Tastes
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Poor listing, missing lots of data, crappy photo; par for the course. Batch: SM034 Region: Lexington, KY ABV: 50% I was able to try this at the distillery about a week ago, and although I found it pretty tasty, there really aren't any American single malt whiskeys on the market right now that can rival the much more refined and longer age of their European siblings. In another decade or so, I'm definitely hoping to have a different conversation, but for now, this very young American single malt is interesting to me for one reason: the very critical implementation of peat. Unfortunately, as this product isn't listed anywhere on the website and the label doesn't really provide much context, I can't remember the percentage of peat smoked malt that was used, but can only remember via conversation at the distillery that it's a rather small amount. I also recall hearing that this is aged in a brand new barrel, which is a huge advantage over the European single malts, and a good explanation of the very dark color in the bottle. Not to mention that 100 proof is also much higher than the average across the pond, and a great way to let a single malt shine through on the American stage. The color seems much darker in the bottle than in the glass, but nonetheless it's a lovely golden brown that really showcases using a freshly charred barrel. Although there is a lack of the high alcohol pearls, the legs are extremely slow to form. The nose is a combination of melon, cocoa, wafer/biscuit, green apple, underripe banana, and a bit of smoky, earthy sea spray. The ethanol is perfectly medium and balanced, and there's also an overall sugary sweetness on top of all of the other notes. The body starts off sweet and pretty hot, but there's a light fruitiness that begins surfacing, and although it's a little vague, it's a nice touch before things get pretty hot again. Repeat sips start bringing out a briny smokiness that pairs very well with the continued sweetness of the barrel wood sugar, although the finish is still pretty aggressive, and would be difficult for a hardcore scotch lover to approach this without a little more age under its belt. It's going to be tough for American distilleries to convince the local populous that single malt whiskeys from the USA are better or even comparable to European ones, but I don't think that's the approach here at all. Sure, the super young grain is usually quite aggressive, but this is no different than bourbon that comes from very small distilleries that don't have patience and want to turn a quick profit; you just have to be cautious all-around. However, there's no disguising that the flavor here is quite nice, and has very distinct American character, like using a fresh barrel and bottling at a high proof, and that alone makes this whiskey worth having around on its own accord.
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Jeptha Creed Single Barrel Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon — Shelbyville, KY, USA
Reviewed July 11, 2024 (edited July 12, 2024)61.05% alc./vol. 122.1 proof Barrel name: Squire Select '24 Mash bill: 70% bloody butcher corn, 15% malted rye, 10% malted wheat, 5% malted barley Barrel age: 5 years, 11 months Grain type/source: 4 grain bourbon Liquid flavor profile: Fields of Bluegrass Barrel number: 18-0680 Barrel type: 53 gal/toasted char 3 Barrel entry/exit proof: 119.52/122.1 Barrel rickhouse: Warehouse B Selected by: Jeptha Creed Ho-ly lord, I think this wins the award for the most barrel-specific information ever put on a label. Please, though, don't take my pointing this out as a complaint; other distilleries, ABSOLUTELY take notes and give us more information on your single barrel products, especially if you want us to buy them at the premiums you charge. I tried a very small amount of this at the distillery, and it indeed tasted pretty good, but it's just nice to finally see Jeptha Creed give us single barrel products after establishing a nice baseline of flagship products. This particular barrel has a really balanced mash bill, a pretty decent age, and a really powerful cask strength proof, and the red/gold label combo is also a really nice different touch. The color has a fairly noticeable tinge of red combining alongside a deep mahogany, even though none of the bloody butcher corn color comes through off the still. The legs are almost fully absent, with a beautiful string of pearls on the peaks. Lots of cocoa is up front on the nose, along with a touch of red and blue berries, as well as some lightly sweetened grain-y cereal, like Rice Krispies. Repeated smells bring out a tiny note of green/herbaceousness, but the proof is far more approachable than expected at this high ABV. Initial flavors include notes of chocolate and wafer or biscuit, with some butterscotch appearing shortly afterwards. Having said that, there is a pretty potent ethanol kick that surfaces extremely fast after those first couple sips, which takes some time to tame before returning to any more noticeable flavor. Once you achieve this and are able to dissect the finish, there is a return of the cereal note from the nose, but without the sweetness, instead contributing an almost raw grain flavor to the other sweet notes from earlier. Although Jeptha Creed has a good few products that are basic and good sellers for the everyman, the long-awaited release of the "single barrel program" allows the same base character of the distillery to really pulse and shine in a more complex manner for those that are willing to sit and play through it at a slower pace. This particular barrel has great flavor, but it's also very hot and a little difficult to reach for that return sip, at least until things have cooled off a bit. This definitely seems like it would stand up nicely to a couple ice cubes, and will likely be my next sample, but it's still a good addition to this distillery's lineup nonetheless. -
