Reviews

Nose: Vanilla , Ethanol, Cinnamon-like spice Mouthfeel: Thin and watery yet still somewhat syrupy in the legs Taste: Sweet and Spicey. Vanilla and mild wood give sweetness and pepper burn with a hint of minty-ness on the swallow and finish, which does surprisingly last a good while. A decent sipper for the money at 100 proof. Didn't feel the need the add $10 for the single barrel at 104 proof. But this can't hold a candle to the likes of standard Eagle Rare or 10 year McKenna, at least at the old asking prices before Fame came a callin'. I can still think of a dozen whiskys, with or without an "E", that are similarly priced and deliver more than this plain fare. Knappogue Castle comes quickly to mind. But then American Bourbon is just different in what it delivers in terms of complexity or lack thereof. Still it's always nice to get something at this proof for this money. A mixed drink Bourbon and a decent sipper, I'll finish this fairly quickly and then go and buy the 16 yr Tyrconnell I should have bought with a nice $20 clearance price reduction thanks to the PLCB. $40 at the PLCB. $50 for the Big Brother.

Just received this as a gift of thanks from a neighbor. The Distiller review seems spot on. Drinking neat, the obvious sweetness in the nose and first taste on the tongue does turn into something more appreciable and short-lived spicy ... but ultimately turns a little bland and faded? Ice chips do extend the sweetness a good bit longer and smooth out the fading finish with a soft mint aftertaste. Not bad for a blend and 80 proof. I like these easy drinking whiskeys. Reminds me of Bib & Tucker in overall taste, especially with the ice ... but the minty after is very long lasting with this one. I can see making this into a cigar companion, where my aim is never to enjoy the ultimate in whiskey experience but simply to enjoy life. Apparently $32 here in PA.

A nice fruity likeable whiskey. First opened under a metal roofed pavilion in a flash rainstorm at twilight. Very small tasting pour to start with and glad of it, since the gnats seemed to love it exclusively and left other folks drinks (red wine) alone. Only managed two quick sips before my least favorite protein source started their swim session. Oh well, tomorrow is always another day. Have decided to take on the cigar experience after 34 years without anything tobacco. I can now say that any decent 92pt. Rocky Patel robusto goes very well with the D.E.W. The sweetness of the whiskey makes for a smooth combination with the milder cigars I have on hand. Sitting outside on the backyard glider aligned 90* to the wind makes for a very nice experience and keeps the clothing fresh. Apparently the neighbors (all friends) have taken notice and will be joining in soon. At 67 now and truly retired, I find it's the little pleasures that satisfy most. And in that vein I can say that sipping a blended 12 year old Irish with good mouthfeel, taste and mild burn at 80 proof is one of them. Life is not only good, it's getting better all the time (cue the Beatles).

Kathleen's Batch is nearly gone so this has been opened. Forgot to add it to the Collection list . Like most Booker's, it is simply a cut above. Will come back in a bit with a proper review.

First tasted on my B-Day 1/31 in 2018 Have to agree with @LeeEvolved and @PBMichiganWolverine about this whisky and the water. I think the bite from this baby is comparable to what I get with any of the Bookers or other powerful Cask Strengths but the experience is altogether different from American Bourbon, pretty much from start to finish. Drinking neat is always my first instinct but this really does deserve to be opened to flavors otherwise masked by strong elements from the barreling. The wine casking flavors do shine through properly with ice chips or good clean water. I give it 4.25 for rarity and taste. Let me drink just a little more of it to take the bottle to half full and the rating will likely climb. Just sayin'. My bottle is 36/412 from bbl 405 in 4/17. 60.9 ABV

Tasted in late 2017: My next door neighbor was given a bottle of this when he and his wife were in Australia visiting family some years ago. When I retired and moved to Gettysburg and got involved with Whisky on a serious level, we would have tastings. I would bring things over like EC 18yr. and Midleton Very Rare and he would offer up his Nant Sherry Cask as a comparable precious offering. I can say unequivocably this whisky remains the most flavor filled dram I have yet to taste. It is an absolute shame what happened with that distillery offering and the barrel fraud that followed. I would really love to know exactly what was the initial whiskey that started the whole process, as the bottle my neighbor has is the genuine article. I will have to ask for any age/barrel statement info on his bottle and provide it here. I naturally went in search of similars from that part of the World after finding Nant would not ship to the US at that time. I found both the Oamaruvian Doublewood Cask Strength and the Dunedin Double Cask at the PLCB through Special order but neither of those has proved to be any match for the sheer deliciousness of this Nant. The Distillery has now reformed under new ownership and naturally new product. I believe they now ship Internationally and if the S/H weren't so ridiculously high, I might be tempted to see if any of the old magic is still to be found. As to the Whisky, it has the best fruit, floral, sweet, heat magical synthesis I have yet tasted.

