Tastes

Neat. Opened 6 months. Been a long time since I had this one. I know my first impression wasn’t strong but then it seemed to open up as weeks went by. Time for a more official deep dive with this opened bottle. Getting a lot of cinnamon roll, even down to the vanilla frosting. Little raspberry too. Hint of mint. That’s about it though. Not much depth, not many angles to explore. It’s crisp and nice though don’t get me wrong. Nice creamy texture, total cinnamon vanilla bomb. Being equally assaulted with the spice and sweetness. It is really nice up front. Blast of cinnamon throughout the experience and on the legs. So much cinnamon. On the tail end of the finish there is a second blast of vanilla that is absolutely delicious. One of the best vanilla notes on memory. Those raspberries are starting to come through on subsequent sips. Even getting some Heaven Hill nuttiness on the finish too. The taste won me over. That cinnamon and vanilla one two punch with over the top sweetness is delightful. Geez, I’m going to go back and reread my first impression to see if it’s still the same notes. I think the cinnamon has been persistent but this sweetness and vanilla feel new. I avoided B520 but maybe that was a mistake...

Neat. Neck pour. This has been hiding in the back of my collection. Not sure why I was sentimental about it. I suppose it’s a dusty but I was in the mood to open something new(ish). Really good nose. Definitely younger than the current Rare Breed batches. Caramel and toffee up front, really solid. Hint of mint. Tons of cinnamon. Slight apple. Really no oak, lacks that rick house smell of the latest Rare Breed. I like it a lot. I was drinking WT 101 earlier and it’s more in line with that just a step up on the proof and volume. Hmm texture is thick but watery? Oily but not creamy? Odd. Cinnamon apple up front, swings hard into that caramel. Bit of oak does emerge here. Tannic qualities linger on the finish. Hmm. Not a fan of this. It’s muddled with such an off finish. Musty funk. And there is this harshness that somehow lingers in the back of the mouth by the gums. Wow... the latest batches of Rare Breed are awesome. This is no where close to what Rare Breed has become. Fun to experiment with but geez, I don’t see myself coming back to this bottle anytime soon. Fingers crossed it opens up.

Neat. Neck pour. Excited to try this! I have been a big fan of Smoke Wagon. I think Aaron is grabbing some high quality MGP barrels and selling them at fair prices. The Straight Bourbon is the best budget MGP out there. Time to see how the Small Batch steps things up. Interesting. Nose is bright. Eucalyptus pops in my mind first. Only 100 proof but this neck pour is hot too. The Rye and pepper are really coming through too. Starting to get some cinnamon and baking spices. Gosh, I have to really dig to get the usual MGP sweetness. Not much caramel or vanilla. Floral, rye, and pepper really take center stage. Nice creamy texture, but again odd first hit for a MGP. Pepper and dark honey. Floral again. Okay, there is some caramel but gosh, it switches to rye, citrus, pepper again. Either I am off or this needs to open up. If I were drinking this blind I would think it is an okay rye. Little mint of the finish too. So a bit disappointed off the neck pour. It’s not bad, just not the step up from the delicious Straight Bourbon I was expecting. This comes across as a Rye to me and lacks the MGP sweetness and dessert qualities I enjoy so much. Bah. Letting this sit for a bit.

Neat. Neck pour. DEPs #3. My second bottle crack for the day of Old Scout. DEPs first two single barrels rank towards the bottom of the barrels I have had. Let’s see if the third time is the charm. A bit hot on the nose, need to approach this one with some caution. There is a green young note coming to the top of this one. Super shiny. From behind that a tart pear emerges with lots of cinnamon and baking spices. Light butterscotch and graham cracker pie crust. The shininess dominates though. This nose makes me nervous... Very thick and vicious. Cinnamon and a bit of musty funk on the tongue. Ah bummer, this one comes off as too young. I was afraid of that. That young green note just dominates the front. It transitions into some nice cherry and then finishes with caramel but the young note just comes around again on the finish. It’s even harsh. Bummer. Blah. I love MGP but when a barrel is too young it is a real turnoff for me. The cherry note redeemed it a bit but all in all a lack luster use of $50.

Neat. Neck pour. Gallenstein #11. I have 5 or 6 different barrels of these Old Scout 5 year picks. Each one is better than any other MGP I have had. Starting to see Remus single barrels in my area but they don’t compare to these Old Scouts. When I saw this bottle at one of my favorite stores today, I was excited despite having so many of these already. Hmm, very subtle on the nose. Nice lightly charred caramel. Freshly baked cinnamon roll. Some baked apple. Some deep clove and baking spices as I sit with it longer. There is a nice vanilla frosting too. Almost 120 proof, but you can’t tell from the nose. No young notes, which again is awesome for these young Old Scouts. Texture is actually light and fluffy, so strange. Vanilla sweetness up front transitions into a delicious caramel bomb. Those baking spices and pepper show up on the legs and the rye makes an appearance on the finish. Those cinnamon baked apples are coming through too. Another winner. Gosh. I’ll have to blind these soon to see which barrel I like most. This barrel is going to be up there. It is so smooth, so crisp. Not very complex I suppose but it really tastes good. Only $60 too. Glad I bought a back up.

