Tastes
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Trader Joe's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Entry Proof
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed November 24, 2023 (edited December 6, 2023)Color: Medium Copper-Amber Nose: Slight alcohol whiff. Sweet/molasses. A familiar high-proof nose. Palate: (Drank with large ice ball) Initial spicy-burn on the maiden sip. Waaaarm chest — and throat — hug follows! Drinks hot, for sure. But the ice tames it and tamps it down over time. Eventually , the sweetness from the nose translates to the palate. As it envelops the throat and the back end of the palate (the finish?), crisp apples sitting in wooden buckets come to the fore. Nice. This is not a complex bourbon by any stretch. But you shouldn't really expect that from a $30 bottle. However, this is a very enjoyable pour for the price point — and would be a very welcome bottle to bring out while seated around a campfire, or an outdoor gathering on a chilly night.29.99 USD per BottleTrader Joe's -
Had this Breckenridge with dinner this afternoon. Drank with a large ice cube... Not much to say about this one. Apparently, it's on the "young" side. Aged "about 3 years", it says. The light copper color is the first indication. Very light nose, and very light and smooth on the palate. Slightly sweet and spicy. Short finish. I could see as a mixer, or perhaps an entry level pour for folks just getting into bourbon and whiskey.12.0 USD per PourGRANVILLE
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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C923
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed November 10, 2023 (edited January 13, 2024)Color: Deep copper-amber. Nose: Wow! Sweet, burnt vanilla, leather, molasses, stewed cinnamon apples(?). Palate: (Drank with a large ice ball) The apples return on the first contact with the tongue. The 133 proof hits you — but not too harshly... and the inevitable chest hug follows. Something akin to "spice" makes an appearance on the 2nd or 3rd sip, but of the "baking" variety. I expected caramel to be part of the profile, and it did finally come through as the ice slowly melted into the juice and opened it up. I'm getting a lot more from this juice that I just can't pinpoint (Leather? Wood?). Suffice to say, there's a lot going on. I'd heard very good things about this C923, and I'm glad to report that it was all legit. The finish is long with lingering spice, sweetness and oak. This is damned good bourbon. I seldom give 5 stars, but this one comes close! Added 1/13/24: There's the vanilla! And it appeared in spades, no less.69.99 USD per BottleMission Wine & Spirits -
Color: Light golden-copper Nose: Cherries(!?), leather, Palate: Nutty and sweet. Just a little bit spicy. Slightly bitter, but nothing off putting. Finish is medium with some lingering nuttiness and perhaps some vanilla. Apparently, this offering from Hirsch is a blend of a 3-year, 9 month old bourbon along with some older 8-year bourbon thrown in. The result is a somewhat "youthful" profile (the relatively light color is also an indicator). Nonetheless, it is still very good. Truth be told, I had some at a restaurant a few weeks ago, and liked it enough to track-down a bottle. I also want to mention that I had Hirsch's "Horizon" last year (or maybe in 2021), and if memory serves, I think I prefer this.49.99 USD per BottleMission Wine & Spirits
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Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch A123
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 21, 2023 (edited December 8, 2023)Color: Deep bronze/amber. Nose: Strong nose... familiar to other high proof offerings I have had. Molasses, sweet burnt oak. Palate: (Drank with large ice ball) This is a hot one, folks!.... Initial sweet crisp apples, followed by a hefty chest hug and tongue tingle. Yup... apples! Apples soaked in, well... booze! LOL. The ice slowly mellows things down a bit, but this stuff will definitely warm you up on a cold Winters night. I'm enjoying this maiden voyage very much. The expert review here listed, "maple" as a primary flavor. I'm not getting that, unfortunately. Maybe in future pours...? Finish is long with what I will attribute to oak and the char. I managed to find this bottle at my trusty grocery store... the very last one they had — and they didn't even know they had it until I asked them to look. I'd buy again if I can find it again. Added 12/8/23: Having this tonight. Got blasted with both vanilla and caramel on this pour! As such, I am bumping up my original rating from 3.75 to 4.79.99 USD per BottlePavilions -
