Tastes

2023 Review I purchased this for an Irish Whiskey tasting. I had a quick hit tasting back in 2015 so I thought it proper to re-review under no time constraints. N:The nose is faint. Old school Cheerios cereal with red raspberries, banana pudding with a cinnamon sugar dusting. Initially, the ethanol slightly punch the nose. Time diminishes the barrier. P: A bit of dulled spice is the first to arrive on the palate. The too does diminish. Vanilla cream comprises the majority of the flavor. White pepper provides a soft bite. Morsels of dark chocolate and snicker-doodles. F: Afterwards, the tongue is coated with charcoal, pepper, mint and vanilla sugar. This remains for a fair length, but ultimately charcoal and mint. O: What is nosed and tasted is not vast. But what is provided is balanced; never falling too spicy or too sweet. A whiskey where less is more works for this dram. Easily a decent slowe(er) sipper especially with the extra punch at 46% Abv. It’s not (yet) outrageously priced. Not mind altering or life changing, but enjoyable. Comparative to the 2015 tasting, this has changed (for the better for me) or my larger exposure to whisky has helped discern aromas and flavor better. [86/100][$55][Tasted: 5/12/23] 2015 Review: This whiskey starts with a welcoming nose of toffee, graininess/cereal and hints of fruit. The palate is soft, revealing it's oak side, with the those same notes from the nose appearing on the palate. Finishes in the dry side leaving the mouth oaky. Overall, a decent Irish whiskey, but I found myself expecting more given I thoroughly enjoy their Small Batch brand. I will need to try again where there are less time constraints. [84/100][Tasted: Whiskey on the Hudson 2015]

A few weeks ago, I put together a whiskey tasting. To expose some of some of the friends who usually just stick with their bourbon, I figured, being close to St. Patrick’s Day, I would expose them to Irish whiskey; something other than the green bottle Jameson. Since this was in Whiskey Advocate’s Top 20 whiskeys of the year, number 16 to be exact, I grabbed a bottle as the price was moderately priced. Along with Jameson Black, Redbreast, Green Spot, Teeling Single Grain and Glendalough 13, I presented what are affordable, good quality Irish Whiskey. The hopes that next time they enter a, liquor store, in hand would be an Irish cousin that would formerly be overlooked. A triple wood Irish whisky. Aged in Oloroso and Bourbon casks and finished in Marsala casks. When initially nosed, it comes across similar to an airy bourbon. Hints of vanilla and honey. A slight walnut nuttiness. Time improves the nose allowing wax and butterscotch notes to manifest. Thin and delicately spicy and mildly sweet. Bartlett pears drizzled with honey and pickled ginger. Black tea and figs provide some bitter sweetness. Oddly, white grapes with white pepper develops towards the end of life the palate zing the tongue with pins and needles before the is finally consumed. A slightly drying finish of wood, grapes, milk chocolate and lemon zest that’s short and clean. OThe Bushmills I have in the past have have been typically sweet and silky. This breaks that mold as it’s spicy and thin. Not that that is a bad thing. It’s just different. If it was part of a bourbon tasting I suspect that most would be surprised that this was an Irish whiskey. Sips young to the likes of a 5 or 8 year old. Sprite and zesty than mellow. A nice sipper. However, if being compared to Redbreast or Green Spot, I would be inclined to grab either one of those before the Bushmills 12. Would like to see this priced around $10 less. [$55][85/100][Tasted: 4/7/23]

Batch: 2 Bottled: 1/2022 Case: 3687 A mash bill that consists of 65% corn, 20% wheat, and 15% barley My son grabbed a bottle of this and of course was now naturally curious. Tasted over a few pours on different days. One that I would normally overlook. But since it’s in my purview, I might as well try. Faint and restrained nose. Floral, vanilla, brown sugar, and honey begin on nosing. Within that floral faintness, a light woody cedar incense (ala smoke punks) aroma is detectable. Hints of cinnamon apple linger. Even more faintly are the the white grape skins and white wine. With a creamy mouth, a sweetness coats the palate. Breaking it down, vanilla, light brown sugar, cola, white pepper, pickled ginger and a touch of oaken tannins which provides a delicate dry sweetness slightly offset by a mild spiciness. A drying woody finish with the lingering vanilla and brown sugar sweetness that linger for a fair length. A straightforward, easy sipping, bourbon. Though finished in Chardonnay barrels, the wine influence is just barely detectable. Does it influence the bourbon? Just slightly, if at all. But overall, a decent, sipper that’s enjoyable, inoffensive and affordable. [85/100][Tasted: 3/10/23]

On a quick weekend trip to Florida, a backpack of clothes and necessities to carry on and off the plane. I wound up meeting up with a friend nearby for a lunch and a quick catchup on life. Well, in the same plaza of the restaurant is a Total Wine. After a fun catchup, like a moth to a light, I was drawn in. Alas, I cannot bring anything thing back with me on the plane; I only have a backpack. Peruse the sample and for $7 grabbed the Texas Single Malt and at 53% abv, this feels like a sensible purchase. Sitting down for the evening, I crack this open. The color of natural maple syrup brownish-amber. Dark Karo Syrup strikes the nose, molasses-like. Wafts of chocolate malt (I.e. Ovaltine), golden currants, cinnamon-sugar, nutmeg and pecans. There is a fragrant sweet note of butterscotch cream and brine that surrounds and encapsulates all earthy notes. Quite unique. The body coats the palate delivering spice and sweetness. Caramel, root beer, cinnamon, baking spices, ginger, fig/Fig Newtons, maple syrup, oak, dark chocolate and oak tannins. This is a hodgepodge of unique and differentiating flavors all packed in a burst of boldness. The flavors seem to never fade and palate stays coated in an oily thickness. Maple syrup and oak wood just linger and await the next sip. Red hot cinnamon tingle the tongue. Unique is not a description I have used often, if at all, when tasting. From nose to finish. Dirty, bold, brawny. I can picture tumbleweed rolling past me as I sip on this. You may need to be wearing a Stetson, boots, spurs and chaps while sipping. A fun one for sure and will and to snag a full bottle for the collection. [88/100][Tasted: 2/26/23]

