Tastes
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Knob Creek Rye Single Barrel Select
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed January 15, 2021 (edited November 19, 2021)This is a barrel pick from The Frankfort Bourbon Society in Kentucky. Age: 6 years Barrel date: 11/18/2013 Pick date: 11/21/2019 Warehouse: W-L Floor: 04 Rick: 027 Proof: 115 Nose: quite delicate for a rye, hardly any ethanol at all. Hints of honeydew, banana, and butterscotch. Noses a bit more like a bourbon than a rye, but rye lovers probably wouldn’t be fooled. Taste: you definitely know you’re drinking a rye. Peppercorns and floral notes, with a little spearmint. Finish: medium. A different rye for my taste. My favorite rye for instance is Willett 4-year. This may appeal to those looking for an older rye that won’t break the bank if you can find a barrel pick. -
Glenlivet 12 Year Double Oak
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed December 23, 2020 (edited November 19, 2021)When I want a whisky to enjoy and not have to think much about it, I reach for something like a Glenlivet 12. So consistent, so reliable. Nose: some of the best overall notes Speyside has to offer — cereal, vanilla, apples, honey, hints of butterscotch and oak Taste: more honey, vanilla and some malty barrel spices. Finish: lasts a little longer than Glenfiddich 12. The flavor profile overall is a tick above Glenfiddich too, but to many they’re very similar.39.0 USD per Bottle -
It’s been awhile since I had this rye and despite its allocation I never thought it was worth the hunt or the markups. It’s a decent daily sipper if rye is your thing. Nose: dusty cherry and apple, hint of tobacco leaf Taste: barrel spices, vanilla, hints of citrus and eucalyptus Finish: short, mainly additional rye spices but it fades quickly This gets marked up due to its relationship to Buffalo Trace’s Thomas Handy rye. It’s good but not great. Wild Turkey, Willet, Woodford/Old Forrester, Pikesville all have ryes just as good if not better and are way easier to find. Don’t pay more than SRP for “Baby Saz.” This is also great in a cocktail.50.0 USD per Bottle
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Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed December 4, 2020 (edited November 19, 2021)While this noses a bit like the other Brown Foreman bourbons, it’s really an aside from Woodford Reserve and Old Forester. I don’t think it’s all that similar and I believe it’s a different mashbill altogether. Nose: vanilla, banana, oak, hint of leather Taste: spicy nutmeg notes and there’s a hint of a vegetal note I can’t quite pick out Finish: short...despite some spice it leaves quickly Nothing stands out with this bourbon that would make me come back to it. Let’s see what Sazerac makes of the brand when they take over. UPDATE: (December 18, 2020) I usually love 100-proof bourbons. It’s a good balance of proof and flavor. But this one for whatever reason faired better proofed down to 90 or a little below. Really brings out some floral notes and rich fruits but keeps the spice. — 3.75/527.0 USD per Bottle -
Quarter Horse Kentucky Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed December 3, 2020 (edited December 9, 2020)Nose: dust and wood with some corn, and what I always think is pecan nuts I get on young bourbons...some people might call that a funk, who knows. Taste: medicinal notes but also some butterscotch. It actually tastes a little older than the nose which seems quite young (and this is less than 2 years I believe) Finish: short, mostly a woody spice This really isn’t bad for a cheap, young bourbon. I’ve definitely had worse. Will be interested to see the older expressions. -
Compass Box The Peat Monster (Painting Label)
Blended Malt — Scotland
Reviewed December 2, 2020 (edited November 19, 2021)Smelling this whisky makes me think of winter holidays as a kid. That might mean something way different to me than you but I’ll try to explain. Rich, potent mix of smoke and grilled meats, earthy notes, hints of sweet bbq meats and citrus. Somewhere back there are wet twigs stuck in the snow. Taste: quite rich rush of even more peat smoke than the nose, but just enough sweet fruits that the smoke doesn’t overwhelm the palate, more smoked meats come in mid palate, hints of floral, mint and even honey. Finish: medium There’s so much going on in this whisky and it reminds me of winter bonfires. I’ve never had the older Peat Monster recipes but this blend is very good, even for a peat novice like myself. -
Macallan Double Cask 12 Year
Single Malt — Highland, Scotland
Reviewed December 1, 2020 (edited July 2, 2021)If someone asked me what is an “all-around” scotch whisky that shows off what scotch can do in a glass, it would be the Macallan 12. Nose: all day butterscotch & caramel Taste: more of the same but with hints of citrus, ginger, raisins, and just a touch of smoke Finish: short to medium This is probably my favorite of the mainline 12-year-old single malt bottles from Speyside (and Highlands in general) like Glenfiddich 12, Glenlivet 12, Aberfeldy 12, etc. There’s just enough going on to make you want to explore more Scottish whiskys.65.0 USD per Bottle -
Spice Tree noses almost like a bourbon to me, which I love. Nose: dark, rich fruits, nutmeg, vanilla, butterscotch, oak Taste: very rich and oily, more candied sweetness that gives way to barrel char, spice and what I think is a hint of peat but that could just be from the Dailuane that’s supposedly in this. Finish: medium with a final flourish of honey Bourbon lovers will really like this unless they just hate scotch altogether. One of my favorite blends period. Each note stands out and is easy to find if you’re new to scotch.59.0 USD per Bottle
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Popular whiskys are not only popular due to marketing. Johnnie Walker has great marketing. But this is also a fine whisky. If you’re new to scotch it’s easy to find the candied honey, caramel, peppercorn, and green apple on the nose, with hints of leather and peat. On the taste, the sweet and thin gives way to grain spices, more peat, bright fruits and leather. Finish: short to medium. This is one of my favorite budget whiskys. There are supposedly dozens of whiskys in this blend but it is very consistent and reliable, and for its price and age it’s just damned good. And for newcomers it’s a great starting point to explore Scottish whisky.35.0 USD per Bottle
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Highland Park 18 Year Viking Pride
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed November 25, 2020 (edited January 26, 2021)Highland Park 12-year is one of my favorite scotches and whiskys in general for that matter. It’s very approachable, can be someone’s first intro to scotch, or to peat, because it’s a gently peated single malt. This is my first time trying the 18-year so I was very interested to see what doubling the cost and adding six years would give this scotch. Nose: rich balance of oak, fig, vanilla, peppercorn, hints of sulfur and brine Taste: sweet but not candy sweet, cream, a little bit more peat than from the nose, cherries, hints of caramel, more spice, vanilla and salt Finish: one more dash of spice, peat and salt, with a caramel flourish This is a great whisky. It definitely benefited from the additional six years in the barrel. However, on this first tasting it’s not worth double the price of the 12-year, which I guess is a good thing because I’d rather spend $60 and get the 12-year. Is it an inexpensive (comparatively) bottle to buy *if* you want a middle-aged whisky? Sure. Glenfarclas might be one of the others in the range. But in the end, the 18-year is 10-15 percent better than the Highland 12 but that doesn’t justify the cost in my opinion.129.0 USD per Bottle
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