Tastes

Many prior tastes, first time putting pen to paper so to speak. Bottle pour neat into tasting glass at home. 3/19 Barrel 689 H32. Nose is vanilla, oak, corn, some heat, apple, cloves. Nice. Taste has an initial bite that quickly subsides with flavors of oak, cinnamon, orange peel, grass, mild corn. Lingering moderate spice finish. Solid. 7/5/19

Neat in a Glencairn at Jack Rose Saloon in DC. This is recently no longer carried at VA ABC, so despite being the last taste after a series of legendary and awesome bourbons at Jack Rose to celebrate the 4th of July, I decided to grab my first sample of this. Frankly this is not really fair to WW, but then it is on them to deliver quality. Nose is a little odd, with acetone and oak, and sadly there are some notes of bandaid and banana peel coming on. Taste is sugarless iced tea followed by rye spice. I mean, exactly that. This is kinda weird. Don't completely hate it (I do like sugarless iced tea), but man is it weird. 7/4/19

Neat in a Glencairn at Jack Rose Saloon in DC. What a gorgeous bottle. This is a lottery distribution at VA ABC, I did not win, so really pleased to have this at Jack Rose. Nose is surprisingly bright, with citrus peel, apple, cinnamon. Nice. Taste is more assertive, yet still subdued somehow, with mild spice and heat over stone fruit, grains, clover. Tons of character and quality here. I like this a lot. 7/4/19

Tasted side-by-side with the Jack Rose Saloon 2018 single barrel edition. Neat in a Glencairn at Jack Rose in DC. Nose is fiery, with caramel, oak, mild grains. Really nice. Taste is even better, down the middle with a smooth/sweet/spice balance. Perfect balance of vanilla, oak, spice, caramel. Lingering finish is delicious. Quintessential bourbon. Love this. 7/4/19

2018 Jack Rose Saloon edition. Neat in a Glencairn at Jack Rose in DC. Nose is complex: sour apple, hint of acetone, brett, bubblegum. Interesting. Taste is grains with some spice. Mild heat. Lingering spice on the finish. Ok, but frankly another disappointment for the 107 single barrel. I think the original is just not improved upon when these stores and bars mess with it. 7/4/19

Bottle pour neat in a Glencairn at Jack Rose Saloon in DC on July 4th. Nose is very mild, creamy, rich, and moderately sweet, with caramel, vanilla, and peach. Taste is similar; mild but flavorful. Long finish is mild but tasty. Big fan. 7/4/19

Bottle pour neat in a Glencairn at Jack Rose Saloon in DC. A real find, and indeed a steal, maybe because the menu had it as a 3yr old, not 13, so was priced way under its value. Nose is smooth and rich, with sweet caramel, vanilla, toffee. Taste adds some heat and some spice to the mix, and still really nice. 126.8 proof. Lingering all-over finish with cinnamon, nutmeg, wheat. Awesome. 7/4/19

Poured neat in a Glencairn at Jack Rose Saloon in DC. Have recently gotten into BIBs, and really wanted to try this one but not sold in Virginia. Nose is mild, with caramel and oak. Sweet, no heat. Taste is more sharp, though not too much, with mild spice, toffee, lingering bittersweet. Decent. 7/4/19

2oz pour neat in a Glencairn at Jack Rose in DC. Nose is wonderful, with apples, baking spices, mild caramel, and a touch of heat. Taste has cinnamon, grains, lingering moderate heat and spice. Gorgeous. 7/4/19

750ml poured neat into mini snifter at home. Loved the A119, let's see how this stacks up. Nose is full of caramel, some apple peel, vanilla, clove, mild oak. Nice. Taste has a burn, with some charred spice, oak, mild toffee, baking spices. Lingering caramel with a burn, a touch out of balance. I like it, maybe even a lot, but don't love it like the A119. 7/3/19