Tastes
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Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (NHLO)
Bourbon — Kentucky , USA
Reviewed September 20, 2023 (edited September 21, 2023)The nose is very spicy right up front, full of ethanol. Eventually, creamier notes of vanilla, charred oak, buttered popcorn and hints of floral rye and molasses. The palate lights up the mouth with a burst of ethanol and sharp baking spices, staying mostly to the front of the mouth. It dries the mouth as you chew on it while vanilla and charred oak swirl in the background of the unrelenting spice. The finish is long, but mostly because the burn doesn't ease up. This is fairly unbalanced and needs to be tamed to be truly enjoyed. -
Heaven's Door 10 Year Decade Series (Release #1)
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed August 31, 2023 (edited September 1, 2023)The nose starts with a wonderful serving of creamy, charred oak, earthy rye spice and touches of spearmint and toffee. It is wonderful to keep exploring in an almost refreshing sort of way. It really shows its age well with a distinct musk to it that isn't very common. The palate is somewhat dry and hits the front of the mouth with black pepper, rye spice and charred oak as it slowly makes its way to the back of the mouth. For being a Tennessee whiskey, it isn't all that sweet. Its more of a bomb of spice and oak that more or less drowns out everything else. The creaminess and the spearmint doesn't quite come across which is holding this back from being truly great. The finish is long and peppery with astringent oak swirling around the mouth till it fades. For how this initially presents itself, it ends up being too spice dominant at the sake of everything else. While still good, it feels a bit unbalanced.80.0 USD per Bottle -
The nose is very typical of Barton, who distilled this whiskey. Spicy bananas upfront, with a bit of peanut mixed with charred oak. A little bit of cinnamon, and maybe some custard comes and goes as the whiskey sits, which also tames the spice. The palate is a strong burst of hot, black pepper with dry charred oak, both of which immediately coat nearly the entire mouth. The banana takes a backseat, as does the peanut. There are some minor notes in the background that are a little too indistinguishable, but makes this a very interesting bourbon. It comes across very simple on the palate, but there is something about it that keeps bringing you back for more. The appeal seems to be that the more time you give it, the creamier it gets making for an ever changing experience. The finish is long and spicy, with heat keeping the mouth lit up as a swirl of creamy and dry oak slowly and nicely fades. This is very similar to 1792 Full Proof, but with more depth to it. Excellent for when you want an absolute spice bomb.
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New Riff Single Barrel (Prav Saraff - Zack Morriff)
Bourbon — Kentucky , USA
Reviewed August 29, 2023 (edited August 30, 2023)The nose starts off strong with peppery rye spice and charred oak, with a little bit of citrus and dried flowers in the background. Smooth vanilla, almost custard like, comes in as it mellows a bit while it still stays rye spice dominant. The palate hits the corners of the mouth with charred oak, black pepper and an earthy rye spice while vanilla coats the back of the tongue. This is quite simple and intense, but both in a very good way. Each sip leaves you wanting to go back for more with a craving for the intensity. The finish is medium and peppery with a lingering rye and charred oak as the palate really dries out. Maybe a bit of smoke as it all subsides. All in all, this doesn't require a lot of thought. It's delicious and in your face, and checks the boxes for a wonderfully spicy bourbon.50.0 USD per Bottle -
NBC Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey (District Splits)
Bourbon — Indiana , USA
Reviewed August 29, 2023The nose starts with charred oak, citrus, and floral rye as vanilla and brown sugar quickly arrive. Things gradually intensify and meld together to become very inviting and just what you want from a bourbon. The palate is rich and just somewhat chewy, with black pepper and baking spices in the corners of the mouth with charred oak and vanilla coating everything else. This is very creamy and smooth, with its simplicity being its strength. Its spicy and creamy, and for this, that is all this needs to be absolutely wonderful. The finish is medium and leaves behind a spiciness that keeps the mouth tingling a little bit as a chewy creaminess takes its time fading while remaining extremely enjoyable till the very end. -
Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye (2021 Release)
