Tastes

For this review, @skillerified was generous enough to set me up with a blind sample with the #9 on it to explore and possibly venture a guess on what it could be. So, time to open this one up, write out some notes and hopefully be close. The nose starts with a light effervescent mix of lemon and lime fruits, dark chocolate covered raisins, barley field funk and leather then espresso, seaside rocky minerality and a smoldering campfire that fades to the background of fruits of salted mango, charred pineapple and balsamic strawberries that transitions to candied ginger and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium yet creamy mouthfeel starting with a light effervescent mix of fruits of lemon and lime, dark chocolate covered espresso beans, barley field funk and leather then a mild spice that quickly fades to figgy pudding, seaside rocky minerality and freshly lit tobacco that fades to the background of fruits of mango purée, charred pineapple and balsamic strawberries that transitions to candied ginger and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with espresso, lemon and lime zest, light ocean brine, mild pipe tobacco smoke, creamy mango purée, dark chocolate covered raisins, leather and polished oak. This is a really tasty dram that the nose has an enjoyable balance of light peat, farmyard funk, moderate sherry and slightly sour creamy citrus that carries over to the palate with a light yet airy mouthfeel that maintains the balance found on the nose before finishing with a mixture of mild bitter earthiness, sweet and sour creamy citrus, light smoke, moderate sherry and polished oak that fades at a medium length. I’ll probably be wrong, but I’ll venture a guess with this being something from Glengyle. Alright, so @skillerified was this indeed a Glengyle product? The answer and what this sample actually was is none other than ………………. Highland Park 18 year (Old Packaging)!!! Oh hell, another Highland Park 18!!! Well, this is the older bottling and there are some differences from the last blind that was the new Highland Park 18 Viking Pride bottle starting with a darker color along with a richer sherry influence whereas the newer bottling has a lighter color and the sherry influence is far subtler. Personally, I would rate them the same, but could easily see someone favor one over the other depending on whether they would want more sherry influence or less. Thanks so much @skillerified for sharing these samples with me, to be able to blindly compare the different releases of the Highland Park 18s from past to present.

For this review, @skillerified was generous enough to set me up with a blind sample with the #8 on to explore and possibly venture a guess on what it could be. So time to open this one up, write out some notes and hopefully be close. The nose starts with a light effervescent mixture of citrus, sherry and barley field funk then dark chocolate covered raisins and sugar cookies followed by a smoldering campfire that fades to the background of fruits of salted mango, charred pineapple and prunes that transitions to candied ginger, light leather and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium yet creamy mouthfeel starting with a light effervescent mixture of citrus, sherry and barley field funk then salted dark chocolate with a caramel center, cinnamon raisin oatmeal cookies and espresso followed by fruits of mango purée, charred pineapple and prunes that transitions to candied ginger, vintage leather and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with light ash, ocean brine, creamy mango purée, dark chocolate raisins, shortbread cookies, espresso, vintage leather and polished oak. This is a delightful dram that the nose has a wonderful balance of light peat, farmyard funk, mild sherry and creamy citrus carries over to the palate with a light yet airy mouthfeel that maintains the balance found on the nose with the addition of espresso before finishing with a mixture of earthy seaside, sweet citrus and well-aged oak that fades at a medium length. I’ll probably be wrong, but I’ll venture a guess with this being something from Springbank. Alright, so @skillerified was this indeed a Springbank product? The answer and what this sample actually was is none other than ………………. Highland Park Viking Pride 18 year!!! Aww hell, I was way off!!! Oh well, this was a damn tasty pour and one I’d be happy to drink anytime. Thanks for the dram @skillerified it was fun to break this one down and take a guess.

This is a 4 year old rye that was finished in American oak barrels that were smoked with aged Kentucky tobacco leaves then bottled at 52.5% ABV. The nose starts with a mix of butterscotch pudding, tangerine orange peel and moderate spearmint followed by freshly baked pumpernickel bread and light pipe tobacco smoke then baked cinnamon apples, nectarines and slightly sour cherries that transitions to cloves, anise and light leather with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy orchard fruit that quickly veers towards a mild spice that slowly fades to butterscotch pudding, orange zest and moderate spearmint followed by charred pumpernickel bread and moderate pipe tobacco smoke then baked cinnamon apples, nectarines and candied lemon peel that transitions to cloves, fennel and espresso with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length starting with earthy spearmint and fennel seeds then sweet and mildly sour citrus before a mild tobacco smoke and light leather. I’m actually surprised at how well this turned out with those tobacco notes adding some additional flavors to a slightly sour rye that drinks older than I’d expected from just 4 years of aging. The smoke is mellow on the nose but really emerges on the taste and finish that is well balanced to not overpower those traditional rye flavors that kept pulling me in for another sip until the sample was sadly gone. At a price of around $70, I think this is well worth it for a unique and flavorful rye. Thanks @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for the generous sample.

