Tastes

This was aired out for an hour in a rocks glass. The resulting aromas were vanilla, apples, and cherry cinnamon. Cask strength caramels, butterscotch, and cherry pie laced with cinnamon were awash in ethanol % as the latter dominated the palate. The mesquite finish of the included Del Bac arrived as dark spice (just to let you know that this was no BBQ). Some fennel and mint characteristics were discernible, as well. The finish was oak dry (as is the norm with me when drinking higher-ABV whiskey) and concluded in a smoky, red hot cinnamon candies note. This left more of an impression of a seductive smoky rye, than a blend of single malts. With a second go, I added an ice cube. The nose was a teeny bit like a Highland scotch, and included a slight undertone of black licorice. The palate from there began to resemble a bourbon, with fennel and star anise notes creeping in. The mouthfeel was delightfully rich and creamy. For my wheelhouse, this was not a one hit wonder but I can definitely see how this might work masterfully well when paired with a mild cigar... Cigar... I rarely smoke one, but when I do I keep remembering an event when an ex-girlfriend was running around her apartment like her poor a-- was on fire. When I wondered out loud, she replied with a one liner - there was way too much smoke for a one bedroom apartment. Me - I kept huffing away. I knew right then I didn't want to share a larger apartment. In short, I wanted to love it as is, but the macho man in me stuck with the cigar experience.

The nose on this Washingtonian whiskey is hot and young, but quite representative of a bourbon profile with burnt brown sugar and oranges steeped in alcohol. From an emptied, dry glass -- the nose is Lipton iced tea leading to cocoa powder (thanks @BDanner for the hint). On the palate: cherry, toffee, caramels, and oak. Light, but still more on the cherry-side than most bourbons. The age and heat is detected on the mouthfeel as well, and contributes to a finish that is lightly tannic but astringent. With one teaspoon of water, the dryness is neutered and the whiskey is rendered quite friendly. Not bad for a $35 bottle - with a Double Gold under its belt at the 2020 SF World Spirits Competition. But it's not worth the hype, either. The other night, I followed a dram of this with a dram of a like-priced bourbon, Maker's 46, and the Maker's blew it out of the water in terms of mouthfeel and flavor. Still, this is decent VFM for a bourbon that, while nothing overboard, delivers a quaffable experience. As a craft distillery, maybe Woodinville wasn't as zealous, professional, shareable, or purposeful as ones in the South - being bought out by LVMH (the current owners of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg). Or, they might've blown whatever overhead they had in releasing the first batches. Whatever the reason, I still look forward to older stock in the future to mellow the heat and dryness (and with the new ownership, that may be a rational prospect). My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

The cork on this is HEAVY. By far the HEAVIEST cork I've ever pulled. The top must be crafted from glass or stone. Which leads me to the reason I made this purchase. I bought this for the decanter-style bottle as I much as for the juice. (The bottle itself is at least a $20 value.) The palate is very balanced with sweet and smooth oak. This is the longest matured bourbon I've had, and oak is the main engine here. It works beautifully in melding a single dimensional flavor profile without succumbing to tanins and astringency. It's quite refreshing.... if somewhat underwhelming. The finish is initially wood spice, before calming with subsequent tastings. Then a slight dryness begins to show. It may be presumptuous of me to say, but this is the Johnnie Walker of bourbons - smooth, uncomplicated, mild, and simple in its refinement. The bottle design, and the fine liquid, all point to country club politeness and entitlement. But it's not worth the cost for such a short, and less than memorable, ride. UPDATE: After being open for a year and a half, the once mild and enjoyable palate of this bourbon has gone downhill. The taste reminds me of hay, and I find it unpleasant. Knocking down the score from a 3.75 to a 3. This new score reflects how good it was upon opening - and the first few months - but also reflects its short shelf-life. In it's current state, I think it's narily a 2.5. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Red wine, cinnamon, and mint on the nose - that is until you read the distiller's notes: Cracklin' Oat Bran. Yes! (Sorry to folks OCONUS, if you don't have this breakfast cereal in your area, blame your customs and imports ministry. That's more for us Yanks!) Where were we? Ah, yes: oat, bran, cinnamon, and sugar. The palate, however, is not quite as good - a fusion of bourbon and red wine notes, with black licorice in the finish. A bit of heat due to the youth of the spirit - 5 yrs - but not at all offensive. This is a pretty good effort, but at the price point, I'd give the edge to Belle Meade as far as cask-finished bourbons are concerned. (The comparison might be unfair, as this one is a 5 yr while the Belle Meade is a 9 yr, but the price points are close.) I had hoped the Wanderback was tasty enough to turn me into a cereal killer, but what the hell - whiskey should be seductive, and not nourishing (unless you read Distiller!). Nonetheless, I hope these guys thrive and survive to produce older, more mature, distillate. Thanks once more to @jonwilkinson7309 for introducing me to these progressive whiskey makers. Tasted from a full 50ml sample.

