Tastes
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Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Selection 14E19 Twin Blend
Blended American Whiskey — Tennessee, USA
Reviewed October 22, 2021 (edited July 31, 2022)Selection 14-E-19 On a visit with some friends out of state, my buddy happened to visit the JD Distillery prior to me visiting and grabbed this Tasters series and shared with me. Brown sugar dominated nose with hints nutmeg, cinnamon, gingerbread, vanilla and rye spices. Nutmeg, cinnamon and rye spices drive the palate. Dark chocolate, light-roasted coffee. The high proof tingles and bites. Slight hints of brown sugar and vanilla. Water is a must and definitely enhances the dram. The brown sugar notes pull forward and temper the sharpness. Again baking spices round out the pour with wood spices. A touch of brown sugar and charcoal all fade leaving the palate dry, woody and nutty. The Taster’s Series, so far, has produced some quality sipping whiskey. The blending here with rye creates and adds a balanced spiciness with taking away from the sweeter side. No exotic finishing here. Just old school blending of grains and flavors. [89/100][Tasted: 10/18/21] -
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Jamaican Allspice
Tennessee Whiskey — USA
Reviewed October 22, 2021 (edited July 31, 2022)On a visit with some friends out of state, my buddy happened to visit the JD Distillery prior to me visiting and grabbed this Tasters series and shared with me. Baking spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice (duh). Sweetness of brown sugar, caramel. First draw tingles the palate with a touch of sweetness. Buttery texture. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, milk chocolate, vanilla, honey and black tea. Wood and baking spices, brown sugar and vanilla fade out and the wood tannins leave the palate slightly dry. A nice, spicy JD. The proofing at 50% is spot on. A good sipper on an Autumn evening. I like the experimentation and the “daring “ to try different things. Sometimes things work. Sometimes they don’t. This works. [88/100][Tasted: 10/18/21] -
Lagavulin 9 Year (Game of Thrones-House Lannister)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed September 19, 2021 (edited July 31, 2022)So, my first GOT sample. I recently purchased this at a discounted price to share with my son who is/was a huge GOT fan and learning to appreciate whisky (because of me?). I have been drinking this with some mental notes and tasted recently. Being a Lagavulin, I know what I am in for and have certain expectations. Hints of bacon-wrapped hickory-smoked oysters with a maple syrup glaze. Maritime brininess, cream soda, grilled pears, sweet tea. A nose reminiscent of campfires near the ocean and autumn breakfasts. Like at a B&B with an indoor fire going with a Vermont syrup on the bacon. Though my descriptors may be vivid, the aromas are actually not as dense. They are detectable but time, patience and digging may you find these notes. As expected, the campfire, smokey peaty flavor is the primary flavor. Now, add vanilla icing, lemon zest, toffee, dark chocolate and dark roast coffee, grilled peaches. Chew on it and hold it in and wood spices and cinnamon spices provide the tingle. A woody bitter palate, lemon zest and white pepper keep the palate dry and spicy. Slight cigar ash remains to the end. Short overall finish that you wished found a way to stay. I have been drinking this over a course of two weekends and noticed a few things. The neck pour revealed the youthful side. Spicy, biting, tingly with a predominant peaty, tobacco flavor. However, as the volume decreased and oxidation occurred, it softened somewhat and more of the sweetness was more present. This definitely improved with time in the opened bottle. Comparatively, it’s akin to Talisker 10 with the smoky, peppery sweetness (IMO). I would definitely choose a Talisker, Laphroaig or Ardbeg first before choosing a pour of Lagavulin 9. A good second place pour. At about $10 less then the discounted price, the trifecta is a better purchase at around $49 then the $59 Lagavulin 9 GOT. Worthy of a try. [87/100][$59][Tasted: 9/18/21]59.0 USD per Bottle -
New Southern Revival Jimmy Red Corn Bourbon
Bourbon — South Carolina , USA
