Tastes

Old Forester Single Barrel - Barrel Proof from Wine Palace of Livonia Michigan. Coming in at 129.2 proof. The color on this is a nice brown horse saddle bag color, would make for a great watch band or leather belt. The nose is what you’d expect from a high proofed aged bourbon, leather, sweet tobacco, with a light apricot and vanilla smell. For 129.2 there isn’t a strong booze smell at all Man that first sip is a toffee cream soda, mid palate you get the proof, but comes with a nice long cake batter finish. Think about licking the spoon and all of the sweetness of that raw egg, sugar, and flour just dancing. Man the second sip is a hitter, hard to find anything you wouldn’t like about this high proofed bourbon. The next rodeo gives yield to golden raisins and very light black licorice. Great mouthfeel, slightly oily. If it was only a little thicker maybe inky, it would be perfect. This one hits so many of my marks, no doubt.

The color of this is a wonderful golden brass color, similar to the color found in winter wheat and other harvest grains. The nose is sweet with hints of baking spice, little to no alcohol on the nose. The first sip is a bit of a jolt of spice and alcohol vapor. Light airy mouthfeel. The second sip and this really opens up, notes of clove, pears, and dark fruit / plumb. The finish isn’t so long that you can wait a long time for another sip, but long enough that you can appreciate it and enjoy the lingering notes.

The nose has cooked meat (think beef jerky more than bbq) with hints of pepper and oak. The color on this is a deee chocolate walnut. The first sip highlights a surprisingly light mouth feel with hints of dark chocolate (unsweetened). The second sip hits with chocolate malt, black pepper, and a mouth drying tannic finish. It’s better than many stouted bourbons I’ve had. But not a hitter.

Nose: tight like a soccer moms leggings on a cold fall morning. Wisps of grain / wheat with small hints of alcohol. Hard to believe with the ABV of 53.25. Boom out of the gate nice viscosity and sweet notes of vanilla, spring grass and wild flowers with a soothing caramel (not your grandparents hard candy). Nickel and dime you for a ride this whiskey does not. It has a nice long finish.

Nose is different, like a smokeless scotch. Malty with some grassy notes The first sip shows a nice and think / full but not oily mouthfeel. Second sip notes of chocolate/coffee with walnut oatmeal, hints of dried orange slightly bitter (but in a good way)

This wheated bourbon has a golden gram / honey yeast fragrance with a light alcohol note on the nose. First sip thin mouth feel and little hints of cereal and honey. Second sip this opens WAY up simple but enjoyable Kellogg’s Raisin Bran meets honey sugar smacks. Maybe even a little cinnamon roll. This cereal sugar bomb has a very satisfying long finish. Shouldn’t go out and run this down but wouldn’t kick it out of bed either.

Banana and fruit on the nose clearly not a high proof very little alcohol on the nose. First sip impressions is that the mouthfeel is thin, but you get sour apple / raisins. The second sip opens up farther with baking spice and good and plenty candy. With all that flavor it unfortunately falls flat fast an extremely short finish.

Wonderful nose with hints of fresh fruit and fall conditioned leather. The color in the dram is much darker than expected almost a fine Brazil nut color. The mouthfeel is lighter than expected but has a wonderful flavor even on the first sip. You get fruit forward notes like blueberry and raspberry turning to caramel and apricot. The finish is LONG and enjoyable, hints of white raisins and baking spice. A great dram for sure!

Wow… unique doesn’t even begin to describe this. On the mouth it’s like getting rice crispy with black anise. The finish is a nice ride but pretty funky with notes of berries and stone fruit.

The nose is tight but man this is a hitter, at 69.3 proof the flavors come at you hard. Heavy dark chocolate, toffee, and coffee hints. The finish is LONG chewing on this for a little while yields additional hints of honey, and hints of grass. Really hard to believe it’s 24 months old.