Tastes
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Elijah Craig 18 Year Single Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed March 27, 2019 (edited March 28, 2019)The first of many belated tastings from a whiskey weekend. Notes abbreviated: smooth, balanced,gentle spice, prominent but enjoyable oak22.0 USD per PourThe Rieger -
Knappogue Castle 12 Year Special Barrel Release
Single Malt — Ireland
Reviewed March 8, 2019 (edited July 11, 2019)Bubbles single barrel store pick (Kansas City), probably 2017 or 2018 bottling. Pale straw yellow. Thin in the glass, but leaves surprisingly long legs. Vegetal nose. Cut grass, bell pepper, and eucalyptus layered over a deep but muted foundation of lemon zest. A longer nosing reveals the that zest belongs to a very sweet scone... vanilla-orange glaze. Strong grain notes. More vanilla. Quite lovely and intriguing overall. Floral and sweet at first, then settles into rose water with a lingering sweetness and gentle heat on the sides of the tongue. Oak and vanilla from the bourbon casks come through clearly on the second taste and blend into the other notes subsequently. Honeydew melon. Yellow apple. Very light but carries a full, complex flavor. Often seems to finish with an orange muscat dessert wine note. 92 proof shows with occasional lingering spice and drying sensation, becoming saliva to the mouth. Really quite an impressive pour that is growing on me as I work through the glass. Strongly floral, rich and diverse fruit, clear bourbon notes (first fill cask for all 12 yrs since SiB?) that complement rather than conflict. I will enjoy this bottle... rating reflects the very affordable price point vs. value.20.0 USD per BottleBubbles Wine & Spirits -
Tullamore D.E.W. XO Caribbean Rum Finish
Blended — Ireland
Reviewed March 8, 2019 (edited March 9, 2019)No complaints. Rum comes though strongly, but not a challenging spirit. Sweet with a clear Demerara note. Vanilla. Wouldn’t reach for it, but I think they accomplished their goal.28.0 USD per BottleGomer's Midtown -
Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Limited Edition
Blended — Ireland
Reviewed March 8, 2019 (edited March 9, 2019)Impressively gentle and smooth, but there almost nothing there. Cider notes are plain and clear on the palate... kind of a viscous Strongbow. Drinkable and certainly not off-putting, but forgettable.28.0 USD per BottleGomer's Midtown -
Redbreast Lustau Edition
Single Pot Still — Ireland
Reviewed March 8, 2019 (edited October 28, 2020)Tasted side by side with the 12 year. Lustau is a much more concentrated flavor... but I don’t quite care for it as much. It’s more brute force, less elegant. Bold fruit, sherry, and sweet-tart oranges. All the strongly-flavored finishing casks make a fine spirit, but it lacks the rich, thick elegance of the 12. Kind of like pop music vs classical. Catches your attention... but you’ll have forgotten about it next year while the 12 is timeless. Given the retailer was asking $25 more for this one, it’s a no-brainer.75.0 USD per BottleGomer's Midtown -
Tasted side-by-side with Lustau, Tullamore 12, and Tullamore finished whiskeys (rum, cider). Both the TD 12 and Lustau were clearly good whiskeys, but this was the clear winner to me. I’d been a little down on it lately as the price has climbed from 35-40 up to 60-65+ in the past few years and it just doesn’t wow me, but in a head-to-head it’s pedigree showed. Amazingly creamy and thick mouthfeel for 80 proof. Honeysuckle nose and a rich, buttery orange peel flavor that curls into a hint of spice around the tongue. Kept coming back and thinking I’d rather just drink this. Yum!50.0 USD per BottleGomer's Midtown
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Really nice for a upstart distillery at 2.5 years. Barley single malt. Initially barreled in new charred oak, then finished in used bourbon barrels from Breckenridge distillery. Super smooth and pleasant. Much more robust than a typical Irish. A bit simple but enjoyable. I get a bit of a grape/plum flavor and nose, like grappa.
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Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed February 8, 2019 (edited March 20, 2020)Took a 50 ml bottle with me on a flight for a nice treat. I think the port finish on the base Glenmorangie is a fantastic addition, filling in the weaknesses of the light and simple 10 year to add richness, depth, body, and provides what is still a relatively unique profile even with the myriad of new options on the market. Not a complex pour to be analyzed, just a really nice, approachable and affordable pour is dessert in a glass. Slainte! -
William Larue Weller Bourbon (Fall 2018)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed February 5, 2019 (edited August 28, 2020)Verdict: balanced but spicy sweet like a stir fry. Not exactly what I was expecting. Very well crafted, enjoyable, but I won’t hunt for it. Not exactly the profile I am drawn to. I’d reach for GTS first. 1 oz pour, neat in a rocks glass. Medium amber gold, about average for bourbon. Oily. Long, slow legs. In a rocks glass, so not ideal, but the nose is mostly muted. A simple honey note and a hint of toast. Pleasant but not special. No ethanol. Stuck my nose in there for 30 seconds and no burn, a surprise for the proof. The taste is quite spicy and complex. Some from the proof, some just the flavor. Tart red berries, cayenne, and honey. Sweetness is just a component, not a driving force like some bourbons. A hint of medicine/licorice, and very noticeable barrel notes throughout. Some oak tannins, but the char is more prominent and persistent. A predictably long finish that leaves the lips and roof of the mouth tingling. Revisiting after a just a couple drops of water from a cocktail straw, the bite of the spice is tamed, and sweetness takes over. Easier to hold on the tongue and enjoy. Wish I had a bigger pour to keep proofing it down and explore it further.15.0 USD per Pour -
A most interesting and complex whisky. Can’t say I love it, but I’m happy to keep trying to figure it out. A rare scotch that also allows proof to provide a new level of complexity to the spirit, and concentration of flavors. Uncut it certainly does seem concentrated and bold. Heavy smoke and salty-sweet. Intense and bold flavors from the batch proof. The nose is spent fireworks. Some sulfur mixed with sea, so a more “clean” smell. Perhaps lava sliding into the ocean. There is a deep smoky char, but palatable. Liquid smoke. Has a strong drying component in the mouth.95.0 USD per Bottle
Results 161-170 of 305 Reviews