Tastes
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The Bottle: Squat and easy to pick out in a lineup if you know what you're looking for. It's not may favorite, if I'm honest. The white and "parchment" colors don't seem to really go together, and there are a lot of different fonts and faces at play here. Normally, that isn't something that I would even notice, but with this one I do for some reason. There's a little bit about the rum on the back label, but nothing as in-depth as you'd find on a Plantation expression. In the Glass: Bronze with a nice viscosity. On the Nose: This is where you first start to forget about the design of the bottle... It's 43%abv but there is absolutely no harshness, it has a very appealing brown sugar and leather thing going for it with just a touch of something savory on the end. I think that it has something to do with being a mix of sugarcane and molasses distillate, but there's definitely something in there beyond "sweet" that I can't quite put my finger on. It's good, whatever it is. Taste: It arrives with a sweet punch, but that very quickly dries out. The development and finish is where the complexity comes in and there are distinct bitter notes on it. Not coffee-bitter, more like an "astringency" kind of bitter. It isn't off-putting, it's just different. So this one just doesn't do it for me as a sipper. That odd bitterness really sticks to your tongue after a few sips and the sweet arrival from further sips aren't strong enough to tamp it down. I think that this one would be more at-home in cocktail that calls for a solid darker rum(it needs some friends to help sing the harmony). All-this-being-said, I'm still looking forward to try one of the "Forgotten Cask" offerings to see how this distillery does at a higher tier.
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Plantation Trinidad 2003
Aged Rum — Trinidad & Tobago
Reviewed February 28, 2021 (edited August 24, 2021)The Bottle: Pretty standard Plantation fare here, a "tropical" looking front label with a ton of information on the back that you may (or may not) find interesting. I personally do. In the Glass: Straw-gold. Very light on the color with nice legs if you swirl it in the glass. On the Nose: Tropical fruit sweetness, brown sugar, and a touch of....some kind of baking spice that I can't put my finger on. It reads very much like a nice rum, with very little "hogo" or "funk". Taste: The sweetness on the nose carries through on the development. Banana and...mango? Sweet tropical fruit basket with just a touch of astringency on the finish. This doesn't finish dry at all like many of its Jamaican counterparts, so it's defiantly got it's own thing going on. The finish is a "hair" too sweet for my taste, but nowhere near as much as something like a Ron Diplomatico. This one isn't a piece of candy. This is a really good example of why rums from Trinidad are mentioned at the same time as those from Jamaica and Barbados. Each of these regions have very strong offerings and unique profiles going for them. Rums from Trinidad feel like the middle child of the group to me...always trying to keep the peace between the very different Older and Younger siblings. This one is very well rounded and put together. It may be a touch too sweet for some who are looking for something a bit drier, but I think that it is equally at home as a sipper or a mixer. If you're new to "real" rum, I think that this would be a great place to start. It's not as complex as some of the finer options from Barbados nor is it as...challenging (and I mean this in a very good way) as some of the Jamaicans. -
Appleton Estate 12 Year Rare Casks
Aged Rum — Jamaica
Reviewed February 21, 2021 (edited December 24, 2021)The Bottle: Appleton generally does a good job in this department, and the 12 is a good example. The bottle shape reminds me of a Jura single malt with those classy curves and then the black and gold label on the front. Simple with a nice, classic elegance. In the Glass: Somewhere between a dark gold and a bronze with this one. Swirling it in the glass leaves some nice legs that speak to the overall body and structure. Quite good. On the Nose: The forward notes are those of burnt/brown sugar and green banana. The ubiquitous Jamaican "hogo" is on the backend with a slight astringency that plays nicely in the mix. Taste: The arrival is subtle, this is not a punch-in-the-jaw kind of rum. It develops into more of the brown sugar with some baking spices and caramel before finishing quite dry. There's no mistaking this for a rum that's from anywhere else :). The 43%abv is only really apparent on the finish where the astringency kicks in a bit, but it's totally acceptable. Overall, this is a good dram for the money. This wouldn't be bad as a sipper, but I think that it actually plays better in a cocktail, especially as a replacement for bourbon (Kingston Old Fashioned, anyone?). As always, I definitely appreciate a distiller that has the decency to leave out any additional sugar (and likely any additional color). -
Oxley Classic English Dry Gin
London Dry Gin — England
