Tastes
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Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon
Bourbon — Texas, USA
Reviewed March 7, 2021 (edited January 21, 2022)Nose - salted caramel, dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla ice cream, creme brûlée, chocolate turtle, cinnamon, nutmeg, peanut, pecan, black pepper, clove, leather, tobacco, brown sugar, toasted marshmallow, graham cracker, brownie, mint, black cherry, rich oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - cinnamon bun, clove, dark chocolate, toffee, vanilla cream, nutmeg, tobacco, toasted marshmallow, powdered sugar, brown sugar, leather, pecan, walnut, black pepper, spearmint, black cherry, baked apple, graham cracker, sweet tannic oak, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium long with dark chocolate, baking spice, tannic oak, and black cherry flavors. Sweet baby Jesus! This truly is bourbon candy, as Garrison Brothers quotes on their website. It’s extremely rich and sweet, but not cloying. I’m immediately overcome with memories of being at the Golden Corral dessert bar as a child and adding every single topping to my chocolate and vanilla swirl ice cream. Balmorhea is by far the best new oak finished bourbon I’ve tried. This is what Woodford Double Oaked wants to be when it grows up. Balmorhea is not something I’ll drink everyday, but I know I’ll crave it from time to time. Absolutely fantastic. Not quite as fantastic as Cowboy bourbon, but those are some big shoes to fill. I paid $160 for this and I would do it again in a second. For reference, this is the 2021 bottling. This completes my week of Texas whiskey reviews. I’m so pleasantly surprised how wonderful each of these Garrison Brothers and Balcones expressions have been. I’ve even identified a few that will become permanent additions to my collection. And I’ll definitely be on the lookout for new Texas offerings to try in the future. Starting tomorrow, I’m crossing the pond for a week of Compass Box reviews. -
Balcones FR. OAK Texas Single Malt
American Single Malt — Texas, USA
Reviewed March 6, 2021 (edited October 23, 2021)Nose - rich caramel, raisin, fig, dark chocolate, brown butter, cinnamon toast, apple, grilled peach, nutmeg, clove, rich oak, vanilla, black pepper, ash, leather, tobacco, cherry, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - raisin toast, apple, dark chocolate, coffee, rich salted caramel, cinnamon, allspice, molasses, maple, graham cracker, nutmeg, clove, spicy oak, vanilla bean, toasted marshmallow, black cherry, black pepper, tobacco, leather, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing long with rich caramel, tannic oak, dark chocolate, and strong baking spice flavors. Based on the week I’ve had with Balcones, it should come as no surprise that this French Oak offering is another winner. The aromas and flavors are cranked to eleven, as you’d expect with Balcones. The caramel, dark chocolate, and baking spice notes are extremely rich and balanced nicely by sweet dark fruit flavors. The finish lingers for what seems like minutes, allowing ample time to reflect on the experience between sips. It’s crazy that this amount of richness can exist in a spirit aged fewer than two years, but I’m no longer surprised by this in Texas whiskies. Unfortunately, the French Oak doesn’t appear to be widely available. I can’t find a retail price for this, but I’m assuming it’s at or above the $100 mark. I won’t be searching this out to add to my collection, but it’s delicious and absolutely worth trying if you can find it. Luckily I didn’t have to, as @jonwilkinson7309 very generously provided this sample for me to review. -
Nose - smoked meat, honey, sweet and spicy BBQ sauce, burnt brown sugar, vanilla, Mexican street corn, toffee, hickory smoke, nutmeg, clove, cornbread, apricot, burnt rubber, leather, tobacco, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - smoked meat, grilled apricot and peach, honey, hickory smoke, ash, cornbread, cherry, burnt brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, leather, tobacco, spicy BBQ sauce, strong oak char, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with smoked meat, brown sugar, and baking spice flavors. Is this another Balcones I need to add to my permanent collection? Yep! The profile is so interesting. I agree with other reviewers who say you need to wait until the mood strikes for this one. It’s not an everyday dram, but one I absolutely want in my arsenal. The whole experience screams BBQ with all the fixin’s. BBQ meat, sauce, cornbread, and the smoker in the background, it’s all there. This is definitely worth the $50 price tag. In the past, I’ve picked up on BBQ smoked meat notes in some scotches, but nothing like this. There’s no subtlety here. If you want a BBQ whiskey, Balcones has provided a BBQ whiskey. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted, in a good way. Brimstone also lacks that overly sweet, shallow profile I’ve noticed with the other corn whiskies I’ve tasted. This is just dialed in really well. Thank you to @jonwilkinson7309 for the sample. What a great experience.
