Tastes

My review is based on a two ounce sample that I was able to get my hands on, and sadly, I'm not sure that I'll ever own a bottle. It doesn't appear that Woodford has produced the four wood in quite a while, and the few bottles I found for sale were well north of $400. While I can't justify it at that price, I would have had no hesitation paying the original list of about $90. First off, I tend not to spend enough time looking at whiskeys (the importance of which I'm reminded every time I read a review by @LeeEvolved). In this case, it was impossible not to admire it visually - the whiskey is an absolutely gorgeous deep amber. The nose has a good mix of fruit and caramel, as well as a very nice dark chocolate nose. The palate is where it gets really interesting. There's just the right amount of heat and dry spice, which at times tastes like cinnamon and at other times has a taste that I can only describe as wine marinated radish (which may sound awful, but it's actually great). Vanilla and caramel are also present, as well as the dark chocolate, which is quite prominent. The finish lingers with a dusty spice. I've generally liked Woodford's core offerings, although I've never been wowed. But in this case, even if I'm never able to obtain a bottle of the four wood, I've been inspired to start exploring Woodford more seriously, particularly the specialty offerings.

I bought a bottle of Brimstone last November, and it's still 2/3 full.  It's not that I don't love it; it's a truly unique and distinctive dram. Like anchovies or vindaloo, I'm not often in the mood for it, but when I am, it's a craving.   The phrase "bold Balcones" is entirely redundant, and of the Balcones that I've tried, this is the boldest of the bold.  It's smoke and barbeque sauce and some sage thrown in for good measure, with custard on the finish.   What impresses me most is that it doesn't taste particularly young, even though it probably is, and there's certainly no ethanol harshness (particularly notable at 53% ABV)  The working theory seems to be that the Texas climate dramatically accelerates the aging process.    This is a highly polarizing whiskey, but it absolutely works for me.

This is the second of two Compass Box drams I enjoyed at Persimmon in Providence.  See my review of The Circle for info about the other. I don't have much experience with brandy in general, and French brandy in particular.  But the idea of mixing calvados and scotch seemed interesting.   And interesting it is.  The nose is pastries and honey, and the palate is more pastries, baking spices and raisin.  It's smooth and rounded. It's also sweet, but not sticky or overly sweet in any respect.  The barrel notes seem to come primarily from the calvados and sherry in the casks, with little influence from the oak itself. Overall, I wouldn't say I was blown away, as I can be with Compass Box.  But it's a very unique and worthy dram.

Happiness is making a restaurant reservation at a place that has great ratings and a fantastic menu, and discovering that (a) the food is exceptional, (b) the ambience is perfect, and (c) there are some exceptional whiskeys to be had. The wife and I decided to spend Labor Day weekend in Rhode Island, and went to dinner at Persimmon on Federal Hill in Providence.  Once we were seated, i asked for and received the spirits menu.  While not a huge list, it was quality from top to bottom.  Most exciting to me were two high end Compass Box offerings that I had yet to try - The Circle and Affinity.    The Circle is new enough that it's only been on my radar for a couple of weeks.   I've been intrigued because (a) it's Compass Box, and (B) it has one of the most awesome looking label designs I've ever seen. The nose has oak, bright fruit, and cream.  The palate is the same although the oak is much stronger.  Overall, it's very smooth and quite lovely.  In contrast to @DHSILV2 (and the wife, who, who tried it as well), I didn't get any smoke.  I did get heavy oak with with some char thrown in.  Overall, given the stated goal of producing a whisky that is light and easy drinking but very flavorful, I'd say they hit the target squarely. However, the question of price is hard to avoid.  I love Hedonism and Spice Tree, the first of which is less expensive than The Circle, while the later is less than half the price. While those have different flavor profiles, I'd say that each is more complex and ultimately more enjoyable than The Circle.  On the other hand, neither is as eye catching on the shelf.  So I'll be left to contemplate whether the label is enough to put The Circle over the top.  This may be the first time (and hopefully the last?) that a label gets a whisky to "buy" status.

I generally like wheated bourbons, but this one came up short. It's not that there's anything bad about it: there's just not much of anything to it, period. I can't think of any other whiskey that I've tasted that is more mild and soft. A total wallflower. I decided that it needed a kick in the ass, so I mixed in a little bit of Stagg Jr (3/4 Weller, 1/4 Stagg). That was a marked improvement, although I have to admit that the result tasted like it was 90% Stagg. I'll stick with the Antique, which I find to be far more interesting, or the incredible William Larue Weller, which I joyously discovered is available in a local tapas joint for $20 a dram.