Tastes

To be honest, I am primarily a bourbon drinker. Aside from Forty Creek Unity, I've not really sought-out whiskey. So when I took home this bottle, I foolishly thought what I had just bought was the new Double Wheated release (Yes, it helps to read labels thoroughly, but I'm famous for letting my excitement distract me). Instead of returning it, I figured I'd keep it... branch-out a bit — and who knows, maybe I'll love it.....? Well I don't love it, but I don't hate it either. It's good. But for a $69 bottle, I had higher hopes for, and higher expectations from, this Old Elk whiskey. I like wheated bourbons, so I thought this would impress me more. It's got the burn and the spicy smoke I get from many Bourbons. But I'm just not getting much more than that. Maybe I'll have a different take after my second pour. If I do, I'll come back with edits. If not, my rating stands and it'll have proven a "live and learn" experience: I like bourbon(!).

Caramel, leather and a heavy dose of alcohol on the nose. Smooth and creamy... sweet (apples and cherries), lots of spice, and oak on the palate; medium finish with a hefty supply of heat and more spice. This finished at the top spot in a blind taste test against five other bottles of varying price points, proofs, and age statements.

Sorry if this goes against any rules... posting without actually having tasted... Can someone tell me if I will be able to acquire a bottle of this at a normal retail price, or will this release be immediately relegated to the $300+ price point? Thank you.

Sweet and spicy. I'm getting a lot from this one... Caramel, leather and toffee on the nose; Cinnamon, cherries, licorice and, as the Expert review states, pumpernickel(!) on the palate with a richness that really coats the tongue. Spicy and oaky finish that lingers a bit. This one is special. There are good bourbons, and then there are bourbons like this one.

Leather and oak on the nose; Spicy and sweet with a little heat on the palate. An ice cube calms that down, though. Added 8/28/22: Finished my bottle of E.H. Taylor tonight. I see my original taste was a bit brief and vague — when this bourbon deserved a little more attention.... Spicy and sweet, yes. But there's also some maple I'm getting on the palate. Fairly smooth and not as much heat as I originally stated. There are times when I find that a like a bottle very much, knowing it's a fairly simple expression. But this is a bit more complex... with new flavors making themselves known on the finish. This is excellent bourbon. I'm hoping to procure some of the other E.H. Taylor offerings. But I'd be quite happy to locate another bottle of this Small Batch.

Surprisingly smooth for a bottle under $20. Slight burn going down — but it doesn't last (and I get the same from $50-$70 bottles, anyway). Spicy and sweet.

Heavy ethanol with vanilla and some leather, as well, on the nose. Spicy and sweet apples with some heat on the palate. Ice cube definitely helps. Not the best, not the worst. I like the wheated bourbons, but this one JUST misses the mark.

This is very good. Not too much burn, and just the right amount of "sweet", "smoke", and "leather". I could see this one achieving "go-to" status amongst my other favorites. Added 4/15/24: Enjoying some of this as I wait for my dinner to arrive. I like this more than I remember liking it back when I left my review. Definitely getting the "high rye" spice profile — I probably didn't know what it was I was tasting back when. Smooth and pleasant. It's very light on the tongue. But the excellent flavor more than makes up for any lack of viscosity.

A friend told me his brother really likes this one, so I figured I'd give it a try. I only bought a tiny bottle, in the event that I wasn't blown away... and it was a good move. Not bad at all, but nothing special to my palate. Probably best as a mixer, and not a daily sipper. Planning to give this another try. I have a feeling it's better than I recall, and sometimes I need to pour a few glasses before I can truly weigh-in. A tiny sample bottle can't afford that.

Smooth, Sweet, Cherries, Spices. Was torn between this one and the much higher-proof 1920. Glad I went this route. This could be a go-to once I'm done trying all the bottles I want to.