreast 12 year old Cask Strength single pot still (Batch B1/21)
94 points, 56.3%, $84

Golden sultana, fragrant spice, dried orange slices, star anise, baked apricot, and hints of flaked chocolate bar. Spices leap from a butterscotch and red berry base, vociferously showing clove, star anise, and ginger root, which part to welcome flavors of milk chocolate, vanilla pod, oak, and juicy nectarine. The cask strength is rarely less than spectacular, but this batch is singularly distinctive.—Jonny McCormick

Torabhaig Allt Gleann Legacy Series single malt
93 points, 46%, $62

Fresh sea-blown peat on the nose, pine tar, sea salt, seaweed, dried seashells, and a tropical note of lime. Sweeter vanilla scents emerge, along with coconut, light nuttiness, and a hint of coffee. It’s peated but light and floral. The palate is honeyed, with vanilla, spice, dark chocolate, and lemon playing above beautifully integrated charcoal and peat. The mellow peat influence integrates beautifully into flavors that are dynamic, gorgeous, and memorable.—David Fleming

Balcones Pilgrimage Sauternes Cask Finished single malt
92 points, 58.5%, $80

Pleasantly aromatic on the nose, with vanilla maltiness, cinnamon stick, and mixed berries. Tropical notes—lime, grapefruit, and pineapple—start things off on a smooth palate, seamlessly integrating with chocolate, spice, and hints of smoke. Water brings out spiced crème brûlée and baked apples. The finish offers length and balanced sweetness. While it does well without water, a splash certainly enhances things. Overall, a very well-textured, flavorful expression.—David Fleming

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Winter 2021 Collectibles: Gordon & MacPhail, Yamazaki, Rosebank

These single malts from Scotland and Japan are all up there in age, including a record setting 80 year old, and all stand to increase in value.

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In every issue of Whisky Advocate, we recommend three whiskies that are generally limited releases and show the most potential to gain value. For Winter 2021, the top choices came from Scotland and Japan.

Check out the Buying Guide for a complete list of whiskies reviewed in the Winter 2021 issue.

TOP WHISKIES TO ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION

Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80 year old single malt (Distilled at Glenlivet)
95 points, 44.9%, $108,085

The nose is fragrant with black cherry, black currant cassis, apricot stone, pressed flowers, creamy caramel, beeswax polish, leather, and a touch of smoke. Sweet creamy texture of caramel-drizzled dates, elegant sherry notes, citrus peel oils, menthol, soft peppery spices, and a faint trace of pipe smoke on the finish. The lack of heavy oak tannins from a cask filled in February 1940 is as remarkable as this whisky.—Jonny McCormick

Yamazaki 25 year old (2021 release)
95 points, 43%, $2,000

The mizunara wood notes are striking, with sandalwood, incense, and the sweet fragrance of wilting flowers, intermingled with vanilla, dried fruits, and fragrant wood spices. Rich and complex, with sweet vanilla, soft oak, ripe green fruits, and citrus bitterness, ending in a pool of creaminess with a gently oaked finish. A fabulously rich version of Yamazaki 12 compared to the 1984 and previous 25 year old which are sherried and spicy.—Jonny McCormick

Rosebank 30 year old 1990 single malt (Release 1)
92 points, 48.6%, $3,000

The first Rosebank on the path to the distillery reopening is buttery and golden with rich vanilla, notes of lemon-zested lemon meringue pie, honeycomb, polished oak, marzipan, and a pinch of wood spices. This is a classic Rosebank, a soft, intimate dram with sweet almonds, butterscotch, grapefruit peel, gooseberry bitterness, background spices, and a finish of pear and vanilla. Welcome back Rosebank, it’s been too long. (300 bottles for the U.S.)—Jonny McCormick

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Tell us about your Whisky Club!

We are featuring Whisky Tasting Clubs in upcoming issues and we’d like to make you a part of it.

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Whiskey and Pie Make the Perfect Match [Video]

We paired pecan, pumpkin, and cherry pie with bourbon and rye to see how the flavors of each complemented one another.

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When it comes to pairing whiskey with food, few dishes match up as well as pie. From fruit to spice to chocolate to nuts, whiskey and pie share a lot of common flavors meaning there is an abundance of combinations to explore. We served three pies—pecan, pumpkin, and cherry—alongside rye and bourbon to see how they complemented one another. Pour a few drams for yourself and see which pairing you like the best.

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From Bardstown to Paris [Cocktail Recipe]

This Hot Toddy riff gets its name by combining Kentucky bourbon with the French aperitif Dubonnet Rouge.