Lunazul Reposado Tequila
Tequila Reposado — Tequila Valley, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed July 8, 2024 (edited July 10, 2024)I've always been fairly impressed with Lunazul for what is offered at it's extremely affordable price point, and am surprised to not have reviewed my favorite age level of what they offer. I remember when Lunazul was first released to the market, and how their blanco kicked Cuervo to the curb, and all of a sudden cheap margaritas became much more fresh and enjoyable, at least to this very ignorant tequila drinker at the time. Even today I find myself reaching for Lunazul when I need a tequila to bring to a party or a family gathering; despite being low cost, it's a quality 100% agave spirit that avoids the dreaded mixto hangover, and helps me to save my more expensive spirits for other gatherings. Looking at the Distiller posting, I definitely prefer the old label pattern and art to this new one, but the modern look does draw you in and creates a fairly nice aire of quality. I don't think there's any other proper way to compare it: the extremely light body and just bare hue make this the color of straight unleaded gasoline. Thankfully, the nose is much more refined, with classic notes of roasted green veggies, but with a sugary sweetness and even a touch of cocoa. The cracked black pepper I associate with the unaged version is missing here, but the fresh veggie note remains, this time being enveloped by the slight caramel and wood sugars of the bourbon barrel. As expected, the body is very watery, but the real shock here is how aggressive and raw the agave hits, with only the tiniest barrel sweetness to calm it down. Worse still, there's quite a burn that begins building quickly, which is also unexpected at this proof. The finish is unpleasant and could really benefit from salt and/or lime, which is never a good sign if it's truly needed. Well, this didn't end very well here. For a 6 month reposado, I expected more barrel flavor, whereas this tastes like the blanco was poured into a glass using a barrel stave as a bar spoon. What's really the most confusing part is how the blanco Lunazul really is approachable and a wonderful alternative to the poor quality well tequilas or tequila mixtos, but the mark was truly missed on this one. Unfortunately, it does make me curious if the añejo improves and delivers on the barrel notes, considering time is likely the only difference. Since the price point is still likely the same across the board, I would suggest going for the blanco and maybe that fancy Rittenhouse barrel-aged reposado if you can find it, to be weary of the añejo, and to avoid this reposado. -
For being available in the US since 2018, it's odd that I'm only just now seeing this 6 years later. Regardless, one can always rely on Hendrick's to crank out variant after variant of gin, all of which aren't necessarily winners, but they're certainly different enough to try them out. From my understanding, this sounds like a gin & tonic all rolled into one, minus the carbonation. This has potential to at least be tasty, but I'm not sure of the uses here, minus just adding some soda and hoping that the G&T flavor is concentrated and comes through. As a not-exactly-inexpensive experiment, I do hope this does not end up being too potent, especially since I already have several other Hendrick's variants on the shelf that take a little longer to go through as they are. The nose is very clean, almost "cleaning chemicals" clean, but the juniper is the very simple star here. There's also a note of black pepper and a slight vegetal body, almost like a blanco tequila. Every fiber in my body begs this to be paired with lime, especially since there's almost no citrus anywhere on the nose, leaving the aforementioned simplicity to remain through repeated smelling. The initial flavor is juniper focused and actually has a touch of fruitiness, but a bitter punch is right around the corner. The quinine comes through quickly and confidently, and although the flavor and body turn from approachable and light to now dry, bitter, and aggressive, it's still very much welcomed by a classic tonic lover. Repeated sips take the fruitiness from before and transform it into a very dry collection of citrus pith and peels, although mostly the former. I love the simplicity here, which isn't to speak on the flavor, but instead how this tastes exactly how I expected it to, with no real surprises or redirects. I still don't really know the best use cases for it, but my first adventure is definitely going to be ice cold, freshly opened club soda or seltzer, and a big squeeze of juicy, oily lime. I would be wary to combine this with more tonic, especially tonic waters I'm usually fond of that also utilize fresh quinine, given that there really isn't anything redeeming about the base gin, other than very basic juniper. Having said all that, as a standalone spirit, I don't find myself craving coming back to it, and although I think a nice ice cube would simultaneously provide some complexity and mellowness, at the end of the day, this doesn't seem like a necessity buy.
