Tastes

[12.22.20] Courtesy of OHLQ, I won the lottery this summer and won the right to buy a bottle. I think around $60, but if you have to ask how much it costs you don't need it. Initially disappointed that my barrel pick was a "Christmas spices" variety, I saved it through a $#!++✓ fall semester of teaching and finally broke it out last night. Solid. This whiskey is even-keel, sweet wheat with an after taste that mellows out with a fine, smoky, clove etc. spicy that I could sip on all night. 2 glasses was enough for one sitting but don't expect this to sit on my shelf for long.

[2014-ish?] I bought this in Louisville once off the shelf. Didn't know what a gem I'd found. "poor man's Pappy"? Screw that, this is better than Pappy and you can drink 2-3x as much for the price (although I don't recommend it all in one sitting). This is a wheated classic with balanced - not mellowed - flavor. I'm sure I did a more detailed tasting back in the day. But it can be summed up this way: If you see it, buy it.

Filling this out from tour and bracket days years back... When I was a novice, I thought this was a 4.5* whiskey. It is smooth, forgiving, leathery, strong in vanilla and oak tannins. Now that I've rounded out my first hundred, I can see this is well done local still job but not my top shelf. Appreciate it as such. Drink local and make this one into one hell of an old fashioned. [10.22.20] As a side note, I'm drinking this whiskey set in a cabernet barrel for secondary aging after Watershed's 1st "garage sale". Fantastic and I'll have trouble ever buying the original again.

[05.12.20] <- Or at least that's what they tell me. Happy COVID Everyone! It's the time in life where the days blur by, little brothers become expert bartenders, and daydrinking professors write ambitious exams. We've done a number on my liquor cabinet so we're down to opening new bottles. Bought this back in 2013 or 2014 when in Louisville for NAILE. Great price, high proof, and bottle-in-bond. Couldn't go wrong? This is so smooth. First out of the bottle it was sweeter corn, a hint of leather, and cherry smoker chips. As it opens up, the oak, vanilla, and leather gain power and the spicy pepper shows up in the finish. Easy drinker with a high proof that doesn't make you pay the price. All the flavors are mild and I generally like something to take hold but today this is just what I needed.

[3.25.2020] Welcome to the new era, where the word "Coronavirus" enables daydrinkers 24/7. I'm loving it. We're starting to clean out my liquor cabinet and I found this beauty from a few years back. Believe it or not, I paid about $20 for it (don't hate me). So I felt shameless about dedicating it as the Old Fashioned bottle when my little came home from Madison. But not before snagging a sip... This whiskey is predictable and I like it. Wasn't surprised to find out it's in the Weller family when I went to enter the review. It feels rich/full-bodied on the tongue and I pick up more sweet leathery flavor than the pro reviewer - almost like sniffing a brand new deerhide wallet. I don't find it spicy but I've also eaten Jalopenos for breakfast. Harper's is an easy, smooth sipper that you shouldn't be ashamed to mix in an old-school drink because it is a steady staple for anything you want to make.