Tastes

On the nose leather, nutmeg and a touch of sweet bread and oak. The palate is similar with wood, young apples, fall spices, and pie dough. Very sweet as well. A hit of hot pepper follows. Some astringency on the finish but it fades quickly and gives way to the the pepper which persists for quite a while.

I found this bottle at Cork `N Bottle on the Kentucky side of the state line in the Cincinnati area, a great store. It's a low rye Kentucky style rye that comes across more like a bourbon. The nose is clean, fruity and yeasty. The palate follows suit with a sweet fruit pie and finishes with mint and pepper, fading nicely to sweet cinnamon pie dough. What a pleasure and a unique find.

I sampled this at the Evan Williams Experience gift shop. Frankly, I'm surprised this is five years old. Comes across much younger with a hit of ethanol up front and hot for the proof. Very dry, virtually no finish. Flavors that are there do suggest the high rye content. Might have been a lot better if they had left it in the barrel a few more years?

Nose is reminiscent of fresh citrus and pine needles. The palate brings under ripe apples, and caramel followed by spice. Slightly bitter on its way to the finish that passes through the apples again and chlorine. Not the most original or best from the finishing series.

Nose is sweet, full of prunes and fall spice, with a touch of bubble gum. The palate is spice forward with a touch of sweetness, but I lose the fruit. Brings a lot of heat for 100 proof. Not a terribly long finish. This is quite nice and a very good sipper, but not exceptional.

Gomers-KS Barrel Pick, 5yr., 119 Proof. Nose is very sweet and fruity with cardamom and cream of tartar. Flavor hits similarly but with a big rye hit of licorice that stays with you to the end. Very nice. Finish is peppery but short, which is the only real flaw, otherwise I would rate it higher. Rye drinkers will like this. Probably not a good choice for those on the fence or not into the rye anise flavor profile.

Bought this store pick as a flyer from Gomers in Lenexa, KS without a lot of expectations. Is only advertised as at least 3 yrs old. Came out of the OZ Tyler rickhouse collapse. Fairly light color, virtually no legs in the glass. Nose is pungent allspice and sweet cherries. Palate is more of the same, with emphasis on cinnamon. Hot finish, black pepper. I cannot believe this is only three years old, no ethanol on the nose or palate and plenty of barrel. This whiskey reminds me a lot of Old Forester 1920, with possibly a better nose if less complex palate. I love good surprises.

I have high hopes for this one. It has my three favorite staves (pre-Roasted French Mendiant). Selection is 2 Baked American Pure, 5 Seared French Cuvee, and 3 Roasted French Mocha. Nose is Makers all the way, with an added super sweet punch. Sugary marshmallow with a touch of fresh apple and nice floral note as well. Nice amber color but fairly thin in the glass. Not very oily or creamy in the mouth either. The palate is a bit of a let down. Very pleasant but not very nuanced. I get a lot of sugar, but I have to try hard to get the Makers fruitiness or doughiness. Very one note. Ice brings some cinnamon forward, but the fruitiness is still nowhere to be found. Pleasant enough but not the among the best Private selections I've had.

Descriptor is right on. Nose is pit fruits and brown sugar. Sweet marshmallow cream leads the way with the fruit taking the back seat, followed by strong cinnamon spice and a nice heat in the chest. The spice brings a little bitterness with it, but that fades pretty quickly. Finish lingers nicely with the cinnamon slowly fading. Ice mellows the cinnamon a tad but doesn't really bring the fruit forward. I don't know how New Riff gets so much out of 4 year old whiskey. Overall a nice bottle at first impression.

Nose is milk chocolate and fresh apples, caramel chews as well. Long legs in the glass translate to an oily coating on the palate. Taste brings the best of Makers, at first a light apple flavor and creamy caramel, followed by chocolate and finally cinnamon and a nice heat in the chest. The finish fades back to a lingering floral and sweet apple. Although 20 proof points higher than regular Makers, it's a mellower drink and leaves behind the slight ethanol astringency I get in regular Makers Mark.