Tastes

This may be obvious, but the nose is mostly corn. Holy cow, there’s so much corn. Whadaya know, more corn on the palate. There’s also some subtle vanilla and brown sugar notes too. Palate is spicier than I expected, but not much going on there in the end. Is this gonna win any awards? No. But it’s not bad. If you like corn.

Apples and cloves on the nose. A hint of orange, too. Not a lot of ethanol for a 110 proof, which is a good thing. Palate is smooth, sweet and complex, with notes of mint, vanilla, and cherries, giving way to leather and oak on the finish. The finish becomes spicier as it lingers, but never becomes too hot.

Ethanol and banana on the nose. Banana bread on the palate. Finish is surprisingly long for the price range, with notes of pepper and cherries. A great deal for what you pay.

Lots of lemon on the nose, with some oats too. Palate is more bourbon-y than rye, with a lot of corn and vanilla, not so much spice or bread. Long, spicy finish, with notes of black pepper and rye (duh).

The nose strongly resembles a red wine with a hint of pine needles at the end. As acidic as the nose is, the palate is surprisingly earthy and vegetal. This is a very savory whiskey. Finish is similarly savory, with corn and a hint of smoke lingering without outstaying their welcome.

Lots of orange on the nose, rounded out by a note of creme brûlée. This whiskey doesn’t stray away from the classic bourbon flavors, but it puts so much heart into it. The palate tastes like a caramel gelato. It’s sweet, incredibly smooth, and well-balanced. Not much spice and not a big body if that’s your thing. But if you’re looking for a bourbon that checks all the bourbon boxes, this is it. As with others in the Van Winkle line, the finish, which has notes of cherries and charcoal, is short, which is probably my only complaint.

Almost no ethanol on the nose, possibly due to the lower proof, and is a lot sweeter than most bourbons. Smells like marshmallows in a way. Rather unusually, the palate hits harder than the finish. Palate has an interesting spiciness to it, like black pepper and cloves. Finish is short, a theme I’ve noticed with the Van Winkle line, with notes of charcoal and smokey oak.

Strong orange and vanilla presence on the nose, followed by a whiff of brown sugar. Palate is very sweet. Classic bourbon flavors doing a lot of heavy lifting. Finish is shorter than you’d expect, but pleasant, with oak and a hint of tobacco smoke.

Nose is sweet and a little tart, like a green apple. Hint of cinnamon too. Palate has that classic rye breadiness, but leathery and smokey notes rein it in. Long, smokey finish with some umami flavor I can’t quite put my finger on. I’m normally not crazy about ryes, but this is very enjoyable.

There’s not much ethanol on the nose, which is unusual for something so high-proof. Nose starts off floral before notes of leather and oak take over. Slight minty-ness. That alcohol that eluded the nose? It comes back with a vengeance on the palate. Hot hot hot. Apart from the booze, the palate has strong caramel notes, shocking no one, with some subtler cream notes balancing it out. This finish hugs you and won’t let go. Black pepper, rye spice, and something tart I can’t put my finger on there. Note: this is the first BTAC series I’ve had. I know I’ve ranked them all the same so far, but of course I have preferences between them. Of the three I’ve had: Stagg comes in first place, followed by this one in second, and Handy in third. All in all, three excellent bourbons I would all highly recommend.