Tastes

I have been wanting to review this for a while now but between work and life, I have not been able to do it. This is the third spirit I have reviewed from 13th Colony and it is a different animal from the Sour Mash bourbon and should be treated as such. It's a dark liquid in the bottle and in the Glencairn and it coats the sides of the glass nicely. The nose is sweet with vanilla, caramel, and something else like brown sugar or maple. The body is very nice. It has a great big flavor and clings to the inside of your mouth like molasses but it also brings the heat with it. This bourbon is 95 proof and it can taste hotter than its 105 proof cousin the 13th Colony Sour Mash Bourbon that I reviewed earlier. The finish is a little bit astringent and sharp but not unpleasant. The flavor lingers in your mouth for a long time and it is something that I really enjoy about the two 13th Colony bourbons. This is sadly not very easy to find but I have begun to see it in South Carolina and in central North Carolina around Fayetteville. If you see a bottle of this or the Sour Mash and you like big flavor bourbon then buy a bottle of this and try it. Where I found it in south Georgia it was $40 a bottle but I finally found it in my area for $35 a bottle and at that price it is a regular buy for me.

I received this Bourbon as a late Father's Day gift from my wonderful wife. I gave her a choice of Belle Meade Small Batch, Johnny Drum Private Stock, and Old Forester Signature 100 Proof. She chose the JD as it was the middle-priced one and I have not had it either. I opened it that day and poured some into a Glencairn and was not real happy with the flavor it tasted of musty oak and vanilla that had a sourness to it. So I closed the bottle for a week or so and tried it again. In the time since this has been one of the best big and bold bourbons, I have ever had. I can taste the dry dusty wood and musty orange that BDanner described below. This is bottled by Willett but to me, it has flavors like Woodford Reserve. The body is really nice with the sweetness and light spiciness that is different from many other bourbons. The finish is wonderful and long with the oak and orange with vanilla or caramel lingering. I have shared this with many friends and while most like it some say it is too hot for them and I agree this is hot but in a good way. The flavors never get washed away with ice or water. This is a bold and different bourbon and for the price, it is a wonderful drink. In my area, it is in the low $30s and is becoming more common to see. I highly recommend this bourbon and if it did not have to be aired out I would have rated it a touch higher. Enjoy.

Once more into the sea of Scotch. Glenlivet 12-year-old is a solid welcome to scotch liquid that is found nearly everywhere that sells spirits and the quality is very consistent through the different bottles I have tried. ( Two small, a pint, and a 750ml.) This scotch grew on me as I drank it with my dad and later some friends. It still has the sharpness I associate with scotch but it is a manageable sharpness and with a touch of water or a few small cubes of ice it is actually quite pleasant to drink. The nose is light some fruit and some sweetness there is also some vanilla as well. The body is nice is a bit thin. It is warm and fairly smooth with vanilla and some wood. The finish is light and ends quickly with some wood and lingering sweetness. Overall, this is a nice entry-level scotch to try in my opinion and it will not break the bank. I have read that it has a "generic Speyside" profile and I am not sure what that means. This scotch makes a very nice High ball for a hot June day and for a scotch novice like myself its flavors do not overpower anything when I drink it. Glenmorangie 10yr is still the best tasting scotch I have had so far and a number of people have given me suggestions on the next ones to try and I am slowly getting to those. Lastly, on a personal note, I have read more harsh reviews about this scotch than any others to date and I am amazed by some of the language describing the liquid. I say drink what you want and what you can afford. Enjoy.

I bought this a few months ago and had a few drinks from it and put it somewhere safe and forgot about it. So when I was cleaning out some boxes I found it again and now it is time to review it. When I first tried this it reminded me of Henry McKenna BiBbut as the bottle has been opened it is something different. I know it is produced by Willett but I have very little exposure to it the brand. It is a solid Bourbon and is a pleasure to drink but it is not subtle it is a big flavored adventure. In the glass, I find notes of oak, vanilla, and a bit of sweet citrus maybe orange blossom honey but that is very faint. The body is where it is at. The sweetness is there but it is not overwhelming. The vanilla becomes creamy and blends with the oak char to make a baked dessert-like flavor. I really enjoyed the body of this Bourbon and when a bit of ice or water is added then the flavor becomes even nicer. The finish is fairly long with some spice and dryness but it does get a bit hot again not unpleasant but it lets you know it is a higher proof Bourbon. It is under $30 in my area but I do not remember how much I paid for it and I have not seen it in my local store. Between $20 to $30 it is a very good choice for your bar, however, if the price goes up too much then it is a no for me. I like Old Bardstown Estate and if my local store restocks it I will continue to buy it. Enjoy.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, I did some social distancing by having a blind tasting at home. My wife poured four samples of Henry McKenna BiB, 13th Colony Sour Mash Bourbon, Very Old Barton BiB, and Russell 10yo. The tasting was very fun and very informative. While the Russell did not win it nearly did. The flavors were very pleasant the color is dark amber and coats the sides of the glass nicely. The nose is sweet and not just a little sweet. I smelled vanilla, caramel, or toffee were right there when you first inhale. The body is amazing the sweetness mellows quickly into a holiday like taste with some spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. The flavor lasts a long time and it is great. I was very impressed with how long the flavors were in my mouth and while there was some heat the burn was not harsh. This is a quite robust 90 proof bourbon and was very surprised when compared to higher proof Bourbons. I will continue to have this in my bar. Enjoy.