Tastes

Nose: Oh wow, this smells great. Cherry Dr Pepper, nougat, plum, spun sugar, and the faintest hint of green oak leaf. Not even a trace of ethanol. Could sit and huff this all night. Palate: vanilla pudding, cola, muffin, and mellow dried fruits (think apple, blueberry, and pear). Round and full, neither being bright nor dark. Finish is more fruit (specifically apple), along cocoa powder, some wood and spice showing up to balance things out. Notes are so rounded as to be hard to define what specific “wood” or “spice” I’m tasting here. Finish is pretty short overall. Mouthfeel soft as a baby’s bottom. Overall very enjoyable but man this thing is MELLOW. The song “Easy” by the Commodores comes to mind. I normally go for much bolder, but this sort spoke to me and what it said was “Hey bud, let’s chill. No need to be brash”. At $66, and 94 proof it’s probably overpriced, but I liked it enough in spite of that to give it a 4.0 anyway. I don’t know if I’m going to buy another bottle soon, but will really miss this one when it’s gone.

Medium strength nose offers vanilla bean, cough syrup, confectioners sugar, pencil shavings, and savory-yet-sweet note like a crepe or something. Very interesting aroma but it’s not perfect; there’s some ethanol that creeps in there as well. On the palate, Werther’s candy, cola, molasses, nutmeg, almond, and dark cocktail cherries, adding some black licorice in the mid-palate. I feel like I’ve tasted something similar before but can’t quite place it...wait...*looks up ingredients for Dr Pepper* Ah-hah! All those flavors are in there! There are some definite similarities. Some oak in there as well, but you’d be hard pressed to call this “woody” in any way. Not lacking in depth per se, but the youth on this expression does show a bit as it’s a little brighter than the flavor profile would seem to call for. Even though this has a spice driven finish of cinnamon and ginger, the transition is gentle. Mouthfeel is silky smooth and a real highlight. Overall, there is a lot to like here. A welcome addition to the cabinet and for a four year old it’s more integrated and cohesive than one might expect. I can’t wait to someday sip on a 10 yr version of this as I imagine we will be looking at pure magic. At $35 and 100 proof, the value is there and I give an extra .25 for having a pretty unique flavor profile. Rebuy status.

Despite declaring this “not a rebuy” the last time, on impulse decided to buy another pick. (What can I say? I was a little lit) This time from “Fox Cigar Bar” in Gilbert AZ. (This review will focus on the differences between this pick and my full review, so is mostly for my own notes and will be of limited use to anyone outside the Phoenix AZ area) Nose: where the last pick I had was straight up peanut butter, this one is less sweet and softer overall. Musty oak, and patchouli oil. Very different and not an improvement. Palate: The peanut goodness of the last bottle of this I had are nowhere to be found here. Some rye bread, baking spices, and wood. There is some nuttiness, but more like a bitter walnut. Very bright and sharp bourbon. All jagged edges, and nothing comes together well. Needs some sweetness for balance, and it’s just not there. Finish is more of the same and doesn’t really develop. Let this be lesson; let the buyer beware when it comes to store picks. Whomever picked this, let’s just say their palate doesn’t match mine. Serious misfire. Won’t be sad to see it go.

Ah, yet another Balcones expression. I’ve reviewed a ton and before sampling I was wondering how many more times I can say “brown sugar, mesquite, and smoke”? Imagine my surprise to find something very different... On the nose we find apple cider, creme brûlée, vanilla bean, and wood note that is more tree sap than oak barrel. Musty malty aroma comes through on repeated sniffs. Next to no ethanol. Certainly different, and inviting enough. Palate opens with some pretty standard vanilla/caramel notes, with some egg creme thrown in. Mid-palate brings walnut and baking spices in the form of allspice, cinnamon, and candied ginger. Flavors are rich and punch far above the proof point. The finish is like angels singing. Caramel praline ice cream with some nutmeg sprinkled on top. Oak rides underneath like a carpet. Mouthfeel is Charmin soft, silky and delicate (are we sure this is Balcones?) and matches the flavor profile and finish to a tee. I found this to be an absolute delight. I said in a previous review that you don’t want a “turned down” Balcones, but I was dead wrong as it’s nice that it doesn’t have to assault your taste buds to deliver a full flavored experience. At $31, I’m pretty convinced that this is the best whiskey for the price point on the planet. Don’t hesitate to grab yourself one; you will be glad you did.

109.6 proof version On the nose, this is quintessential Makers; caramel, nutmeg, creme brûlée, dark wood, and grape must. Some prickly ethanol pokes through. Palate is rich and decadent, opening with standard vanilla/caramel notes morphing into more “burnt sugars” and charcoal notes in the mid-palate. The caramel is real and smacks of Rolo candy and there are some are some nice toasted bread pudding notes as well, but there’s not a lot of complexity here as most of what presents is of the “rich dessert” variety. Finish is is where things take a downturn with lots of spice in the form of cinnamon, black pepper, oak tannin and (if we are being honest) unattenuated alcohol. It is long, but you might actually want it to end sooner. Mouthfeel is medium when the flavor profile begs for thicker, and I can’t help but wonder if that doesn’t in some way contribute to the overly hot finish. There’s just something about Makers products that rarely gels with me. Anything above their 101 proof release always seems excessively hot for the proof and this is no exception. I should probably cut my losses with them but my curiosity always seems to get the best of me. At $74.99, this is far from a recommend, although I fully acknowledge that in this case it might just be me. Edit: Tasting notes stand, but recently scored this for $60 which means I initially overpaid. $15 reduction in price bumps this up to a 3.75. Adjusting rating and pricing accordingly.

