Tastes

So I must preface this review by saying that when I opened the bottle and took the first taste, all I could think of was how I was going to slam this in my review. It smelled like tea, and tasted like tea, tobacco, and leather. But a funny thing happened as I tasted it during pours and even more so as the bottle reached the halfway point; it morphed into something else and a host of new flavors came out. I have never had a whiskey change this dramatically after first tasting. That said, on to the review: Nose: Tea, tobacco, and leather (lol) Ok but seriously, in addition to that there's unsweetened chocolate, vinegar, root beer, musty rickhouse, and a savory soy sauce note. Palate is a pretty punchy blast of candied orange, bittersweet chocolate, coffee, and hazelnut. Oh also tea, tobacco, and leather. :) Definitely on the tannic side, but with a surprising amount of complexity which increases with each sip. Finish is pretty short with cinnamon, clove, and menthol. More candied orange when that fades. Mouthfeel is light bodied but fits the profile and proof well. So after thinking I was going to slam the shit out of this, here I am giving it a decent review. I found myself repeatedly coming back to this over and over again to analyze it, and will be sad to see the almost empty bottle go. A weird bird, but at $35 a weird bird worth having around and I will almost certainly buy another bottle.

Scored this for a significantly discounted price at Costco. Medium strength nose of smoky barrel char, cherry, vanilla, Coca Cola, watermelon, and a faint hint of grass. No ethanol to speak of. Complex and appealing. Palate is very “old school”; lots of vanilla, caramel, cherry, and orange peel, developing into a finish of barrel spices, oak, and char. I was searching for how to describe the flavor when it hit me; tastes just like a well made Old Fashioned. Some toffee and mint on the back end when the spices fade. Shorter finish than what I was expecting. Suitably rich. Flavors transition smoothly and as a whole it’s really well balanced. Mouthfeel could best be described as “velvety” and is the high point, lending to an easy drinking experience. Drinks slightly under its 100 proof. I wish I could tell you there’s something truly groundbreaking going on but I can’t. This doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but if aliens landed tomorrow and said “what is this Bourbon you speak of?” this might be one you’d reach for as it’s a great high quality example of what traditional bourbon is supposed to be. At a $68 discount price I don’t regret the purchase. At $90 like I have seen around town? I’m afraid it’s just not unique or special enough to justify that kind of price point.

Nose is very faint; orange peel, brown sugar, leather, and musty rickhouse. The palate matches the nose pretty closely with caramel, vanilla, and candied orange. VERY simple profile but there is some richness present to compensate. Nary a hint of oak, so if your looking for that you have the wrong one here. Very “traditional” finish of cinnamon bears candy and black pepper that’s over in a flash. After the spicy notes vanish there’s a nice lingering note of praline which is a pleasant surprise. Mouthfeel is pretty full and lush for a budget whiskey. Make no mistake with a such a basic flavor profile and short finish you would never confuse this with a top shelf offering, but it’s pretty solid. At 21.99 for a LITER, this is definitely one of the best values around. It would be perfect for cocktails, but not unenjoyable as a neat pour. To be honest, it’s probably not going to replace the always excellent WT 101 as my go-to budget offering of choice, but who’s going to knock a decent bourbon at a great price point?

For my 100th review, a bottle I’ve been wanting to get my hands on but never had the opportunity to until now. Rebel Yell 10 Year. Actually this bottle is more of a 14 yr. (Barrel # 4765301. Barreling date 02/06) On to the review! Nose is very soft. Mostly fruity with apple, peach, and fig along with some floral notes of honeysuckle. If that sounds appealing, well it is. Palate opens with honey, vanilla, apple, and baked sugared peaches before transitioning into a mid-palate of cinnamon, clove, and pepper, and those flavors also carry into the medium length finish. Earthy undertone (mushroom?) as well in the finish. After everything else fades you’re left with a lovely lingering aftertaste of caramel flan. Pretty complex. I do love a whiskey that can go from sweet to spicy to sweet again and this delivers with a smooth, cohesive ride. Mouthfeel is creamy and on the delicate side. So yeah, as my first wheater of this age I do get the phenomenon; the softness is real, but yet the flavors are fully actualized and not lacking in depth at all; no easy feat. Reminds me a little of EH Taylor Single Barrel with regards to the flavor integration and earthiness. At $70, it’s a little pricey but I feel the quality to cost ratio is about right. I’d buy it again for that price if the opportunity presented itself. Anything less than that and it’s a steal.

