Tastes

Light straw color. Light peat and heavy pear on the nose. A little bit harsh and bitter with some light peat-smoke, charred pears and moldy oak for a flavor profile. A lighter mouthfeel with a bit more of a burn than one would expect for such a low proof. You can’t beat the price point on this one, but I doubt if I’d ever purchase it again.

Standard copper color. Nothing really stands out on the nose. Vanilla, butterscotch, oak, high-proof heat and hairspray are all evenly mingled together. Super-intense fruit and creamy sweetness on the first sip, followed quickly by a startling burn. Vanilla, brown sugar and oak come to the forefront upon further tastes. A couple drops of water cuts the burn a bit, but thins the mouthfeel out too much. 4.15.

Standard copper color. Light butterscotch, vanilla and wood notes dominate the nose along with a hint of cotton candy and sweet mustard. First sip is bitter wood and tangy fruit, but later settles into a strong dry oak presence with a white pepper finish. Mouthfeel is medium with a comfortable burn on the upper back of the throat. This is a standard, middle of the road bourbon at a very comfortable price point... especially if you prefer your bourbon oaky and dry. 3.6.

Hot corn and hay on the nose. Semi-oily mouthfeel with corn, wood, cherry cola, citrus and vanilla on the palate. The palate honestly changes on every sip. A couple drops of water adds lemon pledge on the nose and additional citrus/fruitiness on the palate. I went into this review assuming I’d type something like “it’s not worth the price tag” at the end. But honestly, it’s a nice bourbon. I suppose it depends on what you expect to pay for a solid, cask strength bottle.

Dark brown copper in color. 1% sherry dominates the nose. Sweet, woody and fruity on the palate. Medium mouthfeel with a semi-spicy finish and a gentle burn. This is one of a few bottles I’d consider keeping continuously stocked in my library, especially based on its easy access and comfortable price point.

Dark reddish brown in color. I’m smelling wine and clay on the nose with a little bit of corn fighting for attention in the background. Sweet sangria, clay and oak fill out the palate with some mild spice coming in right at the end. The faintest of burns coats the back of your throat on the way down. The mouthfeel is medium. I suppose I enjoy this (now) a bit more than I did as a “first experience”. As a newly popped bottle, this drank more like grape Play-Doh than anything else. I even returned the second bottle I had purchased out of shear disappointment. Now, at the end of the bottle (my wife obviously likes it), I can say it’s at least drinkable. While, as a bit of a purist, I don’t really approve of the addition of actual wine to the blend...it’s a nice, sweet after-dinner sipper. 3.65.

An orange straw color. Straight up pear juice on the nose, while only hinting at floral and peat notes. Mild sweetness on the palate, with wood and tea leaves barely there on the backend. Alcohol presence is minimal with only a mild tinge on the tip of the tongue and a quickly-departing back-of-the-throat burn. The mouthfeel is neither thin nor creamy, just somewhere in the middle. This pour might be the perfect entry point into Whisky, friendly and unassuming. It’s like a new neighbor bringing you a fresh plate of cookies with a smile. “Hello there, I’m Scotch...it’s nice to meet you!”. 3.67.

Light copper in color. Pretty standard high-corn bourbon nose. Sharp and spicy on first taste with a thin mouthfeel. A nice, woody sweetness is revealed on later sips, but the heat hangs around longer than expected for 101 proof. A drop of water adds some tea leaves on the nose and opens up some subtle fruit characteristics on the palate. 3.7.

So, this pour definitely has one of the more unique aromas in the world of whiskey. If I decided to mix my wife’s Mazola cooking oil with the remnants of every one of my unused cologne bottles from the early 1980’s...you’d have I.W. Harper 15. I’d love to say it’s “floral-forward”, but that’s beating around the bush. It’s Drakkar Noir and I simply can’t get it off my tongue. That being said, it has a nice mouthfeel and one might be able to convince themselves that they’re tasting a “fruity bouquet” with hints of vanilla instead. Whatever it is you’re tasting, I think this one deserves a spot in your library simply because of its “uniqueness”. 3.65.