Tastes

Blind Test: Henry McKenna 10-year bottled in bond. Nose: vanilla, brown sugar, fruity Taste: those notes follow through on the palate. Nice and warm, I’m guessing over 100 proof. Oaky. Finish: baking spice and cinnamon, vanilla, oakcaramel, and it still hangs out for awhile. Overall: very tasty and complex, really say to drink. Good stuff. Score: 4/5

Blind Test: High West Campfire Nose: Smokey, Vicks vaporub/menthol Taste: I’m getting really strong menthol vibes here. Definitely not something I’m used to. Smoke as well. Very flavorful and unique, but not necessarily in a good way. Finish: the finish lasts for awhile, but it is more of those medicinal notes. Overall: I have settled into it a bit, but, while it is certainly my unique, it is not the flavor profile I typically look for in a whiskey. Some may love it though, a d I could see it making a great cocktail. Score: 2.75/5

Blind Test: Makers Mark S IV wood finish series FAE-01 Nose: oak Taste: definitely oak. Not too much, but that is the primary flavor profile. Guessing it is on the higher side proof wise. Very smooth, but not complex. Caramel does start to emerge. Finish: cinnamon and caramel. Overall: this is pretty good. Not amazing, but pretty good. Very smooth and easy to drink, but not complex. Score: 3.5/5

Blind Test: Barrel Vantage Nose: cinnamon and baking spice, oak Taste: strong baking spice, clove, fall slices in general. Likely higher proof, guessing over 110. Oak. Could be a finished bourbon. Evolves into a sort of butterscotch thing. Finish: sticks around for a good long time and really coats the mouth. Overall: very flavorful and tasty. Different notes come forward over the course of the drinks. Score: 4/5

Blind Test Jack Daniel’s 10 Year Old Nose: sweet and fruity. Taste: definitely has the profile of a Buffalo Trace product. Very sweet and fruity, maybe cherry. I’m guessing around 100 proof. Finish: doesn’t linger for a long time. General cinnamon spice notes as it fades. Overall: pretty tasty, but not super complex Score: 3.25/5

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