[Scotch Log] Tormore 12

Scotch: Tormore 12
Region: Speyside
Malt: Single Malt, 12 years
Price: uh. $40?
Proof: 80

I picked this scotch up because I was having a bad day, and happened to be near a liquor store. Which, as intros go, isn't the possible lead-in. However, the speed at which we went through this bottle is a testament to its numminess. After breaking into it that evening, Pyrona managed to sneak about half of this bottle before I even noticed and caught up.

Color: Light yellowy-orange.

Nose: caramel and spun sugar, cinnamon, with oak highlights. This nose is quite robust, and despite the sweet sounding adjectives it's still unmistakably scotchy.

Taste: Powdered sugar, apples or apple blossoms. This is a low-peat, very wet, almost slurpable easy drinking scotch. Like many of our favorite Speysides, it's unchallenging for daily drinking but complex enough to stay interesting. The bottle tells us "toasted almonds, citrus, and barley sugar". We're calling bullshit on the citrus, but the toasted almond rings true. Pyrona says it's... marzipanny. No lie.

Overall: I'll happily grab another bottle of this. Although it might not quench my thirst for a strong, throat-burning scotch, it's a great sip for a quick quaff on a weekday.

[Rum Log] Zaya Gran Reserva

Rum: Zaya Gran Reserva, 12 year
Price: $35
Region: Trinidad
Proof: 80

I by no means consider myself a Rum Connoisseur, even less so than I can call myself a scotch or wine snob - which is saying a lot, considering as how I'm barely a dabbler in either of those. My usual experience with rum involves something cheap and coconutty meeting equal proportions of coke.

And then I met Zaya.

Now, I'm assured that the latest batch of Zaya (from Trinidad, rather than its original Guatemala) is inferior, but I find that hard to fathom. Honestly, if it were any more delicious, I'd be in a bit of trouble.

The rum itself is a really gorgeous dark honey amber color, much darker than even the spiced rums I've seen. Certainly darker than any of my scotches. The scent is overwhelmingly of brown sugar and vanilla - it seems like there's something else hiding underneath, but these two scents are overpowering enough that I can't quite put my finger on it.

The flavor is much like the scent, if more heavily weighted towards the vanilla. It goes down with no sting whatsoever - very warm and smooth. The aftertaste is a little woody with some nice hints of cinnamon.

I tried the Zaya both neat and with a little ice, and I decided the ice is a bit of an insult to it. It waters down the flavors and really detracts from the overall taste. With no ice included there's a bit more sharpness and sting going down, but that's made up for in richness of flavor.

So that's my glowing review... because I really needed to get into expensive rums, in addition to exepensive scotch.

[Scotch Log] The Balvanie 12 Year Old

Scotch: The Balvanie 12 Year
Region: Speyside
Malt: Single Malt
Price: ~$40
Proof: 86

I picked up this bottle primarily because it had a high rating from Wine Spectator posted on the price tag at Total Wine. I am easy like that. I found it quite delicious, and the bottle disappeared much quicker than I think is strictly proper. It was fairly sweet and smooth, and drinking it was a pleasurable and easy experience. This variety is matured in two casks, the first being an oak whiskey (bourbon) cask, the second being a sherry cask. Apparently, this is part of the reason it is so smooth. From my experience with other whiskeys, I tend to agree that sherry casks are all for the good.

Color: As you can see from the picture, the color is a light amber.
Nose: I am not gonna lie to you, I honestly do not remember. The Balvenie website tells me that it is sweet with honey and vanilla flavors.
Taste: Fairly sweet and nutty.... pretty mellow. The finish was not the longest I have had, but it stuck around long enough to give me a nice warm feeling.

Overall Impressions: A very tasty Scotch for the money, this is one I will definitely purchase again, and it is mellow enough that it will be my recommendation to my friends who are interested in trying out Scotch.