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Pensive Distilling Co. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (100 proof)
Bourbon — Newport, KY, USA
Reviewed June 18, 2024Batch #: 008 Bottle #: 213 The second and last of the Pensive products I purchased while I was on-site at the impressive distillery and restaurant, the longer aged and mid-proof version reflected more of a flagship product than the younger 80 proof, but was far more affordable by volume than the older cask strength offering (although that did taste the best). The price was still too high for being from a small craft distillery (and a sourced product, no less), but this was easily the best bourbon out of the 3 to take home for volume to cost ratio, as well as factoring in flavor. As far as the age goes, it has been long enough since I've been on the tour that I am no longer confident in the number, but I thought it was in the 7/8/9 year range, whereas the 80 proof was 3 or 4 years, and the cask strength I recall to be 12, but these are all loose memories at this point. With all of these variants being the same mash bill, the changing of the age and proof still provide a noticeable difference, but can still easily be tied back to the same base flavors; I'd heavily wager that this unique semi-vertical product line styling would be well received if other distilleries began offering it (take notes). To honor the environment of the distillery (and because it's quite late), I am tasting this in a very dark room with nothing but a single warm LED "lamp" to light my area. As such, the color of this is a little harder to distinguish, but it's miles darker than the 80 proof version, making the latter look like water next to this. The body here does appear lighter on the whole, but has spots of deep chestnut throughout that are very impressive and inviting. The legs cling much, much longer than expected at this proof, which is another lovely twist. The nose begins with basic chocolate and a tangy, almost briny earthiness, which shifts slightly into mild, but meaty, mushroom. The earthiness doesn't fade at all, and by the time a pretty decent ethanol vapor pushes through the nostril, the scent has now transformed into what I can only describe as wet, old, stagnant beef, like an unseasoned hamburger that's been sitting in a warming tray for many hours. Finally, repeat smelling gives a new note of fresh cherry juice, but this is rather confusing amongst the other aforementioned scents. The initial body begins warming at a pretty good pace, but also starts things off with a slightly tangy, bitter, metallic-y tinge. Before I think this is going the way of the notes from the nose, spicy rye sinks into the gums with one of the most intense pinching burns I've ever had. Once you're acclimated to this, some red berry and raw barley flavors come around amongst the heat, and overpower or even take away entirely the earthiness that was on the nose before. The finish focuses more on the red berries, which turn slightly sweet and also include the addition of a pinch of lemon zest. The extended finish has a very faint return of the earthy mix from the nose, including what very, very faintly tastes like slightly cooked and softened white onion. This bourbon is definitely amongst the top contenders for the "biggest difference between smell and taste" award, which in this case, I'm very glad the tasting notes won out. I don't mind a wet, briny, umami earthiness in my whiskey (in fact, this is usually pretty hard to find in American whiskeys), but this one has a very potent nose that can turn off a lot of people if they aren't fond of that flavor profile. The way this ended up tasting is a bit basic, but still tasty and unique, and that's why I think this should be considered the most flagship product from the brand, rather than the more obvious 80 proof version. Once this gets distrubuted somewhat (I recall the tour manager stating that they have no intention of distributing outside of Kentucky, not that you can buy anything in Ohio anyway), and the price hopefully becomes more economical, I'd be pretty happy to continue supporting this brand, especially given that these flavors are expected to be fairly different between batches, since all their bourbon products are single barrels (a really nice touch, by the way). -