Reviewed September 8, 2021 (edited January 29, 2024)In South Carolina for a long weekend stint. With that, we stopped in the High Wire Distillery. Didn’t do the tour but did do a flight. The Rye, Jimmy Red, Jimmy Red Single Barrel. So the quick hit. N: corn, cinnamon, candy corn, caramel, vanilla, cream soda. P: Cinnamon, cardamom, almonds or walnuts, caramel. F: Cinnamon, wood. Decent bourbon pour. Good nose. Flavorful. A vanilla cream soda with cinnamon sipper. 86/100 -
Los Vecinos del Campo Espadin Mezcal
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed September 5, 2021 (edited May 10, 2022)Quick hit: Visiting some friends and he had this in his liquor collection. Not being experienced in tequila, what I extracted in non-tasting conditions. N: Celery, cucumber, charcoal, herbal. P: Earthy, Smokey, mineral. Grilled pineapples and honeydew,dried grass, charcoal, tobacco. F: Charcoal, vegetal, oak tannins. Enjoyed. The charcoal undertone and the subtle sweetness with the earthy, herbal flavors produces a nice sipper. [Tasted: 9/5/21] -
High West A Midwinter Night's Dram
Rye — (bottled in) Utah, USA
Reviewed September 4, 2021 (edited July 31, 2022)Act 5/Scene 6 A Midwinters Night Dram. Top Dog in the High West catalog (or at least one of the top dogs). Act 2 was insanely great. Act 3 quite good. But as the successive Acts that have been released, the distance in experience has diminished. Does Act 5 begin to break this trend? The aromas are light and faint. What comes through jammy, spicy, earthy and sweet. As it opens, the sweetness strengthens. Jelly donuts with granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and vanilla. Fresh pinewood, dampened maple leaves and hay. Cola notes slowly come to strength through time and patience. It arrives surprisingly soft and creamy for a higher proofed whiskey. The baking spices of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon arrive in initially and set the stage. Wood spice provide a tingle to the palate. Grape jam, mashed strawberries with vanilla blend in with the baking spices creating a sweet and spicy blend. We The finish leaves the tongue with a tingle and slowly diminishes to distinguishable flavors. Cola, vanilla with drying oak tannins. Faints of nutmeg and cloves, dill and black licorice. Previous versions of this would conjure up images of November evenings or Thanksgiving holidays. Full of spice, dill, rye, mint and brown sugar. This version is nothing like those previous versions. Though good, it pales to its earlier siblings. The nose is decent and the palate good. Like the previous Acts, a touch of water improves the dram. Act 5 lacks the punch and fullness of the earlier versions. However, all in all, good aromas and flavors, especially the baking spices with the sweetness always makes this a pleasant dram. [$99][88/100][Tasted: 8/28/21]99.0 USD per Bottle -
Kings County Oated Bourbon Drammers Club
Bourbon — New York , USA
Reviewed August 22, 2021 (edited July 31, 2022)Tropical Storm Henri pours down it’s rain, but the bite of the wind is nowhere to be found. The hype was bigger than the bark. On this gray Sunday, I pull a sample from the backlog. Something warming and American is what strikes the mood. After resting for a bit, spiced cream soda with the spices cinnamon, nutmeg. Hints of wood, Baker’s chocolate and vanilla. Hot on the initial draw, but creamy. Working past the zingy tongue, wood spices, dark caramel or molasses. However, discerning much at this high proof is challenging and a splash of water is needed. Water is definitely a must to soften the palate zing. Slightly sweeter with water. Burnt or darkened S’mores, and orange marmalade. A odd blend, but this odd coupling is somewhat complimentary. A long and lingering burnt toast note keeps the palate bitter with the marmalade tucked in the depths of the palate. This starts off simply with the tandem of sweetness and spice (baking spices). Flavorful but sparse in depth palate. The creamy mouthfeel and texture keeps the dram buoyant. The burnt S’more flavor is unique and can be off putting or enjoyable. A decent whiskey with a good punch. Thanks @PBMichiganWolverine for the sample. [86/100][Tasted: 8/22/21] -
Glenlivet 15 Year French Oak Reserve
