Tastes

NIKKA WHISKY FTB NOSE: Very Wood-centric. Old Oak, Cedar, and Pine Sap. A note that is what I imagine a Rickhouse would smell like? Additional notes are Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, Florality, Sticky Maple Syrup, Cereal Grains, and Smoke. NEAT: The Bold Complex Wood Notes dominate at first, but there is a lot going on here. There's Goetze's Bullseye Caramel Creams, Chocolate, and Ginger. More going on here that a second pour will reveal. The Dry Sherry fruit influence kicks in Mid-Palate along with some Prickly Heat. There is Sweetened Black Coffee, a Wisp of Smoke and the Illusion of Peat on the the Long, Dry as Dust Finish.The Wood and Sherry Notes Coat and Layer the Palate. There is a jagged "Refined Roughness" here and Tannins that thankfully stay on the good side of woody. Very Complex. SPLASH: A little water mutes everything. The Nose gets a Savory Umami Quality. Am I getting hints of Bacon Grease? Made it softer and a little less jagged. VERDICT: Big, Bold Flavors. So complex. Blended to highlight the barrels as much as the whisky. I believe I could review this tomorrow and pull a completely different set of flavors and smells out of it. Not only is this the best Japanese Whisky I've had, it is firmly in the running as one of the best Whiskies period.

DARK SIDE SMALL BATCH AMERICAN SINGLE MALT *Info: A distillery only release from Great Wagon Road Distilling Co. in Charlotte, NC (maker of one of my favorite American Single Malts, Rùa). This is a collaboration with Legion Brewing using the mash used to brew their Path to the Dark Side Stout, Distilled and aged for 28 months. NOSE: Chocolate, Coffee, Oak, and Fall Spices (Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Allspice) are all front and center. The background features notes of Dry Grass, Wild Flowers, Fruit, and Sweet Iced Tea. NEAT: Slightly Sweet on the front of the tongue with Toasted Marshmallow and Burnt Vanilla. The Mid-Palate is all Balck Pepper tingle, Bitter Dark Chocolate, and Oak Tannins. The Backend of the Palate is Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans (a note I find in several American Malts). There is a good bit of Heat for it to only be 92 Proof. There is a nice layering coating of Vanilla, Coffee Bean, and Oak that coats the palate after each sip. SPLASH: Adds Fresh Bread and ups the Cinnamon on the Nose. Takes some of the heat out of the Palate and adds a Beery Stout note, but a hint of Bitterness creeps into the Finish. Overall, it evens it out as there is no longer the distinct differences from Front to Mid to Back palate. VERDICT: Great Wagon Road and my Palate get along very well. Despite being only 28 months (though granted, probably in a smaller barrel) this is very good. I understand the pricing (and definitely don't regret the purchase) as it is an extremely limited release. Overall, another solid whiskey from Great Wagon Road. If you are in the Charlotte area, a stop at the distillery/bar should be a must on your to do list. 4.25

Wyoming Small Batch NOSE: Dry & Dusty in character, including Leather, Old Wood, Hay, and Rope. Time also brings out notes of Bread, Wildflower, Mint, and a Mild Sweetness resembling Dry Crumbly Brown Sugar. NEAT: Dry & Slightly Tannic overall. Grainy & Grassy with a Thin Mouthfeel. You get Leather, Old Wood, and a General Sweetness resembling Sweet Tea. There is a light but building KY(WY)Hug with a Dark Chocolate, Mint, and Sawdust Aftertaste. SPLASH: Becomes a little Sweeter with Butterscotch and some Citrus making an appearance along with a Black Pepper Tingle. VERDICT: I'm not sure if Terroir is really a thing for American Whiskey or if it's subliminal, but I definitely got a "Western" Vibe from this. The Smells of a well kept barn, dry plains grass, leather, and rope all made appearances. Definitely some outlier notes when compared to traditional KY Bourbons. I waited to review and I'm glad I did. Some time open has really helped meld those notes into a more cohesive experience for me. That being said, I'm not sure this is a repeat buy at it's $40+ price tag. Lots of better options in that price range. I'll enjoy this one on occasion, though.

