Tastes

I got this bottle for $26.99 at Kelly Liquors. It's 101 proof, of course. I found two mash bills online, one showing 51% rye, 37% corn, and 12% barley, and another which was 52/36/12. Only one site gave the latter mash bill, and so I'm inclined to think the first one is the correct one. Either way, this is a barely legal rye. There's no age statement on the bottle, and in the glass it's the color of old copper. 𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗘: This was a unique nose, not something you'd expect from something with such a low rye content. I got orange marmalade first off, something I've never gotten from any other whisky. As I continued to nose the stuff the mineral and vegetal notes that for me are standard with rye whisky came in and mixed with the marmalade. That's all I got, so it's a simple nose, but a delightful one. 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟: Smooth. 𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘: On the palate I got honey first of all, and the orange marmalade came through. Later on red pepper and cinnamon showed up. The palate isn't complex either, but again, it's delightful. This stuff tastes good. 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛: The finish is medium in length, with notes of oak, orange marmalade again, and red pepper. 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: This is a pretty whisky - considerably better than I'd expect from a barely legal rye. It's not like anything else I've ever had, and I'll buy it again. 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: With 1 at the bottom and 8 at the top of my hick scale, I give this whisky a 6, Fine. That's equal to 3.75 stars, 75/100, or 7.5/10.

This bottle cost me $63.99 at the Uptown Total Wine store. There's no age statement, and while the label indicates it's a blend of two whiskies, one from Indiana and one from Maryland, I did find one site which said that the mash bill is 95% rye and 5% barley. It's 96.6 proof, and in the glass it's a dark copper color. 𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗘: On the nose I get smoke, the mineral and vegetal notes that are for me characteristic of rye whisky, a little sweetness, and some woodiness. 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟: The mouthfeel is buttery, though that took a second to become apparent. 𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘: Right off the bat I got a distinct smoky note. Next there was something that made me think of charcoal, though I've never actually tasted charcoal. I got a sweetness, the standard mineral taste like granite dust, a hint of butter, and a hint of brown sugar. 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛: The finish is short, alas, with an astounding note of oak, followed by red pepper, and then a faint mineral note. 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: This is very good whisky. It's right on the edge of too much oak, but it doesn't go over that edge. And it's definitely rye. If you like oak, and if you like rye, you'll probably like this. 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: On my hick scale, where 1 is the lowest and 8 is the highest, I give this a 7 - Right Fine. That translates to 4.375 stars, 87.5/100, or 8.75/10.

This is the heaviest bottle, with the heaviest cork, that I've ever come across. It feels like I'm lifting weights when I pick the bottle up, and I always nearly drop the cork when I pull it because I automatically expect the standard weight. But it's a right pretty bottle, and I love the fact that the Frey family puts the exact mash bill on the bottle. I just wish they put an age statement too - it's a straight bourbon, without an age statement, so it has to be at least four years old, but I'd like to know exactly. This bottle was $48.99 at Total Wine, and in the glass it's a dark copper color, like an old penny. The mash bill is 66.6% corn, 10% wheat, 11.4% rye, and 12% barley, so it's a four grain bourbon - and all the grain comes from the Frey family farm. 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲: On the nose the first and dominant note I get is yellow apples. It reminds me of the first sip I ever took of Clyde May's bourbon, but this note is still clear on the third glass, while May's apple note weakens as the whisky interacts with the air. I then got an undifferentiated grain note, honey, something earthy but pleasant, and finally a corn note separated itself out. 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹: Smooth. 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲: I think that perhaps I didn't get the fullness of the palate - though the fan was on the side of me from the glass, it still cooled the whisky down noticeably. I got honey, cinnamon, yellow apples, and brown sugar. Without the fan's cooling I might have gotten more, though I always get less on the palate than I do on the nose. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: The finish began with a little oak, which turned into cinnamon briefly before more oak came in. That last note remained for a long time. 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Even taking into account the cooling effect of the fan, which muted the flavors, I'm not sure that this whisky is worth $49. But it is good stuff. The palate didn't live up to the promise of the glorious nose, and again taking the fan into consideration, and knowing that my palate always picks up less than my nose, I think the taste isn't up to the nose. I think, though, that with more proof it would have more intense and discernible flavor; tempering proof also waters down congeners. But don't think I dislike this whisky - I in fact do like it. I just might buy another bottle, even at that price, after I finish this one. 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: I dithered over the rating. On the one hand I'm not sure that the whisky is worth the price. But on the one hand, taking other factors into consideration, I think it's better than I was able to detect. I finally wound up giving it a 6 on my hick scale, which I call Fine (the highest level is 8). This translates to 3.75 stars, 7.5/10, or 75/100.

