Tastes

I’ve tried other Russel Reserve bottles and haven’t been a fan at all. I was able to try this at a bar and figured “why not” since I like ryes. I had low expectations… The nose wasn’t bad, haha. It was more sweet than other ryes I’ve had. I took away vanilla, caramel, some “oakyness” and then a little baking spice. It was tailored to a more bourbon smell than rye smell. The palate was enjoyable. Way more sweet than other ryes and had tons of vanilla and caramel. It wasn’t bad at all, just not what I expected from a rye. The finish was short with a hint of heat. The heat wasn’t too bad but it came out of nowhere haha. The oak flavor kept coming through which again shocked me since I was expecting more rye flavors. Overall, this good. Not your typical rye but good. I wouldn’t buy this bottle but I would definitely have another pour if in front of my. Not bad at all.

I’ve seen Pinhook around everywhere and had the chance to the the rye at a bar. I was excited to try this as I’m a big rye fan. The nose wasn’t great. Like minty and spice but an odd combination. The palate wasn’t great either as the taste had more of a kick to it with all baking spices. I wasn’t able to get a ton of flavors from it as it tasted hot with so much spice. The finish was just as poor for me. Hot finish with more spice that just overpowered everything. Overall, I wasn’t a fan and will probably not buy any Pinhook bottles until I can try them first.

I’m a huge fan of Chattanooga and rarely see these in Texas. I was able to find this when traveling in Florida and had to try it. The nose is really, really good. I could smell this constantly. Hints of pine, spice, sweetness and some pepper. It’s spicy and tasty which gets you excited to taste it. The palate continues the spice and peppery flavors. There is a sweet caramel cut through it but the rye baking spices really stands out. The finish lasts soooooo long. The spice flavor from the nose keeps its presence. The peppery flavor comes full circle and the finish is the best part. So far, I’m loving this rye. It’s really good. Also, tried this as an old fashioned and it was delicious. Had some friends over and they all wanted seconds of this as an old fashioned. Overall, I definitely recommend this if you are a fan of ryes.

I was at a bar and saw this available for a pour. To my surprise, it was only $15 a pour so I had to try it. The nose was so sweet. It was like a fruit and vanilla bomb. However, it was so delightful and wasn’t overpowering. The palate continued the vanilla, cherry and fruit flavor. The heat intensity was perfect as it warmed your mouth. By far an incredible taste. The finish was where it capped it off so well for me. It was smooth with an intense mouth feel but vanilla and sweetness throughout. Was absolutely delicious. Because this is so hard to find, I doubt I’ll ever get it again. Absolutely worth it.

I got lucky and found this at my local liquor store. It wasn’t MSRP ($50ish) and was $65. I jumped to get it anyway as I’ve never seen it here in Texas. I’ve had their rye, 111, and always heard amazing things about their BIB. Let’s jump in. The nose is delightful. Has a toasted marshmallow flavor with caramel and coffee. It makes you keep going back to the nose over and over. The palate just keeps the excitement going. It was like drinking chocolate with a rich and a creamy mouthfeel. Almost shocked me how flavorful it was. The finish is sooooo long. The chocolate flavor continues with some spices, a little coffee and keeps going and going. This is an incredible bottle. If I see this anywhere, I’ll be picking it up. I suggest you do the same!

I got this on sale at a twin liquors for $35. Figured I try it since I’ve seen it listed around $48-$50. Had this neat and as an old fashioned. Let’s start with neat: Nose was soft with some black pepper and brown sugar. Was “okay”. The palate was sweet and almost a perfect bourbon for a new person to drinking any bourbons. It was strong and also wasn’t too complex. The finish was longer than expected with honey and more brown sugar. Overall, it was “okay. As an old fashioned, I was not impressed. It diluted any flavors or complexity it might have had. Again though, for anyone who is starting out new in bourbon, this is a great starting place as it isn’t strong or powerful to push someone away.

This is from the Winship Company and a Buffalo Trace product. The main reason for me to try it was due to this. After some digging, this comes from the Barton 1792 Distillery. The nose has some sweet cherry and brown sugar. The palate stays a little sweet with vanilla and cherry towards the end. The finish is less impactful and doesn’t last long. I tried this as an old fashioned also and it wasn’t one I’d go back to. I was glad to try it but would be excited to try it again neat or as an old fashioned.

I bought this for fun seeing all the reviews and comments on Reddit. I truly didn’t think it would be good at all. Overall, this is a decent bottle for $15 bucks haha. The nose and palate isn’t anything special but the finish is quite tasty. I couldn’t drink this regularly but this was fun to try. For a real bottom shelf, this is something to try!

I’ve never heard of this bourbon and a friend of mine had a bottle. I’m always excited to try bourbons I’ve never heard of. My reviews are usually pretty thorough but for this pour, I’m not a fan, plain and simple. Not with the high price, sad taste, and the finish was short. Sadly enough, this would be a drain pour for me.

After trying the Crossroads, I was able to give this a try as well. With not liking the Crossroads, I had low expectations of going to their 100 proof to 93 proof. The nose was nothing to write home about. Some vanilla and a little ethanol taste. The taste wasn’t too bad. The palate was simple. You had some sweetness, toffee, caramel and a little ethanol. Nothing groundbreaking but also tasty enough for a second sip. The finish was quick. More caramel and ethanol for me. Nothing really stood out which made me disappointed as I always love a good finish in a bourbon. Overall, this was okay. For $25, it’s an easy bourbon to drink and might make a decent old fashion. I wouldn’t drink this neat but might make a cocktail with it.