Tastes
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Lagavulin Offerman Edition 11 Year
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed April 27, 2025 (edited April 30, 2025)Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Light Amber. Nose: Smoke and salt evoke an oceanside campfire. Subtle notes of apple and pear are just below the surface. Palate: More salt, smoke, apple, and pear notes. Some bitter oak. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: Less smoky but somehow more salty with a few drops of water. Overall: 8/10 - This seems to be hitting most of the major notes while missing the overall mark. It’s good, but considering the 90 score here on Distiller, I expected a more balanced dram. -
Booker's Bourbon Batch 2024-01 "Springfield Batch"
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed April 23, 2025 (edited April 26, 2025)Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium-dark amber. Nose: Srrong notes of vanilla, caramel, and toffee, with some cinnamon red-hots. Palate: Cinnamon, clove, baking spices, with a touch of mint towards the end. Finish: Long and warm, as one would expect from the proof. Splash: Some oak tannins come through with a few drops of water. Overall: 9/10 - Bookers seems to be one of the most consistent, yet obtainable, limited releases. Would definitely buy again, especially at under MSRP.79.99 USD per BottleCostco Wholesale -
Penelope 17 Year American Light Whiskey
Other Whiskey — Indiana, USA
Reviewed March 18, 2025 (edited April 2, 2025)Conti's Wines & Spirits store pick 144 proof Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Butterscotch and a hint of cinnamon. Palate: Baking spice and oak, with some clove and cinnamon notes. Finish: Long and warm. Splash: A few drops calms the spicier notes and lets the sweetness of the clove come through without being too spicy. Overall: 9/10 - My first hazmat bottle. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes higher proof whiskey.115.0 USD per BottleSouthington Wine & Spirit Co -
Four Roses Single Barrel Collection - OBSF Recipe
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed February 26, 2025 (edited April 24, 2025)Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel, vanilla, and butterscotch. Palate: Baking spice and oak, followed by cinnamon and clove. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 9/10 - The nose is amazing, and everything that follows is classic bourbon. Well done!50.0 USD per BottleSignature Wine & Spirits -
Privateer Distiller's Drawer "Golden Hour"
Aged Rum — USA
Reviewed February 26, 2025 (edited March 24, 2025)Received a blind sample from a friend. Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Light amber. Nose: Sugar cane with some honey and sawdust. Palate: Sweet with some unexpected cinnamon and clove notes. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed, but the clove becomes more prominent with a few drops of water. Overall: 8/10 - Obviously this is a high proof rum. The sawdust in the nose implies a longer age. I'd be interested to try this in a cocktail. -
Privateer Distiller's Drawer "Sea Smoke #2"
Aged Rum — Ipswich, MA, USA
Reviewed February 24, 2025 (edited March 24, 2025)Received a blind sample from a friend. Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Light amber. Nose: Vanilla, cake frosting, a bit of leather. Palate: Peat smoke and oak tannins with some spicy clove notes. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: A few drops of water calms the peat and spicier clove notes, allowing some other notes like cinnamon and baking spice to appear. Overall: 9/10 - This drinks like a higher proof scotch aged in ex-bourbon casks. The age is apparent in the palate and the proof in the finish. I'd be interested to try it in a cocktail. -
Penelope Private Select (2024 Estate Collection)
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed February 11, 2025 (edited February 21, 2025)Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Butterscotch, toffee, chocolate, very sweet. Palate: Cinnamon red hots, sweet clove, baking spice. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: A mild minty note appears. Overall: 9.5/10 - This was a gift from a friend, and I was pleasantly surprised by the complexity and the notes in general. Would definitely recommend! -
Four Roses The Ten Recipe Tasting Experience
