Tastes

Light stereotypical bourbon notes of sweet vanilla and oak on the nose. The palate is again typical bourbon notes mainly sweet and creamy vanilla and oak. My bottle has been open for a little bit and I get a bit of yeast funk on the end that I don't remember from when it was fresh. The finish also has just the right amount of spice invoking tongue tingle followed by more vanilla. Enjoyable pour that I find myself going back for more. If the rumors are true it reminds me of a richer, higher proof version of it's entry level cousin.

Batch #40 Young grain and hint of buttered popcorn on the nose. The palate leads off with that hint of butter then transitions to the sweet juicy fruit barrel finished notes before finishing with some rye spiciness. In a way this could be the cheaper, entry level cousin of some of the Barrell blended finished whiskeys. Got it in sale for for $20, given the price it's a nice light, sweet sipper.

Batch 6: Noticed more heat and rye spice followed by fruit, primarily apricot, on the palate when the bottle was freshly opened. Now that I've been drinking it for some time the sweet barrel finishing notes come through more. The rye takes more of a back seat with a smooth sugar sweet fruit sip that screams APRICOT! I enjoy the apricot whiskey notes that linger on in my mouth after the sip has finished. Given the proof, it's a refreshing and enjoyable pour, especially in the summer time.

Sample bottle size. Smells like new oak, hay, and grain. Taste is more new oak followed by an herbal tea or iced tea type flavor. The whiskey feels thin, but the herbal tea flavor still remains in my mouth well after the fact. It's drinkable, but glad I don't have a full bottle. It's not my...cup of tea, pardon the pun.

A nice light yellow corn whiskey. Nose of corn and light oak. Palate of sweet corn and light oak. Slight heat and a quick finish. Simple, sweet, corn, and oak. It's good for what it is and nothing more. A fun novelty with a cult following. Enjoy it for what it is.

VABC Barrel Select #178 Not much heat on the nose with oak, sweet, and weak floral notes. Thick, oaky, syrupy, sweet, and stone fruit lingers long on the palate finishing with some warm rye spice and a hint of peppermint. Really enjoyed this bottle with a consistent profile from first crack to mid-bottle to final pour.

Bourbon Lens pick, barrel # 17-0082. Not much on the nose, some hints of oak and caramel. Really love the flavor profile on this one. Sweet caramel sauce and oak, very bourbon-y but then followed by nice rye spice dancing across my tongue. Warmth and oak notes remain on the tongue. Really enjoyed this one and will definitely look to get another Starlight Rye in the future.

Bourbon Lens Pick, barrel #1733. Beautiful dark color with some heat on the nose. Notes of sweet dark fruit, molasses, and some hints of tobacco. The proof makes itself known throughout but doesn't detract from the overall profile. The thick sweet fruit notes linger on the palate well after the sip. For the price I got it for, this is a great deal. Given the normal price, it wouldn't be a rebuy.

Batch 22A06 Pleasant, light, and sweet. Floral honey followed by the candy taste of red hots without the hot spiciness. A very nice rye, but there isn't anything to set it apart from other ryes within it's price point.

A little heat on the nose with some subtle dark sugar notes. Weak but typical Forester notes of bananas foster, pleasant hints of cocoa, and little bit of rye/alcohol heat on the lips and tongue.The extra malted barley in this rye gives a nice added depth to this rye. I prefer my ryes spicier; however I really love this whiskey for the price. Definitely will be a regular for my daily sipper rotation.