Century Grand store pick, Phoenix Arizona. (This review mostly for my own notes and probably useless to those outside the AZ area and will focus on the difference between this store pick and the standard) Nose has cinnamon, vanilla, egg cream, and overripe date. Barely a trace of ethanol, so points for that. Initially a fairly standard vanilla/caramel and cherry with some nice richness. Nothing in the mid-palate. Blasts from the opening sweet notes to the spicy finish in record time. Big cinnamon, mint, and oak bloom on a long finish that hits on the back of the throat. Flavors are sharp. Not much change from on the standard offering. Still very oaky and very hot on the finish. Managed to score this at Costco for $48 but even at a $15 discount, still not a rebuy. This is my 3rd try of a RR product and it seems like this line just isn’t for me. I give up.

Costco Store Pick, Gilbert AZ. Nose: orchard fruits, nutmeg, candy corn, and a wood note that ain’t oak; it’s more like tree sap. Can get all up in there and whiff without singeing the nostrils, so points for that. On the palate big, juicy, fruit flavors. They are so well blended that when I try to pick the individual fruits out it becomes difficult but getting white grape, apple, pear, and strawberry. You know what this is? Fruit punch in bourbon form. Oak and some caramel brittle come in at the mid-palate, bringing balance. Finish is hard to describe; the flavor doesn’t change much, it just gets hotter. Not a bad thing by any means. Mouthfeel is oily and medium thickness. This is by far the fruitiest bourbon I have ever had, and it’s a delight. Very different from everything else in my cabinet. At the $54 I paid and clocking in at a solid 104 proof, it’s a winner for sure. If you like fruity bourbons or just want something off the beaten path, this could be your jam.

Total Wine Store Pick (Gilbert AZ) 8yr, Rickhouse G, Floor 7 (This review mostly for my own notes and probably useless to those outside the AZ area and will focus on the difference between this store pick and the standard) I actually bought this thinking it was a restock of a recent-ish 9 yr pick, and didn’t realize it was a different pick until I got it home. (Oops) Main difference here is less caramel and more fruit forward; specifically baked apple skin. Surprisingly large oak presence on the back end for the age but not as astringent with it as the regular offering. Not many other differences, possibly due to the relatively low age for a EC pick. All in all a very small improvement with this pick which makes it a decidedly ho-hum affair but on the other hand, TW didn’t do the standard up charge for it so there’s that.

The nose on this is absolutely killer; vanilla custard, torched caramel, graham cracker, pumpernickel bread, bananas foster, creamed corn, and almond. On the palate rich, decadent flavors of creme brulee, praline, marzipan, and sweet corn. Pretty evenly split between initial taste and mid-palate; glides between flavor notes smoothly. Finish has some prickly heat, barrel char, and a kiss of oak and is of a solid high-medium length. The finish is not really cinnamon or pepper as much as it is more of an young spirit bite which shouldn't work but somehow it is a feature not a bug as it provides the right balance and keeps this very sweet bourbon from rolling over into "dessert bourbon" territory. Mouthfeel is chewy and viscous. This one struck the right chord with me; sweet without being cloying with a delicious depth of flavor. At $53 and 100 proof, very much a rebuy for me. Really enjoying Wilderness Trail distillery so far and it really seems like they are on the right track.

Pretty mild nose of dill, ginger, clove, citrus, rolled oats, and a tinge of ethanol. Palate opens with butterscotch and honey transitioning to orange peel and a woodsy oak in the mid-palate, but then cuts right to the finish. Flavors aren’t particularly rich or punchy; they are just kind of “there”. Spicy medium length finish features black pepper, cinnamon, anise, and dill with a kiss of mint. Mouthfeel is light and soft. A “sweet and spicy” rye that isn’t particularly herbal, this makes good showing with no real flaws, but also doesn’t knock my socks off. Which brings me to the price; at $58 this is overpriced for a “just fine” experience. High West Double Rye is a bolder, more herbal, and ultimately more interesting whiskey for about half the price. Misses the re-buy mark for me.

120 proof version. Ok let’s start with nosing this you never in a million years guess its 120 proof both from the lack of ethanol and the overall delicacy of the aroma. Wildflower, honeysuckle, spearmint, berries, fresh cut Bermuda grass, ground mustard seed, and anise. On the palate opens with lots of honey and sugar cookie, followed by strawberry, rye, and savory sweet corn in the mid palate. Finish is mint, black licorice, hay, and finely ground white pepper, and it’s ridiculously (and enjoyably) long. Flavors are rich and punchy, and the ride from sweet to savory to herbal flows seamlessly which always is going to score an extra point from me. Mouthfeel is very silky for a rye; another plus. An assertive yet balanced rye. I really loved this. At $63, it’s inline for what you would expect to pay for a barrel proof rye and you get your money’s worth. Would buy again.