Tastes
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Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed November 19, 2020 (edited August 25, 2021)Whenever I taste Old Grand-Dad I get annoyed because I think of the overpriced Basil Hayden 10-year which could have been a phenomenal release at 100 proof. Instead they kept it at 80. This is probably my favorite OGD offering. There is nothing wrong with the 114, but for my palate this is the best proof for the high rye Beam recipe, which is also in Basil Hayden. Nose: very approachable and balanced with hints of honey, peppercorn, spruce tree, cinnamon, mint, vanilla and corn and some malty notes as well. Palate: quite rich for a $20 bourbon. More honey, caramel, brown sugar, and then some oak, a nice cinnamon and nutmeg rush on the middle palate. Finish: medium finish, quite nice for a “bottom-shelf” bottle. This continues to be one of the best values on the shelf. There really isn’t much you can say that’s negative. Great winter/Christmas bourbon in my opinion.20.0 USD per Bottle -
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed November 18, 2020 (edited February 5, 2022)This is a barrel pick. Store: Kentucky OG Party Center (Louisville, USA) Age: NAS Bottle date: 04/01/2020 Barrel: 20-1187 Warehouse: A Rick: 8 Color: deep copper Nose: this bourbon noses a lot more like WT Rare Breed which is a barrel proof whiskey. Vanilla, caramel, honey, hints of clove, floral notes and oak. One of the best Wild Turkey nosings I can remember. Taste: wow a lot going on here...molasses, creamy, rich, citrus with butterscotch and some baking spices, more floral notes. Very little ethanol. It’s what many would likely call a smooth bourbon. Finish: medium to *long* finish, which is surprising for a 101-proof bourbon in my experience. It hangs around a good 30 seconds and is a nice finish. I love Wild Turkey and while Russell’s Reserve 10 is probably my favorite, this particular bottle rivals the best store picks of RR10 I’ve had in the past. Fantastically balanced. An underrated whiskey. But in my opinion it’s one of the best.68.0 USD per Bottle -
Bulleit Bourbon Single Barrel
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed November 14, 2020 (edited March 26, 2021)I’m not a huge fan of Bulleit bourbon. To me it’s always been a less-exciting-tasting version of something like Four Roses or Woodford Reserve. This however should be interesting. It’s a store pick that I’ve been told is likely 12-year-old Four Roses stock. Store Pick: Ernie’s (Lexington, KY USA) Age: 12 years Proof: 104 Barrel: 1-E2-0838 Mashbill: 75% corn, 21% rye, and only 4% malted barley Nickname: Law and Order: Mask Enforcement Unit Nose: think Bulleit but less spicy, less cinnamon. That spearmint spice I often get on Bulleit is in the background here. Some hints of vanilla, leather and molasses. Taste: well-matured, caramel, cream and more oak than is typically found from Bulleit, just a little rye spice which seems to have really mellowed with the extra years of age. Floral notes are definitely there and overall it’s a sweeter palate than regular Bulleit. Finish: short to medium, very little bite at all. Interesting expression. Noses like Bulleit but more candy dessert flavors and not as many floral notes on the taste. I’ll have to come back to this bottle after a few weeks and maybe compare it to an older bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel or even Bulleit 10. EDIT: after a week of the bottle open I tasted this again. Nothing different. For a $70 store pick it’s quite subpar. I have easily had three or four bottles of different Elijah Craig barrel picks for $30 that were better than this. It’s not a bad bourbon and despite the lack of 10+ year barrels in stocks this is not a good value at that price point.70.0 USD per Bottle -
This bourbon’s tasting notes have always (for me) drifted somewhere between a Woodford rye and Four Roses. The Four Roses makes sense because Bulleit has sourced its bourbon from FR. The nose reminds me of Four Roses, while the taste is closer to a Woodford rye. Nose: very floral, and I always think of this bourbon when floral notes come up in othe bourbons; there’s also hints of oak, corn, leather and tobacco. Taste: more of the same with vanilla baking spices Finish: short to medium
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Wild Turkey Bourbon 101
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 31, 2020 (edited February 18, 2022)One of the most underrated bourbons on the shelves. Every time I buy this I forget how much I liked it. Nose: sweet corn, oak, hint of leather and vanilla Taste: good dose of cinnamon from the rye spice Finish: short to medium Always reliable. This is a staple to have in any bar next to small batches like Elijah Craig, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Makers and Four Roses. There’s nothing “special” about this bourbon, but the pure balance of all the traditional bourbon notes is hard to find in such an inexpensive bottle.23.0 USD per Bottle -
Grangestone 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed October 31, 2020 (edited January 5, 2021)Scotch novices might enjoy this because the flavor notes are easy to pick out. Honey, oak, malt and caramel on the nose and taste. Short to medium finish, which is a bit briny and doesn’t really match the rest of the experience. Also, It’s inexpensive for a single malt. -
Heaven Hill White Label Bottled In Bond 6 Year
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 17, 2020 (edited May 9, 2021)This bottle is discontinued as Heaven Hill opted to release a premium 7-year line for much more than this former bottom shelf $15 gem. I’ve never tasted the new bottle. Nose: a very sweet almost cedar-like wood dominates the nose. It’s one of the most unique noses in bourbon I’ve tried the last five years. Taste: sweet toffee with rich & oily light peppermint notes. A very dessert-like whiskey. Finish: medium with little bite and a little more sweet fruits and candy. Until this was yanked from the shelves this was my favorite bottom shelf whiskey ever. It’s a shame that it’s gone for now, but demand on HH’s bourbon stocks has been insane the last decade. It’s one of the sweetest bourbons I’ve ever tasted if that’s your thing. If, for some reason, you come across a dusty white label Heaven Hill 6-year *bonded* bourbon and it’s not insanely priced, buy!!15.0 USD per Bottle -
This is my 225th review. For a long time I’ve recommended Makers 46 to wheaterheads that couldn’t find Weller on the shelves anymore. And if they wanted Weller 107 I’d recommend Makers Cask Strength. Now I have another bottle to send them to. Nose: bright fruits like cherries and hints of orange zest, floral notes, oak, butterscotch. Taste: fair bit of mint spice in the mid palate, but not too spicy. Back palate really reminds me a lot of Weller 107. Finish: medium finish and a nice balance of the fruit and spice. Overall the Makers line is the superior wheater for my palate. Weller 12 and William Larue Weller takes the prize for the older vintage but anything younger and you’re better off trying a Makers line rather than chasing overpriced Weller48.0 USD per Bottle
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This is a review for a Larceny Small Batch Single Barrel store pick. Barrel: 6555451 Liquor Barn (Kentucky) Barrel 3 (2020) Barreled on: 6/19/13 Rickhouse: KK Floor: 4 Nose: some of these Larceny barrel picks are fantastic. I can already tell this a good one. Dusty bright fruits, hints of butterscotch and cherries. Taste: quite rich, with more buttery sweetness, light fruit, with a delicate vanilla spice in the rear palate Finish: medium finish, rounds out all the other flavors A great sipping whiskey. Larceny barrel picks outshine Weller Special Reserve. (Makers 46 is also better than the bottom shelf Weller in case you were wondering). Weller 12-year is a different story but the Fitzgerald wheated line from Heaven Hill continues to impress. For those of you chasing the allocated Weller line, try a Larceny store pick if you see one in your area.
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