Tastes

Color: medium amber. Nose: Oak, leather and apples. Palate: First sip I took neat. Initial alcohol assault on the sinuses, along with a nice warm hug. Dropped in a large ice ball to tone it down and allow the flavors to come forward. First sip with ice revealed a very spicy profile along with the inevitable sweetness I'd expect from Maker's. However, I'm having trouble identifying specifics on this very first pour.* Finish: Drying and spicy/tingly. *I plan on adding more details in the very near future — including results from a blind I am planning to conduct between this BEP and the two 2023 BRT releases. Stay tuned...

Color: Medium Amber/Copper Nose: Familiar leathery nose, molasses (?), baked apples along with a slight alcoholic whiff. ** Drank with a large ball of ice. Sometimes, higher proofs don't drink like it. Well with this one, the 116 proof makes itself known. First few sips leave a nice long chest hug. Palate: Spicy, slightly sweet, and some buttery qualities after a few sips. **For me, I pick up more on the nose the more I drink. The second pour gave me a big dose of "strawberry/banana " on the nose. Nice! Some slight bitterness appears on the back end. As the ice slightly dilutes it, a nice brown sugar quality comes out. The finish is spicy and tingly — like pretty much every bourbon I've had. I want to say that I had the "standard" Pipe Dream Bourbon earlier this year/late last year. I had me a pour at a bar, and I liked it so much that I bought a bottle the next day. I like to support my home state's distilleries whenever possible, so I had to try this Pipe Dream Cask Strength when I spied it sitting in the office of my local grocery store (where I score most of my hard-to-find bottles at SRP). I have to say, though... for the money, I would buy the regular offering before I bought this Cask Strength again. Better value for the money. This is similar to the regular Pipe Dream, but stronger. There is definitely more going on with this pricier bottle. But I think I was able to appreciate the flavors of the standard Pipe Dream just fine without the higher proof. The $50 difference also makes the "base model" that much more appealing. If you can find this bottle, I say go for it. But you'll be just as happy with — and that much less poorer — with the standard Pipe Dream.

Barrel No. 1216, Barrelled 3/5/18 Color: Medium Amber Nose: Burnt caramel, cinnamon, molasses, oak. Palate: Initial full frontal spice assault, followed by a nice warm hug. Some sweetness but the spiciness really steals the show. A little heat. Nice tongue coating, but nothing too "oily" or thick. The above was written upon my first pour. The second pour revealed more sweetness than the first. Still spicy as all get out, but more evenly distributed between "spicy" and "sweet". Since I bought this bottle at Total Wine and More in Connecticut, and I live in California, I won't be able to revisit this particular batch. I think there are some bottles remaining at the BevMo here in town. I am curious to try it. Stay tuned.... Added 6/30/23: This is definitely one of those bottles that evolves over time. The original all-out spice assault was nowhere be found this time 'round. Still a very good pour. Not a stand-out, but very good everyday sipper nonetheless. Bottle kill pour 7/3/23: The warm chest hug is still making its presence known. I will say that this drinks a tiny bit hotter than its 107 proof. Sweetness and spiciness remains consistent with all previous pours. Oak tannins for miles.

My fifth and final review from my visit to the Litchfield Distillery last weekend. I had to save the best for last, and the Double Barrelled Bourbon was indeed my favorite of the five I tasted... and thus it won the honor of being the one 750 mil bottle purchase I made that day. Color: Medium amber-copper Nose: Oak, tart/bitter cherry Palate: Mild sweetness and spiciness with just a little heat. The tart cherry from the nose makes a reappearance towards the back end. What I often do is check the nose again, after a few sips, to see if I pick up anything further... and sho'nuff, I got some "tart candy" (think "Smarties" or "Pezz"). Interesting. Finish: Medium with some orange peel and more spice. Solid 3.75 stars for my first (at home) tasting. I'd not be surprised if I end up raising it to a 4, upon further pours.

On a flight. They used to offer Woodford Reserve, but for some reason took it off their beverage list. So I figured I'd try the only whiskey they had onboard. The last time I ever drank JD was waaaaaay back in my college days — and at that time, I'd drink it mixed with Coke. Never sipped it on its own.... This stuff is gross! Tastes like rotten wood that was soaked in turpentine. Don't think I'll ever drink this again in any way, shape, or form. I want to give it "0" stars, but I'll give it 1 star — out of respect for the Jack Daniel's name.

I know Rittenhouse has a good reputation as a reliable relatively low-cost Rye. It's "good". I found it to be spicy, of course, with many characteristics I've come to know from most of the half-dozen or so Rye I've tried, but lacking in some depth I've gootten from others. In all fairness, I drank with food that may have tainted my palate a bit. As it stands, Sazerac and Rabbit Hole are still my faves. Solid 3 stars. I'd drink again, but not sure if i will buy it as I had been intending to.

My fourth review from my visit to the Litchfield Distillery yesterday afternoon. Tasted their Straight Rye at the distillery, and also brought back a small bottle to have in the comfort of my (parents') home. "Aged Not Less Than 2 Years"... Color: Light golden color. Nose: Cucumber (Wow! That's new and different!), Wheat Thins crackers. I am assuming what I am picking up is the rye, as well (It comprises 70% of the mash bill). Palate: Sweet and spicy like most ryes I've tried. I'm getting things but can't pinpoint what they are. Drives me crazy when I can't articulate. But it is very good and flavorful. Finish: medium with almost a buttery quality. It's not fair to pit a rye against a bourbon. But of the five Litchfield Distillery whiskeys I tried, this Rye scores high.

My third review from my visit to the Litchfield Distillery yesterday afternoon. Tasted their Cask Strength at the distillery, and also brought back a small bottle to have in the comfort of my (parents') home. "Aged 4 Years"... drank with a small ice cube. Color: Medium copper/amber. Nose: Leather (think, "Old leather-bound book") and toasted corn... almost like Fritos! Palate: Initial sweetness with a nice tongue coating. Spicy tingle and slight burn ensues, as well as a nice warm chest hug. The higher proof (the highest of Litchfield's expressions) really makes itself known. Oak char comes forward on the back end. Finish: Long with a tingle that could almost be described as, "tongue-numbing". Raisin and licorice comes out on the tail end This is good. It wasn't my favorite of the five I tried, but it will either be #2 or #3. I'll know once I revisit the Straight Rye shortly...

My second review stemming from my visit to the Litchfield Distillery this afternoon. Tasted this Straight Bourbon at the distillery, and also brought back a small bottle to have in the comfort of my (parents') home. This bourbon is aged, "At least 4 years"... Color: Light golden amber Nose: A much more classic bourbon nose with subtle vanilla, allspice and some corn coming through. Palate: Youthful grain flavors with a tongue tingle and very little chest hug. Mildly sweet and spicy with oak char. Finish: Short with a customary lingering spiciness and woodiness. This is not my favorite of the handful of whiskeys I sampled today at the distillery, but it is decent bourbon that I would drink again.

Visited the Litchfield Distillery today. Had a great time tasting whiskey, and even learned some things I hadn't known before with regard to the distilling process. Tasted several of their offerings, including their Port Cask Finish... and I also purchased a small bottle to try at (my parents') home. Nose: Didn't get much from the nose here at the house. It's almost as if the time it spent in the Port barrels cancelled-out the usual nose I get from straight bourbons. Palate: Spicy, slightly sweet, oak. I got the "Port" more from the tasting at the distillery than from my home pour. Finish: Short. This was my least favorite of the five I tried today. Not bad, not great. However, wish I had more because I find I discover more from subsequent pours, as more notes tend to reveal themselves over time. More reviews of other Litchfield Distillery whiskeys to come...