Tastes

Nose: Maple syrup, cherry, honey, almond extract, and fair amount of alcohol Palate: Honey sweetness up front, but then nothing but cherry hard candy Finish: The cherry carries on forever, then finally fades into sweet oak Overall: Not super complex but still really enjoyable. If I could actually find this I could see this as a perfect nightly sipper. I was on the fence between a 4 or a 3.75, but the availability decided it for me.

Nose: Yeasty raisin bread, milk chocolate, musty oak, classic balcones funk Palate: Stale black coffee, almost a soapy taste, dark fruit, burnt toast Finish: Pretty long, the flavor reminds me of the aftertaste from eating an espresso bean Overall: Very unique. I’ve never had a rye with any of these flavors. Having said that, I think I may have found a balcones I don’t really care for... and I LOVE balcones.

Nose: Cherry cola, butterscotch, vanilla, almond extract, buttery caramel, and sweet oak, a fair amount of heat but mostly in the background Palate: Everything from the nose translates to the palate, the palate is much rich than on the nose with almost a creamy texture, the alcohol tingle almost feels like the effervescence from actual cola Finish: A very long, cherry almond finish. This is one where the flavor goes on forever. One pour could last for hours. Overall: So much bourbon for the price. If this was even somewhat available it would be the best value on the market. It's definitely my favorite whiskey to date.

Nose: Tons of cinnamon and vanilla, peanut, caramel, orange (more of orange slice candy) Palate: Same cinnamon and vanilla from the nose, oak (like an old aged oak), honey sweetness Finish: Starts with peanut and fades into the same orange from the nose Overall: Really does taste like an amped up 101, and for an equal value in my opinion.

Store pick Nose: Berries and cream lifesavers, vanilla ice cream, banana, baking spice (maybe clove?) Palate: Strawberry and banana, butter, same baking spice as the nose Finish: Long, starts off with the same bright berry from the palate and fades into a darker cherry Overall: The most unique bourbon I've ever had. Very bright and fresh. The only thing missing for me is a darker (caramel, brown sugar, molasses, etc.) element, but for $53 I'm extremely happy with it!

Nose: grapefruit, chocolate, pumpernickel rye bread Palate: dark chocolate, fresh mint, rye, buttery/creamy caramel Finish: sweet creamy rye lingers on forever Overall: By far the best rye I've ever had. Most ryes I've had just taste like bourbon so having something where the rye stands out so much is really enjoyable. And at $51 this is a steal!

10 M46 Staves Nose: milk chocolate, salty ballpark peanut, brown sugar, creamy caramel, vanilla buttercream after letting it sit for a while Palate: salted caramel, sugary sweetness, creamy Finish: moderate at best, flavors fade fairly quickly but the sticky mouthfeel lasts for a while. Overall: Fantastic nose! Palate is enjoyable but does not hold up to the price, especially when 1) I keep seeing them for $10 less around town, and 2) the lack of variety of staves makes me wonder what could be.

Nose: Butterscotch, roasted peanut, nutmeg (much more after the first sip) Palate: Thin, not as sweet as the nose, the peanut and nutmeg from the nose still come through but are turned down Finish: Moderately long, begins with nutmeg and ends with wood notes Cost : $25/1.75L

Nose: Sweet apple juice, slight ripe peach, caramel apple after the first sip Palate: Slightly less sweet than the nose, apple chips, floral Value: Moderate, Floral, slightly sweet

Taste: Caramel, orange peel, red-hot candy, oak, not very sweet Palate: Thin, light citrus, sweet caramel, dry oak Finish: Moderate, mostly oak, slight orange soda