Tastes

A friend gave me a dram of this Hibiki Harmony so I could try it before considering buying a bottle. I drink bourbon mostly, and I have found that everything else I try (with the exception of rye) tastes like Scotch. This is no different. It's good... It's light on the nose and slightly sweet on the palate, where spice and floral notes prevail. Again, this tastes like Scotch... like a less complex McCallan or Glenfiddich. Not bad, not great. I've yet to find a whiskey I like as much as I do bourbon, and I doubt I ever will. But I'm glad I was able to try this without having to buy it.

I'd been told that Wild Turkey 101 is a "rock star" in the bourbon realm. I wasn't so sure, so I bought a little 50 ML bottle at Bevmo today to give it a try. Had it with an ice cube... Nose: Familiar bourbon nose notes of oak, as well as a nice wiff of campfire smoke. *(Added 3/24: Bought a full bottle, and upon opening I got a nice vanilla whiff on the nose, as well as red hots/cinnamon candy.) Palate: Spicy(!), tobacco, smokey, nice oily/rich mouth feel. Finish: Warm hug sits in your chest for a while at the first few sips. Lingering tobacco and a spicy tingle on the tongue. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner here! Bottom shelf (price-wise) status granted. I'll definitely be buying a full-size bottle.... *and I did!

Tasted this, as well as some Jameson, at my grocery store's Irish Whiskey tasting this evening... Not bad. I got some "apple" from it. Can't recall much more. I'm a bourbon drinker, and this was closer to Scotch within the overall Whiskey spectrum. Liked it way more than the Jameson, for sure. Later in the night, I had Redbreast 12 Year single pot still. If my memory serves, I may have preferred this over it. I'm no authority on Irish Whiskey. But since I tasted some tonight, I wanted to document it with a review. It's definitely smooth and a good sipper. Just not my thing.

I'm primarily a bourbon and, more recently, rye drinker. Occasionally, I'll branch out and try something new. Being that St. Patty's Day was not far off, I researched Irish Whiskeys, and landed on Redbreast. So I grabbed a bottle of this a week ago... Nose: I'm getting a nice dose of cloves. Also tart candies or tart fruit. Palate: Sweet; Spicy on the back of the tongue; slightly bitter, grainy/grassy(?); Not-yet-ripe banana. Finish: Medium with palate notes carrying over. I liken this to Scotch. It hits a lot of the same notes as, and shares a similar profile with, the handful of Scotch whiskeys I've had. I won't buy this again — but not because I think it's no good. It's just that, each time I venture outside my Bourbon zone, I always wish I were sipping Bourbon instead... and would rather spend my money on what I know I like. Added 3/1/24: I was planning to revisit this bottle come St. Patty's Day, but decided to break it out tonight while watching, "The Wind That Rattles the Barley". The nose gave me a molasses wallop that I didn't get on my maiden pour. I said this reminded me of Scotch, but it really tastes nothing like it. Nice and smooth. Sweet and flavorful. Nice buttery finish. Indeed, this is a far cry from my "Old Kentucky Bourbon Home"... but very good in its own right. Upping my original score from 3 to 3.25.

Buffalo Trace was one of the first bottles I purchased at the very beginning of my bourbon journey nearly three years ago(!). I enjoyed it at the time, but I had no real context. Soooo many bottles have been consumed since then, and I now have an abundance of experience to compare it to. So here's my "Buffalo Trace Homecoming" review 😄. The nose is fairly mild with slight alcohol and the customary oak. The palate... surprisingly creamy on the tongue. Was not expecting that. Spicy tingle on the back of the tongue; slightly sweet; more oak. Can't pinpoint the specific notes I'm getting. I'm supposed to be getting "vanilla" and "cinnamon". Not getting those tonight. Will see what might come out on subsequent pours. The finish is medium with some lingering sweet notes. Many swear by BT. I get it — kind of. It's a very good mid-shelf bourbon. Nothing complex about it, but I will buy it again as it is very good for the price.

I've had the BRT-2, and just had to get a bottle of BRT-1 to compare the two... Nose: Slight alcohol, vanilla, leather, and the oak is definitely coming through. Palate: Nice medium mouthful — not too creamy or oily — nor is it at all thin. Spicy, sweet, Snickerdoodle cookie, hint of cherry cordial, Tannins. Finish: Medium, flavors linger as does the tongue tingle (as is the case with most other bourbons I've had), slight warm chest hug. I've given both a 4.0 — as they are both excellent in their own right. But I'm, subjectively, giving the nod to the BRT-2. It's simply got more of the profile I look for.

Picked up this bottle as a Flaviar freebie.... Nose: Sweet, Cinnamon, Grains. Palate: Sweet corn, someone else characterized the flavor profile as "unique'. I agree. Some oak can be detected, as well as some spice — but not a lot. I'm getting "peanut brittle" on the back end. Nice. Not sure how long this is aged, being that there's no Age Statement indicated. But it tastes a bit "young" to me — at least somewhat similar to some 2-year bottles I've had. Finish: Pleasingly short with lingering flavors and very little burn. I just opened this bottle and need to try some more to see if I can identify more specific flavors. I'm giving this a 3.75 after my first pour, but I could easily see myself upping it to a solid 4.0.

Nose: Cinnamon, red hots, vanilla Palate: Orange peel, oak(?), some sweetness ,(but not a lot), spicy as you'd expect from a high rye mash bill. Other flavors that I can't quite pin-point. (Added 4/1/23): Getting vanilla tonight, as well as some nuttiness. Nice! Finish: Medium with some familiar aftertaste I've experienced from most other bottles I've had. I drink my bourbon with one large ice cube. At the first few sips, this stuff sits rather warmly in your chest. Once the ice kicks-in, it mellows that out. I put Old Grandad up there with Old Tub, and Evan Williams 1783 in the, "Very good for the price" category. Am I going to run out and stock-up on it? Nah. Will I buy it again? Yeah.

Been dying to try the newly-restored 9 Year KC, and finally was afforded the opportunity when my Father in-law bought me a bottle for a visit. Nose: caramel, butter, oak, leather. Palate: smooth, more butter and caramel, slightly sweet, flavors I can't quite identify (my palate is simply not refined enough yet)... oak? Tanins (whatever that is!)? Slightly spicy. Finish: medium/short, gentle chest hug with a tongue tingle. I'm very pleased with this bottle. I will definitely be buying/keeping on-hand. 3.75 stars — not 4.00 — only because I reserve 4 stars and higher for superlative bottles. But this is very good/worth buying.

(I originally posted this review on the Piggyback Rye page. Duh! So, here's my review for the correct bottle!) I'm having this tonight at my in-laws'. They know about my bourbon fascination, and always buy a bottle or two when we come visit. I was excited to hear that they bought this for me, as I have been wanting to try it for a while now... Nose: classic bourbon nose of leather, but with butterscotch and a hint of alcohol. Palate: sweet, caramel, more butterscotch carried over from the nose, caramel, creamy with a classic bourbon tingle, slightly spicy. Finish: medium with a slight burn/hug. This is a solid pour. I could easily see myself buying this in the future.