Tastes

Time to get the standard 10-100 WP on the record. This is a rye I've had a number of times, mostly at bars and a couple of belts from friends bottles, it's always been good and also a rye that's just a little hard to pin down. Whistlepig is now as iconic as about any bottle, largely due to the massive boost in exposure from the tv show(breakingbad) it is becoming much more of a standard shelf item with the 10- 12 - 15 years and farmstock common place now. Well known as a "pricey" bottle of good rye we now reach the age old question of "but is it as good as the price?" Nose: Great loads of rye spices including ginger, pumpernickel and allspice, feint pumpkin sweetness and orange rind as well, from the nose alone, clearly there is "something here" worth looking at. Front: Extra peppery heat, musty aged oak. by adding a few drops of water I got a little more including some caramel and red hot sugars however much of the spectrum found in the nose is simply missing on the tongue or stepped on by the hi-heat. Over all a good drink of rye but just a bit thin in the middle for me. Finish: hot pepper oak and grains or maybe some grain chaff from the barn along with some of the spice profile linger on, Whistle Pig is a rye that announces itself and leaves with a well marked, "rye's been here". Push comes to shove, if I had this bottle on the shelf for say 40 or 50$, I would say yes, this is a good rye with some interesting qualities but for the near 80$ most retailers are asking I can easily find something like a Knob Creek or Russells that I can enjoy at the same level maybe even better. The straight rye drinkers will probably get more mileage from the hard packed pepper heat and lack of middle sweetness, the average bourbon whiskey drinker is unlikely to find it as rewarding. For me Whistle Pig isn't bad, it's in fact a good rye, but living up to the hype as well as the pricing standards, well that's entirely different. There are any number of "hyped" rye labels, Willet, Kentucky Owl, Peerless, to name but a few, but when you have far thriftier options like Woodford, Knob, even Bullet and Redemption around, you don't have to kill a Benjamin just to find a good sip of rye. If you want to have a complete bar of good rye bottles sure you want at least A Whistle Pig, but as an economic minded drinker you don't really need to worry about it. Adding the 12-15, Boss Hog and even the new Piggyback will make for interesting comparison but this is the standard WP product.

Grabbing this bottle just to throw some more (hopefully) interesting rye into my collection the 6 year Russells Rye at 90 proof isn't quite a heavy weight barreller but still has a pit of punch to pack and some interesting things going on in the flavor spectrum. The standard Russells bottle with a promising 6 year age statement in green lettering makes this an inviting bottle just to lay hand on. nose: ginger, fennel, floral honey notes steal the show with some mild vanillins and tangy citrus front: caramel sugars and standard peppery rye spice load the front end with some lemon and tart orange bitters joining the barrel char, less cinnamon and red hot sweetness than the nose offers but a good juxtaposition of sharp spice and corn-malt sugars. finish: pepper and lemon grass load the back end with a fairly mild charcoal heat all but retiring the sugars and spice. Over all this is a good quality of rye, nothing too memorable but having enough body of flavors to make it something you wouldn't want to pass up either. The smoothness and lack of telltale green youth don't belie the age statement, as this one carries no "bad habits". I'd definitely recommend a tryout at your neighborhood bar and or grab a bottle if you want to spice up your bar inventory. Russell's 6 Year Rye, certainly worthy of the name and an undeniable quality rye. Cheers. (a Montecristo signature or white label is a no brainer for a great drink-smoke combo here)

I'm sadly tardy in getting my Knob Creek Single Barrel Rye review in, and the story behind it may be a familiar if also sad one. I acquired said bottle in a "store deal" the kind were you have to acquire a certain bottle to get another certain bottle. I consider it a fairly unscrupulous if common practice among liquor store owners who don't mind displaying their lack of moral character. These guys are out to make an extra buck any way possible and being giant gaping aholes is entirely in character for them. Occasionally the plots of these cretins happens to backfire on them though, and this may be one such case. The Knob Barrel Rye was only in the 45$ US range and to me that pretty much makes it something of a bargain, a bargain I can assure you this particular liquor store owner was NOT intending to make it as he is well known for his shoddy practices. The fact I got a nice bottle of Knob Rye in a deal to get a bottle of Weller Antique 107 which was only moderately overpriced might mean I got the last laugh after all. Ah well, we can remember karma can be a bee itch and these shady dealers are not immune. Borrowing from Dubz480's well stated descriptors, the Knob Barrel Rye brings: "Candied orange, butterscotch, oak, hints of leather with clove and black pepper undertones. Mid pallette brings nuts, cocoa nibs and more oak with clove now more noticeable." I get all that, some minor red hot cinnamon's and a bit of citric sting as well, the finish is superb tapering off with much of the interesting notes and little else to distract from what a great dram you are imbibing. This is another one of those reminders that less cutting(higher proof) generally means more flavor and I found the Knob Barrel Rye to be a generously flavored experience that any rye drinker should really appreciate. For some reason the shenanigans with the liquor store put me off my game in getting my review in, but just the same, alls well as ends well and now I'm wishing I had got in on this "deal" for a second time. Cheers!

