Tastes

[10.15.2014] Disclaimer: I haven't had this stuff in a long time since this note. These guys are doing a lot of things right - may have drastically improved... I would give this a high 3. Nose is just right, some spike of alcohol wafts beyond the sweet caramel and the aged oak scents. The palate is very strong oak with bourbon laced. It's almost as if the oak was squeezed out into the bottle with the liquor. Caramel and mild fruit, sweet grains and barrel. Just a bit stiff.

[11.27.2014] Lucky I found this at a local store - only one bottle left. Nose opens up as salty caramel. Visually only a little oil. The wood is fresh and very strong. If i didn't know better, I'd say that these barrels aren't charred or aged before casking. Slight spice and malt, not overly sweet or complex. This tastes homegrown and simple - just as advertised and perfect to celebrate an ancient holiday. Now that I see the origin comments in Distiller, I'm left understanding that off taste in the background (apple brandy) and wondering how this can be sold as bourbon if not in new casks?

[02.08.2017] Tolerable if free. Turned down a lot of go-tos to try this and check off my list in a bar with poor service and loud music - Madison, WI. Smooth and mostly flavorless, this was like taking a good corn whiskey, diluting with city water and putting in a used barrel for a while. Don't bother.

[01.16.17] Sooooooieee! This whiskey has an edge and freshness that will bite you and then make you happy about it afterwards. Sweet and spicy rye, a touch flora (but that may have been the apricot jam on the peanut butter wings). Solid whiskey - going to need a few more samples before I can tease out the details. ;)

[01.16.17] I'm glad I didn't run out of my way for a bottle of this stuff. It's fine, really. Smooth, leathery with that sour edge of a wet oak barrel. But nothing that I haven't had before.

[12.10.16] Ardbeg (and Sherry casks, apparently) strikes again... I caught this at my wife's work "holiday" party. The host said he'd had it over a year and wasn't crazy about the peat. Not much on the nose, but so wonderful at first sip. A perfect balance of deep peat and earthy smoke. There is still evidence of a malty whisky beneath the soily tones and it's a smooth sipping, almost sweet finish. Never harsh or imbalanced. A great piece.

[11.12.16] It must be my lucky day. Well, I've had luckier but this isn't bad. Walked into a Liquor Barn in Kentucky right after a 900 person Pappy barrel release. A few bottles were still around for the tasting afterwards. I can see why people like this whisky. Nose like a baking apple pie, smooth sipper, a bit of cinnamon and leather, and almost a sweet dessert-like finish. Made for the best shopping trip I've had in a while and Em didn't mind it either. I wouldn't pay the going rate for a bottle of this. Would rather a couple bottles of Weller.

[10.19.2016] It seems like everyone knows how to pronounce this name but me, or at least they think they do. For the price, I probably won't work too hard to keep it around. Sweet and full, with vanilla and soft sherry. This is just as smooth as your first dram of the night as it will be after a baker's dozen. Trust me, I know.

[10.19.2016] Unremarkable. I should've guessed since the higher tiered versions are also not that impressive. Corn and molasses in a stiff, tangy blend. Glad I could bill this to someone else and not regret the order.

[10.18.16] Corn, corn, corn. Appropriate for the Cornell Nutrition Conference. Strong corn, sweet like Mill Street Distillery. You can tell it's been hurry-up aged a bit because it has deeper barrel taste but raw corn flavor. Not bad. No way is it worth the price.