Tastes

If medieval monks made scotch, it'd be Kilkerran 12. The monks wouldn't have chill filtering or artificial colors, of course. And perhaps the more artistic among them would even make a label akin to this elegant, black-and-white statement. Never change, Kilkerran. Don't let the ad executives and marketing department corrupt this scotch. There's a lot to love here on the nose: tropical fruit, high minerality, earthy peat, soil, vanilla, and sherry. This scotch is similar to Kilchoman Machir Bay but a little fruitier, and a little less smoky. It has the earthy, "farmy" characteristic that's often associated with Campbeltown scotches. This is a sweet and floral take on a peated scotch, with a lot of pepper and spice starting in the mid-palate. It's got a Highland single malt character at the beginning, but those flavors roll deep. The acidic lemon-lime notes that are common to Islay and Campbeltown scotches stand out immediately, yet this dram shifts between the citrus fruits, sometimes coming closer to grapefruit. The texture is oily and almost feels like there's some grittiness to it -- not in a bad way, just because some of that minerality carries through to the palate as well. The sherried finish here is reminiscent of Bunnahabhain 12, but with little wisps of smoke and mint, and a generous shake of pepper. Fresh green wood lingers the longest. It has a bit too much of that citrus acid in my opinion, which knocks it down one peg below the Ardbegs and Kilchomans of the world. That being said, this is a stellar 12-year scotch with an interesting interplay of flavors. For what it's worth, it also was the biggest hit at a party with a bunch of friends, so Kilkerran hits that sweet spot where a lot of different palates find it enjoyable.

Rock Hill Farms shares a mash bill with Blanton's, and in some ways must be a close cousin to Blanton's Gold, the overseas exclusive that amps up the ABV. Compared to the Blanton's lineup, my guess is that Rock Hill Farms reflects a conscious choice to select fruitier or more berry-flavored barrels. After a nose of vanilla and raisins, the palate features a strong bite of spice and caramel, but with a dominant note of sweet blackberries. The finish is mild and sweet, fruit-forward like the palate, and doesn't feature the wood or smoke notes that I really love. This bourbon strikes me as an elevated version of Buffalo Trace, but to be honest I don't think it's worth the price premium. In the current bourbon mania, this has become a rare bottle, often priced in the triple digits, where I think it represents a poor value. At around $50, I'd give it four stars.

For value, Eagle Rare 10 is one of my favorite bourbons. As one of the mid-level Buffalo Trace bottles, it's not going to be too hard to find this bourbon on the shelves of almost any half-decent liquor store, and it is competitively priced at between $33-40. A fun nose features sweet, candy-like dates, marzipan (more so than vanilla, although that's here as well), cappuccino, and some leather. It tastes fruity and sweet, like a lot of Buffalo Trace's products do, with honey, dates, apple, and that marzipan balanced out by some barrel char and rye spice. The finish is espresso, cherry, yeasty rye bread, and again a little smoke. Eagle Rare 10's probably a better value than Blanton's, and would be one of my staple bottles under $35. It's a nice step up from Buffalo Trace, which has a similar taste profile, isn't aged quite as much (maybe 8 years), and costs $5-10 less. If only they released barrel proof Eagle Rare -- that would be something to behold!

Pro-tip -- if you're in New Orleans, Avenue Pub has about a third of a bottle of this, and a pour is $17.25. Promise of Hope is probably the best non-barrel proof bourbon I've ever enjoyed, with a virtuoso level of harmony and balance among its boatload of classic bourbon scents and flavors: caramel, butterscotch, toffee, smoky oak, orchard fruit, leather, vanilla, cream, maple syrup, and rye spice. It really is everything to love about bourbon, revealing itself gradually in stages, and with a thick, luxurious texture. The finish is an overnight house guest in terms of how long it stays, with some interesting notes of licorice, anise, spice, and eucalyptus. This bottle is close to impossible to find now, and egregiously expensive at $500 or more, but it is near the pinnacle of the whiskey world. I wasn't experiencing any unique or surprising flavors for much of the experience, however, which is the sole flaw that keeps it from ascending to A+ territory.

