Tastes

Nose: Fruit. Red apples, fig, plumb, cherry, caramel, vanilla, and a toasty brown sugar leads up the rear. Taste: A fraction of the nose is there, subtle fruit, apples and other murmurs get swallowed up by wood, you will suck in your cheeks if you drink enough. Dark chocolate might be found on the aftertaste. Note: I do not think most reviews have been fair, the nose is great, I could sniff away all day, the taste isn't bad just lacking in comparison. Like a beautiful date that can't kiss. It's nice to admire but your lips will be disappointed. I think a lot of people get excited by the aroma only to have that excitement dashed by the taste, leaving them bitter. I can enjoy the nose on its own but if the taste could match this world be a whiskey to behold.

Nose: vanilla, shortbread, green apple, buttered toast. Taste: apple, light pastry, unsalted butter, fruit cup, Experience: Eating a hot buttered strudel on the patio. A great bang for your buck and a fantastic Irish, really hope they do more.

Nose: sour cherry, wood, caramel, but bread underneath. Taste: sweet up front with fruit and caramel notes finishing hot, but not too hot, with tart, woody, and a hint of cacao. Notes: this is one of, if not the, best bangs for your buck whiskies. I did consider the price in my rating.

Nose: cherry, wood, toffy, pie crust, vanilla icecream. Taste: hot oak, baking spices, caramel, Experience: eating hot cherry pie and ice cream on a summer night. Tasty but maybe you took a bite too soon, if you aren't careful while enjoying this treat you could burn yourself. I'm not a huge fan of the regular Elijah Craig, but damn this is a treat. A fantastic bourbon. Just be ready for the heat.

Nose: Sweet cherry, spices, cloves, old leather, wood shavings. Taste: sweet, then spicy, then hot, cherries and apples, brown sugar, slight heavy cream or horchata. Experience: hard to find a clear experience for me. It's an armchair bourbon for sure but a warm and cozy armchair, with some cider and cinnamon sticks. Was hoping I wouldn't like this, as it is impossible to find and a limited release. But damn, it's good. There are far cheaper and more accessible bourbons that come pretty close, but it stands up next to The Buffalo Trace Antique collection and other great whiskies.

Nose: Cherries, smoke, herbal mint, red licorice, cigar ash, stewed fruits, pixie sticks. Taste: Sweet cherry, ash, baking spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, taaaad mint or anise. Experience: A fall/winter party with great food and multiple fires, indoors you have a fireplace with fruits and pastries set about. The smells are sweet and warm. You walk outside into the cold and the sweet smells drop off into ashy darkness. But as you draw close to the heat of the outdoor fire pit the warmth comes back and you take another bite of the goodies you brought from inside. Notes: This was talked up to me as a fan of all types of whiskey. So I went in skeptical, but it is a fantastic blend for someone like me who enjoys bourbon, Scotch, Rye, and everything in-between. If you hate smoke, or rye, I have no clue how you will react to this. But I love all whiskey and this is a perfect paring of multiple genres, like The Princes Bride or Back to the Future III, it's not for everyone but if you like each part, you'll like them all mixed together.

Nose: chocolate pudding, raspberry, coconut, baking spices, nutmeg, roasted nuts, cotten candy, and Autumn leaves. Taste: chocolate, dark and citrus fruits, with a nut filled fudge finish. Experience: taking a bite of a fruit and nut brownie or fudge on a cool crisp fall day. Really loving this, it's like Bunnahabhain 12 if you added fruits and nuts. Starts with chocolate, goes sweet nutty and fruity, then finishes with a darker bitter chocolate, I'm delighted. *Not sure if mine is the same as it is 43% abv and the bottle is much darker almost black.

Nose: true peat bog peat, not the medicinal Laphroaig peat, or the burning tire fire peat, but a true damp dirty earth lit ablaze. Salt, olive oil (the good thick stuff), cheese curds, dried wood, with just a hint of fruits, mostly a dark cherry. Taste: cereal, hay, bitter wood, Chestnut, grass, and a bit of pie crust. Experience: eating a cheese board. Like the whole board wood and all. Cheese, olives, meat, salt... Wood. It's the whole board with everything on it. But in a fantastic way. If you want a meal in a whiskey this is it.

Nose: green apple, cinnamon, pie crust, lemon zest, grass clippings, honey. Taste: Citrus takes over, no more pie crust, black pepper, and nutmeg finish. Experience: Another hot girl/guy who is fun on a fling but not someone you'd want to spend more than an evening with. The excitement they offer is fun and fast but there is nothing deeper going on here... This is a bit disappointing. Not just for the high price and low availability but also as a whole. The finish is very short and very hot. Fun but not interesting.