Tastes

Beautiful copper color is immediately visible. On the nose, I get smoke, oak, leather, salted caramel, butterscotch and toffee, honey and raisons or dried fruit. It has a smooth but dry feel on the tongue as I tasted smoke, black pepper, oak, honey, leather, and caramel flavors. It has a medium finish that remains dry but smooth. Overall this scotch is bold and complex yet smooth and balanced, it is dry and oaky but elegant and chewy. Delicious.

This is a great whisky, and is a scotch my bourbon friends like. A little peaty, a little salty, some oakiness, and nuttiness. A well balanced scotch that is easy to sip and is a delight for any occasion.

One of my favorite bourbons. Smells like dark fruits and tastes like cornbread and Sherry and caramel. Very nice.

One of my favorite scotches. Salty, medium peat, and leather notes. It smells great and tastes great.

This bourbon blew me away with its uniqueness. On the nose, it was oaky, musty, and had a deep wine or port undertone. On the tongue, it was soft and fluffy and filled the mouth. Some around us got snickerdoodle flavors but I tasted a port-like berry tone just under the caramel and oakiness. It does linger a bit after it’s gone but not as long as some. At 113 proof it can take a few water drops, and when you do the nose opens up to cocktail cherries. As a scotch drinker, this has opened me back up to trying more bourbons.

This toasted barrel from Red Line is a caramel forward bourbon. It will coat your tongue like syrup and the spice lingers in the mouth for a long while. Caramel and honey flavors are primary and the 115 proof heat is always present but not terribly over-powering. The finish was all spice for me that lingers on the palette for a good while.

Beautiful nose of campfire smoke, leather, and tobacco aromas. Subtle salty and grassy notes as well. Coats the mouth and tongue like a thin syrup and lingers nicely. Caught flavors of smoke, spice, salty, nutty, honey, and a slight dried fruit like raisons or plums on the second approach. Add a few drops of water to open the nose to the more fruity and floral tones as it cuts through the smokiness but leaves a decent floral and fruity flavor.

A little hot, but not a bad Rye. Would made a great Old Fashioned.