Tastes

Color: So comparing this Kentucky bourbon to it’s 10 year old brother, it’s obviously and noticeably lighter. The color is an old gold in my Glencairn glass and the legs are very thin and watery. Nose: The nose possesses lemon zest and orange notes, caramel, barn hay, and a hint of car exhaust. Taste: The taste is pretty basic. Nothing worthy of writing home about. A little oaky tannins, some leftover Halloween caramels that nobody wanted, with some green grapes and grapefruit as well. Finish: The finish is dry with an almost dry white wine aftertaste. Leaving also an almost “sparkly” mouthfeel. Thoughts: This bourbon is decent. I'm glad I tried it; It won't be a favorite of mine or anything, but if you look at the brand as a whole, it kinda makes sense their bourbon won't stand out on its own because they are a brand that specializes in flavored whiskeys. Now for the most part that's not my thing, but if it's yours, these are your people! I'm afraid though Bird Dog’s entry bourbon though isn't really my thing. Sorry guys!

Color: The color I find on this single barrel Tennessee whiskey is a tawny orange color, And the legs are thinner than what I would expect from a whiskey with a 47% ABV. Nose: The nose starts off with heavy oak, and a Jack signature banana note, but the banana on this one is not as overwhelming as on the Gentleman Jack. Vanilla pudding also has a note in there with a hint of cinnamon spice. There’s also a smell reminiscent of camping, and waking up to the smell of the smoldering remains of your campfire. After adding a few drops of water, the nose gives off a pumpkin spice latte note too. Taste: After getting past the heat, the palate holds notes of salted caramel and almond. Notes of strawberry Twizzlers welcome you on the front end and graham crackers send you home at the end of the swallow. Adding a few drops of water adds a cherry note to the mix as well. Finish: It's a medium length finish leaving you with a graham cracker aftertaste after the initial heat. After a few drops of water, there's a peach note on the finish too. Thoughts: I really like the nose on this whiskey. Really every step in the process is interesting and complicated and delicious! It was still really good before, but after adding a few drops of water it became so much better for me personally. I would buy this again, which I'm grateful for because I thought I had been turned off to Jack Daniel's, but this dram thankfully proved me wrong. Sláinte!

Color: The color on this blended scotch is a nice straw color. The legs are thin, but hold on for a bit. Nose: The nose starts off the show with red apple sweetness, honey, and a hint of briny peat. Taste: The palate is very pleasant with honey notes, a salted almond taste, with a note of vanilla as well. Finish: The finish is a mellow crescendo that grows into a salty and slightly smoky apex and then fades into a shortish finale. Thoughts: This for me was a really good blend. I'm really happy I picked this up and I think many people would enjoy this. It's really popular so it isn't hard to find! Could you get something better for the price? Probably. But this is good, and definitely worth trying. Sláinte!

Color: The color on this straight bourbon is a yellow gold, with really thin watery legs. Nose: The nose hits me as I raise the lid off my glen with a fist of car exhaust and nail polish to my nasal cavity, only to apologize with a kiss of honey, red apple, and oak wood shavings after a few minutes. Taste: The first taste has the same effect as the first smell - more of a punch than a firm handshake. After a couple minutes though it opens up and is more friendly. The palate is welcoming with sweet honey, cherry, and maybe a green grape and Red Vine candy note that flows into the finish. Finish: The finish is bizarre and took me a while to pin down, but there is a tingling mouthfeel and a kiwi aftertaste following the Red Vine note. Thoughts: This is a strange bourbon. It isn't bad! But it isn't something that I expected or maybe want again for a little while either. I really liked the complexity, but I didn't care for the turn off at the get go, but appreciated that it warmed up to me after a bit. Luxco Inc., you've put me in a hard place - do I dislike it, or am I a huge fan!? I'm not sure. Here's to another dram to find out! Sláinte!

Nose: The nose is sweet, corn notes and candy corn with a floral bouquet that marks this as a very approachable bourbon. Taste: The taste has a slightly stronger kick due to the higher alcohol content, but is sweet with caramel, vanilla, red cherries, and honey land on your pallet. It has a fresh almost minty finish. Opinion: This is a great whiskey. It's definitely a bourbon to have on your wish list, I think it's worth trying! If you live in or near Colorado Springs and don't want a whole bottle, the distillery and whiskey house are for sure worth visiting too! (Get the "Tobacco Old Fashioned"!) Cheers!

