Tastes
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I love blind samples. It’s the one true way to appreciate something without bias. This generous pour here was sent courtesy of @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington. Okay—-let’s dive in… Clearly getting bourbon-y aromas. Real oak-y too. So, either it’s well aged (> 15yr), or it’s been sitting in an intense heat somewhere ( TX, NV?). Some caramel. The only information on the label is 135.2 proof, but I’m not sensing that on the nose. It’s muted. With that high proof, I need to add some water. Wow. Now it’s not so muted. Comes on strong like a frat boy hitting on a drunk sorority girl. No qualms there on what this bourbon’s intentions are ( if it is a bourbon…but I bet my Karuizawa bottle it’s a bourbon). Vanilla , caramel, dark fruits. Oak. A lot of oak. Okay…I’m guessing either first choice Garrison Cowboy or second choice Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Distant third ( highly unlikely) Barrel Bourbon. Peel back the label to reveal it…YES!! Elijah Craig BP it is! Batch A119. This is an incredible bourbon. For me to think this was the Cowboy simply shows how good it is. Thanks @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for the pour!
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I know absolutely nothing of sake…in fact, this is my first sake. But while in Rome, do as the Romans. And in my case, I’m at Disney’s EPCOT, specifically having dinner at their Teppen Edo restaurant in the “Japan” part of the world showcase. So..while in Japan, do as the Japanese… I had a pour of this with my spicy tuna sushi, as was recommended by the waitress. It’s a Nigori style, meaning that’s it’s cloudy and unfiltered..the sake version of NCF. Absolutely amazing flavors. It’s silky and velvety, with tastes of coconut milk, melon, sweet tea and cream. And dangerously drinkable. I feel as if I don’t need to dive into another spirit category, I’m quite content with knowing only about red wine and whisky, so I won’t be buying bottles of sake anytime soon. But at least it’s good to know other very affordable good malternatives out there10.0 USD per PourEPCOT
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C’mon, We’re smarter than this!! I don’t want to sound condescending ( with those words preceding what I’m about to write, yeah…it’ll be condescending), but how can any adult past his or her frat and sorority days have this!?? How can any one of us here, after having the lines of really good American bourbon and whiskey, Scottish whiskey , and others regions, actually voluntarily pay for this? I’ll tell you how. It’s called Universal Studios Harry Potter’s World of Wizardry. While my kids had their butter beer ( avoid it …it’s just a cream soda float), I thought I’d have their Whiskey Fire. Yes. That’s the Wizards’ whiskey here in Potterland…Whiskey Fire. I paid close to $10 for a shot of this, when an entire bottle is probably a fraction of that. It’s horrible. Just cheap whiskey and a bunch of cinnamon liqueur. Avoid it. Chalk it up to better marketing than Diageo…Universal Studio took a cheap bottle, and relabeled it adding Harry Potter wordings, and tripled the price. But on the bright side, after a week here in Disney and Universal Studios, maybe a smack across the face with cheap whiskey was just what I needed. It’s the Happiest Place on Earth, but also the most Exhausting…I now need another vacation after this endeavor.The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley
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I’m a huge fan of trying samples blind. You really rate things without a predefined bias. The last blind sample I had turned out to be an amazing Brora which was probably my pour of the year. This blind sample was courtesy of @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington , who sent over a generous pour. All that was mentioned on the vial was 133%, so knowing that, I had to dilute it a teaspoon of water. The color is mahogany, getting whiffs of oak and vanilla. Clearly a bourbon…and with some heft. Palette is classic bourbon…vanilla, oak, spice. Orange slices. This is as classic as you can get. It doesn’t have the weight of a Cowboy, Balcones or Booker’s, I’m guessing ECBP or a good quality MGP with some bravissimo craft label like “Young Guns” or “45mm”…something machismo. There’s a strong elegance to it too. Which makes me think 8 years at least. So…rules out Booker’s, Cowboy, or Balcones. I’m guessing ECBP. Really liking this——Okay…peeling back the label to see the sample… Down Home 12. Never heard of it…but it’s damn good quality if you like classic flavors. Thanks for the pour @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington !!
