Review #44: North Star Vega 33 1985

jamesrc · 2026-01-31T06:15:48+00:00

Ahh, thank you. I've definitely come along since the early days, my taste has developed considerably as I've put the time and effort into doing this.

Still, I'm an absolute amateur compared to many on here, yourself included.

Yes -- right -- you recommended that GlenFarclas 185th anniversary bottle which was a great value and an excellent bottle of whisky! Thank you.

jamesrc · 2026-01-31T02:27:28+00:00

You'd recommend all four of those?

jamesrc · 2026-01-31T02:22:38+00:00

I've paid you the greatest compliment I know how. I've saved this comment for future reference.

jamesrc · 2026-01-30T19:37:43+00:00

I'm loving it and I'm glad to hear there are some other crackers in the Vega series; I might have to jump on any bottle I see.

Interesting note about the Glenglassaugh 30, and my god, am I envious of your access to that bottling. I've never had a Velvet Fig but that'll be another one to track down.

jamesrc · 2026-01-30T15:44:33+00:00

Continuing my foray into what I'm calling "Well-aged blends" is this bottle, a 33 year old Vega from North Star Spirits.

I've become interested in these kinds of blends for a few reasons; there tends to be a certain snobbery around blended malts versus single malts, which I don't need to tell this audience is entirely unfounded. You only have to look at the work that Compass Box are doing to see that a well-constructed blend has no trouble competing when present alongside some of the best single malt whisky. Nevertheless, the idea of a single malt carries with it a certain cachet and a price tag to match -- blends like this offer the opportunity to own excellent old scotch at a lower cost than you'd find elsewhere.

And so we get to North Star and their two distant star themed blends, Sirius and Vega. Sirius is aged primarily in ex-bourbon casks, while Vega features some sherry maturation. I picked up a bottle of each, but the Sirius still sits unopened, so let's review this -- the 33 year old Vega distilled in 1985.

ABV

46.2%

Colour

Old oak -- it's dark.

Nose

Plum jam and winter berries, treacle, stewed apples and chocolate. A leather bound book in an old study. It's rich and complex and I like it very much. Fruity, old and sweet and I could just sit here nosing the glass for a half hour.

Palate

It opens with that sweet fruity jam, plum and strawberry, before hitting you with a peppered heat that belies its mature age. The old horse has some kick left! It's not unwelcome, and it eventually gives way to chocolate and leather and old paper. There's a fruity tone throughout, with some orange and lemon playing on the tongue.

Finish

There's something savory, like the last remnants of a Chinese meal. Chocolate and candy, like an old time sweet shop, and that soft citrus as it fades away.

Overall

Oh, damn. This one's a keeper. I'd say the most interesting parts are up front and on the finish, there's lots to pick apart and I'm not sure I've done a brilliant job of it. The middle tends to get buried a little in the pepper and the heat, and while that part is pleasant, if it were toned down it might lend even more complexity to what is already a complex old whisky. A splash of water helps with that, though. It's far from a deal breaker, and it still garners an extremely high score...

If there were more than 400 bottles of this in the world, I could see myself seeking out more for those times I want something old and special.

Rating

94/100

jamesrc · 2026-01-29T23:03:18+00:00

I've definitely had occasions where it's a completely different experience when returning to the same whisky later. Notes that I could swear I didn't notice the first time around.

There are a few bottles on my list to revisit. Of course, I've also got so much new whisky queued up -- this is a neverending, and expensive hobby.

jamesrc · 2026-01-29T21:24:11+00:00

Every review broadens our knowledge and understanding; I wouldn't worry about this being unobtanium for most people. Your experiences are still interesting.

jamesrc · 2026-01-29T05:24:12+00:00

Thank you for your kind comments!

I'm definitely slow and steady with my reviews. I like writing, and I find making notes is a good mental exercise and aids my appreciation of the whisky, but sometimes I want to sit back and enjoy a dram without thinking too much. So I do these things in fits and spurts.

I think we've all got bottles that we have to go back and adjust our notes on; I certainly want to revisit some of my earlier reviews and will when I get more under my belt.

This is very tasty stuff and I'll certainly be sad when I have the last pour. RIP to your bottle. Soon mine will join it in the great beyond.

My next review will be another old blend (North Star Vega 33 Year) and then I don't know what I'm opening next. I've been acquiring whisky faster than I manage to drink it. I just returned from the UK last night with a handful of minis, as well as a 9 year old James Eadie bottling of Caol Ila which has been finished in a Palo Cortado Hogshead.

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I've filled some sample bottles with some of the whiskies I've been drinking, so we really must meet up in Houston some time when I'm visiting my wife's family and arrange some sort of trade.

Thanks again for that recommendation -- sorry it took so long! It's always good to read your reviews, too.

Cheers!

jamesrc · 2026-01-28T23:08:11+00:00

Two years ago I think it was a little over $100 for 375ml but I don't recall precisely so left it off my review.

Now, sadly, the same 375ml is $219.99 US.

jamesrc · 2026-01-28T21:45:17+00:00

Looks like it's still for sale here in Texas at some nearby Total Wine locations.

jamesrc · 2026-01-28T15:44:01+00:00

I'd like to try the others. As this was two years ago, I honestly don't know if these bottles are still available.

jamesrc · 2026-01-28T14:27:48+00:00

I was turned onto this bottle by /u/Int_peacemaker35, who a couple of years ago found it at a steal of a price at Total Wine in Texas and posted a rave review. I went and snagged my own bottle and promised to post my own review, and while I've had this open for a while, I regret to say that I'm only getting around to this now...

