Reviews

2024 release, typically $35-40: Nose & palate: Full flavored with vanilla, darker fruits (think some cherry, raspberry & plum fruit leather, plus a little apple), toasted marshmallow and dark caramel. Marshmallow and cool, sweet smoke often stand out on the nose. Other notes are present but vary depending on the condition of my palate and how much attention I'm giving to my glass. On some sips I get brown/dark sugars, on some fresh strawberries including the stems. It is somewhat viscous, but not "thick". Perfectly good legs though. Barrel spice is a strong element in this whiskey but it doesn't overpower. It is hearty and flavorful - equal parts smooth and coarse... "rustic", like good home cooking. It steps into the spotlight towards the end of the arrival, strides into the finish, then takes a step back so that you can revisit the sweet notes together. This is good whiskey, and it was a surprise discovery for me. It's commonly available in my area, and at one point I happened to find a store that had them on special @ $30. I stocked up.

I was more than pleasantly surprised by this dark, serious looking whiskey. The flavor is rough, rich and sweet in all the right ways, and at 55% drinks without a lot of "proof" to it. I've had plenty of 80 proof whiskeys that drink hotter. I definitely found the influence of the sugar maple, and there were many flavors present - some dark fruits, cherry, honey, toasted sugars, and what I think was the black cherry wood influence. It's not particularly viscous but I didn't think it was thin, just of average viscosity. Whatever the pressure aging with black cherry barrels and sugar maple staves does, it seems to produce a very full flavor. Its rich with wood influence, but not barrel char. Most importantly, the flavor is from wood and new make, and there is no colorant or chill filtering according to the label. I enjoyed it neat, but immediately thought of making Manhattans and Old Fashioneds with it. But I do not consider it to be just a mixer at all - most of mine will be had neat. IMO, better than many other $40 bottles, and I was lucky to catch mine on sale and bought two. I'll likely buy another. Also, I'm confident that this whiskey isn't going to fall apart with a little water added, so I'm looking forward to doing that and enjoying whatever flavors take precedence as it proofs down. ps - my first taste of this came from an open bottle that had time to breathe and I liked it very much. My freshly opened bottle (same batch) is tighter, but I can tell that it will end up the same as the sample bottle. I'm not a Cleveland fan, except for this.

The tasting notes are spot on. One thing to add, a couple of months in an open bottle gave mine a maturity that only made it better. It would have been a three star otherwise.

Ralfy was right - its just a good, simple malt. Modest honeybread flavor with a bit of light fruit. No peat element. Nothing it shouldn't have. Closer to a 4 than a 3. More than worth the $24 I paid for the bottle, and I'm now looking to pick up a bottle of Arranta.

This is waaaaaaay better than I expected. Plum/prune and toffee on the nose. Almond paste too, plus this may be the first time in my life I have picked up stewed apples, but its there. It's is clean, fresh and fruity (ripening nectarines or peach, with some citrus edge to it) on the pallet. It has soft black pepper on the short finish, but less so than many. About 2/3 the pepper of Toki for example. It's hard to describe since it also has a "new" flavor to it, but its also clearly of good quality. I'm truly enjoying it neat. 4 stars for wowing me with a white dog that is a treat to drink and educate myself with. I got a great deal on my bottle when a local store closed it out so keep your eyes open wherever you are. It was a steal.

Maybe I give stars too easily, but I just had a glass of this neat, almost as a dare to myself. I expected horrible, grainy hi-test corn fuel, instead I had a pretty normal if hum-drum bourbon. A little corn sweet, a little vanilla, a touch of barrel spice and that was about it. Boring? Yup. But nothing else to criticize either. Three stars based on price (it was a $2 pour at the bar I was at, I basically said "screw it" while I was waiting for my takeout order). Now I'm actually curious about Old Crow Reserve.

I think of it as a very smooth American rye even though its from a truly classic Canadian producer. Clean and rich with a sweet undertone and a bit of light fruit. What stands out to me is the barely rough rye spice that gives this whiskey real character. Think "leather smooth" not "silky smooth". An enjoyable drink neat especially as a change of pace from bourbon. Can be had for $35 these days where I am and its well worth that price. Your cost may vary - MSRP was originally much higher.

The review and flavor chart are pretty accurate. BUT, my bottle didn't come to life until after it had been open for a month or so. What I had originally found to be dull and unremarkable has become a fresh tasting treat to drink. Honey, apple, peach and pear team up with with citrus elements of pineapple/tart mango mixed in. It is modestly spicy on the finish but the spice is pleasant and complimentary. In fact, I find that nothing is out of harmony in this whisky making it greater than the sum of its parts. I'll be buying this again.