Color: The color on this blended scotch is light gold. The legs, I notice, are pretty watery and thin. Nose: On the nose I get salted caramel, brine, a red apple sweetness, and grain cereals. I find a little peaty smoke in the mix too. Taste: The taste is pretty simple but starts off sweet like honey for me. The rest is reminiscent of the nose with cereal grains and red fruits. Finish: The finish is kinda short to medium and leaves a dry mouthfeel as well as a smoky yet almost dry wine-like aftertaste. Opinion: As I am still currently new to the scotch game, I figured I'd try this one sooner rather than later. With Dewars being the #1 selling scotch in America there must be something to it. And you know, it may be pretty simple, but for a budget scotch, it's quite good! This would be good neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail. I give it a thumbs up! Thanks Guys! Sláinte!

Color: The color of this Buffalo Trace product is a polished mahogany wood. Nose: The nose has basic notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak, but it also boasts unique subtleties like sour gummy worms and pine needles. Taste: The palate matches the nose with oak, vanilla, and caramel notes with the addition of dark fruits like cherry and plum. Finish: The finish is short to medium in length. The aftertaste is smooth with very little burn, yet much like Chandler in Friends during Thanksgiving, slight bitterness popping up at the end. Opinion: I had heard good things about this bourbon from several people, but only tonight for a friend’s birthday did I finally pick up a bottle. Man, this bourbon sets a standard for budget bourbon! It was really tasty, really affordable, wasn't boring, and everyone at the party drank it neat and enjoyed it! I would highly recommend it to anyone! Buffalo Trace, well done and keep up the good work! Sláinte!

Color: The color on this bourbon is a beautiful auburn mahogany. Nose: The nose is sweet with notes of honey and cotton candy. Caramel syrup adds to the sweet aroma too with a hint of oak and leather to round it out. Taste: The palate is not as sweet as the nose, with yellow corn, lemon, wood notes primarily. Overall though, it's not too exciting. Finish: There's a medium finish and you're left with a tingling mouthfeel and a cinnamon/brown sugar aftertaste that lasts a short minute. Opinion: It’s a good standard dram, but it's nothing I'd get really excited about. For a budget bourbon it’ll do the trick, but I believe you can find better bangs for your bucks. Sláinte!

Color: The color is a pretty “honey-like” amber. Nose: The nose on this honey flavored whiskey is one of the best I've had amongst its sweet peers. Clovers and faint mint take you on first as well as dried leaves. This is all in addition to the obvious sweet aroma that you'd expect from honey. Taste: The taste is obviously sweet with honey, but it doesn't go as far past the line of sweetness as other honey whiskies have. There's also a earthy note like a black tea mixed in there adding slightly more complexity. Finish: The finish is medium to lingering in length and sweet with an obvious sparkly honey aftertaste. Opinion: So though I am not a fan of flavored whiskey as a whole, I don't mind honey flavored whiskey. It's sweet, easy, and has some good memories tied to it for me. This one in particular though, is probably my new favorite. It's sweet but not too sweet, tastes like honey but has slightly more complexity than others. Evan Williams is a name and brand that's been around forever and though this may not be everyone's favorite, it's still a product to be proud of! (This would make a great [and dangerous] gateway drink for anyone wanting to get into whiskey.) Thanks Evan Williams! Sláinte!

Color: The color on this bourbon is a deep copper. Its legs are thin but stick to the inside of the glass for a bit. Nose: The nose is sweet with obvious front leading aroma of corn, followed by notes of cherry candy, wildflowers, and a hint of vanilla. The floral notes only get stronger as you sit with it. Taste: The taste is a bit thin and unremarkable. But it has sweet honey on the palate as well as oak and corn. Basically it’s a pretty basic bourbon. Finish: The finish on the end is clingy and has some spiciness. It definitely linger with you for a while, then slowly dissipates. Opinion: This was one of the first bourbons I ever had. My dad let me try some one Christmas break after I turned 21 or 22. I liked it and this bourbon has a place in my memory and heart because of that. However, after a bit more experience (though I would be no means consider myself a whiskey expert yet) I think this dram is a bit boring and simple. I believe it is a good starting point for one who is just wanting to get into bourbon, but beyond that it’s just a fine uncomplicated dram that would probably do really well in any whiskey cocktail. Sláinte!