Tastes
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I dont come across this blanco tequila often in stores but when I do see it I like to pick it up for the bar. It's one of the better blanco's out there. The nose is citrusy with some pepper. The palate is very earthy, with grass notes and lemon peel. The finish has very good length and some nice spice notes. This is a well made tequila and easily recommended both neat and in cocktails. Outside of El Tesoro or Ocho, I'm not sure there are many better.55.0 USD per Bottle
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There are a lot of new NAS japanese whiskies coming out nowadays, but this one was one of the originals and definitely one of the better grain whiskies out there. The nose is faint with hay and vanilla. The palate is where it starts to come together with caramel, a touch of sweetness and smoke. It is a touch thin but pleasant and the finish has good length, no burn with some nice pepper notes. This is one of the better grain whiskies out there. It may not be overly complex but it's very balanced. At the price I think it's a good value, especially compared to what most Japanese whiskies go for these days.60.0 USD per Bottle
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I'm not sure why I picked this up. The bottle is cool looking but I haven't read that many glowing reviews. I'm guessing I planned to use this in cocktails. Either way, this is a very one note rum. The nose has oak and orange peel. The first sip is even more orange and very sweet. The orange notes are overwhelming. The finish continues the assault with burnt orange peel and some heat. It may just be me, but the orange flavoring is just too much. I'm not sure what they were going for here but it seems like they should have called this an orange rum or something. I think with the right ingredients it can probably make a decent cocktail but neat it's just not good.25.0 USD per Bottle
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Whistlepig 10 Year Small Batch Rye
Rye — (bottled in) Vermont, Canada
Reviewed October 6, 2022 (edited March 26, 2024)Whistlepig seems to have a very dedicated fan base. I cant say I'm one, but it is a good rye, maybe a touch too expensive. The nose reminds me of winter, with pine needles and some mint. The heat is also very much present from the ethanol. The palate is heavy on the classic rye notes, with cloves and anise along with vanilla. The finish has good length but is a touch hot. This is a well made rye and a clear winner in the category, however the value is a touch low. I feel like $50-60 is a fair price for this. At $80, it loses some of its luster. If you dont care about the cost, I would give this a 4 or 4.25, but adding in the value component I'm going with a 3.75.80.0 USD per Bottle -
Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon (NAS)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 6, 2022 (edited December 21, 2022)I tend to overlook Knob Creek when I go to buy bourbon. It's not that I dont like it, but it's just a touch more expensive than some of the good value brands so I tend to pass it by. Maybe I should reconsider. The nose is heavy on the oak and vanilla, which leads right into the first sip. I also get a good amount of sweetness and burnt orange peel. The finish has some heat to it and comes off a bit rye like. There is nothing bad about Knob Creek but there also isnt anything special about it. If it was $5-10 cheaper I would probably always have it on hand. Either way though, it's not bad and I can see this being a daily dram for some.35.0 USD per Bottle -
This was my first japanese whisky purchase. At the time it was a much more reasonable $60 or so. Nowadays you are lucky to see it at or below $90. Is it worth it, I'm not so sure. The nose is pretty floral, with stone fruit. The palate is a touch thin, but there are nice tropical fruit notes, citrus and sandalwood. The finish has decent length, with a little burn. Overall, it's quite balanced. I would say at $90 it's a touch too expensive. It's a good blend, but not that good. Ignoring the price its close to a 4, but the value is hard to get past. I could be persuaded to give it a 3.75, but im going to go with a 3.5 for now.90.0 USD per Bottle
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Pierre Ferrand Original Formula 1840 Cognac
Cognac — Grand Champagne, France
Reviewed September 30, 2022Pierre Ferrand 1840 is the other entry level cognac in Pierre Ferrands portfolio (the other being Ambre). I go back and forth as to which one I like better, but this one, while young, is one of the better cheap cognacs out there. The nose is fruity, with a bit of must and apples. On the palate I get pear, oak, honey and vanilla. You can tell its young but it's also pretty balanced. The finish is a touch hot and spicy but not too bad. Its probably the weakest part. The 1840 is pretty on par with the Ambre neat, but I think it works better in cocktails thanks to its higher proof. Since you can get both for roughly the same price, if you can only buy one, I would probably lean towards this, but both are great values.40.0 USD per Bottle -
Canadian Club 1858 is nothing special. It's a pretty standard whiskey and more meant for cocktails or highballs as opposed to drinking neat, but at least its cheap. The nose is uneventful with some light barley notes. On the palate its watery with a touch of sweetness. I do get some wheat and a bit of spice. The finish is short and a bit hot. I think for the value, its decent enough. It wont blow you away but in a highball it serves its purpose. I would say neat it's more like a 1.5/2, but I will bump it up thanks to the value component.15.0 USD per Bottle
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Knappogue Castle 12 Year Bourbon Cask Matured
Single Malt — Ireland
Reviewed September 29, 2022 (edited December 21, 2022)Knappogue Castle 12 year was my first Irish whiskey purchase. I had shots of Jameson at bars but this was my first bottle. I remember being pleasantly surprised when I first tried it and I think it still holds up well today. The nose is fruity with green apple and banana. On the palate I get peaches, cereal notes and oak. It is a little sweet, but not overly so. The finish has good length with little burn and has a touch of spice. At $40 or so this is a good value Irish whiskey. It may not be as good as Redbreast, but few Irish whiskies are. It also works great in cocktails. At this price point, I dont think you can go wrong with this one.40.0 USD per Bottle -
Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao a la Vanille
Chocolate Liqueurs — USA
Reviewed September 26, 2022 (edited January 14, 2024)The standard bearer for all creme de cacao, Tempus Fugit creme de cacao la vanille is without a doubt the best and it may be one of the best liqueurs period. The nose is as expected heavy on cacao and vanilla. The palate is where this shines and puts other creme de cacao's to shame. Its rich and decadent but not overly sweet. There are touches of cinnamon and vanilla and at no point does this taste artificial. It's almost like drinking a brownie. The finish is long, with no burn, as a wave of chocolate syrup hits. Is it expensive? Absolutely, but it is completely worth it. Any cocktail that calls for creme de cacao will be elevated by using this, just be sure to adjust the amounts if the recipe doesnt call for this specific brand since it will probably expect you to be using some cheaper artificial tasting creme de cacao. If you want to know what a quality liqueur tastes like, this is it.40.0 USD per Bottle
Results 61-70 of 135 Reviews