Tastes

This is a well made product that differentiates itself from other Rye’s on the market. The nose is maple sugar, vanilla, butterscotch and a little oak. The palate morphs into brown sugar, vanilla, spearmint, orange marmalade, apricots and then rye spice with black pepper, and rye muffin linger on the palate. Rye spice is hiding at the beginning of the experience but makes itself known late. I love this one as it’s absence of dill and anise allows fruit, spearmint and rye flavor to shine through. Excellent whiskey!

It’s got a great nose. Almost the quintessential bourbon nose here. Smells like a bourbon candle. The palate is unrefined and pretty hot!! I can see how people could get into this as it’s bold but the flavors just aren’t in my wheelhouse.

So I thought this would be super young tasting. A craft whiskey ran through maple charcoal mellowing doesn’t get me real excited but Andy and Charlie have done really well with Belle Meade so I thought I would give it a shot and support their own in house effort. The nose is mostly maple and apple skins with a touch of ethanol. The palate has a really different feel as it’s really viscous for such a young whiskey. It has maple, graham cracker, honey, molasses and apple skins. The finish has a little oak, apple and more maple. It isn’t a finish that makes it down the throat as it seems to stay and linger all around in the mouth for a fair amount of time for such a young whiskey. It’s an interesting experience and doesn’t bring Carmel, vanilla, or cherry into the fold so it’s really unique in that aspect.

This is pretty solid. Can taste the Four Roses lineage here. Cinnamon and oak on the nose in a pleasant way. Then palate is ripe cherry, and tons of cinnamon. I get a ton of vanilla and then a great oaky finish to round it out. Finish is great with a few other flavors like red hots and a touch of spearmint before the oak comes on boldly. It’s a really enjoyable experience.

While I enjoy the standard Woodford offer I have never owned a bottle. The cask strength versions however I have enjoyed having around. This 2020 version is no different. Yes it’s on the high end of what I normally pay but it’s available and on the shelf and I think it offers a unique blend of flavors. I get that hint of cedar, oak, dried apricot, and leather on the nose. It smells wonderful. The palate is not super complex but extremely bold. Molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, tart cherry and sweet oak on the palate. The finish is long and showcases a really nice dose of vanilla, cocoa, white pepper, maple syrup and a dash of worn leather. It’s a pure pleasure of an experience.

It’s a little hot on the nose. The palate is really good. This one is a 15 year single barrel from Elixir Spirits in Cool Springs, TN. I get brown sugar and vanilla before it finishes with a spiced cherry and drying oak note. I enjoy it but I think the small batch versions are a more rounded product and better experience.

I love MGP juice. The Belle Meade brand revival was pure genius! I enjoy this as a workhorse batch proof option. It has changed a lot as the bottle has gone down. It’s a little unbalanced with flavors and the nose is pretty hot but it is almost a 120 proof whiskey. It handles ice well which validates that I really enjoy the regular 90 proof Belle Meade quite well neat. This batch is a cherry bomb and gives a nice Indiana hug. There are glimpses of a salted caramel and pipe tobacco which I just love. I will say though that while I enjoy this offering, I would go single barrel MGP cask strength if given a chance as some have real magic in them. This is a decent value at 60 bucks but it isn’t a steal. Enjoy!

This is another Camp Nelson F pick but this time it’s from the 6th floor. 2019 was a great year for WT with all these Camp Nelson barrels getting picked for Russell’s Reserve SIB and Kentucky Spirit. It’s oakier and spicier than the last Kentucky Spirit I had from the same warehouse but floor 4. The 4th floor appears to be much sweeter. This one is a little older as well at 9 years and 6 months old so the added oak in this one makes sense. The nose on this is extremely oaky with extreme vanilla and brown sugar. The palate is spicy with cinnamon, barrel char and then transitions to cherry pie. The finish has oak, tobacco, cherry coke and and a really great unique effervescence. It’s palate is not complex but enjoyable. The nose, finish and mouthfeel are worthy of being a legendary or special edition bottle. I know most reviews of this usually state that “it’s good but not worth 60 bucks when I can get a 1.75 of WT101 for like 35 bucks”. I disagree with those takes. I will pay for the consistent quality and changes in nuanced flavors depending on the floor and Rickhouse as I have become a fan and started to learn the warehouses a bit. It’s one I will always have around and enjoy not having to pay huge markups and search like crazy for a product that really fits my wheelhouse and comes from a great distillery.

Larceny BP 520 has a fantastic nose. It has several different scents all the way from vanilla to worn out leather and tobacco leaf. There is Carmel, sweet butterscotch, apple peel and cherry on the nose as well. The palate is quite complex and somewhat spicy for a wheated bourbon. The palate starts with nutmeg and cinnamon which I normally get in the finish on most bourbons so it’s interesting. Then carmel, toffee, salted peanuts and maple syrup take over before a finish of leather and vanilla with some slight barrel spice and a warming Kentucky hug appear. The experience is enjoyable and unique in that it’s not near as sweet as I thought and gives off a great nose. The finish is pleasant and strong like you would expect but the mouthfeel is excellent! The oak tannins on the back end are present but held in check to my preference.

I get Honey, Vanilla, Clove and Cinnamon on the nose. It’s a little more sweet than spice on the nose. Bananas and Cherries dominate the flavor profile. Mid palate there is rush of Vanilla, Toffee, and a bunch of barrel char. It’s a full deep barrel flavor that allows some Clove and Cinnamon to shine through. A good Kentucky hug results in the finish that is long and allows you to pull all the flavors that you get from the nose and pallet. At times you can actually pull banana bread from the finish. It’s awesome if you like bananas. This full proof was selected by Star Wine and spirits in Wellington, Fl. I enjoy it greatly but I feel it falls apart with ice or water as it becomes tannic and sour. It’s an otherwise great experience as a full proof bourbon.