Category: Ratings

The notion that age equates to quality with regard to whisky is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Scotch whisky makers are releasing no age statement (NAS) whiskies that are every bit as delicious as their numbered counterparts, while American distillers are blending old stocks with new to create complex and dynamic expressions that convey greater maturity than an age statement, which has to refer to the youngest whiskey in the bottle, would convey. Today’s whisky drinkers simply can’t rely on age alone to inform their purchasing decisions.

But that’s not to say that age statements aren’t useful or going away any time soon. While scotch brands embrace NAS, single malt producers across the globe are releasing great no age statement whiskies, and bourbon distillers are pushing the limits with regard to age, sometimes through single barrel releases. By law, bourbon needs to be placed in a new charred oak vessel. That means the barrel imparts more character to the whiskey the longer it rests. It’s possible then, to let it sit for too long and become over-oaked, with some believing that bourbon can be too old. It becomes a challenge then, to monitor these aged stocks closely in order to prevent the whiskey from becoming over-oaked.

Careful attention was paid to these five whiskeys from the Spring 2022 Buying Guide, as they range from 5 to 16 years old and scored between 89 and 94 points. Most are teenagers, with the exception of a bottled in bond expression from California’s Graton Distilling Co. Its age statement indicates that the whiskey is a year older than the minimum requirement for the style.

These Well-Aged Bourbons Boast Big Flavor

Lucky Seven 14 year old The Proprietor Single Barrel (No. 72)
94 points, 67.07%, $140

The nose brings forth a symphony of red fruit: cherry cobbler, cranberries, dried strawberries, and candied orange. Underneath the fruit, caramel syrup, macaroon, marshmallow, and medium-roast coffee emerge. The palate is a revelation, with hot peppery spice balanced by cinnamon swirl French toast, rich hot chocolate, dark-chocolate raspberry squares, and macchiato. Bottled at cask strength, this is a hot one, and it definitely benefits from water, which coaxes out sumptuous chocolate fudge and bold dark espresso beans.—Julia Higgnis

Widow Jane 15 year old The Vaults Blend of Straights (Batch 3)
93 points, 49.5%, $225

Cloves, baking spices, and fragrant dried herbs on the nose—very herbal overall, hints of cedar chest, touches of mature oak, and dark chocolate. The palate is chewy and creamy, with caffé latte and spiced chocolate laced with coconut shavings. There’s a milkshake-like quality to its thickness and depth, with deeper notes of baked red berries, blackberries, and cinnamon-chocolate babka. A chocolate-filled finish with custard, cinnamon, and berry tart. A loaded, generous dram. (3,000 bottles)—David Fleming

Barrell 16 year old Gold Label
92 points, 56.77%, $500

Black cherry tartness, new leather, and clove-studded orange, along with bubble gum, cream soda, and chocolate layer cake sprinkled with cocoa powder. Flavorful and spicy on the palate, showing strawberry, baking spice, and cinnamon bun, with the flavors holding together superbly. Definitely needs water. A long, balanced finish offers generous helpings of cinnamon and more chocolate. Very high proof, but does not hide behind it—a well-built whiskey. (5,100 bottles)—David Fleming

Hard Truth 14 year old Schoonover Uncut & Unfiltered (Barrel No. 357)
92 points, 54.52%, $150

The nose on this Tennessee bourbon is sweet and syrupy. Cola and cherry soda weave around chocolate, oak, and honey. Beneath the sweet notes, there are aromas of fennel, roasted peanuts, and a whisper of mustiness. The palate is robust, with jammy fruits, dried berries, candied orange atop hot chocolate, and peanuts. Excellent texture, with a finish—syrupy cooked berries, cinnamon, and chocolate—that ties the whole sip together. (3,000 bottles)—Shane English

