Tastes

This is a sample that was sent to me by @ContemplativeFox so a huge thank you goes out to him for this and the others he sent. I will be sampling, reviewing ad enjoying them over time. So here we go.... Appearance: Amber to Red in color. Short legs. Nose: Ethanol, clove, orange, holiday spices, fog. gran masala, apple cider, cherry. When adding ice (later on) the nose included banana and milk chocolate. Mouthfeel: Medium but on the thin side. Flavor: Creme Brûlée, which switches to vanilla bean when ice was added. Cherry, banana pudding, cake, biscuity, strong alcohol, chocolate syrup. With ice it tasted of tiramisu with coffee but not overly sweet. Finish: Woodsy, sweet, black pepper, so good! I wanted to suck on the ice cube to get it all. Overall feeling on this one is that it is complex, tasty, and fun. Very much enjoyed this one. Rating 4.00 which is a solid whisky that I would definitely get more of.

Sample #7 of 9 Backstory: I participated in a Distiller W.O.W. (whiskies of the world) Zoom call having received 10 drams of different whiskies, actually 9 as they snuck one rum in with the mix. See my review on Diplomatico Reserva. I am so glad to have been introduced to a rum that put my love of bourbon to the test! This tasting event was a gift for my finance for his 50th so I got each of us a sample box and we joined in the Zoom call together one evening. It was a blast and I am glad we had two boxes as by the time we got to the last few drams my tasting notes got a little suspect as I had a pretty good buzz going! Plus, even with clearing my palette, and sniffing on coffee beans I am sure that my tasting was not as great as it was on those first few drams. We were smart to just share in the first box and save the second back for tasting over a period of a week just to be sure our notes were correct. Review: Appearance: Honey Blonde color Nose: Clean, fresh, orchard, peach, lemon, babbling brook Mouthfeel: Medium full Flavor: POW! SPICE! Spice mellows to a musty funk, sweet vanilla smoke, molasses. Finish: Lingering and spicy. Conclusion: Its a meandering ride of spice and sweet. A ride you don't necessarily want to end but you are okay when it does. After the hits to the gut with strong spices you do get a sweetness that comes through but it seems almost like it is being forced on you to make up for the heavy hit of spice. The sweetness, is the saving grace, but is it? I can't decide. Reminds me of the commercial for those candies, first sour then sweet. Only in this case it is first spicy then sweet. Either way those commercials are annoying and I want to punch the sour punch "kids" in the face. Its not horrid but it is confusing and I wanted to really really love this one. Rating 2: Would drink at a pub with limited selection or a friends house if they served it but will not seek it out again.

Backstory: I participated in a Distiller W.O.W. (whiskies of the world) Zoom call having received 10 drams of different whiskies, actually 9 as they snuck one rum in with the mix. See my review on Diplomatico Reserva. I am so glad to have been introduced to a rum that put my love of bourbon to the test! This tasting event was a gift for my finance for his 50th so I got each of us a sample box and we joined in the Zoom call together one evening. It was a blast and I am glad we had two boxes as by the time we got to the last few drams my tasting notes got a little suspect as I had a pretty good buzz going! Plus, even with clearing my palette, and sniffing on coffee beans I am sure that my tasting was not as great as it was on those first few drams. We were smart to just share in the first box and save the second back for tasting over a period of a week just to be sure our notes were correct. So I am on #6 of the 9 whiskies we tasted. Taking me awhile to get them all logged due to wanting to try them yet again one more time, especially any scotch due to my youthful but growing palette. Initially this one was not one I totally disliked although I am still developing a taste for scotch I did find elements of this one to enjoy when I first tried it. For fun and to further my education I am going to write out my initial notes and my notes today as I sample it again. For reference we did our tasting on September 30th which is about 2.5 weeks ago. Appearance: Straw Blonde, no immediate legs per say but a nice ring around the glass that slowly trails down, oily. This remains the same today. Initial Nose: Bandaids - nothing else. Current Nose: This has changed substantially for me and today I get: vanilla, sea salt, and a tingly sensation in the nose. There is a semi strong alcohol nose burn but I have sensed a lot stronger so I will say mid range. Allowing it to sit a bit I get leather and smoke along with fruity notes. I am not yet great at picking the notes out when it comes to scotch but I am definitely getting better at it. Progress! After cheating a bit and looking at the guide that came with the selections sent I am picking up some of the nosing notes provided but that only came with the assistance. While I can detect them now it is my goal to detect them more on my own. On to Mouthfeel: First time around all I noted was Full On Smoke. So it was so smoky at that time I clearly did not get much for anything else on the feel. Let's see what today brings... Mouthfeel today: Oily, creamy, smoky. Ahhh there we go, much better! I AM learning! Flavor: 2.5 Weeks ago... Smoky, so smoky, heat, strong heat. Laughing at myself. My notes were so elementary! I was probably half lit since this was my 6th tasting and I had already had a couple pours before the tasting even began since it started later in the evening but whatever. Flavor Today: Vanilla, butter, apple, pear, smoke, salt, brine, - wow so many beautiful notes. The smokiness is so different than just a couple of weeks ago. Instead of being overpowering and insulting to my taste I find it quite interesting. Allowing it to sit really brings forward some of the hidden (to me) flavor notes such as coconut cream, honey and earth. The ting tang flavor comes forward more as tart fruits and less sour. The iodine flavor is far less offensive, and if I dare say so, not offensive at all and far more smoky in nature. Also I am finding a nutty flavor that I had not before. I am really digging this aftertaste and have pored the rest of my sample. Dare I add a drop of water? I shall! Curiosity gets the better of me. I hope I am making the right decision. Findings: So while adding a drop of water did open up the nose a lot to the sweeter and creamier aromas I have not found that it really changed the flavor at all. So not a bad experiment but nothing really outstanding to report other than a pleasant nose. Overall impression is that this is a very lovely and well balanced scotch. It reminds me of a campfire feel and I enjoy it very much. :)

