Tastes

Refreshing. It’s hefty, and the oak is prevalent. Not the same profile as the Kitchen Table I have. More of a classic bourbon with a twist. Thin base of caramel and vanilla, but most of what I get is a buttery, herbal, high-alcohol punch. Maybe some orange zest and cinnamon too.

Really good. The special reserve has more sharp edges than this guy. It’s smoother and more woody, definitely more mature. It’s got some creamy notes, and has a velvety mouthfeel that gives way to a lingering finish. Will continue to seek it out.

I pick up this glass of deep copper juice and bring it to my nose. Immediately it shouts “Get ready for a damn good Speyside scotch.” What pours over my palate is reminiscent of the smoothness of an 18 year old Speyside, but richer and with a twist. I get the floral, I get the butterscotch and light oak. A hint of smoke and citrus flair, too, as the dram continues. And best of all, I get a nice oily lingering finish absent from many Speysides I enjoy. It’s most comparable to a well-done Speyside scotch, but the complexity steps beyond that billing. Bravo and arigato.

Whoa. Right from the nose, oaky spice and brown sugar. This bourbon is bold and rich. The palate offers cinnamon, brown sugar, spicy oak and maybe a touch of maple syrup. All my favorite bourbon notes turned up to 11. Fantastic, long, lingering finish.

Edit: What a journey with this guy. I was initially disappointed, then liked it more, then was meh again. After about half the bottle was gone, the air did something that unified the wine finishes. It was a cacophony before, but presents a unique and nuanced dram now. I can get the port oiliness, I can get the dryness of the cab, I get plenty of sweetness from the sherry, and each sip is something different. It’s not necessarily all these things every single sip. It’s like having five drams in front of you at once. Final verdict is I wish it carried this kind of complexity throughout the life of the bottle, but now that it’s gone, I wish I had more. All things considered, 3.5. Edit: I followed up some high proof bourbon with the guy and I immediately got banana and copper, and that followed me from the nose to the taste. Edit: I still don’t love it. There’s a muddled, slightly bitter wine character on a foundation of barley and toffee. It’s nice, but not great. Bumping down to 2.75 from 3.25. Very easy drinking, glad to have tried it because it was hyped up by some reliable sources. I’ve accepted that Irishes are just not going to be my favorites, but they’re fun to dabble in. The copper nose characteristic of Irishes continues to be off-putting to me, but not repulsive. The body is light, but the flavor is deceptively rich. I get some copper, a good bit of barley, nice toffee notes, and a bunch of lingering red fruit. The finish is my favorite part. Despite being light, the oils of the wine barrels keep it coated on my tongue. Solid for an Irish.

I felt compelled to check this in, even though I only had a sample at Total Wine. I was initially skeptical because of the rum, but I was mistaken. The rum gives it a bold sweetness upfront, but it smoothly transitions to light oak and rich red fruit. Can’t tell it’s 62% at all. Full of flavor, very complex, long, rich finish. This is a fantastic product.

I’m finally learning what the medicinal iodine note is that people talk about, and I like it. The nose has a lot of it. Not so much campfire as what I remember from Laphroig. I prefer this. It’s reminiscent of the Bowmore 18 I had a while ago, but not as full. This one gives me most of the flavor up front and then mellows out. The finish is long, but doesn’t carry all of the flavor with it. I get iodine, peat, brine and ham. It’s not very hot in terms of alcohol burn, which is fantastic. I’m liking it more as I continue drinking it, but the nose tones down after tasting it. Maybe that’s because I’m new to Islay. In the final analysis, it’s not as good as the Bowmore 18, but it’s awesome, and half the price.

Well damn. It’s thin. It’s got almost nothing on the nose. But I can appreciate the nice little cinnamon flourish there on the mid-palate.

Copper and toffee on the nose. On the palate, it tastes hotter than it should be for a 40%, but I can appreciate the burn. It’s a classic Irish. Light, inviting, shortbread cookie. It’s much better than Jameson because it’s not as sweet, but it’s still relatively bland. I don’t think I would mind having a bottle on hand, but then again, it would be forced out by much higher quality spirits in my cabinet.

Way more ethanol on the nose than you’d think for an 80 proof. Same on the palate. Simple. Vanilla, oak, ethanol. The finish is slightly unpleasant. It has an odd flavor that tastes synthetic. It’s like vanilla frosting that is very sweet and has been left out of the fridge for about a day. If you want to feel like you’re getting more drunk than you actually are, drink this. Or if you want a headache. Otherwise, stay away.