Tasting Reviews

2026-02 Stan W.

Had a great gig put together by Stan at his domicile. Beautifully prepped nibbles and bits that went perfectly together with the tastings.


Round 1: Royal Brackla 12 Year Old

Cost: $106 CDNRegion: Highland

Fun Facts:

  • The Highland playground of the Cawdor Estate has been home to our distillery since 1812. Surrounded by rugged mountains, hidden glens, and nourished by pure spring water, this awe-inspiring landscape shapes the spirit of Royal Brackla. It all began with Captain William Fraser, a man determined to do things his own way: growing his own barley, securing his independence, and crafting a whisky fit for the Royal table. In 1833, his whisky became the first Scotch to receive a Royal Warrant from King William IV.

NSC Comments:

  • Colour: Copper to Amber
  • Nose: Fruity, Chocolate, Nutty, Light
  • Palate: Smooth, Creamy, Fruity, Chocolate
  • Finish: Long, with a sharp drop
  • Drinkability: 6.5, 6.4, 7.0, 6.2, 6.3, 6.8, 6.2
  • Notes: After water better
    • Nice but not exciting
    • Little complexity, but changes for the better with H20

Round 2: Glen Garioch – Virgin Oak No.2

Cost: $129 CDNRegion: Highland

Fun Facts:

  • One of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland – Glen Garioch (pronounced Geery) in the ancient Doric dialect still spoken in these parts has been making its mighty malt in the quaint and historic market town of Oldmeldrum, near Aberdeen in North East Scotland, ever since 1797. Shielded from the world’s prying eyes, deep in the fertile ‘Granary of Aberdeenshire’, and only ever produced in small, precious batches, Glen Garioch is a rare find indeed, but warmly appreciated by those who like a hearty Highland malt, non chill-filtered as nature intended, with a wholesome maltiness, honeyed sweetness and delicious creamy texture to savour.

NSC Comments:

  • Colour: Copper to Gold
  • Nose: Fruity, Spicy, Peaty, Chocolate
  • Palate: Fruity, Spicy, Creamy, Oily, Pepper
  • Finish: Long
  • Drinkability: 7.3, 7.0, 6.5, 7.6, 6.8, 6.75, 6.8
  • Notes: Tasty!
    • Great finish, better with water as well
    • Too much burn at the end
    • Nice scotch with more complexity

Bonus Round: Glenglassaugh 12 Year Old

Cost: $105 CDNRegion: Highland

Fun Facts:

NSC Comments:

  • Colour: Mahogany to Copper
  • Nose: Fruity, Light, Spicy
  • Palate: Smooth, Woody, Powerful, Sweet, Peppery
  • Finish: Long
  • Drinkability: 6.2, 6.5, 6.0, 7.3, 6.6, 6.2
  • Notes: Burn kills off the flavour of the scotch