Tastes

The color is light honey, the nose is boozy but with hints if fresh cut grass, sweet fudge, and toffee. The first sip is warm highlighting the 111 proof but has hints of baking spice, juicy fruit gum or green skittles. The second sip has more banana and nut bread with shelled candy and sunday roast beef. The finish is vibrant and well rounded, however for thr proof the mouthfeel lighter than expected.

J Henrys Wisconsin small batch burbon at 92 proof. The color is a golden brown similar to the brown in my favorite flannel. The nose has deep notes of chocolate and oak. The first sip is light and easy, with the second sip revealing a youthful whiskey with notes oak, all spice, and brown sugar. Not a bad sipper for the age and proof.

RD One Oak and Maple Double Finish light golden color with sweet notes of toffee and maple donut. The first sip has notes of cuban tobacco, maple syrup, and cinnamon. The mouth feel is slightly syrupy like a coke and the finish lingers with a great dose if sweetened tannins.

Part of my 2023 advent calendar, RD One Amburana is a honey like color reminding one about the sweet transition of summer into fall. While a little astringent on the nose there are hints of sweet vanilla and butter cream. The firet sip is a flsvor bomb a little thin in thr mouth but cinnamon toast with a nutmeg baking spice finish. This for those that have had Penelope RIO would find this a lesser sweet version. Delicious and delightful!

Picked up this bottle of Horse and Jockey in St Louis from the ABV bottle shop. The color ok this is a light golden hay, the nose is tight with a slight freshly detailed car smell. The inital sip is very syrupy and sweet with golden rasins, taffy, and maple. The finish is drying (125 proof will do that), and doesnt last forever but its not quick to run away. Overall i look forward to drinking more if this in a month or so after it opens up some.

This store pick was an orphan of a set that was bundled with a Weller Full Proof from Argonaut in Denver Colorado (2023). The color on this is a deep rich walnut. The nose on this has hints of yellow cake and cream cheese frosting. The first sip brings forth a sweet cinnamon aromatic burst. The baking spice lingers with a little bit of florals. The second sip is dryer with deeper tannic oak and leather. This is a well balanced oak bomb, that with a hit of water brings out floral sweetness with rasins, leather, and unsweetened cinnamon gum. Overall not as complex and complementary as one would expect from peerless, but a good pour for sipping on in the fall.

The color on this is a nice copper land rover edition one. The nose is tight and slightly astringent, a clerr note of ethanol. Worh additonal air there are several hints of vanilla and orange zest. The fiert drink is a little hot on the mid palette but you get clear tastes of toffee, citrus, and a nice lasting finish with cinnamon. The mouth feel is excellent given the proof its very buttery and rich.

The color on this is a wonderful copper orange, dressing well with the orange Barrell label. The color reminds me of the first edition copper available from Land Rover. The nose is lighter than expected, sweet notes of light butterscotch, marshmallow, and sweet mellon. The first sip brings a little heat but not what you’d expect from a dram blended from 20% 5 year, 50% 7 year, 20% 10 year, and 10% 17 year whiskeys at 120.48 proof. The second sip has a light viscous nature, shifting to a quick drying sensation in thr mouth. You get rich flavors of maple syrup, molasses, and snickers nuget and carmel. (Think about a Snickers that has no nuts… how awesome is that?). There is a slight black pepper and leather finish. But nothing crazy like you get from 10 year+ oak bombs. Its just the right amount of tannins. There are additional notes of toasted oak, graham cracker, and butter. This drinks very similar to a ECTB but at a higher (but not noticeable proof). This is a dangerous dram, you can easily think this is lower proof based on the mouthfeel and find yourself instantly in trouble. Overall a great pour, if you are a fan of Barrell you won’t be disappointed at all. If you like higer proof and great sweet profiles, you won’t be disappointed. However, for me personally there is a limited complexity to this whiskey its not a flavor bomb, or roller coaster of crazy. Which makes this a very appropriate and approachable whiskey for most drinkers. Lastly, the only thing this whiskey is lacking is a little heavier mouthfeel. For me I personally like a more oily/rich mouthful. Overall 4 out of 5