Forager's Keep 26 Year

It's the holiday season and I plan to sample a new whiskey each day in December. A personal goal. December 26 I'm apprehensive. Orphan Barrel has consistently met my expectations so far, and no other distillery can claim that. This streak was only challenged today because I anticipated Entrapment would fail to impress me yesterday. With nothing left in their lineup but items I've already enjoyed and other bourbons I anticipate liking, this bottle represents the final test for Orphan Barrel to win me over completely. It's a high-stakes moment. Many sports analogies apply. The aroma is grainy, reminiscent of fresh bread and a hint of hay. These are typical scotch scents, executed skillfully here. The texture is exceptionally smooth, presenting flavors of fig, red grapes, and black pepper. The finish is succulent, with a mild burn and a sweet cucumber note. It evokes the experience of sipping a drink in a high-end hotel lobby. To begin, I absolutely love this scotch. Its smoothness is remarkable. Orphan Barrel has once again delivered an exceptional whisky. This means they are, to date, the only producer whose entire range I haven't disliked. (I sincerely hope they don't release something like a Forged Oak Sting or a Barterhouse Bourbon Cream after I've said this. Seriously.) Once again, I find myself unable to confidently evaluate this spirit with the same certainty I apply to bourbon. I must defer judgment and reiterate: I adore this scotch. If you appreciate scotch, you should find a way to try it. Is it comparable in value to 1.8181 (repeating, naturally) Balvenie 21-year Portwoods? In my view, no. I also haven't had the opportunity to taste an extravagantly priced Macallan 25 year. This is a 26 year old. I acknowledge this as a limitation: as someone who dabbles in scotch, I'm stepping away from the price-to-value assessment. Happy holidays. I'm unsure if I have five more new whiskeys lined up. If you're reading this and know of something readily available you'd like me to review this holiday season, please share it in the comments.

The aroma offers notes of toasted malt, coconut, and orange zest. This presents a truly delightful flavor profile; it's alive with wood spice and pepper, but even more prominent are abundant notes of dried ground ginger, which persist from the initial taste through an extremely lengthy finish. It verges on being excessively spicy, but manages to be as intense as possible without crossing that threshold. There's a presence of wood in the body and finish, yet it's significantly less woody than one might anticipate after 26 years in a cask. Surprisingly, pleasant, malty barley notes are still detectable. It also possesses a rather oily texture and a substantial, rich body. This is truly remarkable; I'd suggest acquiring a bottle if you can find it without an outrageous price increase.

Black licorice was the immediate dominant note, accompanied by a potent alcohol sting. As it mellowed, hints of hazelnuts and brown butter emerged. Adding a small amount of ice softened the alcohol and brought forth notes of maple syrup and dried fruit. After abstaining from alcohol for six years, this was a potent reminder of why I quit; black licorice is unpleasant.

Intensely sweet maple and butterscotch. The finish is unexpectedly fiery initially but then mellows out. Hints of peat, oak, and pepper, with an overall incredibly rich character. This is outstanding and tastes as if it matured for 26 years.

A solid single malt with warmth and peat, but it's neither hot nor harsh. The flavor is smooth and lingers. It has an oily, turpentine-like quality that remains long after the finish.

Pronounced whiskey character, not as smooth as anticipated. In my view, it doesn't justify the cost. Superior alternatives exist.