Tastes

The nose starts with a mild sour and bitter mix of light sulfur, sour red berries, Concord grapes and plantains then roasted hazelnuts and chocolate covered strawberries followed by a creamy vanilla pudding that transitions to candied ginger, cloves and Angel food cake with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting creamy with sweet citrus that quickly veers towards a mild sour and bitter spice that slowly fades to cherry pie, sour apple and dehydrated figs that transitions to pickled ginger, cloves and ashy oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with campfire ashes, chocolate covered espresso beans, orange zest, sour cherries and toasted marshmallow. Overall, this is an interesting one with the red berries, grapes and creamy sweetness, but it leans too heavily on those sour and bitter notes for me to really enjoy it. I hear good things about Dingle and would like to try some of their other offerings, but this one was sadly a disappointment for me. A huge thank you to @ctbeck11 for the generous sample.

The nose starts with a mix of chocolate, fruit cake and wheat field funk then freshly opened bag of raisins, toasted walnuts and a mild white pepper spice followed by lemon zest, orange slices and ruby red grapefruit that transitions to ginger, cloves and sourdough bread with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a thin to medium mouthfeel starting with a mild sour and bitter funk then dark chocolate cocoa powder dusted prunes, toasted walnuts and a mild szechuan pepper followed by lemongrass, orange blossoms and ruby red grapefruit that transitions to ginger, cloves and charred sourdough bread with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with a moderate farmyard funk, chocolate covered raisins, sour apple candy, ginger, cloves and light ashy oak. The nose didn't start out promising with moderately sour fruits, bread and funky barnyard that doesn't improve on the taste with a mild sour and bitter funky start that continues in the sour territory with some chocolate and grassy notes before finishing with farmy funk, sour fruits and light spices. I was really excited to try this one as I've heard good things about Waterford, but this one just comes up as a miss for me. I'd still like to try some of their other offerings but likely at a bar before I'd venture into a full bottle purchase. A huge thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for the generous sample.

Kamet is distilled using six-row barley grown in the foothills of the Himalayas, and is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon American oak, ex-wine French oak, and ex-sherry Casks (Pedro Ximenez & Oloroso) then bottled at 46% ABV. The nose starts with a mix of sour red berries, chocolate covered raisins and charred whole wheat toast then dark roasted coffee beans followed by strawberries with balsamic vinegar, lemon poppy seed muffins and cherries jubilee that transitions to aniseed, cardamom, leather and black tea leaves with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a thin to medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of sour red berries, chocolate covered raisins and charred whole wheat toast then a spicy mocha followed by powdered sugar covered strawberries with balsamic vinegar, lemon zest and sour cherries that transitions to aniseed, cardamom, saffron and black tea leaves with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with fresh figs, baked pears, high percentage dark chocolate, cardamom and freshly brewed black tea. There is a nice balance of sour citrus and berries with dark chocolate and spices but this leans a little too sour and bitter than I’d prefer. This could be really interesting at a higher ABV to increase the flavors and mouthfeel as well as excluding the ex-wine French oak that seems to push this too far in the sour and bitter flavor direction, but it’s still an enjoyable pour that has a great combination of flavors and delicious finish that is priced well at $55. A huge thanks to @ctbeck11 for the generous sample.

The nose starts with a mix of smoldering campfire next to the ocean with creamy orchard fruit then freshly roasted espresso beans and cocoa powder followed by lychee, peaches and apricots that transitions to vanilla Bundt cake, ocean waves crashing over seaside rocks, ginger and gauze bandage roll with high ethanol burn. The taste is a rich mouthfeel starting with a mix of smoldering campfire next to the ocean with creamy orchard fruit then a spicy mocha topped with whipped cream followed by lychee, caramelized brown sugar coated peaches and ruby red grapefruit that transitions to vanilla gelato, ocean waves crashing over seaside rocks, candied ginger, leather and driftwood with high ethanol burn. The finish is long with moderate campfire ash, sea salt, chocolate covered espresso beans, cavern minerality, ginger snap cookies, baked orange and ruby red grapefruit. This was a fun one to break down during the winter storm we're getting here in Virginia with a mild peat smoke that underpins big and bold fruits along with some earthy spices, coffee and chocolate that are expertly balanced. A really great special release from Diageo that still seems to be readily available today.