Redwood Empire 5 year old Grizzly Beast Bottled in Bond
89 points, 50%, $80

All manners of orange are here, with orange peel, Creamsicle, and a hint of orange soda right up front. This citrus is joined by sweeter elements: a drizzle of maple syrup and inviting wood spice. The palate is creamy, and that tangy, zesty citrus carries on, though there’s also blueberry cobbler, a burst of Red Hots, and buttered toast sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. A moderate-length finish balances oak with tart red fruit. (3,000 bottles)—Julia Higgins

 

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When it comes to aging whisky, there’s no one size fits all approach. There are a number of variables that can impact the final flavor, from cask type and size to climate to warehouse style. Bourbon, for example, requires a new charred oak container, while scotch whisky can be aged in used barrels. This means that bourbon often extracts more flavor from the wood it is being held in, and is at risk of becoming over-oaked if it sits too long, while scotch whisky can continue to climb in age upward of 50 years and beyond. The question of whether bourbon can be too old is a legitimate one, whereas with scotch, extreme aging is only an issue with regard to price.

However, if there is one common sweet spot for both bourbon and scotch, it seems to be at 12 years. Across all styles, in fact, whisky at that age performs well, earning high scores and offered at relatively low costs. The Spring 2022 issue features a number of 12 year old whisky reviews, including some from our piece on the whiskies you forgot you love. Standbys like Glenfiddich 12 year old and Johnnie Walker Black Label; whiskies that you perhaps encountered early on in your whisky journey but have since left behind, are still delivering the same quality as before. A dozen years in the barrel does the trick for these six whiskies, all of which scored 88 points or more in the most recent Buying Guide.

Dive Into A Dozen Years With One of These Whiskies

Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 year old
91 points, 40%, $35

A torchbearer for scotch whisky, this tangles creaminess with peat smoke, mixes toffee with vanilla, tumbles raisin with fig, and integrates smoke with fresh citrus and red apple. Creamy caramels with soft toffee drizzled over marmalade, vanilla sweetness balanced with a little oak, and layers of raisin, Braeburn apple, and sultana, permeated with smoke. It turns out that the liquid inside the world’s most recognizable whisky bottle is exceedingly good.—Jonny McCormick

Bib & Tucker 12 year old Single Barrel Small Batch (No. 102258)
91 points, 49.5%, $100

Honeycomb, vanilla fudge, pancakes with syrup, a hint of coconut, plus new leather and very mature and fragrant oak. On the palate, deep fruit flavors of grape jelly and strawberries, vanilla cream, a sprinkling of coconut, bitter chocolate, and peppery spice. The finish is long, spiced, and filled with chocolate ice cream, chocolate layer cake, cocoa powder, and spiced oak. Full and rich, with pleasant spice on the finish. (9.600 bottles)—David Fleming

Cutty Sark 12 year old
90 points, 40%, $27

Returning this stalwart, the first new Cutty Sark since La Martiniquaise took charge of the ship, seemed a safe bet, but they’ve done it so well. Apricot, golden sultana, caramel, honeydew melon, honey, and vanilla meet cumin, cardamom, Parma violets, and orange jelly bean aromas. Richly flavored but lightly textured, there’s lemon bonbon, sugar-dusted churro, vanilla custard, cinder toffee, hazelnut, and sharp apple acidity. It’s like sunshine rippling on the ocean.—Jonny McCormick

Ugly Dog 12 year old Distiller’s Cache Single Barrel (No. 11)
90 points, 47%, $90

Plentiful citrus on the nose—lemony and bright, showing sweet notes of manuka honey, maple syrup, and custard. The palate is honeyed and smooth, with vanilla and buttered French toast, but it’s also spiced and offers dark-chocolate mint and coffee. A mid-length finish has overtones of orange peel, vanilla milkshake, and spice. Very balanced and delicious overall, perhaps only slightly lacking in length and depth. (3,000 bottles)—David Fleming

