Tastes

Nose: Rye bread, dill, black licorice, clove, and if you close your eyes and try really hard you can pick up the faintest hint of vanilla. Neat: salty and savory, light oak astringency, a jolt of black pepper spice, and if you close your eyes and try really hard you can pick up the faintest hint of vanilla. Finishes slightly astringent with a clingy coating of the black pepper spice. Despite the clingy finish, overall the mouthfeel is relatively thin. Splash: adds a touch of sweetness and calms the mid palate jolt of spice. Verdict? This one needs more time in the barrel to impart some sweetness. While not the biggest fan of MGP's 95/5 ryes, I do enjoy several of them (Bulleit, Dickel and James Pepper). This one is only saved from a 2 star rating by its sub-$20 price tag. I do feel that this one will more than suffice as a mixer. If I want a 95/5 that I can drink neat, I'll chip in the extra $5-$10 and get the Dickel, Pepper or Bulleit...or simply opt for a bottle of Rittenhouse.

Nose: Burnt sugar, pecan pie, cherries, vanilla and lots of varnished oak. A whiff of alcohol until it breathes for a few minutes. Neat: Enters pleasantly, but not overly sweet, with a richer creamier vanilla than the standard Makers, and dried cherries. The oak is front and center as well. The FINISH is what make this one special. Whereas standard Makers disappears at the end with barely a whisper, this one leaves a long lasting coating of slightly bitter charred oak and caramel on the back of the palate. Splash: 46 is not diminished by a large cube of ice or a few drops of water. It actually amplifies the influence of the seared staves. I had tried a bottle of this several years ago and found it "ok", but I had a pour while dining out this summer and immediately asked myself "Why is this not in my regular rotation?" Maybe moving away from the regular Makers had unfairly tinted my view of this one. This was my go-to pour for the rest of the summer as the oaky notes just seemed to pair perfectly with the smokiness of my grilled fare. A solid 4.5 stars. Delicious.

Nose: With this one I get orange peel, Oak, Corn, Brown Sugar, and a dose of ethanol. You definitely pick up on the Heaven Hill lineage in this Luxco product. Neat: Thick and clingy mouthfeel. Salty with dry roasted peanuts, citrus, maple syrup, and cinnamon. The finish is astringent with oak and black pepper. Splash: a few drops of water really bring the orange/citrus note to the front. It tones down the astringency, but really amps up the black pepper spice. 3 3/4 stars, but I'll round up. I liked this one, but believe that I prefer the drier, less spicy Ezra Brooks 90pf. This one is not available in NC, but I worked out a swap with someone for some Virgin 101 (rumored to be the same stuff, but I find it a little sweeter and less spicy). I think the Old Ezra Barrel Proof is supposed to get a wider distribution. I look forward to trying it.

Had dinner out for our anniversary the other night at a place that had a relatively deep whiskey selection. I've always wanted to try the Baker's but have always been put off by the $50 price tag. Deep amber color in the glass. Sweet heavy nose ripe with fall. Burnt sugar, cinnamon, clove, and apple. Enters butterscotch sweet and thick and clingy. The Beam peanut note presents as Brittle. Oak and cinnamon appear mid-palate with a pleasantly warm, slightly sharp finish. The oak and cinnamon linger. I really enjoyed this, but the $50 price tag really kills it for me. I will definitely order again if I see it at a bar or on sale out of state.

This one is now being bottled at 46%ABV. I still get the sweet iced tea note. The green apple, cereal grains, toasted marshmallow and cigar smoke are there as well. The newer releases also sport a healthy dose of cinnamon. The clingy finish is a few degrees warmer thanks to the added proof, but if that bothers you a splash will tone it down. This is one of my favorite craft whiskies. Mostly available in NC, but has been branching out into other parts of the Southeast. If you see it, give it a try.

I haven't had this one in a while. I was reminded that this is always a good pour. The nose is sweet with notes of banana pudding, caramel, maple and oak. It also has a mineral note that I couldn't describe until someone called it "Flintstone vitamin". Now that's all I can think of. However, not a deal breaker for me. Palate is sweet corn, buttered banana bread, and eggnog, balanced perfectly by a healthy dose of oak. The 90 proof is perfect. Nice warming finish without being hot. Paired this with a Te Amo Cigar and it brought this incredible sweet/oak note to the front. I will have to experiment with some different pairings. I didn't think the Dickel would stand up to the cigar, but it surprised. For mid-$20 price tag, this one is miles ahead of Jack.

I think this is the same mash bill as their Old Nick wheated bourbon (which is also excellent, by the way). Corn and grain heavy. Definitely not neutral like a vodka. Has a slight tequila'ish note to it. Pairs very well with citrus. In the summer when I fix the woman to whom I'm related by marriage a Hendrick's and tonic a healthy pour of this with the rest of the bottle of tonic makes an excellent drink.

After trying and really liking the Jameson IPA Cask Edition I went out and bought a bottle of Jameson's Standard Expression. Neat in a Glencairn glass, the nose offers honey, buttery pastry, apple/pear, brown sugar, and a light floral note. Neat it enters fairly sweet with vanilla, dark chocolate, and light espresso/coffee. Offers up a bitter note similar to unsweetened cocoa on the finish with a slight burn. Adding a splash amplifies the buttery note on the nose and tamed the bitter finish just a tad. On the rocks this one is all cocoa and coffee with cream. I can't believe that it has taken me so long to finally pick up a bottle of Jameson to review. I found it quite pleasant, and it would get a 4 from me if not for the bitter, lingering finish. The good news is I've now found a new go-to when I'm dining out and the brown liquor selection is limited to the "3 J's" (Jack, Jim and Jameson). I'll pick the Jameson every time now.

NOSE: Dried Apple and Pear, Raisin, Honeycomb, Hot Cereal, Citrus and Light Smoke. A Small splash brings a note to the front that I was having a hard time placing until I saw it referred to as Pineapple. That nails it perfectly. NEAT: The first sip is when the peat makes itself known. You get lots of ash and smoke, but on subsequent sips that moves all the way to the back and it enters slightly sweet, with light honey and dominant notes of dried fruit and citrus zest. The cereal grains take over mid palate to slowly transition to a finish of smoke, tar and menthol. Not overpowering, but definitely lingering. SPLASH: A splash really turns up the sweetness and allows the sherry notes to dominate. There's the crushed pineapple again. The peat/menthol on the end is toned down, leaving a smoky dark chocolate aftertaste. VERDICT: I really enjoyed this one. I think some more time spent with this bottle could easily make it a favorite. 4 1/2 stars.

The nose is very good. Simple and sweet, vanilla pudding with faint notes of straw and wood. Very little ethanol. On the palate it enters with light vanilla and dusty oak. Not complex, but it is good. Even at 80 proof, it has a nice little kick on the finish. A reviewer on another site described it perfectly, "light without being weak". Ice or water doesn't enhance any flavors, it simply mutes them and does away with the kick on the finish. This has become my go-to 80 proofer.