A friend of mine acquired this bottle from a colleague who simply had no idea what it was, fortunately it wound up in the hands of some "professionals" that could appreciate it! Luckily I was able to get 3 full shots as the owner was not being too stingy. From the top it was apparent there is nothing "usual" about this bottle, the richness in spices on the nose, the heat all the way down and smooth follow through, all are unique in this from the shear potency to the incredibly smooth finish packed into the 136 proof juice. Bookers Rye is a clear example of why you can't hurry perfection, and what proper aging means to the finished product. Anyone who is a Bookers fan, a rye fan or both is going to be able to appreciate this incredible treat to some degree. The Bookers label with green print makes in abundantly clear you aren't looking at normal Bookers so when you see this bottle do not hesitate, as they are becoming more scarce by the day.

The quest to enjoy barrel proof products continues as another worthy contender steps up: Nose: lite sweet caramel and toffee, sweet pineapple and hints of mango with rich butterscotch, entirely appealing, if slightly unusual. Front: A load of butterscotch lemon, rich toffee and tobacco bitters help balance the sweetness and some of that legendary barton barn door oak peeks through near the end. At the top some caramels, brown sugar starches and fruit notes can be detected along with some black peppery heat and clove and kitchen spices. Finish: a bit rough as the richness tapers into some nutty wood after taste, nothing too harsh or unpleasant, just nothing like the smooth sweet start to this proofy liquid and the hearty middle bite it offers. Considerably less heat at the end than might be expected. Having a chance pickup of the 1792 Single Barrel on the cheap and given it is a single barrel and Bartons upper level product, I couldn't pass this one up and now I'm glad I didn't. Bottled at 98.x proof there is a good bit of flavor packed into this Bardstown offering and while some of the 1792 bottles are less than remarkable, the barrel strength is enjoyable if not quite on the high level as some of the BT and SunBeam barrel proof products. Worth picking up below 50-55ish or as a bar whistle wetter. Broke out an Archetype Axis Mundi for this sampling, the Axis is an amazingly smooth stick.

Not to be confused with the small batch Taylor which is also BIB, the single barrel BIB which is clearly cut to reduction of 100 proof is a different animal. The single barrel Taylor has just been delivered and I imagine in a way the bourbon lovers receiving it are also feeling the exact same way. Every once in a great while a bourbon comes along that sets a standard for defining the genre, something so concisely pure we can look to it as a reference. In many ways the Taylor SB is a reference for what a pure standard high corn mash bourbon comes in as, it has the spectrum of corn sugars covered on every base. More than that, what Taylor SB brings is what a perfect definition of a high corn low rye bourbon bill should have with no exceptions and no faults in delivery. Lets get to it then. Nose: Pure sweet bourbon notes, the caramels, vanillins, brown sugars, toffees and dark chocolate sugar notes are all present, none over shadowing the other, balance achieved this is a grandiose display of what an outstanding traditional bourbon head should be and is. Front: The notes deliver and the sweet arsenal of true corn bourbon comes in as we get all the sweet notes presented with a notable absence of any harshness or out of place character. Again this is what you might imagine an exact definition of standard high corn bourbon would be if you let your imagination run away with the intent of divining a perfect rendition of the tradition of a great American heritage. Bourbon should taste like this, that's really what it come down to, and the Taylor single barrel makes you realize IT CAN. Finish: Pure enjoyment of the fading memory of a great taste, nothing impure or distracting from the achievement of the excellent dram just sampled, no heat, no burn just a realization that you experienced something far above and beyond what the average daily drinker is, and you really can't wait for more! Start to finish Taylor's Single Barrel comes through. If I had to try and conjure up a flaw with Taylors' SB offering it might be in the proof and cutting of the source juice to achieve the BIB strength of 50 ABV, a step I'm not entirely sure is necessary other than achieving a somewhat superfluous certification stamp of approval. The lower rye B.T. mash bills of which the Taylor juice belong are intriguing and aged properly achieve the worthy high status as industry leaders. Taylors Single Barrel is an achievement all bourbon aficionados will be happy they have sampled. A hardly salute and well done to the Col E.H. Taylor Jr. trust.

