Tastes

I was very close to rating this 4/5 stars simply because when it was for sale at under $15 a fifth, it was a great value. It’s a younger and less complex Buffalo Trace mashbill #2 (think Blanton’s or Elmer T. Lee). But still quite good. Nose: honey and bright fruits Palate: butterscotch, spicy vanilla, and floral Finish: rye builds more at the end. Standard Ancient Age which is about 3-years-old is nowhere close to this. A shame it’s discontinued.

Creamy, bright and rich, this is one of my favorites of the Buffalo Trace mashbill #1 Nose: butterscotch, cherries, candy corn, sweet oak Palate: creamy vanilla, raisins Finish: spice comes through more at the end. But balanced and smooth with a good bite.

No more Ancient Ancient Age. Elmer T Lee and Blanton’s is hard to find. This is where you go. Sazerac’s higher rye mashbill. Buy. While it’s still around. Nose: cherries, raisins, vanilla Palate: rich with vanilla, butterscotch, toffee, bright and fruity Finish: rye comes in nice here, with more butterscotch and hints of honey

Baby Elmer, Baby Blanton’s, whatever you want to call this, it’s a shame it isn’t being produced anymore. Especially the 10-year version. Nose: candy corn, oak, toffee Palate: bright and spicy, with hints of vanilla Finish: rye comes in more here as well with butterscotch and a pleasant warmth

Coming back to this 8-year bottle after a month and it did not disappoint. Nose: oak, vanilla and caramel, all balanced, no one note overpowering the other Palate: rich with cherries, baking spices and hints of toffee Finish: just as balanced as the nose and taste Impressed by this bottle returning a month later. Bitterness in the finish is gone. Nothing spectacular or exceedingly unique, just solid, balanced bourbon. And for the price point, it’s a no-brainer.

Interesting flavor profile. Irish whiskey lovers, especially lower malt, grain whiskey, might enjoy this one.

Nose: honey, light fruits Palate: baking spices, more honey, slight toffee. Silky on the palate, not too spicy but the rye does come in. Finish: some spicy vanilla, honey and that’s about it. Very underwhelmed by this bottle. Noses like Blanton’s, drinks a bit below Blanton’s flavor profile.

Second try of this Utah whiskey... Nose: balance of sweet corn and peanuts...hints of sour cream, biscuits Palate: better than last time around. More sweet notes and smoother. Still tastes a bit like Basil Hayden Finish: very little warmth at first but spice shows up late Better than my first tasting. Beam/basil fans might enjoy this.

This is a very easy sipper that you don’t have to think much about. Think: Blanton’s but brighter Nose: hints of cherries, butterscotch, raisins Palate: baking spices as the rye comes in a bit on the palate as opposed to the nose Finish: pleasant and soft. Slight warmth, with hints of citrus, almonds and baking spices It’s a like spicier Buffalo Trace at almost the same proof.

This is batch C918 from 2018 Proof: 131 Nose: toasted nuts, cranberries and assorted dark fruits, toffee, leather Palate: very rich and it hits quite sweet at first then the rye kicks in with cinnamon and slight vanilla spices Finish: sweet at first again but quickly dry and warm, just enough bite Tasted this side by side with a 14-year Knob Creek Single Barrel and the Elijah Craig wins in complexity and balance. The proof is up there but the alcohol is well hidden by a cornucopia of flavors.