Tastes

Color: The color is a light corn yellow, and this Canadian whisky has thin little legs that leave droplets on my glencairn glass. Nose: The nose has a pretty simple bouquet of corn, caramel, and pancake syrup mixed with honey. Pretty sweet smelling to say the least. Taste: The palate I am needing to work for in order to find anything worthy of mention. Honey sweetness maybe with a touch of cinnamon. Finish: The finish is minimal to nonexistent except the fleeting sensation of Splenda sweetener leaving you with only a tingling mouthfeel. (Though as you wait and the mouthfeel goes away, an almost charcoal / bitter aftertaste appears at the back of your throat.) Opinion: I learned that this brand is the second largest seller of Canadian whisky behind Crown Royal herself so I felt I should give it a try. I'm glad I did, but let's just say I'm glad I only invested in a 50ml sized bottle. It's not terrible, but it's not great. I'm willing to give the Black Velvet Reserve a try, the older brother of this dram, but this one didn't impress me. Sorry Black Velvet. Sláinte!

Appearance: In the Glencairn glass, much like myself, it has pretty thin legs. The color according to a nifty chart I found on Whiskey Magazine, is “chestnut oloroso sherry,” which is basically a dark amber / orange; I could have said that to begin with, but I wanted to sound fancy. Nose: The nose is sweet. And it definitely has grains (which for a blended grain whiskey there should be no surprise there.) I found notes of orange zest and cherry, and beyond that it really vanished for me. Palate: The body is really smooth with no burn going down. It’s nice for a simple whiskey actually. Although, I’m finding the longer you wait it has more bitter bite on the back of the throat. On the palate I got a note of not quite ripe blackberries, like, the berry is good but you know what it could be. And beyond that there’s nothing more I’m getting. Thoughts: Eh. It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. If someone poured me a glass I would drink it with gratitude! But for the price there are better options. In a highball, sure! I think it’d be a quality whiskey to mix in with ice and soda. Cheers!

Color: I normally don't talk about the color of a whiskey, but I thought it was cool the effect the barrell had on the whiskey. So the color is noticeably darker as an almost orange instead of the classic golden straw of standard Jameson. The stout that was present before it really must've altered everything a little. Nose: On the nose your memory instantly welcomes back the classic familiar Jameson. Breakfast biscuits, citrus fruit, and honey all are present; but dark chocolate and malt are added too, with notes of sweet candy. Taste: The palate is so good! The mouthfeel is so smooth and creamy. I tasted honey, what reminded me of Whoppers malt balls, some not unpleasant bitter hops, and milk chocolate on the short finish. I don't know why exactly, probably the creaminess and enjoyment found in this drink, but after a sip I'm also reminded of a cappuccino or caffe breve. Opinion: I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this whiskey! I love everything about it, from its smell to its taste, to its origins from a cool partnership! I'm a big fan and I would definitely buy it again! Sláinte!

Nose: On the nose I get immediately the charred oak from the barrel interior, a nice macho whiff to start the drink off right. As it has time to stretch it's legs in the glass for a bit (Ha) I also get dandelion and wildflowers along with vanilla ice cream, and randomly carrots. It's a delightful bouquet, no arguments from me! Taste: The palate starts sweet and friendly with honey. Notes of grain cereal like Chex or Crispex stand out. And (country folks may get this more) you know when you're walking outside and you pick a dry stalk of grass to put in your mouth? There's that taste: a grassy / straw in your mouth taste. And there is no finish to speak of unfortunately. Opinion: You know, I don't see many wheat whiskies. Bernheim claims to be the first, so well done there! I think this dram isn't challenging at all except maybe for the slightly higher alcohol content (45 abv), but dang! It has some complexity alongside the friendliness that I can see making this a good dram to have paired with a pipe on a nice night and a few good friends shooting the breeze. Cheers!

Nose: The nose comparing side by side with the Wild Turkey 101 is really mild and welcoming. The bouquet is almost Jim Beamish (I do intend that as a compliment; I like Beam.) Caramel and vanilla predominate the nose with minor notes of peanut butter and honey filling in around it. Taste: Once again, compared to the 101 this bourbon is smooth. It's much less punchy due to the lower alcohol content, which some may like and some may find boring. So yesterday, I grilled corn for my wife and I as part of our dinner, and that's a big note I'm getting here. I also find honey, black tea, oak wood, and there is a minty finish that leaves you feeling fresh and wanting another sip. Opinion: This is a tasty daily sipper. And that minty finish I am really enjoying, and I can see this being a favorite budget dram for some people. Cheers!

Nose: The nose greets you with black licorice candy, specifically the Good and Plenty candies my grandma had on her desk at work that she would always give me when I was little. The nose also has a heavy whiff of leather, like a fresh leather jacket. Other notes follow like pine, cinnamon, orange zest and peach. Taste: The palate begins for me with a tingling spiciness shifting into a citrusy tang. Though it isn't sweet per se, I am reminded of the Pixie Stix powdered candy, which is fun; I'm realizing this is a rye that brings back nostalgic memories for me. Opinion: From what I understand rye had (more so in the past, not so much lately) been given flack about being an inferior whiskey. But I am very much surprised by how much I enjoyed this rye! I think it's good neat and I'm sure it would make a great backbone for some classic cocktails. And, being as it's in the Beam family it is easily accessible and affordable too! I picked mine at a local liquor store for $18.00. I think if you're new to rye, this is a good place to start! Well done Jim Beam! Sláinte!

Nose: The nose starts off with greeting you with a super sweet kiss of vanilla coffee creamer. Smoke follows but is more nuanced that what I would have expected. There are other notes in the bouquet such as incomparable apples and oranges, and briny saltiness but I'd say the perfect amount; not nearly as overwhelming as the Red Label. Taste: The palate is very welcoming. Salted caramel starts the show followed by earthy peat, dark chocolate, and honey. The finish is smooth and has seemingly contrasting notes of campfire smoke and mint. Opinion: Johnnie Walker, well done! You've made a great classic blended scotch, one that is iconic and is among one of the top selling scotches worldwide! You don't get to that place without something worth selling and consistency! For those who are new to whisky, this scotch can basically be found anywhere and is a good entry level scotch. I really like this dram and highly recommend it! Sláinte!

Nose: Yep, the nose is Jack Daniels through and through. Its iconic sweetness telling you to "Pick me up and drink me!" is even more pronounced in this version of their Tennessee whiskey. Bananas and graham crackers with Nilla Wafers cookies greet your nasal cavity with a friendly greeting. Taste: The palate is so noticeably smooth, nearing the point of disappointingly so. A little charred oak and vanilla show up, and there are still the notes of banana but for the most part, it's just smooth and nearly dull. The finish redeems it though (I guess) by adding a little fight and cinnamony burn at the end in the back of the throat. With ice added, it becomes just a simple refreshing porch sitting summertime drink. Opinion: Like I said in my other note about the standard Jack Daniels, it may not be my personal favorite, but there is a reason big names get to where they are. Jack has done some cool things and this whiskey I can see really stand out to some people. Maybe that's you; if you're on the fence I say get a sample-size bottle and try it. Here's to gentlemen everywhere! Cheers!