Keeping up with the joneses for this holiday weekend I found this bottle locally and decided it is a must try. After all it is Fours Roses small batch and the rich brown label and "non-chill filtered" labeling on the neck assure it is not just ANY FRSB, and something likely to be up my alley. Washing out the glencairn and uncorking this inviting bottle my expectations are riding pretty damn high. Nose: Bing cherries, is this kirschwasser?, honey, sweet starburst candy(cherry flav), light caramel and vanila and topped with,,, cherries. So one thing we can deduce right off without even taking our first sip, if you like cherries this is going to be for you, conversely for those who do not like cherries, your rating probably will seriously take a plunge. perhaps there are some chocolate, cinnamon spice and other things involved but it's really hard to dig out from that big wallop of CHERRY right to the kisser. As someone who could go for some cherry tinged bourbon, I'm not shying away. Palate: good god I don't know how it happened but the cherry simply disappeared, OK I'm lying it's still there but not at any degree to overpower the other glorious sweet notes of honey, ginger, cinnamon, small notes of dark and brown sugars, light caramel and dark chocolate, a tiny bit of barrel oak and a just a hint of citrus and angostura bitters. I have to say the choice of non-chill filtering at 104 proof cutting is a winner as the average 90 proof small batch wouldn't bring the same great array of sweet notes that get watered away in so many lighter proof bourbons. Finish: warm, sweet cinnamon overpowers the finish that tapers away nicely. It's just a really pleasant kind of sip from start to finish. On a personal note I would probably go 4.5 to 5 stars on this as I really enjoy the heavy cherry bias but then again those who don't like that will not likely be as rewarded by the red fruit factor overload. Truthfully the insane level of cherry in the nose is not nearly as prevalent on the tongue and if it was it might constitute a problem, but it doesn't. Unlike Single Barrel Four Roses, with it's characteristic floral notes, the Small Batch Select comes in decidedly on the sweet red fruit side with mead astringents and honeycomb sweetness. If you only want a rough rider of musty wood and leather that is devoid of sugars, this just isn't it, so stay away. If a sweet bourbon is to your taste, buckle up, you are in for a ride you won't soon forget. Four Roses Small Batch Select is a winner and if this is indeed an addition to the regular Four Roses lineup the price is likely to stay in check making it even better. This is a bourbon I could keep on hand for a regular drinker along with my Double Oaks and array of Single Barrels. I'm going to enjoy putting a nice dent in this bottle with an Oliva Figurado Special V.

It's classic Tuesday, and Gold Label Bonded Beam seams fitting. The tasting notes up front by Kieth are pretty spot on, I get all the buttery sweetness and loads of heat on the back end. Nose: sweet, buttery, yes butterscotch and small hints of cherry and oak Palate: The charred oak leads with the vanilla sugars right behind, it's a great reminder of what bourbon is all about, spicy ginger heat and yes, even tobacco roll through. Finish: The back end finds all those flavors and trails off quick with the bonded strength finish. This one ends much rougher than it begins and leaves no doubt what you are putting away. This is a great "antique" level bourbon easily found on the shelf at a bargain price making it the pretty good deal you expect from an American traditional name like Beam. Drinking the Bonded Beam feels like a step back 150 years to what our forefathers drank. A classic recipe and no frills just good basic bourbon.

Getting back into some good tastings finally this year and with Woodford's Double Oak that can't be a coincidence. The folks at Woodford are all about the barreling and with this one they have definitely figured it out. Nose: a plethora of flora, a bouquet of the best, some rose, lilac and gardenia all come to mind among the best potpourri, but wait, THERE'S MORE! Submerged in the florists shop we have caramels and brown sugars to remind us, after all, this is BOURBON and not just any bourbon but the one Woodford regards as premium. Judged on the nose alone, this is a 5 star, 7th game of the World Series walk off home run. The nose is really that good. Palate: So what does all that great olfactory mean when we get to the actual juice on the tongue? Oh yes, more good stuff, here is where you can actually get some of that oak taste going, the early toasted oak gives way to a warm sweet amber caramelization, light vanillins and a hint of fruit bowl flavors. As described by the distillers, this is "toasted" not charred oak and the difference is in your face noticeable. It's remarkable how much of a flavoring wallop Woodford packs into this with extra barreling, and while that has to show a cost factor, the end result is the "proof" it is worth it. Finish: Among the lightness and warmth we get back more of the floral aspects, small hints of baking spices and brown sugars. Everything that makes you want to come back for more, nothing that doesn't. Woodford has proven not only do they understand the finer points of barrel crafting bourbon but they have mastered them as well. While the standard Woodford mash has proven acceptable for a midrange or near top shelf quality of bourbon, with the oaking process they have achieved the next level in master craftsmanship. Those who follow me at Distiller will attest that I rarely say "must try" in any of my reviews but if you don't try Woodford's Double Oak you might as well pull your own teeth and say you're a dentist. Until you try the Double Oak you just haven't tried Woodford. The Double Oak is proof you don't have to be a 120+ proof dragon fuel juice to be a very top quality dram. While some Johnnie Walker and Stagg Jr guzzlers may say "not enough heat or smoke to make me happy", to them I say good day, but let the professionals handle the good stuff while you melt your shot glasses and dive for a swig of water. While the limited release Masters Collections have not always lived up to the expectations, the Double Oak and it's relative easy price makes it a standout. With the Double Oak, smoking an Archetype Dreamstate robusto in conn. wrapper. Cheers! Note, I recently conducted a store barrel sampling for purchase of a barrel so when these bottles arrive there will be an update.