Tastes
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Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (Fall 2018)
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 7, 2019 (edited October 14, 2019)Really enjoyed my neat pour of this one. Thick, dark, and really really viscous. A good balance of sweet and savory. Haven’t had either before and in name alone I couldn’t remember whether this BTAC one was the old but low proof or younger barrel proof. The way it drank I guessed 100% wrong. Very low ethanol, could not have told you this was the high proof stuff. Main clue was should have been how thick and viscous it was. Really nice cinnamon, oak, and hints of butterscotch. At first blush, this is a clear new favorite barely legal rye... sort of like pikesville if it were twice as thick. Didn’t double check if that’s accurate on the mashbill, but that’s what I’m tasting. Not as complex as some, but knows what it is and delivers 100% on that. Probably not worth hunting (what is really?) but enjoy if you can try some.22.0 USD per Pour -
Batch MMXIX-A (2/2019). Pale straw in the glass. Relatively thin body with a touch of oil in the legs. Creamy vanilla nose with a gently spiced citrus. Cereal notes. Surprisingly, enough kick to keep you from nosing too deep. Clearly a grain whiskey through and through. On the tongue, vanilla cream dominates with caramel and a hint of oak giving the strong impression of toasted marshmallow. Persistently zesty around the mouth and edges of the tongue... another thing I tend to associate with grain whiskeys. Very well-balanced and quite nice - has all the key components from a sweet dram, but also very straightforward. Has all the categories of flavor and mouthfeel, but not layered. Verdict - very good offering, crowd-pleaser, and certainly well-made, but reminds more of an Irish style than what I hope for in a scotch. Will enjoy the bottle but likely not replace for $100+. Spice tree is more memorable and half the price.100.0 USD per Bottle
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New Riff Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 23, 2019 (edited September 2, 2019)Pretty neutral and flat nose, but a deeper nosing shows a bit of the 112.5 proof. Subtle notes of lime peel, surprisingly enough. Interesting to try side by side with the BiB. Notably dry, this barrel lacks almost all of the caramel sweetness the BiB showcases underneath its rye and proof spice. Ratchets up the iodine, hints of baking spice but very dry. Unexpectedly, not much extra sweetness even after adding a few drops. The finish lingers long with a gentle burn. Well crafted, but doesn’t deliver the classic bourbon flavors I’m after for the proof and cost. Continued tasting after lighting a super mild Connecticut cigar, and it actually teased out the sweetness a bit, muting the dry spice. Vanilla soaked pear on the nose and the taste becomes a clear creme brûlée. A good pair after all is said and done. -
New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Bottled In Bond
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 23, 2019 (edited September 3, 2019)Enjoying my first experience with this one. Nothing harsh, good caramel notes and sweet vanilla balanced by the spot-on proof spice. Touch of iodine and char. Finish lingers pleasantly. A home run for a new-ish distillery. A bit of a tough sell at $40 and lacking some complexity, but I’d never turn it down. Totally balanced sweet and spice, and enough backbone to drink it however you like. -
Fighting Cock Kentucky Straight Bourbon (NAS)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 15, 2019 (edited April 26, 2021)I’m sure this offering disappoints fans of the previous age-stated version(s), but after a first taste I’m convinced you could do worse for your money. An affordable (< $20), semi-high proof (103), 4-6+ year (presumably - nobody takes a 6+ year product line and starts filling it with 2 year barrels) is a standout value on specs (these days) as long as the taste fulfills. Optics are that it’s been getting worse (going NAS), but people talk up offerings like Evan Williams BiB on the perception that it’s affordable and a step up from its black label cousin (let’s not forget that black label notably lost its 4-yr statement a while ago as well). As far as taste, this is strong cinnamon, oak, and vanilla to me. More baking spices (nutmeg, clove, mace) are there, but definitely secondary. The spice is long and lingers on the roof of the mouth. There is a trace of intensity (befitting a whiskey named fighting cock?) that probably drinks about 10 proof higher than its labeled, so admittedly a touch of ethanol that better bottlings don’t exhibit, but it isn’t harsh or detracting, just characterizes the spicy nature of the spirit. Also, the Heaven Hill peanuts are there for sure. They modify, but don’t detract from, the primary flavors. Not quite a quintessential bourbon profile, but those that like it spicy but affordable, drink neat and you shouldn’t be disappointed for the price. Certainly could do well with a cube. Actually it’s a nice counterpoint to cola (after neat, I had with Pepsi), but I think this might be the 100% perfect bourbon for spiking eggnog (without trying yet). All the right flavors and punchy enough to cut through rich dairy. Saving for winter for sure!17.0 USD per Bottle -
Wood Hat Double Wood pecan and oak
Bourbon — Missouri , USA
Reviewed July 17, 2019 (edited November 3, 2023)Interesting but probably won’t seek out again. The pecan definitely strikes a unique note... not unpleasant, just hard to reconcile. -
Wood Hat Aged Blue Corn Whiskey
Corn — Missouri, USA
Reviewed July 17, 2019 (edited December 18, 2020)Chatted with part-owner and brand ambassador at a tasting in KC. Actually very pleasant. Definitely something for the WSR/MM crowd. Sweet and easy, but still interesting. A crowd pleaser. Would absolutely drink again and at a very respectable price point for being a small craft whiskey. Not harsh in any way.32.0 USD per Bottle -
Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed July 11, 2019 (edited August 28, 2020)Pale reddish straw color - thin body but reasonably oily legs. Thin nose with inescapable ethanol that prevents a long nosing, but not harsh. Mint, vanilla, brown sugar and cereal grain with some cherry notes. A sharp oak and mint open the taste, that fades to coat the mouth in a syrupy, candied vanilla sweetness. Some citrus rind, baking spices, and tart cherry. The finish holds the sweet syrup notes, lingering impressively and outshining the palate. With only a half ounce left in the bottle it has definitely grown on me since opening. I think that’s a deeper appreciation for the OF profile and some palate maturity on my part. A very solid bottle if found in the low $20s. Finish > Palate > Nose.26.0 USD per Bottle -
Old Forester Single Barrel Bourbon 90 Proof
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed July 11, 2019 (edited August 10, 2019)Bubbles KCMO store pick. Strawberry blonde color and a little thin in the glass. Nosing reveals prominent vanilla frosting with a hint of cherry, morphing into the bananas, rum, and brown sugar of bananas foster. A touch of fresh cane, mint and vegetation. The nose is enlivening and a definite winner. Creamy mouthfeel. The viscosity draws saliva. Again, vanilla dominates while oak and gentle astringency show around the periphery of the mouth. Definitely sweet, showing some brown sugar and butterscotch. The finish lingers impressively for 90 proof with both sweetness and a drying sensation. The SiB is a bit overpriced typically in the $45 range (store pick or otherwise) but this was a steal at $30. I will continue to enjoy this bottle. A great and affordable representation of OF considering their whisky row series is a tad overpriced, although I’ll cave every time for some 1920.30.0 USD per Bottle
Results 131-140 of 305 Reviews