The fiancé wanted me to make some whisky mules tonight - I am not a huge fan but indulged him since I was allowed to select the mixing whisky. Hey I will do almost anything to add another bottle to the collection even if its not top bill. I decided on this because it seems solid enough to stand on its own and mix with based on what I have read. That holds true! The other option was the basic Four Roses which I have had and enjoy but prefer my Four Roses to be a higher version. Still it was hard to decide between the two. Did I make the right choice? Let me know in comments what you would have selected between the two. While its not my go to sipping bourbon I do enjoy it neat or on ice. It is also good in his mules, and I think would be good in any mixed bourbon drink - its cheap enough to play around with as well. So here we go: Appearance: Golden Amber color, oily, leggy. Nose: Cola springs forward right out of the gate, with a slight vanilla waiting behind it. Then butterscotch, oak and cinnamon - red hots to be specific that linger in the background. Vanilla surprisingly peeks though shyly. I also get some notes of ginger and black pepper. Mouthfeel: Medium richness with a tingle on the tip of the tongue from the pepper and cinnamon. Slightly oily and mid level heat. Flavor: All of the notes in the nose are present but also included are soil, woods, and not just the oak but more of a forest sort of woody flavor, cinnamon but less candy red hot and more directly shaved cinnamon stick which is less forgiving and a bit more harsh, that ginger flavor creeps in which is what is tingly on the tongue with the black pepper lurking behind it peeking from behind a curtain of sweet from vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch but none of the sweet flavors are too strong nor knock out the peppery tingle. Now, none of these flavors be them sweet or heat or bitter or whatever are overshadowing each other. That is the magic here - its balanced very well. Finish: Smooth, isopropyl, earthy, milk chocolate, (oh there is that chocolate! I didn't think it was going to come forward! Only a tiny bit of heat - warming which is nice - not too hot. It has a gentle hug as others have said - I think that is the appropriate way to use the term. Let me know if not. Not outstanding by any means, it does not knock my socks off but I would drink this easily anytime if nothing better were offered. Certainly a solid mixing bourbon that would play well with most any mixed cocktail due to that it is not only affordable but it is heady enough to withstand mixers without being too cloying or too spicy or too anything that would cause mixers not to, well, mix, or I should say blend nicely. This is a bourbon that plays well with others. I am giving it a 4. Not because it is amazeballs or anything but because it does what it should and gives what was expected. Its not bad whatsoever and its nice to buy something inexpensive and get better than what I have paid three times as much for and hated. Okay I lied - I can't think of any bourbon I have paid for and actually hated but you know what I mean. And enjoyable it has been as I have helped to prep dinner (finance is a chef so I do very little - I am the mixologist) and talked to his kids for hours, and tired to do some work, etc and so on but ultimately I topped off my glencarin about four times. I think I can easily kill this bottle. I would be interested to let it breath a bit but since I grabbed a 750ml and the guy is into mules I doubt this will get time to take on air or age or whatever. So I will enjoy as is for as long as it lasts. My guess is through the weekend at best. So cheers! Hope everyone has a happy weekend!

