Tastes

I'm usually not a huge fan of Tennessee whiskey, but man, this was a good buy. Nose: The charcoal mellowing works extremely well with the proof and aging here. I get a light of sweetness with some undertones of smoke. Slightly toasted marshmallow, brown sugar, banana, vanilla...It's like a smoked banana's foster that isn't too heavy on the banana. Taste: The proof hits hard. There are some spikes with alcohol burn in the beginning and end, but it doesn't overwhelm the sweet flavors (again, vanilla and banana) along with some of the woodiness that comes with the aging. A little char, as well along with some aromatic tobacco, cherry and apple. Finish: Sticks with you. Gives you a nice burn, but never evolves into anything unpleasant. Oily enough to coat and keep giving you some fruity flavors (cherry for me) even 10 seconds after a sip. Value: At $35, this is a definite buy for me. It's probably one I'll continue to keep in my collection as long as it stays sub $40. You get a good proof and flavor profile. Overall: 90. You get an accessible, daily drinker with enough oomph to hold up in cocktails. This was truly a pleasant surprise, and a damn good value for me.

I really enjoyed this with my dinner the other evening. It had some strong oak vibes, which is typical of Florida whiskey (thank you, heat), but it wasn't overpowering to an other array of flavors that changed throughout the meal. Nose: Oak, strong vanilla and candied caramel (reminded me a ton of Caramel Creams from my childhood), and some chocolate. Taste: It keeps changing as it opens up. Initially the wood and dust were prevalent, but it evolved into something that gave nearly a dozen different tastes. Chocolate malt, cinnamon, cherry, coffee, orange, lemon are among the tastes that showed up. Finish: There's a buttery easiness to the way this ends. It doesn't hit you, but rather transitions away gracefully. The flavor sticks with you, which I like, but at not point is it challenging. Value: It was a unique experience, and I'm partial being front Central Florida...but I can say that $14 per pour is probably too much given that some other good offerings were available at less than $10. Still, I'm happy I tried it and would happily have it in my collection at home. Overall: 87. It's good, different and complex. Feels like it's somewhere midway between a bourbon and a scotch. This is quality stuff, but not for everyone. And I was expecting the woodiness having had other Florida whiskey before. With that being said, this is absolutely worth a try if you want a great expression of a Florida distiller.

I was at a bourbon tasting (Buffalo Trace products) today, and this was my winner, beating out Elmer T. Lee (*gasp*), Blanton's (*gasp*), Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace (store pick) and Caribou Crossing. So I figured it was worth taking the Col. aside later to do a review and focused tasting... Nose: A sweet, custardy aroma is...overwhelming, but in a great way. Vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, it feels like the toppings for a sundae. Soft barrel notes and spices (cinnamon stands out) add balance to the nose. Taste: That 100 proof goes perfectly with the sweet elements. You get spikes of heat/spice throughout, but it never truly distracts from the strength of this drink: The sweet. Cherry fluff, vanilla and some raisin bread shine here. Finish: The taste sticks with you for a while, but there’s no bad burn for me. It’s an easy transition from start to finish. Value: This is an excellent bourbon that’s worth its price ($45) and then some. It’s one of the best offerings from Buffalo Trace, when you can find it, and is one I’d probably spend an extra $15 on. It’s always enjoyable, an easy sipper with a fair level of complexity for the price point. Overall: 92 out of 100. Just an excellent bourbon at a reasonable price. Good proof, good flavor profile and enjoyable all the way through. This is one I have in my whiskey cabinet, and I always have a backup on hand.

