Tastes

Nose: Cloves and spice, candied orange, sugar — delicious brown sugar with a ton of molasses. Spicy right away (it is 100 proof!) but cools off quickly. Palette: Caramel, toffee, burnt sugar. Very sweet - not in a overwhelming or syrupy way... more like taking a bite out of gorgeous Midwestern sweet corn at a cookout in the middle of July. Nice spice — kind of red pepper flake spicy more than black pepper spicy. Finish: Stereotypical high rye bourbon. Lingering, a touch malty, and a little floral before fading into a nice lull. Overall — It’d stand up well with some ice in the summer or as a mixer. Ain’t bad neat, as well! It’s a decent bourbon, but I’m not sure if I would buy again with Wild Turkey 101 about the same price. I think WT101 is a slightly more complex drinker with similar qualities.

This is a pretty fun, unique bourbon. High rye with a nice burn, a little bitter, but with a distinct unique palette of banana. Lots of vanilla and burnt brown sugar on the nose. Fruity and sweet on the front, rye burn towards the end, with a really unique aftertaste of banana and cinnamon.

I was excited to get my hands on this bottle. A bourbon crafted in my own backyard, the bottle emblazoned with a pride flag, and from a distillery owned by a disabled veteran – what isn't to love? It's the America I am proud to be apart of, and it tastes like it, too. A little inclusive, a little unbridled, and free to express itself as it is. The nose is potent and alcoholic. It smells almost ethanoly – a lot of corn – and late-fall leaf pile, when the leaves are just a little damp. Just a comforting dank earthy smell all around. The palette is pretty nice. It comes on sweet and a little floraly tastes like honeysuckle and rosewater. Nice and balanced, then hits you with a wallop of spice Definitely the spiciest bourbon I've had. I can tell it's high rye – it smacks you like you ate a spoonful of wasabi or horseradish. I'm a big fan of spicier, high rye bourbon, but if you're not, you probably will not be a fan of this one. The finish is what you'd expect – just a slow burn of the spice fizzling out. I wanted to love this whiskey, but at the end of the day, it's just a little bit simple. It doesn't have any unique or outstanding quality – it's just a solid but basic high rye bourbon. However, for the distillery's first foray into bourbon, I'm very impressed and so excited to see what else they put out!

Nose: floral - hints of lavender and cedar. Rather light, but with a slight pepperiness and a touch of iodine. Mango perhaps? A whiff of caramelized brown sugar that's been scrubbed with rubbing alcohol. Palette: A shockingly full body for a scotch under $20. Though not very complex, definitely high marks here for busting my expectations. Most blends I've had at this price point are thin and watery... not this dram. Vanilla and honey sit on the tip of the tongue, before charging to the back of the mouth with abandon, unleashing a peppery barrage that burns so good. A slight pine rises in the back of the pepper, offering a hint of respite in the midst of the fire. With a splash of water, the sweetness is unlocked more, and it becomes an even more pleasant dram as the peppery burn is balanced by fresh, sweet cherries and sugarcane. Finish: undoubtedly a weak point. A touch bitter, slightly medicinal, and tasting of unflavored mouthwash. This overall unpleasantness finally resolves into a nice brine aftertaste, that fades relatively slow. The bottom line: A full bodied sub-$20 whisky. If you don't go in expecting much, it's sure to surprise you. An honest blend that is passable neat, but perhaps better suited with a splash of soda. I think it will have a home on my bottom shelf as my low price, go to daily sipping scotch.

Nose: cherry cobbler, cedar, lemons, ammonia, smoked pepper, and an odd (if slightly unpleasant) touch of sulfur Palette: sweet, juicy peaches linger on the tip of tongue. It dances backwards on the tongue, bringing in a salty brine that reminds me of anchovies ever so slightly. There is a light burn that engulfs the mouth, reminiscent of cayenne peppers, but is quenched by an unmistakable salted caramel note. Sweet citrus notes punch the sides of the tongue, leading to a nice interplay of salty-sweet and spicy-mushiness. Finish: short and simple. An all too short peated smokiness dissolving into sea water. The bottom line: a nice sipping scotch! Nothing to write home about, but all around pleasant. Definitely would order again.