I picked up a sample bottle at a TW while checking out. A perfect way to try before you buy. However, with Four Roses, buying is often a no-brainer, in my opinion, as they create quality whiskeys and often at a reasonable price. Chocolate powder, like Nestle Quick, opens on the nose. It brings me back to childhood days. Oaken sawdust, Karo corn syrup and vanilla. A subtle earthiness of worn leather , mint leaves and cinnamon deepens the nose. A creamy and viscous arrival delivering a balanced spicy sweetness. Peanut brittle, caramel, maraschino cherries, dark chocolate, toasted marshmallows and vanilla mixed in with cinnamon, white pepper and red pepper flakes. Chocolate sauce coats the palate that slips into wood spices, cherries and cool mint. The flavors and sensation infinitely lasts. Another splendid bourbon from Four Roses. The balance of sweet and spice is spot on. With the abv at 52%, it sips at 46% and seems capable as an all evening sipper. No water necessary, but only if preferred. Four Roses is producing quality bourbon. Grab a bottle, any bottle, Blind-Man’s-Bluff style and you will have a great pour. [89/100][Tasted: 1/21/23]

I picked this up for my routined Christmas Eve dinner Old Fashioneds. Since it was finished in Vermont maple syrup barrels, we (my son and me) thought it may be an fun experiment. I was discussing that when in doubt for a simple sugar, maple syrup can work. And it has in the past and has blended nicely with Wild Turkey. This is bottled at a respectable 46% abv. This was reviewed as a sipper. A winter-esque vision comes to mind when first nosing. Walking through a pine forest on a gentle, snowy morning with saw dust, spearmint, rye, dill, pumpernickel and vanilla. Arrival is a sweet spiciness with wood tannins. Maple syrup undercurrents that pushes white pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, lemon zest The palate is left woody with a maple syrup coating over the palate. Ultimately, the palate is left with a tinge and tickle of black pepper. Rye is a finicky beast. Or maybe more definitive. An good, balanced rye can keep you entertained just on a nose. The palate can leaving searching and tasting flavors for days. But most, in my opinion, are mediocre, uninspiring for singly dimensioned. This falls under n the mediocre, unfortunately. The nose is decent, but you sense there should be more. The palate brings in the primers of spice of sweetness, but stops there. You are wanting and expecting additional flavors, but none other arrive. If you want to knock one back with simplicity and a bit of vibrancy, this is fine. As a mixer, it holds its own and and has the subtle sweetness, spice and punch to make a respectable cocktail. But for the price, it’s better to spend on a Pikesville. On a side note, years ago, I had a pour of the Hudson Maple, the previous incarnation, and recollect that as a syrupy, rich maple sweetness. This newer , repackaged version is a shadow of it’s former self. [84/100][$53][Tasted: 1/13/23]

Finally starting to slow things down. New digs. New locale. The holidays racing forward. But now a bit of downtime. Amongst the disarray of boxes, I found the sample provided by @pkingmartin. In a bourbon-y mood, this seems to fit this evenings mood. As this settles in the glass, that lovely aroma of leather-bound books that are a tinge musty awakens the senses. And that aroma just stays as the other aromas swim through. Baking spices make up some of those additional aromas. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger snap cookies. Cigar tobacco and then the fruits: Maraschino cherries, lemon and orange zests blend with the baking and oak spice. A sort of liquid Christmas. The spirit arrives rich, thick and syrupy. Subtly sweet counterbalanced with those aforementioned baking and wood spices. A Caramel and toffee swirl with cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and black pepper (allspice essentially). The pepper spice crescendos, but as it ramps up in strength, bitter dark chocolate, like the 95% cocoa chocolate comes forward with dates and figs. Added in is charcoal and cigar ash which all work there way towards the finish. The finish is long lasting and and enjoyable. The oak and wood char coat and stick. Caramel, spearmint, cherries, apples, pears and the bitter dark chocolate. There are bourbons, the eveydayer’s that most are quite familiar. We mix and enjoy. Then there are bourbons the are we stumble upon or are given a sample and are blown away. This falls into that latter category. An exceptional bourbon that is bold, balanced, flavorful and aromatic with a long lasting finish. Thanks to @pkingmartin for sharing. A lovely pour. Cheers! [95/100][Tasted: 12/17/22]

I picked this up as a cheap alternative to my standard Rittenhouse mixer. Stir the pot and senses. At $25, if the experiment goes sideways, it’s not with significant damage to the wallet. To quote an 80’s movie (I will leave you guessing at which 80’s movie), “Sometimes you have to say what the f***”!” An almost corn-based aroma with a touch of dill, pumpernickel, rye, vanilla, clove and nutmeg. The nose senses these aromas as if they were diluted. Upon first sip, a small wave of black pepper, cinnamon tingles the palate followed by a soft vanilla and caramel sweetness. Woody dryness slight tempers the sweetness. As it fades, spearmint infused wood lightly coates the palate with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish is medium short and just like that it’s over. An average rye. Nothing that blows your skirt up. As a mixer, it didn’t quite wow me either in an old fashioned or Manhattan. Quote ordinary cocktail mixer. However, it is an affordable purchase. But all things being equal, the same dollar is better spent on Rittenhouse or Sazerac. Not sure I would repurchase. But, was a painless experiment. [82/100][$26][Tasted: 12/3/22]