Tastes

Attractive yet simple bottle and packaging. A golden straw hue. Thin consistency with extremely slow to form legs. Smoky, sweet, and hot on the nose... but clean. Charred orange rind. Cereal grain. Hints of marzipan and pear. Faint honeysuckle. A pleasant, creamy mouthfeel despite the apparent lack of viscosity. Initial beet sugar sweetness transitions quickly to tart grapefruit peel, then moderate peat smoke and astringent toasted oak. Pear lingers in the background, but overall an aggressive palate befitting a young, brash whisky. Rosewater, laced with threads of cinnamon. A clearly saline backbone complicated with hints of sherried hazelnuts. Grilled pineapple. The tangy finish lingers impressively. Truly a mouthful. Challenging; sweet; tart; smoky. It is not for everybody, but if you're looking for bold flavor and complexity, step right up - you won't be disappointed. Will definitely enjoy the bottle.

Neat in a glencairn. Simple yet attractive packaging. Medium amber with little viscosity. Thin legs. Aromas of brown sugar, banana, clove, and cinnamon candies. A bit of dusty corn, then a puff of spice - the cinnamon oil to match the candies. Appealing but not as gentle as expected. Sweet, rich, creamy, and pleasantly spiced. Cream soda laced with sweet mint gum. Butterscotch and vanilla. Maple syrup. Apple. A bit tart, in a good way. 100% on board with the reviewer's apricot. Quite delicious. Great balance and cohesion - all the facets play together nicely. Brings bold flavors despite the low proof. The only downside is the somewhat high pricetag for an atypical, low proof, NAS American whiskey. But these days, the price to play is going up and it feels extremely well-made. This seems to be a very popular pick with mass appeal and it IS quite sweet, thus the approachability... but there is a lot to like. Of an ilk with Elijah Craig small batch, but a clear upgrade IMO.

Neat in a glencairn. An appealingly deep coppery-amber. The nose offers toffee, caramel, baked apples, clove, cut jalapeno, and a hint of raisin... but carries some fumes, so prepare thy nostril. The palate is thick, hot, and strong. Boldly-flavored caramel, oak, and spice. Loads of brown sugar with banana, vanilla, and that cherry cola version of spiced oak that I find quite pleasant. Charred orange. A drying sweetness lingers nicely and invites anther sip. The best bold flavor profile + cost comparison I can think of is Wild Turkey 101. This is simultaneously more flavorful, more viscous, and cheaper ($22/L) than it's closest Brown-Forman comparison, Old Forester Signature, all at the same proof. I have honestly thought to myself "wow, this stuff is delicious" each and every time I've tasted it and am more than a little scared to draw comparisons with my much-adored Old Fo' 1920 whiskey spouse for fear of poisoning the love we share. I react with an eerie similarity to it, but it is much, much, much, much more expensive. I'll just enjoy my pour and leave that for another day.

Neat in a glencairn. Golden yellow-orange hue with surprising viscosity and some legs. The nose confirms the 51% rye + high corn mash (Distiller entry is wrong - not LDI rye, it's one of the newer MGP rye bills). Gentle and sweet with prominent apple juice, a splash of maple syrup, some dusty cereal grain chaff, and dried chili pepper. Herbal tones stay on the periphery. Mild but approachable. The palate is a bit more demanding and punchy up front, but not harsh, and then mellows nicely with a lasting sweetness. Creamy but muted on the tongue, the flavors hide until after the swallow. A few fumes and a flash of heat way in the back, then toasted sugar, honey, and bitter grapefruit peel. Stewed apples. Surprised when it occurred to me, but shares some kinship with a number of blended Scotches, albeit with a few things turned up to 11 (this is a young rye, after all, and unabashedly American despite trying to make my point with a Spinal Tap reference about a British metal band). I like this. It cost me $11. I like this A LOT for $11. Thank you Lux Row & MGP. Rittenhouse, Sazerac, or Old Fo' Rye are incremental upgrades, mostly in complexity and a touch of proof, but they are an additional 10 to 20 bones. I like this better than more $30-$40 bottles (that I own!) than I'd care to admit. An easy entry into the VFM knockout rounds at that price.

Neat in a glencairn. A rich ochre in the glass. Slightly underwhelming viscosity for 100 proof. A vibrant, yeasty, cinnamon roll dough nose with raspberry and mint edging in. Some oak and vanilla. A punchy heat doesn't permit a long sniff, but not rough. Prominently spicy on the palate while sweetness only lingers afterward. Chili pepper, oak astringency, and a gentle vanilla. Sweet cinnamon and clove. Oily lemon peel. Young and brash but quite flavorful with nothing harsh anywhere in the profile. Absolutely loving this - a bold and rich sipper with the backbone for vibrant cocktails. A knockout value in the low $20s and clearly differentiates itself from the more routine 51% offerings around this price point.

Neat in a glencairn. Aired for a half-hour. A very crisp and clear golden hue in the glass. Thin body. Legs don't seem to match the relatively watery consistency: extremely slow to form, and oily-thick when they do. An immediate but subtle waft of peat, however most of the aroma is clean and richly aromatic. Green apple and pine bark. Damp forest. Touches of caramel and honey. Morphs into spiced pear on a whim, and right back again. Beautiful, without a trace of an ethanol kick. The palate is bursting with more green apple - rich and sweet, before the iodine and peat gracefully assert themselves. The sherry influence is also elegantly done - evident but stays on side stage for the most part. The palate manages to balance many components without evidence of the blending... the sum greater than the parts. A pleasant and almost minty spice lingers on the edges of the tongue and roof of the mouth for a respectable finish at 43%. The sweet peat and menthol combine to a bit of a saccharine note that isn't my thing, but also not unpleasant. Really enjoy this dram. Fairly expensive at today's pricing, but offers a little something unique and is a great addition to the shelf.