How time flies. The first and, really, the only time I'd heard of Suntory was in the 2003 movie, "Lost in Translation" starring Bill Murray and the recent breakthrough actress, Scarlett Johansson. Over a decade later, in 2018, Johansson became the highest paid actress on the planet. That very same year I began to treat whiskey-drinking like the spectator sport it is. A re-encounter was inevitable. I started searching for new whiskies to try (and add to my collection), when I read about a Japanese one with a familiar name, 'Suntory'? Then it dawned on me, that's a real life whiskey! In 2003 when I had watched the movie, I assumed that this was a fictionalized brand. Still, I relegated the real life Suntory to the back of my mind, just as I had done the film. There were just too many bourbons, scotches, and other alternatives to try first. That is until recently, when @jonwilkinson7309 and I discussed a sample trade. Jumping out of that list was a Suntory, as attention demanding as the gleam on a katana blade. I didn't think twice - didn't even resist... 'Sign me up!' Now going into this, I had high hopes. [Not that I'd hope about much if I smoked dope.... isn't that the obvious reason people get high.... the apparent absence of hope?.. most of the time, except when I'm not drinking, I just hope to get high for free. But that probably isn't going to happen.. crooked health insurers.] Yeah, I thought this would be all gang-busters, shoot-em outs with one Yakuza clan going after another. But the reality was not so. On the nose: orchard fruits and vanilla. Youth also appears as ethanol. Youth then rears its head on the palate as well. It tastes hot, hotter than the stated 43% ABV. The flavor comes across as almost citrus-y at first sip. DOH! The alcohol heat, however, drops the initial citrus lollipop deterring it from turning effervescent. Follow on sips bear the palate and brain toward apples, pears, and vanilla. The higher ABV doesn't add much body, as the mouthfeel is a tad watery, but it does add to the heat. (Is it hot yet?) The finish is actually medium in length with a bit of drying woodchip. Adding water flattens the palate and body, but cools the heat down while muting the wood notes. Very fleeting, and one-note. I attempted to pull more flavor or texture out of this with a big swishing sip. But that still eluded me. It was very much like trying to tell a cat to 'Stay'. Good luck with that! True, this is missing the sophistication of a deeper-aged single malt. But, perhaps, I'm being overly critical here. All in all, a decent, light summer dram. I dare say, as an alternative to a traditional Old World whisky -- you could do worse. While the memory of this sip will get lost in the fog of time, the memory of the film and the Suntory brand will continue. Thanks @jonwilkinson7309 for my first encounter with J-whisky. I enjoyed the exchange! Tasted from a full 50ml sample. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

