Tastes
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A bargain in the realm of Armagnac, although a tad rough. The aroma is green apples, grapes, sour green apples, and sour grapes. And maybe some pear. If I sniff it hardcore I can get some flowery honeysuckle-type stuff, but that's not immediately apparent. It's not sour in a terrible way, and perhaps some wouldn't even use the word sour to describe it. It reminds me of the smell of champagne, and I don't like champagne, but this is a bit better than that. The flavor has more apples and pears, some honey, and a good deal of tangy tartness. It has an orchard-esque flavor, with maybe some apricots or other things in there. It's a very light and sharp flavor, not rounded or soft. It's not shy. There's a noticeable kick of alcohol as well, but not overwhelming. The finish gets a bit more honey and has a long-lasting apple-cider tingle. I've only tried a few Armagnacs but this one is pretty different from the rest. It tastes very young and brash. That has its appeal, but it's a little rougher than I'd prefer. It's sort of halfway between an unaged eau-de-vie and the mellow oak I expect from Armagnac, presumably due to its relatively young age. It's enjoyable on its own but only when you're in the mood for a bit of a kick in the pants. I have made sidecars with it and that works nicely. This bottling is an exclusive from K&L Wines, and I picked it up because I was impressed with their private-label Scotch (Faultline) and had hopes of finding similar bang for the buck. This was not as much of a slam dunk as that, but it's still shockingly cheap for Armagnac at $30 for a liter bottle and is a good value. I could see myself buying another bottle at some point, especially if I start exploring brandy cocktails more.30.0 USD per Bottle
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Bulleit Rye
Rye — Indiana (bottled in Kentucky), USA
Reviewed January 27, 2023 (edited March 18, 2023)Quite nice! The aroma is soft. I get mostly vanilla, with some cinnamon and clove, and something more woody, like maybe pine. The flavor is pleasantly sweet, with more vanilla and spices. The finish lasts for a good while, and ends with some intense cinnamon, like red hots candy. It's not super complex and not super bold, but it's very enjoyable. There's enough spice to keep things interesting, but overall it's just smooth and sweet and easy to drink. I was given a half-size bottle as a gift. A regular 750ml goes for about $22 in my area, making it an affordable rye. I could see myself buying this at some point.22.0 USD per Bottle -
Saint James Royal Ambré
Rhum Agricole Éléve Sous Bois — Fort de France, Martinique
Reviewed January 24, 2023I think I've done a number of reviews now where I said something was "my least favorite agricole so far", and this is another in that series. However, plumbing the "depths" of agricole quality doesn't really result in finding bad stuff. It seems the quality asymptotically decreases toward somewhere around "just fine", which is where this falls. The aroma is pretty faint, just a bit of grassy funk and molasses, maybe a dash of chocolate, and a notable grapey side that reminds me of brandy. The flavor has more chocolate, more funk, more molasses, maybe a little grape still, a little tingly sugar. It's not much more powerful than the smell. The finish is slightly bitter and spicy, like cinnamon chocolate or something, and lasts a good while. This is 40% ABV which is less than most other agricoles I've tried, and I'm not sure whether it's because of that, but this strikes me as rather weak. Pretty much every other agricole I've had (aged or unaged) has hit me with some strong force on the palate, but this one comes off as fairly bland. It's not bad by any stretch, just mild and not attention-grabbing. It does make a pretty decent ti punch vieux. My main point of comparison for this is La Favorite Ambre. I started to do a side-by-side comparison of the two but quickly realized it was pointless because this can't hold a candle to La Fav. I suppose that shows how demanding I've become. I'm still a total n00b in the world of agricole and liquor in general, and like I say, this is perfectly serviceable, but it just doesn't hold up to other available stuff. To be fair, part of that may be a matter of taste. It's definitely less hot than La Fav or most other ones I've tried, and maybe some people would prefer that. One thing it does have going for it is it was only $25 for a bottle, which is among the cheapest I've seen for agricole. (That's one of the reasons I tried it, actually, along with just wanting to try a new agricole.) I probably won't buy this again, but I'm still interested in trying other stuff from Saint James at some point.25.0 USD per Bottle -
Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed January 14, 2023 (edited February 8, 2023)I've seen this recommended as an alternative to Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, the seemingly untouchable value champion in bourbon. So I gave it a try. To my tastes it's not as quite good as the bonded, but it is good. It's kind of hard for me to compare one bourbon to another because so much of the flavor is the same, and maybe that's even more the case here considering these come from the same distillery. But here goes. The nose has charred wood, vanilla, a bit of cinnamon, and some brown sugar. The taste is relatively gentle, with honey and vanilla along with more char. Maybe like burnt toast with honey spread on it? Cinnamon comes in toward the end and lingers through the long-lasting finish. I guess the main things I notice here compared to the bonded is that this is softer, subtler, and has more charred-wood notes. Its sweetness is also different, with more of a lighter honey dimension and less of the darker brown sugar type notes. I may just be talking nonsense here because it's hard for me to put my finger on the differences, but one way or another they do taste different and personally I prefer the bottled-in-bond to this. At $19 this is a few bucks more than the bonded, but still a good value. It's really just a matter of preference probably. But as for me I'll probably stick with the bonded.19.0 USD per Bottle -
Quite enjoyable although it has some flaws. There's a lot of alcohol in the smell, along with some fairly bland grain and honey. It's not inviting but not repellent either. The flavor is surprisingly much nicer. Loads of honey and buttered bread, reminiscent of Irish whiskey. It's remarkably sweet in a pleasant, clean way. There's some alcohol here too but it's not offputting. The finish is more of the same toast with honey, and lasts for a while, with a faint bitterness. This is labeled as a "single malt", but according to information from the seller, it's made with 100% malted wheat, which is an unusual mash bill. The taste has some similarity to a wheated bourbon, so I suppose that makes sense. The packaging itself doesn't mention the 100% wheat, saying only that the grains are grown in the "Caucus" mountains (presumably a typo for "Caucasus"). Also, from what I found the name "Hye-land" is pun on "Hye" which is the Armenian word for "Armenian". I picked this up because I have enjoyed Armenian brandies and thought it would be interesting to try. It is not great and the nose in particular is underwhelming but I find myself surprised by how often finishing one glass makes me feel like having another. At $30 a bottle it's perhaps a bit more expensive than it ought to be, but not outrageously so.30.0 USD per Bottle
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I've reviewed Torres 15, Torres 5, and now this. This tastes like Torres 15 and Torres 5. It feels a bit more full-bodied and has less alcohol flavor than Torres 5. I think it's a bit less full-bodied and has less alcohol flavor than Torres 15, but it's been a while since I had that so it's hard to know for sure. One way or another, these are all basically the same brandy. The aroma has chocolate, burnt toast, raspberries, and grapes. It's dark and warm and cozy. The flavor is nice chocolate-covered raspberries. It's also dark and warm and cozy. All of what I have said here could apply to Torres 5, 10, or 15. It is not super complex but it is super enjoyable. It's a nice drink for feeling cozy on a cold night. I rated Torres 15 as 3.75 stars and Torres 5 as 3.5 stars and so I didn't leave myself any room for this in between. I'm putting 3.75 because I feel like I can notice that it is better than Torres 5, but that may just be because I have a bottle of Torres 5 on hand and I can compare them directly. Maybe if I try Torres 15 again later I'll notice that that is better than this and I'll have to bump Torres 15 to 4.0 Who knows. In any case, deciding between them is really just a matter of how much you're willing to pay for less generic grape-spirit and alcohol and more deep dark chocolate and raspberries. It's kind of like do you want to pay the extra $3 a pound to get your clams or mussels or whatever already shucked; they're still mussels, only more so. This bottle cost $17 and is worth it. To be honest I think it is at least as satisfying as some French brandies/cognacs that cost significantly more. I would buy again.17.0 USD per Bottle
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Cachaça Velho Barreiro Tradicional
Cachaça — Sao Paolo, Brazil