Castle & Key Small Batch 2023 (Batch 3)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed June 17, 2024 (edited June 18, 2024)There really is no quality checking of these custom entries, but oh well. Bottle number: 14627 Castle & Key is one of those distilleries that went from having no products on the market to exploding and usually being the house offering for most bars in the Kentucky area, similar to how New Riff took over most bars and restaurants in the southern Ohio region. Having enjoyed their rye whiskey enough times, and being in the area on a particular weekend, I decided to stop by and see what else I could learn and experience at the distillery, sans tour. Two things were obvious and overwhelming within the first few minutes outside my car: the grounds are absolutely gorgeous, and this was THE unabashed hangout spot for rich white dudes in shorts, polos, and sandals (also backwards hats and sunglasses anywhere but on the eyes). Still, I have never been to a distillery that had enough gin variants to offer a gin flight, and once I was done with that, I moved to the whiskey flight, and chose this bottle from those results. It was a lovely spot, but with almost no seating indoors, the heat drove us away fairly quickly after the tasting was done, although both this and the gin I picked up were both quite affordable for what was offered. Nothing too crazy or impressive for the color; a golden brown shows just a touch more color than expected for 4 years. The legs are fairly mid-runny and exactly on par for the proof. The nose is full of rich milk chocolate (perhaps even caramel filled), toasted oak, and some citrus oil, as well as blended, basic vegetal and herbacous notes. The proof has just enough kick through the nostrils that tells you it's there and has some body, but won't turn you off if you're looking for something more on the milder side. The initial flavor is explosive with fruity notes, including a mix of red berries and citrus, but becomes balanced by an almost equally powerful milk chocolate note. Repeat sips bring forward an herbaceous, cracked, malted rye that's forward alongside the fruitiness, as well as some young corn that's aged just enough to take the raw edge off. The finish builds and stacks as it becomes hotter and hotter, before slightly backing off to a very slight, bitter, almost charcoal-based tinge. This is really quite impressive for being a fairly young, low volume craft bourbon. With the rye and gin being equally impressive, it pushes my mind more and more into thinking about New Riff again, as it's almost a mirror image of success and even products released, just about 100 miles apart. A bourbon like this can be used in every way imaginable with ease, from enjoying neat to putting it into cocktails, whether simple or complex. It's no surprise that this made it's way into local bars and restaurants, alongside the rye and gin, and I hope to see more of it. The price point is pretty good as well, although not if comparing to New Riff. I didn't see any single barrel options on sale at the distillery, which is always a red flag, but it makes me wonder what the price for a bottle of that would be, and if it would be worth it in the end. -
E.J. Curley & Co. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Single Barrel
Bourbon — Jessamine County, KY, USA
Reviewed June 12, 2024Hand selected by The Party Source Single barrel number: 99 Proof: 115.24 ABV: 57.62% (this distillery releases a variable ABV with each single barrel) A lovely birthday gift, I'm always a sucker for a good barrel pick, and The Party Source doesn't totally pick garbage, most of the time. This seems to be one of those distilleries that keeps to themselves and doesn't put out any information on their spirits, which is always either a huge miss or ends up being fairly impressive. The history of the actual brand seemed interesting on their website, but with only two products, both of which are bourbon that seem like they're from the same mash bill, it puts a lot of pressure on the brand to make sure they taste really good. Normally when distilleries have such a limited portfolio, they price them far too high, but at the price point this is at, it makes me think it may be sourced. Regardless, this is likely also fairly young (the price also backs this up), but the proof on this particular barrel is definitely welcoming to me. The color is a decent chestnut/muscat wine with a light edge, and the legs are surprisingly thin for this proof. The nose has initial notes of chocolate and sweet orange, but they never quite combine, instead being two separate notes. There are much lighter notes of red berries, specifically strawberry, as well as a floral profile, with a focus on honeysuckle. The oak comes through as "chewy," but the fruity and floral notes from above put the flavor of toasted or French oak in my mind. Initial sips are simultaneously fairly dry but very hot, and start with a lot of the floral/citrusy/fruity/toasted/French oak notes that I got from the nose. These flavors intensify as the body opens up, continuing to focus on the drier notes while the burn moves across the tongue and to the back of the mouth. The red berries come back