Tastes

I realize JD has been beaten to death but here's my take. Im not getting into popularity and cultural influence and such, just straight up review. Like many people I drank a lot of this back in the day but never really paid attention to taste/flavor. I recently got some JD rye and thought it was very good so wanted to revisit #7. Neat, has decent legs. Nose I get banana, maple, oily charcoal and a touch of heat. Slightly oily mouthfeel has banana taffy, caramel, maple,oaky char. The sooty character with the sweetness really works for me but it needs more proof. Finishes medium with slight dryness but has remaining burnt banana residue. The charcoal adds dark flavors along with some maple sweetness. I find it enjoyable (Really like the banana taffy) but tastes watered down. I think this stuff would be much better at 90pf. I agree its overpriced ( should be under $20) It is easy to drink and has ok flavor but inflated cost so.... 74/100........Dickel 12 and even Beam Black crush it for less money so really cannot justify purchasing JD

I purchased for $15 . What do you get for that investment....well you get a cork, a 5 year age statement, 86 proof and 40% malt/60% grain. You also get a decent scotch with actual flavor and great value. Poured neat, nose is light with fruit, honey, some malt and yeah the grain notes. Palate is nice blast of honey malt, golden apple with some slight bitter wood and more grain sneaking in. The mouthfeel is soft and pretty good for this price range. Finish is fairly quick with a fade of the fruity malt and drying wood. Minor grain overtones. Couple drops of water really enhances the palate and adds some creaminess. Overall this is damn good for 15 bucks and I don't worry at all that Im plowing through the bottle. Have to say I will buy this again to extend the life of my pricier stock. No world beater and sure the grain is present but this is better than most bottom shelfers Ive had.......76/100.....That being said Speyburn Bradan Orach is a little more $ but a fantastic single malt value

I just finished a bottle of Weller Special Reserve and it was fantastic. The reviews for this promise an even better experience. Poured neat, nice sticky glass coat and clingy mouthfeel. Nose is similar to Reserve with charred hubba bubba, sweet floral nectar like notes and dusty oak. The extra proof brings out the char and wood. Palate is oaky smooth vanilla and light molasses with heated char and cinnamon. Robust flavor and cognac like delivery. Finish is ridiculous long oak and vanilla cinnamon with heated char. This is packed with taste. It has some real heat but its not that empty heat, it has dense flavor suspended in it. Its strong, sweet, woody and powerful.......87/100...better than the Special Reserve(no slouch).not even a discussion on what is best wheated bourbon for money. I paid $27 for this, its worth $40+ all day and sells on secondary markets for much more. Now if I could only get some of the 12 yr.

This is from my NH days..........We have a yeti sighting!! Found this finally in my area along with Antique 107! Wheated bourbon from my favorite distillery Buffalo Trace......at last. Poured neat, thin but sticky legs with decent color. Nose is nice....very nice, soft sweet bubblegum, slightly floral with some baking spice and fresh bread dough. Silky mouthfeel brings palate of melted gummy sugar, vanilla frosting, honey, more dough and spice with some light oak and char for balance. Sweet smooth bliss!! Finish is oaky but not bitter with cinnamon, vanilla and spice that lingers. If you like your bourbon on the sweet side this will make you very happy.....85/100

On the never ending quest for good value scotch I picked this up. It actually has some decent reviews on the web. Neat, thin legs and weak nose. Has some vanilla-ish notes but not much malt, fairly nondescript. Palate is grain alcohol with slight bit of malt flavor. Finishes quick and not much to say, its thin and bland. I should know better with a budget blend. I thought the ale cask would enhance the situation(im a beer lover) It does not. I used it to mix gunslingers( scotch & root beer) to get through the bottle. Pretty good as a mixer but would not repurchase as I prefer to drink scotch neat. Hard pass but think its discontinued now anyway.......60/100

Poured neat, its everything the reg JD rye is but cranked up and FAR better. Nose is succulent banana bread, doughy maple rye with baking spice and rich sweet barrel notes. Has a gourmet circus peanuts vibe if there is such a thing. Palate continues the theme with juicy fruit gum, baked maple pastry with rye bread dough, candied nuts, baking spice and just general yumminess( the whole exceeds the sum of its parts). Finish is looong and fulfilling banana char, cinnamon and yeasty ryedough with allspice and sweet wood . I cant imagine how good a barrel proof of this juice would be. JD can get it done when they want to, the Single Barrel Barrel proof and this are MONSTERS.........Top shelf elite rye in class with Pikesville(need to run side by side)......91/100.......buy it you will be very pleased

Have read many glowing reviews on this and found it at Specs for 70$ so went for it. Non chill filtered and 96.6 proof this stuff rocks! Poured neat the nose is wonderful. Salt cured bacon and smoke from an electrical short circuit are first to arise. Malt and seasoned wood follow along with vanilla frosting and cake batter. Soft mouthfeel leads palate of smoke, golden toasted marshmallows and salty malt with varnished oak. It is quite savory and the balance is excellent. Finish is bbq pit smoke with wood chips and drying malt with hints of roast coffee. The flavor is rich but falls off more quickly than I would prefer. Still this is complex and delicious so Im gonna try to put this guy away for limited use. If you like Islays (this is Speyside but more an Islay profile) get this you wont be sorry..........94/100........much more refined than the standard Lap/Ard and bottle seems to just get better longer its opened

Hanging out on the bottom shelf with this scotch looking for value. Poured neat, light thin legs. Nose has mild fruit, pear, apple with some gentle malt honey and faint smoke. Soft better than expected mouthfeel. Palate is smoked honey, caramel malt and barrel wood with char. After some time in the glass a milk chocolate note develops . Grain alcohol is certainly there but not overdone. Finish is medium with drying wood, trailing smoke, char and malt. For the $15 I paid this is decent. Not a world beater or deep and complex just a nice cheap blend with good smoke to it. I would give the edge to Teachers but this is one of the better low cost blends. Take it over JW red or Dewars white (not sayin much).........72/100 blend score..........not sure if I like the funky bottle though

I have the new formulation at 80 pf. Still is quite oily with good coating in glass and mouthfeel despite proof. Poured neat, nose is salty smoke, dry oak,coffee bean and malty dough. Palate continues this ending up tasting like a soft pretzel laced with coffee beans cooked in a smoker fueled with seasoned oak then heavily salted. Not a lot of sweet notes, some good malt presence, maybe a shimmer of pineapple similar to HP12 but then its gone. Finish is long with more salty pretzel, malt, coffee grounds and wood with cigar leaf lingering. Its kind of in the Bowmore profile but still a bit different. Its unique and good but not elite imo. Lap 10 and Ard 10 are better in same range but I wouldn't mind having this around......84/100...........bottle is great too, makes for an easy pour with the shape. Update: after several pours and bottle being opened this keeps improving.

This is budget rye but delivers more than it costs. Poured neat, nose brings some mild banana and juicy fruit gum, rye spiced dough and fresh oak. Its not powerful at 80pf but still decent. Palate is sweet bananas foster, mild rye and oak. Its not deep or robust but pleasant. Doesn't have the dill note of the MGP 95% ryes which is a plus for many. Finish is drying oaky spice with soft vanilla. It tastes young with some rye sizzle and light flavor. Still , I think this is a great value at $15-20ish. I prefer bolder more flavorful rye but if you're looking to try out rye or want a mixer this is an easy choice......76/100.............good enough to drink neat but not a heavy hitter.