Tastes

The classic dram that started it all... Having the goodly fortune of knowing a scotch enthusiast, Oban 14 was the first glass poured on a chilly DC evening beside the fire. I couldn’t have asked for a more proper introduction to all the things Scotch has to offer. Oban 14 offers a safe tour of nearly the full spectrum of scotch flavors: fruit, a generous punch of sweet honey, a malted and woody body, butter cream, and kick of spice with a snap of peaty smoke, it’s complexity opened so many exciting doors for the scotch noob I once was. I can still smell the tangerine on it’s nose. As I make my way to more complex scotch offerings, I still smile when I see this bottle nestled behind my Dalmore 12, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, and the few others that make up my nice little scotch cabinet. Their presence is owed to the magical experience I had with this western highland beaut. At $60 a fifth in DC, it’s worth every buck for greenhorns and appreciators alike. I don’t fault it for the slight addition of coloring, but have to knock it slightly for the chill-filtering—it restricts the true shine a bit on this 43% abv gem. 4/5

It all started one rainy, booze-filled evening in Nashville. After visiting numerous honky tonks and what not, well, booze food was in order, pronto. Right off Broadway I found an Italian joint serving up the standards, so I enter and pony up to the bar. After ordering a slice and some mozzarella sticks I begin squintedly examining the spirits. All the standards are there, but like a shiny diamond wedged between Maker’s Mark and Jack Daniels honey vanilla chicken nugget rock salt flavored whatever, a bottle of Booker’s strikes my eye. Being the cheap skate that I am (I mean, money-savvy), I’ve never pulled the trigger on this $75 dollar bottle, but seeing as how I’m on vacation and all, I reach for a $10 spot and order a glass. Holy shit. This stuff took me over like a dream. Surreal, really. Brown sugar, vanilla, maple, bourbon oak, and all the other delights were turned up to 11 and I thought “this might be the best bourbon I’ve ever had!” Yeah, I’m still an excitable boy. One day and one hangover later, I’m still thinking about that Booker’s (and not the slice which was an offense to the very concept of pizza). I needed more, but knew I couldn’t shell out that kind of cash. What to do, mates? Thankfully, the internet had the answer. A few YouTube reviews tell me that Knob Creek Single Barrel is not only the same distillery as Booker’s, but it’s the same freaking mash bill! And as icing on the cake, it’s $40 bucks on the nose in DC! Plus the bottle looks cool despite the less-than-appealing labeling. Let’s just say my local liquorsmith soon found me in line with a shit-eating grin on my face and a bottle of Knob Single in hand. I’m no fan of the regular Knob Creek bourbon, but this stuff is magic. Bottled at 120 proof and aged 9 years, it’s a joke that this stuff is so cheap. The nose, palate and finish are Booker’s without the light wallet. The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is that it’s a little TOO boozy. You need to cut this baby down to size with some water, but even a few spoonfuls won’t put out the fire, yet too much will spoil the bold bourbon flavors. So saddle up, folks. Go grab a bottle of this and prepare for a new roommate, because Knob Creek Single Barrel is moving in. 4/5 all day.

Reached for this out of sheer desire for a sherried Single malt to add to my home bar. (You know how that goes, right? :)) The nose does not disappoint; sherry grabs you gently and compliments an oaky, cinnamony, toffee invitation. Palate is solid, too. The flavors calmly roll across your tongue in a thin yet pronounced presentation of fruity sweetness, vanilla and spice. The finish, however, to me lacks the rich satisfaction I expected. Orange, blackberry, raisin, currant and sherry flavors are quickly overtaken by an ashy menthol-esqe burn which coats the mouth leaving you wondering what the hell happened. Even a few drops of water doesn’t subdue it. I keep asking myself if I’m missing something of significance. All in all, a solid whiskey; hell, maybe even better than solid. It’s certainly worth having a glass or two, just don’t drop $65 on it (unless you have deep pockets like that). Because while it looks great on your bar, you won’t find yourself reaching for the bottle regularly. Other sherried scotches are out there at a better price.