Tastes

Neck pour. The nose is the best part with oak and cedar and tobacco followed by cherry, vanilla, and cola. The palate is also reminiscent of a cherry cola. Wonderful, warming, and long finish. Slightly minty. Adding a few drops of water did amplify the cola and cherry flavors. Looking forward to seeing how this is in a few months.

Hazelnut, pecan, almonds and almost amaretto on the nose. Wonderful mouthfeel with a smooth finish that keeps going. More of a nutty flavor than vanilla initially but vanilla alongside the spices on the finish. This makes me want to go back for a second bottle ASAP.

The price and scarcity made this seem like the most exciting find. I’m glad I spent less than $25 versus the $500 is going for where I’m located. Vanilla and caramel on the nose and the flavor made me think of a cranberry orange muffin with a crumbly top (Fresh Market.) The finish really was where it let me down. No heat, no spice, but that should have been expected without rye and at 90 proof. Surprising lack of oak for a 12 year.

Nose: Vanilla and a sort of artificial nut scent Flavor: Peanuts and oak but with a tobacco finish.

Nutty flavor on the front of the palate with a finish of red apples, oak, baking spices and rye. It made sense for this to be the “pigskin” catch and make the distiller reminisce on fond football memories. There is definitely a hug that will stay with you on a fall day and a silky smooth mouthfeel I would hope to find in the fall or winter. #3 out of 3 of the 2020 releases, but still one I will happily revisit.

Sweet vanilla on the nose and maybe a hint of banana nut bread. Mild flavor on the front of the palate with a slight sweetness but the finish is all tobacco, oak, and pepper. I tasted this blind and knew that out of 35 possible choices, this was Evan Williams. Those same flavors from my youth but more refined. An absolute steal for $12.

Pecans on the nose along with delightful spices that would compliment a fall dessert (probably pecan pie) to cut and balance the sweetness. The flavor is one that made me stop to enjoy in silence to fully appreciate the complexity. The finish seems to keep going.

Roasted peanuts, peanut skins on the first sip. That second sip gives the peanut butter sensation people have reported. The silky smooth mouthfeel adds to the peanut butter sensation. Of the 3 releases of 2020, this was my top pick but a VERY close tie with Boston Batch.

Bottled on 11-2-20 - this bottle did not meet previous benchmarks set by Blanton’s that I have had in the past but not bad. Overall, an easy sipper at 93 proof but no noteworthy flavors jump out beyond the standard caramel and vanilla notes on the nose. No significant char or toast notes on the nose. Hints of orange come out on the finish with a mild spice that fades nicely leading into your next sip.