Tastes

I tried it because I saw it in Buffalo Trace’s dynasty of a portfolio and the bartendress offered it to me at the special Whiskey Wednesday price. I think it’s exceedingly average. Vanilla is big, oak is big, it’s a basic bourbon. Distiller expert says there’s mint and tobacco. I get a little mint maybe, but no tobacco. Overall, a rather unmemorable, vanilla (pun intended) bourbon.

The oak spice hits me right in the mouth hole right away. I get vanilla pretty heavy and then some baking spice. More of a standard-tasting bourbon than most in the Buffalo Trace lineup. Ethanol lingers on my tongue, along with some wood spice.

This whiskey is strange. It has a nucleus of peat, but all the cytoplasm is full of a thin sweetness that reminds me of a watered down bourbon. I’m glad I tried this, but I won’t be missing it.

Second taste edit: I stand by the 4.25, may even bump it up as I get through the bottle. The nose is rich and bready. I definitely get some corn sweetness in there too. The palate is smooth, rich and persistent. Toasty, nutty notes, along with yeasty breadiness and salted caramel. Light on oak char, which is a plus for me. It’s plenty bold, and the finish is long. I wasn’t planning on taking notes tonight, as I was just going to crack the bottle and relax as a reward for a long night of housework, but this experience compelled me to express the present joy in my heart, mouth and loins. Absolutely delightful. This boy lives up to the hype. Wheat and corn syrup on the nose, first sip was smooth as butter. In fact I got some wheat and biscuit right away along with the corn, then cinnamon hit me hard right in the middle. I looked at the mash bill, and it’s mostly corn with about 15% rye. I’d be surprised if wheat wasn’t in there somewhere. Good bready sweetness, and it lingers.

Second taste edit: strong in the dried cherry and chocolate-dusted almonds. So so so so rich, I had to bump this boy up to a 4.25. Strong oak and vanilla sweetness on the nose, I like. Very smooth bourbon, good cinnamon, vanilla and and spice cake on the palate. The wood spice lingers on the roof of my mouth for a while, and I think that’s just dandy. The finish gives me some nuttiness, specifically cherry almond, almost like an amaretto at the end of a smooth, woody bourbon. Worthy of the acclaim.

I had a buddy who bought this “because Texas.” In the immortal words of George W. Bush, “Mistakes were made.” This whiskey, if you can call it that, tastes like what would happen if you put the reject Food Lion version of BBQ Lay’s in a blender with some rubbing alcohol, cigarette butts and nacho cheese. It is bad.

Second taste notes: Creamy honey and corn syrup, drizzled with maple. Sweetness is reminiscent of the Baby Blue, but more of a honey sweetness rather than a corn syrup sweetness. Does have a nice oily texture, velvety, but doesn’t linger super long. I would drink the heck out of it, and it’s the most affordable of Balcone’s bunch.

Standard bourbon profile. Oak and caramel are prevalent. Nice bite from the 100 proof. Clings to the tongue pretty well. Great on the nose, good clean ethanol and caramel. Good drinking, for sure.

Very smooth. The big flavors I get are butter, caramel and corn syrup. I would not complain at all if this were the only thing to choose from at a party. Otherwise, if I never have it again, I would also not complain.

On the nose, an unpleasant amount of esters and menthol. Tropical fruit and green apple, but it’s pungent. I’m trying to put my finger on why I don’t like the taste. I think it’s the grain coming through too much combined with the oppressive amount of tropical fruit, which I would love on a plate in Mexico, but not in a whiskey. Mushy overripe apples is what the Distiller expert says, and that's spot on. Specifically, it tastes like red delicious apples, the worst kind of apple. I didn’t finish this dram.