The nose starts with a mix of fresh cut grass, motor oil and bergamot orange then slightly burnt caraway seeds followed by sour apple, lemon juice and grapefruit pith that transitions to dill, spearmint and charred pumpernickel bread with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a moderate sour and bitter spice that fades to a mix of fresh cut grass, motor oil and bergamot orange then slightly burnt caraway seeds followed by sour apple, lemon zest and grapefruit pith that transitions to dill, spearmint and burnt pumpernickel bread with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with burnt pumpernickel bread, vanilla extract and dill. Overall, this isn't great and the youthfulness is apparent with those sour fruits and bitter herbal rye notes that could really use some more time in the barrel to polish the flavors out better. I'd be interested to see how this tastes with some more age. Thanks @soonershrink for the generous sample to try this rye from Australia.

The Dalriadan is a blend of 40% double distilled peated malt from the Caol Ila Distillery aged entirely in ex-bourbon Hogsheads and 60% 11-year-old malt from County Antrim, Northern Ireland (most likely Bushmills) that was then finished for three years in Oloroso butts before being bottled at 57.5%. The nose starts with a mix of bacon wrapped dates, soft powdered sugar covered citrus fruits and a light sea breeze then a creamy vanilla pudding followed by tangy barbecue sauced short ribs, stewed apples, orange blossom and champagne that transitions to ginger, cloves, and charred sourdough bread with high ethanol burn. The taste is a rich and creamy mouthfeel starting with a mild bitter spice that quickly fades to with a mix of grilled shrimp, soft powdered sugar covered citrus fruits and a light sea salt then a creamy vanilla pudding and chocolate covered figs followed by tangy barbecue sauced short ribs, apple tart, orange blossom and brut champagne that transitions to ginger, cloves, and charred sourdough bread with high ethanol burn. The finish is long with tangy barbecue sauced short ribs, baked stuffed clams, creamy orange gelato, dark chocolate covered raisins and charred sourdough bread. Wow, what an incredible combination of Islay and Ireland that brings in bold flavors of barbecued meats, seafood, citrus and bready notes with a near perfect balance, but has a slight bitterness and sourness from the younger spirit that prevents it from being perfect. Still this is a hell of a whisky that shows a lot of promise for what Killowen is capable of and a huge thank you to @PBMichiganWolverine for sharing this treat with me.

The nose starts with a mix of light astringency, florals, raw pizza dough and mild rye spice then slightly soured fruits of apples, lemons and grapefruit followed by spearmint candy, butterscotch and earthy forest floors with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a fruity, floral and creamy mix before a moderate bitter and sour spice that fades to fresh wintergreen leaves then slightly soured fruits of apples, lemons and grapefruit followed by freshly baked pumpernickel bread, whipped honey butter and pine needle covered earthy forest floor with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with slightly soured citrus, charred pine cones and earthy forest floors. When I first tasted this, it was blind with @ctbeck11 and I thought this was a high rye bourbon due to the rye flavors being light and in the background of those sour fruits. Now that I'm not blind tasting, the rye seems slightly more noticeable, but it's still a very fruit forward rye with those rye elements in the background that come out every now and then to remind you it's a different style of rye. Overall, I think this is enjoyable, but a bit too youthful and could use some more time to age to polish out those sour fruits along with a higher proof to improve the mouthfeel. A huge thank you to @ctbeck11 for the generous pour.