as well, but in a dehydrated flavor form. The finish remains hot and fairly bright, with little to no sweetness tasted at all. I really appreciate how the proof hits hard with this one; it's certainly pretty high to start with, but I've had spirits with 130+ proof that just fell flat compared to this. This particular barrel and bourbon is unique in that there is a lot of focus on the dry, floral, and citrus notes, but without any of the more traditional sweetness you get just by default from the corn or barrel aging. The burn is heavy enough that it helps to open the body up and concentrate the flavors, but there's a distinct lack of young grain flavor here that was my biggest worry overall. This causes this to end up on that pretty impressive side, and excites me to drink and use it in further, be that in cocktails, over ice, and beyond. Without knowing anything further about the actual whiskey within, though (unknown mash bill, age statement, confirmation of sourced or not), I'm not likely to buy another single barrel on a whim, but I'd be happy to try the small batch (provided it is cheaper, as is pretty standard), and would even eye other single barrels if found at bars. -
Pusser's Rum Original Admiralty Blend (Blue Label)
Navy Rum — Multiple Countries
Reviewed June 8, 2024 (edited July 8, 2024)I forgot to review this when I purchased it some time ago (maybe a year or so) for a historic naval themed cocktail party, but it was brought to my attention when I was digging around for the right rum yesterday for a rum & tonic (it wasn't this one). Since I've been having a rum craving lately, I thought I would dive into this now, especially because I appreciate hogo flavors any time I can find them, which isn't often. I can't tell if it's just the Ohio market that's terrible (which it is), or if it's the entire Midwest that has slim pickings for quality rum. If TSA didn't love stealing from me, I'd love to hop down to Florida (not something I'd ever thought I'd say), stock up on rhum and cigars, and get the hell out of there. But alas, I'll take what I can get, and in this case, some classic British navy rum sounds pretty refreshing on this cloudy, pre-storm day. The color here is insanely dark and rich mahogany, which makes me miss when the bourbon market used to have products on the shelves with this same depth of color. The legs are very thick, and take a long time to form while barely moving at all. A funky, raw sugar syrup and hogo combination fill the air around the glass, but the actual nose is vegetal, woody, and slightly hot, with plenty of molasses and some chocolate notes as well. The sweetness of the bourbon barrels really come through here, with notes of sweet oak, toffee, and cookie combining well with the rich but funky and hogo molasses notes. The body delivers a lot of flavor up front, but is definitely quite light. The heat from the nose also finds it's way into the sip, and keeps the body approachable but no longer weak. Classic raw sugarcane and molasses are easily detectable at the front end, but there's also a bitter tinge that runs all the way through the finish. There's a great balance and back & forth with all of the above notes, as well as a polished, sweet woodiness and a touch of gum burn all mixed together. The finish is quite bitter and tastes dry, but the body doesn't fall off for a good while. The hogo notes on this one are definitely up front and easily detectable, and taste approachable enough for the more amateur rum/rhum drinkers (like myself) while still having deep enough flavor to be impressive for the price point. It does make me wonder if the sweet/bitter combo of this would in fact pair well with tonic, and what the other best usages in cocktails would be. It's for sure one of the most unique rums I own so far, and although I don't have many, it has enough of a difference to it to stand alone, as well as make me want to find similar flavors in other products. -
Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Rum Casks
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed June 3, 2024 (edited June 5, 2024)Another instance of an absolute delighted me to see a new Limestone Branch product released, and readily available in stores. Behind the very first finished variant (toasted oak), this is usually the next most obvious finishing choice for most American whiskey distillers, and I'm surprised we didn't see it sooner. Nevertheless, the actual final product here is different enough from most other distilleries, as the base whiskey is fairly young (but not so much that the sweetness of the rum can cut through raw grain flavor), but the finishing time of just a couple months is really quite short indeed, so I wonder how much rum flavor we'll actually experience here. As always, I love the colors used on the label (the deep slate blue for the "rum" banner is gorgeous), and am excited to see it next to my other Yellowstones on the shelf, despite the fact that this is my only Yellowstone bottle I currently have that isn't master-distiller-signed (was too excited at the store to wait). 