Reviews

Nose: Butterscotch, Gooey Butter Cake, Banana Pudding. Also slight Oak, Pepper, and Cherry Palate: Caramel, Cake, Cherry, Oak, and Tobaco. Also slight Banana, Cherry, and Toast. Thoughts: This is one of the first ‘fan favorite’ bourbons that I got my hands on, and it has not disappointed. The nose is possibly the best I’ve ever smelled because the dessert scents are endless. The tasting notes then deliver on most of the sweetness while still following through on the classic bourbon flavors like oak. For the price, it’s arguably the best bottle around. Because of its quality and complexity, this is a must have in every bar. It’s one of the best bottles that I’ve ever had.

Nose: Cherry, Chocolate, Cake, and Spice. Also slight Strawberry, Bread, and Pepper. Palate: Red Fruit, Rich Bread, and Baking Spice. Also slight Grain, Earth, and Heat that lingers. Thoughts: This is essentally the regular Pipe Dream but at a higher proof point. I typically don’t shy away from higher proofs, especially at only 101, but the heat of this bottle takes from the notes. Its a great drink, but unfortunately I prefer the standard Pipe Dream bottle for it’s drinkability and sweeter profile. This is a bottle I most likely won’t replace when it runs out.

Nose: Strawberry Laffy Taffy, Cherry, and Vanilla Cake. Also slight Baking Spice and Grainy Palate: Fluffy Cake, Caramel, Red Fruit, and Rye Spice. Also slight Oak, Spice, and Grain. Thoughts: This won my first ever bourbon blind tournament. It finished in 1st place out of 12 bottles. It is an affordable and easy sipper. It’s light and thin making it a great beginner bottle. The sweet scents and flavors are simplistic yet very appealing. The only real negative is a slight grainy flavor that lingers after a drink, but besides that I love it. For being so straightforward, I don’t think I’d quite call it my favorite bourbon anymore, but it sure ranks high. This is a must-have in my bar.

Nose: Butterscotch, Caramel, Apple, and Pear. Also slight Cinnamon and Oak Palate: Caramel Apple, Cake, Banana, and Oak. Also slight Red Fruit and Baking Spice Thoughts: As someone from Missouri, I take pride in this bottle. A 6 year BiB with excellent flavors. The nose is appealing and the palate is much the same. The taste isn’t basic by any means, but it’s not quite as detailed as the smell. Overall, it offers great notes at the class 100 proof. At its price point, it’s a really good bottle that I think is worth a try for everyone. The only thing I dislike about it is the twist off cap intstead of cork. This bottle deserves better…

Nose: Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Cake Batter, Cinnamon, and Vanilla. Also slight Spice, Cherry, and Musty Palate: Chocolate/Cherry Cake, Vanilla Icing, Caramel Squares, Baking Spices. Also slight Vanilla, Oak, and Toast Thoughts: This is my first ever bottle of Maker’s Mark Cask Strength. I got one of the new age-stated bottles, the 7 year 5 month. Once I drank it, I fell in love and immediately went out and both the other two, the 7 year 2 month and 7 year 7 month. This bottle is like a liquid dessert. It’s so rich and warming without being to high in viscocity. It has all the rich flavors I look for in a bourbon without being too proofy (even at Cask Strength). This is instantly one of my favorite bottles, and a must-have in my opinion. Go out and buy these because they are an absolute steal!

Nose: Caramel, Baking Spice, Oak, and Cinnamon. Also slight Vanilla, Richness, and Pear Palate: Rich Cake, Sweet Fruit, Baking Spice. Also slight Oak, Caramel, Smoke, and Earthy Thoughts: I own the OBSK bottle and love it. The scents are complex and offer something new each smell. The low viscocity texture makes for an easy sip that is incredibly forgiving. The proofpoint is unnoticable while the flavors range across all caterogies and offer depth. Overall, this is an excellent bottle that is complex. Most importantly though, it’s affordable. If I can help it, I’ll have a bottle of this in my bar at all times.

Nose: Cherry, Red Licorice, Baking Spice. Also slight Vanilla, Bread, and Oak Palate: Red Fruit, Rye Spice, and Oak. Also slight Earthy and Cinnamon. Thoughts: The nose of Soft Red Wheat drew me in. The sweet fruit aromas overpower all other subtle flavors. However, once I drank it, the palate was fairly basic. It wasn’t nearly as complex as I hoped. Luckily, it provided the sweetness I had hoped for before transitioning to spice. For only being 100 proof, the finish does take a bit of turn towards heat that lingers. It’s a sweet, low viscocity bottle with a bit of heat. I think it’s a solid bottle but it may lack the complexity that others offer within the price point. If sweet red fruit is your thing, then I think it’s worth it, but I wouldn’t get in a big hurry otherwise.

Nose: Brown Sugar, Apple, Cinnamon, Pear, Pastry (Brown Sugar and Cinnamon PopTart). Also slight Oak, Vanilla, Bread Palate: Fruit, Oak, Bread. Also slight Rye Spice, Char, and Tarnish (unfortnuately) Thoughts: The nose is great and intriguing, but I didn’t get that level of complexity from the tasting notes. It had low viscocity and featured simplistic flavors of fruit, oak, and spice. Overall, it is a decent bottle, but lacks depth. Probably not something that i would purchase again.

Nose: Baking Spice, Pepper, Oak, Apple, Dried Fruit. Also slight Vanilla, Caramel, and Toffee Palate: Spicy, Earthy, Herby, Oak. Also slight Cinnamon, Rich, Caramel Thoughts: Against concensus on this, but I wasn’t blown away. My palate doesn’t typically lean towards spice/rye so this one is overtaken by those notes and falls short with the rich ones I prefer. A value bottle for it’s complexity, but just not my bread and butter. If offered, I wouldn’t turn down a glass, but I probably won’t restock it when mine runs out.