The white whale of the bourbon world beckons. This is a rare treat for me, and my wife and I had only an ounce of it to share between us. Thankfully, that was more than enough to savor and enough to do a review. In the glass, George T. Stagg is a rich, dark chestnut brown, so pure you can practically dry it out and reconstitute the barrel. One thing I enjoy about Buffalo Trace is that their distillate tends to produce unusual fruit flavors. Stagg, although much older than the distillery's more commonly found bourbons, is no different. The standout notes are pineapple, tropical fruit, and raisins, but they meet their match in antique oak, caramel, wood shavings, and tobacco. We sat around just taking in the scent of this bourbon for a while before having a drink -- it really is that good. It's hard to describe, and just identifying flavors doesn't convey it, but Stagg's scents are deeper and richer than other bourbons. The intensity of the alcohol produces a minty or spicy tingle at the beginning, although I believe that's the proof rather than the rye. The age immediately reveals itself in wood tannins that coat the mouth -- even moreso on subsequent sips. The only comparable feeling is drinking Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, but even ECBP doesn't have the same sensation of a film over my teeth. I'm not 100% in love with it, but it's unique. The midpalate is impossibly rich and sweet, richer than any other bourbon I've tried, and overflows with salted caramel, oak, brown sugar, corn, and cinnamon. Like the nose, it's hard to convey how intense the flavors are. Stagg leaves behind a big bomb of ripe banana, spice, caramel corn, mint, apple, and a final lingering note of cedar. It's a little shorter than ECBP, which features the longest, spiciest finish I've experienced in a bourbon. Stagg probably is the best bourbon I've had in my life. However, for most of us, the only realistic avenue to get a bottle is to pay the secondary market price of $500+, and it's not worth that much to me. It is a unique product, particularly in its rich, complex palate, which is a hair or two better than Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. But considering I can still find ECBP online or in stores for $60-100, I could never justify paying five to ten times the price for this one.

This bourbon gets its name from its unconventional mash bill, which includes both wheat and rye (almost all bourbons opt for either corn-rye-barley or corn-wheat-barley combinations). Rye tends to produce spicy flavors, and wheat tends to produce lighter, fruitier, sweeter flavors, so it's a wonder that more brands don't try this type of experiment. While I applaud the inventive attitude, however, this drink struck me as a little weak. The nose features some unusual flavors, including hoisin sauce, cereal grains, and musty wet oak and leather. The palate surprisingly hits a strong rye chord, has a bread-like yeast flavor, and is quite tannic, which indicates a decent amount of aging. The combination of tannins and sweeter fruit notes in the midpalate are reminiscent of a Burgundy wine. The tannins somewhat obscure the fact that the mouthfeel is not very oily and may even be watery on some sips. This finishes like a rye-based bourbon, with an herbal and spicy kick. Overall, the wheat did not express itself as strongly as I anticipated. Not what I was expecting, and not (to my tastes) worth the hype.

This is the most recent and most critically acclaimed release of Old Forester's Whiskey Row series, which is the catchall name for the brand's upscale offerings. Each bottle is named after a year and meant to convey some sense of the style of that time period -- in this case, this bourbon is meant to channel the spirit of powerful, Prohibition-era cask strength bourbons produced for "medicinal" purposes. I wasn't a fan of Old Forester 1897, but this bottle may be the single best regularly available (i.e., not limited edition or seasonal release) bourbon out there. Old Forester 1920, like life, is like a box of chocolates. Sometimes the chocolate combines with cherry or fruit paste fillings, sometimes with caramel, sometimes with star anise and some woodier flavors. You never know what you're going to get (last Gump joke, I promise). Chocolate and vanilla, ssswwwiiirrrlll (for those Orange Is the New Black fans out there). It's dark, rich, and powerful, like a sweet milk stout. I'm surprised they don't release this as a limited edition. It's better than Booker's or Stagg Jr. and, at $60-65, it's pricey but good value for money.

My wife and I just got back from New Orleans so I have a lot of whiskey reviews to post over the next week or so. This was the Bourbon House's bourbon of the month, which means that members of their Bourbon Society (free to join online) get a free 1 oz pour that month. Basil Hayden is Beam's high-rye mash bill product, and is marketed to the relatively affluent consumer. In fact, the distillery's Old Grand-Dad brand uses the same mash bill and is bottled at higher proof, so in some ways Basil Hayden's may be the same juice diluted and then sold for a higher price in a classic emperor's-new-clothes con. I found this whiskey to lie almost exactly halfway between rye and bourbon, and perhaps it'd be good as a bridge for someone who exclusively drinks one to get a sense of the other side of the fence. The nose is vegetal and almost hoppy over a malty base, and the palate similarly feels like chewing on a head of raw grain with a light sprinkling of honey on top. It finishes quickly and smoothly, which confirms for me this is a whiskey meant to impress non-whiskey drinkers more than an enthusiast's bottle.

The nose is waxy and mainly features the woody and vanilla scents of oak -- I almost wanted to shout, "Timber!" when drinking it. The palate is not as complex as I'd hope for the age, with subtly sweet flavors, but first and foremost a bittersweet oak. I had a hard time pinpointing or describing flavors, but I didn't find a lot of the typical caramel or fruit flavors of other bourbons. The finish is well-rounded and mild: banana nut muffins, spice, and oak. The finish is the best part. I've seen this bourbon for $90 and I've seen it for $150, and I wouldn't buy it at either price.

This bourbon has a well-balanced nose of vanilla, oak, and caramel, with one extra cool flavor: strawberry gumdrops. Compared to the nose, the palate seems hollow in some ways, featuring some corn and sweet caramel, but not much else. I kept tasting it and wondering when more flavors would emerge, but it presents the same solid if unexceptional flavors. The finish opens up with apple cider and baking spices, some astringent oak, and then has a lingering heat. It's hotter than I expected at this ABV, and not quite worth the $70-80 price tag it commands.