Tastes
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This is a dramatic step up from the VSOP. Gone is the cloying, manufactured sweetness that characterized the younger expression and it's been replaced by a rich, juicy complexity. The sophistication is apparent on the floral nose... I get notes of mellow red grapes. The palate echoes these grape flavors with some pleasing cinnamon spice and wood notes arriving on the finish. The subtle sweetness here is really very satisfying. A fine XO indeed. Over-marketed for sure, but it delivers.
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Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (Fall 2015)
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed June 28, 2016 (edited July 24, 2020)One of Buffalo Trace's distillery showcases, the Thomas H. Handy is perhaps my least favorite of the Antique Collection but it's still a fine bourbon. It's essentially a barrel-proof Sazerac rye whiskey and it delivers some pronounced chocolate notes on the palate. Enormous spice notes temper this sweetness, adding complexity... it's dangerously drinkable despite the high proof. Well worth picking up if you find it for retail, but it's not worth the inflated price that you'll sometimes see it for on the secondary market. -
The Macallan Edition No. 1
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 28, 2016 (edited July 20, 2018)I was lucky to sample this limited edition (which, halfway through 2016 is still available at most retailers, so just how "limited" is this anyway?) at the Brandy Library in NYC. This new NAS whisky definitely sports some aged sherry casks in the mix... it definitely has some of the unctuous red-fruit sherry goodness that you can expect from Macallan's main line. There's also vanilla notes on the nose and palate... this release really plays like a consolidation of the Sherry Oak and Fine Oak ranges, albeit the scales are tipped a bit in favor of the former. There's some wood spice on the finish and a medium heat as well, which is likely a consequence of the higher ABV that is meant to cater to American palates for higher-proof bourbons. The firmly-entrenched anti-NAS camp will cry foul but this is an excellent release from Macallan. -
Hennessy Privilège VSOP Cognac
Cognac — Cognac, France
Reviewed June 17, 2016 (edited January 2, 2018)I guess I think this one is a tad overrated... it's undoubtedly a fine product but it suffers from the inevitable manufactured effect that befalls mass-production cognacs. Someone at Hennessy obviously had a heavy hand when they added caramel to this spirit to give it a darker hue. To the particulars: sweet and floral nose, not unpleasant. The palate tastes of dried fruit, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar... it's toes the line when it comes to cloying sweetness, but never quite crosses that threshold. There's a decent spicy burn on the finish. I've tasted VSOPs from smaller houses that are much better and nuanced than this one... it'll do in a pinch if you're at a restaurant and this is likely all they have, but it's not worth investing in a bottle, IMO. Explore the road less traveled... -
KAH Tequila Reposado
Tequila Reposado — Tequila Valley, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed June 9, 2016 (edited March 10, 2018)This is an outstanding reposado and amazingly drinkable at such a high proof. The unctuous caramel flavors are the show-stopper here... easily the standout of the KAH brand, in my opinion. Lovely bottle as well. -
It's a real shame that Heaven Hill have dropped the age statement with this one, as it was one of the best values in the bourbon world. When you stick your nose in the glass you can detect the age almost immediately in this bourbon's rich tapestry of cherry, vanilla and spice notes. Oak and corn flavors dominate the palate, with those spicy sensations return to echo the nose on the finish. I have not tasted the new NAS Elijah Craig, but one can assume that it couldn't match the complexity that bourbon acquires as it is allowed to age in the wood. All things must pass... the sight of my half-empty bottle puts me in an elegiac mood.
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Say what you will about Jim Murray but I think the whisky world needs people to shake up the traditional orthodoxy and to generate conversation and controversy. Crown Royal Rye is a noticeable step up from the standard Crown Royal (2 stars in my estimation). Some nice spiciness on the nose, a vanilla sweetness and palate and mellow peppery finish. There's none of the overbearing, cloying manufactured taste of the standard bottling. Of course this is overrated, but it's an affordable Canadian rye that's easy to drink neat. Recommended.
Results 11-20 of 59 Reviews