Reviewed November 26, 2022 (edited February 25, 2024)Pretty good considering how cheap it is. I've tried a number of agricoles by now, but this is my first cachaca, and basically all my impressions of it are relative to agricole rum. The nose is sugarcane. To me it's pretty much just sugar. It's more syrupy, if that makes sense, than an agricole aroma, and it's also softer, more rounded, kind of creamy. It's also not as punchy as most agricoles, and lacks the second layer of tropical-fruit notes I get from those. It does have a faint second layer, almost of plastic, or an artificial sugar like vanilla frosting on store-bought cupcakes. That's not to say it's bad. Overall it's very nice. But it's not exactly the nature-in-a-glass feel I get from agricole. Likewise the palate is kind of a toned-down agricole. The overall impression is of sugar-water. Later there's a bit of honey and something almost grainy, like a smooth and gentle Irish whiskey. Towards the end that artificial/plastic note comes back and lends a bit of bitterness to the finish. It's not complex but it's very pleasant. Overall, like the aroma, the taste is less packed with bursting, popping flavors than agricole, but the base sugarcane flavor is there. I made some caipirinhas but I enjoy it just as much in a "cachaca punch" (like a ti punch with cachaca instead of agricole). On its own, that plasticky bit tempers the enjoyment a bit, but it's still quite drinkable. With some lime and sugar it's totally solid. If I had tasted this without knowing what it was, I surely would have thought it was agricole blanc, and even now given some time away from it I might think the same. All in all I wouldn't say it's as good as any of the agricoles I've had, but let's not forget this cost $16 for a liter. That's a solid 30% less than the cheapest agricole I know of. For making caipirinhas or fake ti punches, that is worth it. I may buy again. I'm also interested in trying out other cachacas to see how they differ.16.0 USD per Bottle -
Troyanska 4-year Slivovitz
Other Brandy — Bulgaria
Reviewed November 20, 2022 (edited November 21, 2022)I think this is the worst liquor I've ever bought. This makes it hard to rate because I'm a relative neophyte to the world of liquor, so I'm not sure how much worse stuff is out there. I'm giving it a 1.25 because, like, I'm still alive, and it doesn't induce instant vomiting, and if I'm generous I can even identify a few promising notes, akin to how after being hit in the head with a baseball bat you might derive a small consolation from getting to see some pretty stars and colors. But drinking this is not an enjoyable experience. I'm sitting here with a tiny pour to write this review solely as an act of noble self-sacrifice. For a moment, there is something kind of nice on the nose. It's a clean, fruity smell, plums I suppose, although it kind of reminds me more of blueberries. Unfortunately, "clean" quickly turns into "cleaning solvent", and it's all downhill from there. There is an off-putting chemical smell that dominates the aroma. It's been a while since I've smelled formaldehyde, but yeah, maybe it's formaldehyde. Or maybe it's old newspapers soaked in rubbing alcohol? Whatever it is, it's not good. The taste, sadly, is even worse. I've never tasted formaldehyde but let's just say the primary component of the taste is consistent with the smell. It sort of makes my tongue pucker, if that is possible. Any remnant of nice plum or blueberry flavor is difficult to detect. There is a woody element, but it's rough and unpleasant, like chewing on a twig. The best I can say for it is that at the outset it hardly tastes like anything, before the formaldehyde kicks in. The finish hearkens back to nebulous childhood memories of having to choke down some cough syrup or other medicine. With a last gasp it goes down your gullet and you sort of stick your tongue out and wiggle your lips around to try to shake off the aftertaste --- but at least you're finally free of it! The magnitude of my selflessness in enduring this for this review is only now becoming clear to me. I had wanted to enjoy a nice glass of something tasty tonight, but now I'll probably have to rinse my mouth out and wait half an hour before I can even enjoy anything else. Okay, I'm having fun writing this review. This slivovitz is probably not as bad as I'm making it sound. It's not like I'm retching and gagging. But it is not good, at least not to my tastes. (I would say I'm just not a slivovitz guy, but I did have some in Croatia that I remember being pretty tasty, so it can't be just that.) The only reason I haven't poured it out is because I can't bring myself to admit my folly in buying this bottle. Not recommended.25.0 USD per Bottle -
