Tastes

86pf, slight bump from standard JD. I was hoping this would bolster the flavors with more power and depth as reg 80pf tastes watered down.Poured neat, has good sticky legs. Nose is similar to #7 with banana and oily char. This has more oak and heat though. Light oil mouthfeel brings char, banana taffy, marshmallow peeps with oak and nice heat. Added proof has enhanced flavor a bit and brought some heated barrel char. Finishes with smokey char, oak and fading banana sweetness. Overall I would say its a slight improvement over standard Jack but not worth the extra $$(reg Jack is always on sale ) as a limited release it wont be readily available anyway....... Dickel 12 is still much better.

Wanted to try this for a while so finally picked up a bottle. Poured neat, oily legs brings nose of smoky vanilla, a unique mineral note (some have described as flintstones vitamins in a negative fashion but I really like it) and rich custard. Palate is creamy custard, vanilla soda and smoky heated char. Finishes with fading vanilla custard and oak with char. This is delicious stuff. The charcoal filtering has brought some different flavors and depth. Carries good heat with 90 proof yet smooth with balanced sweetness. Yes it is significantly better than Jack Daniels and I highly recommend if you like Tennessee whiskey......85/100...... definite repurchase

I have the peated finish version which I got for about $33. This is a solid blast of smoke. Poured neat, yeah its got the embers we are looking for, along with a bit of peat, sweet malt and barrel. Palate has lotsa bbq smoke with a bit of malt and some fringe sweetness. This isn't complex like the big guy Islays. Finish is long smoke and peat with fading malt sweetness and drying wood. Kind of a one trick smoky pony, but that's a good trick in my book. Lacking in depth and richness of say an Ardbeg or Lap 10 but its 33 bucks. I like it more than Ardmore for lower cost smokebomb but not a replacement for the real deal from Islay. Still good value and bbq goodness so 77/100......makes a great smoke&coke

A close cousin to OF signature with a slight variation on the mashbill. BIB gives you at least 4 yrs aging and 100 pf so that's a plus. Poured neat its got a hit of ethanol but bold oak and musky leather offset with dark fruit and nuts. Palate comes in strong and hot with caramel and barrel with char, pipe tobacco and leather notes that make it seem older. Finishes with heated spicy caramel and some fruit turning to dry lengthy oak. It carries its proof in full and then some as does the OF sig but does not detract from the experience. Had this back to back with the OF 1897 BIB which is unfair with the costs of each. Of course the 1897 is more refined and deeper flavor etc but this Early Times is a budget brand and at that level it excels . Think of it as OF 1897 in high school realizing the talent but not quite polished and still working on skills........80/100...... a bit raw and underdeveloped but mighty enjoyable at price point

Had this many times through the years but picked up bottle for formal review. Have always considered this the best Irish ive ever had including Middletons. on to the review.............. So Zues is sitting at the table with Ares , Apollo, Athena and the other gods after a big feast. He says now we drink! The servants bring out the glasses and pour a dram of the most wonderful nectar in all the lands. Dionysus peeks under the serving cart and spots the bottle of Redbreast 12 and smiles................Yes its only 80 proof and yes its expensive but the buttery creamy pot still texture is sooooo smooth you wont care. Doesn't matter if you're a bourbon, rye, scotch or any type liquor guy you can fall in love with this. Not overly complex or a whiskey you need to dissect instead its the most approachable pleasant whiskey out there. Pour this for anyone, pure happiness in a glass. Tasting notes are just not necessary other than distilled joy...........90/100..........ok a few notes... Its soft and sweet with honey and caramel with perfect amount of oak. Silky smooth rich and malty with nice finish. It is overpriced but sometimes you just gotta go for it. I did get it on sale for $50 though

This has been running $53 in my area. Price finally lowered to $43 so I picked it up as I love smoky scotch. Poured neat, nose has campfire smoke layered with honeyed malt, salted caramel, dusty cardboard and faint olive note. Not as peat strong as the big Islay entrants, instead sweet and inviting. Creamy mouthfeel leads palate of salty smoked honey, malty caramel, clotted cream with black pepper and wood. Flavors aren't overly robust but still delicious. This does have a silky buttery softness to it like Redbreast pot still Irish. Finish is long with lasting smoky malt, raw honey, pepper and salty wood. This is highly enjoyable and approachable smoky scotch. Well balanced and easy drinking with smooth taste that only improves once opened. With pricing coming down its a no brainer to purchase ........92/100......wonderfull salty, sweet and smoky scotch!

On sale for $35 the specs guy talked me into it. Poured neat, nose is malted milk balls and melted fudgesicle surrounded by baking spice and mild barrel notes. Palate is similar with nestle quick, spice and wood. Nothing epic here but tasty nonetheless. Finishes out long with fading chocolate and graham cracker with some more spices and oak. It has an artificial vibe to it but I still like it. Kinda tastes like a Three Musketeers candy bar. By no means would I have pegged this as rye. It seems like a flavored whiskey but has a uniqueness that sets it apart. Probably would not repurchase but not sorry I tried it .........71/100..........basically this is chocolate whiskey for what its worth, better than it sounds and I imagine some will love this............ok so if you have a few already under your belt this is pretty nice but going in cold you will be more critical as its so different

Have wanted to try this for along time. Closeout at Total Wine for $24 made it easy. Poured neat, nose is soft and subdued like most Irish. Black tea, heather and honeysuckle with gentle wood and mild sweetness. Palate is more tea, red licorice, dry autumn leaves, mild malt, seasoned oak and a couple puffs of smoke. Finish is dry sandalwood, fading dry barley malt and light sweetness. Its all easy and smooth without any power or depth to the experience. This is what Irish is with its triple distillation stripping away the meat off the bone. Still this is a nice elegant single malt that I cant help but think would be much better with just two times through the stills. It has some unique flavors and is pleasant enough that I do enjoy this whisky....77/100 Irish score. Sometimes you want a mild easy whisky

Fabulous Twins liquor sale purchase at $43. Royal warrant issued by King William IV in 1833 made this the Kings own whisky. Finished in Oloroso sherry butts for complexity this is a sought after single malt. Poured neat, nice sweet notes. Bubble gum, banana, malt, light tropics and gentle wood. Some mild spice sneaks in too. Palate brings the same with sweet gummy malt taking center stage followed by tropical fruit, Christmas like spice and wood trailing off. Not the deepest flavors but quite delicious. Reminds me a lot of Aberfeldy 12 combined with Old Pulteney profile with more complexity. Finish is drying sherried malt and wood with a hint of smokiness and bubble gum. This is very tasty scotch with a great historical story that I really enjoyed. At normal price points not sure I would rush to replace my bottle but undeniably delicious scotch..........86/100

Got this at the Twins sale for the ridiculous price of $33, what a steal! Yes it has nice old-timey labeling and a unique age statement at 13 yrs but what it really has going for it are the worm tubs they use in the distillation. Imagine a typical scotch and then add 20 pounds of muscle. You can really notice the extra weight but there is no fat, all flavor. Poured neat, succulent rich malt and fruit notes along with some spice and wood. Palate is robust malt and fruit cocktail with just a touch of peat/smoke, roasted coffee and sweet wood. The mouthfeel is viscous providing a wonderful tactile experience. Finishes long with plenty of malt, fruit, light peat, spice and barrel that just hangs on without becoming too dried out. The faint smoke appears as well but this is not a heavily peated dram. Overall a delicious thick dense single malt with an abundance of flavor that is elite and one of the top non smoke profile single malts out there imo .........92/100......at the price I paid its 5 star all day. Had I known I would have grabbed another, will stock this next Twins sale in Feb