Revisiting this one, although previously rated and reviewed. Just wanting to see if it has evolved at all or if my palette has. This bottle has been open about 3 months and is about half full. Appearance: Amber in color, oily, leaving a ring around glencarin when swirled and long legs. Nose: Interestingly...Amber! One of my favorite scents and a scent I wear often, my "signature scent" so I know it well. Ripe cherries, maybe maraschino, faint alcohol aroma that is non offensive to the nostrils. vanilla cream, buttery, and a very mild smoke essence. Cinnamon lurks innocently. Mouthfeel: Super creamy and while not super full it has a nice middle range level on the mouthfeel, not sticky, but still sweet and clingy. Flavor: : The flavors are interesting this time around. I get a distinct cinnamon flavor along with a touch of mint and Tai basil. Then once the palate is prepped you get those sweet flavors such as cream, cherry, caramel and vanilla but there is also this burnt sugar bitterness / sweetness. The flavors do linger awhile and play around in the mouth going toward a tart lime in the finish. Finish: Tart lime with multitudes of sweet flavors dancing around but an herbaceous clingy flavor that won't entirely let go. This is not a good nor a bad thing depending on what you prefer and enjoy. I find it quite enjoyable to have all these elements not so much struggling against each other but playing nicely - as they do in this bourbon. The above, woven in with just the right amount of smokiness is a true joy. Does it BLOW MY MIND? Well, no, not entirely and not for as hard as it is to find around my area but it is very much worth it if I can find it - around 50.00 bucks that is. As long as I can get it for 50 I will keep it in my stash as I feel it is a great bourbon to share with anyone, the new to bourbon and long time fans alike. I rated this 3.75 in the past, and I am conflicted if I should leave it there or move it up. I really need to establish a solid rating system. I think it more than deserves the 3.75 but is it a 4? What would I base that on? A solid 4 yes for price point which I hate to get into - but its reasonable - for now. A solid 4 for being enjoyable for anyone really. Solid 4 for having many different flavors that play nice with each other. But 4 seems high because there are so many other wonderful and yes far better whiskies to explore and that I have enjoyed. So until I decide on a proper system for me I am going to move it up to 4.00 because there are so many reasons to do so versus keeping at 3.75 just because I have not got my shit together yet.

Backstory: I participated in a Distiller W.O.W. (whiskies of the world) Zoom call having received 10 drams of different whiskies, actually 9 as they snuck one rum in with the mix. See my review on Diplomatico Reserva. I am so glad to have been introduced to a rum that put my love of bourbon to the test! This tasting event was a gift for my finance for his 50th so I got each of us a sample box and we joined in the Zoom call together one evening. It was a blast and I am glad we had two boxes as by the time we got to the last few drams my tasting notes got a little suspect as I had a pretty good buzz going! Plus, even with clearing my palette, and sniffing on coffee beans I am sure that my tasting was not as great as it was on those first few drams. We were smart to just share in the first box and save the second back for tasting over a period of a week just to be sure our notes were correct. REVIEW: Appearance: Very light straw blond to pale cream, slightly hazy, medium thick, slightly oily. Nose: Very light alcohol aroma which is not bothersome at all, salt, straw, sea spray, very light iodine and bandaid scent but again, not bothersome. peaches, lemon candy and light wildflower honey. Mouthfeel: Creamy, thick, oily, tangy. Surprised at the thickness and richness of the mouth feel considering the light color. The haze, or heft however in the appearance did elude to this thicker feeling. Its surprisingly awesome. Flavor: Salt, vanilla, cream, up front. Mellow iodine with the flavor or fresh baked bread brushed with a slight bit of caramel dust. Apricot marmalade presents on tongue followed by an herbaceous zest. Finish: Lingering with a slight smokey sweetness and sea spray saltiness. Overall thoughts: So I am a hella noob when it comes to scotch. Some I have liked, some I have hated. This one gives me hope that I could learn to love scotch. It may not be as sophisticated as others but it is a good starting point for me. All of the flavor notes that I love are here, and those I am not a fan of, I'm looking at you bandaid!, are very mild. I would like if the flavors I enjoy had a little more oomph to them but for now, I am happy to have tried this and would buy if I did not have others I wanted to try more on my list. Until I try more scotch I will hold off on a purchase but I feel this is a good one to get newbies started with. I really appreciate the mouthfeel on this one - its heavier and oily and for some reason that feels pleasant to me.

