Tastes

Well I love the Kingsmen movies and this is a tribute so it is perfect for my 100th taste! Nose is typical bourbon corn and brown sugar. Flavor on this is a bit disappointing. Heavy on the alcohol burn that overshadows the brown sugar that screams to come through. Was so hopeful for this to at least be decent, but was ultimately let down.

These small bottles are cute, but pricey when compared to a normal bottle. Nose is brown sugar and burnt caramel. First sip is spicey and caramel forward. A bit heavy on the alcohol burn for my personal taste. Finish is very corn heavy. Overall a good pour, but overpriced compared to other options at the price.

I find that Johnnie Walker nose tends to be fairly ethanol heavy with very little peat. The Blue is right in this vain. The first sip is smooth and light. Hints of light smoke and honey almond fill the palate. Overall this is a truly smooth and pleasant dram. Definitely well above the other Walkers, but probably a bit overpriced given offerings from Aberfeldy and Compass Box at similar price points.

With the 18 year Johnnie moves out of the lower levels and into the middle tier of Scotch. Nose is crisp and light with little peat. First sip is almond and light caramel. Burn is alcohol forward that fills the mouth at the end with a quick rise and slow fall. Definitely an improvement over the entry Walkers, but still below most Compass Box entries.

With the gold label we start moving into Johnnie's higher dollar offerings. The nose on this bears almost no smoke and has a hint of ethanol. Flavor is not quite as smooth as double black, but still has the familiar almond hints of the Walker line. An ok pour, but not worth the step up in price from double black

Double black is interesting as it has almost no peat aroma. When you dive in there is a smooth smokiness with some honey almond notes. A little nicer than the standard black.

Nose is light peat, but not overpowering. First sip is very smooth. Relatively light peat with some almond biscotti notes. Smooth burn that never gets too strong.

Well Four Roses is always a fan favorite, but this year the small batch select managed to crack the top 3 in Whiskey Advocate so the rush is on. Finally released this in my home state so I was able to grab a bottle. Nose on this is subtle brown sugar and vanilla. First sip brings cinnamon, marzipan almonds, vanilla, and a hint of anise. Finish is a mild burn that lingers for a medium length before mellowing out.

A&B Store Pick at 107 proof. Haven't heard great things about this one, but the store picks are pretty good at A&B so we will give it a whirl. Nose is nice of sweet corn and brown sugar. Taste defintely brings some young ethanol heat which isn't terribly pleasant. Flavor is pretty strong though of dried fruit and molasses. Overall this one needs some more barrel time, but defintely has the bones to be a nice mash after some aging. Interested to see what WW produces when they hit 10 years. Not a drain pour by any means, but probably not something I would seek out again. They also make a double barrel that I might sample to see if the extra barrelling helps soften the burn.

Let's all start with the admission that Whistle Pig is the undisputed Rye king. Every bottle seems to display a mastery the rest of the whiskey world tries to match. PiggyBack is a young rye which might be scary from other distilleries, but this is WP so away we go with not a worry on mind. Nose is forresty (I realize I made that word up, but tell me I'm wrong). I get flashes of a spring hike through the woods. Taste is smooth like most Rye is not. I have no idea how they do this at every proof and age point, but once again WP has made an incredibly drinkable Rye. Flavor is layered of fresh baked goods and light pine. Banana nut muffins with cinnamon dusting dance into the sunset. Sazerac may get the popular vote, but WP is hands down most likely to succeed.