Tastes
-
Product of USA is clearly marked, well it's distilled in INDIANA so yea, no false advertising so far. Noble Oak is reputedly double finished in a second port stave loaded cask, after a period in standard new charred American white oak. What this adds up to is some nice work done on some fairly average MGP rye. As most of you already know, MGP can produce some good stuff from time to time, this really feels like a little more of the middling stuff less cut and extra finished of course. The nose betrays the port red sugars and if any youngish or green characteristics exist, they are well hidden. I'm not gonna come right out and say this is a lot like Basil Haydens Dark Rye but it really is, so I guess I just did. That's actually a good thing in my book, as I'm a fan of the BH wine treated rye. There are just a bit of other nice sugar notes to go with the port, namely some brown sugarish candy, it almost does remind somewhat of "bit o honey". The finish is nice out the door style of just a little dill-rye spice burn, and nothing else, which seems "good enough". If this bottle comes in at around half the price of Basil Hayden Dark, which is admittedly better, it still has something to offer at a nice price. Largely a recommend depending on your penchant for finished rye's and your budget. Cheers!
-
Glenfiddich 12 Year
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed December 29, 2020 (edited February 4, 2021)The classics, 'fiddich and 'livet, these two 12 year old Glens stare each other down in many a liquor store, priced oh so similar and of the same vintage, but which is better? Or is there even an answer to that. No doubt you could google up a boat load of websites that claim to answer this question, just as no doubt there are as many varied answers. Like maybe "it's a 12 year Scotch, drink it and don't worry about it". Both have a nice warm sweet honey meade nose, with just a touch of some fruit sweetness and spices. What I get from the 'fiddich is a bit more of malty tea note and that rings in as just a bit harsher for me, the 'livet in it's present "double oak" guise seems a bit smoother on the back side. However the two are similar to the extent I could easily believe many would see it exactly the opposite. They share the fruit sugars, malt cereal and honey making it a really close call. On further study I would say while the 'livet might seem a bit smoother through to the back end, the tea note of the 'fiddich adds a bit more variation. This may be the classic "Ginger or Mary Ann" dilemma, or "Marilyn or Jane" even. The only real answer is to try them both yourself and see which if either really does it for you. The good news is you are going to wind up with two perfectly drinkable bottles of Scotch! Cheers! -
Tequila El Mayor Reposado
Tequila Reposado — Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed December 13, 2020 (edited March 30, 2021)Another mid to upper 20 dollar Jalisco Reposado imported for Luxco, el Mayor could be as close to a "does everything" Repo tequila as any. The nose is exceptionally smooth and sweet but also doesn't offer up much beyond the fragrant agave bouquet,, some hints of spicyness and just a very feint smoke but really nothing complex at all. Front taste is spicy, a bit of citrus fruit even some dry apple/pear, quickly gives way to some hot black pepper notes, the sweetness is understated and again nothing like a heavy or intense smoke feeling on this one. It all fades quickly with a bit of a bitter cinnamon kick at the end along with the feint smoke. Over all I really like the notes it brings and the fact it's on the dryer side doesn't seem to hurt it at all. A tequila that would work well in mixed drinks or as shooters and sippers, I can see a lot of versatility for this one, a real do it all tequila that won't break the bank. Doesn't hurt that it comes in an attractive classical style corked bottle. Cheers!28.0 USD per Bottle -
Old Fourth Distillery Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon
Bourbon — Indiana (aged in Georgia), USA
Reviewed December 6, 2020 (edited March 30, 2021)Barrel 38 for the 2020 release Sample: Rested open bottle below neck pour. (double) Nose: Rich brown sugar is the opener, a bit of candy oranges and corn, very burn and ethanol free for 100 proof. Really nothing but the sweet notes and just a hint of tell tale vanilin making it a very rum like nose. It's no surprise at all the front is loaded with the brown sugar, very strong, the vanilla crosses over to the ethanol and certainly a noticeable burn nothing bad nothing harsh again absolutely nothing you wouldnt fully expect at 100 proof in the way of heat. That heat tails into a nice red hots cinnamon finish, fairly pleasant. The trailer also includes a hint of leather and old spice and wood nibs, just enough to remind you this is indeed a mid aged not a well aged product. It would be interesting to see what a 2nd finish adding an additional 2 -4 years of age would bring, I can imagine that being a really special dram. The bottle is certainly a gaudy work of art, not bad looking at all but a bit too "art deco" for my own personal taste, this clearly has nothing to do with the contents and would only really matter for collectors. I like what Old Fourth has done with the barrels they procured from MGP and as Swahillie reminded me not a lot of startups bother to take the time and care to go full Bottle and Bond on their maiden outing. It's easy to see why some folks from Georgia might over value this but all the same it's a nice bottle that isn't terribly unaffordable and useful for a number of occasions, -
Has a very sweet and mild nose, floral and just hints of sour, nothing bad but not at all smokey, lacking in anything special, Bitter astringency in the front, the sweetness goes south fast, it's peppered in the middle and minted in the finish with some tangy citrus, with a notable lack of any real distinct agave tastes. The agave sugars are really thin although some sweetness peeks through the rough astringency, A little more bite and character than 1800 but only a little and not delivering some of the more interesting reposado characteristics this isn't going to win any awards. Really about average depending on what you tolerate in a grungy and unrefined tequila.
