Tastes

This was on my "to try" list before it was named whiskey of the year, but Mr. Murray bumped it to the top of my list. Picked up a 375ml on my last ABC excursion. This pours in the glass with a light golden straw color. Nose is pleasantly sweet, but alcohol heavy, with a definite rye note. Neat it enters thin and hot with none of the sweet transferring from the nose. Rye bread with a dill pickle note. Dry & Bitter, citrus peel, astringent finish that coats and unpleasantly lingers. It reminds me of my first (and last) taste of a small microbrewery IPA. A splash or a cube or two of ice does bring a touch of sweetness to the mix and reduces, but does not eliminate, the bitter citrus finish. Tried it in an Old Fashioned thinking maybe it would shine as a mixer but the bitter finish is still an issue. I definitely don't feel this is Whiskey of the year material. Glad I only bought the 375ml.

Like most Tennessee whiskey, char heavy with mild banana cream sweetness. Warming pleasant finish. I do drink Jack out some, especially in bars/restaurants where the brown liquor selection is Jack, Jim, Crown and Seagrams 7 (would it kill these places to buy a decent bottle of bourbon?). Rarely buy this for home in anything larger than a 50ml to throw in a Coke. It's not that it's bad, it's just over priced. A partial list of whiskies I can buy for the same $27 (or less): Elijah Craig, Buffalo Trace, Old Grandad BIB, Weller Antique, Rittenhouse, Larceny, Wild Turkey 101 and the far better Tennessee product, Dickel No. 12. With those options, why would I pick Old No.7?

I was excited to try this one. Found it on sale for $12. Normally $15. From the nose, I thought I was going to be disapointed. Uncomfortable high alcohol burn with cinnamon, burnt sugar and oak in the background. Let it sit for a few minutes and no change. Neat it enters sweet with oak and cinnamon (and a new assault on the nasal passages from the alcohol). Pleasant warm finish with earthy oak tanins lingering. A splash or a couple cubes does tame the nose slightly and gives it a creamier mouthfeel. Once I got used to the nose, this was the best bourbon I've had in the $15 price range, and a down right steal at $12. Definitely worth the buck or two extra over the Black label. However, with BIB demand on the rise, I wouldn't be surprised to see the price on this one take a jump ala Old Granddad BIB. If it weren't for the nose, this one would get 5 stars from me, based on the quality of the juice and the incredible value.

The first bottle I bought was going to make me swear off all other bourbons. Complex, candied fruit and butterscotch sweet. Long smooth finish. The second one made me wonder what the hell I was thinking. Thin, all oak and alcohol with a note that reminds of Sherwin Williams latex paint. That experience has kept me from buying this in anything other than 50 mls. And I find those to be all over the place as well.

I really like this stuff, especially on the rocks. Nose is bold, sweet and oaky. On the rocks you get caramel apple, cinnamon and charred oak. Neat it is a little rough, but in a good way. But add a splash or some ice melt to really bring the complexities of this one above the heat. Also great in an Old Fashioned. I drink this out a lot simply because a lot of places stock it, but when deciding on a bottle for home I find it hard to plunk down $35 for this when I can get Elijah Craig, Jefferson, EW Single Barrel, etc for less money.

Unique nose with high alcohol, rye, cinnamon and burnt sugar. Neat you get BIG spice. Enters spicy and oaky with a mild sweetness. Fall spices transition to mild vanilla and lingering oak and spice on the finish. A couple cubes turn the sweet up just a notch with a light cocoa note on the finish. Made a great old fashioned. The oak and spice really stand up to the bitters. Not quite as complex as Rittenhouse, but I will always pick up a bottle on the rare occasion that I see it.

This was the first whiskey I enjoyed sipping neat. Love that this is a local North Carolina product. Instead of inventing some cockamamie backstory and sourcing some whiskey from a mega distiller, they worked to produce an honest, quality product. Malty sweetness with oak and hints of tobacco and leather on the nose. Enters the palate with a mild sweetness that hangs around in the background through the finish. Mid-palate is my favorite part of Defiant. A wonderful Old leather and smoke combination. Limited burn on the finish. On the rocks, the sweetness takes center stage relegating the smoke and leather to a supporting role. This product has perfected the "chipping" or "insertion" method for quick aging.

Not bad, but why would I pay $20 more than Rittenhouse, $15 more than Sazerac or even $5 more than Bulleit, all of which are equal to or better than this product. If Al Capone were alive today, he'd drink Rittenhouse.

Wish I had some Dewar's so I could do a side by side. Similar to Dewar's, but maybe a little sweeter in entry. The old leather and smoke make a mid-palate appearance. A little hotter on the finish than Dewar's, which I like. In fact it seems to take everything I like from the Dewar's and turn it up a notch. Also a couple dollars cheaper. Not a bad "everyday" Whisky.

This was a 4 star for me when it was "double aged 8 year". Wonderful nose. On the palate, All the good stuff from the white label (caramel, vanilla, oak) without the off notes (sour medicinal finish). Now that they've removed the age statement and are simply going "extra aged" it's not near as good (and I did a side by side), especially when you consider the other options at about the same price (B Trace, Old Grandad BIB, Elijah Craig 12).