Glenfiddich 12 year old
89 points, 40%, $40

From its distinctive triangular bottle, the nose boasts green apple, creamy vanilla, shortbread, fragrant dry spices, zested orange, white florals, and a hint of pear and white grape. The palate is smooth and scrumptious, opening with delicious apple and vanilla sponge sweetness, briefly interrupted by pepper and cloves, with satisfying notes of chocolate, dried fruit, and citrus peel to follow. It’s time to reacquaint your palate with this classic.—Jonny McCormick

Chivas Regal 12 year old
88 points, 40%, $50

Rich, layered, and packed with signature notes from the range, the nose brings forth honey, caramel, sweet apple, poached pear, smoked orange peel, and baked citrus notes. The core flavors riff between citrus, runny caramels, gingersnap, and vanilla, but there are punchy spices, pear, and nutty almond notes too. The finish encircles ginger, orange peel, and hints of chocolate.—Jonny McCormick

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The Spring 2022 issue of Whisky Advocate focuses on the great versatility and rich history of rye whiskey. Inside, we go deep on rye’s roots in Pennsylvania, exploring the height of “Old” Monongahela popularized by bartender-favorite Old Overholt. And if you are accustomed to deploying rye in your Manhattan, we have a crop of new cocktails worth mixing as well as a bevy of bottles made to sip on, with 47 rye recommendations ranging from $23 to $185.

Inside the Buying Guide, we review 98 whiskies, including a fair share of rye. Sample the ever-growing segment of finished whiskies with Ammunition Pinot Noir Finished (90 points) and Templeton Oloroso Sherry Finished (88 points), or stick with trusted value names like Knob Creek (92 points) and George Dickel (90 points). We also review WhistlePig Boss Hog VIII: Lapulapu’s Pacific scoring  91 points and include it among our choice of collectibles. In fact, we went in-depth on the collectibility of the entire WhistlePig Boss Hog collection in a recent edition of our auction column What’s It Worth?.

Beyond rye, there are several excellent whiskies reviewed, with these ten all scoring between 93 and 95 points. There are age statements ranging from 14 to 51 years, finishes in cognac and mizunara barrels, and peated whiskies from Scotland and Japan.

TOP SCORES FROM WHISKY ADVOCATE’S Spring 2022 ISSUE

Royal Salute The Time Series 51 year old
95 points, 45.4%, $30,000
Ruby grapefruit, wisps of smoke, dried cranberry, and oak, with the smoke building amid salted caramel, grilled peach, rose petal, and fragrant spices. With a heart of Longmorn, the blend combines Glen Keith, Strathisla, Caperdonich, Dumbarton, Schenley-era Strathclyde, and more. Complex and velvety smooth, it glides through honeyed nuts, Victoria plum, vanilla, and citrus for a dalliance with ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and nutmeg, finally softening to melted chocolate. Heavenly. (101 bottles; 20 for the U.S.)—Jonny McCormick

Teeling 30 year old Vintage Reserve Collection
95 points, 46%, $2,200
If bees could make single malt, they would make this. Deeply honeyed, with caramel, vanilla essence, mango, papaya, and waxy-green leaf aromas on the nose. This nectar is indulgent, with a silky mouthfeel, while the taste buds are immersed in molten pools of honey, rich dried fruits, sugary sweet candies, melon, poached pear, vanilla, toffee, and oak spices, with a sticky sweet finish of dried fruit that’s buzzing with peppery spice. (120 bottles for the U.S.)—Jonny McCormick

Octomore 130.8 PPM 12.1 Edition
94 points, 59.9%, $200
Aged 5 years in American oak barrels, this one starts with a rush of peat bonfire, cayenne pepper, and paprika, along with saline minerality, dried seaweed, and aging brine. The palate is rich and spiced, but also smooth and deep, with smokiness and peat lingering in the background. Powerful, and definitely helped by a few drops of water. Superb length on a finish of vanilla, with loads of spice and red fruit.—David Fleming