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed August 15, 2021 (edited September 5, 2021)Over the years I have several times purchased a bottle of GL15. When I poured myself a glass, I went to check my last notes. I was surprised I haven’t formally recorded any. Glenlivet 12 for me, and I am sure for many others, was the gateway single malt whisky. The first time I purchased the 15; making a better income, I recall feeling proud I finally advanced my calibre of scotch and close to getting to and affording the elusive and pricey 18 year old single malt. Baby steps. The nose is welcoming of sweet canned peaches and pears. Raisins, dates, caramel, toffee, warmed brown sugar, lemon zest, frosted vanilla cinnamon rolls and a touch of oak. Over a medium dense body, there is a sweet and spicy current. The sweet side flavors of brown sugar, dark chocolate, butterscotch and toasted coconut. Spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, wood, white pepper. Take those flavors, join and mix. As you hold in the mouth, woody qualities are stronger and add to enhance the flavor on the palate. The finish is medium length and sparse of a touch of wood spice, almonds and brown sugar. Glenlivet still connects with me. The 15 pushes forward from the 12. The French Oak cask adds a good touch a woody spiciness and the sweetness is not overblown and counters the spices quite nicely. A very good and enjoyable dram;’one of the better Glenlivet’s. In the day when this was under $60, it worthy of a try. Nowadays, at $70+, I would spend my money elsewhere. Find it when it’s on sale. [86/100][Tasted: 8/14/21][$64;$59] -
Sagamore Spirit Distiller's Select Manhattan Finish Rye
Rye — USA
Reviewed July 25, 2021 (edited July 31, 2022)Batch: 1A Bottle: 314 51.5% abv Being a true enjoyer of Manhattans (pretty much a weekly Sunday cocktail), I had to try this when I saw it while visiting the distillery while spending time in Baltimore. I have slowly become intrigued and become an appreciator of their brand. The Port finish was quite outstanding. Their newer finishes and experimentation is intriguing and a nice differentiator. There is a subtle sweetness to the nose of sweet vermouth that almost comes. As it continues to open, vanilla cream with maraschino cherries, honeydew, dill, cinnamon, cloves, wood char, leather and fresh cigar tobacco. There is a fair amount of heat packed by a 51.5% abv. The vermouth comes through quite distinctly. Angostura bitters (from mind over matter?) orange peel, Demerara sugar, white pepper, cloves. Wood char and oak tannins finish the pour. Hints of orange zest bitterness. Vanilla arises at the far finish all which lasts for a medium length of time. Over an ice cube, this formalizes into a chilled rye m Manhattan. The edginess is smoothed and the sweetness is enhanced. Not overblown and balances better with the spiciness. The finish is not as drying or as bitter. Overall, much improved with some ice. But just one or two cubes. I am a fan of Sagamore Spirit being a semi-resident to Maryland/Baltimore for the past eight years. I like what they are doing experimenting with different types finishes (Cognac, tequila, etc). This sips more of a cocktail than a standard rye. If you appreciate rye Manhattans you should enjoy this pour. Would I continually pay $70+ dollars for a Manhattan? No. Packed with a punch of aromas and flavors of an unabashedly Manhattan, this is a nice treat. [88/100][Tasted: 7/23/21] -
Michter's US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Rye (2017 Release)
Rye — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed July 18, 2021 (edited July 31, 2022)The few Michters that I have had I quite enjoyed. They are not always on the forefront when looking for another bottle purchase of a simple pour at a bar/restaurant. However, this pour finds it’s way to me courtesy of @pkingmartin. And so tonight, I pour me a dram. The nose is soft and sweet which is slightly strange as the expectation would be spicy with dill or fennel. This Michters opens with toasted marshmallows, rich vanilla cream, white pepper, ground cinnamon and baker’s chocolate. Digging deep and hints of charcoal can be detected. An enjoyable, enticing nose. An initial punch of strength grabs the palate’s attention. Toasted whole wheat, cinnamon sugar, walnuts, leather, oak. Charcoal with traces of dill finish and tobacco the dram. Drying oak tannins drive a long finish. Aromas and flavors are few. However, what is supplies is quite rich and deep. A touch of water thinned the body and muted the character of the dram. Add sparingly. A rye that’s not a rye. A good sipper that should be taken slow. Thanks @pkingmartin for sharing. An enjoyable pour. [Tasted: 7/16/21][86/100]
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