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In this wonderfully aromatic take on a classic Hot Toddy, created by Evan Wolf, beverage director of The Company Burger in New Orleans, the mulling spices add depth and complexity to the aromatic and bitter components of the Dubonnet Rouge, Wolf says. Recipe makes 12 servings

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Smoke on the Water [Cocktail Recipe]

Add some tropical fruit to the popular spiked hot cider with this recipe which incorporates summer and fall flavors.

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This tropical, spiked take on hot cider, created by Christina Basham, owner and lead creative of Bubbles + Agave Creative bridges summer and autumn flavors. It’s smoky, sweet, and spicy. Don’t forget the apple cider vinegar—it gives a pop of acid to wake up the palate, Basham says. Recipe makes 12 servings.

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Moment of Clarity [Cocktail Recipe]

Part Irish Coffee, part Manhattan, this bourbon-based cocktail is perfect for a brisk fall day.

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This cocktail was created by Austin Carson, bartender and co-owner of Restaurant Olivia in Denver. “Think Irish Coffee meets the Manhattan,” Carson says. This chilled-cream topped cocktail is perfect for a brisk fall day. Recipe makes 10 servings.

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Blackberry Lemon Pancake Toddy [Cocktail Recipe]

This fruity take on the classic Hot Toddy uses maple syrup, blackberry jelly, and a Tennessee whiskey base.

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This cocktail was created by Ashley Gilbert, head bartender at Lumac Rooftop Bar in Bristol, Va. “This smooth and warming cocktail is the ultimate libation for crisp fall evenings,” Gilbert says. “A fruity twist on the classic Hot Toddy, this unique rendition is very similar to drinking a hot tea.” Recipe makes 12 servings.

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Glenlivet’s Mysterious Spectra Series Earns High Marks

The Speyside single malt continues to keep whisky drinkers guessing with its latest release, a trio of unidentified whisky samples.

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Glenlivet is one of the world’s most popular single malt scotches, due largely to its approachable 40% ABV and its house style, which is defined by light, fruity flavors. But Glenlivet also takes a more adventurous path with its “mystery” limited series, each release challenging tasters by offering no information about the whisky except for its ABV. The series originated in 2013 with Glenlivet Alpha, and was followed by Glenlivet Cipher in 2016, Glenlivet Code in 2018, and then Glenlivet Enigma, which won the No. 8 spot on our Top 20 Whiskies of the Year in 2019.

In May 2020 came Glenlivet Spectra, a three-pack of 200-ml bottles. Our tasting panel continued to be impressed, scoring the three “mystery” whiskies between 92 and 93 points. Each expression aims to explore the spectrum of flavors that single malt scotch can achieve. While the bottle sizes are small, they contain enough to taste a few times and share with a friend. Read Whisky Advocate’s tasting notes below—or look behind the curtain as Glenlivet has since unveiled the details of Spectra with notes of their own.

Glenlivet Spectra Series Tasting Notes

Glenlivet Spectra (Bottle 1)
93 points, 40%, $120/3 200-ml bottles

Sherry and American oak-matured Spectra 01 offers notes of hay, lemon zest, mint, pineapple, and melon. The palate reveals darker fruit notes as well as baking spice, chocolate-chip cookies, and tiramisu, leading to a creamy finish of honeyed pastries and angel-food cake. —David Fleming

Glenlivet Spectra (Bottle 2)
92 points, 40%, $120/3 200-ml bottles

The second Spectra expression in the trio was finished in peated casks. Fragrant whiffs of woodsmoke, fresh meadow, and pleasant waxiness, then lemon cake, ripe mango, green apple slices, green grapes, and manuka honey. It’s delicate and only lightly smoked, with layers of blackberry jam, chocolate, blueberry pie, vanilla cream, poppy seeds, and baking spice. A gentle finish of lemon, green apple, and vanilla. Engaging, with intriguingly subtle peat. —David Fleming

Glenlivet Spectra (Bottle 3)
92 points, 40%, $120/3 200-ml bottles

Bottle 3 of the Spectra series was finished in double-charred casks. Light notes of lemon sorbet, fresh pineapple, and strawberry shortcake on the nose, set against gentle oak. A honeyed palate has soft flavors of apple tart, cooked pears, dark chocolate, baking spice, and back notes of black currant. Superbly balanced, lightly spiced, with hints of green banana and lemon peel. A smooth, delicate finish offers honeysuckle, melon, vanilla wafers, almond, and lemon cake. —David Fleming

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