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Balcones Texas Single Malt
American Single Malt — Texas, USA
Reviewed March 4, 2021 (edited April 11, 2021)Nose - mesquite, burnt brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, toffee, berry, cherry, cinnamon, clove, strong spicy oak, pecan, sultana, cocoa, coffee, black pepper, subtle sulphur, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - butterscotch, cherry, cinnamon, allspice, clove, berry, brown sugar, vanilla, molasses, raisin, black pepper, dark chocolate, pecan, coffee, rich oak, mesquite, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with dark chocolate, coffee, and fried fruit flavors. While they are created differently, Lineage and Texas Single Malt are ripe for comparison. This is like the moody, brooding big brother. Where the Lineage was fresh, fruity, and citric, this is much darker. The backbone is similar, but there are more chocolate, coffee, and dark, dried fruit notes here. And interestingly, I’m getting a hint of that sulphuric, pencil eraser aroma I find on younger Springbanks. It’s not nearly as strong, but it’s definitely there. Overall, this is good. I think it’s about equal to the Lineage in quality. However, since this is over $60 while the Lineage is under $40, I’m going to err on the low side with the score. Because of this, I don’t think Texas Single Malt will become a permanent addition to my collection like the Lineage will. Still, this is a solid American single malt that showcases the richness a short amount of Texas aging can yield. -
Balcones Lineage Texas Single Malt
American Single Malt — Texas, USA
Reviewed March 3, 2021 (edited August 4, 2021)Nose - apricot, peach tea, apple pie, honey, caramel, vanilla, cherry, orange and lemon zest, grape, walnut, sweet floral notes, clove, fresh cut grass, leather, rich oak, black pepper, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - orange zest, peach, apricot, pecan, walnut, cherry, honey, caramel, vanilla, apple, black pepper, leather, cinnamon, clove, sweet oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with peach, caramel, orange zest, and tannic oak flavors. When I first cracked the Lineage, I really didn’t like it. I found it to be very sour and too fruity. I still think it’s a bit sour, but over the two months since I’ve opened the bottle, I’ve developed a strong attachment to it. In fact, I think it’s the fastest I’ve finished a bottle in over a year. I find myself always reaching for it in the cabinet. There’s a craveable quality that I can’t quite pin down. As many have already said, this is an amazing value at less than $40 a bottle. Actually, it’s one of the best value whiskies I’ve encountered. I’m waffling between a good and great rating here, but will err on the high side because of the price. I expect this will become a permanent addition to my collection. -
Nose - butterscotch, vanilla, powdered sugar, candied corn, apple, peanut, butter pecan, dusty corn, funnel cake, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, sweet oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - caramel, candy corn, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, apple, black pepper, peanut, barrel spice, powdered sugar, dusty corn, brown sugar, cocoa, sweet floral notes, high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with sweet candy corn, baking spice, and prickly pepper flavors. I had such a good experience with the Cowboy bourbon yesterday, I’ve decided to devote the rest of the week to Texas whiskey, specifically Balcones expressions. Many thanks to @jonwilkinson7309 for providing this sample, along with a few more I’ll be reviewing this week. For reference, this is a single barrel bottling at 62.9%. The nose on this is like a carnival cranked to eleven. Candy corn, funnel cake, powdered sugar, candied apple, it’s all here. It’s extremely sweet, but doesn’t quite cross into cloying territory. The palate is similar, but more pepper and baking spice notes can be found. I have to admit that the only experience I have with corn whiskey is Mellow Corn. There are some similarities, but this is significantly better. However, I think the standard corn whiskey profile is too sweet for me. In musical terms, they present as all treble and no bass. I think the proof really helps here though. My guess is that the standard True Blue would rate very average for me. But this is not average at all. I’m looking forward to diving into more Balcones offerings this week.
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Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon (2019 Release)
Bourbon — Texas, USA
Reviewed March 1, 2021 (edited November 8, 2021)Nose - salted caramel, toffee, vanilla, peanut brittle, sweet creamed corn, chocolate nougat, brown sugar, marshmallow, leather, black pepper, tobacco, cherry, raisin, cinnamon, rich oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - salted caramel, toffee, rich oak, marshmallow, candied peanut, cinnamon, allspice, dusty corn, black cherry, raisin, vanilla, mint, tobacco, leather, brown sugar, black pepper, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing long with rich caramel, black cherry, dark chocolate, and musty, candied peanut flavors. Wow! Just wow. What a treat after spending the past month reviewing vodka. This is a masterpiece. It’s simply the best nose I’ve ever encountered on a bourbon. And it’s really not even close. I poured my favorite bourbon I own, Elijah Craig B520, to confirm this. In comparison, the EC seems guarded, austere, and overly hot. The palate is equally stunning. Every flavor is fully formed and robust. There’s a sweaty, musty, oaky, peanuty vibe that resembles the Beam funk, but it’s so much more well executed here. As others have mentioned, it’s ludicrous that this is almost 140 proof and only five years old. I have no idea what kind of black magic is being conjured in Texas, but Garrison Brothers has thrown down the gauntlet. This drinks like it’s 100 proof and at least double its age. I do suspect that the flavor profile may be somewhat of an acquired taste. That sweaty, funky, nutty profile may be not suit some palates. But I love it. This is the first perfect review I’ve given. In my mind, this absolutely deserves it. This is bourbon elevated to an art form. Regarding the price, I can’t responsibly claim that this is worth four bottles of ECBP. However, I can say that this is the best bourbon I’ve ever experienced. Before this, I didn’t think a bourbon would be able to rate above 4.5 on my scale. I assumed a perfect score would be reserved for some ridiculously old and expensive single malt. I’m elated to be proven wrong on this point. A hearty thank you to my new buddy @pkingmartin for generously providing the sample for me to review. Here’s to many more encounters with whiskey perfection. -