Backstory: I participated in a Distiller W.O.W. (whiskies of the world) Zoom call having received 10 drams of different whiskies, actually 9 as they snuck one rum in with the mix. See my review on Diplomatico Reserva. I am so glad to have been introduced to a rum that put my love of bourbon to the test! This tasting event was a gift for my finance for his 50th so I got each of us a sample box and we joined in the Zoom call together one evening. It was a blast and I am glad we had two boxes as by the time we got to the last few drams my tasting notes got a little suspect as I had a pretty good buzz going! Plus, even with clearing my palette, and sniffing on coffee beans I am sure that my tasting was not as great as it was on those first few drams. We were smart to just share in the first box and save the second back for tasting over a period of a week just to be sure our notes were correct. REVIEW: Appearance: Light amber, leggy Nose: Sugar in the raw, steel cut oats, red delicious apples, graham cracker. Mouthfeel: Tangy, heat from cardamon, cinnamon, ginger. Flavor: Graham cracker as on the nose, sassafras, lemon, baking spices as noted above in mouthfeel, all the flavors and feels of autumn from being around a campfire to drinking fresh apple cider milled at a local festival. Sweetness but not overly so with that graham cracker like flavor that verges on sweet without being too dessert like. Which also makes me think of smores which brings back that campfire feel and there is just the right amount of smoke to support that flavor and feel as well. I am rather enjoying the mash bill on this one! In my notes I wrote: Weird Wild and Wooly I love it - unique and fun. Would buy.

Backstory: I participated in a Distiller W.O.W. (whiskies of the world) Zoom call having received 10 drams of different whiskies, actually 9 as they snuck one rum in with the mix. See my review on Diplomatico Reserva. I am so glad to have been introduced to a rum that put my love of bourbon to the test! This tasting event was a gift for my finance for his 50th so I got each of us a sample box and we joined in the Zoom call together one evening. It was a blast and I am glad we had two boxes as by the time we got to the last few drams my tasting notes got a little suspect as I had a pretty good buzz going! Plus, even with clearing my palette, and sniffing on coffee beans I am sure that my tasting was not as great as it was on those first few drams. We were smart to just share in the first box and save the second back for tasting over a period of a week just to be sure our notes were correct. So our third sample was this one. I know I am supposed to like this one. I know the brand is considered high bar, and I do not mean to sound unappreciative or uneducated but if either is true it is by far the later. In fact, I sit here with a small pour from what is left over right now and I can not honestly say my experience is much better, although not quite as harsh as my initial experience. Appearance: Straw colored, leggy and oily. Nose: Green apple, golden raisins, smoke, bandaid, burnt rubber. Flavor: Rubber band, rancid fruit, day old doughnuts, strong smoke. Finish: Possibility of death. I am sorry, so very sorry I just can't get my palette around this one. Maybe it is me, perhaps my tastebuds are under evolved. Its just not enjoyable to me. I feel badly about this and promise to revisit it after more experience with other scotch as I admit my experience is limited with scotch.

I participated in a Distiller W.O.W. (whiskies of the world) Zoom call having received 10 drams of different whiskies, actually 9 as they snuck one rum in with the mix. See my review on Diplomatico Reserva. I am so glad to have been introduced to a rum that put my love of bourbon to the test! This tasting event was a gift for my finance for his 50th so I got each of us a sample box and we joined in the Zoom call together one evening. It was a blast and I am glad we had two boxes as by the time we got to the last few drams my tasting notes got a little suspect as I had a pretty good buzz going! Plus, even with clearing my palette, and sniffing on coffee beans I am sure that my tasting was not as great as it was on those first few drams. We were smart to just share in the first box and save the second back for tasting over a period of a week just to be sure our notes were correct. I do enjoy Bushmills but had only at this time had the chance to try a few, Black Bush, Red Bush, and original. It was a pleasure to get to try this Steamship version. Appearance: Light straw blonde. Nose: Sea spray, vanilla, honey, melon. Mouthfeel, Creamy Flavor: Tingly, slight warm sensation, sea salt, lemon zest, having dessert by the ocean, mineral, biscuits. Finish: Mineral and tart. What an experience! The experience bounced between sweet and creamy to zesty and tart with mineral and sea flavors. In some ways it reminded me a bit of Seagrass from Barrell not so much the flavors but more so the way it made me feel and think about bourbon. I do want to grab a bottle of both and experience them over time side by side but I will say I do love this general flavor profile of sweet creaminess with fruitiness and sea spray.