Tastes

On the nose, toffee, vanilla, apples and graham cracker. On the palate, strong cherry overtone with vanilla and oak. Hell of a spice on the back end. A Strong finish of red pepper flakes that take there time going down the sternum.

On the nose, cinnamon candy, toffee, cayenne pepper and burnt grass. The palate of this rye is sweet, rich and spicy. Cherry, vanilla, pepper, bread and oak with a slightly minty finish. The flavor profile is strong and transparent.

This whiskey smells like you have walked into a chocolate factory. A rich aroma of chocolate, cocoa, fudge, toffee, graham cracker and barley with a touch of ethanol on the tail. The front end of the smell is dominated by the Stout but the classic Jameson aroma comes through on the finish. The taste has notes of chocolate, espresso, honey wheat and oatmeal. The texture is interesting. At first it feels rather thin but the rich flavors tweaked my brain into thinking that there was more substance there. It’s a very different whiskey and I got to say... I dig it.

Up front is a strong mint scent followed by notes of oranges, vanilla and oak. Tastes of toffee, corn, citrus and nutmeg. A peppery finish that also comes full circle with another round of mint.

Beautiful nose on this bourbon. Fruit cake, cherry, vanilla, cinnamon, and red hot candy. Cherry and peppermint on the palate. A woody middle sector, silky texture. A fiery finish that settles warmly in the chest.

Sweet forward bourbon. Candy apple, burnt sugar and peppermint. Interesting development from the front end to the back. An oak taste up front followed by a sweet cherries vanilla finish that has some reach. Shockingly smooth for 114 proof. A good and delicate spice follow through. A very, very good bourbon for the price point.

Smoke bomb up front and center. I want a DNA test to prove this is a Rye Whiskey made in Virginia and not a scotch from Islay. The smoke coming from an applewood and cherrywood fire process is original. It’s an oaky smoke with vanilla, chestnuts, paprika and spice on the nose. The oak is also up front on the taste. This is certainly a young whiskey. More dry than sweet. Hints of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg on the palate but a strong oak aftertaste. Very smooth, silky and well balanced for its 45% ABV tag. This is a really unique whiskey. I hope they have good stacks of this aging in a barn somewhere. This whiskey would be spectacular with a few more years under its belt.

Scents of Vanilla and caramel, with interesting herbal notes and a dash of salt. The sherry cask is present on the nose but not aggressive or overly sweet. However, after resting a bit in the glass a prominent maple syrup and cranberry note pushes through. The taste is quite mellow. Raisins, cashews and ginger on the palate. This whisky is not rich in flavor but rather in its texture. It’s silky, lingering and has a finish that pockets itself in one’s cheeks. It’s a nice, elegant whisky but with a reputation that is a tad inflated based on this dram.

Honey oat, grain and citrus notes on the smell. It also has the slightest aroma of a sea breeze. Other than that its a straight arrow Speyside. A little darker in color. Makes you wonder if the complexion is the intermingling of the three single malts used in the blend or added coloring? The taste is almost identical to the nose. Honey, wheat, citrus, and oranges. It has a nice richness to its texture. The finish has some legs and stretches out more than I expected. Not complex, very transparent. A well crafted blend.

Sweet on the nose. Scents of red apples, grapes, powdered sugar. On the palate it’s clean and fresh. The charred oak is upfront but it’s rather smooth and not overly bitter. There’s nothing distinct in the flavor profile just a smidgen of vanilla, oak and charcoal, and the texture is a bit thin. The high rye mash bill comes on the back end with spicy tones of cayenne and black pepper. Not great, not bad.