Tastes

Just a fantastic pour. This is another bottle I've gone through in about 3 weeks, which is exceptionally fast for me. It reminds me, in taste and texture, of quality Four Roses. Soft and silky in the mouthfeel with an initial creme brulee/brown sugar followed by a gentle kick of rye spice. The overwhelming character of this pour is creaminess, not spiciness, with stone fruit hidden in the back end. The finish is medium long, but it tastes so good while it lasts that you keep pouring more and more. This whiskey is an elder statesman whose words you crane to hear - intelligent and never loud or brash. This bottle takes everything good that the Overholt Bottled-in-Bond whispers, but states it with confidence, eloquence, and poise. One of my favorite pours of 2020.

It's been a while since I've absolutely raved about a bottle, but I feel like I'd be doing you guys a disservice if I didn't cue you in on this one. This is honestly a rarity for me. Unlike most of my bottles which sit 7/8ths full forever, I've had this one for 2 weeks and I'm 2/3rds of the way through. Today was my youngest daughter's first birthday, and, after a hectic day, I reached for this first and refilled several times. I hope that gets the point across about how much I like it. Bottom line: Many would say this bottle comes in at a perfect proof (107pf). Despite being a NAS straight bourbon with an undisclosed finishing time in Japanese Mizunara, the bottle drinks older than it's likely 4-5 year age statement, with a smoothness that goes down too quickly. At the same time, there is a spicy rye bite that shines. This doesn't suffer from being TOO smooth and boring. I begrudgingly deduct points for a lack of complexity, but it more than makes up for that with drinkability and burst in the front and delicious milk chocolate, dark cocoa and heavy cream notes throughout. It is the multilayered Lindt chocolate ball of bourbon and it gets better the more you drink it - says the guy on his third pour. Nose: chocolate malt, pumpernickel bread, rye bread, a faint hint of ethanol, raisinets, and sweet cream. The nose is light and faint and doesn't punish you for shoving your nose way in there. Taste: see above. I'm blown away. Smooth initial flavors of brown sugar and stovetop hot cocoa (the kind where you melt actual chocolate into milk in a pan) and a hint of fruit (cherry? raisin?) hiding somewhere within. At first sip, it is smooth, creamy, and milk chocolatey, but that quickly transitions into a bite on the tip of your tongue that I associate with 4-5 year old rye. That quickly fades, and what lingers is a chocolatey cream sweetness on the back of your tongue. Despite a little bit of searching, I can't figure out what kind of Mizunara Casks were used for the finish - new Mizunara or used Japanese whisky casks - but I suspect the latter because there is a definite Japanese aesthetic to how this drinks. I honestly want to write more, but I don't have any different descriptors to use. The more you drink it, the more it reinforces the same strengths over and over. If I can leave you with one thought, it is this: like most things done well from a Japanese standpoint, the beauty is in the simplicity, and it really must be experienced to be understood.

Drinking a store pick of the Caribou crossing for the first time right now (Bourbon Street Store Pick). This is decidedly better than I expected. At the same time, the characterization of this whiskey as the Blantons of Canadian whiskey feels deserved. I honestly like it better than Blanton's - but I am drinking a store pick which is probably better than the standard product. Honey honey honey up front in the palette followed by a mix of spice and deep flowers, like cherry blossom or rose. The spice is cinnamon and white pepper initially, which fades to mostly white pepper and traditional rye spice in the finish. The finish is short, it is overall not very complex, but it is also smooth and pleasant to drink. The best thing about this is how it starts, almost like a mix of white sugar and honey dissolved into a floral Cherry blossom tea. It makes me think of spring in Japan.

Nose: cinnamon, anise, ethanol, baked bread Taste: amber caramel, brown sugar, basic water, nutmeg This is hot and, really, not great. Good, but not great. It's fine.

What a strange pour. I really don't know what to do with this. It almost has an artificial, sweetened, mixed drink quality to the nose. This smells subtly like the flavored spirit version of flavored vodka, with berry bubble gum notes. Definite nail polish notes underneath, though. Palate: It reminds me of smarties candy. It doesn't drink hot, but it drinks fake and flavored. I know it isn't, but I wonder if that is the extra high corn content. All-in-all I don't hate this, but it reminds me a bit too much of a vodka drink. I really don't want more.

Since I reviewed this a year ago, nothing has changed. The reason for the re-review tonight is that I tried this side by side with Michter's 10 and Whistlepig 15, and this was the best pour of the bunch. Unlike the other two, the higher proof on this bottle (111.0) allows it to truly pop. I'm not one for subtlety, and this leaves no question about how much flavor it has to offer. My notes are surprisingly similar even a year later. This is still an incredible pour that is smooth, sweet, and refreshing with a burst of anise, nutmeg, clove, and ginger, followed by ginger snap cookie and biscotti. Smooth, creamy, almost powdery in the finish and it lingers and picks up a high note at the end.

This smells so much better than it tastes, which is a bit disappointing in the end. Nose: caramel, maple syrup, nutmeg, and French toast crunch cereal, because the nose is almost artificial Taste: too light and mild overall. Mostly just a pinch of rye spice profile, cocoa powder, brown sugar. I'm really reaching here to find anything descriptive. It's smooth but boring. Overall, there's nothing about this that makes me want to come back for more. Overrated is an understatement

The nose is surprising. The first three things that came to mind were not terms I typically use to describe straight, unfinished whiskey: 1) cherry Robitussin cough syrup; 2) red hard candy; and 3) brandy. The longer I smell it, the more brandy I get, but with a distinct sweetness to it, like an orchard fruit brandy rather than cognac or armagnac. I'm really loving how this smells. The taste reminds me almost exclusively of brandy. Pear, apricots, white wine, and peach blossom all come through - and dominate - until the very end when the rye spice just starts to trickle in. The mild Canadian takes over the finish and lasts an exceptionally long time. This is a fantastic everyday drinker although it definitely prices itself out of that class.

This pour requires a few minutes in the glass to really open up. On the nose, this really reminds me of a Midwinter's Night Dram; am unusually melding of rye whiskey and sweet, deep wine finish. Taste: oooooo. This is nice. Easily as good as MWND, but slightly more refined and rounded. There's the slightest hint of rye spice in the front, but it is take by the dry wine notes by the mid-palate and the finish is warm, winter wine. Tonight's pour sold me on this bottle. It really makes me feel like this bottle would sell better with a better label and marketing, because it's excellent