Tastes

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Toffee and sweet raisin notes. Palate: Some light spice up front with a buttery mouthfeel. Finish: Short and not very warm. Splash: No new flavors are revealed, but somehow the finish improves. Overall: 7.5/10 - Given the chance to pick up this bottle at Jameson in Dublin, I was curious. I didn't get a chance to taste it at Jameson's bar, but I'm glad I picked this up. A little bump in proof would go a long way, but it's a tasty pour.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium-dark amber. Nose: Caramel and dark fruit. A faint minty note. Palate: Cloves, fruit, some mint, and then oak. Finish: Long with low heat. Splash: Mint reappears. Overall: 9/10 - This is outstanding, with a complex palate and a nice finish. The mint notes were a pleasant surprise.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel, toffee, some apple. Palate: Clove, baking spice, fruit. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: A minty note mixes with the clove. Overall: 8.5/10 - This is nicely complex and drinks below its proof. It opens quite a bit with a few drops of water.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium-light amber. Nose: Peat smoke and grass with some honey or toffee sweetness. Palate: A peat bomb with some sweet clove on the back, and some oaky tannins. Finish: Medium length with lingering peat smoke but not much heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 8/10 - The oak and clove notes in the palate are a nice compliment to the abundant peat.

Glass: Tasting glass, at a bar. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Caramel and fruit. Palate: Grass and pine notes. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: No new flavors are revealed. Overall: 6/10 - Might stand up to some ice, but not especially remarkable neat.

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"