Tastes
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It smells pretty standard - wood, spice, vanilla, caramel. Surprisingly, the spice is a lot more present here. The palate has some spicier spices (like chilis and chiplotles) the bring in some more rich, savory, and bitter notes. There's a hint of banana too and there are also some apple flavors. It's a harsh drink, but there is still some creamy caramel with a bit of banana. It's not that enjoyable to drink, but at least it does taste like bourbon. The strong spice brings a lot of black pepper and cinnamon. There is some orange and a hint of mango with the banana. It tastes like the caramel flavor didn't quite work out. The orange mixes with the rye, so either this is good rye flavoring or poor orange flavoring. There's this sweet chocolatey element, but with the banana it doesn't quite fit. The flavors themselves aren't bad, but the banana is out of place and the whole thing doesn't white come together. It reminds me a little of Woodford Reserve Double Oak meets Eagle Rare. It's not a great combo in my book, but one that is likely to go over well with others. The mineral flavor is really too much too. I'm not sure why this is is so we'll liked. It remains spicy too the end of the tasting, though most of the chili details give way to leather. The bit of smoke is nice, but it doesn't balance as well with the chocolate/Tootsie roll as the producer clearly would like and it gives off Clan MacGregor vibes somehow. Ultimately, the flavors aren't bad and some are even kind of good, but there isn't a ton of complexity and the balance is off. I appreciate the deep wood that eventually comes out with the spice, smoke, and chocolate, but it somehow tastes artificial. This would, however, be a great mixer. It does taste like it might be older than it is and it certainly doesn't taste like the proof that it is, so I'd those are virtues, they should be marked in its favor. The nose has a grainy character with rye tartness but also a sweet nutty richness of toffee. It smells a tad grassy, but not too much. There's also something mildly pleasantly fruity on the nose and there is a big hit of vanilla. The palate is less rich than the nose with a lot of rye presence bringing in floral minerals with fresh apple and some grass. There's plenty of society, though it doesn't have the punch of Booker's (ABV explains some of that though. There's sufficient richness to the caramel for it to come across as toffee, but it doesn't jive too well with the lighter fruity notes and piercing alcohol. It tastes like a solid bourbon (much better than High West American Prarie), but it isn't amazing. I do appreciate the nuttiness without excessive oiliness, but the whole thing comes across as light. There is something a bit herbal in here, but there isn't a ton of it. It find with sipping this, but I really expect more from my bourbon. The finish is balanced enough and a bit nuanced, but it's also pretty grassy. This is much richer and better than Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select, but it isn't a personal favorite. It could use some more balance to really be good, but this is not a bourbon to scoff at. A couple of off notes damage its complexity, but they don't think this drink.40.0 USD per Bottle
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Some people say that Bailey's is overrated and others say that there is no Irish cream that can compare. Well, I'm interested in trying the Kerrygold Irish cream because their butter is superb, but Bailey's is terrific. I taste the fat and the milk from the cream at first combined with some unobtrusive sugar. At the finish, the Irish whiskey takes over with a little bit of wood, some vanilla presence, and the slightest hint of apple. The finish ultimately turns a little bitter with a mild and dry chocolate flavor, making me want another sip. It's creamy and rich with sweetness and an appropriate amount of bitterness to balance it. It has this texture of eggnog that reminds me of Christmas, particularly when combined with the mild nutmeg, allspice, and clove notes. There's a tiny bit of a spicy bite, but it is very mild. The nose is sweet and creamy yet sour with a fair amount of bright fruit and floral notes. There's some vanilla and the slightest hint of wood, but it's hard to tell whether that is just an artifact of the cream. The palate is extremely viscous with some nice sweet creamy richness that brings some floral fruity notes to offset the alcohol. It's frankly quite sippable like eggnog and would be a good alternative during the holidays. The fruity and creamy elements on the nose combine to give it sort of a fruitcake vibe with candied fruits, nutmeg, and allspice. The finish could use some cleanup to reduce the alcohol and tart elements, but the sweetness avoids being oppressive and the result is generally good.17.0 USD per Bottle
