Tastes

A while back some friends and I got together to taste whiskeys and talk about them. I brought over my bottle of Very Old Barton 80 proof and it was well-received by everyone. A week or so later I get a text from one of the guys there asking if I wanted a different Barton product and he sent me a picture of the wonderful surprise. For $30 for a half-gallon bottle. The bottle itself is big and heavy enough to go bear hunting with. The Bourbon inside is simply amazing. The juice compares very favorably to Henry McKenna BiB and if you can find it is a fraction of the price. The nose is vanilla and caramel and a little bit of wood. As you sip it the flavor lingers in your mouth for a nice while with the flavors lingering well between sips. With water or ice, this mellows very nicely and becomes a great evening drink. This also makes an outstanding Old Fashioned and Manhattan with the flavors of the Bourbon mixing well. Please remember this is 100 proof and don't drink this on an empty stomach as I did and I had to take a nap before supper. I can't recommend this highly enough if you can find this and you are a Bourbon fan this is an outstanding drink for you.

I first want to thank Tango and WhiskeyFunatic for reviewing and recommending this ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL flavored whiskey. Tango is spot on with his description of the whiskey and even his great explanation falls short of this great product. When I opened the bottle it smelled like real peach juice and when poured into a rocks glass the scent of soft whiskey and peaches could be smelled around the glass. Bird Dog has a better flavor and a deeper flavor that Jim Beam Peach. My dad had a bottle of Jim Beam Peach Bourbon on hand and we tried it side by side with Bird Dog and it was no comparison the Bird Dog tasted like real peach juice and the JB was like artificial flavoring. Over ice, it is even better and with the holidays fast approaching try this over soft vanilla ice cream it tastes amazing. Now I know there are some people that will not want to try this because of the flavor but it is an outstanding addition to any bar especially with the holidays and the colder weather coming our way. Enjoy.

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.