Tastes

Color: Golden brown, long streaky legs on the twirl - oily Nose: Up front I get the usual baking spices, pickle brine, and cherry notes I associate with Bourbon. This is followed by sweet candied apples and raisins, along with a healthy dose of maple sugar. A really soft and delicious nose. Palate: A watery mouthfeel with an initial burst of sweetness. Brown sugar and high fructose corn syrup, which transitions to a candied nutty note and hints of Vanilla Coke. Surprisingly hot. Finish: The initial sugar burst fades to an oaky finish. The heat of the bourbon leads to a sharper finish, surprisingly absent of any bourbon “cinnamon spice.” Overall: A pretty solid bourbon for the price. Not really a cherry bomb or a cinnamon apple pie, but something in between. The sweetness of the nose and palate are balanced by the oaky finish. For ~$35 you could do a lot worse than this very sippable bourbon. 8/3/20

Color: Burnt Umber (1.7), long streaky legs on the twirl - oily Nose: Hotter than expected at first with hints of molasses, cherries, and pickle brine (might be baking spices for others). After a few more whiffs I’m getting marshmallows, oranges, and leather. Very surprised at the heat of the nose given that it’s only 45%. Palate: A mild sour note precedes a burst of spicy oak, and a massive cherry bomb. Notes of dark chocolate, vanilla, coca-cola, butterscotch, and burnt sugar round out a surprisingly reserved palate that’s reminiscent of a flat cherry coke. Finish: Dry wood and cherry notes fade rather quickly, leaving a slight waxy coat in the mouth. Overall: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is a bit of an enigma for me. On the one hand it has one of the strongest noses I’ve ever encountered - made only more interesting by the fact it sits at a middling 45% abv. On the other hand, for all of its flavors it has one of the mildest palates and quickest finishes I’ve seen. What Double Oaked does well, it does really well: a wonderful assortment of flavors that break the mold of the traditional “cherry bomb” bourbon. What it doesn’t do well, however, is allow those flavors to truly shine: the palate is muted, and the finish is short. I’ll enjoy this for what it is, but I can’t shake the fact that its ceiling is so much higher - hopefully it’s one that can be reached in the future. 6/29/20

Color: Chesnut Oloroso Sherry (1.2), long faint legs on the twirl - somewhat oily Nose: Warm cinnamon apples, stewed red fruit, and bubblegum on the first few whiffs. Caramel, vanilla, brown sugar and oak round out the sherry filled nose - reminding me of the cinnamon apple tea I used to drink during the winter as a kid. Palate: An overall soft and watery mouthfeel with an initial sour note, followed by toffee, nougat and spiced nuts. The cinnamon apples from the nose appear along with shortbread (or pie crust) and chestnuts. Instead of the tea from the nose, I’m now picturing a cinnamon apple pie. Finish: Starts off spicy and sweet, before fading to a dry nutty note that lingers. Overall: This was my first adventure into Irish Whiskey, and I have to say I’m a fan. The whiskey is soft and sweet, with enough spice to balance it out. The creamy bread notes and silky smooth texture imparted by the single pot process are wonderful. I’ve gotten cinnamon apple spice from bourbons before, but never quite like this - those were more candied apples, while this is warm apple pie. The low ABV leaves something to be desired, and surely holds back some of the distillery’s deeper flavors - but that’s only more of an incentive to invest in a bottle of the Cask Strength. Until then I’ll happily sip this, cheers! 6/24/20

Color: Deep Copper (1.0), long slow legs on the twirl - oily Nose: Floral and bright with hints of honeycake, banana bread, lychee, chestnuts, and salt. Palate: Tropical fruit with a side of peat, a pepper bite along with black tea and salty brine. An overall light mouthfeel with a touch of bitterness from the peat. Finish: Mellow peat, and an earthy flavor lingers. A hint of dry oaky spice as the finish slowly fades away. Overall: This was my first adventure into the world of Johnnie Walker. After a bit of research it seemed this was the best “bang for your buck” JW - and I see why, theres a lot to like here. The dry salty/sweet profile, while not overly complex, is kind to the palate. The delicious nose and dry oaky finish are perfect bookends to an enjoyable dram. My only complaint is that the flavors present aren’t as complex as in some non-blended whiskies. There’s a lot at the table here, but the flavors aren’t necessarily woven together - they’re just “there.” The whisky isn’t a journey, it merely has stops along the way. Still, I enjoy what’s in the glass, and for $50 you can do a lot worse. I don’t think I’ll ever buy a more expensive Johnnie Walker, but that’s fine because I’m perfectly content with this. (6/18/20)

