Tastes

The tasting notes here are very similar to my own experience. Honey and leather meet the nose and greet the palate early. This is sweet and caramel but the spice, nuts and apple leaves the palate dry and thirsting for more. I could become dangerously hooked on the smooth simplicity. Barrel is subtle and blending, as it should be. A fine common bourbon.

Leather is a taste I don't like as much as I thought I might. This whiskey is full, more or less smooth and blended well with age. Cinnamon is hidden with vanilla, dried orange peel, a bit of oak spice in the middle and maple to close. Tried it, liked it but wouldn't likely buy again. Later note: will fondly remember "cleaning" my first squirrel to this. Tagged a photo to Russel's and they must have a good sense of humor. Nothing steadies the knife hand like a glass of mellow bourbon.

Not sure about that band aids comment. Yikes! Very smooth, VERY peated. Reminds me of walking through the North on a crisp day when the fires were burning. Not as subtle as I'd like, the peat is overwhelming. I love it now, but certainly not more than a glass at once. I might fossilize. Vanilla and malt obscured by peat.

More complex than our wives' Mary Kay party in the next room, this has more going on than my "appreciator" palate can process. Bone dry is no lie but don't let that scare you off - the combination of flavor effects nears perfection. Alcohol on the nose, charcoal throughout with a touch of smoke. This is sweet vanilla that turns sharply to toasted caramel over spicey oak. This closes very dry, slightly sweet and full of citrus.

Brought this home for Ryan from NAILE 2014. Sweet, yes. This is honey, vanilla and a little bit of sugar and yeast. Tastes a lot like my in-laws' French bread fresh out of the oven. But this is a loaf of bread that got lit. Faintly yeasty gives way to subtle oak. I hope this is what OYO tastes like in a few years after aging more properly. A damn fine whiskey, well representing the wheat whiskeys. Well worth the wait.

Tried this when I visited Beam in 2014. Girl said it was most likely to please scotch drinkers. Well.... It's a bit smokey but mostly really spicy. Notes of oak linger amidst the higher proof burn and a bit of citrus sneaks in. Certainly one of the finer Beam family products with more character and complexity but not worth the price compared to others in its range like the Signature Craft 12 Year.

Won't find much on the nose with this. Floral and fruit comes out if you pay close attention. Woody and ground grain hit the palate if you give them a chance. Otherwise you will find a stiff, plain man's whiskey. Fresh lumber -and acrid burn. Nice for sitting out on the patio with a whittling knife and listening to the neighbor'a ducks. Slightly oily and spicy. Carved Hannah's ewe with this. Spent a Saturday with these guys a couple years ago - like these guys a lot. Maturity will do their whiskey many favors.

I bought this in KC at JAM since Dark Horse was shut down (and turned out to be foul whiskey anyhow). Bottle garners extra credit in my book, but just like Coors I can't taste the mountain air. You can smell the rye lingering before it comes out on the palate. Light floral/fruit with grain and oak barrel shield the rye but the warm proof bite brings it out later on. I imagine an 1800s miner wouldn't think near as hard on this and give it a straight 5 stars for the price. I give it a high 3.

I hoped it would be better than Jack. Truth is they're just different. Dickel is probably Jack's soft spoken mistress. Reminds me of melted candy corn at first and then I can taste the slight sour I'm accustomed to finding. This has almost no bite to it and limited flavor from the casking. The final taste is like burnt cupcake frosting. A bit too soft for me but at least it probably doesn't unlock man'a inner animal the same way. Might be a while before I renew this on my shelf over other choices. Later notes, after the last second Sparty trumping of Baylor (watch Lippett string out kicker Callahan for tough nose MSU football) I felt celebratory and made a new drink. Add three fingers of no. 12, four cubes ice and four Michigan cherries. The ice cuts out the sweet and brings the wood/nutty out. Cherry gives a slight tang. I call it the Dickel Tickle. Spread the word.

All the best aspects of Evan Williams diesel grade with more complexity and sophistication that comes with age. Makes me want to try the older stuff now. When I first had this at the Nebraska game my taste buds were obviously tainted. This has floral and fruity (and yes, cherry) layers that come out much stronger as it opens up in the glass and after your first sip. Spice stings early and fades while the oak prevails throughout. Full and rich profile won't let you down. Cut with ice and this is dangerously easy on a night over cards.