Tastes

Nose: Barrel Char, Creamy, Dark Fruit, and Spice. Also slight Root Beer and Earthiness. Palate: Dark Cherry, Oak, Rye Spice, and Oily. Also slight Richness and Artifical Sweetness. Thoughts: I’ve seen the bottles everywhere and finally gave it a chance. Although it did not disappoint, it didn’t blow me away. The nose is unique, but it’s leaves some to be desired in terms of distinct notes. Everything seems to blend together. Similarly, the palate delivers smooth and oily flavor, but they blur together somewhat. All of the notes I listed were somewhat subtle so I didn’t confidently pick them up like I normally do. Overall, this is a solid bottle, and I can see why some would love it. However, it’s just not necessarily my style. There are many other bottles in this price range that I would reach for first.

Notes: Light, Sweet, Fruity, Zesty, and Rye Spice. Also slight Apple, Cinnamon, and Vanilla. Palate: Smooth, Oily, Fruit, Berries, Citrus, and Spice. Also slight Citrus. Thoughts: I’ve been putting off trying this one for awhile, but I regret that I did. This bottle carries the sweet profiles which are a staple for bourbon, yet it lacks the archetypal bitterness. Instead, this pour had a sweet nose and delivered on many of the flavors in a light and smooth way. It was bizarre how easy of a sipper it was. I’ll be purchase a full bottle when I go back out hunting. Not because this is the best bourbon ever, but because it it delivers how quality with a unique twist. I can’t compare it to anything else i have in my bar so I could see it being one that I reach for often.

Nose: Sweet, Red Fruit, Earthy, and Light. Also slight Brown Sugar, Funky, and Spice. Palate: Sweet Wheat, Earthy, Herbal, Smooth, and Fruit. Also slight Candy, Grain, and Spice. Thoughts: I was thrilled to recieve this bottle as a graduation gift today. Finished my MBA and dad gifted an Antique 107 to me. It may be elevated by the circumstances, but the first pour was a great experience. Cracking this bottle provided a nice cork pop and sweet aroma. Some of my favorite pours are sweet, but more in a rich way, whereas this smell was much more natural and earthy. Thankfully, the palate delivered on nearly all of the scents. It was a light, sweet, and earthy pour. Overall, this is an excellent bottle and one that I plan to savor it. I love how unique it is so I’ll make it a pour for special occasions, even though it’s not technically my favorite. However, I’m not sure if I can justify the price tag that the bottle came with. It’s criminal how much these go for on the secondary. I hope for everyone’s sake that Buffalo Trace has plenty more aging for us right now.

Nose: Banana, Mint, and Herbal. Also slight Oak and Sweetness. Palate: Mint, Green, Herbal, and Sweet. Also slight oak and baking spice. Thoughts: Overall, this is a decent bottle but nothing that knocks tour socks off. With the proof point and limited flavor profile, it’s a beginner bourbon. However, that entry-level quality isnt reflected in the price. It’s not expensive, but you could get much better bottles in that range. For example, you could get a bottle of Redwood Empire Pipedream which i consider far superior.

Nose: Cherry, Licorice, Caramel, Vanilla, and Baking Spice. Also slight Bread, Custard, and Cinnamon. Palate: Red Fruit, Rich Creaminess, Caramel, and Smooth Oak. Also slight Vanilla, Baking Spice, and Cinnamon. Thoughts: Overall, this is an excellent pour and widely recognized for good reason. The nose is incredibly layered and sweet, and the palate follows through with a smoothness that is hard to match. While it may not have the most diverse range of notes, the transition from a fruit-forward entry to a rich mid-palate and a lightly spiced finish unfolds in a very natural way. I’ve had more complex bourbons, but this stands out as one of the most well-rounded. It’s a safe pour for both beginners and experienced bourbon drinkers alike. The only downside is its scarcity and the markup prices that often come with it.

Nose: Red Fruit, Candy, Licorice, Strawberry Shortcake, and Cinnamon. Also slight Spice and Light Pastry. Palate: Fruit-Forward, Sweet, Berries, Baking Spice, and Earthy. Also slight Vanilla and Cake. Thoughts: It’s almost criminal how often I forget just how good this pour is. I genuinely don’t understand why this bottle isn’t talked about more. It’s exceptionally sweet and remarkably smooth—light-bodied, easy-drinking, and honestly feels like a treat in a glass. A perfect dessert pour. For the price, 1792 Small Batch delivers outstanding value. It leans heavily into sweetness, with very little spice or oak presence to balance it out. That profile can be polarizing, but from where I stand, it absolutely works. This is a must-have bottle for anyone who appreciates a softer, sweeter bourbon. It will always hold a place in my bar.

Nose: Leather, Baking Spice, Caramel, Butterscotch, and Hot. Also slight Oak and Light Bread. Palate: Creamy, Pepper, Vanilla, Rye Spice, and Proof. Also slight Caramel, Oak, Cherry, and Funky. Thoughts: Old Grand-Dad 114 was a bottle I initially approached with some skepticism, but it quickly proved to be an enjoyable surprise. Its dark, rich flavor profile is complemented well by the spice, creating a balanced and structured pour. The higher proof stands out and makes it especially effective as a mixer. I wouldn’t consider it an easy neat sipper, but it still offers strong value for the price. While I appreciate many of its qualities, it’s not a bottle I consistently reach for.

Nose: Rye Spice, Caramel, Cinnamon, Earthy, and Light Fruit. Also slight Mint, Oak, and Ethanol. Palate: Spicy, Vanilla, Syrup, Oak, and Char. Also slight Fruit, Light Richness, and Tarnish (unfortunately). Thoughts: WT 101 was my original favorite bourbon. When I first started I sought out the “best budget bourbons”. Surprisingly, I landed on this bottle and stuck with it for about a year (until the quality was noticeably worse). This pour is a bourbon classic. It’s a great representation or rye spice in bourbon. This bottle offers the sweet and oaky pillars of bourbon while also sneaking in some potent spice. For it’s price range, it is very complex. However, it can be a bit unforgiving to somewho who doesn’t prefer spicy bourbons (like myself). Overall, it’s a classic and deserves to be in every bar because of it’s price point. It’s a fine sipper occassionally, and an even better mixer in cocktails. WT 101 isn’t great, but it’s a versatile and foundational bottle.

Nose: Brown Sugar, Apple, Vanilla, and Bread. Also slight Pear, Honey, and Cinnamon. Palate: Light Richness, Sweet Fruit, Oak, and Brown Sugar. Also slight Baking Spice, and Char. Thoughts: Russell’s 10 has been one of the regular bottles in my collection since the beginning. Originally, I fell in love with it as an entry-level bottle because of the sweetness. This tasting reminded my how overwhelmingly sweet it is (in the best way possible). In fact, I think it’s thin viscocity, light flavors, and richness make it an incredibly crushable pour. It’s almost dangerous howe easy of a sipper this is. With that said, I unfortnately find this bourbon to be a bit more simplistic than I remember. As I’ve tried more bottles and grow out of the beginner stage, I think that there are other pours in this price range that are more complex. I think Russell’s 10 is an excellent bottle, especially as a means to introduce someone to bourbon. I enjoy it and hope I always have a bottle; however, it’s just not a staple in my collection like it once was.

Nose: Sweet Tarts, Orange, Candy, and Oak. Also some Spice and Tarnish Palate: Sweet, Spice, Oak, Light, and Thin. Also some Citrus and Candy. Thoughts: Overall, Buffalo Trace is a staple in terms of entry-level bourbon. It offers introductory flavor profiles without wandering into too much complexity. With its current price point and availability, it should be in every bar and considered a safe pour.