Tastes
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High n' Wicked 5 Year Kentucky Straight Rye
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed December 16, 2022 (edited December 17, 2022)On the nose, we find caraway seed, rye spice, thyme, vanilla, fresh linen, and a hint of juniper berry. Hard to classify as either sweet or herbal; more of a “savory” aroma? Ethanol is extremely minimal. Palate is…very bizarre for a rye. Has some gin-like qualities as coriander and cardamom are prevalent, along with some orange peel. There is vanilla and graham cracker underneath, but you have to dig for it. No off notes, but what really stands out is how bland this is; where is the sweet richness or peppery spice? Not enough herbaceous notes to stand out in that category either, and no real wood presence to speak of. Extremely clean finish with generic berry, more coriander, and an earthy, mossy note. Finish is short and dry, and the mouthfeel is airy. I believe this is distilled by New Riff and as such I expected much better. Bland, lacking richness, and with an somewhat odd flavor profile, this misses the mark for me in a big way. It’s as if someone took a quality rye and stripped out all the things that make it great. At $70, it falls into the “WTF?” category on a value standpoint. Nowhere close to a rebuy. Disappointing.70.0 USD per Bottle -
Nose features gingerbread, pine tree, clove, lemon rind, and hay. Slight ethanol presence is forgivable given the proof, but it’s there. Palate is punchy with snickerdoodle cookie, anise, cinnamon sugar, vanilla bean, cardamom, and nutmeg. Long finish offers mint, light oak, rye spice, cinnamon, and pink peppercorn which builds in spiciness after repeated sips. Flavors from the palate carry over providing a slow, smooth transition to the finish. Mouthfeel is thick, chewy, and dry as a bone, bumping the overall experience up a notch. A wonderful example of a “sweet and spicy” rye with solid maturity, this provides a robust, integrated, and cohesive experience. At $83 and carrying a 6 yr age statement, it is fairly priced for what it offers. Very much MGP but with a slightly sweeter and more balanced profile compared to many other MGP offerings, proving the people at Proof and Wood know how to pick a barrel. I would say this is a cut above the norm, and a solid rebuy.83.0 USD per Bottle
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Blackened Rye the Lightning (2022 Release)
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed December 9, 2022 (edited December 10, 2022)Nose is both unusual and appealing as the cask finish shows up here with fruity, jammy notes (strawberry, boysenberry) along with wintergreen, caraway, graham cracker, brown sugar, and black tea. Palate features the tea leaf promised in the nose, along with some lemongrass, fig, raspberry, and walnut. Hint of mint as well. This could really use some caramel or butterscotch maybe to balance it out, but sadly it just isn’t there. That said, the dichotomy between the fruity and herbal notes is an interesting one. Flavors are decently robust for the proof. Medium length finish has more tea, Spearmint, white pepper, and tannic oak. Mouthfeel is oily and on the lighter side of medium. Overall, while the secondary cask brings some nice elements this is more of a curiosity than a slam dunk. I can see what they were going for here, but I just kept wishing for things flavor wise that never really materialized and I’m not the biggest tea fan and this has a lot of it which I think is affecting my rating. At $70 it’s value is fair but I can think of dozens of other ryes I’d rather pick at that price point, and thus not a rebuy for this reviewer.70.0 USD per Bottle -
Red Spot 15 Year Single Pot Still
Single Pot Still — Ireland
Reviewed December 5, 2022 (edited December 7, 2022)Aroma is exquisite and pungent for the proof with candied nuts, white grape, butter, green apple, fig, malt, leather, and fresh, soft wood. Ethanol nearly non-existent. On the palate, the sherry cask makes its presence known with a variety of fruits (apple, pear, grape), along with powdered sugar, cola, marzipan, butterscotch, and hazelnut. Rich, but delicate at the same time. Oh man, the finish takes this to another level; fruits turn a little darker with plum, date, and fig, meeting a slightly tannic oak which provides contrast. Mouthfeel is soft and velvety and very complimentary. A truly first class Irish whiskey. I paid $139 for this, which I understand is a steal compared to the secondary market, but I feel this is an appropriate price point; as the quality is certainly there. Would absolutely rebuy at anywhere near retail.139.0 USD per Bottle -
