Tastes
-
Pasote Tequila Blanco
Tequila Blanco — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed March 7, 2024 (edited March 19, 2024)Produced in Pueblo San Julian, Jaliesco, Mexico, NOM 1584; 100% blue weber agave, stone oven, double distilled, no additives. Tasted neat, room temp. Clear and big coating lesgs in the glass. Nose is floral vegetal, briny yet sweet. Whiff of mineral smoke and lime. Rain on warm concrete. In the mouth, sweet grass, strong saline and stone minerals, sweet and funky and earthy (maybe more than smoky). Rich coating mouthfeel goes on and on. Only a hint of ethanol. A little dry lime, bluestem grass, and pepper shows up in the slow, vegetal finish. More of a funky, earthy, and mineral profile than citrus; funk clouds a clear agave flavor. I like the mineral part. Great coating mouthfeel and lingering aftertaste. Great tall bottle and minimalist labeling (not the old sprayed white paint Aztec design shown on the main listing). A nice earthy sipping blanco.44.0 USD per Bottle -
Tasted neat. Clear in the glass (unlike the original discontinued version that was a faint yellow), with substantial coating legs. Nose is floral evergreen forest, citrus, and coriander. Clean and bright. In the mouth, citrus and herbal, then a rush of ethanol with an earthy juniper and forest floor flavor, followed by coriander and light spice. Sweet and viscous coating mouthfeel, but that disappears quickly in a rather short finish (again, unlike the original). Citrus, rose, and a tingling dry spice linger as aftertaste. Not exactly how I remember the original Farmer's Gin (and gave a 5 rating). This seems lighter on the juniper flavors, more rose and citrus (lemongrass), less coating mouthfeel. It's still a beautiful gin, just not as assertive as I expected (esp at 93.4 proof). Those who like modern American gins will appreciate it, and I do appreciate it as a gin of that style, but... was hoping for a more forceful juniper punch to hold up in cocktails. Great new bottle and labeling, and a quality organic gin from Idaho worth exploring. https://www.farmersgin.com/30.0 USD per Bottle
-
Maker's Mark Private Selection, Utah Holiday Batch #4 (0/1/3/5/1) August 2023
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed February 19, 2024 (edited February 23, 2024)Maker's Mark Private Selection Bourbon, Utah Holiday Batch #4. Base is the MM 46 wheated bourbon aged 6-6.5 years, then an additional 10 weeks with a selection of 10 added oak staves. In this batch, 0 baked American Oak, 1 seared French Cuvee, 3 MM 46 staves, 5 roasted French Mendiant, and 1 toasted French Spice stave (see photo explanation of staves below). Bottled at 55.2% ABV, August 2023. Tasted neat. Brown copper color and thin legs in the glass. Nose is light grain sweetness, and a little vanilla oak and spice at the back. In the mouth, that lightness disappears. Big Big BIG tannic oak rush, followed by sweetness and a tingling spice that is cinnamon hot. A little ethanol heat too, and a thinner mouthfeel than I hoped. Finish is that dry spice, oak tannins, and a little sour. The higher proof adds to its length. Interesting riff on the MM profile--the sweetness of the wheated bourbon playing against the BIG tannic depth, spiciness, and smokiness of the treated oak staves. Makes for a more complex (and challenging) drink--darker, richer. Ice tames that dominant tannic note and lets the wheat sweetness back in. Drinks really well, neat or with an ice cube, and will mix well in darker cocktails like a Manhattan. But it's NOT going to be for everybody given its assertive chewy flavor. Similar tasting notes to the MM BEP wood finishing 2023 I tried last year, but the Private Selection is just amped up a notch. Retasted the BEP tonight (side by side with this Private Selection) and it is a sweeter nose, much lighter mouthfeel, and lighter on tannic oak and spice. The BEP is like an intermediate between the MM 46 and this MM Utah Private Selection.70.0 USD per Bottle -
Another in my series of 50ml minibottle reviews. Tasted neat. Koenig is making some really interesting and quality liqueurs, but this... is vodka. Nose is neutral and a little funky, hogo... maybe (yeow!) manky socks or rotting feet? In the mouth, the vodka shines through, mineral, creamy, with a very light berry floral flavor, more natural than artificial. Finish is lightly sweet and clean. That taste is not bad-- I'd take this over other flavored vodkas with artificial chemical notes. This tastes more natural, but... that funky nose is pretty hard to get past. That... and it's still just a vodka.
