Tastes

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 14 I didn’t have a 14 year I could bear to pop. So I’m drinking twice my intended amount of a 7. I used to teach algebra. This checks out. It doesn’t surprise me that this is from the same group (Preservation Distillery) that brought me that Rare Perfection nonsense and Very Olde St. Nick, which so far I like very much. In both cases, the labels were confusing to misleading. There is little to nothing about them online, and I am one of the first rating them on distiller. And I’ve seen with this group a wide range of outcomes, from 0.25 stars to 5. So I have literally no idea what to expect here. Nose has caramel and oats. I’m expecting a nutty one. Minor citrus, but the oat is the star here. Interesting. The body doesn’t present very much. To be honest, It tastes like a supremely watered down bourbon, which is surprising for 47%. There’s a bit of almond and leather, but it’s really more on the finish. After drinking a ton of it, I could pick out some powdered sugar and brine, but this body really is fascinatingly vacant of flavor. Finish carries on that leather and almond, and it transitions nicely into some cinnamon. Decent amount of heat on the finish. Upper mouth buzz. Summary before finishing glass: I don’t know what to do with this. It doesn’t taste like bad juice, just underdeveloped. For seven years I was expecting more flavor, and it’s genuinely strange how blank this tastes. I honestly want to throw it back in a barrel. Could I boil it for a bit? I think I’d be interested to see what else these guys have to offer, maybe a single barrel or a 9+ year, but this small batch is just too plain to cost more than $20. I won’t buy again. Summary after finishing glass: I don’t fully understand why, but I think I like this. Initially the flavors are so muted, there’s not much to say. As you drink more and more, you start to pick out more things, and it’s mellow throughout. It’s an easy drinker, and after my 4 fingers, I’m having a good time with it. I will probably pour another. My advice: this is the exact opposite of Dickel Tobasco. For maximum pleasure, do not drink in quantities less than 3 fingers. I probably still won’t buy again, but I’m going to enjoy this bottle when the mood is right. ‘Tis the season. I don’t know if I actually have 17 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments.

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 13 Somebody needs to create a general entry for the Knob Creek SiB store picks. I feel kind of bad adding yet another one to scroll through, but here we go: Barrel: 5403 Picked by: Celebrations Wine & Spirits Age: 13 yrs, 2 mo (I see what I did there.) ABV: 60% Barrel Date: 6/8/04 I’ve had many Knob Creeks over the years, and as far as stats go, this one earns second place to some of the greats. Only 1 year younger than 2001. Only 1.65% lower ABV than my 25th Anniversary. So it’s in extremely good company, but substantially cheaper. I’m excited! Nose is astringent, but that makes sense. Behind the burn there’s honey, caramel, and lemon. Body loses the honey and lemon, but keeps the caramel. There’s also milk chocolate. A very pure, authentic chocolate flavor. Not mocha or powdery like other drinks. I’d say chocolate wins out. Delicious. Finish is leathery and spicy. I’d go with a black pepper spice. Mouth feel does not betray that 120 proof. If you’re into that kind of thing, this one delivers. I added a bit of ice to see if that opened up anything new, and it basically reduced the nose to caramel, made the body taste like Yoo-hoo chocolate milk, and eliminated the backend heat and flavors. I’m generally in camp “drink neat”, and this pick is a perfect example of why. There was so much happening 5 minutes ago, all gone now. But what’s special about this pick is that if I wanted to get drunk fast, I could pour 5 fingers over ice and pound it down like dairy. It really is a damn Yoo-hoo. ‘Tis the season. I don’t know if I actually have 18 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments.