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The nose has a surprising amount of anise, giving it a sweet aroma. There are bits of other spices like corriander and juniper balancing the sweet licorice, but not drowning it out by any means. The palate has a lot of licorice up front with some herbal flavors slipping in a a long numbing spiciness like Sichuan peppercorn. This seems like it could be good mixed with a bourbon to round out the aging. The sweetness is quite strong to the point of bordering on cloying, but there is balance from the other flavors. With the licorice, it almost tastes like some vanilla comes through in the sweetness. There's also an occasional bit of peppermint. This is actually quite good in an unexpected way. There isn't a huge amount of complexity, but there is a decent amount. It's a solid sipper for sure. This has a richer, meatier flavor than Monkey 47 and isn't as well balanced or as enjoyable. Still, this is tasty and thoroughly sippable, so it should be considered a successful gin. It has less of that Voyager vegetal oiliness, but it is weird in its own (more typical) way. It isn't easy to choose which of those two is better, but I'd lean in the direction of Voyager due to its nice balance. Aviation is definitely better than Beefeater though. Cedar, juniper, and anise on the nose. The palate is surprisingly oily and rounded like Voyager with a prominent prickliness and a lot of anise. I like it better than Beefeater by a fair bit, though the taste is very subjective here. There's always something a bit funky and rummy going on here in the background with an odd meatiness. The sweet licorice stands out for sure, but in a really fun way. The bitter meat is a bit odd and difficult to reconcile here. It isn't bad, but it isn't what I really want either. Still, the flavor is mostly balanced and there is a fair amount going on here. It's interesting and fun, but lacks refinement. Voyager has more complexity, though it lacks the fun, sweet licorice and can leave a person confused.25.0 USD per Bottle
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Auchentoshan Three Wood
Single Malt — Lowlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 7, 2020 (edited July 16, 2020)This is really smooth with some smoky wood presence, plenty of sweetness, and apricots. It does remind me of Bushmill's 21, but the flavor is less deep and the finish is shorter. A bit of salt enhances the flavor, which is generally rich, but not to the extent that red fruit, spice, and deep smoke would cause. It tastes perhaps like Glenmorangie The Original meets Bushmill's 21. There is nothing wrong with this, but I wish there were more of it. I would never have guessed that this was aged in Sherry casks rather than Sauternes.57.0 USD per Bottle -
Auchentoshan American Oak
Single Malt — Lowlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 7, 2020 (edited July 19, 2022)It smells of blonde wood and alcohol, with maybe a tad of fresh orange. It smells like new flooring. The flavor is just a mess. So much mineral with a bland wood backing. Gross bread for sure. Wood and a bit of smoke, but mostly just alcohol. Blech! There are bits of spices and vanilla mixed in there, but it's all middled and none of the flavors are executed well. There is sufficient sweetness, but it doesnt really help. It tastes worse than Glenlivet 12, which is around the low bar for drinkability. This is really not worth drinking.32.0 USD per Bottle -
Auchentoshan 2000 17 Year Un-Chillfiltered Collection (Signatory)
Single Malt — Lowlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 7, 2020The nose has some really nice smoke and peat with some sweet fruitiness alongside it, sort of like peaches. Some malt and vanilla scents come through too. It smells really good, reminding me of Highland Park 18 a bit and smelling about right in terms of age for 17 years old. That palate is smooth with some spiciness giving it life, but no alcohol harshness. It has moderate-to-high viscosity. There's a lot of peat and smoke along with some nice bourbon barrel spices that bring with them some sweetness and hints of apple and cherry. Shockingly, this is much better than Signatory's Glentauchers 20 and Fettercairn 29. That smokiness really carries through nicely. The palate is very good, including a tamed gross bread that is fairly nice and fits well with the herbal elements introduced with the peat. The smoothness is really impressive, as is the butterscotch sweetness. This could pass as a nice Islay Scotch for sure. Digging deep, there are further subtleties, though they are hard to pick out. There's some grassiness too. It reminds me a bit of that usual Signatory flavor mixed with Laphroaig 10 and then aged until it's is smoother. It's surprising that it tastes so strong with such a mild color, but I guess that's true for Ardbeg too. This isn't as good as something like Ardbeg Supernova 2019 or Traigh Bhan, but it's very good. This would be excellent if the palate were as good as the nose, but I do really like it as it is.119.0 USD per Bottle -
Tequila ArteNOM Selección de 1580 Blanco
Tequila Blanco — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed June 7, 2020The flavor tends toward the mild with some alcohol presence, but impressively little. There is a clear herbal presence if you wait long enough, but it is mild enough to get mixed in with the alcohol giving a slight note of rubbing alcohol. It's somewhat like T1 Reposado diluted with Chopin Wheat Vodka. Agave is present with the faintest hints of lime and green olives combined with some lingering mint. Eventually, I can pick out some sweetness. The flavor is well-rounded but not very rich. If you imagine hard enough, there is a lot going on here. Otherwise though, it is pretty underwhelming. It isn't bad, but it isn't exciting. It's mostly just technically impressive. I do wish that the finish were less spicy though (it's an interesting mix of spicy and smooth). The long finish is clean with a tad of numbness. Honestly, it mostly seems like a great mixer. I would be perfectly happy to sip this, but I would never love it. Note: this review underestimates the sweetness.45.0 USD per Bottle -
Tequila ArteNOM Selección de 1146 Añejo
