Tastes
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Nose: grilling out on a mild and sunny afternoon that followed a morning rain. As a scotch novice that’s the first thing that came to mind and I’ll leave it there. It’s nice! Taste: spicy and rubbery orange peels, more peat smoke but not a super oily mouthfeel Finish: medium and smoke lingers but not in an unflattering way This is a great introduction to a peated single malt (as is Craigganmore 12).
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If you’re looking for a candied single malt that starts off with a bourbon-like nose and finishes with a flourish of smoke, look no further. Nose: buttery biscuits, hints of brine, corn, almonds and vanilla Taste: citrus zest, honey and vanilla Finish: medium — a quick hit of spice at the end and a nice introduction to a smoky Speyside with that peat smoke at the end
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Aberfeldy 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed February 23, 2020 (edited February 24, 2021)A fantastic and decadent Highland single malt that is a steal at under $40. Nose: rich honey and bready decadence, hints of vanilla and oak Taste: creamy! Also more honey and zest, well balanced malty-ness, and caramel sugars Finish: quite short, but all in all a great 12-year single malt for the price point.37.0 USD per BottleLiquor Barn -
Maker's Mark 46 French Oaked
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed February 17, 2020 (edited September 21, 2020)My favorite readily available wheated bourbon on the shelf today. This is regularly on sale for $30 in my area and whips Weller Special Reserve. Nose: breaded vanilla pudding, cherries and oak, butterscotch and corn Taste: quite rich with more cherries, hint of cinnamon spice and caramel Finish: short to medium finish. It doesn’t linger but if you’re looking for more of a kick at the end try the special release RC6 or the Private Selection bottles. Those have higher proofs and are both fantastic.29.95 USD per BottleCox's Spirit Shoppe and Smokers Outlet Fern Creek -
Jack Daniel's Old No. 7
Tennessee Whiskey — Tennessee, USA
Reviewed February 14, 2020 (edited February 17, 2020)Nose: everyone says vanilla wafers and it’s hard to argue. Maybe a little hint of rubber Palate: very simple, chalky mouthfeel but mostly pleasant vanilla, light fruit and oak Finish: short with a little spice and some dryness -
Michter's US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed February 10, 2020 (edited February 18, 2020)I always thought Michter’s Small Batch reminded me a lot of Angels Envy, just with less spice. It has an interesting floral characteristics. Soft corn nose with some flower petals and musk, with vanilla spices and spearmint on the taste; finish is medium. Michter’s Small Batch is a nice bourbon. But it’s not better than so many sub-30-dollar bourbons even like Old Forrester 100, Buffalo Trace, Elijah Craig, etc. If you can find it on sale for $35 or so maybe it’s worth it. Otherwise I usually pass on a full bottle of this, opting to order in bars occasionally just to check in on Michter’s.10.0 USD per PourWhiskey Bear -
Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed February 3, 2020 (edited August 3, 2020)This is my 200th review. Coming back to this bottle after about a month and man does it deliver. For me it’s hard to find a bourbon under $30 that beats this. The staples are just as good — Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Elijah Craig, Woodford, and Makers Mark — but for my taste this is just as rich and spicy if you like higher rye as Woodford but not as oaky. Nose: dusty corn, earthy vanilla, leather, baking spices, honey Taste: nutmeg, a little more vanilla and honey and some brown sugar — it’s quite rich and spot on as far as the proof goes, any less (OF86) and you lose some complexity and you get a thinner sip. Any higher and you really need to extra oak to round things out as far as the Brown Forman mashbill goes (like Old Forester 1920 and others). Finish: a little eucalyptus hit at the end, medium finish with a little more vanilla at the end. I tasted this up against a Four Roses single barrel pick and the FR won but not by much.22.95 USD per BottleLiquor Barn -
Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed January 26, 2020 (edited September 12, 2020)This is a comparison of two Eagle Rare store picks from late 2019. Both exhibit the usual Eagle Rate notes, so here are the main differences. 1) Total Wine (Louisville, Kentucky, USA) 2) Apple Spirits (Somerset, Kentucky, USA) Nose: the Apple Spirits pick has a slightly more robust nose. A little bit sweeter, richer. slight more apple and dry fruits on the Apple bottle than the TW bottle which has a drier nose overall. Taste: the Total Wine pick reverses the nose...it’s more robust than the Apple Spirits bottle. Not by much though. Finish: Apple Spirits has a bit longer finish, and makes the Total Wine pick seem a little bit thinner overall. The Apple Spirits pick is a hair better in my opinion. They’re both so close though. Who knows where in the warehouse these two barrels were stored. They could have been next to each other for all I know. But it’s a testament to the consistency Eagle Rare maintains for its 10 years at Buffalo Trace.40.0 USD per BottleTotal Wine & More -
Henry McKenna 10 Year Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed January 18, 2020 (edited November 27, 2020)Three weeks since trying this bottle and oddly enough the ethanol has disappeared from the nose...only to reappear on the taste. It’s still a solid bourbon and decently complex. Just as good as a bottle of Buffalo Trace. And Elijah Craig (small batch and store Picks especially) generally surpasses this bottle but it’s good for what it is at SRP. I wouldn’t pay the silly markups I’ve seen on this.40.0 USD per Bottle
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