Tastes

This is the 86 proof version available in NC. Fairly good. A bit too much alcohol on the nose, and in the mouth. Not very complex, but no off notes or rot-gut flavors. A splash of water brought out sweetness and softened up the finish. I certainly recommend this with chilled water. This is by far a better pour for $11.95 a bottle than anything else I have tried. Give it a try.

Tasted blind. This is good bourbon, but not great. It is between EW Black and EWSB. Similar notes, but some amplified, while others are softened. The long finish is certainly smoky EW. Since the SB reserve is $29 I believe I would select that over either of the EW offerings.

One fiery pour! I tasted blind. Flavorful but full of spice. Strong cinnamon & cloves. Tastes a lot like Big Red gum after some cool distilled water is added. Thankfully it is mostly back heat so other flavors can still be distinguished. This could rate higher than 3 stars but not at $80/bottle in NC. I suggest this as a bar pour only at this price...w/ plenty of rocks!

Tasted blind. This is very good whiskey. The nose is very inviting with apples, vanilla and baking spice. A bit of cinnamon as well. The Taste is smooth and easy sipping. The flavors are complex but not too busy. It's straight ahead good bourbon without a lot of fuss. None of the flavors are your basic EW black. However, the end of the fairly long finish is the familiar, lightly smokey EW. While a few distilled ice chips amp up the sweetness, a few good flavors leave the pallet. This is most likely due to the fairy low ABV. For $30 on sale in NC, it's a double buy!

I tasted this blind. This is very good scotch. Lots of fruit. Vanilla, pear, apple, and baking spices. All the sweet with just a bit of heat. A bit thin in the middle prevents the 5th star. But, this is really good.

I am not a rye whiskey fan. This is good, but not as full flavored or as complex as I would like. I guess the cocktail ingredients are supposed to make up for the absence of complexity. I agree with the pro evaluation except for rich and fruity. It is definitely Dentyne gum at the long finish. Spicy with back heat. I will need to revisit Knob Creek Rye as my memory is it was a bit more complex. I gave it 2.5 stars. Sazerac Rye gets a full star more because it's only 28.95 in NC instead of $37. I will give BTD a break because it's not their fault it's only locally available in NC quarterly (and sparingly). I am just not quite warming to rye yet...but I love Dentyne gum! 3.5 stars Update: 9/26/2020 3.75 Stars This is my "favorite" of the regular rye expression. Two and a half years after my review, I am more of an appreciator of some rye expressions. In September 2020 I cracked a new bottle of Sazerac. I usually visit Rye at the end of an evening as a nightcap. An idea brought to me by a member of the Greensboro Buyers Club jwsparta. I am approaching this nightcap after revisiting Blade & Bow & a new bottle of Buffalo Trace. Both pours seemed much softer and smoother than I recall on my original reviews. I guess in two and a half years I have become a proof hound. With that in mind when I tried my nightcap of Sazerac, it seemed very dilly More dilly tonight than I ever remember. I usually think of dilly ryes as those coming from High West. My absolute favorite pure rye would be Pikesville, but Sazerac is on my top shelf. I'm not certain if it's the new bottle or the fact that I've had wide varieties of flavors before drinking rye, but I'm not used to this much pronounced dilll from Sazerac. It is perplexing.

Very good pour. Complex and approachable. Classic high rye bourbon flavor. Very smooth given its ABV. A few ice chips sweetened up the drink but did not dampen the flavors. Great value. It simply tastes like America in a bottle. Welcome to the party Russell's WT!

Very good wheated bourbon. Smooth and easy to drink. Complex without being too busy. Balanced taste without the best finish. A bit of isopropyl note but not much sweetness to speak of. Not a top shelf offering but a pretty good value for $30. Solid 3.5 stars

The Distiller expert review is right on point. This pour only lacks smoke and brine. The nose is sweet with vanilla and oak. Alcohol is prevalent at first but after a bit of airing out, is is not too strong. Flavor is very complex. Lots going on up front, midway, and on the long finish. A splash of distilled water brings out the sweetness in the nose and cuts the alcohol without flattening out other flavors. This fantastic whiskey is still smooth neat, even at the high ABV. I have tried the 10 yr reserve and this is so much better. It hits so many notes the 10 yr misses, even with 10 years in the barrel??? I picked this bottle up at $57 on sale in NC. It is available almost everywhere and is up there with the best $60 single barrels. Do not pass up on the chance to try a pour at a bar or be afraid to grab a bottle. Welcome to the Top Shelf Russell's! 4.5 stars.

I tasted this in a blind comparison with Benchmark 8 as a control. Neither smelled of vanilla or oak. Benchmark 8 smelled like a BT product. (A positive for me). They both tasted the same??? I knew one was different but the same notes were present. Neither had off notes or tasted of rot-gut. The Benchmark tasted more of caramel, and the Harper tasted of floor wax. ( or young bourbon) See my review of Benchmark 8. What really is striking is the high rating Harper NAS received from the pro evaluation? (Blade & Bow 90, Blanton's 89, Buffalo Trace 82... I know, from different evaluators) I am no expert but I know what I like. I also know that I agree with most when it comes to top shelf bourbon. This is NOT. This "might" receive 3.5 stars if it were $12.95/bottle in NC because of the absence of off notes. Unfortunately it is $35 / bottle. Again, see my Benchmark review. I am fair to cheaper bourbon. Benchmark, Early Times, Ancient Age do not pretend they're something they're not. Harper NAS apparently believes it belongs with other bourbons in the mid $30 range. Sorry... After rinsing out both glasses, I threw a few distilled rocks in one and poured a bit of Knob Creek... I could not go to bed without a reminder of what Oak, and Vanilla are supposed to taste like in quality bourbon...for $32! I would like to give 1 star, but I can't since it doesn't taste bad or swill. It's just a pretender and I don't suffer that well. Does anyone want the rest of the bottle???