GEORGE DICKEL 8YR BOURBON NOSE: Oak Heavy. Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Pastry, and Dried Corn. Pencil Shavings and Black Pepper in the Background. There is a small jolt of Heat. Give it some time though, and it becomes Richer and Fuller. First picking up a a WT'ish Barnyard Funk and then Sticky Maple Syrup and Pecans like a Homemade Sticky Bun. NEAT: Lots of Oak up front. Light Vanilla. Cinnamon, Maple, Pecan. All combining to resemble Pralines or the Light Brown "Brown Sugar Fudge" that my Grandmother used to make. A little on the Thin Side, but not overly so. Slightly Tannic with a Drying Finish. The Pencil Shavings from the nose show up on the Coating Aftertaste along with a Light Maple Sweetness. A very light KY(TN)Hug. It drinks a little milder than its 90 Proof. SPLASH: The only discernible change is a hint of syrupy Canned Fruit Cocktail which I enjoyed so much in the first GDBIB release. VERDICT: In a word DELICIOUS. I was hoping when I saw the press release for this one that it would be an entirely different animal from their TN Whisky. Perhaps skipping the Lincoln County Process? Instead, Dickel's Star Master Distiller Nicole Austin, chose barrels from their regular stocks that had a more "Bourbon-y" profile than their standard releases. If memory serves, she has succeeded as I get absolutely none of the Banana or Flintstone Vitamin I associate with the standard No.8 & No.12. I am definitely looking forward to doing a flight of the three. If there is a quibble here (and it's a small one), it is a tick on the thin side. Extra Points for the $33 price tag. Nicole Austin? Keep up the great work. Dickel? Whatever it takes to keep Austin on board, you'd better do it.

NEW EW1783 Been looking forward to this since I received several surveys from Heaven Hill a couple years ago about the redesigned packaging. Looks very similar to the final mock-ups I saw, though I believe the designs I saw and some of the early press released publicity shots had a large wooden cork (ala Elijah Craig). The screw cap on the final design was a bit of a letdown. Let's see how the bourbon inside the newly dolled up bottle does with the added proof points. *NOSE: Oak and Vanilla jump out of the Glencairn on first sample. There's a touch of sour/tart that almost wants to be Peach but doesn't quite make it. Definitely Oak Heavy. A little more time and the Evan Williams Cola Note that I get makes a welcome appearance along with plain old Canned Planters Peanuts as the Sourness fades away. *NEAT: Vanilla Vanilla Vanilla. My palate doesn't typically get bold vanilla notes. I usually pick it up as more Toffee, Brown Sugar or Caramel, but this is all Vanilla Bean. Probably the most Vanilla Forward Bourbon I've had. Heavy Oak and Toasted Marshmallow shows up mid-palate followed by a nice Warming Finish and a decent KY Hug. The mouthfeel is Medium and clings to the palate nicely layering Cola and Oak notes. It's a Simple Straight forward Oak and Vanilla Bomb, but my Sweet Tooth really likes it. *SPLASH: Brings the Peanut note from the Nose to the Palate. With a large cube the Oak really takes center stage. *Verdict: I really like this one. Once the sour note faded from the nose there was very little (if anything) to complain about. I liked the previous incarnation as well but rarely bought it because the bottle was just so damn ugly. They've rectified the looks and upped the proof to justify the slight price bump (just under $20 out the door). I can definitely see that this has joined the ranks (along with Rebel 100 and Dickel 8) as favorite sub $20 Bottles. It's kind of like EWBIB's slightly more refined city cousin. Good job outta' you Heaven Hill. 3.75 for the liquid, but I'll bump to a 4 because this drinks way above its price tag.

I was enjoying dinner outside by the ocean. Great breeze. Salt Air. Family. Saw this on the bar and had never tried it. Served in a small clear plastic cup. The only notes I typed into my phone are as follow: Heavily Charred Marshmallow 3 stars I will revisit in depth if I ever get the chance, but for now I’m underwhelmed.

