Tastes

Tasting at VA ABC store. Plastic taster, neat. After the regular Roundstone Rye, this shows much more depth, more nuance, with vanilla, and herbs cutting through the straight rye bite. Much better than the base. 6/21/19

Tasting at VA ABC. Plastic taster, neat. Wine and port dominate, with jammy fruit notes and hint of vanilla. No burn, a touch cloying. I see what they are doing here, but not a fan. 6/21/19

Small plastic shot glass neat at VA ABC in Arlington. Big rye spice, over some oak and woodsy notes. Very little nuance, just a rye bomb. Quality for what it is. 6/21/19

My favorite everyday sipper, though it is now an "allocation" bourbon at VA ABC, meaning it only comes out once a quarter in limited supplies and customers can only buy a single bottle per day per store. Thankfully there are about 8 ABC stores within 4 miles of me , so BT day becomes a fun tour. Bottle poured neat into Glencairn at home. Nose is pretty straightforward low rye, with oak, caramel, apples, mild spice. Taste is very similar, with some added grains and lite citrus peel. Lingering mild spice, touch of heat. Quite smooth with just enough bite to wake you up. For me, this is much better than its $25 entry fee and a welcome respite at the end of the day.

375ml poured neat into Glencairn at home. Celebrating 2019 National Bourbon Day. Nose is rich, with toffee, caramel, holiday spice, orange zest, mild heat. Nice. Taste is somewhat brighter than expected. Lots of oak, some char, rye spice, apple. Lingering smokiness and spice zing. Like it, don't love it. $29.99 for 375ml is too much, glad I didn't spring for the full fifth. 6/14/19

Bottle purchased today at Calvert Woodley in DC, last one in stock, bonus find in my National Bourbon Day 2019 wandering "Excuse me, do you have ... ?" EH Taylor/Weller trek from work. Fairly high price (from its original retail in 2018) due to its recent awards and being purchased in a premium DC store; I frankly was shocked to find the lone bottle on the shelf, so I did not blink an eye. Bottle poured neat into Glencairn at home. Nose: fairly straight-forward vanilla, oak, mild caramel, subtle heat. Not complex, but really well-balanced. Taste: more of the same; nothing standing out, but nothing misplaced; oak, caramel, vanilla, mild heat. A touch of water brings some butterscotch and apple. A very solid bourbon that is exactly what it portends to be, no contrivances, a traditional bottled-in-bond with solid character. I can see how its perfect execution would be lauded by purists. I prefer more subtlety and complexity in a premium pour, but I really cannot find a fault in this high quality BIB. 6/13/19

Calvert Woodley Single Barrel Select purchased at Calvert Woodley DC on 6/13/19 for National Bourbon Day. All Wellers have a very limited allotment in Virginia, so I just thought I was paying a hefty premium to get the regular Antique 107 in DC that I can never find and have never tried; once at home I realized this was a special bottle indeed. I am a big wheated bourbon fan, and have really enjoyed both ends of the Weller spectrum, so anticipation is sky high. Poured neat into a Glencairn at home. Nose has tons of caramel, with oak and vanilla, mild apples, definite heat coming through. Taste is oak and vanilla with spice coming on strong. A dash of water opens it up, letting the sweeter caramel peak through. Overall much more spice and heat punch than I expected. I like this, but my expectations were not met. I wanted to be wowed, and I just am not. This is not the smooth operator I had hoped for. Good, perhaps very good, but not great. 6/13/19

Calvert Woodley Custom Barrel 2018. 110.2 proof. Finishing staves: four Seared French Cuvee, two Maker's 46, four Roasted French Mocha. Purchased on 6/13/19 at Calvert Woodley DC for National Bourbon Day 2019. Poured neat into Glencairn at home. Nose is full of butterscotch and caramel, some oak and spice, vanilla, soft grains. Heat is well hidden for the proof. Taste lets the cacao in, with leather and tobacco. Interesting interplay of top end spice and low end dark notes of cacao and figs. Don't love it, but certainly appreciate it, nice custom variation on the MM Cask Strength. 6/13/19.

Bottle poured neat into Glencairn at home, purchased at Calvert Woodley DC to celebrate National Bourbon Day 2019. Tasted just after Eagle Rare, really looking forward to this as another prime Buffalo Trace mash bill #1 offering. Nose is complex, with butterscotch and oak over spice, figs, tobacco, lite citrus, banana peel, sweet caramel. Just tons going on here. Taste is more straightforward, but just as powerful, with tons of spice over oak, grass, leather, and citrus peel. Totally invades the mouth, lingering all over. Very good. Payed a premium of $20 over the VA ABC retail but is very rare in VA and definitely worth it. 6/13/19