Ocean Organic Vodka
Unflavored Vodka — Hawaii, USA
Reviewed February 28, 2021 (edited February 9, 2024)Nose - dry bread, black pepper, subtle vanilla, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - mild floral and grassy notes, lemon zest, black pepper, mineral water, vanilla, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with mineral water, black pepper, and citrus zest notes. Ocean is by far the most neutral vodka I’ve tried. Other than a general yeastiness on the nose, there’s not much else other than a hint of pepper and a whiff of vanilla. The palate adds a bit of citrus and a nice mineral water quality. This is really good vodka, particularly with the palate. If you want clean vodka, this is the one to buy. There are no off flavors at all. On the flip side, there’s not much in the way of flavor here, so I don’t think it competes at the same level as Absolut Elyx or Stoli. It comes close though. And I could see myself reaching for this instead of Jim Beam Original on some days. Thanks to @ContemplativeFox for providing the sample. So, this concludes my vodka series. It’s been a whirlwind month for sure. Thirty vodkas in twenty-eight days. I have some thoughts I’d like to share regarding the results, but without further ado, here are my top ten: 1. Nauti Spirits (sweet potato) 2. Ciroc (grape) 3. Absolut Elyx (wheat) 4. Stoli (wheat and rye) 5. Ketel One (wheat) 6. Ocean (sugarcane) 7. Chopin (wheat) 8. Beluga (wheat) 9. Russian Standard (wheat) 10. Reyka (barley and wheat) To caveat the results, I could easily see the order of some of these changing if reviewed again. Looking over my unflavored vodka reviews from the month, it’s surprising how similar they read. Don’t get me wrong, there are differences, but they’re much subtler than with other categories such as whiskey. Another caveat worth mentioning is that my top two, Nauti Spirits and Ciroc, are at the top specifically because they’re not neutral, and that makes them more interesting. While this renders them more sippable, they would likely not be good candidates to use in the standard vodka cocktails. Removing these two from the running leaves Absolut Elyx as the best vodka for mixing. However, Elyx is over $40 near me, which is too much to spend on a vodka outside of special occasions for me. This brings us to Stoli. It’s less than half the price of Elyx and only slightly less enjoyable. This will become my house vodka, unless I find something better in a similar price range. At the beginning of the month, I assumed Tito’s would at least be close to the top. In fact, it’s been my house vodka for years. Not only did it not make my top ten, it’s likely in the bottom five of unflavored vodkas I reviewed. Now that the series is finished, I have not discovered a new love for vodka, but I have gained an appreciation of it. I don’t see myself ever reaching for vodka to sip neat in the future, but I’m happy to have done a deep dive and become more informed about a category I previously knew nothing about. And at the very least, I’ll now be stocking a much better quality vodka that’s actually cheaper as well. That’s all I’ve got. I’m looking forward to jumping into some more exciting spirits starting tomorrow. And I’ve got a good one on deck to reward myself for the misery I’ve endured this month. A special shout out to Jim Beam Original. You’re not my favorite bourbon, but you didn’t deserve all the shade I threw your way. Thanks for being a good sport about it. -
Nose - soft grain, fresh bread, vanilla, black pepper, marshmallow, dry herbal and citrus notes, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - soft grain, wheat thin, orange and lemon zest, black pepper, sweet floral and dry herbal notes, mild to moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with soft grain, wheat thin, black pepper flavors. The nose is very neutral, but I’m finding some nice marshmallow and bread notes to add some intrigue. Otherwise, it has the standard attributes of a quality wheat based vodka. The palate is a bit floral, citric, and peppery, but a slight hint of wheat thins can be identified as well. Overall, this is a very well executed neutral vodka. I think it’s a step below Absolut Elyx, and probably closer to the Stoli and Ketel One range for me. Unfortunately, it’s also $12 a bottle more than Stoli, so it loses pretty significantly on the value factor. And this is about on par with Jim Beam Original for me.
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Nose - spicy grain, black pepper, rye spice, vanilla, dry herbal notes, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - sour grain, sweet floral notes, lemon zest, dry herbal notes, black pepper, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with sour grain, black pepper, and dry herbal flavors. The rye base definitely shows here. The grain aromas are more prickly and the black pepper and rye spice notes are dominant. It’s a reasonably solid nose. However, the palate is not quite as good. While there are some nice floral and citrus flavors, the arrival is rather sour and a bit unpleasant. Overall, this is better than many vodkas I’ve tried, but not good enough to notch it above the pack. And at $25, it’s priced higher than some much better options. I’ll take Jim Beam Original over this all day.
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