Tastes

Wild Turkey 101 is one of the few bourbons that had to grow on me. The first time I tried it, I thought the taste was way too harsh. But I learned there's a trick to enjoying it: pour it in a glass and let it breathe for about 5-6 minutes. After that, take small sips. Then the bold flavors really open up. The palate is a great blend of butterscotch, caramel and cinnamon, with lots of nuttiness. A very good whiskey, especially considering its price point and availability.

Tastes like a blend between liquid black pepper and heavy caramel. There's also a lot of heat, so take small sips. A solid bourbon, though not as well-balanced as the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. One thing it has going for it though is its price ($37 in the Netherlands). Most barrel proof bourbons cost almost twice as much, so this is a great value.

Eagle Rare is an excellent bourbon for its price class; it almost tastes like a whiskey that's twice its price. The taste is very similar to Buffalo Trace (obviously because they're both from the same distillery), however Eagle Rare has a richer and darker palate. It also contains notes of leather and licorice, something I haven't tasted yet in other bourbons.

My favorite single malt whisky. Normally I'm not a big fan of single malt whiskies, as I'm not fond of the wine/sherry aftertaste, but luckily that's not present in this one. For the most part, I taste vanilla, butterscotch and milk chocolate. As I'm more of a bourbon guy, it's no wonder I like it a lot. I got this one as a gift for my 28th birthday.

For me, this tastes like liquid Werther's Original (a caramel sweet). Along with Buffalo Trace, this was my introduction to Bourbon and it's still one of my go-to's. A sweet and easy-drinking bourbon, despite it being 90 proof. One I always recommend to beginner bourbon and whiskey drinkers.

My introduction to bourbon, and still one of my go-to's. A light, pleasant bourbon that's incredibly well-balanced; it has a bit of the wood notes, a bit of the spiciness and a bit of the brown sugar taste, but it's in no way overwhelming. A perfect bourbon for beginners and experts alike. Note: in the Netherlands, they only sell the 80 proof Buffalo Trace. Keep in mind that the above review is about that specific bourbon.

One of my all-time favorite bourbons. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is an incredibly smooth whiskey, which is quite complex and viscous. The nose ia a delight, with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, caramel and brown sugar. On the palate I get a blend of dark chocolate and caramel with notes of toasted oak. This is like dessert in a glass.

One of my favorite mid-range bourbons, it's delicious. The taste I get is vanilla ice cream with maple syrup and lots of cinnamon, which leads to a dry and dusty finish. The first 100 proof bourbon I've ever tasted, and it clearly shows how more proof can add more flavor to a whiskey.