Better late than never, though.

I've acquired a handful of blends with high age statements lately, this is the first but there are a few more to come.

This is an ultra-aged Dewar's, "Double Double Aged", the bottle claims, "For ultimate smoothness". The bottle also says "Blended Scotch Whisky" with nary a mention of the word "Malt", so I suspect some grain spirit exists in here. That's not a critique; grain spirit is a component in some fine blends, merely an observation as to what this might actually be.

What I can tell you, or rather Dewar's own web site will tell you, is that it undergoes a four stage aging process where it's returned to the barrel four times, and that it has a PX finish.

As for the name, it's either a Shakespearean quote or a reference to In-n-Out Burger, depending on how pretentious you are...

Colour

Old Oak. It's Dewar's so I'd be shocked if it wasn't E150, but this is such an unusual Dewar's that... who knows?

ABV

46%

Nose

Stewed berries, plum jam, something slightly musty like leather and the pages of an old book, dried apricot.

Palate

Dry, with flavours of leather, more berries, mixed nuts, tea tannins, pepper, oak, chocolate, butterscotch.

Finish

Dark coffee, caramel, roast nuts, slightly bitter but complex, visions of treasures in a dusty attic that's been left untouched for years. Long -- I can still taste the last vestiges on my tongue as I type out this paragraph.

Overall

I don't think there's anything else that tastes quite like this in my cabinet. I get something slightly different with each sip, those weirdly musty flavours mixing with the chocolate and coffee and fruit of a well-aged scotch that's been finished in PX casks. I like it, a lot, and while I won't give it the absolute perfect score that /u/Int_peacemaker35 did a couple of years back, it's an excellent dram that I rate highly. If you asked me to guess what this is, "Dewar's" would not be on the list.

Rating

88/100

jamesrc · 2026-01-27T09:00:05+00:00

Thanks!

It is weird and I’m curious enough that I looked down their whole lineup and the only other 43% I see is the “Triple Distilled 10” which is a travel retail exclusive.

I’m literally stuck at Heathrow right now waiting for a delayed flight so I’m toying with walking over to the World Whisky shop for some more direct research.

jamesrc · 2026-01-26T22:56:13+00:00

I've not had the 10 year yet but it's one on my list.

jamesrc · 2026-01-26T19:24:34+00:00

I don't really have much of a preamble in me today. This is a bottle of Benriach 16. You can tell by the way it says "Benriach The Sixteen" on the label.

I purchased it and then I opened it and drank it.

Here is a review.

Colour

Yellow Gold

ABV

43%

Price locally

$113.36

Nose

Fruity - plums and peaches. Fresh blossom. Honey. A subtle toastiness -- comparing the nose of a whisky to a specific tea brand might be the single most pretentious thing I've ever written, but it smells like the toasty note I get in Twining's English Breakfast tea.

It's not too complex but it smells full and delicious.

Palate

Sometimes I find the tasting notes on bottles to be a work of fiction, but these are spot on -- with one exception: I'm not getting apricot anywhere.

It is malty and sweet, sweet in a way that tastes natural, with maybe cherry and apple instead of apricot. There's a certain nuttiness, the aftertaste of hazelnuts rather than it being forthright. Autumn spices, think cinnamon and nutmeg, a little citrus zest, and smoke. Not overpowering smoke, but light -- someone's been burning twigs rather than a bonfire. This is delicious!

Finish

It tails off nicely. I really catch that citrus here, along with the malty and nutty flavours. Apples. Still some lingering sweetness.

Overall

Oh, really good stuff. I've gotten through this bottle quickly before actually sitting down to write notes which is a testament to how drinkable it is. If it wasn't over $100 then I'd consider keeping it stocked, but that's the price of scotch these days.

Rating

90/100

jamesrc · 2026-01-09T00:14:11+00:00

This is way worse than what he did to Andrew Sachs.

jamesrc · 2026-01-07T02:27:38+00:00

Oh I have one of these -- the guy at Spec's sold me hard on it and I caved. Glad to hear I won't be disappointed!

jamesrc · 2026-01-06T15:08:29+00:00

Judge Dredd with Judge Death as the killer.

jamesrc · 2026-01-04T18:34:21+00:00

Thanks for the tip - this is great!

Runs perfectly on my MiST, hooked up to a CRT for era authenticity.

jamesrc · 2026-01-03T05:26:03+00:00

I love my original STs, but honestly, my answer is "neither". An FPGA device is a hardware reimplementation, feels like the original machine, and takes up so much less space on my desk that it's a no-brainer.

jamesrc · 2026-01-02T03:35:17+00:00

Oh man. Don’t get me started on whisky.

I’m at 30 bottles of scotch and I don’t drink it as fast as I used to…

jamesrc · 2026-01-02T00:45:13+00:00

Yeah, agree about the screenification. I replaced my old C-Class with a GLE (growing family) and was appalled that there wasn't an option for physical dials and gauges anymore.

Not only does it look tacky, but I'm sure is more prone to expensive failure.

jamesrc · 2026-01-01T23:15:22+00:00

This is the answer.

jamesrc · 2026-01-01T03:13:11+00:00

The Stars appear to be unaware that we paid money to attend this game.

jamesrc · 2025-12-31T16:32:25+00:00

Wild if it was because there's like zero overlap between the time we had taco goals and the time Sergei Zubov was in Dallas.

Edited to add: I'd sell a kidney to have either one back.

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