Tastes

Heard lots of positive things about this one so I had to pick one up when I found it for a good price. Nose is kinda spicy with cinnamon and some other baking spices. A little bit of sweetness as well. Palette is quite interesting, its spicy, slightly sweet with a bit of chocolate notes, and as some others have pointed out, I oddly enough get some hint of pickle brine which is not as bad as I thought it would be. Finish is pretty smooth with a small amount of heat as it goes down. This bottle did not disappoint at all.

Heard lots of good things about this single barrel bourbon so I had to give it a try, especially since I enjoy the higher proof stuff. Nose on this one is really sweet, with some notes of vanilla, oranges, light cinnamon, and honey. The palette also reflects the nose quite well. Its nutty, sweet, and slightly spicy. Finish is smooth with a great aftertaste of oak and spices. This bottle is pretty easy to find and is affordable. Easily a staple on my shelf. I may try a store pick of this one next time since I hear good things about those as well. Overall, highly recommended!

Been on the lookout for this one for awhile and finally was able to nab a bottle of this at 132.4 proof (66.2% ABV). Was never typically a fan of Jack but boy is this one good! First pour was HOT as expected by the proof but coming back to this a few days later it seemed to settle down a bit. Nose is heavy on the caramel and maple. The high proof gives your nose a slight tingle. Palette is similar to the nose with some cinnamon spice as well. Finish is decently long and slightly dries out the tongue. Overall a very good bottle and happy to keep one (or even two) on the shelf. Availability could be better though as it seems to be a bit hard to get.

Retailer: Safeway Northern California Barrelled: 11/15/2011 Bottled: 6/15/2021 WH: Q, Floor:4, Rick 04 Wow, what can I say. For $50 you get a nearly 10 year bourbon bottled at 120 proof. Almost unheard of nowadays for the age and proof. The nose has maple sweetness, vanilla, cherries, cinnamon, and some oak. Definitely has that ethanol nose from the higher proof. Taste has good spice and sweetness. Perfect amount of heat considering its 120 proof, definitely drinks lower than that, feels like 100 proof. Decently long finish as well. Little bit of tannins, definitely dries out the mouth a bit if you chew it. Overall, very pleased with this purchase and will definitely be on the lookout for other store picks to try! Also the bottle itself is quite nice, but would like an actual cork instead of the plastic one.

Oak bomb with tons of sweetness. Plenty of caramel and vanilla. Lots of oak. May be too sweet for some but I enjoy it a lot. Very easy to sip neat, Not too complex but a great purchase for the price. Would likely repurchase.

Honestly this isn't bad but not spectacular either, especially given how difficult this can be to find. Lots of oak, vanilla, brown sugar with a slight kick to it. Slightly tannic. It's good, but I would not go paying too much over MSRP for this one. There are better toasted oak finished bourbons out there that are easier to find and for similar prices.

Solid whisky and good entry into Japanese whisky. Very small amount of heat that is offset by its sweetness. Notes of apples, vanilla, and caramel with some other fruits present. Very easy to drink. Can be hard to find at times but worth a shot if you can find it at retail.

Honestly, not a big fan of this one. Really light and does not feel like a whisky at all tbh (although by definition it is). You can definitely taste the rice but besides that not too much else going for it. For the price, you can find much better. I will not be repurchasing this again.

Excellent Japanese whisky if you can get your hands on it. Reminiscent of a nice scotch. Plenty of oak and hints of orange and vanilla. Slight amount of smoke but not too overwhelming. The 51.4% ABV is not too spicy but you can definitely feel it. Good one to keep around but don't go paying too much for it.

Solid bourbon. Nice and sweet vanilla and caramel notes. Goes down really smooth, not a ton of heat. Great everyday sipper and entry level bourbon. A bit hard to find, but if you can get it for <$40 USD definitely pick it up.