Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/68310
90 Brinley Gold Rum, St. Kitts ($18) Rich sweet coconut nose; sweet, silky and showing authentic, creamy coconut cream and ripe, smooth rum; lush, spiced and offering a welcome kick of alcohol heat. Shipwreck Coconut BRINLEY & CO. Rye Whiskey, USA ($46) Lovely nose 93 of grain, spice and toasted oak; smooth, mellow and charming with lush, rich and spicy fl avors; lovely, full-fl avored and long with balance, style and depth. CAPITAL BRANDS/THE TENNESSEE SPIRITS CO. 92 ($22) Warm, hay, lemon and bready nose; smooth, lush and mellow with vanilla and soft oak with notes of lemon peel and spice; lovely and long. BEAM INC. Kilbeggan Blended Irish Whiskey, Ireland 93 Single Malt Aged Oak Edition, Scotland ($44) Gentle and elegant with fragrant, sweet Tullibardine Highland Breakout Premium 89 Whiskey, Netherlands ($25) A blend of Irish and American whiskies, shipped to Holland where natural Irish apple fl avors are added. Light amber color; soft apple nose; clean and juicy with natural fruit tannins; fresh, pleasant, smooth and refreshing with easy-going style. Mickey Finn Irish Apple Flavored BABCO IMPORTS 96 ($240) Smooth and lush with toasted apple, oak, vanilla and spice; complex and mellow with lovely creamy texture and long, rich fl avors; balanced, complex and deep. Christian Drouin Calvados Pays d'Auge 1982, France ANCHOR DISTILLERS 92 94 Landy V.S.O.P. Cognac, France ($30) Medium amber color; smooth, toasted nose with notes of dried fruits; lush, smooth and rich with mellow fl avors of sweet oak, creamy caramel and lovely dried pears and oranges; elegant, delicate and charming with a long, sensuous fi nish with just a slight bit of heat. W. J. DEUTSCH & SONS Méthode, France ($30) Deep amber color; creamy texture; lush and sweet with lovely bitter Curaçao orange peel and soft, elegant cognac; smooth and harmonious with luscious fl avors and a hint of pepper and vanilla; exquisite. COGNAC FERRAND Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne The Tasting Panel Magazine's 96 vanilla and crème brûlée tones on the nose; butter, honey, tea and luscious dried citrus add to the lovely, feminine fl avors; gorgeous, creamy style. TOTAL BEVERAGE SOLUTION 88 Tap 357 Rye Whisky, Canada ($30) Nose of maple sugar, toasted oak and spice; smooth and creamy with maple sugar and wood fl avors; clean, suave and mellow; sweet and charming. VAN GOGH IMPORTS Canadian Maple Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland ($60) Islay malts, with their peaty, smoky, medicinal fl avors, are certainly not for everyone. Novices may want to stick to Speyside, but for scotch afi ciondaos, Islay malts are prized above all other whiskies. I am a huge fan of drams from the Laphroaig distillery in particular. Laphroaig in this origial cask strength (112.6 proof) version, is rich and seaweedy, with a peat-fi re nose. On the palate, it comes on toasty, smoky and briny, with heady notes of iodine and tar as well as sweet vanilla. This whisky is stunningly complex but homogeneous, with lush and beautifully focused fl avors. Delicious and completely amazing. Laphroaig 10 Year Old Original Cask BEAM INC. SEAL OF EXCELLENCE june 2012 / the tasting panel / 63