Tastes

I am about to finish a bottle of Early Times and this is not a bad whiskey and a good deal for the price. For a whiskey that is about $10 a bottle if it is drinkable at all then this is a winner. I do not place this against W. L. Weller or E. H. Taylor but as a "well" whiskey or mixer, it is outstanding. When I sipped this neat it was rough and not pleasant. However, with a little ice, it was drinkable and smoother. I think for the money this is good but overall it is average at best and not as good as Ancient Age or Evan Williams.

After trying the Bird Dog Peach whiskey I was excited to try this but I was disappointed with the Blackberry whiskey. Now the whiskey on its own is not bad but the berry flavor is quite subtle and vanishes when you add ice or water to it. I think this may be good on desserts as a syrup or on ice cream but not as a regular sipper. If you want an outstanding flavored whiskey to try the Peach whiskey from Bird Dog it is outstanding.

I bought this on a recent business trip to North Carolina and I will say that Rock Torre and Chumppunk are correct that this is a good but not great Bourbon. I really wanted to like this Bourbon as I have had friends that this is their goto Bourbon for a special occasion. That being said it is not a bad, tasteless drink. Neat is has a smooth and somewhat bold taste. The vanilla and toasted caramel flavors hit me first and the taste lingers for a little while. When mixed with ice or water the flavors soften and this becomes an easy bourbon to sip. Now for the downside, I bought this on sale for $44 which is cheaper than it is at home. This drink is as good as David Nicholson Reserve or Wild Turkey 101 but it is about 50% more expensive. I know that the two examples I gave are a higher proof but still, they are $29 and $29 in my area. I like the Bourbon but do not think it is worth it even at $40 this would be worth it but no more. I will go back and recheck as I finish the bottle it may get better.

So after several attempts at writing a review of this Bourbon, I am sitting down and making it happen. This is a solid Bourbon that can be found nearly everywhere and is right down the middle in its flavor profile and that is not a bad thing. I was going to compare this with JB While Label but while it is in the family line it is what happens when you leave White Label in longer and don't dilute it as much. This is such a solid drink it should be the first non-wheat bourbon a person being introduced to Bourbon should have. For a wheated Bourbon try Makers Mark or Larceny. Jim Beam Black Label is good in everything I have thrown at it. Neat it is drinkable and smooth with classic Bourbon notes of vanilla, caramel, and wood. It mixes well with coke and ginger ale. It makes a passible Old Fashioned but it does not hold up well in it. Overall, this is such a great drink at its price point I have nothing bad to say about it. Enjoy.

I have been visiting family and one of them offered me a glass of Dewar's White Label and I do not know if it is me or if it is the scotch but I have a rough time drinking this liquid. I tried it neat and it was like drinking a sharp lightly smokey bit of anguish and pain. The face I made when I first drank it was not a good face. I just can't see how people drink this and feel good about themselves. Now my dad reminded me that different strokes for different folks so if you like Dewar's then good on you it is not in my wheelhouse right now. I am still looking for a Scotch to have as an everyday sipper and I will keep looking but this one is a no for me and as I write this I am being offered a glass of Glenmorangie Original so I will try this and see how that goes. If you like it drink it but I will look for something else.

So getting ready for my 50th birthday party and my dad gives me a glass of Glenmorangie 10y to try and I am very surprised by its overall flavor it has a wonderful fruity flavor and some wood. Over ice it is so smooth I am amazed at how easy it goes down. With that being said I still taste the sharpness I associate with all Scotch. With bourbons, I taste soft tones of vanilla and caramel as well as light wood notes. I will continue to try other Scotch brands but this one is not bad and except for the price I would keep this in my bar as a representative of scotch. Enjoy.

Over the last few days, I have been visiting family in GA. During that time some of the Scotch drinkers in the family have been sharing their favorites and/or their go-to bottles with me and I have been sharing my Bourbons and Gins with them. It is one of my favorite ways to have a family reunion. Anyway, my dad brings out this bottle of McClelland's Highlands Single Malt for us to try and it has been sitting for so long that the cork breaks apart and pieces fall into the bottle. After filtering all of the cork out of the scotch and cleaning the bottle we all had a glass before dinner and it was a wonderful surprise. Neat I can taste a nice fruitiness and some wood and maybe smoke. Over ice, it is even better with the sharp taste I associate with scotch smoothed out and some other flavors moving forward. Between this and Glenmorangie 10yr I am beginning to see why people drink scotch. I am looking forward to trying the other 3 McClelland expressions I read the reviews and will add them to the list of scotches to try and hopefully by Christmas I will have 2 or 3 of the bottles to review. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Enjoy.