Tastes

J Henry & Sons 10th Anniv Blend; 5-9yr old bourbons; 63.2% abv Nose: dense vanilla extract on top, maraschino cherries, dark chocolate, cream corn, sweet toasted oak, fresh rain on a field, butterscotch, Palate: this one comes in hot and oily. The flavors gush on the front. Syrupy sweet. Cherry pie, vanilla custard, creme brûlée, peach syrup with allspice and clove. The mid takes a cut and goes thin with corn mash and then the back end roars back with dark cherry, cherry/vanilla cola, charred oak and smoke. The proof pricks your mid palate with ginger and pepper spice. Finish: cherry is the dominant fruit all the way to the finish and it’s lovingly tinged with toasty oak, a hint of ghost pepper, vanilla cream, wood smoke, and leather. This one is a big hitter with the proof. A full bore, no holds barred, unadulterated bourbon. And it’s a beauty. Fans of cherry and oak forward bourbons will love this one. The only negative is the mid palate kind of bows out between the entry and the backend. But all the intensity and flavors make up for it.

Ironroot Republic Harbinger Bourbon 2019-B 115 proof 27 months aged It’s no secret to anyone that knows me, I’ve been a total fan boy of Ironroot whiskies since discovering them near two years ago. Their Harbinger Bourbon has reigned supreme as my favorite bourbon since the first sip and this expression does not disappoint in the least. This is the 2019-B...the winner of the World Whiskey Awards Best Bourbon of 2020. Digging into this one it’s not hard to see why. The Likarish Bros learned some of their distilling arts under the tutelage of Hubert Germain-Robin, the famed California Cognac maker. They have translated that style to their Texas whiskey. And, the Harbinger, is what I would describe as the Armagnac of Bourbon. From the nose to the palate, the mouthfeel to the finish; this is a brandy drinkers whiskey. Yet, it’s got that Texas influence of funky oak character that sets it apart. Nose: Your nostrils are greeted with a punch of ethanol intertwined with the sweetness of macerated grapes. Sweet vanilla frosting, buttered corn, petricor, warm caramel popcorn, dusty feed sack and brown sugar. The nose is rich and deep and there’s a lot to dig out. Spend some time over the glass and it will reveal nuances like: fruit salad with coconut and a splash of Cava, dry straw bales, grape Nerds candy, apples in cinnamon butter and cloves, candied lemon peel, Assam tea and honey. Palate: Dense, velvety, rich. And it packs the mids like Rich Robinson in open G tuning playing the opening riffs of Black Moon Rising. It’s all as dark and brooding as the song! Grilled sweet corn, elderberries, honey butter, muscadines, grape skins, raspberries with cream coconut on sponge cake, black tea with honey and a squeeze of lemon. On the swallow, that Texas oak vanilla tops it all off. Finish: Erupts in black pepper spice and a punch of proof. There’s a twinge of smoked habanero heat. Flambéed apples over vanilla ice cream and rubbed mint, worn leather, and sweet oak char round out the long and astringent finish. You really don’t want the ride to end. It’s absolutely delicious but it also commands your attention from the first nosing until 20 minutes later and the lingering notes of the oils that still cling to your cheeks remind you to take another sip. It’s an absolute beautiful marriage of heirloom corns and oak cask. Synchrony, harmony, the distillers and blenders art on full display. Texas has made its mark on the whiskey world but that train is just leaving the station and picking up speed. Come and taste it is their mantra...and yeah, you better.

Spirits of French Lick: Lee W Sinclair 4 Grain Bourbon BIB 100 proof 4 yrs aged Nose: lightly sweet and inviting. It’s very mash forward for a bourbon. The notes of the grains and the yeast stand out above the more classic barrel notes you typically associate with bourbon. Malted wheat, toasted oats, soft corn, tupelo honey, maple syrup, light brown sugar, buttered crusty bread, cardamon, ginger, a hint of nutmeg. There’s a light note of peach and baked apples with cinnamon. Strawberries in a bed of greens. Cola and sassafras. Mint. This one begs for more time in the glass because with every passing minute new pleasures unfurl themselves from the glass. There’s a density to the core like a rich sweet molasses cake just inviting you to dig deeper. The notes are layered together, nothing incongruent or out of place. Working around the rim of the glass, top to bottom, side to side, unfolds fruity esters changing to grain and cereal notes. Palate: there’s an unexpected creaminess for the 100 proof. The mouthfeel is somewhat like a brandy. It just coats the mouth in loveliness. Honey scores first with brown sugar and dense bread notes rounding third. Bread like you expect from a French country baker. Apple turnovers. The notes rise to a crescendo on the swallow. Peaches with spices of candied ginger and white pepper explode on the back of the throat. The proof returns to wrap you in a warm reminder that it’s a 100 proof bourbon. But it’s not unpleasant at all. There’s a little candy corn note that dances around and even a splash of cherry that presents like Kirsch to me. Finish: long and spicy with a little sprig of mint, orange cream, pickled ginger. It’s welcome to hang out for as long as it pleases. This is a fantastic example of the distillers art. Craft bourbon done right. It’s imminently drinkable and approachable, but you can get as nuanced as you desire and it will tease you further on your journey. This is why Craft Whiskey is King. This is one part daily drinker and one part Saturday night get lost in leather and fire and deep thoughts.

