Tullibardine Sovereign

This drink's appearance is so pale, I wondered if the bourbon barrels were properly charred. 😉 If I hadn't known what it was, I'd have sworn it was an Irish whiskey based on the aroma. Abundant fruit, similar to the scent released when you first open a can of fruit cocktail. Typically, the alcohol scent diminishes over time, but here it's reversed; the fruit fades, making way for malt and alcohol. It also has a rather bright sheen. The initial taste is sweet, exhibiting some characteristics of a single malt from the Highlands. Plenty of grain and a fair amount of spice, all while remaining quite light and invigorating. This is fortunate, though, because the light and lively taste is rather weak and somewhat monotonous. There's not much of an aftertaste, but the best comparison I can make is a dry white wine with a faint touch of barrel wood. It's decent, but not extraordinary in any way, and as their introductory offering, it likely doesn't need to be. If you're reading this, you've certainly had many whiskies similar to this before.

Nose: Sweet, vanilla, toffee, fudge, citrus/fruit, baked biscuits, creamy, artificial strawberry. Palate: Citrus, pear, black pepper, allspice, mint, clove. Finish: Medium short finish. Creamy, orange zest, vanilla, spice/cinnamon. Souring and spicy on the aftertaste. This is a spicy, vanilla heavy whisky - it's all about the ex-bourbon casks. There's a fair amount of well integrated complexity. Definitely an accessible and well rounded entry level session dram.

This is genuinely quite exceptional. It possesses a malty, floral, slightly sweet character and feels somewhat "thick" on the tongue. The flavors are remarkably clean and crisp. It's very easy to overdo this one because it's so delicious and quaffable. I believe the flavors are somewhat similar to Glenmorangie 10, though a bit less floral. Even though this is a NAS whisky, I find it as smooth as any 10-12 year old. This must surely be at least 8 years old on average. Most sources price it around $50, which I consider a little high, but I was fortunate and bought a case at a clearance price. Score!

I'm struggling to define this one. Many reviews mentioned a lack of distinctiveness, but I'm experiencing something different. It smells strongly of alcohol, almost to the point of seeming a bit stale. The palate is quite light and lacks flavor. This might just be me, but it's definitely not my preference. If you're comparing it with other drinks, have this one first.

The aroma is very subtle, with hardly anything there, and what is present has a mild note of white wine and cider. The palate is spicy and fairly warm; I detect peaches or pears, a little spice, some salt, and perhaps a hint of white chocolate. It's also quite sweet, but the finish is short, spicy, and a bit dry.

While Highland spirits haven't typically been my preference, I confess a fondness for Tullibardine; their products are excellent. This particular one lives up to expectations: apples, vanilla, and cinnamon wrapped in subtle charred wood. It's akin to a reserved bourbon, but with pronounced barley characteristics.