1 | Spirits | Scotland Misc, $50 to $100

"Pure amber color. Buttered toast and grain, buckwheat honey, and mossy stone aromas. A silky entry leads to a dryish medium body of honey buttered wheat toast, roasted nuts, dried banana, and peppery spice. Finishes with a lingering toffee, wet stone, and spice fade. A rock solid blend."

"This amber blend of 15 whiskies, each aged at least 18 years, yields a mellow, balanced mix of sweet caramel, raisin and smoky notes, all lingering and pleasing. Serve chilled, possibly as a dessert pairing."

"The nosing finds dry grainy notes with background scents of dried flowers and parchment, and deeper fragrances of light toffee, almond paste and yellow fruit. Entry is oily, buttery and semisweet; the whisky dazzles at midpalate with layered flavors of brown butter, cooking oil, barley malt and oatmeal cookie underpinned by the single malt foundation. Concludes smoky, satiny and ultra-sophisticated." 90-95 pts.

"The wonderful bouquet includes scents of bacon fat, honey, orange rind with deeper smells of black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla bean and pipe tobacco. Entry is silky smooth, semisweet, concentrated and honeyed; the midpalate offers grainy sweet, yet spicy, tangy, fruity, nutty and floral tastes. The oak element really emerges in the aftertaste, ideally completing this sensational blended Scotch. One of the finest blended Scotches in the world." 96-100 pts.

"Amber color. Cocoa, roasted nuts, and a touch of ash on the nose. A soft entry leads to a dryish medium body of honeyed multigrain toast, cocoa-dusted figs, and brown spices. Finishes with a lingering peppery honey, wet grain, and ashy mineral fade. nice layers of flavor and complexity make for thought-provoking sipping."

"Clear. Polished aromas of fresh citrus, herbal juniper, flower petal and cucumber follow through on bright, silky entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with violet, lavender, and pink peppercorn notes resonating brightly. Finishes with a delicate sweet citrus custard pastry, spice, potpourri, and mineral fade all in fine balance. A delightfully fruity, floral nouveau gin for artisan cocktails."

A marriage of three different single malts, aged in American and French oak. This whisky shows the advantage of marrying whiskies from more than one distillery (when properly done). Vibrant, with a complex array of fruit (orchard fruit, sultana), sweetness (light toffee, marzipan, honeyed malt), spice (creamy vanilla, mocha, warming pepper), smoke (tar, smoked olive, coal), and lesser notes of toasted almond and beach pebbles. More smoke and tar on the palate than the nose, yet always in balance. Well played!

"Pale golden color. Sweet clover honey, heather, and peat aromas. A soft, yet rich, entry leads to a sweetish medium-full body with caramel, orange peel, raw honey, toast, vibrant peat and pepper flavors. Finishes with a honeycomb, iodine, and toasty grain fade. Very drinkable, exquisitely balanced, and approachable with vibrant, but (despite the name) not dominant peatiness."