I admit that upon initial tasting, perhaps I'm rating this a tad too high. At $55 here in PA, this whiskey is not exactly punching above it's weight class. It is an underwhelming whiskey. Listed at 92 proof but does drink as smoothly as baby's milk and pretty near as sweet. Yet overall for the money, in terms of taste and hit, the asking price definitely is out of line. What this whiskey does do well is go down so easily, you don't even feel you are drinking whiskey. The nosing reveals little with definition but I'll go with Brock's description just for the Hell of it. I do really like the soft minty aftertaste, like the gum you've chewed too long but you just like what it does for your breath. This 6 yr has a decent finish but lacks any complexity. I guess liquors like this serve a purpose, in this case mainly being something that can both be sipped innocuously or desperately tossed down during viewing something like an impeachment hearing when there's nothing else on. As a comparison, for half the price in PA there is the Jim Beam Distiller's Cut which only has availability against it. Nose, taste and finish are far superior. The Bib & Tucker is like paying double for Beam but getting the Devil's Cut instead of the Distiller's. Not much of a recommendation but then not all whiskeys need one when utilized properly. Don't think I'll repeat but purchases on whims are often like that. $54.99 at the PLCB

I think Amanda got it right. Nosing reveals typical sweet scents of vanilla, a bit of Maple, honey, light caramel and wood. Holding it on the tongue it is quite sweet with similar flavors revealed if you can hold it long enough, even the magic coconut. Upon swallow the spice is very nice, typically on the outer edges of the tongue and a slight burn to the throat. At 90.4 proof, this is a toss it down whiskey, if one were of a mind to do so, which I rarely ever do. Just seems a waste of good flavor. But people drink in different ways and for different reasons. I really like easy drinkin' Bourbons like this and will be searching for other Belle Meade whiskeys for sure. Next up the Sherry cask. $35.99 in close-by MD. $45 in PA.

Made a run to one of my favorite stores down the road in MD and picked up 2 bottles of Noah's Mill, an Eagle Rare and a Belle Meade today. Do I have a problem? The correct answer is NO!!! LOL! Both the Noah's and the Belle Meade are new to me. This highly reminds me of Booker's in the ethanol nosing and burn in the mouth. But the taste, at a still high 114 proof (well below every Booker's in my arsenal) is more smooth and creamy. A little water or a few ice chips help to tone down the spice burn. Unlike many bourbons, this is not too sweet at all but still sweet. Being a fan of whiskeys like this, I am sipping this bad boy in my latest and favorite tasting glass, a Taylor'd Milestones Reserve. The experience is very nice indeed. While I love the classic Glencairn, while properly limiting the amount in the sip, it does not allow for simultaneous nosing ... a case of either/or, so to speak. With the Taylor'd one can actually sip or swallow and nose together, as it is simply a bigger version of the bowl and chimney design. Getting back to the Postman, errrr, Whiskey, have to say Rob Morton described this very well. The nose detects some orange oil, peach and marshmallow. On the tongue, there is a lot going on. Individual tastes will differ of course. Cinnamon spice, but in the right measure, and Vanilla cream And I do get something in the aftertaste, almost reminiscent of minty cough drops or liquid evergreen- but not in a bad way. My taster does not sense any of the nosed fruitiness here. The liquor is lightish amber and swirls nicely, leaving a telltale ribbon of thin arches which seem to turn into a series of tiny drops as the legs descend. Despite the relatively high proof, I could sip this for a good long while as the bite becomes more under control with time. But let a larger swallow through though and it immediately reminds me of the proof. Creamy smooth, nice flavor complexity and a spicy bite at the same time ... altogether delicious! This is a go-to whenever whiskey at a very reasonable price. On sale at $54 in MD. The PA stores don't have it yet. Edit 1/29/'20: PA now carries it at $59.99 and it sells out very fast, just like anything Weller. Snagged 2 with a free home delivery sale. Yeah!!!!!

Another lovely Bourbon, perfect for simple sippin'. I generally don't use any Bourbon Whiskey over $25-30 for mixed drinks so this one stays neat or has a few clean ice chips. The ice releases a roundness to the taste and sweetens it as well. Initial nosing also improves, as the ice contributes more of a sensual mist to the experience, whereas neat had little mist for my pathetic noser. There is a dill and mint herbal taste to the liquor for me when drinking neat. Not a bad thing but water/chips are a good thing overall with this one IMHO. At $59 here in PA, I will be stocking this regularly.