Tastes
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Rittenhouse Rye Bottled in Bond
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 12, 2021 (edited October 18, 2021)Not my first taste, but my first recorded here. I'm a rye fan, full stop. I've generally passed by this expression in favor of the older and more sophisticated Pikesville. This is everyone's darling when it comes to mixing drinks. I can understand why. Allow me an analogy... In audiophile circles it's common to want as speaker with a crystal clear high end and a neutral, natural midrange. It's easy to fill in the bottom end with a task-specific subwoofer. This is the liquor equivalent. It has a beautiful mid-range palate and lovely fruity overtones. It does not have the foundation that it needs, but in a mixed drink like a Manhattan that would be supplied by a quality vermouth. This is flexible and an excellent mixer, but it misses the mark slightly as a solo sipper. I'd prefer the Jack Daniels rye for the same price to sip neat or on the rocks. It's just got a better balanced flavor profile top to bottom. But for a Manhattan, it's Rittenhouse all the way.27.99 USD per Bottle -
ABK6 VS Pure Single Cognac
Cognac — Cognac, France
Reviewed October 5, 2021 (edited October 12, 2021)I'm not sure if this is only available at Total Wine, but that's where I got it. I am in the process of making a series of 2L barrel-aged cocktails that I'll bottle as gifts for friends this holiday season. So far I've made a port-wine finished Doorly's rum, Bulleit Revolver, Brooklyn Godfather and a strawberry infused Negroni. I want to finish the series with an aged Sazerac and I needed some cognac for the split base of the cocktail. I figured while I'm here... Tasted neat from a glencairn. A good while was given for the liquid to rest after the pour. This bottle has been open for a little over a day and I left about 60ml in the bottom of the bottle. Even from 18" away I can smell the fruity grapes of this cognac. ABK6 is the mark for Domaines Francis Abécassis. In addition to a VS, VSOP & XO cognac, the house also distills vodka, gin, Petit Champagne cognacs & other eau de vie. The pour is apple juice clear and shows some good sheeting on a swirl. The nose is fruity and light offering some floral qualities. I get sweet apples, bosc pear, wildflower honey and maybe a touch of jasmine. It's almost liqueur like in its lushness. All in all its very nice, moderately complex and surprisingly pleasant for this price point. On the palate this is quite tame and tasty. There's definitely that apple, a bit of pear and some white-fleshed plums. A bit of honey coats the lips while the faintest blush of ginger and white pepper offer a glow of spice. The finish is short and clean. This is fruity and light. Its a delightful grape brandy and is really a good choice I think for cocktails. I'm certain the Sazerac will come out wonderfully partnered as it is with George Dickel rye (95/5 MGP - nicely fruity and approachable as well). On its own I'm happy to drink this neat or over ice. It doesn't even come close to having the gravitas of a Hennessy XO or the silky presence of a Remy 1738, but for $28 its a real value. I rate on a scale where a 1 = something I won't finish and 5 = a perfect example of the expression. Most competently made liquors should follow a bell curve and end up in the range of 2.0 to 3.0. This ABK6 VS is certainly that. Solid and tasty and a bit above average when considered against its competition at this price. I'm giving this one 3 stars.27.99 USD per Bottle -
I like MGP rye, full stop. This expression is, as expected, really similar to Bulleit and Ezra Brooks being essentially the same liquid but aged a bit longer. This has a wonderfully fruity, easy to approach flavor profile that emphasizes the sweet over the spice. Quite nice across the boards although maybe lacking the level of complexity and impact of the very best of the style. For the price this is a very good rye although it could benefit from a higher proof.23.99 USD per Bottle
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I've been curious about this for a long time but I haven't had an opportunity to taste it. Tasted today neat from a double rocks glass. On the nose this is very delicate. Light ethanol, a sweet sensation, and some corn on the cob. There are some vanilla undertones also. On the palate this remains delicate. My first impression is dry corrugated cardboard. That may sound weird but it is not at all unpleasant. It's just the first flavor that worked with my memory. There is slight corn on the cob, corn silk, a bit of vanilla, very light. Quite nice. The obvious comparison is with Mellow Corn. That particular spirit has a much more focused flavor profile. I think I prefer it to this, especially at less than half the price. This is nice, but it's not going to be on my bar.