I reviewed this back in 2021 from a sample, and didn't care for it, but recently began thinking that now that I have sufficient experience to give the whisky a fairer shake, I ought to try again. I got a pint bottle (375ml) at Total Wine for $30.09. It's 86.6 proof, and there's no age statement on the bottle. The mash bill is 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% rye. In the glass the color is copper. 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲: On the nose I got a sour and astringent alcohol above all else. After repeated sniffs I got a faint grape note, but nothing more. 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹: Buttery. 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲: There was a slight honey note first, then I began to detect a slight cinnamon, and an overall sweetness. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: I have to give the finish credit for lasting a good while, but it wasn't anything exciting - just cinnamon and alcohol. 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: I don't know whether it's the bourbon itself, or the port finish, but I just don't care for this whisky. I know a lot of people like it, but for my palate, it's mediocre at best. And at that this was my third glass, and the best of the three. I'll not buy this bourbon again. 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: On my hick scale, which starts with 1 at the bottom, this gets a 3, Mediocre. That comes out to 1.875 stars, 3.75/10, or 37.5/100.

Wild Turkey only has one bourbon mash bill - 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley. This bottle is eight years old, and cost $44.99 at Total Wine. In the glass the color is dark copper. 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲: On the nose I got honey and apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, a little caramel, and a little vanilla. 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹: Smooth. 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲: On the palate there were cinnamon, brown sugar, a little oak, and butter. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: The finish gave me a general spice, leading into honey and a hint of oak. The length is medium. 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: This is good bourbon. It seems to have a darker profile than my current bottle of regular 101 - more like the 101 used to be, before the quality bobbled in late 2024. This 8 year bourbon isn't dramatically better than the regular, but I think the price is fair for the quality. 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: My hick scale has eight levels with 1 at the bottom. This whisky gets a 6, Fine. That's equivalent to 3.75 stars, 75/100, or 7.5/10.

According to the people at Oregon Spirit, this whisky is a limited edition they made just for Total Wine. A bottle cost me $44.99. I couldn't find any information about the mash bill, but since it's a rye whisky it has to have at least 51% rye, and of course there's wheat in it. It's 90 proof, four years old, and is copper with a slight golden tinge. 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲: The most prominent note is a minty eucalyptus, which I've learned to associate with wheat. I also get dark honey, a fresh note that I can't otherwise describe, and a hint of what might be smoke. 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹: Creamy. 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲: Honey, butter, eucalyptus (the wheat again), a little cinnamon, and brown sugar. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: The finish is short, with eucalyptus, bitter oak (but pleasant), and semisweet chocolate. 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: This is a very interesting whisky. It doesn't come across either as a rye whisky or a wheat whisky - it's different from both. But it's very good, and I wish it was a permanent offering. 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: On my hick scale, which has eight levels with 1 at the bottom, this comes in at 6, Fine. That comes out to 3.75 out of 5 stars, 75/100, or 7.5/10.