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 12 Just realized I could be doing age statement numerology this whole time and am having massive regrets for skipping 1-11. This one just happened to line up nicely! This distillery has a lot of buzz out there, both good and bad. I’ve done a lot of research on this brand, and I want to present that information quickly. To the best of my knowledge: 1. Owner Marci Palatella appears to be the only owner ever, despite rumors that this brand appeared to be resurrected and rebranded in 2000 overseas. 2. “Olde St Nick was originally created in the 1980s using fabulous old barrels she (owner) sourced from Julian Van Winkle, Even Kulsveen, and others.” 3. This brand is currently only available in KY and IN. 4. In the past, the Olde St. Nick labels have been flagged by whiskey enthusiasts to be in violation of 27 CFR 5.40 (a) - non straight whiskies without an age statement. 5. In the past, the Olde St. Nick labels have been flagged by whiskey enthusiasts to be in violation of 27 CFR 5.36 (d) - failure to list state of distillation (potentially not a problem if this was distilled in CA, only state mentioned on labels in question). 6. There are rumors Marci has been involved in college admission scandals. Why is all this relevant? Marci claims that Diageo sold Olde St Nick some barrels that Diageo perceived to be aged too long to still have value. (Over 12 years.) I’ll pause for a moment for you to laugh at that. No, go ahead. I’ll wait. These barrels were allegedly made by Julian Van Winkle at Stitzel. And extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence - evidence many enthusiasts feel is lacking. The 17-year bottle itself makes no direct claims. It says vague things like, “made from the rarest bourbon in existence,” or something like that. This general vagueness on labels and character assassination attempts on Marci make the truth a bit hazy. The 12 year I’m trying today makes no claim of being SW juice, but the current release 17 year does. Allegedly put in a vat decades ago to get it out of the barrel, bottled now as an irreplaceable time piece in bourbon history. At just under $600 retail for a 375mL, what information would you require to potentially get your hands on Stitzel-Weller juice crafted by Julian Van Winkle? The research I just showed you was enough for me to pull the trigger. This bottle in front of me does not violate any of the aforementioned rules. It’s a 12 year product of Kentucky, produced and bottled in Bardstown. There are noses that let you know you’re in for a treat. It ticks all the boxes. Caramel, apples, honey, lemon. Fantastic. Body hits honey first. Yes to caramel, yes to apple. The lemon is there as a more general citrus. I could be convinced of orange. Very delicious. Finish is mild and low on heat/spice. It’s oily, but not overly. A bit of the tart flavors carry on, but it fades quickly. Very slight front-tongue buzz. So without taking a side in Reddit v. Marci, this drink is objectively delicious. It enters the ranks as one of my favorite bourbons of all time, and I see this having the potential of catching on and becoming impossible to find, much like EHT or RHF, and for many of the same reasons. If this truly is stuff they’re distilling right now in Bardstown, then I’m very excited about the future of this distillery. ‘Tis the season. I don’t know if I actually have 19 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments. EDIT: I opened this bottle at a time in my life when I preferred drinking meat from a rocks glass. I finished at a time when I preferred neat in a glencairn. So just one month later, I was drinking my last few sips, and I did not like it. So much so, that I thought I must’ve gotten this one wrong. Then I had an instinct that it could be an oxidation thing, and I poured it into a rocks glass and let it sit for a few minutes. There was the whiskey I loved. I’ve never payed that much attention to this type of thing before, but holy hell: letting this one open up in a wide-rim glass really does bring out the best, and if you stick to glencairn or the like, you will be disappointed here.

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 11 I first had Bakers standard at Jim Beam. I didn’t like it at all, but I don’t remember why. I also wasn’t a huge fan of any bourbon at the time, and the only one of the machine squirts I actually enjoyed was Kathleen’s Batch. A lot has changed, and this bottle is an 8.5 year aged single barrel version. When I bought it, I honesty thought it was the one being sold all over secondary (Baker’s 13). Was a bit disappointed when I figured it out, but still intrigued. Before I bought it I asked a shelf-stocker at my honey hole if this was a noticeably different flavor profile from Bakers 7 Small Batch, and he wisely shrugged and said, “You should buy it and come back and let me know.” So here we are. The nose is floral and fresh. There’s a honeysuckle sweetness there too, and a bit of lemon. It’s a really solid nose. The flavors on the body don’t stand out as strongly as some bourbons, but I think that’s less a statement of flavor fullness and more of flavor compatibility. The lemon is there, but as it is in lemonade; no bitterness. Sweetness come mainly via a syrup note, but I can get powdered sugar instead at times. Finish is mild on flavor, but buzzes the bejesus out of your lips and back of tongue. I like that combo a lot. A slight bitterness kicks in on the backend via a sweet tea note. The one word that summarizes this drink: compatibility. It doesn’t make any crazy bold attempts, but it pulls in a lot of enjoyable notes that work together well. Just finished 2 fingers, going to go pour another 2. Very happy to have this bottle, and I will likely buy another if available once this runs out. Additionally, I would like to formally apologize to the Baker’s line for all the shade I’ve thrown over the past 1.5 years. I may have told an employee at Jim Beam that it tasted like Glenmorangie Lasanta had an unwanted lovechild with Knob Creek, and I especially apologize for that. You’ve produced something excellent here. Let’s makeup under the mistletoe. ‘Tis the season. I don’t know if I actually have 20 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments.

