Tastes

Barreled 08/13. Plenty of rye spice, orange marmalade, english custard, cinnamon, nutty, minty, charcoal, creamed corn, butterscotch and caramel, pears. Enjoyed it more when it was $28 several years ago. First time I've bought since its gold medal. Still worth it at this price but it stings.

Brown sugar, cinnamon bark, tangerine, toffee, clove, star anise, bananas foster, basil, spicy rye, nutmeg, lingering vanilla beans. Took some time to open up. Can't beat that price and proof, it's a cheap buffalo trace. I can see why these are hard to find. Like mellow corn, these used to be even lower shelf just a few years ago.

Grassy rye, breadlike, unripe blackberry, southern tea, nutty, lemon, candy corn, dried unsweetened coconut, dry red apple, pleasant oak tannins, cream soda, slight black pepper, boiled grains, corriander seed, mild cinnamon bark, marshmallow. A bit thin compared to the previous tastings. Could be a stronger porportion of barley in the mashbill. More squarely a medium bourbon. Closer to a bottom shelf turkey rye than a 'reserve.' Good but doesn't match the level I've come to expect over the previous decade. Hopefully not a new trend like the price increases.

I'm not sure if it deserved all the hate. Oak charcoal, corn pops cereal, boiled grains, lot of dutch cocoa, tobacco, black pepper, allspice, anise, heather honey, graham crackers, nutty, cream soda, ginger chews, candied pecans, brown butter, lemon peel. More medium than heavy but it does need some oxidation before opening up. Promised and delivered smoke while managing to balance it quite well. Would've liked to see a higher abv and another 1-3yrs.

Batch B523. Hot. At 11yr 5mo, oak tannins are thick but balanced by the heavy proof of 124.2. Corn pops cereal, macintosh apples, lemon curd, butterscotch & toffee brittle, amaretto, cinnamon stick, brown sugar, meringue cookies, candied orange peel, fresh anise, cocoa, grassy rye, nutty, thai basil, chicory coffee. Strong, varied flavors coming off the upper palate a week after opening. Similar to some Russell's single barrel. These have had interesting but consistent quality releases over the years.

Burnt sugar, cinnamon, dried coconut, fresh lemons, vanilla buttercream, nougat, mandarins, creamy, mint, thick oak tannins, peppery.

Would never have guessed this was only distilled once. Fuyu persimmons, vanilla custard, oak spice, biscuits, vegetative, candied lime peels, butterscotch, peppermint, some astringency, nutmeg, raw mash, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, red grape, smoky, red plum, deep sweetness. Unfortunate grain bitterness holds it back. Saturated with madeira oak. Impressive single malt from outside japan & scotland.

Not too many of these left on the shelves after the label appears long discontinued. Leathery, dutch cocoa, fruity coffee beans, muddled mint, grassy rye, creamy grits, oaky, nutmeg, coconut, toffee, vanilla meringues, bit of candied orange peel. Reminds me of Colonel Taylor. Though this particular palate does appear in the wild turkey lineup per my last review, particularly the coconut.

Bears no resemblance to their previous belle meade label. Stewed cherries, grassy rye, nutty barley grain, red plums, dark raisin, vanilla beans, bitter lemon rind, chinese cinnamon, burnt sugars, gala apple, youthful but not young wood tannins, clove, charcoal smokiness, cacoa butter. Decent but doesn't match the level of belle meade sherry cask.