Tastes

Nose: Vanilla, toasted oak, a little astringent Palate: Sweet vanilla, some hints of wood and an herbal undertone Finish: Short. The sweet profile transitions to baking spices Overall a fine middle-of-the-road sipper, it is indeed sweet after the bottle opens up.

Nose: Baking spices, vanilla, rye Palate: Baking spices Finish: A sweeter, short finish For a rye this is a very approachable pour that isn’t the most complex but very crushable and has a nice medium body.

Nose: Dill, rye Palate: Grain up front but quickly reveals a fruiter, vanilla profile Finish: Short, the sweet profile carries over with some spice at the end Located in Pittsburgh Strip District, this local craft distillery features a 68% organic rye, 18% organic wheat, 14% organic malted barley mash bill. The "wheated rye" takes the typical rye profile and brings out more vanilla, caramel notes on the palate. An interesting take on a rye that's perfectly fine to sip.

Nose: Corn, grain, barley Palate: Vanilla Finish: Short, light spice Located in Pittsburgh Strip District, this local craft distillery is now bottling 4-year make for it's PA Straight Bourbon. With a 68% Corn/18%Wheat/17% Malted Barley organic mash bill, the grains are forward on the nose and the palate is typical with vanilla. Overall it's a simple pour that does what it's supposed too- but does has room for more complexity and refinement.

Nose: Oak, fruity, cherry Palate: Syrupy sweet brown sugar, baking spices Finish: Long lasting with sweet oak For 130 proof this certainly doesn’t drink like it! Well balanced with a fantatic full body. A pour I could enjoy all night.

Nose: Apple, cinnamon, brown sugar, oak Palate: Strong baking spices, vanilla, proof! Finish: Medium to long with brown sugar and more spice Wow this is a hot one, but underneath is a well flavored pour with an oily mouthfeel. A couple drips of water goes a long way. A truly great exprience overall.

Nose: Sweet candy cinnamon wih vanilla Palate: Soft oak, more baking spices with a hint of vanilla Finish: Short with more spice I have seen this sub-$30 (and now defuct brand) on shelves with handwritten signs expressing what a good value it is. They are not entirely wrong. This is a simple, fine bourbon that mixes spice and sweet well. It won’t blow your socks off but it is serviceable as a sipper.

A quick-take from Whiskey in the Winter St. Louis Whiskey Festival: Brown sugar, wheat bread, and a little bit of maple on the nose. Solid vanilla with a hint of baking spices on the palate. A medium sweet finish with some sweet oak. Yes, this is a great pour. I got to try this alongside their Cask Strength and honestly, this is better than that but the margin isn't as high as many would think—such a great experience to see the effects of cool cellar aging on Maker's Mark.

A quick-take from Whiskey in the Winter St. Louis Whiskey Festival: Vanilla and maple on the nose, the palate has a nutty profile, and a nice medium to long finish. Wow. Green River does it again with a great full-proof pour.

A quick-take from Whiskey in the Winter St. Louis Whiskey Festival: Nose of rich vanilla that translates over to the palate. Baking spices ushers in a medium to long finish. A fantastic sipper, perhaps my favorite of the entire Ben Holladay line-up.