Tequila Añejo — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed June 7, 2020 (edited December 18, 2020)The flavor is rich and woody in a way that reminds me of bourbon with some slight floor polish hints, but ones that are not too bad. The wood is initially overwhelming, but bits of maple syrup eventually slip through. The drink is smooth, but it does taste a bit of rubbing alcohol (just a bit). There is definitely a Chopin Wheat Vodka presence. Unfortunately, the bitterness takes charge a bit too much. It has elements of young scotch that I do not enjoy, though maybe I would after repeated exposure. The floor polish and hints of coconut remind me of Glenfarclas 25, but not in a really good way. Cinnamon spiciness backed by unsweetened cocoa powder is there, but not overwhelming. I wish the finish were sweeter and that there were more going on here. Unfortunately, it is kind of bland. The vodka flavor is really not welcome in an anejo. The chocolate finish is distressingly dry, even without drinking anything particularly sweet beforehand. After a full pour, I do get that grape drink flavor that Distiller promises for a moment, but why is that a good thing. Interesting, but really just neutral. Note: this review underestimates the sweetness.55.0 USD per Bottle -
This drink kicks off with some bitter, mushroomy notes mixed with a strong hit of mint. It's on the savory side and not sweet. There is a bit of citrus mixed in there, along with just a bit of clove. This is a dry drink and it is not at all viscous. I'm not a fan of this mix of flavors and it doesn't have the kind of depth and variety that it really needs. The very rare hints of caramel and cocoa are just not enough here. I do appreciate it's smoothness and lack of weird alcohol flavors though. It could be considered to have a bit of a rancid bread flavor, but that blends with the mushrooms here, so it can get a pass on that offense. This tastes more like a mixer than a sipper (though it definitely does not have that icing sugar flavor), but its price is too high to use it for that purpose. It's like Casamigos Blanco and Corralejo Reposado crashed into each other and ended up mangled. It lacks the richness of Corralejo Reposado, but at least it has a lot less mushroom flavor. The mint is immediately present, but is mixed with some less forceful vegetal (carrot) caramel and spices. It's somewhat like an anejo mixed with a blanco, which is not necessarily a good blend. The depth of flavor is good, but I'd rather have separate mint, vegetal, and caramel drinks. The mild cocoa notes add a nice richness. The flavors are not terrifically balanced and I really expect a more robust flavor from an anejo. The flavors are rich and deep, but they are also discordant. It's interesting, but not terrific. It tastes a bit like the forest, but not in a juniper way. The balance is still off, but there is a wealth of variety to the flavor and it is not dominated by the alcohol. This drink is rich in a non-traditional way. It has a lot of depth of flavor, bit the mint is a bit overwhelming. It is smokey and rounded, but does not suffer from any meaty flavor. All told, the balance is there, but it doesn't taste quite like a normal anejo tequila or a mezcal. That said, it is quite good despite being an acquired taste. If you like mint, this is a good choice. Otherwise, it is a bit odd and unenjoyable despite its technical successes. This is super minty and some of the mint is spearmint. It isn't super complex or rich and hedonistic either. There is definitely some caramel, but it is relatively subdued with some nice vanilla beside it and some baking spices supporting it not being enough to overpower the clean mint. The mint contains some other herbal and woody notes int he vein of juniper and cedar. There are some astringent citrus notes here too that gradually comes out, with lime playing a key role. That woody minty herbal note is kind of out of hand (by a lot) though. I wish that there were more balance. It tastes like there is some more going on the depths here, but like with El Tesoro Blanco it is hard to taste down that far. Here's some bad news if you don't like sipping this: it's certainly not a mixer. The palate is too minty - like spear mint. Beyond that, there are milk chocolate and caramel, sort of like Tootsie rolls. It's bitter and herbal all the while with some keffir lime wafting through. It's drinkable, but not exiting and has an off, spearmint flavor to contend with. It's mellow with a bit much spearmint and a bit of pepper to it. There's also some caramel and cinnamon mixed with hints of orange. It's light but a little creamy. There's some earthiness, but it isn't excessive. Overall, the balance and complexity are good except for the spearmint. Relative to Cabeza Blanco, this has more mint (including spearmint) and some caramel creaminess that helps to round out the spearmint. This has less of a rich, full, oily flavor with spicy and luscious fruit characters. This doesn't have any actively bad notes aside from the spearmint (though that goes surprisingly well with the caramel) and there is a nice bit of cinnamon in there, but the overall impression is of something that is weak and in need of assistance. It has less of an aggressive alcohol but to it than San Matias Blanco, but it also is weaker and has less of a fruity pop. The flavor is more subtle than many other tequilas, but it is also too mild and oddly minty. It out-performs Lunazul Blanco in balance, but it isn't as interesting. Frankly, although I can get some of those chocolate notes and hints of whatever else on this, it just isn't as richly enjoyable as plenty of other options and the spearmint is a problem. The balance finally starts to click at the end of the bottle as the aggressiveness becomes less of a key factor, but that's pretty late for it to kick in. It beats out San Matias Blanco a bit and it doesn't get immediately crushed by Cabeza Blanco, but it ultimately does lose that fight.41.0 USD per Bottle
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