The nose starts with a mix powdered sugar, florals and dusty old leather bound books that fades to Goetze’s vanilla caramel creams, candied peanuts and dark chocolate then McDonald’s apple pie, orange sherbet and maraschino cherries that transitions to ginger, cloves and polished mahogany with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium and creamy mouthfeel starting with a mild bitter and sour spice that quickly fades to with a mix powdered sugar, florals and dusty old leather bound books followed by dark chocolate gelato with creamy peanut butter then sautéed apples, candied orange peel and maraschino cherries that transitions to ginger, cloves and polished mahogany with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with mild ashy oak, chocolate covered toasted marshmallow, sautéed apples, cloves, ginger and dusty old leather bound books. This is a fantastic old bourbon that manages to mix some dusty old oak along with the traditional bourbon character with a near perfect balance, but there is mild bitter and sour spice on the front of the taste and finish that quickly fades to allow those old bourbon notes to shine through. If you were able to snag one of these at the original $150 price, this would be a fantastic buy. Sadly these tend to fly off the shelves and at today's price of $700+ on the secondary market, I'll just enjoy this sample and let someone else think about picking up one of those pretty decanters.

This sample was kindly provided by @jonwilkinson7309 and is from batch 8 that was bottled at 57.1% from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery. The nose starts with a mix of powdered sugar, florals and dusty old antique furniture that fades to a creamy butterscotch caramel on top of roasted peanuts and dark chocolate cocoa powder then five spiced apple pie, candied orange peel and cherries jubilee that transitions to spearmint and old leather bound books with high ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with candy fruit chews before a moderate ashy oak spice that slowly fades to dark chocolate covered peanut brittle and toasted marshmallow then five spiced apple pie, candied orange peel and maraschino cherries that transitions to spearmint, old leather bound books and polished mahogany with high ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with moderate ashy oak, chocolate covered peanuts, toasted marshmallow, Granny Smith apple peel, maraschino cherries and old leather. Overall, this is a great bourbon that brings bold traditional flavors with a fantastic nose, but the taste starts moderately on the bitter and sour side from that old oak overpowering some of those bourbon notes and finishes moderately bitter upfront before fading to allow the citrus, nuts and leather to come through. This likely could have been bottled a few years earlier to lower that oak influence, but is still a very delicious whiskey.

The nose starts with a mix of light florals, powdered sugar dusted caramel with a milk cream center and dusty oak then milk chocolate peanut clusters followed by orange blossom, red grapes and Apple Jacks cereal that transitions to fresh spearmint leaf, leather and black tea leaves with light ethanol burn. The taste is a thin mouthfeel starting with a mix of light florals, peanut brittle and dusty oak then a moderate bitterness overpowers the flavors that slowly fades to a mocha followed by orange zest, red grapes and sour apple candy that transitions to fresh spearmint leaf, leather and bitter black tea with light ethanol burn. The finish is short that starts fruity then quickly begins to turn to a bitter black tea that dominates and climbs a staircase of bitterness until it finally fades away. This whiskey seems very familiar to a few stories I heard from some poor fools in the military. The story always began with the fool deciding to look for love in the worst possible location of a strip club. Alas, the stripper, who we shall call Harper, was very pretty and all too willing to play a love interest of the fool. Over a short time frame, Harper would get the poor fool so love struck that before the 12 month deployment a power of attorney over the fool’s finances would be signed. Over the course of the deployment, the fool wouldn’t get nearly the same loving emotional treatment as expected in the form of mail or email, but was sure that love would win the day upon returning. At the end of the long deployment, the fool who expected a loving embrace from Harper was unfortunately let down with no sight of Harper and later found that not only was Harper gone, but so was all the cash in the poor fool’s bank account. This whiskey is very much the same with its beautiful decanter and 15 year age statement that draws you in for a pour with a great start of sweets, florals, citrus and spices that fails to deliver the same experience on the taste and finishes with a bitter end. Don’t be a fool and fall for Harper’s beauty and instead take a modest looking Dickel 15 or fancier Resilient to get a 15 year old that’s not all looks and won’t leave you with a cash grab and bitter ending.