100 proof seems well centered to be approachable but still high enough to unlock some of the finishing barrel notes, and, no matter what, I hope this is only one of many different finishes we'll continue to see from this distillery. The color is a blend somewhere in the middle of a deep copper, a dark butterscotch, and a general burnished, but is a little darker than expected for a 4 year bourbon, which puts my brain into rum-desire mode. Candied nuts, molasses, and a touch of lemon zest are the first notes on the nose. The ethanol is indeed approachable, and is actually underwhelming at this proof point. There is some young grain, specifically sweet corn that is also noticeable, but repeat smelling really focuses on the above few notes through and through, keeping things simple, but with the mind still focused on that rum finish. The body is light in texture, but spicy and carries well throughout the whole tasting. Initial flavors of molasses and caramel are easy detected, but lighter and more faint than I would want. The base whiskey isn't contributing much here, but there are notes of basic grain mash and citrus zest, as well as a decent rye burn in the gums. The finish switches things over to said rye, as the burn starts to intensify, but not quite dry out the mouth. This particular finished variant is simultaneously spot-on with providing the barrel finished flavors, as well as being quite boring and basic. For a brief moment, the rum really shines through, but you can tell the finish time was far too short, because the base bourbon notes take over, and leave you longing for the rum notes found on the nose. This is an example of things that could have been, which is shocking from this distillery in the end, considering one of their finished variants spent multiple YEARS in a finishing barrel. Nevertheless, it's still quite tasty and can stand well alone, but I wouldn't reach for this to put in cocktails and try to convince anyone that the rum flavor will transfer over. -
What the hell is this dark horse? The website no longer exists, and it most certainly isn't a single malt (as stated on the front label, despite who put in this entry), but has no evidence anywhere to differentiate single grain versus blended grain. There's so many flavor sources here, and I'm not sure how well it will all blend together; the sweetness of bourbon barrels, the dry, polished flavor of virgin oak, then an undisclosed amount of peated malt in an even further unknown mash bill seems bold, to say the least. It doesn't necessarily scream "premium," and it isn't a good image for the Irish so far, but this was a gift from one of my favorite wine and spirits enthusiasts, so for that I am grateful no matter the outcome. The color is pale and basic, but still closer to gold than corn-yellow. The nose leads with a smoky peat, but not overpoweringly so, and also allows notes of sweet corn cereal and something of a savory maltiness as well. The ethanol is just slightly higher than I would expect here, like more around the mid-90 proof line. Looking back at the cask types, all of these barrels are represented and actually DO blend together well on the nose, and so far excite me for what's next. The flavor leads with a medium body, and captures most of the above flavors, albeit not quite as potent or concentrated. The mouth gets surprisingly hot with only a couple sips, but also becomes "chewy" and demands slower dissection over time. The bourbon sweetness is captured more at the finish, whereas sherry notes are found in the center; the virgin oak seems to dry and polish the entire palate all around. The peat smoke is also present all around, but could be slightly more potent in order to cut away from the hot body found through the gum line. Who's to say dark horses can't be winners sometime? After all, Ford proved that by giving us one of the best Mustangs of all time with the same name. Granted, this Irish whiskey is still quite unrefined, which seems to showcase a very commercially focused product that is likely blended and easy to produce, therefore leading to a quick and profitable sale... But hey, it does taste pretty good at the end of the day. MSRP online suggests a cheap price is kind of true, and although I'll likely drink it a fair amount here at home, I don't see me hunting for it or even buying it again, mostly due to the mystery origins and lack of brand support.
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