Tastes

Single barrel offerings are usually a safe bet for the whiskey enthusiast. Distilleries are unlikely to bottle sub-par barrels for their single barrel offerings. That said, some single barrels are a bit outside the typical distillery profile, so if you don't like variety, SiB bourbons might not be your jam. Elmer T Lee bourbon is made from Buffalo Trace's number 2 mash bill which is rumoured to be 75%-78% corn, 12%-15% rye, and 10% malted barley. This is the same mash bill as the Blanton's line, but that line is also a single barrel brand so there will be differences. Age, warehouse location, and bottling proof will all play a role in any single barrel bourbon's final character. Elmer T. Lee bourbon is rumoured to be 12 years old, but no age statement is given on the label so take that with a grain of salt. Tasting Notes Neat from a Highland Whisky glass • Nose: dark cherries, blueberries, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, toasted oak, leather, a touch of corn oil • Palate: rich, oily, tons of dark cherries, cranberries, raisins, barrel char, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, powdered (icing) sugar • Finish: medium length, vanilla, oak, cocoa powder, nutmeg, a touch of tobacco • Thoughts: this is a fairly complex bourbon, although you have to work a little to get all the flavours and aromas as the cherries seem to dominate. It's rich and satisfying, like a dessert bourbon. There are no "off" notes. Elmer T Lee might be a victim of its own success, however, as bottles currently sell for ridiculous prices on the secondary market. I know, I know, a product is "worth" whatever people will pay for it. I believe I paid about $55 CAD for this and that's probably the most I'd pay for it. As recently as 2014, ETL was readily available and could be purchased for about $25-$30 USD or less, or so I'm told. These days, it often appears on store shelves (or the secondary market) in the US for $150 or more. Far be it for me to tell anyone what to do with their own money, but there's no way I'd pay that for this bourbon. It's good, but it's not THAT good • Rating: 88/100

Neat from a Glencairn • Nose: Nail polish. I can not emphasize enough how strong and off-putting this aroma is. Even my wife, who rarely comments on my whiskies asked "Are you drinking nail polish?" from across the room when I poured this. Exhaust fumes, galvanized metal. Even after letting this rest an hour in the glass, there are few other notes coming through. A bit of oak, some pine tree car air freshener. This may be the most aggressive, unpleasant whisky I've ever nosed. • Palate: thin, thin, thin. You'd think after 20 years in oak, there would be something going on, but there isn't. There's nothing elegant, mature or "luxurious" here. There are faint toffee, plum, and apricot flavours, or I think there are. Perhaps I'm imagining them or wishing they were there. • Finish: It's short, and that's a good thing. The exhaust fumes come back, and then there's a touch of pine and mint. • Thoughts: This whisky gets worse every time I try it. Maybe my expectations are too high, hoping it will get better with time. Maybe I've got some lingering anger over having paid good money for this awful whisky. Who knows? But I've (regrettably) consumed 1/3 of the bottle, giving each pour time and attention. I really wanted to like this. I really did. But I hate it. This Alberta Premium 20 Year Old is downright awful to my nose and palate. The remainder of the bottle will likely stay in my cabinet, only to be opened when someone asks me "What's the worst whisky you've ever had?" Perhaps it's harsh, but I'm nothing if not honest. #sorrynotsorry Final Rating: 45/100 (not a typo) • Would I accept a glass of this if it was offered to me? Not on your life. I'd rather drink water. • Would I order this in a bar or pub? Nope. I'd order a Zima before paying for this whisky. • Would I buy another bottle? You're kidding me, right? No.

Tasting Notes • Nose (undiluted): figs and raisins alongside some brown sugar, a hint of barrel char, a subtle floral note in the background • Palate (undiluted): rich and waxy, some rye spice, pepper, a little coconut, fresh cut oak • Finish: medium length, sweet toffee returns, some vanilla, the barrel char notes return, with some cloves and fresh coconut lingering alongside the slightly perfumed floral notes • With water, this whisky gets much more floral, with a lingering hint of incense on the finish. It may sound odd, but it isn't at all unpleasant. The floral notes remind me of some exotic flowers I’ve never smelled before. That may sound ridiculous to include in a tasting note, but it’s the best I can do as I am no botanist. • The bottle gets better and more interesting with time. It’s too bad this isn’t a permanent part of the Wiser’s lineup. • Rating: 89/100 points

This is a good, but not a great rye. It works brilliantly in cocktails, but on its own it lacks a bit of spice I look for in a rye. Its flavour is closer to a high rye bourbon than to an actual rye. 3.5/5 or 82/100

I don’t own a bottle of this, so keep in mind a 35ml sample can only go so far. This review is obviously limited in scope, and I don't claim to have the world's finest, most discerning palate. Tasting Notes I let this “open up” (covered) in a Glencairn for an hour or more. • Nose (undiluted): caramel popcorn, butterscotch candies, cola, rye spices, old oak, a slight mustiness like old books (which I quite enjoy) • Palate (undiluted): rich buttery texture, gentle arrival, rye spice, orange zest, pepper, a touch of canned pineapple somewhat reminiscent of a good rum • Finish: buttery, brown sugar, cola, molasses, cloves With water, there’s some vanilla, barrel char, and an aroma reminiscent of freshly baked Old Fashioned Plain doughnuts (my favourite). After another brief rest in the glass, the pineapple aroma becomes more pronounced. This really reminds me of good rum. Unfortunately the flavours don’t benefit from the addition of water. The lovely, buttery texture is thinner with water and the orange zest note all but disappears. The finish is also diminished by the addition of water. It becomes a bit nondescript; like a “standard” Canadian whisky. This is nice, but I wouldn’t score it higher than 87-89 points. I certainly wouldn’t rush out to buy a bottle.

Let me start by saying that there are MANY Canadian whiskies that I think are terrific. This is NOT one of them. I’m not sure which whisky the author of these tasting notes is nosing. This is by far the worst whisky I’ve ever nosed. The only aromas are nail polish remover and gasoline/exhaust fumes. Horrid. The palate is weak and watery with a generic fruitiness. This is an absolute embarrassment of a whisky. I hope my bottle gets better with time and air exposure. I’ve never been so tempted to pour a bottle down the drain. I would rate this zero stars if I could. What a waste of money. Avoid at all costs. Lot no.40 Rye and Canadian Club 100% Rye (Chairman’s Select) are a fraction of the price and are better in every possible way.

I’m revisiting Dalmore 12 for the first time in about 2 years. I think there’s been some improvement here. I still wish it was bottled at a slightly higher abv, but there are no “off” notes, no sulphur, and it’s a really good introduction to the sherried style of scotch whisky.