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This may be one of the great bargains in booze! I'm on my last couple of tastes in the bottle. It has gone too quickly. The nose is sweet, wonderfully syrupy, caramel, nougat, french toast all nicely presented. On the palate this delivers everything the nose promises and more. It is very approachable, sweet, the maple syrup is there, a touch of hogo, quite rich. I'm no expert on rum, but I've had my share. This is superb. The fact that it is under $30 is simply mind-boggling. If you are even slightly curious about rum, start here.26.99 USD per Bottle
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Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 29, 2021 (edited September 30, 2021)I've been very curious about this brand update since I first heard about it. Got the bottle a week or so ago and so far I've enjoyed a couple of Boulevardiers using this. This is my first examination of the expression neat. Sampled from a glencairn after a few minutes rest. The nose immediately hits me with a familiar though faint note. I struggled for a bit to define it. It was cola, but with cherry notes. Almost a cherry coke, but too faint. Then it hit me; a dried up glass of Dr. Pepper! There's caramelized sugar, light vanilla, faint oak and just a ghost of barrel char. The nose is pleasant enough. I compared this dram to Ezra Brooks bourbon, which is about the same price and proof. The EB is flowery, much lighter on the nose. Both are sweet, but I'll give the win to the EW. On the palate the 1783 shows less sweet than the nose implies. There's a sharp bit of dry oak and light ginger right up front which quickly evolves into cinnamon , cola, white pepper, and buttered biscuit. The finish is short, warming and unremarkable. There is a very slight bitter barrel note and some red hots left as a trace when all is said and done. This isn't bad, but it's just not aligned with my preference as much as its bigger brother Evan Williams Single Barrel is. Of course this is half the price of that already remarkably inexpensive whiskey. The EB is thinner and more watery that the Evan Williams 1783, but it is a bit sweeter and lighter. Both are balanced for their profile and I'd think that someone who doesn't like a strong whiskey would enjoy the EB while someone who's been drinking a bourbon mixer regularly might gravitate towards the richer and bolder 1783. This is a very good whiskey at $18 for a 750ml. It makes a fine Boulevardier and I think it would be all of that and a bag of chips in a sour, collins or highball. I don't think it has what it takes to stand in a Manhattan, but if your preferences run towards candybar richness I think this might be interesting in an Old Fashioned. Overall this is better than its 80 proof predecessor but not incredibly so. It's getting the same rating from me as I think its slightly "above average" but it's not something I'll pine for. If I could give it a 2.9 star rating I might, but this isn't as good as Elijah Craig Small Batch in my book.17.99 USD per Bottle -
Tasted neat from a rocks glass. The nose is very typical for an Islay. Peaty, smoky, sweet, and medicinal. On the palate this is kind of like an Islay scotch coloring book and whoever's coloring it has gone outside the lines. It's big, bold, colorful and has all the flavors I expect. It's not particularly refined though. For the price, this is a winner!13.0 USD per PourGordon Ramsay Hell's Kitchen
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Westland Garryana 2019 Edition 41
American Single Malt — Washington, USA
Reviewed August 22, 2021 (edited March 26, 2022)A stupid treat for myself after dinner at a trade show in Las Vegas. Tasted neat from a rock's glass. Right out of the gate the nose is not very impressive. Is this expensive? It sure is hell is here in Vegas! On the nose there is just the lightest whiff of coffee, honey and a bit of a floral note. It's a very subdued. I am immediately thinking about Japanese whiskeys. On the palate there's a lot of subtlety here. There's almost a coffee bean note. A white bit of cacao. Very light sweetness in the background. Maybe a bit grassy. Traces of honey. There is an ethereal quality to this. It's actually a pretty interesting drink, the more you poke around the more you get out of it. The finish is a bit disappointing. It's kind of watery and just dies at the end. It opens with this wonderful super-light promise at subtle complexity and then it just fails to deliver. I'm told this is $150 bottle. It's $50 for a glass. It's not worth it. Hard pass based on value for money alone. It's actually quite a nice whiskey, and I think it might be competitive if it were like $50 a bottle! My scale is very simple. A 1 = drain pour horrid stuff and 5 = a perfect example of the expression. This is a good whiskey but it is way overpriced. They're thoroughly proud of what they've done when instead they should probably be working a little harder to do it better. At least if they want to charge this kind of money. I have to take a half a point off just for the bullshit pricing. No there won't be a bottle of this on my bar.150.0 USD per BottleVenetian Resort Hotel Casino -
Tasted neat from a rocks glass at an airport. This is my first business trip in a year and a half, I guess I'd forgotten how much I detest travel. Anyway, whiskey always makes it better. The nose is a sweet blush of honey riding on a raft of ethanol fumes. Clear, yellow gold, thin in appearance. On the palate this is very much what the nose suggests. It's thin, it's sweet, it has a slight alcohol bite, and it is not at all challenging. It's a pretty good choice of whiskey if you're going to have a beer and a bump at an airport bar. No this isn't going to be in my regular rotation. This is just a straight up average Irish whiskey.Tampa International Airport
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Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select
Tennessee Whiskey — Tennessee, USA
Reviewed August 13, 2021 (edited October 27, 2021)I'm a serious fan of the Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof, but not so much the other expressions. Old No. 7 is a mixer with cola when I'm on a flight, otherwise it doesn't rise to the occasion. Gentleman Jack is fine if I'm in a so-so restaurant and they have a very limited selection. I'm really a fan of JD's rye, but here I'm looking at Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select. This isn't my first taste, but its the first time I've recorded my thoughts. This was tasted neat from a glencairn. The color is a brassy walnut and there's ample sheeting with small, slow tears running into the bowl of the glass on a swirl. The nose is subdued but with a bit of patience I'm getting circus peanuts, peeps, some vanilla, a bit of warm banana bread, caramel and maybe a bit of allspice. There's a slightly astringent ethanol note that seems to stick around. On the tongue this starts with a soft entry. The taste profile isn't as sweet or detailed as the nose hinted. Overall this is slightly creamy, sweet vanilla and caramel, a bit of creme de banana, some tart oaky bitterness and a slight nod towards some cinnamon and ginger. The finish is fast, faded and without heat. Overall I'd say this is an okay whiskey, but at $45 or so I think its overpriced. I'll take WT Rare Breed, Old Granddad 114, Evan Williams Single Barrel, Chattanooga 111, or even WT101 over it. The SBBP has magic in the bottle, this one doesn't. It's just slightly better than average, but a good choice if you're looking for a soft and non-challenging dram. Kind of JDs answer to Beam's old school Baker's.44.99 USD per Bottle
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