Tastes

Nose on this BiB is outstanding. Just classic bourbon notes with a touch of spice and a little fruit. No doubt the best budget BiB on the market. It blows the other BiBs away. If you can only buy one budget BiB … buy this one. Creamy texture and that vanilla really comes through like a vanilla frosting. The other BiB budget bottles are just nice to have if you want to do blinds or comps. This must be something n your shelf.

Nose is classic Beam …. more so than OGD BiB and can definitely pull the peanut nose out on this. On the taste, it follows the nose but maybe more muted. It’s good, but in the end pretty standard with not much of a spice kick. Still lean to Dant over this

Nose and taste on this comes across a bit on the grainy side which is never a great note with me. Not nearly as sweet as other budget BiB offerings. I would lean to others like ET, Dant, and JTS Brown OR spend about the same and get EW 1783 which is a better bottle albeit at 90 proof.

A bit more mellow and maybe some peanut or funk compared to Dant. Enjoyable and classic notes with light cherry on the end. I enjoy Dant more, but would not turn this down.

Really enjoyable as a sipper. A nice amount of spice on this and just classic bourbon notes. For $20 you can’t go wrong. Recommend.

On the nose , definitely know it’s a rye but in an overwhelming manner. Obviously oak and maple syrup sweetness. Taste follows the nose. You really get that maple that comes through along with the rye spice and some pepper on the backend. It’s a nice bottle that will be pleasing to most especially if they like a maple syrup sweet profile. Not one I reach for too often, but it never is disappointing.

I enjoy this HH BiB normally and rate it highly. Definite vanilla and at times a peanut note, but this bottle picking up more of a grain / corn note on the nose versus other bottles. On the taste, definitely get some richness but this particular bottle is more grainy on the taste and frankly not as good as what I am accustomed from this. Medium finish that lingers a bit but this particular bottle batch is a bit of a let down.

This is an outstanding bourbon. You do get some peanut, but it’s so much more refined than normal Beam product. I really get some nice vanilla notes and the deep color off this is really translates into some soft oak and cherry notes. I have seem and read people say KC 12 year exceeds 15 year and I wonder if they have truly done a blind with them. Don’t get me wrong .. 12 year at $60 is a damn good bourbon. $5 a year… sign me up. It’s really good. More vanilla, but a tad thinner than the 15. In a true blind, the 15 offers a richer bourbon and one that I think is worth the extra $30. It’s more viscous, more complex, less peanut taste. You really cannot go wrong with either, however KC15 really is among the better higher end bourbon values on the shelf that people do not chase. Less than $6 a year … it’s well worth the $90 price. But you should own both 12 and 15. Among the best values on the shelf.

I enjoy more than the rye, but again, this one is HOT. Sometimes I drink it and it offers a really nice pour, however most of the time it comes off as an unrefined 116 proof heat bomb. I love WT. 101 is excellent. Russell Reserve red label is among my favorites, however this $45 bottle gets more love than it earns. Give me KY Spirit all day over this. I love a nice high proof bourbon, however when it’s heat over taste then it’s simply not a good pour regardless the price. I’m being nice with a 3.0 as one out of four pours it really hits the mark, but that’s too sporadic to recommend..

I know I am in the minority, but I really think this is a subpar rye. I do like the nose a lot. Noses more like a bourbon and gives off some subtle tobacco notes which I really like. However, the taste is extremely hot and does not follow through from the nose. I am not averse to high proof whiskey (just read my reviews), however this offer is all proof and minimal on the palate and leaves me quite dry. I have a bottle…glad I have it, but would not buy another with some many better ryes on the shelf both lower AND higher in proof that bring a taste notes and not just heat.