Old faithful. Glenmorangie's The Original gave me a push in going from some nice Speysides to different regions. Granted, Speyside is a sub-region of the Highlands, so there's some overlap with flavor profiles...but Glenmorangie showed me that there's a different world of maltiness to explore about a year back. Today, I saw Glenmorangie on sale for $34, with some samplers of the Quinta Ruban (amazing) and the Lasanta (meh). I picked it up and decided to give it another go, because it's been a year. Nose: Sweet honey jumps out of the glass. In that sense, it has the friendly speyside elements. Dig a little deeper and I get fresh fruit (pear, cherry, lemon) and then some biscuity/yeasty notes. You don't have to think about this one too much, just enjoy it. Taste: It's a tad bitter up front, which is surprising given the nose. Then the vanilla and fruity flavors hit you. But the peak, to me, is the maltiness. It has a roasted coffee finish that makes the whole experience quite spectacular (I love coffee, admittedly). Finish: That coffee maltiness sticks with you. For my preference, extra points there. This drops off quickly, which makes sense given the proof...but it has a way of sticking with you as well. Value: Would probably pay up to $45 if I was in the mood for this. The costco by me has a HUGE bottle for like $60. If you can get this between $35-$40, it's a nice go-to to have in your home bar. Overall: 3.5 here, probably 85 out of 100 (because do we ever go under 70? lol). It won't change your life, but it's a great gateway scotch and a reliable drink to have at home. Good for the money I spent, especially given that it came with some extra mini bottles of other offerings.

Perhaps I'm a bit biased, because this was the bourbon that got me to "graduate" from Jack Daniels, Gentleman's Jack and SoCo a few years ago. The local Costco always has this available, and it's easy to take it for granted...but man, it never does me wrong. It's remarkably consistent for a single barrel offering, and it's versatile: I enjoy it neat, on the rocks and use it to blend with scotch for some really tasty drinks. Nose: Floral. I've gotten potpourri lately, but not in a gross, old lady sort of way. It's flowery, but it's accented by vanilla, cherry and apple. This transitions smoothly into the flavor profile... Taste: Cherry hits you, as does vanilla and some wood spice. It's classic bourbon, but nothing overwhelms at any point. It's extremely balanced and pleasant. It doesn't dink at its proof, but in a good way. This is a friendly bourbon. FWIW, it pairs well with a cigar. Finish: Easy. A touch of a burn, but it goes well with the entire drink. Can I say it's juicy? It's juicy. Those fruit elements on the nose and taste go into the finish. This isn't dry at all. It's an easy finish. Doesn't stick with you long, but that makes it easy to come back for more. Value: For the price, this is one of my favorite bourbons. There are more complex and flavorful offerings out there, sure. But this is easily worth $50 to me, and you can usually get it for far less. Overall: I gave it 4 stars here. Probably a 90 out of 100 if I'm going with that scale. It's just solid every time, and worth closer to $45-50 (you can usually find it for around $35-$45 around my parts). It's a always worth having in your collection because it is so versatile and friendly, yet complex. A crowd pleaser, and one of my first true loves. Beat still, my heart.

My first introduction to Henry McKenna's BiB came more than a year ago. It was suggested to me by a reliable employee at a local liquor store. Since then, it's become increasingly hard to get. It's truly an enjoyable and complex bourbon, so I've loaded up on it as long as I can find it for less than $40. So far, so good...I've landed about 5 bottles, and will enjoy them throughout the years. Nose: Big, classic bourbon flavors of vanilla, cinnamon spice and oak. Cherry is a little more faint, along with caramel. It smells like how a bourbon should smell...that sounds simplistic, but there's something comforting about this. Taste: Bold. It hits you with sweetness, a light honey flavor. Then the rye spice comes in wave. I always get peanutbutter here, which goes well with that first burst of honey. Mint, cinnamon and a touch of chocolate. The heat hits you at the end... Finish: With the final heat comes a nice, refreshing send off. Nothing crazy, but it absorbs that alcohol burn and lets you remember it without overwhelming you. A pretty perfect finish. I wish it would be a tad less dry, however,/ Overall: The hype is hard to live up to. A year ago, I'd say this is an excellent value. And if you can grab it for less than $40, it's still a bargain. But if you're seeing it for $50+, I'd say there are richer and more complex bourbons out there for you to try. It's unfortunate that it's getting bought up (and I feel guilty for loading up on them, but it's a favorite bourbon that's become hard to find...if you're in the Tallahassee area, let me know and I'll be happy to share) and tough to acquire for those who haven't given it a try.

