Tastes

Nose: banana, vanilla, wheat cereal Palate: initial sweet and nutty vanilla finished with a touch of caramel. Gives way to pepper and eye notes that runs hot through the finish. Overall, a very classic bourbon. There’s nothing incredibly different or unusual about it, but that’s okay. For a go-to home bottle, you can’t go wrong.

Nose: dusty hay and corn with a cinnamon-vanilla sweetness Palate: very spicy and rye-forward followed by sweeter vanilla and cinnamon. Finish is hot and spicy with flavors of tannins and rye. Overall about as classic of a bourbon as you can find. The flavors are all very typical of bourbons and there’s not a ton of complexity. As far as entry-level bourbons go, this is an ideal one.

Nose: orange, shortbread cookie, cinnamon and spice Palate: vanilla, shortbread cookie, orange jam, sherry and cream Overall one of the best whiskeys I’ve had the pleasure of trying. If you haven’t yet, do it. It’s beautifully balanced on the nose and even more beautiful on the palate. The finish is nicely long but without any harsh burns and the aftertaste is quite pleasant.

Nose: baked bread and vanilla are extremely dominant Palate: bitter chocolate, mint, rye spice, and wood tannin. A dry mouth and a burst of warmth follow. Overall, I was very surprised by how pleasant this one was. You don't feel the 100 proof until the end of the sip. The nose is not highly complex, but the taste certainly is. Very much worth the low price.

Nose: burnt ends of a smoked brisket, soft caramel and vanilla, salty ocean air and moss Palate: leather, damp earth, thick smoke, leather and tobacco It’s incredible how a whisky can encapsulate so many unique flavors and smells in one bottle. An amber golden color, it smells like smoked beef and damp, salty air. It’s not for the faint of heart and definitely requires a willingness to explore uncommon flavors. Truly delicious.

Nose: honey, orange, cinnamon, sea salt and classic peat Palate: sweet oranges dripping in honey and spice with a pleasant amount of peat following through to a long finish 100% worth the price. The palate is so deliciously sweet without overdoing it and has such a beautiful flavor profile to complement it. It’s sweet and smoky and just the right amount of spice to make it an incredible pour.

Nose: cherry, apple, leather Palate: cinnamon at first, followed by sweet cherry and crisp apple. Followed by leather and oak tannins. Overall, delicious. It’s sweet and fresh on the nose, sweet on the palate, and has a flash of heat to finish it. For the price, certainly worth the experience.

Nose: strong oak, cinnamon and other baking spices, banana, peanut shells, caramel Palate: sweet caramel, vanilla, banana, spices and oak Overall, it’s a heftier version of the classic old No. 7. It packs a significantly stronger “barrel-bite” and almost feels pointy. You’re tongue is smoothed by the sweet caramel and vanilla notes before being stabbed by the spice and oak. The finish is relatively long and brings some heat with it. Not a bad selection, but the price is certainly not justified. **this was tried while comparing it to Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7**

Nose: pear, honey, buttered rolls, malted grain Palate: honey, grain, wood spice, pear Overall, a decent whiskey. The spice comes out on the finish and ends with a distinct sweetness. It’s nothing incredible, but definitely worth a try.

Nose: dried herbs, moss, peat Palate: peat, sea salt… Overall, there is absolutely nothing special about Red Label. Is it bad? No. Is it complex? Absolutely not. There are very, very few distinct flavors to come from it. I suppose if you’re looking for something very lowkey to start inching towards peated scotch, it’s not a terrible option. Beyond that though, meh.