Tastes
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To prepare for a house crawl, I created a, mixer that was bourbon based. The question as to what bourbon that would be: it needed to be affordable, hold up to mixing and have decent flavor. This seemed to fit that bill (based upon reviews for good mixing bourbons). However, how does this taste as a stand alone? N: Sugary vanilla pudding aromas. Caramel with baking spices of cinnamon. Oak wood encased initially which weakens in time leaves the sweet custardy aroma. P: Wood, oak and spice fills the palate. Slight sweetness passes through, briefly. Almonds, toasted marshmallow add to the oaken spiciness. White and black pepper comes forward and more dominate towards the finish. F: The tongue tingles as it finishes. And it tingles for some time. White pepper, caramel which rides the woody dryness for a good length. O: This is surprisingly a good budget whiskey. It has a decent aroma with muscular flavor for what it holds. As a sipper, it can hold its own. But where it would work best is as a mixer. The punch holds allows it to stay strong no matter what is thrown in it. [$33/1.75][84/100][Tasted: 3/15/24]33.0 USD per Bottle
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High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 7 (All Scenes)
Rye — (bottled in) Utah, USA
Reviewed March 11, 2024 (edited March 14, 2024)A Friday night finds me free. A moment to formally take some tasting notes. A Midwinter’s Night Dram Act 7 Scene 4. This was opened for about a month and taking this in over time. N: Letting this open for some time and you are rewarded. Immediate flashbacks to late autumn evenings. Baking spices float while in a warm and in a cozy house in a crisp night. Oak, cinnamon and nutmeg mixed with vanilla, dark caramel and brown sugar. A touch of maple syrup and milk chocolate. A mix of cream soda and root beer also is detectable or maybe similar to the combined previous aromas. P: When drawn onto the palate, you are immediately introduced to wood spices and brown sugar sweetness. Ground cinnamon, allspice, ground black pepper with Hints of grape jam and Gala apples. This is delivered in a surprisingly thin body. W: A splash of water (or ice), as I have experienced with AMWND, water improves the flavor. Rounds it out and, in this dram bringing forth the sweetness. It unfortunately takes an already thin body and thins it out some more. F: The finish is woody, bitter. Medium in length. As it fades, the sweeter side makes an appearance and leaves one with a pleasant, warm satisfaction. O: After Act 4, the subsequent releases were what I would qualify as adequate where the predecessors were brilliant. Act 7, the aromas are quite delightful; the palate is a diluted version of the nose and the finish fine, but I was expecting or wanting a bit more length and flavor in the finish. Act 7 is a step is the positive direction towards the excellence of Act 2 and/or Act 3. [$99][90/100][Tasted: 3/8/24]99.0 USD per Bottle -
Whiskey Del Bac Dorado Private Barrel
American Single Malt — USA
Reviewed February 12, 2024 (edited February 18, 2024)I have read many positive reviews about Whiskey Del Bac Dorado (standard). This sample from @soonershrink is tonight’s pour. Hoping for a unique, mesquite, smokey experience. C: The color of shiny copper penny. N: At first pour, the nose is neutral. Over time, it begins to open up. Still light, but rubber hose and sweet mesquite. Lemon peel, vanilla cola, light brown sugar. P: It comes on to the palate hot, thick and sweet. A foundation of cola flavor. That foundation supports, tobacco, vanilla bean, dark roast coffee, with hints of orchard fruits. F: Finishes woody and dry. Black pepper, charcoal, waxy lemon peel that leads towards a bitter and long lasting finish. O: Never having tasted Whiskey Del Bac before, I was somewhat intrigued. Now having sampled, I admit I had higher expectations. Not that this was bad. I would classify it as an average whiskey. For me, the mesquite was buried and I had to work for it. I wanted more. Decent but not a show stopper. Thank you again @soonershrink for sharing [85/100][Tasted: 1/9/24] -
Ironroot Esoteric
Blended American Whiskey — Texas, USA
Reviewed January 7, 2024 (edited January 24, 2024)This Saturday, kinda chillin’. Some found downtime to sample something while watching a Netflix movie. I figured something more on the conservative side (lower Abv) amongst the samples I still need to work through. This comes to me courtesy of @soonershrink. N: Ethanol abound on the nose. The vapors hover extendedly. Not wickedly. Just enough to mask other aromas from pushing through. Give it a fair amount of time to weaken. Vanilla custard primarily breaks through. Bits of black cherry and cola encased in wood. P: It comes on strong though it’s only 48.5%. Velvety in texture. The flavors complement the nose with the cola in the forefront. White pepper keeps the palate tingly. F: Slightly bitter and tannic on the finish. Orange peel, oak, cinnamon Red Hots. The bitterness and oak does linger for a long period of time. Not good nor bad. Sort of just there. O: This is a simplistic, youthful whiskey. To be somewhat critical, it lacks depth, richness, boldness and sophistication. Maybe it’s the casks. Or maybe it did not have enough time to mature. Good enough for occasions where much socialization will occur or as a mixer. Thanks @soonershrink for the sample. [84/100][Tasted: 1/6/24] -