Wild Turkey has just one bourbon mash bill - 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% barley. This bourbon is 116.8 proof (all Rare Breed is this proof, which tells me that they're kind of playing with the meaning of "barrel proof"). This bottle was $58.99 at the Total Wine store in the Uptown area of Albuquerque. There's no age statement, and the whisky is the color of old copper in the glass. 𝗡𝗼𝘀𝗲: Smoke, honey, creamed corn, and something warm and savory that I can't identify. 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹: Viscous, creamy, and oily. 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲: I get honey, cinnamon, a little oak, and brown sugar. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵: Very short, with cinnamon and brown sugar. 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: If you just go by the number of notes I got on the nose, taste, and finish, you'll probably conclude that this isn't very good. But you'd be wrong to draw that conclusion. I don't think I've encountered such a beautiful mouthfeel anywhere else. And this whisky tastes great too. There's more to it than I've been able to quantify - it's liable to be a good while before I can fully analyze and describe what Rare Breed gives me. 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: On my hick scale, which counts eight levels from bottom to top, this comes in at 7, Right Fine. That's the same as 4.375 stars, 87.5/100, or 8.75/10.

This is a barley whisky - an American "single malt," meaning in plain English that it's made from 100% sprouted barley in one distillery. It's 86 proof, cost me $47.99 at Kelly Liquors, and has no age statement. It's the color of beer in the glass - a yellow-brown. 𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗘: This is the best part of the whisky. I initially get a melange of fruit, which with continued nosing I'm able to resolve into mango, pineapple, apple, a little bit of orange, and finally a hint of chocolate. After the first sip I got, in addition to this, a distinct undifferentiated grain note. 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟: Surprisingly smooth for something that's only 86 proof. 𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘: All I got was honey butter and brine. 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛: Sour! It tasted so bad that I didn't even notice how long or short it is. 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: The first glass I had of this whisky was all right, but as the bottle has opened up it's gotten less and less good, until now I just don't like it. I'll not buy it again. 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: On my hick scale this comes in at 3, Mediocre (1 is the lowest and 8 is the highest on this scale). This is the same as 1.875 stars, 37.5/100, or 3.75/10.

I got this bottle at Kelly Liquors in the Mountain Run shopping center, where it cost me $45.99. The mash bill is 55% rye (which makes it almost a barely legal rye), 36% corn, and 9% sprouted barley. This whisky is 93 proof, according to the label it's "over" three years old, and in the glass the color is mahogany. 𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗘: Honey butter, with a generic floral note, and something vegetal which made me think of mullein. 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟: Creamy. 𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘: On the palate I immediately got honey with brown sugar and red pepper. There were oak and smoke underneath that, and then stronger notes of cinnamon and dark chocolate appeared. 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛: This is, alas, short, but delicious. It gives notes of red pepper, black pepper, and dark chocolate. 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: This is excellent whisky. I could wish for a longer finish - this one fades out too quickly - but it tastes so good, as does the whisky overall, that I won't complain. This is a different mash bill from the Sweet Mash Rye (that's 96/4), and it tastes different; moreover the lower proof results in a different experience. I can't decide which I like more, though the higher proof might tip me toward the Sweet Mash. But this is, as I say, excellent, and I'll definitely buy it again. 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: On my hick scale (8 levels, with 8 as the highest) this comes in at 7, Right Fine. That's the same as 4.375 stars, 87.5/100, or 8.75/10.

This is, of course, a straight bourbon whisky. It has no age statement, which means that, as a straight whisky, it's at least four years old. The mash bill is 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% barley. It's 93 proof, a fifth cost me $58.99 at Kelly Liquors. It's a bronze color in the glass. 𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗘: The first, and dominant, note is a dense caramel - I could sit and sniff it forever. Next in strength is a vanilla cream note - or perhaps marshmallow cream; I dithered somewhat, and settled on vanilla, but I won't swear to it. Underneath all that there's a light floral note, and a tinge of smoke and honey. 𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟: Creamy but a little thin. 𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘: Smoky honey, with a hint of cinnamon and brown sugar. 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗛: Cinnamon, which turns into a growing chocolate that lingers - medium long. 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: This whisky is all right, but it's certainly not worth $59. It's not as good as the 100 proof, it's only 93 proof - seven points lower than the 100, and it costs almost twice as much. I won't buy this bottle again. 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: As y'all know by now, I have devised a rating scale that draws on my hick vocabulary and thinking. On that scale, in which the numbers are higher the better a whisky is, this comes in at 4 - Okay. That's the same as 2.5 stars, 50/100, or 5/10.