Highland Park Thor is limited to 23,000 bottles worldwide (and just 1,500 for the U.S. market). It’s housed in a unique wooden frame meant to parallel the design of a traditional Viking ship. So in addition to a tasty dram, it’s also a conversation piece.

Tasting notes courtesy of Highland Park –

Appearance: Rich amber, with an iron ore glow.

Nose: Concentrated and forceful, with an explosion of aromatic smoke, pungent fresh ginger, antique copper, stewed plums, and golden syrup. With water, earthy notes emerge, like a garden after a heavy rain shower.

Palate: Thor’s high strength grabs the palate and refuses to let go.  Initially dry, with fiery gingerbread then vanilla, blackberries, fresh mango, peach and hints of cinnamon. As its big flavors swirl around the mouth, some softer, sweeter notes develop, giving Thor an unexpected layer of complexity and depth.

Finish: The finish thunders on, leaving behind lingering notes of sweet vanilla and an intense spiciness.

Find it online for about $200.

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In the below video, Stephen reveals his guide to getting the best sensory experience out of your whisky (we’ll drop the ‘e’ in deference to Scotland). He shares his tips for fully experiencing whisky, from sight to smell to taste. From there, he even discusses how to blend your own whisky for a different tasting experience.

Though the video focuses on Dewar’s, the same general principles can be applied to other whiskies and other spirits.

On the nose, The Glenrothes 1998 Vintage is lush with pineapples and mangos, plus a hint of vanilla. On the palate there’s banana, coconut and dried cherry, all mingling with a faint background of sweet caramel and spicy cinnamon. The finish is long and dry with a nice balance between spice and vanilla.

Overall, good stuff. It’s got more character than The Glenrothes Select Reserve, but is somewhat less nuanced than the oaky, honeyed 1985 Vintage. Hats off to Gordon Motion for bottling a whisky that so delicately balances tropical fruits with vanilla. We think we’ll have another glass.

Stats:
- 43% Alcohol by Volume
- $45

Like that? Drink this:
- Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky
- The Macallan 18
- Best Scotch Whisky

The Macallan makes two 18-year-old Scotch whiskies – the Sherry Oak, which is aged exclusively in Sherry oak casks, and the Fine Oak, which is aged in three different types of wood.

The Macallan 18-year-old Sherry Oak is mahogany in color and has pleasant aromas of sherried fruits, vanilla, cinnamon and citrus. Drink up to find dried fruits with orange peel, faint wood smoke and a hint of ginger, plus sweet toffee, chocolate and more wood on the finish. From beginning to end, it’s light on the palate and goes down the hatch without the slightest trouble.

I’ve never been a Macallan drinker. Fans of the spirit tout its smoothness, but it’s that same easy-going nature that always leaves me wanting more. Perhaps it’s my unabashed love of smoky Islay whiskies that taints my view of this gulpable Speyside dram.

That said, it’s difficult to knock The Macallan 18. The sherry oak contributes tons of lush fruit and delicate spice to the whisky, and one smooth sip tells you that it’s a meticulously-produced spirit. So while it goes against my personal preference baseline, it’s very easy to appreciate The Macallan for what it is: an exceedingly approachable whisky that even the Scotch-phobic seem to enjoy. That alone is an impressive feat, and certainly one to be respected.

Stats:
- 43% Alcohol by Volume
- $130+

Like that? Drink this:
- Highland Park 18-Year Scotch Review
- The Dalmore 18 Year Old Scotch Review
- Springbank 10 Year Old Scotch Review

Check out more Speyside Scotch.

Shackleton and his men ultimately failed to reach the South Pole, and they sailed for home in 1909, leaving behind three crates of the precious whiskey buried in ice. It stayed this way until 2007, when fortuitous members of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust happened upon the hundred-year-old hooch.

Whyte & Mackay – owners of the Mackinlay brand – analyzed the remaining stock, and master blender Richard Paterson went to work recreating the resilient whiskey. He blended a handful of single malts from the closed-in-1983 Glen Mhor distillery, plus Speyside whiskies, island malts and The Dalmore malts to achieve the same flavor profile as the original. The result is Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky.

The shimmering, straw-colored spirit is soft on the nose, with lots of fruit notes – predominantly pears – plus light oak and vanilla. Take a sip and find a delicate, well-balanced whiskey offering plenty of honey, sherried oak, fruit and a touch of peat smoke. It’s incredibly easy on the palate, unleashing more flavors the longer you hold it in your mouth. It finishes long and gentle, with some heather and honeyed fruits.

Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky is a rare glimpse into the whiskey world of 100 years ago. And if this recreation is any indication, people drank pretty well back then. Given its story and arduous creation process, it’s not a cheap bottle. But it’s an elegant, flavorful whiskey that’s a great conversation piece.

Stats:
- 47.3% Alcohol by Volume
- $150

Like that? Drink this:
- The Dalmore 18 Year Old Scotch Review
- The Glenrothes Select Reserve Scotch Review
- Bowmore Legend Scotch Whisky Review

For more boozy good times, compare Scotch on our Whiskey Guide.

The Glenrothes Select Reserve pours light gold and gives aromas of vanilla, malt, ripe fruits and a touch of briny sea air. Take a sip and find lots of malty sweetness, vanilla, zesty orange and hints of peat smoke. It’s clean and medium-bodied on the palate, with very little astringency. It finishes long, dry and spicy.