When I first exploring whisky and getting into the nuances of aromas, flavors and learning more about regions and the varieties within the regions, I gravitated toward Islay produced scotch. The big three: Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Laphroaig were doing their thing and keeping it simple. NAS versus aged-stated whisky, non-chilled filtering were big debates and who was the best Islay. Variations were essentially limited but quality was high. All three produced exceptional product and prices were reasonable. I gravitated towards Laphroaig. Fast forward to today and the what do I see? Laphroaig by and large is holding steady with their range and producing quality at a reasonable price. Lagavulin has branched out extending their marketing with deals with Nick Offerman, but has largely kept to its standards. Ardbeg has, in my opinion, has gone balls out and anything it makes they label it and sell it, confusing the loyalists with noise. Too many offerings to count and high prices. Does this cheapen their good will/brand (I will leave this for debate but I have my opinion)? Where am I going with all this? This sample of Laphroaig 18 brings me back to that period of time with this sample from a long time back from Spirited Pied-piper @PBMichiganWolverine who benevolently shares and graciously provided me a sample that I will enjoy tonight. N: Unmistakable Laphroaig smokey sweetness immediately in your face. Not muscular or punchy but refined and sophisticated. Wonderful. An aroma that can be nosed all day. Iodine, lemonade, black tea, honey, apricots, shucked oysters, butterscotch, caramel apples, white pepper. The nose incorporates about every good quality of scotch. Visions of September oyster roast on warmed afternoon. P: Softly encroaching on the palate with a light and peppery bite. Irish and Lapsang souchong tea with honey. Smoked brisket with brown sugar bbq sauce provides briny, savory flavors that tends to water the mouth. Salted caramel in wrapped milk/dark chocolate. Almonds and oranges, cinnamon. As it opens, it the brown sugar intensifies, blissfully so. F: A long finish that you are glad that stays around as you want to keep all that goodness as long as possible. Charred oak, brown sugar that devolves to caramel over vanilla custard. Cigar tobacco ultimately remains on the palate indefinitely with the butterscotch sweetness. O: An amazing artistic expression. Perfect strokes of aromas and flavors. A Starry Night, a Madam Monet and Her Son. Why Laphroaig discontinued producing this, I don’t know. But it’s a force. When it was readily available, it was attractively affordable and fitting perfectly in the range of their 10 and 15 year old offerings. The NAS Lore replaced this (which I have not enjoyed yet enjoyed). The balance is spot on with sweetness, dryness, smokiness, and savoriness. The flavors are never ending, vibrant, apparent and work together synergistically, like a team of crew rowers or brush stokes on a painting. Many thanks to my long-time Distiller mate @PBMichiganWolverine for sharing this long, long ago. [98/100][Tasted: 12/8/23]
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Handy & Schiller Barreled Manhattan
Ready to Drink — USA
Reviewed November 26, 2023 (edited December 7, 2023)A grey, dank day. Thanksgiving turkey soup cooking. Perfect day for Manhattan’s. I am pretty regimented with Rittenhouse and Carpano Antica. So this, a sample given from a neighbor, decided I will start my cocktail du jour with the Handy & Schiller Manhattan. The Manhattan consists of “Sazerac Rye, vermouth, Peychaud’s bitters and caramel color.” N: Rye-based nose. The vermouth aroma is on the lighter side, almost non-apparent. Maraschino cherries, vanilla and white pepper, though faint. P: The vermouth is present giving a pleasant sweetness. Soft and silky texture containing barrel spices, cinnamon, fennel, with a good vanilla and cherries. F: The finish is has a nice charcoal surround, coating the tongue. Spearmint and white pepper and the remnants of cherries. O: Not a bad pre-made Manhattan. The Sazerac qualities are definitely detectable. Some pre-made can be sickly sweet, saccharine and/or artificial. This is an acceptable Manhattan that is good to have as a grab and go when off to a gathering where concocting own may be cumbersome. The High West pre-made would be my first choice for a Manhattan (or pre-made Old Fashioned.) followed by Sagamore Manhattan finish. [86/100][Tasted: 11/25/23] -
Thompson Saison cask single cask
Single Malt — New Zealand
Reviewed November 24, 2023 (edited December 3, 2023)Well, its Thanksgiving eve. Time for a sample and the traditional viewing of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Maybe I should be sampling a bourbon instead of a New Zealander. Anyway…. N: A yeasty, berried nose. Well-baked cranberry bread with a pinch of cinnamon, vanilla, honey. Straightforward, simple nose but rich and tangible. P: A creamy, cinnamon spiced entry greets the palate. Similar to the nose, baked cranberry bread, vanilla and honey. A bit of a black pepper bite with a dark chocolate sweetener. F: A medium length finish that is slightly drying and woody that fades with the same dark chocolate mocha and a peppery tingle. O: A decent sipper with slightly limited nose and palate. But the few notes and flavors it holds, it delivers. Sips easy for a 53.4% abv whiskey. Thanks @PbMichiganWolverine for the generous New Zealander sample. [86/100][Tasted: 11/22/23] -
Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Dovetail (2022 Release)
Other Whiskey — Multiple Countries
Reviewed November 5, 2023 (edited December 28, 2023)Barrel has been releasing top notch bourbons and their craft has only been improving their craft. The standard Dovetail is quite good. Seagrass is funky joy ride. I have heard good things about Gray but I have not had the good fortune to experience for myself, until now. N: Initial nosing immediately after pouring is a heavy dose of ethanol. This definitely needs time to breathe. After about fifteen minutes it begins to reveal itself. Fruity peach, strawberry and fresh orange mulled together. But what brings this forward are the baking spices mingled with the fruity nose. Nutmeg and cinnamon. Deep down, traces of sweet grapes, toffee and chocolate coffee round the nose. These aromas due take a fair length of time to come out. About forty minutes of breathing and nosing ot took to discern the aromas. P: The arrival is anesthetic, creamy and sweet. Milk chocolate, more on the creamy sweet side, coats the palate. Chewing on it exposes dark roasted coffee, black cherries, butterscotch. Sweet and earthy. Surprisngly sparse in unique flavors given the nose had more. At least what I could detect. W: With a good touch of water the nose blooms with sugar sweetness of cotton candy and caramel apples. With the added water, the sugary attributes also carry on the palate. The grape notes are amplified but the earthy notes do become muted. F: The finish is pins and needles, Concord grapes, black and white pepper, and chocolate that seems to last indefinitely. Oaky tannins near the end of the long finish tie this up with a bow. A nice, long journey. O: The dram is simply complex. The aromas and flavors are accessible, rich and authentic. All this discerning does take time and patience which makes this a great time escaping pour. Sipping this with haste will minimize the full experience. The contained amount of aromas and flavors, though rich, restrains this dram from greatness. A immensely enjoyable pour. Thank you @PBMichiganWolverine for a generous sample. [90/100][Tasted: 11/4/23] -
I have a a few Octomore’s over the years. Always they were smokey, ashy and strong/good weight behind it. Also, expensive. This was a sample generously provided by @Pkingmartin. Saturday night pour, watching The Whale. Plenty of downtime to taste, sample, and enjoy. N: Sweet, blue smoke with maritime brine. A meat smoker burning hickory wood infusing spare ribs at the beach in the evening low tide. The aroma sweetness is surprising as more phenols would be expected. Vanilla beans, caramel, apple crumb pie and bitter dark chocolate provide the dessert-infused aroma. Light aroma of rubber bicycle inner tubes with a clean antiseptic scent (Bactine?). Not what I would have initially guessed for an Octomore. P: The texture on arrival is a velvety sharpness. The sharpness wanes and brings forth a sweetness and an earthy snootiness. Caramel apples, butterscotch, orange zest, fresh ginger are at the core. Dark bitter chocolate, rich cigar tobacco, black pepper and jalapeño spice come forward towards the finish. F: The spice keeps the tongue tingling for good length. The palate remains ashy, sweet, citrusy. The beauty is the length. It never ends, and that’s a good thing in this case. O: Of the few Octomore’s I have had, this, to my recollection, is the most subdued. Most have been a punch in a face, phenolic blast. This 11.1 brings a sweetness the counters that ashy, phenolic punch. The strength 59% is nearly unnoticeable. A dram that can be a slow, tasty, enjoyable sipper. Thanks @PkingMartin for the sample. [89/100][Tasted: 8/26/23]
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Bunnahabhain 30 year TWB Artemis
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 23, 2023 (edited September 5, 2023)Bunnahabhain juice. Not sure I need to say much more. It would be difficult to not to enjoy. Expectations are high. However, I am not sure what to expect from this particular version of a Bunn N: A slowly forming aroma of orange peel and cinnamon crescendos from low and easy to a nice refreshing citrusy marmalade nose. Images of Beach and sun bounce in my mind from these aromas. Tropical it becomes. Pineapples, coconut shavings and light caramel, peaches and mangoes. P: The first sip arrives sweetly. The orangey nose is embodied on the palate. Candied oranges or Sunny-D orange drink, sweet tea and vanilla. Just as that sweetness makes you happy and comfortable, a kick of black pepper and ginger comes in stirs the palate around a bit, in a good way which segues to a more earthy quality. Leather, tobacco, walnuts with a bit of mineral. Just as it all gets familiar and comfortable, that punch of pepper comes back and winds out to a fade towards the finish. F: Peppery finish that tingles but fades to a long woody, orange and honey and charcoal. O: What is described may seem simplistic but what is experienced is rich. What could be a summer sipper, is enjoyable with no bitterness or harshness. Easy to sip. Easy to enjoy. I only wish I had more than just a sample and could continue to enjoy. Thank you @pkingmartin for another quality sample. above and beyond. [94/100][Tasted: 7/21/23]
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