Tastes

Blind test: Lucky Seven Holiday Toast Nose: baking spice, oak, cinnamon rolls. Taste: Oak, cinnamon, baking spice, peppery, baked goods in general. Finish: all those flavors stick around for awhile. Very pleasant warmth. Bubble gum Overall: Really tasty and interesting evolution over the course of the glass. Very good. 4.25/5

Blind Taste: Stagg 23a Nose: sweet red fruit Taste: mild spice, cinnamon, and a bit of fruitiness. Oak. I’m guessing under 100 proof. Finish: The warmth lingers for a bit and fades into cinnamon. Overall: At first sip, this didn’t impress me all that much. But over the course of the drink, there was seven evolution and some of the oaky cinnamon notes presented themselves. Score: 3.75/5

Blind Taste Weller Antique 107 Nose: sweet, caramel, but there is almost something savory here as well, possibly an oaky scent. Taste: That oaky caramel experience is definitely there. A good amount of sweetness. A bit of baking spice. Very tasty. I would guess this is somewhere around 100 proof. Finish: the warmth lingers for quite awhile, and adds some cinnamon as well. Overall: very good all around. This has a lot of the flavors I enjoy in bourbon. Very smooth, sweet, and some mild oak flavors. I wouldn’t say it is overly complex, but overall very good. Score: 4/5

Nose: sweet, brown sugar, vanilla. Baking spice. Taste: pleasant. Smooth vanilla and brown sugar. Not complex, but certainly not bad. Finish: warm cinnamon Overall: no very complex, but not bad at all. Easy to sip on neat, or can be mixed in a cocktail. Score: 3.25/5

Blind Test Nose: bright and fruity at first. Baking spice. Earthy oak. Very interesting complexity. Taste: caramel, sweet, fruity. Nice and warm, I’m guessing this is over 100 proof. Finish: long finish of cinnamon, baking spice, and caramel. Warms the entire palate. Overall: this is good stuff. Very interesting complexity as I work my way through the pour. That oaky warmth and cinnamon/baking spice is there all the way through. The sweet/caramel note is there as well, although not as evident as it was the very first sniff. If you like oaky/baking spice notes (which I do), you will like this a lot. After learning what I’ve been drinking, I have to say, this is a great value bourbon at something like $45. I believe Wheeler’s sources their bourbon, but then finishes it in their distillery in Nolensville, TN. Pick some up if you can find it. Score: 4.25/5

Nose: fruity, slight blueberry. Baking spice. Caramel. Earthy tones, but not unpleasant. Taste: all those flavors from the nose follow through. Very bright and warm. Reminds me of fresh basked blueberry pie. Finish: cinnamon and baking spice. Overall: very pleasant and interesting flavors that evolve over the course of the drink. It’s a bourbon you want to sit and focus on. The earthy notes are very unique; while I wouldn’t want that trait in all bourbons, it works here. Definitely recommend. Score: 4/5

Very light and fruity. Nothing bad here, but nothing to write home about. This might make a great entry-level bourbon for those who arent used to the typical bourbon profile. But for those who prefer a high-proof, full flavour bourbon experience, it leaves something to be desired.

Nose: citrus, mild baking spice, red fruit, mineral. Taste: very mild, slight mineral, oak. Finish: pepper and cinnamon, very short finish. Overall: Very run-of-the-mill. The mineral flavors are not the most pleasant. No strong flavors, short finish, and kind of boring drinking it neat. Not bad, but not very good either. Score: 2.5/5

Blind test: Maker’s Mark 46 Nose: sweet and fruity. Cherry maybe. Light hints of cinnamon and baking spice. Taste: oaky, leather, mild sweetness. Vanilla, pepper. Slightly hot, I would guess the proof is 100+. Finish: strong cinnamon, pepper, long finish. Overall: pretty solid and interestingly complex. I was very surprised to learn this is Makers Mark 46. On previous pours, I picked up on the smoky woody flavor way more than this time. Very interesting how the experience can change like that. Still very good, but for whatever reason I’m not picking up on as much complexity this time. Score: 3.5/5