Tastes

Poured neat. Rye spice dominant nose with backings of oak and candied peanuts. A white cake frosting sweetness hits the tongue first followed quickly by Big Red gum, clove, red apple skins and black pepper Standard tobacco and oak tannin finish that slowly fades to green tea. In my opinion the proof shines through more on the nose than the palette. Even at 114 it doesn't seem to come on as strong when compared to the Old Forester 1920 (115 p) or even the Belle Meade (108.8) that are also on my shelf. Solid pour and a great option to introduce yourself to higher proof whiskey that isn't going to break the bank.

Poured neat. Nose is a potent blend of sweet oak, baking chocolate and vanilla, with a subtle hint of peanut shells and liquorice. Mouth feel is dense and buttery. A roller coaster of flavor starting with Homemade cinnamon rolls freshly frosted from the oven, a mixed fruit cocktail, and cracked pepper. The finish is moderate to long with flavors of tobacco and grape skins lingering after the heat subsides. Absolutely a bourbon to keep in rotation.

Poured neat. At 108 proof you do get some ethanol on the nose. Once you move past that the scent becomes creamy and doughy, backed with oranges and burnt sugar. Picture fried ice cream drizzled with a citrus sauce and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Oily texture coats the mouth well. Proof is present from start to finish, but not overpowering if you're expecting it. A very interesting whiskey - the flavor morphs itself between pepper & baking spice, caramel & vanilla, and oak & leather. Each sip gives you a little different sensation which makes this a very enjoyable pour.

Batch # 0416 Poured neat. Damp oak, dusty corn and cherry vanilla cola on the nose. A little on the thin side at 86 proof. Flavors of honey tea, pear, and vanilla jump out consistently. Short finish of charred oak and pepper.

Poured neat. Nose is liquorice forward with a backing of charred oak and caramel corn. Oily texture with flavors of roasted peanuts, black pepper and cinnamon raisin bread. Finish is moderate, leathery and fairly low on the scoville scale.

Poured neat. Nose of a waxy cherry candle, butterscotch pudding and mowed hay. Oily mouth feel. Flavor is a wonderful treat of vanilla bean ice cream topped with black cherry in syrup and a light drizzle honey. Finish is moderate with very little heat. The fruity sweetness fade first, leaving you with a melllow blend of leather, pepper and oak. This is a great pour for a special occasion - very suiting as this bottle was an anniversary present from my lovely wife.

Batch 19I25 Poured neat. Sawdust, Kix cereal and a faint earthy sweetness on the nose. Flavoring is a watery tea sweetened with a dash of honey, and rounds out with pepper and oak. Going back to the nose a burnt honey begins to rise to the surface. Not an overly long or drying finish with a floral tea note lingering the longest. Simple, but pleasant.

Batch 77U | Bottle 5422 Poured neat. Raisins, oak, and a heavily buttered biscuit on the nose. Add in some butterscotch drizzle and a pinch of black pepper, and the rest of the flavor follows that same trend. Sweet and smooth - almost creamy, with a short finish. Great as a post dinner treat.

Poured neat. Nose takes me back to the days of ripping the top off a pack of brown sugar Quaker oatmeal before school. No shortage of your standard sweet, cinnamon and vanilla notes as well. Has a little bit of zip but not nearly as much pepper and spicyle as I expect a 100 proof rye to be. Dehydrated candied bananas, corn bread, and herbal notes to top it off. Medium finish with an appropriate amount of barrel char and leather. Easy drinker, worth grabbing if you see it on the shelf.

Poured neat. Nose is tart cherry pie filling, raw dough, and a little mustiness - like wet grass clippings that have been sitting for a day or two. For taste, the 100 proof spice hits quick, followed by herbal/grassy notes and sweet tea. Not overly complex on taste, but interesting enough that I can understand why I keep seeing it do so well in reviews and flight comparisons. To me, it's quantity over quality.There are better whiskeys in the same price range, but getting a full liter of this for the same cost is a fair trade off.