Tastes

Capsule review from Virginia Spirits Expo: Honey finishes are all the rage right now, but Catoctin says this is the Original Hot Honey Rye. A combination of three Virginia honey and an infusion of chili peppers is used to create this finished whiskey. Honey is all over the nose, palate, but the finish is where the peppers come in. It's less like a spicy hot wing and more like a Nashville hot chicken- a nice peppery but not firey finish. While this is certainly something different- it's not exactly a regular sipper for me.

Capsule review from Virginia Spirits Expo: Who knew that heavy metal could be this sugary sweet? This year's collaboration with heavy metal band GWAR has a nutty nose but after that, it's a very sweet palate with a short finish that is mostly sweet but has a hint of rye. All that sugar maple and rum finish makes this one a sweet sipper.

Capsule review from Virginia Spirits Expo: Distillery Becky Harris takes the top 10% of barrels and releases them at a higher 92 proof. The difference shows when compared to their flagship: the nose of rye and dill found in the 80-proof version are amped up, and the palate is full of baking spices before a finish that is a bit sweeter.

Capsule review from Virginia Spirits Expo: On the nose this Virginia Rye has the classic dill rye note as well as banana nut bread. The palate has a hint of caramel put the baking spices shine through before returning to a short, sweet finish. A very approachable rye that tastes stronger than it's low proof.

Capsule review from Virginia Spirits Expo: What is a Milk Stout? Upon further research, it is a sweeter variation due to the addition of lactose in the brewing process. That explains a lot of what I get from this pour: a nose of mint, bread, and barley followed with a very sweet vanilla palate and follows through to a medium finish.

Capsule review from Virginia Spirits Expo: Reservoir states that Holland's Ghost is three-year aged bourbon that's finished for an additional two years in stout barrels sourced from local breweries. However, the bottle I tasted was said tobe aged for 2.5 years and finished for 18 months. On the nose, there's Cinnamon, spice and a bit of a classic rye note. On the palate, it's grainy and young with a short to medium finish that's a little bit smoother thanks to the stout. An uneven experience where the pour can't live up to the promising nose on this one.

Capsule review from Virginia Spirits Expo: Described as, " the younger brother of Reservoir’s premium whiskies." At an age of 18 months it certainly is. However, it should be noted that Hunter & Scott is a blend of both sourced barrels from KY and IN as well as their own new make- so the age most likely reflects the younger distillate. On the nose there's cherry and a sweet fruity candy like Jujyfruits. The palate has Green Apple and finishes with a youthful grain. It's a good start- would love to see this blended with older new make over time.

Capsule review from Virginia Spirits Expo: What starts with a pleasant cherry and cream vanilla nose doesn't develop into the palate which is youthful, raw, grain. The finish is small to medium but doesn't offer anything else.

Nose: Barley, funky chocolate, a hint of vanilla Palate: Oak, a little bit of smoke, pepper, and baking spices Finish: A short-medium finish that leaves a sweetness in the mouth Before we had the official definition of American Single Malt we had Balcones. The mix of Scottish and American-grown malted barley makes for a truly unique and different dram. Now that I've had more time with this bottle, it's the bottle you'll keep on your bar for "something different" than the usual suspects. It does what it does well however, I personally don't find myself reaching for it very often. In a world full of Barbies, it's the weird one.

Capsule review from Whiskies of the World Dallas: This bonded version of their rye is a 95% rye/5% barley mashbill. On the nose aromas of chocolatey malt is reminiscent of a PayDay bar. However, on the palate, the focus is more on the grain with a short to medium finish.