Tastes

[9.30.23] First off, a huge thanks to High Bank for sponsoring the Pelotonia Gravel Day. Great ride, amazing cause - proud every year to suffer through these rides and change lives. Even happier to come back to the finish line and be greeted with some whiskey and a country cover band. Plain Jane for me, and I dont have a problem with it. Those are similar thoughts to what I had about Watershed the first time and it has grown into something awesome. These guys/gals are next. Seen the barrel room and they have good things coming. Will need to track down the barrel proof because this is more a reliable mixer base than a sipper.

[10.13.23] Friday the 13th meant a fire and lots of whiskey. Needed something of the Turkey variety to test out a new mixed drink were mocking up. I can confidently say the drink needs some work and I'm glad we didnt waste any more Rare Breed on the demos. Need to pick up some 101. Got this batch 4 bottle from a brother-in-law who temporarily gave up drinking. I think he'd been holding it for something special and so I wanted to honor that. To be honest, this isn't my favorite from them - Russell's 10 trumps it, as does the Single Barrel edition of Russell's Reserve. But this is a good bottle that can hold it's own. Sweet but a litle tangy, my read would would a dark sugar like molasses, some vanillins from good times in the oak, and some tobacco. Not too salty, not too sweet. It's well-balanced but also not a raver.

[5.2023] I frankly can't tell you when I first had this. Spring semester of 2023 was a teacher's nightmare combo that I pretty well drank through like the spring of '20. But somewhere in that mix, I bought a bottle of this based on my long desire to find a single barrel version (now have one). I don't know what I paid for this but it was too much. Bartender at the distillery on a later visit said this was their best one but I disagree. It's simple harsh. Oily is a solid tag, combined with the vanilla and bite of an untamed liquor. Probably better with an ice cube - straight is not my favorite in this case.

[5.12.2023] A delayed posting. Partly because the night I first drank this I ended up pretty hammered. But also because May/June just got too busy to keep up. Friends brought this down on an impromptu Mother's Day visit. I got bourbon; mother got a hydrangea. Clearly I won. This was also the night I learned that when you don't have it in you to finish your last old fashioned, you can always pour it in old fruit and make a stiff sangria with it a week later. There is really nothing special about this whiskey, except as a gift. Admittedly, the gifters said the same thing. But rhey also said that this has become their standby for old fashioneds and they buy it a case at a time. So if you like traditional bourbon flavors (oak, leather, sweat salt, caramel), then you'll like how this raw beauty mixes up a classic drink.

[5.25.2023] Tonight was probably one for the record books. Torrential downpours, hailstorms on my rental, and hosted for dinner by a NM local and his family who cooked their traditional food from India. The car floated a few times on the road but it was worth it. Our wonderful host insisted we break out a "single malt" and he couldn't have been more right about the 15. This flavor profile caters to me in an easy way: cinnamon rolls, vanilla, sweet, smooth. Next thing you know you're a few glasses deep, chuckling as you imagine your insurance bill tomorrow in the hailstorm. Better than the 12, more economical (and probably more appealing to me by flavors) than the 18, this is a solid whiskey. We finished a couple bottles and I've no regrets.

[2.27.2023] I wish it weren't true but a couple of us knocked out the whole bottle in one game night. So much for Mondays being a quiet night in. Sleeping it off for days. This whiskey is easy to do that with - one minute you're just pleasantly sipping away and the next hour someone's asking if you want to help kill off the bottle. Your traditional spicy, woody, vanilla is deeply rooted with a higher proof that retains the edge Evan Williams deserves. To be frank, this has more refined flavor profile than the single barrel that always comes off just a bit too raw. Easy sipper that I should probably keep on the shelf.

[12.25.22] Father-in-law strikes again. Apparently, he's got a lawn-mowing, snow-blowing gig with the neighbors and they express their gratitude with artisan bread and whiskey. Where do nice people like this come from? He had a bottle and saved it for us to try on Christmas with the stockings. This may be the Goldilocks of Glenlivets. Price point is better, more seasoned (balanced) than the little siblings, this is boring... but in a good way. Sunshine, roses, honey, and sweet hardwood. This is an easy sipper that is sweet, smooth, and only a bit salty. Probably too simple given the price point for this bourbon guy who's always eyeing the next bottle of Russell's. But this is good. Although I'd choose Johnny Green Label first for the same price, this is probably a Green Spot contemporary (idk, it's been a while) for slightly lower price?

[12.16.22] Free trial in Madison on the walk back from the capitol. Sweet downtown liquor store with a nice scotch collection upstairs. My apologies to the women running the tasting as I'm sure I came off a bit brash. You'd think a guy like MacGregor would know better than any not to sell something that tastes like Jameson for 10% more money. Not remotely surprised to learn this is a Guinness collaboration nor that they are generously donating a few $ per case (not per bottle) to a charity. Better than Jameson Black label but still just a simple Irish whiskey. Drinks easy, like water. Barely some barrel flavors or a vanilla or floral hint. But basically this is alcoholic spring water at the same price as Russell's Reserve. Choose wisely. And donate the spare change to your local food bank.

[11.29.22] Bought this back when it first hit the shelf. Was looking for some Russell's and figured this was at least in the same family. Honestly, I stereotyped this as another hype whiskey - all advertising and no quality. This may not be worth the price but it's at least deserving of the turkey label and Eddie's signature. Sweeter than I expected, like a sweet pecan pie, this is much mellower than a Russell's Reserve, regardless of vintage. It finishes a bit dry, salty, leathery like most in this type. There are multiple complex layers of smoky flavor, including one that tastes like the cold, wet ash in a fire circle after a hard rain. Is it great? No. But is it a solid bourbon, aged 8 years. Giftable to someone you like, but don't love.

[11.21.22] Prepping for an MS student defense tomorrow. Was looking for a sipper while I read because my Monkey Shoulder ran out. This is not a sipper. And I'm gonna need more whiskey for this thesis. Picked this bottle up last weekend when at NAILE. So many whiskeys come out of KY now that I didn't want to waste time buying things I can get later (and Weller was sold out across town). Label is deceiving because there's nothing 10 about this but the name. This is a raw, 2-year-old still cutting its teeth. Imagine taking Evan Williams single barrel's raw woody taste like you inhaled a woodshop. And then picture you took used sandpaper from that woodshop and ran it over your tongue. Yep, that's it, the greenwood bite that obscures all the other flavors in the profile. There are hints of vanilla, some rye spice too, but it's all buried in a product not ready to come to market but probably just paying the bills. Reminds me of Middle West when they opened. There is potential, raw potential.