Damn, I’m happy I stopped into Costco today. It’s been a brutal week and was in need of some good news. I guess I consider this a solid, small victory as they just got this Scotch in a day ago. I heard good things about the Kirkland 18-year-old Scotch and had been looking for it to no avail, and was excited to see my Costco was offering a 20-year-old Speyside single malt with a sherry-cask finish. It was $56, and it’s proved to be a damn-good offering. I’m sure you’ll find better tastings in the 18-20 year range, but I’d put this up against any 15-year old Scotch that I’ve tried...and it’s the price of a good 12-15. Nose: Sweet, bready with waves of vanilla, honey and lemon icing. Almost reminds me of Sprite with the intense sweetness and citrus flavor. Definitely some notes of dried fruits with a touch of saltiness as well at the end. It’s truly a pleasant nose. Taste: It keeps changing. To me, that’s a sign of a top-tier whiskey. Or at least that's a quality I value in whiskey. I’ve gotten about nearly a dozen different tastes, and they all are cohesive with the nose. At various times I’ve gotten honey, mango, pear, coffee, a touch of cherry, green apple and sweet rolls (a la any Roadhouse restaurant where they throw peanuts on the floor)...oh, and I also get peanut brittle, too! Finish: At 46%, there’s a little burn at the end...but it goes with the entire drink. This doesn’t fight you, but rather takes you for a straightforward and enjoyable ride as that slightly burns complements the sweetness throughout. Overall/Value: If you can get it for $55-$60, jump on it. I’d pay $75-$80 for this, comfortably. It’s a fun experience without doing anything crazy. I could easily see comparable Scotch going in the $100 range.

In honor of the Kentucky Derby from this past weekend, I decided to get into my Blanton’s. Nose: Wood spice jumps out, and there’s almost an earthy quality (soil, forest-like). The missus said she got fresh-cut grass in there. After that initial burst, I get citrus zest, almaretto, syrup, and cherry at the end. After it opens up, the rye spice is prominent. Taste: Sweetness of vanilla, but then the bitter wood notes set in quickly, and they’re strong. Elements of thin icing, caramel and some cherry cola. Yeah, it’s sweet along with the wood spices. Finish: It sticks with you. Spicy and sweet with a substantial Kentucky Hug given the proof (93). This is probably the most pleasant part of the drink. Overall: It’s a darn good bourbon. I don’t get the mass appeal admittedly, and find other Buffalo Trace products to be more complex and just tastier. But this is cohesive and distinct, and it becomes more enjoyable as it opens up. If you can find it for SRP, go for it. But I definitely overpaid to get the recognizable brand.

Wanted to give this a try, ventured to ABC to look for it, and it just so happened that they got it in stock today. It was meant to be. Nose: It’s complex. It feels like I get something different each time. Black cherries, bread, chocolate and some citrus...plus some typical bourbon notes (brown sugar, a little vanilla and caramel). The missus said it smelled like Black Forest Cake. Taste: Less complex, but still a good deal going on. And it’s cohesive. Berries and grapes up front (probably the wine-barrel influence), then you get a sugary cola. Then fluffy bread. Classic Jim Beam peanuts finishes the ride. Definitely a PB&J vibe. Decent finish. Overall: A very unique offering. Fun. I’m happy I purchased the bottle, a fair price at $35. I’m not sure it’s something I’ll always keep in stock, but I’m happy to have it in my collection for when I want something different. I think it’s encouraging that a big whiskey company is experimenting, and I hope others do so as well

Spices (from the rye) and maple hit me instantly on the nose, and then some orange. Ultimately, the spice and orange go back and forth throughout the drink. Sometimes I get peanut butter with the rye spice, and that shows up a few times throughout the drink. I guess I'm not acclimated to rye-heavy drinks just yet, or maybe they'll never grow on me. All in all, it's a very nice bourbon and fairly complex, even if it's not my preference. I paid $35 for it, which was a tad too high. If I could get it in the $20s, then I'd gladly have it in my rotation.