Tastes

Standard release, Feb., 2018. • Light, apple juice appearance • Oak and Maple syrup, and a hint of lime in the nose. • Salted carmel; pepper with a long, enjoyably bitter taste, which fades to a woodsy finish like a cigar box smells.

Pretty dark, and, while translucent, the dark character makes it seem somewhat opaque. Seems pretty viscous and clings to the glass when swirled. Smells like leather, a tobacco shop, and caramel. Very nice nose. Strong alcohol warmth and rye. Little bit of a sour apple taste next and then caramel, vanilla, and new oak. There’s a burnt tobacco flavor right before swallowing. The bite doesn’t really go away until swallowed. A couple drops of water brought the caramel and vanilla to the front, but does little to calm it down. Leather, burnt tobacco, and wood tones in the finish. The rye stays present for a while in the finish too. Fades into an oak taste. This is definitely Basil Hayden, which I think is pretty interesting. No statement on the bottle about which rick-house it came from, but I would be surprised if this is just uncut from the same barrels BH comes from.

About the color of cavendish and very clear with an oily body. Corn and grain is the first thing I smelled, and then grapes, vanilla, cloves, and cinnamon. Very spicy with rye notably strong, and brine. Leather and baking spices. I definitely smelled some fruit, but didn’t find that in the flavor. This is a very earthy, dry flavor. The finish is charred wood, dark coffee, and a hint of marshmallow sweetness.

Took a while to get this one. I stood in line for this at Liquor Barn in Lexington, Kentucky. Very dark with a fair bit of opacity. Clings to the side of the glass and maintains its rim a long while. Dried fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, and grain (corn and oats) in the nose. The wheat comes front and center and there’s a strong bite. Calms to a sweet flavor with caramel, corn puffs breakfast cereal, dried fruit, and something like espresso. Finish is like strong coffee at first, and then interestingly there is a bitter flavor like light coffee beans, or raw grains. Carmel flavors come back and sticks around for a few minutes with an new oak taste.

House H, Rick 1, Barrell 1178. Very clear, and quite light in color. Light body, like a thin cooking oil. Apples, pastry, cream candy, butterscotch, and butter/vanilla in the nose. Vanilla and a sweetness up front, with a bit of an apple flavor, and a strong rye bite with black pepper and hints of cedar. No burn though. Easy drinking and good. Coffee bitterness and pine in the finish that settles into cinnamon.

This is one of my two favorite readily available bourbons, the other Being Noah’s Mill, and both of which are from Willett. Full body that really clings to the glass. Color is like lighter maple syrup. The nose is sweet, with hints of wine, but corn syrup and raisins mostly. Also hints of citrus and aged wood. It’s heavy, and has a vanilla and sweet cream taste up front. There’s some sour taste, but it’s pleasant and brief, and it gives way to a charred wood and oat finish, which is fairly long. This is my second bottle and it’s pretty consistent, with the exception of the wine smell in the nose.