As shocking as this may seem, this brandy tastes similar to Torres 10 and Torres 15. However, this brandy has the additional feature of costing $7 a bottle (at least when I got it). The aroma is chocolate, maybe a bit of coffee, and berries, sort of like chocolate-covered raspberries. Based on my extensive research (that is, tasting this, Torres 10, and Torres 15), I declare this chocolate-covered-raspberry flavor the hallmark of Torres brandy. There is also some spice-cake type scent, along with basic grape and some vanilla. A bit of alcohol is detectable too. The aroma is not super powerful but it is pleasant. The taste is again chocolate covered raspberries. That's by far the main impression I get, but again there's some spice layered under that. It's a bit sweet and has some generic grape flavor, but that's tempered by the slight bitterness of the dark-chocolate flavor. The finish is more dark chocolate and less raspberry (but still a bit). I compared this side-by-side with Torres 10 and it's interesting how similar they are. The overall flavor profile is almost identical, but the 10 has more fullness and richness while this is a bit thinner and leans a bit more on the garden-variety grape spirit flavor. (My recollection is that Torres 15 was fuller and richer still, but it's been a while since I had that and I don't have it on hand to compare.) Even so, this isn't bad at all. It's pleasant and easy to sip. So yeah, it's not super complex. . . but it cost $7. It's perhaps a bit on the sweet side. . . but it cost $7. It's padded out with alcohol and bland grape notes. . . but it cost $7. As you may have heard, this bottle cost me $7. At that price I would definitely buy it again, and in fact it may be one of the best values I've had in any category of liquor. The 10 and 15 year versions cost around $17 and $27, respectively. Looking online, I gather that $12 may be a more typical price for this one. If that were the case and the 10 were still $17 I might upgrade --- and I might do so anyway --- as the 10 is definitely better. But still this would tempt me. This is definitely not a ritzy or nuanced brandy, but at $7, it doesn't need to be, and at that price (or even a bit more) it's definitely worth a try.7.0 USD per Bottle
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Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin
Modern Gin — Ireland
Reviewed October 8, 2022 (edited October 16, 2022)Okay, I need to re-review this. Not because my opinion has changed, but because this was my gateway drug and I need to give a fuller review now that I've been exploring liquor for 3 years and have more practice making pretentious-sounding comments. I bought this pretty much randomly, choosing based on the fact that it was gin, had a cool bottle, was from Ireland, and who knows what else was in my head. I lucked out. I haven't tried a ton of other gins since then, mostly because it's hard to tear myself away from this one. But I've tried a few, and this is far and away the best, and indeed still among my favorite spirits of any type. You can smell it as soon as you open the bottle. The aroma is complex and fairly strong, but soft and not aggressive at all. There's a bit of piney juniper, but it's only one among many: wildflowers, citrus, a potpourri of spices, and yes, a little bit of that tea. Most intoxicating to me is the combination of citrus (especially lemon) and the floral aroma. It's deliciously sweet, like walking through a vibrant lemon orchard full of blossoms and fruit. The taste is as smooth and crisp as a tall glass of spring water on a hot day. Again that citrus hits, but it's not sour or even especially tangy; it's sweet, almost like lemonade, with lime and grapefruit also present. Then the spices come in, earthy and warm, but still floating in that gentle orange-blossom world. It's in the finish that I notice the tea most. It's the only bitterness here, but it's not out of place, just a comforting conclusion. I know that some highfalutin' liquor aficionados disdain the word "smooth", but this is dangerously smooth. There is nary a hint of alcohol burn. It's all smooth and creamy and pleasant and gentle all the way through, like a siren song luring you to have another glass. I've made some simple cocktails with this (like a gimlet), but really it's so delicious on its own that they're hard to justify. When I first got this at a local store, it was $40. Since then I have wised up to the benefits of online liquor shopping. It can be had for around $30-35. At that price I will be buying it again and again and again. Highly recommended.33.0 USD per Bottle
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