Tastes
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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 -
Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 FAE-02
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 4, 2022 (edited July 12, 2023)Nose is nicely pungent featuring cola, root beer, chocolate, red apple, ginger, and soft green oak. Some persistent ethanol keeps you from getting in there and huffing as much as you would like to. Palate opens with caramel and vanilla, followed by milk chocolate, orange peel, Spanish peanut skin, and a more mature (slightly bitter) oak than the nose indicated but it brings balance. Flavor lingers on the tongue for an exceptionally long amount of time, a quality which I found enjoyable. Finish is of medium length and goes into a baking spice bloom of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, and ginger. Hint of star anise as well. This edition is supposed to showcase mouthfeel and in this it does not disappoint as the feel is smooth and silky and while it’s definitely a plus, it doesn’t quite match the decidedly spicy finish if that makes any sense. (But I’m splitting hairs here) Not quite as good as FAE-01, but still a very enjoyable whiskey with a lot going on. Manages to showcase the good things about Makers (rich cake-like sweetness) while minimizing its flaws (excessive spiciness) At $75, I’d probably buy another assuming there was one sitting on the shelf (fat chance)75.0 USD per Bottle -
1792 Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 3, 2022 (edited October 5, 2022)Total wine store pick from Gilbert Arizona (review may be of limited use to anyone outside the Phoenix AZ area). As I have already reviewed the non-store pick this review will primarily focus on any differences between this and the standard version. Nose is heavy on butterscotch, banana, vanilla, sweet oak, and ethanol. Possibly a little richer and more intense than the standard, but the basic notes are the same. Palate matches the nose well (sorry if that makes for a boring review) with some additional barrel spices in the mid-palate in the form of clove and ginger. Finish features a full on spice bloom of peppery cinnamon and slightly bitter oak (but the bitterness works and balances the sweetness in the palate) Slightly rough. Mouthfeel is thin but also lush at the same time; thicker would work wonders but alas it’s not to be here. I am a fan of this with the standard version, and this store pick elevates everything to a slight but yet still noticeable degree. At $40 this is indeed a rebuy, but less because it’s really just that amazing and more because $40 for this quality is an increasingly rare commodity in today’s crazy bourbon market.40.0 USD per Bottle -
Nose features cherry cola, banana candy (after all, it is Jack Daniel’s), vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, pencil shavings, a musty barnyard note, and clove. Enough ethanol to be slightly distracting, but it’s far from a deal breaker. Palate opens with dark honey, cherry, and vanilla and then a spice bloom of white pepper, and clove. Some slightly sour tamarind in the mid-palate. Flavors lack a little complexity and depth but what’s here is decent. Finish is exceptionally long given the proof and consists of cherry cola, cinnamon bear, an earthy flavor (mushroom?) and the welcome presence of some soft oak. There is a chocolate malt note after the spices fade, which is nice. Mouthfeel is medium bodied. At $40, this is a decent dram. Less traditional bourbon flavor than Bonded, but yet it comes together nicely. I can’t in any way deny it’s a rebuy because I already rebought it once, lol. Just squeaks our a 4.0 rating.40.0 USD per Bottle
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Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition
Single Pot Still — Ireland
Reviewed September 28, 2022 (edited November 20, 2022)Decent strength aroma features graham cracker, honey, vanilla bean, toffee, nutmeg, rubber, sea salt, rock candy, and subtle oak. Some ethanol but it’s low. Decent start. Palate opens with butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, almond, and the slightest hint of stone fruits. Bourbon barrel makes its presence known here as this features much more of a sugary candy profile than any other Redbreast. Flavors have richness and depth to them. Finish has big toffee notes along with barley malt, the nutmeg from the nose, and an oak that comes off as lightly toasted. Longer finish than you would expect given the proof. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and slightly grainy, which is a minor flaw as the flavor profile cries out for more of a silky smoothness. A nice whiskey, but I’m not sure that an Irish whiskey aged in bourbon barrels does a better job of being a bourbon than bourbon itself. At $99.99, I can’t really see myself paying for another bottle as I’d much rather have Lusteau, RB 15, or a host of bourbon options, leaving this one as a niche product.99.99 USD per Bottle
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