Tastes

Quick Taste: A bit hot on the nose, tingling from the ethanol. Rye bread, caraway seed, mint, banana laughy taffy. It isn’t the most rye rye, but I like it. B+

*Edit: This review is of the 100 proof Chiseled and charred release I get a fair amount of citrus, a bit of underripe apple, and cinnamon on the smell. The taste is sweeter than the nose, but the citrus is very present. There’s some vanilla, and ginger. The finish is a bit of citrus pith, somewhat bitter. There’s toasted wood, as well as more tannic wood notes. It is a decent whiskey, there’s plenty of what we expect from bourbon, but also some unique flavors that keep it interesting. A note on the bottle, this bottle seems purpose built to be a decanter, or infinity bottle. Smell: 15/20 First sip: 21/30 Following taste and finish: 20/25 Esthetics and Value: 18/20 I will give 3/5 of my subjective points as it is an interesting expression. Total: 77/100

I guess I should put down some thoughts about this barrel pick Woodford, as I put down the last glass from the bottle. A 1 Liter, local store pick of Woodford, from August 2020. The nose is classic Woodford Reserve, with a bit more rye spice coming in. It is those familiar toasted pecans, caramel popcorn, vanilla, with some rye bread, caraway, and allspice. The taste delivers pretty much exactly what the smell does, maybe a little more peppery, the rye is more pronounced on the tongue than the nose. The finish is about the same as standard for Woodford, this is where the oak astringency comes in, again, not too strong, just a bit more than the standard offering. Smell: 17/20 First taste: 27/30 Follow up and finish: 19/25 Experience (esthetics, value, bottle): 16/20 Subjective feeling: 1/5 Total: 80/100 Like Woodford Reserve, the barrel pick was a good bourbon, but not a great bourbon. I enjoyed it, it was worth the buy, but I don’t feel like I need to buy another of this batch, let alone grab a few before they are all gone.

Gonna start this one off with the experience, the unboxing. The tube/box isn’t cardboard, it’s something, feels like velvet, satin purple, gold embossed lettering, nice. The Crown purple bag’s gold tassels are looped over the bottle, showing the cork top. The bottle is heavy, with cut glass diamonds around the bottom. 20/20 for the esthetics. The smell is refined, it isn’t spiky or unpleasant: mint, caraway seed, rye, fresh dill, also strawberries, and crisp pears. 18/20 The first sip is warning, tingly, and mouth coating. There is rye spice, the dill, caraway, and allspice, some fruity impressions, makes me want another taste. 27/30 Well rounded, nothing is too overwhelming, it is really sweet, and a little thin in texture, though not lacking flavor. This is definitely a rye whisky, but it is a Crown Royal whisky too, sweet and friendly. I really like it, but will need more tastes over time. 21/25 Plus 4/5 of my reserved/subjective points Total: 90/100

This one has a very light smell, there’s some vegetal rye notes coming through. Nose: 15/20 First sip: Vanilla, burnt caramel, cinnamon, some mild other baking spices. 24/30 Following taste and finish: This is a pleasant whiskey, it’s sweet, maybe sweeter than my ideal. I like the peppery finish, and the rye notes. A welcome balance to the sweet vanilla. 19/25 As for the experience and value, the bottle is really nice, looks good, has a composite cork with a pleasant pop, and was a 1.75 L for $19.95 plus Washington state liquor tax. 18/20 Total: 76/100

Still trying to figure this one out. It smells more like brandy, or sherry than really any whiskey I am familiar with. Sweet vanilla, citrus zest, plums maybe. First sip brings vanilla, fruit, citrus peel. Following sips are gentle, sweet, vanilla whiskey, the sherry is present, but not overwhelming. The finish lingers longer then expected, peppery, and orange peel with a very little bit of pith. smell: 18/20 First taste: 25/30 Following taste and finish: 21/25 Experience: 16/20 Total: 80/100

This is such an interesting whiskey. It has the fruity, shortbread, citrus smell of Irish whiskey, and it has the smoky, earthy smell of peat. Sweet and friendly, with a gentle smoky peatyness that isn’t overwhelming. This is one to be careful with, it’s so easy to drink, I kept wondering why my glass was empty.

I have been on an exploration of rum, but have gone through what I have on hand, and bought a couple more, so I need to branch out. I remembered that in the back of my cupboard, hidden away waiting for an Irish tasting lineup, or St. Patrick’s, or something, was a bottle of Tullamore D. E. W. XO Rum Cask Finished. What, I wonder, is the effect of rum casks on Irish Whiskey? Out of the glass jump crisp apples, toffee, pineapple, banana, and mild hints of brown sugar. Keeping it in mind to look for rum influences, I need to dig past the apples, and there I find the same coconut sunscreen that I’ve found in some rum recently. First sip, instantly tastes like Irish whiskey, shortbread cookies, apples, toffee. There’s more here. I find burnt caramel, brown sugar, and white pepper. There’s something like magic markers, and a pleasant warming. The flavor has more notes that I recognize from rum, molasses, and overly ripe fruit. The biggest thing is probably the burnt caramel though. The finish is medium short, the apples and toffee linger, but the brown sugar, and some allspice are present too. As a whiskey this gets a 78/100. As an experience and exploration of rum influence: 85/100