“Grey Hen” store pick from Phoenix, AZ. OESK recipe. Aged 11 yrs, 1 month. 56.6% ABV. (Man, let me just say that pouring a “review sized” dram of this was painful. LOL.) Nose kicks into high gear with bubblegum, sweet tarts, dried apricot, pencil shavings, nutmeg, and a slight hint of barrel char. Little bit of singe right after the pour but it dissipates quickly leaving you free to huff to your heart’s content. Palate opens with soft vanilla creme, caramel, and brown sugar, morphing into strawberry and candy corn notes in the mid palate. Bright and brassy. Flavors are dense and layered. Finish brings a baking spice bloom, transitioning back to a caramel flan note bringing the whole experience full circle. A hint of mint after everything else fades. Finish is an evolution not a left turn, which I really enjoyed. And it’s loooooooong. Mouthfeel is viscous and full and is a perfect match for the flavor profile. This is fantastic. You can literally smell/taste the quality at every turn. I paid slightly over market for this at around $100, and regret absolutely nothing. To give a frame of reference, if there was another 4R barrel strength pick available for purchase today anywhere in my area I would buy it immediately. If you have a chance to score one, don’t pass it up.

All but confirmed to be from Buffalo Trace’s mashbill #1 before being shipped off to a Virginia for aging. With BT products being hard to find in my area, I decided to give this a whirl. On the nose getting cherry, toffee, a woody note that is more like old wood furniture/varnish than oak barrel, and a hint of leather. There’s also some musty corn aroma that stumped me at first (popcorn? Corn on the cob?) until it hit me; it’s masa. As in what tamales are made from. Complete absence of ethanol makes you want to keep huffing. Simple, but oh-so-inviting. Palate opens with caramel, vanilla, and toffee, morphing into black cherry in the mid-palate. Not the most complex, but there is richness here. Can definitely taste the BT mashbill, as there are some definite similarities in flavor to EH Taylor Small Batch. Surprisingly long and dry finish featuring a big baking spice (cinnamon and ginger) bloom, oak, and pepper. Mouthfeel has sufficient weight and oiliness to it and matches the flavor profile very well. This is a fine bourbon with no major flaws but doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel either. Definitely in the realm of “traditional bourbon character”. At $53 (which is what I paid), I don’t know how I feel about it as I can think of better options I can get for the price and cheaper hundred proofers that I enjoy just as much, leaving this in sort of a limbo zone. If you can find it under $45, I would say it falls into the realm of a sure buy. Just misses a 4.0.

Ahh yes, continuing my love affair with Balcones... I’ve reviewed so many Balcones products and they share so many similarities that it feels slightly redundant but let’s just say that all the big, rich Balcones flavors and aromas are present in spades on this one: molasses, mesquite, buttered corn-on-the-cob, beef jerky, smoke, bbq sauce, teriyaki, creme brûlée, and charcoal. Mouthfeel is THICK and the finish lasts forever. Maybe it’s just a Tex-Mex fantasy, but I’d almost swear there was a hint of jalapeño in this one. This is one of the best Balcones products and features all their signature notes turned up to 11. With these whiskeys I have found that the higher the proof the better, as any attempt at watering down or subtlety just falls flat. Trust me, you want it in all it’s undiluted intense in-your-face glory and this one delivers that hardcore. Paid $63 and would rebuy. That said, as a public service announcement I would say that in my opinion one Balcones product is probably enough in your cabinet at any one time. But when this is gone I will definitely go out and buy something else from this distillery; either this, Brimstone, or their Single Malt.

Pungent and inviting nose of graham cracker, vanilla, baked apple, pear, sherry, oak, and burnt leaves. Surprising lack of ethanol given the proof. Palate opens with honey, hard candy, dried apricot, vanilla, fig, and golden raisin transitioning to butterscotch and smoked almond in the mid-palate. Pleasant grassy note rides in the background the whole way through. Rich and elegant. Pepper, oak, copper, toffee, and custard in the extremely long finish. As good as it sounds. A residual mineral salinity after everything else fades. Mouthfeel is thick, heavy, and oily. I found this to be an absolute knockout. Flavorful but yet subdued, punchy but not overpowering, it’s a little hard to describe. Bottom line: it’s just so damn good. Everything comes together rather perfectly. At $75 that I paid, it’s a rebuy all day every day and will probably occupy a permanent space in my cabinet.

Total Wine pick Gilbert AZ, 116.68 proof. Delectable nose of banana bread, mango, custard, drawn butter, apple, almond, and orange slice candy. Kind of a mossy note underneath which becomes more prevalent as it sits in the glass but is not unwelcome. Amazingly low ethanol for nearly 120 proof. Palate is rich and punchy with orange marmalade, vanilla cream, strawberry jam, honey, and cereal grains (oats). Flavors hit the mid part of the tongue and entrench themselves there. Finish does take a rather sharp turn into cinnamon, pepper, and baking spice territory, ending with a oaky, buttery dryness similar to a Chardonnay. Medium length. Quite frankly I’m not sure if the finish matches the palate well; if doesn’t so much develop as it takes a huge left turn. Mouthfeel is grippy and resinous. Big plus. Overall a really solid product that has me a bit enchanted due to its uniqueness. It’s not perfect by any means but if you like bright, fruity whiskies, this could be for you. Plenty of other single barrel store picks of this in my area so I will happily shell out $59 to try another pick. Solidly in the rebuy zone.