Gift Sets — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed February 7, 2025 (edited February 17, 2025)#1 OBSV Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Lots of bright fruit, some floral notes. Palate: Sweet clove coats the tongue, some baking spice. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 7.5/10 - This is a nice recipe, but lacks some of the classic bourbon notes (vanilla, cinnamon, etc.) A good place to start, #2 OBSK Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel and vanilla, with some earthy notes. Palate: Cinnamon and baking spice coats the tongue, some sweet clove. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: A dry oaky note appears, and complements the other flavors well. Overall: 8.5/10 - This is more of a classic bourbon, with some nice clove and oak notes. #3 OBSO Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Banana bread with a sweet honey note. Palate: Oak and baking spice. Finish: Short length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 6.5/10 - The nose is fantastic, but it left me wanting more. #4 OBSQ Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel with some light fruit and floral notes. Palate: Cinnamon, clove, baking spice. Finish: Medium length with low heat. Splash: A dry oaky note appears, and complements the other flavors well. Overall: 8/10 - This has a great nose and classic bourbon notes in the palate, but the finish keeps it from scoring higher. #5 OBSF Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Butterscotch, caramel, vanilla. Palate: Baking spice and oak, followed by cinnamon and clove. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 9/10 - The nose is amazing, and everything that follows is classic bourbon. Well done! #6 OESV Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Sweet with fruit and floral notes. Palate: Baking spice and clove. Finish: Medium length with low heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 7/10 - The baking spice and clove notes are nice, but this is somewhat one-note compared to the others. #7 OESK Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Vanilla, caramel, toffee. Palate: Baking spice, clove, cinnamon. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: Sweet clove notes become more prominent. Overall: 8/10 - This is hitting most of the classic bourbon notes. A longer or hotter finish would be nice. #8 OESO Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Banana bread with honey and nuts. Palate: Tons of sweet clove and baking spice. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: A mild minty note appears. Overall: 9.5/10 - This is wildly complex, and surprising at every turn. So far, my favorite of the set. #9 OESQ Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel and vanilla with some butterscotch notes. Palate: Cinnamon, sweet clove, baking spice. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 9/10 - This has a great nose and classic bourbon notes in the palate. So far, the longest finish of the set. #10 OESF Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Butterscotch, toffee, caramel, vanilla. Palate: Clove, baking spice, oak tannins. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: A mild minty note appears. Overall: 9/10 - Another with classic notes and a great finish. On par with OESQ. Average of all ten: 8.2 (not factoring in cost). If these were offered at a bar, I'd expect to pay more per shot. At $125 for the set, it's a fun experiment, but not all recipes are equally good. I'd buy the single barrels of the better ones, and leave the rest. -
BLanton's Original Private Reserve Single Barrel
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed January 27, 2025 (edited February 26, 2025)Table & Vine single barrel dumped on 6-27-23 barrel #194 on rick #15 Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel, vanilla, fruit. Palate: Thick mouthfeel with baking spice and clove giving way to mild cinnamon notes. Finish: Short length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 7/10 - It's good, and probably someplace between BT's standard offering and Eagle Rare, both of which are easier to obtain. It's the ultimate tater bottle and doesn't justify the hype. It's good, but hardly worth chasing or spending secondary to obtain. When this sat on shelves for under $50, that was about right.Table & Vine Flagship -
Starlight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Honey Barrels
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed January 25, 2025 (edited February 12, 2025)Worldwide Wine & Spirits single barrel 117.1 proof, aged 4 years Barrel 23-2085-02 Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Honey, caramel, apple. Palate: Thick mouthfeel, clove, cinnamon and baking spice. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: A strong honey note appears. Ice: This is where this whiskey really shines. It's practically an old fashioned in a glass. Overall: 9/10 - Some people feel that finished bourbon is too much like flavored bourbon, and this makes that difficult to argue. The honey influence is everywhere, practically drowning out the bourbon notes. The finish is surprisingly long for 117.1 proof. A little less time in the honey barrels might have balanced the whiskey and honey notes better, but this is one of my favorite whiskies to drink on the rocks.79.99 USD per BottleWorldwide Wine & Spirits
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