Tastes

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium-dark amber with long legs. Nose: Caramel, vanilla, apples. Palate: Some baking spice, lots of sweet clove and mint. Finish: Long with medium heat. Splash: Oak and leather notes appear, and more sweet clove. Overall: 9.5/10 - This is spectacular and complex. Honestly, I wish I could get my hands on more.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium-dark amber with long legs. Nose: Caramel, toffee, butterscotch. Palate: Oily mouthfeel, some light cinnamon spice, sweet clove notes. Finish: Very long with medium heat. Splash: Splash: Cinnamon notes are dimished, clove is more prominent. Overall: 9.5/10 - I would drink this every day if I could, but alas...

Glass: Old fashioned at a bar. Color: Light-medium amber. Nose: Floral with some vanilla notes. Palate: Bourbon flavors are subdued by the Irish barley flavors. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors ar revealed. Overall: 6/10 - The nose has some promise, but the Irish whiskey completely overpowers any bourbon notes. Might be good in a cocktail or to introduce bourbon drinkers to Irish whiskey.

Whisky Mentors store pick QS22 128.3 proof Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Deep amber. Nose: Cherries, honey and caramel. Maybe some butterscotch. Palate: Spicy clove and baking spice give way to a bit of oak and leather. Finish: Long with medium heat. Splash: Some minty notes appear, mixed with the clove and leather. Overall: 8/10 - The high proof is evident in the palate and finish. This is more complex than the 94 proof single barrel, but not enough to justify almost twice the price. Perhaps another cask strength single barrel will carry through more from the nose to the finish. Still solid and would hold up well to ice, but for the price, hard to justify drinking it other than neat.

Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Hand selected by Master Distiller Donnis Todd Corn Variety: #1 panhandle white Corn Harvested: 2011 From Farms in Dallam County Distilled and Barreled in 2012 Barrel number: 3419 Bottle number: 30 of 57 Review#101 Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Dark amber. Nose: Caramel, bing cherries, other dark fruits. Basically a cherry pie. Palate: Some oak tannins and sweet clove. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: Oak and clove yield to leather and tobacco. Overall: 8.5/10 - The higher proof cask strength has a longer finish, but the notes are all here. This would probably stand up well to an ice cube or in an old fashioned. This bottle appears.to have been signed by the Master Distiller but I had to crack it open. UPDATE: Inscription reads "Thanks for drinking good bourbon in Connecticut. Salud! Dan Garrison and JD Anderson"

Review #100 Garrison Brothers @ Wood-n-tap Glass: Neat, in a rocks glass at a bar. Color: Dark amber. Nose: Dark fruits and chocolate. Palate: Sweet and fruity. Good mouthfeel, some leather and oak on the back off the tongue. Finish: Very long with medium heat. Splash: Some sweet clove and mint appear. Overall: 9.75/10 - This drinks way below its proof, with only the finish giving it away. Great complexity. Nearly perfect. $19.75/1 oz pour

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium-dark amber. Nose: Caramel, vanilla, cherries. Palate: Oak tannins and clove, but not overpowering. Finish: Short length, medium heat. Splash: Caramel and cherry notes reappear. Overall: 8/10 - A classic bourbon with some extra oak in the palate. A little more proof would give this a longer finish.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel, fruit, some nuts. Palate: Clove and black pepper. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 6/10 - A great cocktail base, and holds up to some ice. Not a great sipper, but versatile, inexpensive, and available.

Blue Note Juke Joint Whiskey Single Barrel Uncut (Greens Farms Spirits) "Blue Steel" Barrel#17970, 62.05 ABV Proof: 124.1, no age statement. Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium-dark amber. Nose: Sweet caramel with apple, apricot, and raisin. Palate: Clove and baking spice on the tip of the tongue, oak tannins on the back. Finish: Medium length with medium heat. Splash: Sweetness from the nose returns, mixing with the clove. Overall: 8.5/10 - This drinks below its proof, but has a little more spice in the palate than I like. This is calmed with a few drops of water. A good bargain for under $50.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Pale yellow. Nose: Creamed corn with a bit of sweetness, but not overly sweet. Palate: Some cinnamon, plenty of corn, not very complex. Finish: Medium length, medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 6/10 - This could be a good cocktail base at 100 proof. Tasted neat, the complexity that you'd expect from a bottled in bond whiskey just aren't there. Better choices exist, even at less than $20.