Tastes

Small bottle neck pour, neat. I let this one sit awhile, which seems to have helped the nose compared to some others’ tasting notes. Pleasant rye spice, leather, and brown sugar nose. Straightforward vanilla taste up front and a short, spice finish. Good for an easy weekday sipper and mixer.

Barrel No. 888 in oak 9/27/13 and bottled 7/16/21. Neck pour, neat, didn’t let it sit long. Cherry and toasted marshmallow nose. Caramel popcorn with a floral note and a touch of spice on the palate. Oily with a medium finish. Well above average for a daily and at a great value.

Neck pour and neat for my first store pick tasting. Didn’t let it sit very long before tasting. Fairly light nose of chocolate covered cherries and vanilla. Taste has vanilla forward and cinnamon. Fairly short finish of oak and dark chocolate with baking spice. The finish might be on the end short, but this is one of the longer Kentucky Hugs that I’ve had. Works as a sipper and in a cocktail.

Shooter, neat, let it breathe for 20 minutes. Ethanol is very forward on the nose, with hints of caramel and cereal. More oily than I expected. Taste of vanilla and cinnamon behind pronounced mineral. Medium finish of cinnamon and char. Might work for me in a cocktail.

Neck pour, neat. Dark cherry and a hint of vanilla, not proofy at all. Silky mouthfeel. Taste of cinnamon and some ginger and orange pith. Warm, medium length finish of spice and nuttiness. Very balanced, but rounds out nicely with a drop of water. Very enjoyable sipper.

Small bottle neck pour, neat. Pancakes and maple syrup with oak on the nose. Sweet vanilla taste on the front and mid. Back end picks up baking spice and char. Fairly short, dry finish.

Tennessee Distilling product. Neck pour, neat. I might have had too high of expectations with my Costco experiences finding hidden gem products and the Whisky Advocate 91 point rating advertised on the neck band. Blast of nail polish on the nose and a lot of wood and leather. Behind that was a some dark fruit. To the extent there was any sweetness, it was almost like ketchup. Ethanol taste was very forward with spice and a touch of vanilla. Rye spice and oak with a short dry finish. Letting it sit created better balance allowing cherry and caramel to come through on the front with less burn. A little water really opened it up. I expect this will be more enjoyable on the rocks and as I get deeper into the bottle, plus it should stand up well as a mixer.

Neck pour. Light nose of caramel and oak. Taste has vanilla and a soft feel and a long finish of cinnamon spice. It seems like there’s more going on that I can’t place. I definitely will circle back.

Neck pour. White label Beam, but better. Nose of Cracker Jack. Sweet vanilla and oily peanut feel give way to cinnamon and pepper with a short finish. Solid for a weekday drinker.

Maker’s still delivers under challenging palate and pour conditions. Neck pour from a small bottle this time around after having some screaming hot fresh peppers from the garden at dinner. Still pick up a nose of crème brûlée and oak. Forward butterscotch taste with dark chocolate on the back. Pretty short finish. Another solid pour, even if it’s less complexity after my throwing it a curve ball.