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 10: On the 10th day of Christmas my drinking problem gave to me: I am completely equal parts excited and apprehensive about this drink. I love whiskey. I love tobasco. That’s how it works, right? The nose: Okay. This smells awesome. Grown ass man, I literally just giggled. You can kind of get some sugar poking through, but let’s be honest about why we’re here. Straight tobasco. I dig it. The body: fascinating. The original bourbon comes through here. Maple syrup. Powdered sugar. Deep, sweet orange flavor. Amazing. The finish: this is really where the tobasco flavor kicks in. The orange fades out with the finish, and you’re suddenly made aware of that tobasco influence. It was in the background on the body, but it buzzes your lips here. Fades out super slowly, lingering on every exhale. Okay. Holy cow. This drink is amazing. Disclaimer: I literally eat tobasco sauce on every dinner. I currently have 2 bottles in the fridge and 2 more in the pantry. I have an additional 4 bottles in the fridge of miscellaneous varieties. You could say I’m an enthusiast. I’m also likely desensitized to this stuff in lower quantities. This barrel finished doesn’t even make me blink. I haven’t had Dickel in a very long time, but I don’t remember finding all these flavors before. I think the tobasco really does draw some stuff out, or just fritz your taste buds out and make you get some new stuff. I know this drink can’t possibly be for everyone, but if you happen to be a spice fanatic and a bourbon drinker, this one is a no brainer. Amazing. ‘Tis the season. I don’t know if I actually have 21 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments. EDIT: I poured 3 fingers. Everything above was experienced on finger 1. I would rate that finger a 4-star. Finger 2 was a struggle. I was enjoying it less. I would rate it 2.5. I did my best to power through on finger 3. My stomach began to hurt. Maybe 1.5 stars? I don’t know how to rate something like that. Definitely drink this only in small quantities, even if you’ve already accepted tobasco as your personal lord and savior.

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 9: So if you happened to read my review of the 14 year, you can only imagine my anticipation of this 15 year. To be perfectly clear, this is not a fooled-me-once-shame-on-you-fooled-me-twice-shame-on-me scenario. I bought this and the 14 year together. So after suffering through that ass swill at $140, it’s hard to put into words how I feel popping this $175 bottle. I’m going to go with: man who shat his pants on a hike, and now, back at his motorcycle, realizes he has to smear his shit pants all over his leather seat to get home. I’m currently on my ride home, thinking, “Great. Now I have even more shit I’m gonna have to get rid of.” Nose makes me hopeful. That weird pencil eraser scent is there, but not nearly as prevalent as in the 14. I get honey and citrus too. Nose isn’t bad. The body: damnit Rare Perfection. You had to string me along for a few seconds more with that nose. I get a hard hit of that awful flavor. Pencil shavings. Sawdust. Possibly some dirt. The Bertie Bott’s of whisky. Finish is cinnamon. A bit of that sawdust still. Not terrible. Okay. I’m a skeptic. This applies to whisky too. I would be delighted for someone to help me understand how to enjoy this stuff. I’m $315 in the hole with this stupid product line. I’m highly motivated to enjoy it. But until that explanation comes, this product line is in the running for “worst whisky I’ve ever tried.” Is this guy better than its 14-year brother? Yep. If you chug it, you might be able to find some enjoyment on the nose and the finish, only having to suffer the body once. Is it drinkable? Ask my kitchen sink drain. This product line needs to be removed from existence. I don’t know if I actually have 22 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments.

EDIT: originally scored 0.25 stars. I have changed my mind, and the newer review states why. This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 8: Okay. I officially feel duped. Both by shelf placement and direct conversations had with my bourbon dealer, I was led to believe this was bourbon. This whole time on my shelf, I thought this was bourbon. Before doing this review, the only Rare Perfection in this app was tagged as a bourbon. Might’ve been. ‘Tis a different looking bottle. To quote the fair and beautiful Lady Galadriel: they were all of them deceived. On the back, plain as day, to my great horror, is the phrase: “Canadian Whiskey.” How does this shit keep finding ways to my shelf. My hope is that this goes the route of Crown Royal’s super-duper-totes-not-a-bourbon bourbon. Nose is terrifying. Burnt rubber. Sugar. Eraser shavings. Body is interesting. I understand where the disgusting nose comes from, but there’s other stuff in there too which is genuinely good. Caramel. Honey. But hot damn that burnt stuff. Still not good. Finish is peppermint. I don’t mind that. I do mind that every exhale makes me relive that eraser shavings flavor. My kid just told me my breath right now smells like farts. Not great. This may be the biggest bust of 2019. Even for Canadian Whisky. This product line needs to be eviscerated online so that it can’t inflict its grossness on anyone else. I wouldn’t buy this whisky again for $10, much less $140. It’s basically undrinkable. I will be pouring out this glass and storing this bottle until one of my friends wants to take it off my hands for free. ‘Tis the season. I don’t know if I actually have 23 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments.