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Two hours. That’s how long I sat in a car, driving north of Oaxaca, visiting local countryside and some small distilleries. And that was with 2 young children and a wife that doesn’t drink. There’ll be either a special place in hell for me for putting them through that, or a special place in heaven for them. This is a no name bottle that I picked up from one of those visits. Some years back, we took a trip to a foodie trip to Oaxaca and Mexico City , followed by a beach vacation to Cabo. ( I HATED Cabo…over priced, touristy). One of the things we were told we should absolutely do while in Oaxaca is take a mezcal tour. It’s really diametrically opposite than the tours you get at the behemoth bourbon or scotch distilleries. We went to two…one was a professionally run small distillery, and then this one which was a co-op run by farmers. Both made products that were sold only locally. No distribution channels. No marketing. And what’s made is consumed by locals. This one was run by farmers, who seemed more interested in selling us their crop then mezcal. Small operation …some farmers working during their free time, and a donkey ( I forgot his name), who grinds the agave. We were treated to lunch, bought about $10 worth of local honey, and had all you can drink mezcal. I loved the mezcal so much, I bottled some, duct taped it, and bought it back. This is unlike most mezcal I’ve had. It’s muted on the smoke ( maybe it’s because I’ve had it 3-4 years in an unopened bottle, loosely held by duct tape?). It’s more herbal, grassy, and almost granite-y. Personally , I love it…and gave it a very biased score…but that’s also because of the experience. @ctbeck11 @pkingmartin @Richard-ModernDrinking @ContemplativeFox this was the sample recently sent Oh— if anyone is interested in a pour—will be happy to send one. I have 1/2 bottle still left10.0 USD per Bottle
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I’ve only had one poitin so far, and it was a horrid experience. Was about 10 years ago. Never touched it ever again. Felt like it was having a shot of Everclear. I’m sure what I had was probably worst of the bunch, and my not knowing any better, wrote off all poitin as gut rot. This is diametrically opposite to my experience from a decade ago. This is a very small batch ( about 200 bottles. All sold out now. I only got to try a small 3cl sample). It takes Ireland’s native spirit, turf smokes it, and then matures it for 10 weeks in a PX cask with a mourne stone ( which are those stones used to make border markings ). This is absolutely delicious. Nose is sticky sweet, figs and dates. Palette is earthy, granite, and oily brown sugar. Grapefruits and creme brûlée on the finish. These are probably all sold out, but if you see one—pick up immediately, open, and share with friends. I haven’t a clue as to what great poitin looks like, but this has just set the bar for me.14.0 USD per Pour
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Remember back in middle school, your science teacher would take the class out on a field trip to collect specimens to view under a microscope? You’d walk by a pond, fill a test tube, and bring it back to see what’s in there that’s invisible to the naked eye. Under the 1000x view of the microscope, you’d find a whole world in there. Amoebas. Paramecium. Tons of other Protozoa. Every where you look, it’s something different. And changing every time you even look in the same place. This is like that microscopic world. One of the few whiskeys I’ve had that changes at every aroma. I’m getting herbs and green apples on the nose. I put it down, come back to it a few seconds later, and now I’m getting leather , tabacco and oak. The palette isn’t quite the ride as the nose, unfortunately. It’s apples and caraway seeds. Really a well done collaboration. Two ryes, made two different ways. And the first rye made by Dickel as well. Unfortunately we don’t know what percent is Dickel or Leopold, but honestly, not sure it matters. Thanks immensely to @ctbeck11 for a generous pour. Around my neck of the woods, this is $100…and at that price, it’s a definite buy. This is one of those that you don’t want to rush into tasting, but just nose the kaleidoscope of aromas. That itself is worth the price of admission.
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@pkingmartinmartin , @ctbeck11 @Richard-ModernDrinking and I had our quarterly online tasting. We had 4 pours …all amazing. 25yr Proof and Wood Light whiskey, Tears of Llorana tequila, Del Maguey Iberico, and a no name local only mezcal from a oaxacan distillery. Years ago, I took a trip to Spain. We did Barcelona , Grenada , Rhonda, and Madrid. One thing I always will remember from Spain will be the Iberico ham. They have these black footed hogs that are raised on hazelnuts. Their meat is delicate, unlike any other ham you can possibly have. It’s aged and then served thinly sliced. You can taste the forest floor —-earthy, hazelnuts. The first sip of this took me back to Barcelona and those thinly sliced Iberico ham. Says something when a drink makes you remember an amazing experience. This has all the trademarks of that iberico ham…hazelnuts, floral, but not too floral, earthy and with a hint of smoke. Thanks @pkingmartin for the pour!!!
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Tears of Llorona Extra Añejo Tequila
Tequila Extra Añejo — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Tasted March 5, 2022@pkingmartinmartin , @ctbeck11ck11 @Richard-ModernDrinking and I had our quarterly online tasting. We had 4 pours …all amazing. 25yr Proof and Wood Light whiskey, Tears of Llorana tequila, Del Maguey Iberico, and a no name local only mezcal from a oaxacan distillery. Okay, I’m no tequila expert, but I did have more than enough to have one listed as my all time best. This is it. It’s my all time favorite tequila I’ve ever had. This is a whiskey drinker’s tequila. It’s layers and layers of complexity, almost like a well aged Speysider finished in tequila cask. Aged 5 years, in a cognac, scotch , and Sherry casks. Heavy in rancio, custard, toffee. Expensive, but so damn good. I’d you’re going to buy one tequila, this is it. Thanks to @ctbeck11 for the pour!!
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