Tastes

Look: Jeffer’s Creek is a quite light whiskey, hay yellow, maybe some slight gold tones. Alcohol legs show up considering it’s only 40% Nose: the nose is quite light, fresh fruit, apple, honey, swirling opens up more of the barrel and the slightest of spice. Judging from the nose, this will be a pretty tame bourbon, which makes some sense due to the low proof. Taste: the initial taste is similar to the nose sans the apple. Honey, vanilla, sugary bread. Finish: really a quite light finish, a slight lingering taste, the fruit kicks in more once the bourbon hits the throat. Not a lot of bitterness or heat. Overall: I feel that if this were kept at a higher proof, this would be a really great bourbon. The local shop owner who pointed this out to me mentioned this is distilled by Buffalo Trace. I tried Weller antique 107 & Jeffers side by side, and this didn’t stand up to Weller Antique. That said, there are some similar characteristics, but just more muted. Jeffers Creek is a tasty, just not complex bourbon at a damn reasonable price.

Look: Burnt dark orange, with plenty of lacing on the glass. Nose: The nose is really strong on this one, almost exclusively vanilla. Taste: The vanilla is there, but there’s much more oak and barrel coming through than the nose would make you think. Some cinnamon pops up as well. Finish: There is a good amount of heat on this bourbon, with a hot finish and lingering wood notes. Butter tannins really come through Overall: By no means a bad whiskey, but not my favorite offering. If you love vanilla and oak, this is for you.

Look: Peat Monster is a beautiful straw, light yellow color. Clearly, Compass Box wasn’t worried about the color, and didn’t add caramel coloring. Lacing shows up on the glass when swirling, but it’s minimal compared to most whiskeys I’ve encountered Nose: wow, the aromas live up to the name. Peat, hardwood smoked bacon, sweetness coming through as honey. Sea salt is also there, especially after swirling the whisky Taste: initial taste is campfire and the ocean. As a Midwesterner, peat monster brings back good memories of trips to the ocean, and the salty water from the beach. Very appreciative of this flavor. Letting the whiskey venture around the tongue, I get more of the sweetness, followed by more peaty, woody notes. Finish: not lacking flavor, the finish is long lasting and largely the peat campfire flavor. Not terribly bitter or hot, Peat Monster has a great finish. Overall: I am a big fan of Peat Monster and would recommend this whisky big time. Not as aggressive as Laphroaig, but enough peat that you’ll be able to pick apart the earthy notes of Islay.

Jameson is one of those whiskeys I’ve had likely hundreds of times, but never really tasted if, if that makes sense. How many ginger ale and whisky I’ve had with Jameson is beyond me, but today I’ll actually be tasting a dram. Look: I appreciate how light this is compared to many other whiskeys I’ve had. I don’t know Ireland’s coloring rules, but this is a pretty straw, light amber color. Nose: Reminiscent of malt o meal, that hot breakfast cereal you’d eat as a kid, apples, pears, and honey. Taste: so inoffensive, I really don’t great a crazy amount of flavor from this whisky. Sure, there’s that malt o meal flavor, honey and fruit, but it’s all somewhat muted. Easy enough to drink, not exactly a whisky to nerd out about. Finish: smooth. I don’t like the word smooth, but smooth. A pretty shirt finish, little heat, the lingering flavor is sweat and pleasant. Overall: there’s not much to complain about with Jameson, I think most people who drink whisky neat would steer clear from Jameson as it’s quite simple, but also pretty pleasant.

Grabbed Talisker Storm last March as it was on sale for 30 some dollars. Not being familiar with scotch at the time, I wasn’t in love with this whisky; however, I’ve acquired a taste for scotch, so let’s give it a go. Look: quite light, Talisker Storm is a non age stated whisky, and the color reflects this. A nice straw color shows the likely younger scotch that was added. Nose: I get salt water, bacon, iodine, slight honey. Really, there’s a lot going on Taste: initially, I get fruit and honey, followed by spice, salt water, and campfire on the finish Finish: a rye spice, guessing this is aged in ex bourbon barrels, kicks in near the end and helps gives way to some heat. Slight bitterness, and a lingering campfire flavor lasts to the end Overall: I love Talisker Storm as I find it quite complex, and taste something new with every dram. While I’ve never had any other Talisker, Storm is worth a purchase if you can find a sale.

Look: pours a dark amber/orange, fairly dark compared to most my other whiskeys. Plenty of lacing from the bourbon, and alcohol legs Nose: I get a lot of cinnamon and spiciness, seems like a high rye bourbon. Going in for another whiff, sweet vanilla comes through more so over the spice. Swirling the glass opens up more of the initial cinnamon and pepper, with slight woody notes, and clove tobacco Taste: first sip is largely the spice from the nose hitting. Pepper and cinnamon. Letting the bourbon sit in the mouth, the sweetness pops up with vanilla and wood showing up mid palate, and then the spiciness kicking in again when swallowing the bourbon. Feel: Plenty of heat on this bourbon, one of the few whiskeys that really has left me with a shocking burn. The finish lingers with tannin notes and bitterness Overall: I think this is pretty good, but almost too hot. A little water may help this one out, and a little too bitter for me on the finish.

Look: burnt orange, with plenty of glass lacing Nose: Butterscotch on the nose, slight rye spice, mild brown sugar Taste: caramel vanilla followed by peppery spice and cinnamon. Finish: the rye is dominant with a oily mouthfeel and a lasting spicy finish

Look: Amber colored, Knob Creek has some lacing when moving along the glass, but not much, but nice alcohol legs. Nose: Rye pops out at you initially, spicy, not so herbal to my nose. Cinnamon and pepper largely. There’s also some sweet vanilla and brown sugar. Taste: rye dominated throughout, cinnamon as noted in the nose, slight pepper, slight sweetness, but really, a really cinnamon forward rye. Feel: the heat on this is high, plenty of burn in the finish, and a lasting finish at that. Overall: this is an underrated product, considering its association with Jim Beam. Worth trying for the price.