Tastes

of note: this is a tasting of the Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend #3, specifically a barrel pick. nose: raisins, grain, some wood. not as crunchy and oaky as i would’ve expected, to be honest. palate: there’s the oak. again, not as aggressive as i would’ve thought based on the branding of this bottle. not sure of the proof on this but it drinks mad smooth for what i believe is actually a barrel proof. a little thin in the body, with long skinny legs in the glass. finish: short, satisfying, a little peppery. some sage or savory herbs?

One of my absolute favorites and, we’re it more readily available, a tried and true daily drinker. Nose: i get molasses, baking spices, candy corn. Palate: sweet, but not cloyingly so. a touch of cherry, some bready, chewy oak- just sugary goodness all around. Peanuts? Finish: a faint whiff of alcohol sneaks in here, belying the age of this bourbon- i doubt its much more than 4 yrs old. even so, a delicious dram and one i wish i had on my shelf at all times.

Nose: honey, peanut, some alcohol. Palate: i get the trademark Barton banana smoothie flavors for sure. also some woodiness, some rough hewn oak really coming through. Finish: the 100 proof comes to the forefront as the dram finishes. it’s not particularly mellow but it is greatly enjoyable. i’m left with a candy note- almost like candied pear or something. Overall: an incredible value for a daily drinker; i don’t even feel tempted to put this in cocktails and i really enjoy the flavor profile for what it is.

Note: this is only the 3 year review. initially not a fan of this bottle but once it sat open for a little while it really developed into a strong pour. Nose: rye spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, maybe some cardamom? Palate: Cinnamon really comes through. this is like apple pie spices and cinnamon nonstop. as that degrades, you get some mint, herbal essences, a touch of ethanol. Finish: mint comes through once again and a touch of the spiciness of the rye makes an appearance; but it’s not overbearing. i believe this is a low rye-content rye; perhaps 51% or 65% rye, doubtful it’s more than that.

Sweet, a little spicy, and drinks well below its proof. A decent dram. i’ll come back to this one.

Rye shines through in the mashbill. Oak and some reed-like woodiness.