Wild Turkey Rye 101 WOW...review #300. I debated on a special pour for the occasion (even going so far as to crack open last year's Lag Offerman 11), but after a couple months of reviews piling up, I thought I'd review what has been my biggest surprise of 2021 so far, WT Rye 101. *NOSE/APPEARANCE: Pours in the Glencairn the color of Wet Straw with thick coating legs. Nose opens up with Spearmint, Rye Bread, Barrel Spice/Funk, and Varnished Old Oak (like a well worn Church Pew). Peppery and Herbal with Dill and Ginger. Prunes, maybe?? Just a hint of Cinnamon. More time in the glass gives it a "Sweeter" character. What a treat for the old olfactory receptors. *NEAT: Great Coating Viscous Mouthfeel. The Oak leads off, followed by a Vanilla'ish Honey Sweetness. Subsequent sips add Dill, Cinnamon Oil, and a White Pepper Tingle. It features a Long Building Spicy Finish that crescendos into a tingly coating of Sweet Mint, Black Pepper and Dill. This is a Whole Mouth experience. Tongue, Cheeks, Gums all get to enjoy the experience long after the dram is done. *SPLASH: Amps up the Dill on the nose. Palate becomes a little sweeter with Licorice and Allspice. Coastal folks will know what I'm talking about, but the aftertaste takes on that smell/taste of Freshly Snapped Long Leaf Pines that greet you as you walk out the front door the morning after a Hurricane to check for damage. *Verdict: Holy Crap...I may have a new favorite Rye! I had tried the 81 several years ago and was thoroughly unimpressed, but had always been curious about the WT101 due to its cult following among bartenders and enthusiasts. The standard WT101 is one of my favorite mixers, as that WT Funk always punches through the mixer in a simple two ingredient drink. This is the same. Old Fashioned, Rye and Ginger, Rye and Coke, or even better Rye and Cheerwine were all fantastic. Whiskey Sour with Fresh Squeezed Lemon? Oh, you betcha'. This just became available in NC, and at the same $24 as the old 81Proof version to boot. Not something limited for #300, but something special just the same.

KC 9YR (Longhorn Steakhouse Selection) featuring Rackhouse L NOSE: Oak. Peanut Shell. Brown Sugar. Clove. Cinnamon. Orange Peel. Empty glass is all Oak NEAT: Dry Oak. Peanut. Vanilla. Maple. Musty Hay. Warming Medium Length Finish with a lingering Musty Oak & Vanilla coating the palate. SPLASH: A little water and you get a little Pink Bubblegum on the Palate. VERDICT: Found this while traveling and can find nothing about it. I can find info on Single Barrel Longhorn selections, but this is the Standard 9YR Small Batch with a small sticker proclaiming “featuring Rackhouse L”. I’m anxious to get home and try this beside a regular bottling, as I believe it features a musty quality (which I love) that I don’t recall getting from regular KC9.

EZRA 99 NOSE: Simplistic. Dusty Oak, Peanut Butter Cup, Vanilla, and a Light Vegetal Note. NEAT: Medium Mouthfeel. Oak, Vanilla, and Peanut up Front. Cinnamon and Tannins on the Mid to Back Palate. Nice KY Hug on the Medium Length Finish, with Oak & Cinnamon coating the Palate. SPLASH: A Hint of Lemon shows up on the Nose. Vanilla & Peanut become the dominant Palate notes. Becomes a little more "Drying". VERDICT: Solid and Dependable. About what I expected. If this were a "value based bottle" ala the standard issue Ezra Brooks 90 proof, I could see this being a staple, but that $25 price tag (nearly double the standard issue 90 proof) puts it square in WT101 territory which is a much better whiskey. I don't see this being a repeat buy unless I find it on sale.

Smoke Wagon SBW APPEARANCE: Surprisingly darker in color than it should be for its age. The packaging with its crossed revolvers and Latin slogan, paired with the marketing found on their website, tells me I'm not among the target audience they're shooting for (see what I did there) but it's a decent enough looking bottle for the shelf. NOSE: Starts off with a lot of Florality. Followed by Soft Pink Bubblegum, Dry Dusty Oak, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, and Dry Corn. Very similar to 4 Roses. Not overly complex, but very nice. NEAT: Much like the nose, Simple but Solid. Pencil Shavings and Root Beer up front. Rye Spice and Oak on the backend. Short to Medium Length Finish with mild KY Hug. Bubble Gum and Rye Spice coat and layer on the palate. SPLASH: A few drops of water and the Nose gets Clove and Black Licorice. The Licorice transfers over to the Palate as well along with an extra helping of Oak. I'm really enjoying the layering tingly coating that continues to build as you drink it. VERDICT: Bought this one without any knowledge of what it was (other than figuring that it was MGP), but figured it was worth a shot for $35. Not a bad price for decently aged MGP. This is in the same price range (and flavor palate) as Bulleit, 4RSmB, Elijah Craig, etc and it holds it own. Not one I'll seek out, but I could see this being a repeat buy if the mood should strike.