Tastes

Wish I had gotten this one years ago. Total bourbon drinkers rye with a little rough edge on it that I enjoy. I get leaf tobacco on the palate and finish. Nice little oaky finish. Great value rye here.

This is a product that I feel slipped a bit here the last couple years. This is LL/MD filled April 24 2024 and while it’s not the LL/ME filled in May it is still a major improvement from the last couple years. This is the one that started it for me. Up until I rolled the dice on this at the recommendation of a small liquor and cigar shop in Belle Meade TN. It was a staple for me from 2016 to 2019 and then it fell on hard times in 20, 21 and 22 in my opinion. Started to come back in 23’ and now is back to where it was almost a decade ago. I feel like when it’s on …. Cherry, mahogany leather chairs, musty old library books and a hint of butterscotch. Finish is wet oak and it is short but pleasing. Kentucky Spirits are more my wheelhouse and very underrated in my opinion but every once in awhile I check on this offering to see where it’s at? I enjoy the bottom floor Turkey when it gets some age on it and at times I feel like there is 12-13 year juice in here. Great starter bourbon and a great 90 proof option- my favorite at this proof. Cheers!

Line drive up the middle for bourbon profile but adds pecan note that makes it interesting.

Very sweet sugar and sweet oak combination product. At 121 it doesn't drink near it's proof in the palate but gives you a warm Kentucky hug. Excellent nose that I could sit with and sniff for days. While I like to add water to many of these releases, this one is excellent neat. It's more reminiscent of Evan Williams full proof (doesn't exist) than Elijah Craig which is a great batch variation for me. Wish I had a backup bottle - Cheers!

Nose has great oak, brown sugar and sugary coffee creamer and a touch of banana laffy taffy. Palate brings cherry coke, granulated white sugar, banana runts and brown sugar. Finish is oak dominated and brings some clove and sweet caramel that stays with you for a nice mellow chest warm filled with some nice pecan and cinnamon flavors. Before Jackie Zychan bolted from Old Forester she mentioned that the 100 proof barrels were short barrels. This was a total wine pick from warehouse G which I believe is one of 2 warehouses that does not have heat cycling. It's best attribute is how balanced it is across the sip bringing great oak, sweetness and spice.

Pick named "Boomin' Nova" from Cassanova liquor in Hudson, Wisconsin. This one is 9 years and 2 months old. Nose is awesome. Oak, caramel sundae and graham cracker dominate. Palate is very refined for a 120 proof bourbon. This pick is much sweeter than I was expecting. Knob Creek can be really good within a wide range of years but they can be really sweet and desert-like when it's a little younger. Flavors are just simple but bold with Oak leading the way. There is some cherry, simple syrup, carmel, toffee, brown sugar and nougat. Finish is a little fleeting, but it gives you a little leather and oak with a little maple syrup. My chest is getting a great warmth from it but you'd never ever guess from the palate that this is 120 proof whiskey. Really great bottle!!!

I finally decided to pick this one up yesterday as I was always curious about it and hear about how great it is on the bourbon junkies. Clearly my palate doesn't align with theirs very well. Just a mess right now as I contemplate picking up some ginger ale to wash it down. I will come back to it and see if it opens up some but right out of the gate this is not good whiskey and I really love Heaven Hill products, but I'm struggling to see how this one gets good reviews. Edit : this has opened up now and is very sweet. Raising the score to 3.0 due to the off flavors disappearing but the finish is so short.