Lucky Seven 14 year old The Proprietor Single Barrel (No. 72)
94 points, 67.07%, $140
The nose brings forth a symphony of red fruit: cherry cobbler, cranberries, dried strawberries, and candied orange. Underneath the fruit, caramel syrup, macaroon, marshmallow, and medium-roast coffee emerge. The palate is a revelation, with hot peppery spice balanced by cinnamon swirl French toast, rich hot chocolate, dark-chocolate raspberry squares, and macchiato. Bottled at cask strength, this is a hot one, and it definitely benefits from water, which coaxes out sumptuous chocolate fudge and bold dark espresso beans.—Julia Higgins

The Singleton 39 year old
94 points, 46.2%, $2,650
Layered, complex, and pleasurable, with a deep vinous character on the nose of rose hip, dried cranberry, peppercorn, and autumn leaves, from the influence of the Chateau Lacoste Borie finishing casks. Delving deeper, it pulls out aromas of black cherry, new leather, snuffed candlewicks, and Christmas pudding, then vine fruit, almond, and baked orange. Muscovado-sprinkled apple and pear, with citrus, chocolate-dipped cherry, and bramble on the palate. Perfect drinking strength: No water, please. (1,695 bottles)—Jonny McCormick

Bardstown Bourbon Company Ferrand Finished
93 points, 55%, $125
Finished in barrels from cognac maker Ferrand, to great effect. A hint of barrel char on the nose, along with burnt brown sugar, baked peaches, taffy, grenadine, toasted almonds, nougat, cooked pears, crème de cassis, and banana flan. The palate is smooth and thick, with pastry shop flavors, manuka honey, and rhubarb pie. The finish is oak laden, but rich with cooked fruit, charred oak, iced coffee, and dark chocolate.—David Fleming

Miyagikyo Peated
93 points, 48%, $275
Watch out, because Miyagikyo has moves you’ve never seen before. Smoke builds as you nose, from sweet smoke, caramel, and vanilla to bonfire smoke with savory and spicy elements, tarry ropes, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. A multi-faceted tasting experience with sweet vanilla, chocolate, malt, spice, and cocoa, then cherry, raisin, and baked citrus, with a huge chewy mouthfeel and unrelenting flavor delivery through to the finish. Send more peat to Sendai! (2,820 bottles for the U.S.)—Jonny McCormick

Egan’s 18 year old Legacy Reserve Collection IV
93 points, 46%, $200
Blushing pinker than a Provençal rosé thanks to the Moscatel de Valencia casks, the aromas are outstanding: neroli, ruby grapefruit, persimmon, watermelon, and ground black pepper. Picture a Parisian boutique of fragrances and fine candles and you’re there. To taste, orange, grapefruit, and light toffee, then a long spicy stretch, becoming more polished, developing stone fruit characters, and ending with a grapefruit finish that still shows plenty of bite. (486 bottles for the U.S.)—Jonny McCormick

Widow Jane 15 year old The Vaults Blend of Straight Bourbon (Batch 3)
93 points, 49.5%, $225
Cloves, baking spices, and fragrant dried herbs on the nose—very herbal overall, hints of cedar chest, touches of mature oak, and dark chocolate. The palate is chewy and creamy, with caffé latte and spiced chocolate laced with coconut shavings. There’s a milkshake-like quality to its thickness and depth, with deeper notes of baked red berries, blackberries, and cinnamon-chocolate babka. A chocolate-filled finish with custard, cinnamon, and berry tart. A loaded, generous dram. (3,000 bottles)—David Fleming

Writers’ Tears Japanese Cask Finish
93 points, 55%, $125
The nose is rich and oily with Bramley apple peels, brown butter, walnut oil, and exotic woods. Hugely satisfying mouthfeel of toffee, nut, malt, and baked sugar as pepper and clove take flight, leaving baked apple, walnut, currant, and ripening plum. This achieves perfect center ground between the sweetness, spice, and mizunara wood, and the spice combination from the 9-month finish and single pot still is divine. (1,200 bottles for the U.S.)—Jonny McCormick

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