Tastes

Cloyingly sweet butterscotch. Some char. With water a puff of smoke. Waaay to sweet for my tastes. (Flaviar Advent Calendar)

Nose: pralines, butter, sting of alcohol Palate: vanilla, citrus, oak Finish: black pepper and a hint of frwsh red fruit. Cinnamon red hots. Gets sweeter with H2O. Runs hot for the proof. (Flaviar Advent Calendar)

Nose: chocolate, licorice, varnish, caramel corn Palate: baking spices, pepper, vanilla frosting, butter, molasses Finish: faint oak and baking spices With water this also develops a pastry-like quality. Not too shabby! (Flaviar Advent Calendar)

Nose: apples, barley, cedar, maple syrup with time Palate: barley malt, vanilla, hint of hazelnut Finish: short, clean, orange pith A little thin. A little hot. But sweet and inoffensive. I’ll happily drink it but wont go looking for it to buy. Edit: on rocks it gets pleasantly creamy. This is better with a cube. (Flaviar Advent Calendar)

Nose: barrel char, wet stone minerality, caramel, ethanol Palate: orange blossom, vanilla, stone fruit, nutmeg, white pepper Finish: leafy green vegetables, spearmint, white pepper With water: vanilla frosting. The empty glass retained hints of jasmine (Flaviar Advent Calendar)

Nose: citrus, chocolate, white cake, oak Palate: cane sugar, cereal, oak, vanilla Finish: hot With water: gets sweeter but develops a funk on the nose. Tames heat. Weirdly, ok on rocks. Best served neat, however. (Flaviar Advent Calendar)

Nose: spiritous, char, faint apple and cherry in the distance Palate: sweet heat and caramel Finish: earthy heat With water: much improved. Heat toned waaay down. Nuttiness on the nose appears, fresh red fruits with powdered sugar and nutmeg on palate, and on the rocks the apple jumps forward. This really improved with water and was enjoyable on the rocks which is how I’d take it if offered again. (from Flaviar Advent Calendar)

Had this last night while out bar hopping but going off memory: -nose was a bit closed and spiritous -palate sweet and and a little rough for the proof -fininsh long and warm wirh baking spice However, a little water transformed this into an entirely different bourbon: With water nose was a butterscotch bomb; palate was intense butterscotch cream and very little oak which surprised me because of its age. Some brown sugar and mild walnut in there too. Fresh red cherry lurking here and there. Super soft with no burn now. Finish didn’t change much but may have had a little more oak on the tail end. Really good bourbon if you have a sweet tooth. This really improves dramatically with water and I highly recommend adding water to this one. Not as oaky as you would think for being 18 years in the barrel.

Nose: maple infused dark fruit with a hint of peaty iodine Palate: candied nuts, brown sugar, citrus, oak Finish: white pepper, orange rind, a small whiff of smoke at the very end Really good 12 yr old sherried single malt with a bit of everything for everybody. Well made at a great proof with no chill filtration and natural color. Great one to always have in the liquor cabinet.

Nose: oak, maple, sweet citrus. Very sweet. Palate: caramel, juicy sweet orange, baking spices, oak, brown sugar Finish: orange menthols, green apple (surprising), ripe cantaloupe, mild fresh cracked black pepper, white chocolate This is a sweet, decadent rye that drinks smooth for its proof with robust flavor.