Tastes

This comes from a selection of barrels of the soft red wheat distillate purchased by Hyvee in Kansas City. Somenof the barrels from the purchase were put in Toasted French Oak amlnd aged an additional year. Nice and oily in the glass. Nose is very earthy, wet clay and herbally. Palate is unusual, the earthiness continues, along with rich milk chocolate, licorice, and wheaty sweetness. At 100 proof, it is in the range it could read hot or smooth. This one leans smooth, but still has a nice hug. Finish is herbal and continues the earthiness. I didnt love this at first sip, but the longer I sit with it, the more I like it. There is just a hint of oak, but I would have expected more from a rebarreling. Ice cuts into the earthiness a touch, nice either way. Holladay's (McCormick) soft red wheat is a top notch whiskey. Every variation I've had has been good. This version doesnt disappoint.

Classic ECBP. Rich nose, burnt sugar, cocoa, leather, hay, and a hint of fruit and oak. The palate explodes in your mouth, hot, peppery and tons of dark chocolate. Rich in cinnamon and allspice. The finish lingers and lingers and makes your tongue tingle. Chest hug is prominent. Ice brings fruit and salt forward. Very nice. Only drawback is lack of complexity. This whiskey packs a punch.

Not too leggey. Sweet, fruity nose, not spicey. Palate is simple, sweetness and just enough peppet for the proof. A very simple profile and little finish. Pretty much what id expect from a wheat. Good higher proof intro whiskey, but not for anyone wanting a complex drink.

Single barrel pick, Fall Festival 2022, 109.1 proof. No legs in the glass. Nose islight with fresh apples, hay, sweet prunes, and a hint of swisher sweets. Palate stays fruity and light, with just a bit of caramel. Not spicey unless you hold the whiskey in your mouth. Short finish, following the flavor profile. A faitly simple drink.

Thick legs. Nose is piney, but brings cotton candy and a hint of pit fruit. The piney nose comes through on the palate, but much more in the background. Dark chocolate and cherries play a prominent role. Sweetness coats the tongue. Very light pepper. Chocolate lingers through the finish.

Thick oily legs in the glass. Very floral nose, sweet syrup as well. Palate is similar, maybe leaning into maple syrup. Floral is dominate, but barrel char comes out and black pepper toward the end. Very distintive.

Almost no legs in the glass but definitely coats it and leaves many tear drops. The nose os fruit forward, cherries and prunes, and a hint of apple. Very little sweetness or spice, and no oak at all. Palate stays fruity, almost sour (in a very nice way), more prune than cherry. Pepper is right up front as well and deep dark bitter chocolate comes on with it. Pepper stays on the tip of my tongue for quite a while and as it finally fades, the chocolate dominates, but the sour fruit never leaves. Pepper on the sides of my tongue appears toward the end until all that is left is a light fruitiness. I wont say the flavors knock me out, but the intensity and duration of this whiskey sets it apart.

Nose has hay, cardamom and allspice. Palate has licorice, tobacco, and a touch of apple. Finishes a touch bitter.

Light amber color and virtually no legs in the glass. Nose is fairly light apple and fresh cut hay. The palate is a bit short. I lose the apple fruitiness and pick up some bitter chocolate and some spice on the rim of my tongue. Finish brings the same. I like New Riff and thought an 8 yr version would bring more. Disappointing.

Nice medium amber color, not overly long legs swirled in the glass. Nose is strong apple butter and a hint of barn hay, maybe some cocoa. Palate still brings apple butter with cocoa more prominent and the proof brings spicy pepper to the tongue. Finish lingers nicely, mellower than the initial pepper would foretell, more sweetness of the apple butter and fall spice. This is nice but pretty basic. Ice cuts the initial pepper and lets the sweet apple shine a bit more but eliminates the finish, neither a positive or negative, just different. Inadvertently bought another bottle. I usually make a point to not buy more than one of a series. Whereas, my initial impression still holds, I get a definite aroma of wet clay. Overall, it is simple, but what it does, it does well.