Balcones Mirador Texas Single Malt
American Single Malt — Texas, USA
Reviewed November 21, 2022 (edited November 22, 2022)Nose is pungent and features ripe melon, apricot marmalade, bubblegum, peach, honey, vanilla, chocolate malt, rubber, and pear. Minimal ethanol presence, which is great. This is quite the departure for Balcones. Palate matches the nose almost precisely, with added flavors of cereal grains, and caramel drizzled flan. Flavors are rich and robust to the point of being mouth fatiguing so my review sized pour was definitely a little too much, but that’s a flaw I can live with. Finish is a delightful blend of caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, pineapple upside down cake, and chocolate. Very “ice cream sundae”. These notes coming out of the fruitiness of the nose and palate are both surprising and welcome. Finish is insanely long with the sweet notes eventually taking a turn into a spicy bloom with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of cherry wood. Mouthfeel is thick and chewy. A fruit forward Balcones? Magical! This is one of the best whiskeys in their portfolio along with being a total sleeper. My only real critique is that it’s not in any way subtle or refined and is probably best in smaller doses. “Isn’t that a good thing?” some would ask and to that I say; do you want to eat a piece of chocolate cake or the whole cake? That said, I can’t deny that this is quite delicious. At $79, I have no problem placing this in rebuy status. -
Redemption Barrel Proof 10 Year High-Rye Bourbon (2017 Edition)
Bourbon — Indiana, USA
Reviewed November 9, 2022 (edited November 10, 2022)2019 edition 114.4 proof Batch 002, Barrel # 14527. Nose is full of “green”. Green apple, green hay, green oak (almost closer to pine/cedar), dill, thyme, with some baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger) thrown in. Hint of banana that I am digging. After a while an umami note as well. This is complex, and leaves you wanting to dive into it’s considerable depths. Some ethanol when you huff deeply, but forgivable given the proof. Palate features typical MGP brightness with caramel covered Granny Smith apple, leather, pine, light vanilla, tobacco, leafy herbs, and oak. Biggest strength is its integration; flavors blend almost seamlessly. If you like aged MGP, this is going to be your jam. Proof helps deliver sufficient heft. Finish goes on for what seems like days delivering the spice bloom promised in the nose. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, prickly, and effervescent and fits the profile very well. A wonderful example of what higher aged MGP has to offer. At 99.99 for a ten year age statement, I feel this is priced appropriately so neither a value nor a ripoff. To give an idea of how this stacks against other MGP sourced offerings, I’d rather pay more for this than say Smoke Wagon UCUF, but I can get a similar profile with Belle Meade Reserve for half the cost which keeps this from being a total slam dunk.99.99 USD per Bottle -
Michter's US*1 Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Rye (2021 Release)
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed November 5, 2022 (edited September 23, 2023)Nose opens with…ok wow. Dried fruit (lemon, lime, orange), rye spice, oatmeal, mint, pepper, and green oak. Aroma is complex, punchy, and devoid of ethanol. Enticing. On the palate, this is the epitome of a “sweet and spicy” rye. There’s a lot going on here and I will try to capture as much as possible. Sweetness in the form of poppyseed muffin, dehydrated apple chips, lime, and molasses. Spicy in the form of cinnamon, black pepper, chili pepper, and raw rye grain. Ever had a rye Triscuit? There’s some of that in here. Flavors are rich and robust. Finish turns decidedly spicy and lasts what seems like forever. Herbals make themselves known with peppermint, anise, more chili pepper, oregano, and dill. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, sparkly, and dry as bone and while no way a flaw, is the only part of this whiskey that is less than absolutely stellar. Quite possibly the best rye to ever grace my lips. Kind of quintessential; not too herbal, not too sweet, not too spicy (although it might come close on that one) At the $150 I overpaid when I found it in the wild, I can’t say I in any way regret the purchase. Would I buy it again at 33% markup? Probably.150.0 USD per Bottle -
