Tastes

Part of a sample Jim Beam 12 Days of Christmas pack sampler. Second of the 12. Quick hit review. The typical bourbon nose with Cracker Jacks, vanilla, corn bread. Hints of apple and banana fruits. Ethanol tones are ever present. In a flash, the palate receives a thin, light body with vanilla, caramel, white pepper and oak. And then it’s over. Course and flavorless finish. Alcohol, drying oak tannins with trace amounts of vanilla. Not much to say. I had higher hopes for this comparative to the Vanilla Beam from Day 1. Do not drink this neat. Do not water it down since the flavors are few; more dilution will render this flavorless. Mix it with Coke or Ginger. Jack Daniels is much better than this JB. Ironic that the higher end Beam family of products are quite good. You would think the baseline would be solid. [78/100][Tasted: 12/4/20]

Rittenhouse is my goto rye for Manhattans or Old Fashioneds. I picked this up more out of curiosity to see if it could overtake my rye staple. Maybe I have been blinded or too far down the path with my goto cocktail rye. Is there something better (and cheaper)? The aromas are light and faint for a rye. There is the expected rye and/or pumpernickel notes. Bread dough with a yeasty quality. Cola with lemon, browned bananas, vanilla and sugar glazing. The body is lightweight and brings forth lightweight flavor. A spicy, black peppery bite. Diluted vanilla, brown sugar, oak. Very small and limited. An oak and cola finish with a bit of char with a bitter out of tune bitterness. An affordable rye/whiskey, and delivers exactly what it was intended (for the price). Holds up as a mixer because of its alcohol strength. Use as a mixer as the flavors are sparse and will need to be complimented with additional components (vermouth for instance). For a few dollars more, Rittenhouse is much better. Deeper and richer flavors which really enhances and makes the Manhattan or Old Fashioned. Will definitely look past this future forward. [$19][83/100][Tasted: 11/27/20]

I am a monstrous Beatles fanatic and when I saw this, I just had to taste this, good or bad, for the mere novelty. In conversation with a great Distiller friend, @PBMichiganWolverine he mentioned he had this and was generous enough to share and provide a taste of this Drammers Club exclusive. A golden pale yellow color greets you in the glass. Initial nosing reveals the full spectrum of aromas. This is light, fruity, earthy and sweet with a smidge spice and phenols. Ripened peach, raspberry, blueberry, bananas, apples and Concord grapes provide the fruits. Cleaned mushrooms, straw, petrichor (thanks @Davie-Warner for sharing that word) provide some earthiness. Milk chocolate/Whoppers candy, butterscotch, butter pound cake, confectionery sugar, toasted marshmallows provide sweetness. A dash of spice of cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled about. Then there is that rubber hose note that floats above the plethora of aromas A embodiment of aromas simply stated. But the complexity and breadth of aromas is vast and such the tangible aspects need not be rehashed (see above for the flavors). The fruits remain on the palate once all is consumed. Some tropical is more apparent of toasted coconut and dried pineapples. The spices and oak tannins caboose the fruity finish. All in all, leaves you wanting another sip to slowly enjoy. The is a fabulous dram. Near perfect in that from nose to finish, all aromas and flavors remain existent and true. I am sure I am missing some other aromas/flavors mainly because of the wide array of possible interpretations and complexity. But that is a good thing. On this Thanksgiving Eve, in this dreadful year of 2020, a small and bright bit of cheer in a glass. Thank you @PBMichiganWolverine for providing me a rare sample. Absolutely wonderful. [97/100][Tasted: 11/25/20]

This was on sale and grabbed a bottle for as an affordable sipping bourbon, when I want to have a drink without putting any thought into what I am drinking (or very little thinking about it). A sipper when winding down work week on a Friday. I like those complex scotches or whiskies. But sometimes I just want to unplug while sipping and just roll with the flow. The nose is light with a sweetness and as astringency. Karl corn syrup, corn flakes, caramel, peanut brittle sprinkled with baking spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. The ethanol is ever present, hovering over the aromas. The body is oily and slightly dense. The flavors are washed out by the alcohol and what is detectable is vanilla extract, cinnamon, salted peanuts and wood spices. Add a little water to reduce the ethanol. The peanut brittle and vanilla are pulled forward. This is preferable with water/ice. This is a finish of ethanol, vanilla and light oak char and black pepper spice, all of which runs briefly. Did expect this to be a genie in a bottle? No. This is exactly what I expected it to be. An affordable dram for simplicity to have for impromptu occasions or social gatherings. For the price, it’s not bad, but all things considered, for the same reasons and occasions, Wild Turkey 101 is more robust and probably the better choice. [$25][82/100][Tasted: 11/22/20]