So, this Little Book Chapter 6 is comprised of the following: 4-yr Straight Malt Whiskey Finished with Cherrywood Staves 4-yr Straight Malt Whiskey Finished in Applewood Smoked Barrels 4-yr Straight Malt Whiskey Finished in Hickory Smoked Barrels 4-yr Straight Malt Whiskey Finished with Maplewood Staves 5-yr Kentucky Straight Bourbon I’m not sure if it’s just me, but those age statements don’t seem compelling enough to justify the $125 MSRP that they appear to be priced at. Thankfully I was given a sample of this by a friend and am able to find out for myself. The nose starts with a youthful acetone, maraschino cherries and burning hickory wood then cocoa powder dusted stale almond cookies followed by Granny Smith apples, dehydrated apricots and lemon zest that transitions to light baking spices with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy orchard fruits and espresso that quickly veers towards an ashy bitter spice that slowly fades to flinty minerality and freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by Granny Smith apples, dehydrated apricots and lemon scented disinfectant that transitions to light baking spices with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with burnt pine cones, used espresso grounds, lemon scented disinfectant, sour cherries, flinty minerality and pipe tobacco. No, no, no!!!! This is truly awful and tastes like a new craft distillery that is experimenting and struggling to find their way. The nose has a mild astringency along with sour fruits, light smoke and stale sweets that has a glimmer of hope on the taste starting sweet with a light bitterness before pummeling my taste buds with a mini forest fire of heat and ashy char that then fades to sour fruits and metallic notes that finishes with what I can only imagine the vengeance of a rampaging Smokey Bear on smokers in a forest would be by shoving burnt pine cone ashes, forest floor dirt and hand sanitizer down their throats. This certainly doesn’t justify that $125+ price tag for me and seems that it’d only sell for that due to the hype received from the previous Little Book products which will hopefully have less influence going forward if Beam continues down this road of releasing young blends for premium prices.

The nose starts with a mix of orange creamsicle, charred pineapple, sandalwood and leather then light florals along with roasted macadamia nuts and cocoa nibs followed by anise spiced baked pears, cherries jubilee and chalk candy that transitions to spearmint, light baking spices, pipe tobacco and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy orchard fruit, charred pineapple, sandalwood and leather then a moderate spice that slowly fades to light florals along with toasted marshmallow and espresso followed by anise spiced baked pears, maraschino cherries and chalky orange sports drink that transitions to spearmint, light baking spices, pipe tobacco and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with chalky orange sports drink, cherry cough drops, sandalwood, toasted marshmallow, espresso, spearmint and polished oak. This is a delightful and unique bourbon that the finishing in Mizunara, French, and toasted American oak casks has added some toasted flavors along with light florals and sandalwood that works in balance of those traditional bourbon flavors without one overpowering the other and is far less oaky than I feared. There are some minor sour elements to it that detract from the experience along with a higher bitter spice than I prefer on the taste, but overall, it’s a really fun creation from Barrell and one I’d be happy to drink anytime. At the price tag of $90 around me, I think this is priced fairly and worthy of a purchase for anyone that’s looking to try a different take on the traditional bourbon profile.

The nose is bold and rich starting with tangy smoked brisket, butterscotch creme brûlée and burning hay bales then honeysuckle, cocoa powder covered almonds and seaside rocky minerality followed by sautéed cinnamon apples, lime zest and caramelized peaches that transitions to ginger, popsicle sticks and gauze bandages with high ethanol burn. The taste is a rich creamy mouthfeel starting with a mild spice that quickly fades to caramelized pears, tangy smoked brisket and charred lemon then dark chocolate mocha, honeysuckle, burning hay bales and seaside rocky minerality followed by sautéed cinnamon apples, lime zest and grilled peaches that transitions to ginger, black pepper and gauze bandages with high ethanol burn. The finish is long with dark chocolate covered candied bacon, espresso, light ocean brine, burning hay, sautéed apples, lime zest, ginger, popsicle sticks and gauze bandages that lingers for minutes. This is a hell of a dram that has a bit of youthfulness to it, but the flavors are big and bold with rich smoked meats, creamy citrus, florals and seaside minerality that linger for minutes after each sip. Sure these are a bit expensive, but if you’re a fan of big peaty drams, this is likely going to be worth it for most. As I still have some of my 11.3 left, I decided to do a side by side with them and found that the 13.3 has a slightly higher sourness than the 11.3 but overall I think they are really close to each other and would rate them the same. Thanks @skillerified for the generous sample.