Angel's Envy Private Selection Single Barrel Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 27, 2022 (edited October 28, 2022)Total Wine and More pick from Gilbert, AZ. 101 proof. Nose brings cinnamon sugar, vanilla creme, apple, rye spice, sweet oak, and just a hint of the port finish coming in with some white grape. (I mean, port isn’t made from white grapes, but yeah) Lack of ethanol a nice plus at this proof point. Palate opens with the vanilla creme and apple from the nose, along with light caramel, pepper, and cinnamon. Pretty bright and brassy. If you dig deep, you can get a vinous flavor from the port but it’s very subdued. Flavors are punchy, but unrefined. No age statement and indeed tastes a little young. Finish is medium length and features cotton candy, cinnamon, and some astringent oak that really brings the experience down a notch. Mouthfeel is rather thin bodied, but also kind of fatty at the same time which I found to be slightly odd. This is no more than a slightly above average whiskey, although it’s nice to experience Angel’s Envy at a higher proof point. The problem is that at $100, this is more than double the cost of regular AE. Too many flaws and not a rich or complex enough experience for that kind of money. Nowhere near rebuy status.99.99 USD per Bottle -
Weller Special Reserve Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 18, 2022 (edited October 19, 2022)Nearly impossible to find in my area, I decided to slightly overpay for mail order to give it a try. On the nose we get lots of baked apple, some milk chocolate, oak, leather, and a little berry. It’s not at all complex, but what is here is very nice and surprisingly potent given the low proof. Absence of ethanol expected but still appreciated nonetheless. Palate follows the nose and is very “Buffalo Trace”. There’s not a lot to talk about here because it’s so perfectly simple: caramel + vanilla + fruit + oak. (Which let’s face it, is a winning profile) Finish is essentially a microburst; gone in a flash. Morphs into some slightly bitter wood which stops just short of being astringent but overall the nose, palate, and finish are all strikingly similar. Mouthfeel is sparkly and effervescent, which contributes to the overall experience in a huge way. Extra credit there. While this expression has its detractors, I found it to be a tasty, crushable bourbon without any real discernible flaws other than simplicity. Maybe the bourbon equivalent of a fast food cheeseburger; basic, but does the job. At the $60 I paid I don’t know that I’d rebuy, but you know what? I don’t regret it either. At regular MSRP of…what is this $30 normally? Yeah, I would probably consider it a “clear the shelf” at that price point. Certainly not worth 2.5-3x retail as is commonly seen. (Rating based off MSRP)30.0 USD per Bottle -
Rossville Union Barrel Proof Straight Rye
Rye — Indiana , USA
Reviewed October 17, 2022 (edited October 18, 2022)Total Wine store pick in Gilbert, AZ. 116.7 proof. As I have already reviewed this whiskey, this review will highlight the differences between the standard release and this store pick. Review admittedly of limited use outside the Phoenix, AZ area. Wow, nose way more herbal than the standard. (Not a bad thing per se) Getting basil, oregano, star anise, mint, and sage. There’s some honey underneath if you dig for it but leafy, grassy notes are in charge. Nose carries right through to the palate. Man, this sucker is herbaceous. Palate and finish carry a lot of eucalyptus, mint, camphor, and pepper. Some sour dill sneaks in as well. Closest it gets to sweet is cinnamon. Finish lingers forever, and the mouthfeel has a nice weight to it. I have a feeling that a thin mouthfeel would literally ruin this, so for that I am thankful. I got to tell you; I love herbal cask strength ryes. But that said, I’d say this one almost takes it a little too far. It could use just a hint more sweetness to bring some balance. Instead you get a trip through the spice aisle of your local grocery store. Truth? I could see some people absolutely hating this. As for me, it is quite good but falls short of a really top tier more complex rye. At $76, I would consider a rebuy but I would have to have a gap in my collection for this sort of flavor profile to merit it.76.0 USD per Bottle
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