Tastes
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Hochatown Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon
Bourbon — Oklahoma, USA
Reviewed January 19, 2024 (edited January 24, 2024)Small taste at a bottle share with friends. One of very few distilleries in Oklahoma that are actually putting out their own stuff. I wish I liked this more than I do. It has a nice nose, apple - even apple brandy. On the palate some non specific bourbon notes show up first, followed unfortunately by a great deal of tannic wood. Very drying finish is not great. Plus points for the nose and front end, but the finish goes so dry that it's hard to give this much more than middling marks. -
Plantation Jamaica Clarendon MSP 2007
Aged Rum — Jamaica
Reviewed January 15, 2024 (edited January 30, 2024)My experience with rum outside of Foursquare releases hasn't been stellar, but as a peated whisky fan I keep thinking that I should like rums with some hogo funk. Despite the controversial reputation of Plantation, this piqued my curiosity because it has decent age at 15 years total, and it has a relatively lower ester count, so I'm hoping this will be a good entry point into funky Jamaican rums. It's noted on the bottle that this has 13 years of tropical aging, followed by two years in France in ex-cognac barrels. The ester count is 102. The nose is notable for some funk. Greasy engine, underripe banana, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon. The palate is pretty soft and kind of bland on the arrival. Light vanilla and brown sugar. As it moves back the fruits start to emerge with the banana, coconut, pineapple. The funk is much diminished compared to the nose, although some hints show on the mid palate on to the finish. The back end of the dram gets spicy with cinnamon and clove. The finish lingers nicely. As for expectations, the mild hogo does make a pleasant entry point into funky rum. It's more interesting than off-putting, and is much more on the nose than palate. The age is a little bit of a conundrum, as I wouldn't guess this to be 15 years old - it comes across as pretty light and fruity. Overall, it's an enjoyable pour, although I wouldn't say exceptional. But it does make me interested in trying some more funky rum. -
On the nose brown sugar, oak, vanilla, coconut, banana, pineapple, baking spices. On the palate all of the above, along with a distinct tobacco note going into the finish. No real surprises if you've had Foursquare, but just rich, decadent, elegant rum. Drinks lower than 60%. No small feat, but I think this may be better than 2009. Foursquare's ex-bourbon aged ECS keep hitting it out of the park. I will say it doesn't rise to the level of depth and complexity of the 17 year Isonomy, but that may be the best bottle I have in the cabinet at the moment, of any spirit. The Pappy of rum indeed.
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Lucky Seven The Proprietor Single Barrel 14 Year
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed January 9, 2024 (edited January 24, 2024)On the nose dark cherry syrup, caramel, cinnamon, antique wood furniture. Surprisingly soft landing on the palate considering the proof. Not feeling the need to add any water. Thick, rich, decadent. Dark cherry, sticky caramel, vanilla, old oak. Long drawn out finish. I haven't been drinking much bourbon lately, but this would be among the top of my list of favorite bourbon pours. Thank you to @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for the generous pour. Finally getting back to these samples you sent a while back. -
Booker's Bourbon Batch 2021-02 "Tagalong Batch"
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed January 9, 2024 (edited January 24, 2024)Big dusty peanut shell, marshmallow, orange peel on the nose. On the palate peanut brittle, cherry, hot burn. With water I think it gets more peanutty and musty. I liked it better without water and hot. It's good bourbon, but I'm not crazy about this one overall though. I think the big peanut flavor isn't my favorite. Still grateful to have had a sample, thanks to @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington -
Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Dovetail (2022 Release)
Other Whiskey — Multiple Countries
Reviewed January 8, 2024 (edited July 22, 2024)The nose is quite pleasant. It's got some heat, but not as much as you'd expect for the proof. Caramel, apricot, berry. The palate is brown sugar, pineapple custard, coconut, strawberry jam, with some cinnamon and tobacco leaf going into the finish. I had a small sip of this blinded sample a couple months ago and wasn't prepared for the heat. It had me coughing and burning, and hesitant to come back to this for a while. But after preparing my palate with a small dram before this, I'm rather pleased and really glad now that it came in a larger-than-normal medicine bottle-looking sample from @PBMichiganWolverine - thank you for sharing so generously! Really fun whiskey once you're prepared for the heat, or even better, add a little water. I finished the sample with some water, and it really opened up quite nicely - seemed to bring out more of the red wine notes for me. -
Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength (Batch 9)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed December 29, 2023 (edited April 11, 2024)Brine, toffee, vanilla, stewed apples, citrus, cinnamon, bonfire, asphalt, rubber, berry, tobacco, pepper. More medicinal and smoky on the palate. Such a great whisky. I like this one better than batch 12, as it comes across like there are some oloroso casks in the mix, although I had thought these were all ex-bourbon casks. Whatever the case, batch 9 shows more complexity than 12, but both awesome. -
Balcones Pilgrimage After Peat (2023 ed.)
American Single Malt — Texas, USA
Reviewed December 26, 2023 (edited July 20, 2024)Comes across like the offspring of Lineage and the Peated. It has the strong peach flavor of Lineage and some of the smoke and heat of the Peated. Does well with a good bit of water. There’s a backbone of subtle smoke throughout, but no peat. Peach, along with some slightly overcooked pie crust. Smidge of honey, apple, pepper, and I wouldn’t have said bay leaf if I didn’t see it first in Balcones’ own tasting notes, but I think that’s a good descriptor for the herbal hint in there. Interesting and enjoyable whiskey, and thrilled to have a bottle courtesy of a friend who picked this up at the distillery as a gift. -
Nose: lemon pith, rubber, brine, grapefruit sugar. Palate: smoked vegetable soup, ash, light vanilla sweetness, hint of lemon. This doesn’t have the depth of flavor of the 16, but the extra proof helps. I’m pretty sure I’d enjoy anything Lag puts out and this is no exception, although I’d probably rank this slightly below similarly priced Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10, and also below Port Charlotte 10.
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Glen Scotia 15 Year
Single Malt — Campbeltown, Scotland
Reviewed December 12, 2023 (edited January 24, 2024)Nose: grapefruit, raspberry, white chocolate, nutmeg, sandalwood, salt. Palate: less fruity, I can see the chocolate dipped pretzel others have mentioned. Caramel. Some dry oak, cinnamon, and citrus towards the back end. As a Campbeltown malt, it’s natural to want to compare this to Springbank, but there’s not a lot of similarity. No real funk to speak of here, but this is a good and well-priced 15 year whisky on its own. It’s got a pretty unique flavor that I’m not sure what I’d compare it to. I think I prefer Victoriana over this slightly, but not disappointed to have a bottle.
Results 31-40 of 403 Reviews