The Glenrothes Select Reserve doesn’t quite match up to some of the brand’s vintage-dated expressions. And it could probably use a bit more time in the barrel to mellow out. But overall, it’s a decently-balanced, full-flavored whisky. It’s easy-going enough to be your nightly dram, but carries enough complexity to pair with a fireside cigar.

And at an affordable $35, it’s one of the better values in single malt Scotch.

Stats:
- 40% Alcohol by Volume
- $30

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- Glen Garioch 12 Year Old Scotch
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For the best results, pair with a warm fire.

This first drink was crafted by Damon Boelte of NYC’s Prime Meats. It starts with the basic sour template, and from there it invokes the holidays with cinnamon syrup and some apricot liqueur.

UK Sour

1 ½ ounces Highland Park 12
½ ounce lemon juice
½ ounce cinnamon syrup
¼ ounce Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot Liqueur
Float of red wine

Combine first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake and strain into a rocks glass. Float with red wine.

Next up, we’ve got The Brogue, courtesy of Leo Robitschek of NYC’s Eleven Madison Park. It pairs the tried-and-true combination of Scotch with Drambuie and adds some honey-lavender syrup, which further complements the honey and herbs present in Drambuie.

The Brogue

1 ½ ounces Highland Park 12
½ ounce Drambuie
¾ ounce lemon juice
½ ounce honey-infused lavender syrup
Dried lavender

Combine the Scotch, Drambuie, lemon juice and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with dried lavender.

Both cocktails can hold their own at parties and alongside holiday meals. Or simply make one for yourself and celebrate the close of another Wednesday.

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- Drambuie Cocktails

Triple Wood gains its name from its maturation process, in which the whisky is aged in three kinds of casks. The first maturation is in American oak – ex-bourbon barrels just like other Laphroaig expressions. From there, the best of these barrels is transferred into quarter casks for a second maturation. Finally, the spirit moves to large Oloroso Sherry casks. It’s the mingling of these different woods that gives Triple Wood its unique flavor profile.

The bright gold whisky is sweet and gentle on the nose, with aromas of raisins and apricots merging with the peat smoke background. Take a sip and that peat smoke bursts through. It’s quickly tempered by some vanilla and Sherry notes, and it hints at citrus and spice. The finish is long, filling your mouth with sweet caramel, Sherry and oak.

Aging whiskies (and rums, too) in multiple types of wood is nothing new – and by itself is nothing special – as an overzealous process can overwhelm a good spirit with too much oak. But Laphroaig manages this feat with a gentle, well-balanced hand. The American oak and European oak presences are noticed throughout, without one overpowering the other. And the sweet and fruity Sherry notes play harmoniously with Laphroaig’s characteristically bold, in-your-face peat smoke. I’d say we have a winner.

Stats:
- 48% Alcohol by Volume
- $60

Like that? Drink this:
- Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch Whisky Review
- Auchentoshan Three Wood Review
- The Balvenie Madeira Cask Review

Double Black starts with the Black Label template, and from there, it adds peatier malts and malts aged in heavily charred oak barrels – the result being a smokier dram than the original. And while the Black Label is aged for 12 years, Johnnie Walker Double Black carries no age statement.

On the nose, Double Black offers aromas of peat smoke, oak and dried fruits. Take a sip and notice more of that smoke, plus some pleasant tropical fruit notes, vanilla and spice. It’s quite drinkable, with an easy-going mouthfeel and a dry finish, but it’s a bit heavy-handed on the oak, with lots of char coming through.

Johnnie Walker Double Black is certainly no substitute for peaty Islay whiskies like Laphroaig or Bowmore, but it should appeal to fans of Johnnie Walker who’re looking for a whisky with some moderate peat smoke. It’s different enough from its Black Label cousin to warrant sampling, but not so different to alienate drinkers of the original. That said, its similarities – more in name and look than flavor – could result in some cannibalization for the brand.

Look for Double Black on store shelves this fall.

Stats:
- 40% Alcohol by Volume
- $40

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Unlike the other core whiskies in the Bowmore lineup, Bowmore Legend is bottled without an age statement. It tastes younger and leaner than the other expressions, but it still carries the unmistakable flavors and aromas of Islay. On the nose, you’ll find some peat and briny sea air tempered by a bit of sweet honey. Take a sip and taste flavors of zesty lemon, iodine, peat and barley. It finishes short and dry.

Bowmore Legend is a youthful whisky (Scotland drops the ‘e’) from nose to finish. Let it sit in the glass awhile, and you’ll find stronger notes of peat and citrus, but overall, this is very straightforward stuff. That said, it’s also very drinkable and an easy-going introduction to Islay whiskies. While Bowmore’s older expressions, and certainly those from Ardbeg and Laphroaig, are bursting with smoke and salt, Bowmore Legend is relatively tame.

If you want something complex and contemplative, reach for a different bottle. But for a simple weekday whisky, the friendly and affordable Bowmore Legend should do the trick.

Stats:
- 40% Alcohol by Volume
- $28

Like that? Drink this:
- Bowmore 12-Year Scotch Whisky
- Springbank 10-Year Scotch Whisky
- The Dalmore Scotch Whisky