Tastes

The nose on this delivers exactly what you expect from a wheaten bourbon. Vanilla and banana, with some musty corn and leather notes in the background. The wheat adding a softness that entices you to keep going. Palate delivers some big flavors up front.. baking spice and oak are the first to show up, followed by the corn and then creme brûlée. Overall mouthfeel is richer then I expected but also far spikier. Unlike the nose the wheat is not playing it’s expected part here. Finish is a bit longer then I expected too, lots of dry oak and some lingering peppery notes, following by some very noticeable anise. This a nice bourbon, and I find it more interesting then a Makers or a Wellers at this price point. I’m not finding the smoothness that I think it supposed to be there (like I do with the other 2) but I’m really ok with it.

Looking at the proof I expected this to jump out of the glass, but it’s hauntingly deceptive. The nose gives off musty corn notes with some herbs and vanilla darting in and out of the background. It’s very muted, as if it’s taunting you to take a sip. The palate takes you straight to flavourtown, with sweet citrus fruit up front, then it explodes with spice and heat. It reminds me of a high rye mash but I don’t think this is. (13% maybe?) Regardless, it delivers baking spice, more herbs and then vanilla.. all with enough ethanol to clear the sinuses and kill all my gut biome. Delicious. Finish is medium long, with more pepper and dark toffee at first, then gobs of #4 charred oak. Dry and stringent, and despite what happened in the palate, not much heat. To think that just last night I sat here reviewing a bottle of gentleman jack for only 20 dollars less is mind boggling. Grab a bottle of this!

Picked this up on a whim just browsing through the store and searching distiller.. scored decent and was cheap so why not.. The nose starts off with classic bourbon notes.. (sorry Tennessee) cherry, vanilla, brown sugar and honey with some ethanol jumping out too. Let it settle and then just as the expert review states, it’s bananas for days. The palate is... hmm where is the palate?. At first sip there is a slight sweetness on the tongue but no real flavour, and after swallowing there is a little corn mixed with some baking spice wrapped in a decent heat from only 80 proof. The bottle says it’s double mellowed but it’s so thin and simple it’s as mellow as a glass of water. There really isn’t much of a finish, other then the warmth from the ABV (surprising) but there aren’t any flavours here. This isn’t bad whiskey, it’s just boring with not much flavour. It doesn’t cost much either, but for the money snag a 4R, Wellers, KC or BT which will deliver a more satisfying experience. The expert here gives it a 91 so I’m assuming back in 2013 it may have been his first dram 😂

Dark fruit and sherry funk dominate the nose, gently rolling into heavenly vanilla soaked barley notes. After a few mins of breathing the oak starts to show up in the background. Nothing overly original, but what’s there smells solid. The palate is... well.. somewhat lacking. Not much flavour at all up front, just an expected malty kiss mid palate. This changes to some peppery notes and just a hint of tobacco, but is gone rather quick.. I’m left wondering what happened. The finish is short, and reminds you how thin the palate felt. A little oak, a little spice, and then it’s gone. Based on the nose I expected way more then I got. However, I snagged this on sale at 40% off what it normally retails for up here so I’m good with it. It normally sells for close to 100 CAD and there are way better scotches for that price.

Knowing that this was going to be a delicious pour I decided to wait until Thanksgiving (Canada) to have this. If 2020 has taught me anything, it’s to be thankful for whisky. As expected there’s an incredibly complex nose.. first a punch of smoky peat, followed by the medicinal scent of vicks vaporub. Wait a few mins and then barley and brine dance in the background of this savory dram. The palate delivers some ashy campfire wood up front, and then it sloooowwly evolves into deep umami mixed with malt and peat. It then shifts gears sloooowwly into lightly cured meats wrapped in seaweed and misted with brine. It does all this while pulling all moisture from your mouth.. this may be the dryest Islay I’ve had. The finish is thin but still finds a way to last, with lots of oak a little bit of pepper and that wonderful peat making a third appearance. Wonderfully complex, smooth and smoky, yes Lagavulin, I am thankful for thee.

The nose initially explodes with bright shiny green apple and orange zest. A little air and it evolves into nuttiness and some darker fruits with some sherry funk. The nose had me believe that there would be sweetness coming, but the palate immediately lets you know this is a savory sipper. Malt for days up front, then almond and chestnut (or what I imagine chestnuts to taste like) wrapped in a nice oily mouthfeel. Finish is medium long, with some dark fruits and oak, and just a hint of spice. Overall a delicious whisky and one that I will order again!

The nose initially hits you ethanol, which I didn’t expect at only 100 proof. 5 mins later however it shows it’s true colors... molasses and burnt sugar, then baking spices and then more grainy rye in the background. Front of the palate entices with some dark sugar, but that shifts quickly to a hot and spicy rye grain that envelopes your whole mouth and even tingles the sinuses. This little dram demands your attention. Once your tongue mellows out you can pick out some tobacco and and pepper, but that rye flavour never leaves. The finish is medium long, with anise now making an appearance and some barrel tannin. While I haven’t tried too many Ryes, I figured this would be like most... not expensive, 100 proof.. ok at best.. but the first sip really surprised me and this is definitely punching weigh above it’s weight class.

The nose is bright and shiny at first, giving tons of honey and a little bit of fruit. Don’t sip right away though..the bright and shiny gives way to a more richer malt vibe with just a whiff of peat way in the back. Palate starts off with some funk (in a good way) with malt and sherry fighting for dominance. The malt wins and then gives the belt to honey who defends it against leather, tobacco and baking spice. I’m used to highlands starting sweet and ending funky but this one does the opposite. A nice change. Finish is medium short, and what’s there is honey and oak, which is a little too dry in my opinion. Overall a good whisky.. doesn’t color outside the lines but also not boring at all. It’s listed as a peated single malt, but other then the back of the nose I couldn’t find it.

The nose is rich with corn, caramel and vanilla. Pretty typical, but wait 5 mins and baking spice and citrus begin to creep out. Up front there is an explosion of flavour on the palate, starting with musty corn, but changing quick to leather notes and then tobacco with spices. All of this is wrapped in an oily blanket that delivers some heat.. far more then the proof would have you believe. Finish is also longer then expected, giving you time to experience the barrel.. first with some vanilla notes and then more dry tannins. That dryness does make you feel like you need a drink of water though, and of course you don’t have one, so another sip of Blantons it is. Well played sir, well played.

I heard that CB was planning on discontinuing this expression in the near future so thought I better snag a bottle, and I’m glad I did. The initial nose explodes with bright shiny fruit like an Irish (think apples, pears) and some floral notes mixed with honey. Not too interesting, but let it sit for 5-10 mins. Once it breathes there is a dramatic change to caramelized bananas, chocolate and malt. Far more indulgent if I may say. The palate is slightly thin, but there’s some good flavour here. Malted barley mixed with honey and vanilla comes first, which is then overtaken by copious amounts of baking spice and just a hint of oak. Unfortunately the finish ends so fast that I end up questioning what just happened. This is a delicious whisky, but dare I say it’s spicier then my Spice Tree, and my Spice Tree has more oak/wood flavour then my Oak Cross? Anyone feel the same?