Tastes

Neat in a Glencairn: Color is straw. Nose is magic marker, bandaids, peat smoke, vague sweetness similar to apple juice way in the background, and a buttery dairy note. Enters the palate with ash, charred meat, salty and savory, a touch of citrus peel and just the faintest hint of sweetness in the background. The finish is all campfire ash and numbing medicinal camphor or menthol. The menthol and smoke linger on the palate. As a former smoker, it reminded me of the taste a menthol cigarette leaves behind. A splash adds a touch more of the citrus zest but doesn't reduce the camphor notes. This one enters like a hive of angry bees and leaves the same way (that's not a complaint, by the way). I get none of the honey sweetness that flits around under the peat of the Laphroaig 10. Under the peat of this one is Lemon Rind, salty smoked fish and medicinal camphor. While I enjoyed this, I prefer the Lap 10. 4 Stars from me.

I had high hopes since I enjoy the single barrel version so much. Sweet heavy nose. Enters only slightly sweet and dry and finishes oak heavy. Not a whole lot there. A little on the thin side. I do feel that a splash or a cube of ice brings out some more complexity. For $30, I feel that there are much better buys. I actually prefer the Yellow Label for $10 less, even with the lower proof.

JD Rye (tried neat in a glencairn) has a sweet nose. Redolent of Juicy Fruit Gum and bananas with just a hint of the dill note found in ryes lurking in the back. Some time in the glass brings out some oak. It enters light on the palate. Again, Juicy Fruit Gum, Banana Cream Pie, Vanilla, peanut and light oak. You don't pick up the spicy, tingly rye until the back end where it pairs with a slight jolt from the 90 proof. Finishes lightly astringent with with the banana and oak coating and lingering. A few drops of water really amps up the banana and brings a note of sweet tea to the mix, but mutes the rye tingle. My experience with JD is the standard expression and the Gentleman. This leaves both in the dust. I really liked it. I have yet to try it in a cocktail, but be prepared if using in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan that the Lincoln County Process leaves this sweeter and less spicy than most ryes and even some Bourbons. I applaud JD for a unique product. You have your barely legal 51% ryes (Beam, WT, Rittenhouse, etc) and your 95% ryes (any number of MGP sourced juice), but this one is unique at 70% rye and the LC Process. For under $30, I will definitely buy again.

Neat in a Glencairn the Nose overwhelms with smoke (not peat, just smoke) but that fades the more time you spend with it. Subsequent nosings become more complex with apple cider, grain, tea, SHERRY, and (don't laugh) Dairy. There was a note I couldn't place and it finally clicked. My grandparents owned a dairy farm and it took me back to the smell of fresh unskimmed milk. This is one I could nose all day. Neat it enters the palate with ash followed by a malty sweetness and heavy Sherry influence. Very Fruit forward. The finish is warm but not hot and coats the palate with Sherry sweetness and peat smoke. The sherry cask finish really dominates both the nose and palate of this one. A splash brings out some vanilla that I didn't pick up before, but mutes everything else with the exception of the ash. This one is best neat. This one in my area goes for $10 less than the Lap10, so I went in expecting Laphroaig "Lite" and that is what I got. Oddly, the nose on the empty glass almost mirrors the 10. Drink this when you're in the mood for Peat, but not PEAT. The nose is a 5, but overall it's a 4.

Tried neat in a Glencairn the nose offered the now familiar MGP dill pickle note, Pine, Eucalyptus, orange oil/citrus peel, clove, and a little bit of varnished oak. Very enjoyable and complex. On first tasting the dill note overwhelms, but with repeated tasting it fades to the back and you are rewarded with citrus, a craft beer hoppy note, eucalyptus, mint, cinnamon, and lots of black strap licorice. So much going on here. It is a prickly pour, but not overly so. It warms all the way down and leaves a coating of licorice and a black pepper tingle. A splash adds a touch of sweetness and a little more oak to the mix. This may be one of the most complex bourbon/ryes I've ever had. It's amazing that it can take 3 things that I do not care for (hoppy craft beer, black licorice, and eucalyptus) and combine them in a way that I want to savor every drop. I have seen it described as "gin like" and I definitely agree. Since gin is what got me into the world of spirits, maybe that's why I like it so much.

Nose: Citrus, varnished oak, peanut and alcohol. Neat: Citrus, light vanilla, oak, mint, and peanut brittle. It manages to be both sweet and salty. It has a drying, slightly hot and astringent finish. The mint and slightly bitter oak linger. Splash/Cube:Brings the peanut note to the front and adds some sweetness. Tames the astringency some, but this is still a touch on the bitter side. Overall a very decent pour. Extra barrel time is always kind to Beam products. I also think skipping the chill filtering helps as well. Other than their standard White Label expression, I typically like most of Beam's stuff. The peanutty note isn't too off putting once you're used to it.

This was my go-to value pour for a long time. Vanilla, Oak, Citrus with a light oaky bitterness on the finish. I've found that for the same money I actually prefer Ezra Brooks or Virgin 101