Tastes

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.

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)

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

Nose opens with…yup there it is; banana Runts candy. Luckily there is a little more here as well as we also get caramel, vanilla, shoepeg corn, black cherry, cola, and a light touch of oak. Total lack of ethanol for a 100 proof is almost wizardry and you can literally almost snort it without catching a nasal burn. Palate opens with the banana from the nose, but then takes a nice turn with candy corn, cola nut, flan, and grape. This is definitely a sweeter whisky, although the notes are light enough to keep it from falling into the “dessert whiskey” category. Flavors come off a little delicate, which I’d say is a feature not a bug, but your mileage may vary. Tasty. Finish is a slow, subtle shift (a plus for me) and is quite good but oh so short. The black cherry from the nose surfaces and mixes with the cola from the palate giving a cherry coke note, along with cinnamon and more soft sweet oak. Mouthfeel is thin bodied, and while I wouldn’t go so far as to call it “watery”, I definitely wanted a more robust body. There are some adjectives to describe this: Crushable (it is very easy to keep sipping and next thing you know you 3/4 of the way through your pour). Unchallenging. Comfortable; the whiskey equivalent of an old tennis shoe. So, I’m not going to lie…I like this. I know it’s not great whiskey, but the mouth likes what the mouth likes. Kind of like Jack In The Box tacos or Pizza Rolls. Why do we like them? I don’t know, we just do. At $30, this holds its own or beats other major players in the price range (Elijah Craig, Buffalo Trace) but falls short of the depth and complexity of say a Wild Turkey 101. That said, would I buy it again when in the mood for something different? I could see that happening.

First sampling from Rabbit Hole. Excited to see what we have here: Nose opens with dark fruits, raisins, caramel, vanilla, apple, pistachio, sweet oak, and just a touch too much ethanol for a 90 proof. That said, the nose has a decent pungency and is promising enough. Palate opens with kind of a standard caramel/vanilla note and some generic red fruit (cherry) annnnnnd “that’s all folks!” I mean there is nothing else there; the mid-palate simply does not exist. Are my taste buds broken or is this literally the blandest base bourbon ever? I just can’t state enough how boring and flat this is. Yikes. Finish is where things take a welcome upturn as the PX cask shines through with raisin, date, fig, pistachio, almond, pepper, and oak. But it’s quite short and with a finish this nice and complex, you want it to last. Mouthfeel is full and chewy which is a pleasant surprise and really complements the finish. Overall, this is as if you took a turd and polished it really well so that it’s shiny and sparkly, but can’t change the fact that it is still in fact, a turd. Hard to believe this is sourced from MGP, but then again I can’t remember any other offerings I have had from their wheated mashbill, so there this the possibility that it just sucks mightily. At $80, this is laughably far from a rebuy and honestly I probably rated it too high at a 3.5, but the nose and finish kept this from being a total train wreck. Too bad as I wanted to like it more.

Nose features vanilla cream, butterscotch, sweetbread, nutmeg, white pepper, and hint of generic citrus. There’s an herb in there which is hard to pin down, but at gunpoint I’d say sage. Wood presence is minimal to non-existent. Decent strength and completely ethanol free. Warm and inviting. Palate opens with more heavy vanilla cream, cereal grains, butter, poppyseed muffin, clover honey, chocolate malt, and golden raisin. A welcome mild linseed oil taste keeps things lively. Flavors are more robust than the proof would indicate. Medium length finish finds the butterscotch promised in the nose, along with cake icing, pineapple, and sweet subtle oak. Mouthfeel is slick and creamy. Wow, this stuff is good. One of those whiskies that if people knew how good it was, it would fly off the shelf. At $80 it is priced appropriately for a 12 yr product of this quality. Maybe a shade short of the best of the “Breast” and “Spot” whiskies, but very solid nonetheless. Rebuy status.