Tastes

Nose (out of 2): Beautiful. Cherry turnover, cinnamon sugar on toasted almonds. Strawberry jam. Molasses. Hint of banana. Floral, honey. Very warm. 1.5. Taste (out of 4): Banana bread, hitting the notes of banana, cinnamon, bread and nuttiness. Cherry. Milk chocolate. Mint. 3.0. Finish (out of 1): Super woody, dry. A little banana (giggity). Cherry cough syrup. Least pleasant part of this drink. 0.25. Cohesiveness/Complexity (out of 1): Very cohesive with the fruit-forward desert vibe all the way through. Not overly complex, so half credit there. 0.75. Value (out of 2): Goes into value at 5.5 out of 8, so a well-above average pour. This was a free sample from my friend, Joe Decadence, so the price was right. But if you’re looking to pay $150-$200, I think that’s way too much given the bitter finish. Great nose and very solid flavor, but the ending really hinders this from being great all the way through. Overall: 6.0 out of 10. You’re getting good juice, but it’s hard to justify it at the price.

Managed to get a hold of Act 9. And like most other MWND offerings I’ve had, I love it. One of the best whiskies I’ve had this year. Nose (out of 2): Exquisite and elite. Baking spices from rye, a little anise, and waves of brown sugar mesh well with the berry and plums that come from the port. 2.0 Taste (out of 4): The nose lets you know what you’re in for here, with that blend of spice and dark fruits bringing a richly sweet yet savory balance. A little pear and pepper notes as well. 3.0 Finish (out of 1): Wish it lingered a tad longer. But it makes a swift, enjoyable, and seamless leap from spice to sweet again. .75 Cohesiveness/Complexity (out of 1): Super unique. Unfolds perfectly. A lot going on. 1.0 Value (out of 2): Totally worth the MSRP of $99, and I gladly paid more for this annual release. So very unique, perfectly marketed, and ideal for the late fall/ and winter. Gets dinged some for value because it’s hard to find…but not impossible by any stretch. 1.75 Overall (out of 10): 8.25. This is a great whiskey, bordering on elite. Delightfully rich, sweet and dramatic enough with the spice. Man, what I would do for a cask-strength offering of this. I do a goofy bourbon show with some friends. Here's the link to the MWND review. Bourbon on a Budget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy8H_6_f5yo

Supremely complex. Opens very oak forward (shocking for a Texas whiskey, I know) but opens up into something really complex and unique…especially the finish. The blend of oak, brown sugar, red berries, stone fruit, a touch of smoke…it might be one of the best finishes I’ve ever experienced.

This is readily available by me in North Florida, but I never bit on the Smooth Ambler stuff (always assumed it was a little pricey for sourced bourbon). But maybe I was missing out. It was on clearance today for $27 (about $5-7 off), and I think this could make the case to be the ultimate daily sipper if I can steadily find it at $30. Fruit notes, floral, and enough complexity going on to make me think I'm drinking a $45-$50 bourbon. Nose (0-2): Confectionary sugar, roasted almonds, a little maple syrup along with honeysuckle, and an eathy tobacco note. (1.5 out of 2...well above average and just extremely pleasant) Taste (0-4): Traditional caramel up front, but it evolves into rich strawberry jam, raw honey, and cherry-flavored pipe tobacco. Starts off softly and kicks into a full -flavored bourbon. (2.75 out of 4) Finish (0-1): Easy, with enough oaky notes and some cinnamon spice to add some drama to the end of this drink. No big rye notes, but the high-rye mash bill provides the right amount of spice. Mellow and sugary Pops! cereal at the end as well. (0.5) Cohesiveness/Complexity (0-1): It hits both cohesiveness and complexity. The drinks unfolds perfectly and gives you enough drama throughout if you want to focus on it and try to pick out flavors, but it's also straight-forward enough to just sit down and enjoy with a movie without thinking too much (1 out of 1). So it's 5.75 out of 8 at $30ish (less than that for me). Tough to beat. Value (0-2): This is a realllly good bourbon that offers up some versatility at a slightly-below average price. This is excellent value. (2 out of 2). Overall: 7.75. I don't often get above a 7-7.5 on my scale, so this is impressive. Excited to see what else Smooth Ambler is doing after trying this bourbon, and might need to add another bottle at its price. My scale: 10 is an elite value for the price...8-9 is a must-buy and great value. ...7 is a very good value for what you're paying. ...6 is above average value. ...5 is average. ....4 below average. ...2-3 is poor value. ...0-1 is NEVER BUY.

