This one snuck up on me. You guys know I'm a sucker for a focused, well-considered flavor profile, and this is a direct hit. Value-minded drinkers may find a new favorite.
Overall Rating: ★★★
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Scotch
A great bottle of scotch that's commonly available. Don't miss the forest for the trees here: it's not a "craft" presentation, but it's stunning nonetheless.
Overall Rating: ★★★
A direct hit when it comes to a company telling you what they want to do, then going out and doing exactly that. If you've never heard of Compass Box, start here.
Overall Rating: ★★☆
As if the world didn't have enough reason to care about age-stated blended scotches. In a word: Ballantine's 12 is overcomplicated.
Overall Rating: ★☆☆
Green Label isn't the most expensive of the Johnnie Walker line, but it's typically the most venerated by those in the know. It's not my favorite of favorites, but being objective, it's a great product.
Overall Rating: ★★☆
The Doublewood is one of the few single malt scotch whiskies I actually dislike. Chalk it up to a mix of personal taste and overexposure I'll explain in more detail.
Overall Rating: ★☆☆
Auchentoshan isn't really known as a powerhouse distillery. So what do you do when you know the market is itching for boldness? You force yourself to be something you're not. Here, it's surprisingly successful.
Overall Rating: ★★☆
Today, we're taking a look at a fun one. Chivas 18 is neither boring like its little brother nor overpriced like a lot of those no-goodnick Johnnie Walker products. It's not just a great blend, but a great whisky period. Overall Rating: ★★★
The regular-'ol bottle of Clynelish is one of my favorite whiskies of all time. Some will understand, but perhaps an equal number will be puzzled. Also, it has a cat on it: always a plus. Overall Rating: ★★★
You want to know why rooting for an underdog is hard? Because it's hard for it to win, and disappointment comes easy. Overall Rating: ★☆☆
A light, otherwise boring whisky might be able to escape the sharpest barbs of criticism if the price was good. However, the distillers want about $45 for this, and at that price this bottle has nowhere to hide. Overall Rating: ⃠
Be warned: sometimes "craft" products in the booze world are about as similarly uninspiring as cable-knit iPhone caddies, overpriced essential oils, or rocks painted like sleeping cats. Overall Rating: ★☆☆
Sometimes even a huge, faceless conglomerate can get something right. If you're fine with drinking the scotch equivalent of an Adele song, there's enough going on with the Glenfiddich 18 to warrant a look. Overall Rating: ★★☆
Sometimes you find yourself in the mood for a quiet, comforting dram. Other times you want a monster to stomp all over you. This is not a quiet, comforting dram. Overall Rating: ★★★
There's a lot about the Bowmore 15 "Darkest" that's fairly criticized for being inauthentic. However, I think it tastes great, so I'm conveniently looking the other way. Overall Rating: ★★☆
Sometimes an upmarket version of a rack-grade blend comes correct. The Prohibition edition is far and away better than regular Cutty for not too much more money. Overall Rating: ★★☆
The Lasanta is the awkward middle child in the Glenmorangie cask-finished lineup: not pretty like the Nectar D'Or and not bold like the Quinta Ruban, it slumps into a distant third place. Overall Rating: ★☆☆
You've probably seen this bottle at your grandfather's house. Odd that you probably know more about whisky at this point than your grandfather does. Overall Rating: ★☆☆
We're all about praising value here at Spirit Animal, so here's one of the most praiseworthy blended scotches extant. The price here is almost absurdly low for the quality of the bottle. Overall Rating: ★★★
Sometimes we buy an expensive bottle of scotch almost knowing that it can't live up to our expectations for the price point. But when it does, boy is it a treat. Overall Rating: ★★☆