Neat. Opened about 1 year.... Bottle Kill! It’s Saturday, work has been insane. I looked at this bottle of Elmer and thought “You will help repair my warn out soul!” Sad to see this single barrel go. I love this nose. Best Mash Bill 2 nose I have come across. For a 90 proof bourbon, there is so much here. Delicious honey on some fresh cornbread. Really nice caramel and vanilla with a hint of strawberries. And with that low proof I can just breathe this in deeply at will and live in this glass. Texture is light but velvety. Honey sweetness on the tongue, transitions to cornbread at first and then is followed by the desert. Buttery caramel. That caramel note is so sweet and rich. Yum. I wish Elmer was more available because I think it’s the perfect bourbon to get someone into bourbon. It’s so smooth but actually has flavor compared to most Bland-tons. That velvety texture, sweetness, lingering caramel would be such a good way to show someone what this bourbon craze is all about. Even with this praise, hard to understand the price this goes for on secondary. It’s not a hitter. It’s an amazing under-$50, smooth, light desert. Good bye old friend, you treated me well on so many rememberable nights.

Neat. Neck pour. Gallenstein “Over the hump” 26. 14+ years. I love KC old picks and excited to dive into a new one I haven’t tried. Color on this one is DARK. The nose is leaping from the bottle already. Man yet another amazing KC pick. This nose is glorious. The cherry is just jumping from the glass. Heavy leather and charred caramel. Salted pretzel. Geez the brine in this one is definitely beyond any KC pick I’ve had before. The cherry has subsided into a fantastic apple. There is something unique in this nose. Almost a ginger. Reminds me of Thai. That’s quite odd, but it’s really good. I’m going to hang with this nose for a bit... Texture is surprising. It’s light and fluffy. These are usually much thicker and viscous. Cinnamon apple all over the tongue. Transitions into intense caramel. Yet again that salted pretzel from the nose is coming through. This is salty! Like Jefferson’s Ocean briny. So strange but really good. Mmm that cherry is now really coming through two. This sweet and salty combo is nuts. Yet another awesome KC single barrel that was only like $45. No way they keep selling these picks so cheap. They have been the best value in all of bourbon for like two years now and they still keep hitting well above their price range. Why buy the 15 year KC for $100+ if I can get this for $45? Crazy.

Neat. Neck pour. Gallenstein Selection 17. Camp Nelson A. Older label so no age statement. Always a treat to crack a new Russell’s. Nose on this one is super light. Surprised by how subtle it is. Graham cracker crust covered in honey with a light caramel drizzle. There is some damp oak emerging. Hmm and some pear covered in cinnamon. Okay, this nose is a bit of a let down. Super syrupy and oily, wow that coats. Lot of my mouth with cinnamon, sugar hotness. Ooo okay, redeemed in the taste. Phew. This may be the sweetest turkey I have ever had. It’s over the top. Maybe even the second sweetest overall bourbon on memory next to Lone Whisker. Candied apple covered in that red, sugary dip. Sweet oak. Honeyed graham cracker. Really it does match the nose but so surprised the sweetness and flavor are turned up so high. I mean even the legs are sweet and the sweetness lingers. Crazy. By the far the strangest, most off profile Turkey I have had yet. Probably why they picked it. I’m super confused but it is really yummy too.

Neat. Opened 1.5 - 2 years (yikes time flies). Derby pour. I recall really enjoying this the last time I had it but haven’t sat down with it for a serious tasting. The bottle is now 2/3rds gone, so time to end it over the next few weeks. Gosh, the first note I am grabbing from the nose is surprising me. It’s a short bread sugar cookie. Very bright and very sweet. As I spend more time in the glass it is darkening into more traditional Woodford territory. Caramel glaze. Plenty of cherry. Some really nice oak and leather. I really the combo of the caramel and sugar cookie. Strangely, for something opened for so long I can still get hit with a blast of ethanol if I get too aggressive. I just want some more sugar cookie and instead I get my nose smacked. Perfect, creamy texture and it lights up the palate with brown sugar, maple and sweet oak. Mmm that was a really good first sip. It transitioned into this creamy milk chocolate with a cherry cream center. Then came the sugar cookie and it ends with a rich caramel. The legs slowly transition back to that sweet oak and they hang out for a bit. Weird how this mutated into this Irish Whiskey meets Woodford combo. The proof on this magnifies all these traditional Woodford flavors. Still makes me never want to drink regular Woodford again. This is so much better. Why not turn this into a normal release or at lease a ECBP multiple batches a year at a better price. At $70 this would be a fun comparison to similarly priced barrel proof offerings. At $130, it is still a hard one to recommend when I think $65 ECBP is still consistently better. It’s worth the experience to understand what Woodford could be but also makes it all the more frustrating too. Great pour while it lasts but I won’t be too nostalgic when this bottle runs dry.

Neat. Opened two years (but 75% filled). Also a bottle from 2012. Not sure if 2012 makes it comparable to modern batches. I remember not being impressed with this bottle but my love for ryes has also increased over time. We’ll see if anything has changed. Oh I like the nose. Dill, spearmint, citrus/orange peel, hard caramel candy, black pepper, and a graham cracker pie crust. Some sweet butter cream is hiding behind all that too. Geez that is a lot of flavors off the nose for a rye... Average mouth feel. Thick of the tongue but watery along the edges. Rye and black pepper on the tongue immediately. Transitions into a combination of the orange peel and hard caramel candy. Lots of dill and black pepper on the finish. Also very sweet on the finish but I didn’t attribute that to a specific flavor. On subsequent sips, that vanilla/butter cream is coming through with some cinnamon with. That is a good flavor. Well geez. It took 5 tastes and two years but I finally see why people chance this rye. It’s really good. It has an interesting rye profile with the dill, citrus, mint, etc. but then comes with the Buffalo Trace over the top sweetness. Pretty sure this is an example where I have changed over time more than the whiskey. (This is why you never give up on a bottle.)