Unique, high-quality and delicious overall. This had been on my wishlist for a while...years probably. Never saw it locally, traveled across state lines today and there it was. Nose: Fruity. Red apple and peach pops out the glass. Big red cinnamon throughout the nose, it's intense. Malty goodness. Undertones of fireplace smoke. A little caramel. Taste: A rush of vanilla and honey, along with a touch of pear. So that sweetness from the nose carries over. I get peach with the American Malts sometimes, and this is no different (I don't think it's the peach tree wood influencing my decision lol). Finish: Coats mouth and is a near perfect finish. Not too strong, but not too light. Gradually drifts away after a little kick. Leaves you with the vanilla custard, some brown sugar and more of that peach wood along with a touch of smoke. Overall: Punches above its proof. Tons of flavor here. Distinct flavors. All at a reasonable price. I'll replace this one whenever it's gone.

Honeyyyyyyyyy. Sweet, delicate nose and taste. Honey is the dominant note, but I also get some caramel, vanilla and barrel slice as well. It’s rich and has a touch of spice and brine to go with the sweet honey. Red apple and some raisin bread as well. Pleasant, easy finish. Not overly complex, but not boring. Just a really friendly, pleasant scotch.

Tastes like bourbon. Good bourbon.

Exquisite. I’ve wanted to find this bottle for 2 years, and finally stumbled upon one while visiting family in upstate New York. And man, I’m so happy I did. This didn’t disappoint and is one of the most unique whiskies I’ve had to date. Nose: Gobs of sweetness, specifically brown sugar and maple syrup. Undertone of dark cherries, vanilla and an oakiness. It’s gentle yet concentrated, a beautiful blend of sweet. Taste: Caramel covered apples up front, a spike of cinnamon and an explosion of berries. Finish: This is where it pushes itself into elite territory for me. The wine-cask finish (port) shows up and just sticks with you along with this lingering spiciness that reminders me of Mexican Hot Chocolate (cocoa with cinnamon and cayenne pepper, essentially). It rounds into this buttery smooth finish. Overall: 4.75 Value: It’s about $100 depending on where you are (I’ve seen some get it for less, I’ve seen it listed at $160 online). To me, if you’re looking for something special without paying a huge markup, this is worth it. I’d pay $100 again and feel fine with it.

Nice. Had wanted to try this for a while, I’m at the in-laws for Christmas and wanted to sip on this for the week...and they had a smaller bottle at the local liquor store. So...here we go. Nose: More going on than I expected. Red apple, banana, brown sugar and an undertone of char. Cinnamon and salted peanuts as well, assuming from the high rye mash bill. Taste: Unfortunately, it’s thin. Vanilla, banana, musty hay and light oak elements. Finish: Sticks with you for a while. Cinnamon and brown sugar linger, as well as some pleasant vanilla oakiness. Cherry shows up randomly as well. Overall: Nice, friendly bourbon. Wish it were a slightly higher proof, because the taste is the most mediocre part of this experience. Nose and finish are actually quite pleasant. This feels like a good bourbon for early in your whiskey journey, and a nice background whiskey. Would I buy for $30? No. Would I drink if offered? For sure.

Nose: Fresh apple, banana, vanilla, butterscotch and cinnamon. A dash of oak and pepper as you dig a little deeper. Taste: Very easy going and friendly. Honey, vanilla and cream, with vibrant green apple. That rye finish offers a little drama at the end as I get some char and pepper. Overall: Good. Not going to change the life, but a nice background whiskey that has some unique twists because of the rye. Really, it’s a good transition from scotch to bourbon or vice versa if you’re looking to venture into the other side of the whiskey aisle.