Early Times Bottle in Bond 100 proof Nose: right of the bat this is signature Brown Forman. Fans of Woodford, Jack, & Old Forester will find notes to love here. Sweet oak is present along with a toasted cedar note, rich caramel vanilla dusted with cinnamon sugar. Banana bread with walnuts. Is that a wee bit of blackberry jam? Dusty sacks of corn wrapped in the molasses sweetness of this whiskey. It’s densely sweet but there is a wonderful counterbalance of rich oak and earthiness. Palate: my immediate impression is it is a proofed down version of the single barrel mJD Barrel Proof. It’s not as viscous or oily but it still packs a punch in flavor. Dark brown sugar, werthers originals, pancake syrup soaked oak boards, barrel char, cola syrup, sassafras, barrel sour, and then the cracked pepper and ginger erupts across the back of the throat and cheeks. The finish is long and peppery, a hint of maduro cigar, and sweet vanilla. As the pepper bite fades notes of sweet caramel and leather splashed with barrel sour linger on. This is a gem of a whiskey for the price and the flavors hit well above the bottom shelf where you find it. I find a lot to like hear for bourbon lovers. It’s corn and oak on full display. Rye takes an almost unnoticed back seat. This is quality everyday sipping at a price for the people.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Blended Malt 46% Nose: malt grain, palm honey, caramel, golden raisins, candied violets, slight hint of ethanol, sandalwood, a whisper of peat, apples cooked in butter and brown sugar Palate: slightly oily and creamy as it coats the mouth. Very pretty and nuanced. Floral and sweet with quick impressions of sherry. Honey, raisins, plum sauce, butterscotch, funky flor notes of dry sherry like Manzanilla. The sweet golden nectar goes through a metamorphosis on the swallow. A burst of white pepper and ginger spice transforms the sweetness to drying oak and savory umami notes. Salted caramel, soy and fish sauce. The finish is very drying and long with continued notes of savory sauces and smokey char. This just checks all the boxes of a pretty and complex whiskey. In the current market of Japanese whiskey this tends to be on the more available side and well worth the pick up. Like a full course of Japanese cuisine, each plate compartmentalized and beautifully presented; this presents each distinct note with precision yet the integration of it all.... The art and alchemy of a master blender on full display.

Cragganmore 12yr 40% abv Appalachian mountains. Topping a rise on a warm early fall afternoon. The dry grass crunches underfoot as you stare off at the mountains undulating in all directions around you. The sky caresses the mountain tops with that hazy light blue reminiscent of summer losing its grip to fall. The sweat glistens on your brow and neck. You are hedged in on each side; apple trees on your left and pears on your right. The intense aroma of ripe and over ripe fruit hangs heavy in the slightly humid air. You stroll along reaching the barn. There a press is busy releasing the gathered fruits of their sweet nectar. Jars of apple butter and pear preserves line the shelves as more fruit is cooked nearby for the next batch. Pies bake in the oven and the aroma of the buttery crusts mingled with baking spices waft by. All this sets the stage for a glass of Cragganmore! Nose: apples and pears oh my. Williams brandy and pressed apples. A hint of waxiness, pie crust, ginger, all spice, apple butter, and a tinge of lemon peel. Palate: the nose does not exactly betray the palate. Instead of a buffet of orchard fruits you are treated to a crisp malt funk as the main course decorated with baked pears and candied ginger. Lemon zest and chalky mineral notes. There’s a nice little tingle of barrel spice as the malt transitions to the finish of creamy vanilla and notes of bourbon barrel. A sweet touch of tobacco leaf and oak sour round out the lingering finish. Cragganmore 12yr is a very under appreciated malt and not what you typically think of Speyside (sherry). Just clean bracing malt. It almost puts you more in the mind of a Highland. Don’t pass the chance to try this beautiful example of a Single Malt. Even at 80 proof, it’s just beautiful...just like an early fall stroll through a mountain orchard. Sláinte!