Canadian — Alberta, Canada
Reviewed August 28, 2023 (edited August 29, 2023)The nose gives you immediate heat, too much if you're not careful, but brings with it floral rye, caramel apple, and a bit of charred oak and leather. It is unmistakably rye and gives you the impression that it is very robust and at a sweet spot with its age. The palate is dry yet chewy and immediately coats the mouth with intense baking spices mixed with a bit of dark chocolate. Sweet caramel apple comes out as you chew, giving you very nice fruity notes on the back end. This whiskey stays strong as it breathes, remaining intense and full flavored without any worry of it leaning out. The nose does carry over to the palate pretty straightforward and while the flavors may seem rather simplistic, it is the intensity of the flavors which makes this shine. The finish is long, but not too long with the intense spice giving way to lingering green apple which feels almost refreshing. The rest of the palate can be coaxed out with some chew, making this an almost never ending experience. This is absolutely remarkable when it comes to floral, rather than earthy, rye. -
Rabbit Hole Dareringer Straight Bourbon Finished in PX Sherry Casks
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 27, 2023 (edited October 12, 2023)The nose is sweet of wine and charred oak, balanced by a wonderful mix of vanilla and brown sugar in a very straight forward experience. Not complicated, not pretentious, this is bourbon finished in PX casks and you can tell immediately that it was done right. The palate is a great mix of the PX and charred oak that subtly reaches the corners of the mouth. It is very smooth and non descript, as the most perfectly balanced of flavors are always there. They are always there because this is effortless to sip on, requires no thought, it is just good. Not overpoweringly good, but is a masterful blend of bourbon and sherry which highlights the best of both worlds. Sweetness and oak. The finish is medium and isn't exactly memorable, but with every glance at the glass you see the treat that is before you. For this to be good, it doesn't need to be intense. It just needs to be. It is wonderful to sip on in every ounce of it being unpretentious. -
Castle & Key Restoration Rye 2021 (Batch 2)
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 27, 2023 (edited August 29, 2023)The nose is immediately sweet of mild spearmint, floral rye spice, creme brulee and creamy charred oak. It really is a treat to smell this as it is very unique and doesn't remind you of most other Kentucky rye whiskey. The way that it is sharply, yet mildly, sweet on the nose really sets it apart. The palate is gentle and full of floral rye that encapsulates the mouth with a dry sweetness and sharp black pepper. Ripe fruit and charred oak follow, underlined by a strong wave of spearmint and charred oak. The finish is medium long with a lingering black pepper and citrusy, floral rye. Spearmint and charred oak provide backup to such an interesting experience. -
Black Button (Just Smoked It)
Corn — New York , USA
Reviewed August 27, 2023 (edited August 28, 2023)The nose is full of charred oak, smoke, grain and unaged whiskey. All the signs are here of a whiskey that has been aged too little in a small cask. The palate is raw and smokey with no redeeming qualities. Too unaged with too much of an effort at covering it up with the fact the corn is smoked. The finish is short and too long with raw whiskey notes fouling the mouth. 16 months is painfully too short for this. -
Green River Wheated Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 14, 2023 (edited August 15, 2023)The nose is a nice mix of dark chocolate and charred oak with a slight sweet fruitiness to it. There is a vanilla creaminess that lies underneath with brown sugar and the slightest bit of toffee. The palate is gentle with black pepper hitting the corners of the mouth with vanilla and charred oak hitting the back of the tongue. Dark chocolate swirls around the mouth with every chew, but in all this is very simple yet shows a lot of potential. It definitely features what you would expect in a wheater, but could stand to be a bit more bold. The finish is medium with a lingering dark chocolate and charred oak as a vanilla sweetness fades in the background. While it does taste good, you do get the impression it is somewhat out of balance with heavy oils. Definitely something to be careful with. Aftersniffs: The aftersniffs exude rich mahogany intertwined with notes of hard salami. The latent aftersniffs are a robust mix of a late night Greek deli mixed with the Lancome counter in Macy's circa 1998.
Results 21-30 of 346 Reviews