How to address the elephant in the (bar)room that is Texas whiskey? I hadn't planned on it, but then I ran across this 5 cl miniature at my favorite liquor store. I just saw a big number '1' emblazoned on the label with the words, "Texas Single Malt". Naturally, this peaked my curiosity. Because as everyone knows, California is number one (.. and done). I decided to include this stylish, glass usurper with my purchase. On with the particulars. Nice aroma with cinnamon, dark spice, and cherry. (I don't take much stock in the nose. As far as I'm concerned it's perfume and distilled stuff I don't want to read about.) The initial palate is a burst of cinnamon and red licorice. Follow on sips emphasize a cinnamon red hots note. The finish is a tad drying, with soft leather and rafter oak. A half teaspoon of water opens up the aroma with an undertone of toffee or caramel, lying beneath the dominant cinnamon note. With water on the palate, I detect a borderline sherry influence, but it is held in check by the cinnamon wagon as its base. Still, no sulphuric nastiness. (That's more than I can say for many single malt scotches.) Despite the ABV of 53%, there's surprisingly little prickle. This will make for a delightful winter whiskey, no doubt. But the over-the-top cinnamon note drowns out the other whiskey nerdy things I could've liked about it. In any event, I'm impressed with what Balcones has accomplished under the conditions that is Texas heat. I'd imagine that must take serious skills and/or b---s. This single malt definitely has a time and place for an occasional dram. However, there's just not enough here for me to warrant a full bottle purchase. To wrap things up, while there's a 'Woah' aspect in drinking this, there isn't enough 'Giddy Up' to keep at it. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

The nose is Highland or Speyside bourbon-cask scotch, with a coastal, salty character. The palate is pretty much the same, with a full mouthfeel. Barrel spice and salt in the finish. If this were peated (sigh, wish), this could be a contender to an HP15 (though, I've never tasted the latter). It's that good. Thanks for the experience @jonwilkinson7309 , you're a gentleman with taste. 50ml sample. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

Nose is vanilla, simple syrup, sour cherries, and rye. The palate is vanilla and sour cherries with a totally mouth-watering mid-palate, finishing with spice, pepper, and the ABV. Although having similar ABVs [64.05% and 64.2%], the Booker's delivers much less heat than the Stagg Jr Batch 13. A bit of dryness, OK - but again, quieter when compared to the Stagg Jr. or even the Russell Reserve Single Barrel. Adding a half-teaspoon of water accentuates the sweet bourbon notes, and imparts the finish with hints of licorice, mint, and cherry cola. Adding a second splash of water, and the density of flavors coalesce into something great. It's too bad it's spring, however, for this is the spiciest bourbon I've had by far, and it might've been so much better during the winter months. Batch Profile: 4% 6th Floor of Warehouse F - 4% 7th Floor of Warehouse F - 8% 4th Floor of Warehouse E - 39% 5th Floor of Warehouse E - 45% 7th Floor of Warehouse H My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

The palate is floral, citrus, and honey. Very refreshing. The nose covers much the same ground as the palate. The palate fades quickly, and wraps up with a citrus finish. After 20-30 seconds, the finish is only a memory with a hint of lingering malt sweetness. (During a follow on session, there was a splendid white wine note.) This blend is even tastier than a few entry-level single malts like Dewar's, Glenlivet, and Glenfiddich 12 -- and at only $5-10 higher in price. This is quite good, and for $30-40 it is definitely a pick for session drinking. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."

The nose is herbal summer, with champagne minerality, and something flowery. As it airs out, you can discern aromas of pear and melon. The palate is honeyed, like mead, with orchard and tropical fruits following. Then a citrus note integrates well as a finish of grapefruit and sandalwood. The moscatel cask influence is the highlight of the show, while the oloroso cask influence is imperceptible to my untrained palate. Still, it's amazing, I could sip this all day! Being as it is double, rather than triple distilled (as are the majority of Irish whiskies), a very satisfactory mouthfeel is apparent. As a summer dram, this Irish whiskey performs marvelously, offering complexity equal to, or better than, Diageo 'classic' scotches like the Dalwhinnie 15 or Cragganmore 12. This a limited edition release, however, and I'll probably have a tantrum with it's eventual absence. Kilbeggan Distillery, are you reading this?! For the sake of Jesus, Mary & Joseph: go with this as a standard offering. My Rating Glossary: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."