The nose starts with a campfire around pine trees then a slew of charred game meats followed by dates, pomegranates and caramelized pears that transitions to molasses, sassafras and cardamom with low ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy sweet orchard fruit that quickly veers toward charred asparagus and pine cones then a slew of charred game meats, grilled portobellos and espresso followed by dates, balsamic strawberries and caramelized pears that transitions to anise, sassafras and cardamom with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with campfire around pine trees, vanilla creme brûlée, charred game meats, grilled portobellos, rosemary, sassafras and cardamom. This is a really unique single malt that’s likely not for everyone. The nose is dominated by a campfire that is underscored with charred game meats, sweet fruits and spices that carries over to the taste with the addition of charred vegetables before finishing long with smoky campfire, charred vegetables and sweet sassafras that lingers for minutes after each sip. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this on the first few sips but over time it grew on me and by the time my glass was empty, I was wishing I had another pour to explore. This seems like one that could likely be polarizing with those smoke and charred vegetables notes but I’d recommend anyone to try a dram if they get the chance as it’s one that will be memorable either way. Thanks so much @Richard-ModernDrinking for the generous pour of this one as I doubt I ever would have tried this otherwise.

The nose is bold and rich starting with sautéed strawberries on buttermilk flapjacks with grade A dark maple syrup then dark chocolate mocha and light florals followed by caramelized peaches, cherries jubilee and mandarin orange zest that transitions to dusty cowboy boots, hay and polished mahogany with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a rich syrupy mouthfeel starting with whipped honey butter on top of freshly baked cornbread, sautéed strawberries and hay bales then dark chocolate mocha, candied pecans and light florals followed by caramelized peaches, cherries jubilee and mandarin orange zest that transitions to dusty cowboy boots and polished mahogany with high ethanol burn. The finish is long with dark chocolate mocha, cherries jubilee, sautéed strawberries, cornbread topped with honey butter, pipe tobacco, worn leather and polished mahogany. This is a big, rich and bad ass bourbon that is a decadent treat and the finishing was done just right which added red berries to the already fantastic blue corn bourbon without pushing it into an overly tannic bitterness that sometimes occurs with red wine finishing. It does have a slight youthful sourness that detracts from the overall experience but it is still an incredible bourbon that can easily go toe to toe with many of the overhyped and overpriced bourbons of today and beat or hold its own against them. At a price of around $70, I think this is a fantastic price for a premium high proof bourbon that should be a must buy for any Balcones fans. Thanks @skillerified for the generous sample and I’ll have to go order myself a bottle now.

The nose starts with a mix of light pineapple, toasted coconut and leather then dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts and mild pipe tobacco followed by chalky orange sports drink, sautéed apples and cherries that transitions to light baking spices and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a mix of grilled pineapple rings, toasted coconut and leather before a mild peppery spice that quickly fades to dark chocolate covered espresso beans, macadamia nuts and mild pipe tobacco followed by chalky orange sports drink, sautéed mangoes and cherries that transitions to light baking spices and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with grilled pineapple rings, toasted coconut, dark chocolate mocha, chalky orange, light oak spices, leather and mildly ashy oak. For being finished for around 22 months in rum casks, the rum influence is rather subtle on the nose that I’d likely have missed if I was tasting this blind, but that rum influence becomes more dominant on the taste while not overpowering those typical bourbon flavors before finishing tropical with mild earthy spices, chalky orange and ashy oak. At a price of around $160, it’s a unique finished bourbon but just doesn’t seem worthy of that high of a premium for 10-year-old Tennessee whisky with a rum finish and I’d much rather spend that on plenty of other bottles half the cost that I prefer over this one. Thanks @PBMichiganWolverine for the generous sample.

Café Ole is made with heavily toasted barley to add rich chocolate notes then aged at a minimum of 46 months before being released as a single barrel product and my barrel is number 14 that was bottled at 53.8% ABV. The nose is rich and bold starting with a mix of chocolate covered caramel clusters, dehydrated apricots and suede then circus peanuts and espresso followed by caramelized peaches, lemon zest and sour cherries that transitions to light baking spices and mild oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a rich syrupy mouthfeel starting mildly sour with a bitter spice that slowly fades to chocolate brownie batter, dehydrated apricots and suede then toasted marshmallows, peanut brittle and espresso followed by caramelized peaches, lemon candy and maraschino cherries that transitions to light baking spices and mildly ashy oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with dark chocolate covered espresso beans, sour cherries, caramelized peaches, ginger, cloves, leather and mild oak spice. This is a rich and decadent chocolatey treat that those toasted barley notes are dominant underscored by sour citrus and mild baking spices that has a mild youthful astringency on the taste that finishes with earthy dark chocolate and coffee along with light sour fruits and light oak spices. For a bourbon that is younger than 4 years, this is a real treat that any chocolate lover would likely find quite enjoyable, but suffers from a youthful sourness that could use more time aging in the barrel to help polish those flavors better. It’s another tasty dram from Glenn’s Creek which is creating some unique spirits and are on my must visit list whenever I go to Kentucky to pick up a bottle or two. I’d highly recommend a visit for anyone that is able to make it to Kentucky as it’s a tiny little operation, but the people clearly have a lot of passion and knowledge in the products they are creating.