-
Another in my series of 50ml minibottle reviews. Tasted neat. Nose is floral berry and citrus, reminescent of Kool-Aide. Chemical berry flavors, artificial sweetner, and ethanol in a creamy base--a good way to ruin a very good potato vodka distillate. I don't get flavored vodkas, and that's a good thing, meaning... It's still vodka, and I don't waste much time on vodka.
-
Another in my 50ml mini bottle series. Tasted neat. Neutral with a light sweet nose. Sweet grain, earthy musty/funky notes, minerality, a creamy mouthfeel, with an ethanol burn. Short sweet finish, a little musty, then a clean end. It's a good vodka, not exceptional, but well ahead of the industrial distillates. Idaho is doing well with potato vodka. But... still vodka.
-
Whiskey Del Bac Classic Unsmoked
American Single Malt — Arizona, USA
Reviewed January 29, 2024 (edited February 9, 2024)Whiskey Del Bac Classic single malt, 46% abv, desert-made in Arizona. Tasted neat... for the third time. Copper color and very little coating legs in the glass. Apples, stone fruits, hint of caramel and vanilla and a little spice dust on the nose. Big flash of ethanol and baking spices in the mouth. Astringent and tannic, oak char, grain sweetness. Finish shows some sweetness and tingling mint and spices, but also an underlying ethanol burn that leaves me feeling like... heartburn. Tried this three different times to figure out what's going on here, and got really consistent results every time. Tried the Whiskey Del Bac Dorado single malt smoked with mesquite and LOVED it (4.75), and then tried the Classic and Dorado side by side. Really different outcomes. While this Classic is OK, it's not in the same class as the Dorado. Or maybe the Dorado's mesquite smoke just hides the distillate or barreling flaws inherent in the Classic. Disappointed... and left with that heartburn feeling. Ice definitely helps this whiskey--don't let your glass leave the bar without some. Update: I've been drinking down this bottle with ice, and I feel a little better about it over time. It shares a hint of the mesquite smoke that makes the Dorado so good IMHO (even though this is an unsmoked malt mashbill). Maybe it's the barrel or barrel char. And an ice cube solved the heartburn feeling. Be generous and call this a 3.0/5.0, a passing grade 60%.60.0 USD per Bottle -
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Straight Rye
Rye — Tennessee, USA
Reviewed January 21, 2024 (edited January 24, 2024)70% rye masbill, charcoal filtered, 45% abv. Tasted neat. Copper color and decent legs in the glass. Sweet caramel, vanilla oak, and peanut shells on the nose. Rather light and missing rye spice. In the mouth, sweet and oak, earthy leather, and vanilla. Thick and coating (oily) mouthfeel, but not overly sweet--that's a winner! A little char smoke appears in the finish which highlights vanilla, oak, and some spicy and dry grassy rye notes. Average length, turning a little sour at the end. An average rye, not overly complex, nor ethanol-driven as happens in some cheaper ryes. At 45% abv this will mix well. Sipping it is OK; an ice cube doesn’t hurt but isn't necessary to tamp down off flavors or ethanol. And at the price... sure, mix away! Who doesn't want a Rye and Ginger from time to time, especially in dodgy bars where Jack rules. Nothing wrong with that. -
Lustau Amontillado Los Arcos, dry Jeres-Xeres sherry, solera familiar. 18.5 % abv. Tasted at cool room temp. Deep rose brown and coating legs in the glass. Nose is nutty, cherry and grapes, red wine. In the mouth, big rush of sweet and sour grape wine, earthy compost, minerals, and light oak. Finish is quick, the sour turning mineral dry with a light earthy sweetness left on the tongue. Again, I'm no expert on sherry--use them mainly for mixing cocktail and cooking. This one is quite a bit more burly and forceful than the Lustau Oloroso Don Nuno I tried recently (at 20% abv). Due to the solera aging on this one? Don't know enough. But I do know I appreciate that more forceful flavor in cocktails and cooking, if not casual sipping.20.0 USD per Bottle
-
Lustau Don Nuno Oloroso
Fortified Wine — Jerez-Xeres, Spain
Reviewed January 18, 2024 (edited January 20, 2024)This sherry is rosy brown in the glass, coating legs. Nose is hazel and Brazil nuts, earthy vegetal red wine, and a whiff of alcohol. In the mouth, tart chardonnay, crisp and yet savory, oak and minerals. Finish is sweet, turning to dry and light and mineral clean. Really nice sipping, and outstanding in cocktails... which is really why I keep sherry... besides cooking... but this might convince me to drink it when I don't feel like a heavier alcohol.32.0 USD per Bottle
Results 21-30 of 480 Reviews