Tastes

Saw this at a non-Alaska price for the first time and decided to give it another shot. I was hoping for a rich, creamy, interesting drink I could have while I cycled between Scotch, bourbons and rye. I guess 2 out of 3 isn't all bad. My original review from several years back still stands true today, with a few minor variations; It smells very light and floral on the nose, like honeysuckle on the vine, then meanders to vanilla. The mouthfeel is still very creamy, and the palate is still sadly one-note (sweet honey) and boring. No real finish to speak of. It's smooth, unobtrusive, inoffensive, and just pretty ok. I tried to like it more than I do, but this will be my last bottle. Maybe it's time to bring cognac and Armagnac back into my rotation...

No matter how much I could have hyped this in advance, I would have been unprepared for the experience. It smells like a tray of hot caramel cinnamon rolls; dry, yeasty, sweet, sugary, vanilla. The taste is all of that and so much more. It starts rich and sweet, led by brown sugar, caramel and vanilla, but then leads to a surprise snap of dill and mint (and rosemary?) Before turning just ever so slightly dry and woody. Finish is more mint and a bit of oak, leaving a very nice numbness on the cheek and gums for several minutes. Incredible. This is without question the best bourbon I've ever had.

Batch 18-02, at 55.45% ABV. The bottle has been open about 45 days, and is roughly 3/4 empty. This taste is from a glencairn, after resting for 20 minutes. The nose starts as expected, opening with vanilla and leading to a newly-cut field of hay containing a large stand of fresh honeysuckle, before throwing a curveball in the form of Play-Doh and a dash of grape bubblicious. Palate is sweeter than my previous bottle, and the mouthfeel is quite a bit heavier, bordering on creamy. It doesn't drink at 55%, displaying vanilla, creme-brulee, honey, and soft caramel. Think Werther's original in a liquid form. The cardamom finally makes an appearance mid-way through, and when the cinnamon arrives right afterward, it plays a supporting role to the much softer, less in-your-face, cast. There's also a very interesting thread reminiscent of English breakfast tea running throughout the whole sip, tying everything together before fading in the close. And the close is where we finally find a bit of astringency and wood; but it's far from objectionable, working well to balance the sweetness and spice with just enough dryness to make it not cloying. Finish is nice and clean, albeit slightly short, with the caramel lingering before the breakfast tea reappears to dry the mouth in preparation for the next sip. This was a night and day difference from my last bottle, and one that I'll probably buy again in the future.

Glencairn, no water, almost empty 1.75L that's been open for 4 months. First time I've found a bottle in something like 6 years, and I'd forgotten how much I like this stuff. Nose is dictionary bourbon: Vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, and oak. A few minutes to let it open up and you're rewarded with a hint of plum and cherry. Great stuff, and fortunately the nose carries through to the palate, with a smooth syrupy sweetness coating everything before it sorts itself into caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, cardamom, oak, and dark fruits. Finish gets ever so slightly bitter and oaky, but it's not objectionable, and goes a long way to not making this seem overly sweet. This has been one of my standard-bearers for bourbon under $40 and it remains so today, despite the distribution shenanigans and secondary market nonesense.

Glenacairn, no water, bottle less than 3 months old. Nose is sweet and hot at the same time, with a surprising amount of corn. Time and judicious distance reveal caramel and a tinge of menthol, almost like someone opened a tube of Tiger Balm in the next room over. Palate is heat forward, with a burst of cinnamon followed by the briefest flash of caramel and vanilla, then more cinnamon heading to a pronounced drying. Finish is short and woody. I enjoy Blanton's, and Elmer T. Lee is a personal favorite. I can find the resemblance, but it's faint, like you can see how a VW Beetle is related to a Porsche 911...some of the curves are there, but they're not really developed yet, and performance is drastically different. Same goes here; this isn't bad bourbon, but it's also nothing to write home about.

Had this at the Carolina Country Music Festival. Can't really rate the nose as it was from a 6oz plastic cup, but the palate was spicy and interesting, with a lot more wood than I had expected. Finish was medium-short and hotter than expected, but not at all unpleasant. This bears further tasting in a proper environment...

And another surprise from Canada. I guess I shouldn't be shocked when Canadian whiskey doesn't all taste like standard Crown Royal, but to find this richness of flavor and depth of character in more than a few forces me to reconsider my general malaise for the style. Don't let this one sit in the glass too long or the nose will whither quite rapidly. On fresh pour though, it is awash in baking spices and sawdust, all blended well and playing nicely together. No stand-outs, nothing that needs to have the edges knocked down a bit, and while it's not overly complex, it is enticing. Palate is warm and mouth-coating from front to back. Rich sweetness reminiscent of fresh caramels, with just that hint of buttery oiliness, and then the baking spices come back. Mostly vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon, but a subtle thread of white pepper and ginger add a welcome touch of heat that keeps the dram interesting. Heading to the finish that heat grows just a little too much, and the first touch of dryness works hard to overpower the wonderfully fresh apple pie that somehow appeared from nowhere. Dryness fades on the start of the finish allowing a good bit of wood, leather and tobacco to pop in for a quick hello before it returns and leaves you with a very pleasant maple/vanilla tingle. I don't think it's a 94 nor is it my favorite of the rich Canadian blends, but this is a solid drink, and at a very reasonable price.