Tastes

This was my first "splurge" bourbon (selected out of curiosity and because it was on sale), and it ended up being one of my favorites. A buddy and I argued about whether or not this is any better than regular Jefferson's. To me, it's not even close. I can almost taste the saltiness of the sea air, although that's probably my imagination). When it was discounted again, I eventually bought a second bottle. Delicious.

This was my introduction to good bourbon years ago, when I first started flying overseas with complimentary spirits. I've found bourbons I like better since then, but Woodford still holds up. I rounded up to 4 stars for its important place in my history of discovering bourbon.

Ever since I discovered the (now moved) Cascade Spirits store in my local mall, I've bought a bottle of every expression of the Broken Top line. Even this entry level bottle is worthwhile if the better, often limited edition releases are cost prohibitive for some. Recommended.

Unpopular opinion: I am not a fan of Four Roses small batch. But this single barrel variation was a pleasant surprise. It's oakier than the small batch, which blends well with the notes of dried fruit. This is going on my list to repurchase.

This was spicier than I was hoping for in a wheat whiskey. But after seeing it on the shelf I had been curious about it for quite a while, so I'm glad I tried it.

A step up from the 86 proof expression, if you're interested in entry level Old Forester then this is the one to get.

This came highly recommended by my local shop for a value bourbon, but too my taste it seems like a mixer at best. Too sweet, and since I don't care for the finish it lingered for too long. The 100 proof is a vast improvement, for not much more money.

More flavor than the NAS Bulleit, but I actually like the original better. I expected this to be oakier and more smooth. It's not. It's spicier and, to my palate, less drinkable. I prefer less rye in the profile, so that explains much of my ranking this below the flagship Bulleit.

Popular for a reason (plus all the distribution advantages it probably has), this is a perfectly drinkable mid shelf bourbon. Nothing special. But I'm upgrading my rating slightly after buying a bottle of the 10-year, which is spicier and surprisingly not as smooth.