Color: Deep Gold, very slow long legs - oily Nose: Leather and Tobacco. Iodine and sea air. Massive amounts of peat and smoked meat, with raisins and dark chocolate in the background. Palate: An initial wave of burnt caramel. The same leather and tobacco notes from the nose, along with sweet fruits and wine soaked raisins on the edges. Cocoa powder, cream, and nuts by the mid palate. Finish: Reminiscent of a bonfire on the beach. The sweet fruits are contrasted with the salty sea air and the burning wood from the fire. A finish that lingers longer than most, fully in control of your senses. Overall: Ardbeg Uigeadail is an experience to say the very least. The richness of the nose is paralleled only by the depth of its flavor. Layers of peat and sweet slowly unravel with every sip, welcoming the idea of a second glass. This is one I’ll be coming back to soon, eager to learn more. (5/14/20)

Color: Burnished Gold/Deep Copper, a couple slow legs - mostly watery Nose: Butterscotch, vanilla, and citrus, with hints of cloves and spice. A very light, sweet, and fruity nose. Palate: There’s an initial burst of that same sweet fruit and butterscotch from the nose, with a watery mouthfeel. This is followed by some zing from the citrus and a light nougat note. Finish: A slightly bitter bite from the cloves and baking spices gives way to a mild nutty note that lingers momentarily. Overall: Monkey Shoulder, while limited, seems to be a solid budget Scotch. It won’t wow you with what’s in the bottle, but for ~$30 you could do a lot worse. Will be using this in cocktails or for sipping when I don’t feel like wasting any Oban or Glenmorangie. (5/12/20)

Color: Dark Gold, long legs on twirl - oily Nose: Pickle brine on the initial whiff. A lot of spice is present along with hints of pear, caramel, vanilla and brown sugar. I usually grab onto one scent, and really can’t shake this lovely aroma of pickle brine (picklebacks anyone?) Palate: An initial burst of sweet and sour gives way to chocolate and cherries. Shortbread and maple syrup by the mid palate, along with candied apples. Finish: A relatively quick finish full of oak and spice that leaves the tongue with a mild waxy coat. Overall: After beginning my journey into the world of whiskey solely through scotch, I’m starting to dabble more in bourbon and have been pleasantly surprised with the results. Four Roses has done a great job with this offering - it’s sweet (but not too sweet), spicy (but not too spicy), and fruity (but not too fruity). This is dangerously sippable, and I’ll be sure to keep a bottle on the shelf. Warehouse: NN Barrel #76-2A (5/10/20)

Color: Golden Brown, just a few legs on the twirl - more watery than oily Nose: Sherry bomb with a slightly nutty hint, Figs, Raisins, Strawberries, Cherries, Chocolate Palate: Sweet watery mouthfeel with hints of the red fruit, Caramel, Toffee, Hazelnuts/Chestnuts Finish: A hint of spices and red fruit that’s ultimately eclipsed by the nutty note from the nose and palate. A wonderful medium finish. Overall: Maybe I went in with high expectations, but I’m absolutely in love with this whisky from the first pour. The transition from sweet to nutty makes for a wonderful journey that I can’t wait to take again. (5/5/20)

Color: Golden Nectar (just a hint darker than Oban 14), thin long streaky legs - slightly oily Nose: Butterscotch, Fig Newtons (a medley of the bread and sweet fig paste), Citrus - but not the same sharp citrus as the 14. An overall sweeter, but less complex nose. Taste: Initial mildly sweet oily mouthfeel. A bitter bite (Cloves? Soap?) is present that cuts that initial sweetness. Bubbly citrus along with hints of vanilla and caramel. A touch of spice rounds out the palate. Finish: Along with the typical caramel sweetness that lingers on the tongue, the bitter note presents itself like a Grapefruit rind - almost neutralizing the palate and drying the mouth. Overall: This offering from Oban isn’t as sweet, and is more bitter than the 14. I enjoy the nose, and the bitterness is a nice changeup, but would rather spend the extra ~$15 for what I consider to be a much better dram. (5/3/20)

Color: Maple Brown (nearly the same as my EH Taylor Small Batch), long streaky legs on the twirl - oily Nose: Pears, Apple Pie, Vanilla, Oak, Chocolate, a slightly muted copper/metal Taste: Marzipan, Orange, Vanilla, Caramel, Apple Hi-Chews, Oak/Pepper bite Finish: Sweet fruity aftertaste with a hint of cinnamon that lingers, and an ever so slight coat of wax on the tongue for good measure Overall: This is shockingly similar to my bottle of EH Taylor SmB, which can retail for $30+ more here in NYC. The nose and palate are somewhat muted, but this dram punches well above its weight class. Will be using this as my nightly bourbon pour! (5/1/20)