Michter's US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 20, 2023 (edited November 9, 2023)The first time I had Michter's was at the very beginning of my Bourbon fascination. I really had nothing to bounce it off of, as I hadn't had many others yet. But I do associate it with positive memories. So I figured it was time to revisit this one... to see how it stands up against the plethora of bottles I have had since those fledgling Bourbon days... Color: Golden Copper-Amber Nose: Cinnamon. Just as I am about to sip, I get a nice dose of "cloves" or perhaps "Allspice"...? I never know... Palate: (Drank with an ice cube,) More cinnamon, smooth, slightly spicy, very light mouth feel. As the ice cube melted into the juice, I began to get more oak. Finish: Medium with some lingering spiciness. I've read where Michter's is considered an, "entry level" Bourbon. While I appreciate where that classification is coming from, I also beg to differ. It's a bit better than that. I put it in the same league as Eagle Rare. It's a solid sipper that stands up to more expensive bottles I've had.39.0 USD per BottlePavilions -
Bardstown Bourbon Co. Origin Series Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 8, 2023 (edited October 10, 2023)Color: Medium rusty copper. Nose: Molasses and raisins — yum! Oh-so-slight slight alcohol whiff. Hoping the palate will live up to this amazing nose... Palate: (Drank with an ice cube) Initial sweetness and nuttiness. Chest hug ensues, and stays with you for a few sips. After the initial sip's sweetness, I get some spiciness and a tannic(?) bite on the back end , as well as more nuttiness. Although 100 is not a particularly high proof, this is relatively smooth. Finish: Medium-to-long with lingering sweetness. I'm quickly becoming a big fan of Bardstown. I had their Origins white label a while back, and I was impressed by that one. This is equal to, if not slightly better. Will be keeping an eye out for both, and will grab them when I see them.47.0 USD per BottleTotal Wine & More -
I've been searching for Weller 12 Year for a good two years now. I could have had it long ago, but I refuse to pay ridiculous prices for it (and any other "allocated" bottle, for that matter). My patience finally paid off, and my grocery guy — who knows I've been looking for it — received six bottles, and hooked me up with one of them at SRP today. Color: Golden amber. Nose: Familiar sweet nose with oak and a hint of cherry. Palate: Medium mouth feel with a sweetness that I would expect from a Wheater. I wouldn't call it, "syrupy sweet", but it's certainly sweet. Very smooth with little-to-no burn (90 proof, after all). Although these two flavors seem to be over-used, and thrown around casually, when reviewing bourbon, I'm saying that caramel and vanilla dominate this juice's profile. It's also got a subtle bit of smoke going on. Finish: Fairly short, but with a nice tongue coating. I will definitely buy again when the opportunity arises. Of the three Weller expressions I've had thus far (Special Reserve, Antique, and 12 Year), this takes top honors.45.0 USD per BottlePavilions
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Color: Medium rusty amber. Nose: Sweet with caramel and oak. Palate: The sweetness of caramel and the oak carries over from the nose. Syrupy mouth feel. Tingly tongue and a nice mild chest hug. I want to say it's spicy, but it's not really. Whereas I've had Wheaters in the past that have left me thinking, "Huh?", the wheatiness really stands out with this one. Finish: Medium. Buttery with what I detect as apples. Yum. I've had Maker's flagship, 46, and some FAEs, BRTs and BEPs. I've enjoyed each of them very much. But I think this 101 has just moved ahead of the pack, and I'd buy this again before I revist any of the others — and not just because it's more readily available than the aforementioned Limited Editions.44.0 USD per BottlePavilions
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Smooth. Spicy. Vanilla. Caramel. Brief, I know. I was out to dinner yesterday, and the manager recommended this Hillrock. I was immediately impressed. Not sure if I will buy a bottle at the $100+ price point. But if I did, it would be wholly justified. Added 12/25/23: Received a bottle from Santa Claus! Having a pour tonight in the comfort of my own home... From nose to palate, I'm getting "cherries" (as in cherry cough drops), as well as what I am going to identify as "molasses". Slight burn going down. It's sweet, and I remember why I liked it as much as I did back in September.34.0 USD per PourBrews Brothers Brewpub
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