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 7: Much like Old Bardstown, I have been excitedly sitting on this one for a very long time. Hoping it was worth the wait! Nose is absurdly bland. This is a sherry finish, right? I can only get a bit of yeast and brine. Body is a different story. Wow. So this just changed things. Body hits smoothly. I get salted peanuts up front. Deep raisin follows. A bit of that brininess is there, but after tasting that raisin, that’s the nose. I go back and get that sherry influence on the nose every time. I have no idea why I couldn’t get it before. Perhaps I was expecting more redbreast and less sherry. Finish is long. There’s black pepper, and the sweetness comes back from the raisin. I’m not a fan of the mouth feel on the finish. I’m getting the heat from redbreast with a syrupy sweetness. It’s confusing. They really took a play out of Balvenie’s playbook here. It’s not just reminiscent. Without any knowledge going in, it would’ve probably been easier to convince me that this was Balvenie doing something screwy with their recipes than it would’ve been to convince me this was a redbreast product. Overall I enjoy this drink. I guess I see how this could be in a weird, undesirable zone. If I wanted Balvenie, I’d pour that. If I wanted Irish whiskey, I wouldn’t want this. But that doesn’t change the fact that this is unique, interesting, and at times confusing. I don’t know if I actually have 24 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments.

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 6: Note - this is not 88%, it’s 88 proof. 88% would be... hot damn. So how would you interpret “Straight Bourbon Whiskey with Dark Cherry and Bourbon Vanilla Beans”? It’s the only designation on the bottle, and it feels misleading. My hope is those are tasting notes. My fear is that this is a damn mixed drink in a bottle. Nose: holy cow the cherry. Reminds me of a cherry wine. Very sugary. Not looking good folks. Body: jack and cherry coke. Mic drop. Finish: coke, sugar, cinnamon. It’s really hard to pick out bourbon. It’s a damn mixed drink in a bottle. It’s pretty good, and if I were a fan of jack and coke, I think this would be amazing. There’s a really weird carbonated mouth feel in the finish. It’s not carbonated from the shake test, but I think it’s just so reminiscent of a mixed drink that my brain is fooled. Directions on the back for “Elmo Cola”: 1) Fill rocks glass with ice. 2) Add 2oz St. Elmo Bourbon (bullshit, this is not bourbon) 3) Fill glass with cola 4) Garnish with 2 cherries. Honestly you could skip steps 3&4 and be just fine. It’s good, but not a bourbon. I don’t know if I actually have 25 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments.

This year for the holidays I’m going to try a brand new whiskey every day in December. #lifegoals Dec. 5: I’ve been hanging on to this one with excitement for a while, because I love Bardstown, and based on its sudden pop up on my store shelves and the full wax top, I assumed greatness. Seeing the low rating just now is disappointing, and I hope the community is wrong. Color is encouraging. Nose is sweet with caramel and honeysuckle. Honeydew melon. If I try really hard I can get some lemon. Not very powerful, but a solid bourbon nose. Body is gentle. Very sugary. Powdered sugar. All the sugar. The mouth feel is odd. It feels like you’re biting into something juicy. Saliva glands gone insane. That melon flavor is there too. I enjoy this body. Finish is spicy with black pepper. If you sip casually, the finish is almost nonexistent. But smack your lips around and take a deep breath, and you’ll see just how hot this finish can be. This drink is fine. It’s not super special, but at the price point it’s perfectly passable. To further drive the value argument, this honestly reminds me a bit of Kentucky Owl, of course at 1/3 the price. Decent value drinker. Won’t buy another, not regretting the purchase. Community got this one right. I don’t know if I actually have 26 more new whiskeys lined up, so if you’re reading this and there’s something readily available out there you’d like me to enjoy/suffer through this holiday season, leave it in the comments.