-
Don Julio Reposado Tequila
Tequila Reposado — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed December 4, 2020 (edited August 11, 2022)On the 3rd day of Tequila my liquor store provided me... ok I wanted to make a comparison of the surprising Herradura Reposado with an industry standard, which Don Julio really is. Both Jalisco agave distillers, both rested in american oak, here's where the two paths begin to part. Unlike the clay oven roasted hearts of Herradura the Don Julio is steam boiled and second distilled (pot) and one of the first things I notice is a milder plant-vegetal presence in the Don Julio, the beautiful smokey nose holds up and the agave sugars are less pronounced, not as sweet as the Herradura but certainly sweet enough, more balanced? Very possibly. In the taste I get a better "pepper" presence almost bordering on a feint jalapeno, the final note is a minty and warm sweet sensation. The Blanco DJulio is certainly a smooth and yes I hate that overworked term as much as anyone but it is just a really easy drinking tequila. The Reposado follows suite as a treat to the palate, just with more character and better body of notes to enjoy. Don Julio has been working the craft apparently since 1942, and notes itself as one of the first tequila distilleries to own it's own agave cultivating process. For shear weight of unusual boldness of character I give the advantage to the Herradura by a nose, but if you just want a well crafted and still tasty tequila with a good flavor profile that won't make waves, Don Julio easily gets the job done. -
Herradura Reposado Tequila
Tequila Reposado — Tequila Valley, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed December 3, 2020 (edited April 29, 2023)My last(first) tequila review was enough fun to make me want "More Please Suh", so here goes nothing. Nose: WOW... smokey, sweet, spicy, flavor packed nose, this really makes me regret not trying Herradura long ago.. scotch drinkers take note, exciting stuff smells like it lives here.. but will the taste live up to the promise? Starts slow and fades in to strong agave tinged burn the sweetness and smoke on the nose are apparent, it burns a little longer than I would like but nothing terrible, and the final notes are a bit of acrid baked sprout plant along with the roasted sugar quality that is wholly unlike bourbon sugars. Mild black pepper spices but nothing too rich. Likable enough, and while the body doesn't quite offer up the same level of character and excitement as the nose, it's really not that far off. It would be fair to say the "smoke" is more of a scotch like than some American mesquite style, not what I would expect but still pleasant. For a relatively low priced tequila this is certainly a bottle good enough to drink or mix, but I wouldn't want to throw a bunch of margarita lime in it and ruin the character, it stands up well enough to be enjoyable. Cheers! -
So its holiday season and interesting bottles make nice gifts. The Grand Mayan assortment certainly qualifies for the bottles as they are some of the nicest looking glazed and unglazed ceramics you will see in a liquor store. It's certainly priced as a near to high end tequila but is it really a top notcher? The sugars are a bit light on the nose, this isn't overly sweet tequila, however it does have a nice purity about it, nothing in the sour range, like a rested Don Julio, its clearly unaged and also very clean. What sugars are present come in with some slight mint and also some tropical fruit sugar aspects. There are some tart and also hot cinnmon flavors throughout the middle and ending, it finishes with some real character and doesn't just wash out like number of cheap white tequilas. Nor does it have any off putting chemical notes, definitely a bit of crafting going on to make this a better than average and interesting taste for a blanco tequila. While I prefer a rested or sometimes a well aged tequila I'm gonna say this is worthy of the price point, given it falls in the 70-90 range. The reposado bottle is a nice deep blue and gold noted glaze, either way these are nice enough to both drink and keep as art work.79.0 USD per Bottle
-
Hendrick's Midsummer Solstice
Modern Gin — Scotland
Reviewed November 19, 2020 (edited December 6, 2020)Was putting it off because it tends to be a little pricey but wow, If you like sweet berry notes this is top notch gin. The Distiller notes on the nose are pretty accurate but the real tell is in the taste and this delivers loads of sweet red and blue berry, a blue-raspberry pie is not out of order it's just that delicious. There is just hints of some citric tartness and light green herbs, thyme, ginger etc that follow the bold forward berries. Perhaps some will find it too sweet as it reaches almost a preserves level of sugars. What I like about Hendrix Midsummer Solistice is that it's the first berry noted flavor liquor I've not only been able to tolerate but to actually enjoy. I've tried plenty of blueberry vodkas and beers and all pretty much sucked, from fake and artificial flavoring to harsh contrasts. Hendrix MS has none of these fatal flaws, nothing artificial about it, just pure sweet gin. The tart and sweet notes mesh together nicely and come off with a true pastry like experience, as long as you are not looking for a really dry gin or you just don't like berries, you should be really happy with this. One of the things I noted about the standard Hendrix is the quality, you can just taste it and I'm becoming a believer that the Hendrix people really care about it. If you want something like an after dinner desert gin, look no further, this is it. I have to commend Hendrick's on doing what they set out to do and making a yummy sweet gin so good I don't want to put tonic in it, but of course you always could. Cheers! -
Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond 14 Year (Fall 2020)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed November 15, 2020 (edited April 1, 2021)Really sweet vanilin coming in on the nose, some toasted almond, seems just a bit dusty as of very old oak. Amazingly pure and free of any ethanol notes for a 100 proof. The early front really springs the toasted oat/almond in a bursting sensation, following come middle sweet notes with a flash of sweet corn bread then burnt butter toast. This menage a troi of notes hangs on for the duration, you can get up walk out for a smoke and you will still have it as a reminder when you come back in. The sugars are a bit sparse comprised mostly of vanilla and feint caramel. I would be remiss not to mention the almost Bartons level of old oak mustiness trailing at the finish that reminds us this is indeed a well aged oak barrel product. All of that and an incredible smooth ending and the burnt almond butter cracker that lasts forever. Hard to get but well worth it.
Results 51-60 of 195 Reviews