Reviewed February 14, 2021 (edited May 2, 2022)The Bottle: A fairly classy design of clear glass with a green and white label. It doesn't stand out, but it's not instantly forgettable either. It's perfectly serviceable. In the Glass: Clear and rather thin. Not as viscous as some other gins or vodkas that I've come across. On the Nose: The 47%abv is noticeable here. The alcohol is the dominant player here, but there is a good floral/pepper note underneath as is befitting a London Dry. This is a straight-forward and uncomplicated spirit. Taste: The arrival and development are actually quite smooth, with sweet and peppery herbal notes. It isn't overly peppered or junipered or anything else, the balance seems nicely struck. The finish is where the alcohol strength comes back a bit, but it's fairly tame for the %. I wouldn't recommend this as a sipper per se, but it will bring a good backbone to any gin-based cocktail.30.0 USD per Bottle -
Del Maguey VIDA Mezcal
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed February 7, 2021 (edited April 22, 2021)The Bottle: A nice green glass bottle with an excellent faux-cork. The label has a lot interesting and somewhat useful information about the provenance of the spirit. The artwork is a touch cartoony for my taste, however. It seems to be taking itself seriously as opposed to some craft beer labels you see out there that are of a similar style, but with an opposite intention. The good news to all of this is that it makes it easy to spot on the shelf when you are looking for it to make a purchase. In the Glass: Crystal clear and nicely viscous. On the Nose: Let's couch the following comments with the fact that this is the first Mezcal that I've ever sampled. So I'm not sure what elements of what I'm getting are specific to this expression or if they are common to the spirit type itself. So, rimmed glass of salt for the following... Vegetal, smoky, leather. This is what I imagine that it smells like to be riding a horse through a rainforest with someone smoking a pipe. It's a medicinal kind of smoke to my nose, the way that Laphroaig is in the single malt scotch world. The old leather notes really develop as it opens, it has a very "rare bookshop" kind of mojo. Taste: The initial flavor is light, but then develops a heavy vegetal punch akin to what is on the nose. This is not a dainty or subtle spirit, and I mean that in a good way. There is a pronounced sweetness on the finish that lingers for a bit and then dries to a nice bitterness. It's interesting and inviting and definitely not for everyone. I primarily use it in cocktails, but I can see myself enjoying this (or other Mezcal expressions) as the occasional sipper when I want something a bit different.38.0 USD per Bottle -
The Bottle: Despite not being as well-known as it’s blue-hued brother, the standard Bombay Dry Gin bottle follows the standard Bombay recipe of being squat and rectangular. There’s some nice information about the recipe on the back, including the botanicals that are used; but it’s otherwise unremarkable. Which is fine, since it should live in your freezer anyway. In the Glass: It’s gin, it’s clear. It’s a touch more viscous than water but not as much as a few vodka’s that I’ve come across. The Nose: Smooth juniper with a lot of floral notes. This has a really “open” kind of aroma going for it that is a nice weave of all of the botanicals in play. Nothing really stands out and smacks you about it. I picture the botanicals as old men sitting around a table playing cards talking quietly. They’re all there, but no one is trying to grab the spotlight. Taste: My first take on this is that it comes off tasting like the ABV is higher than 43%, there’s a distinct alcohol note to this. It dies down a bit during the development, giving way to a mix of juniper and botanicals (coriander and licorice root takes the lead for my palate). The finish starts off with a certain amount of alcohol astringency, but turns sweet over time. The alcohol note though never really seems to vanish, it’s present across the entire flavor profile. For the money, this is a good option in the London Dry library. It would work just fine in any cocktail that called for it, but I wouldn’t recommend this as a sipper.17.0 USD per Bottle
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Beefeater London Dry Gin (47%)
London Dry Gin — England
Reviewed March 28, 2020 (edited April 13, 2020)The Bottle: This one is kind of a classic, ubiquitous on every bar-shelf in the world I would think. Bold red and white colors with the distinctive Beefeater on the front make it easy to pick out from a distance. There’s some information on here about the gin’s history and how it is proudly made in in London. It’ll do. In the Glass: It’s gin, it’s clear. It’s a touch more viscous than water but not as much as a few vodka’s that I’ve come across. The Nose: Juniper is at the forefront, with a backdrop of some mild spices. For 47% Abv, it’s very smooth on the nose and comes off as a pretty no-nonsense gin that isn’t going nuts with botanicals. Taste: The higher than average alcohol content on this carries the juniper and the black pepper really nicely. There are no real discernable sweet or floral notes to my palate. There’s a wash of slightly muted botanicals in there, but juniper and black pepper are at the fore-front. The alcohol is perceivable on the finish, but it doesn’t have any kind of burn that would normally be associated with higher-proof spirits. All-around, this is a solid London Dry Gin. It isn’t overly complex which makes it work really well in a lot of the standard gin-based cocktails out there like a martini or a gin and tonic. In fact, the flavor profile complements citrus in a very pleasing way (think lemon or lime martini instead of olive). I wouldn’t recommend this as a sipper, per se, but you would be hard-pressed to find a better cocktail gin for the money.17.0 USD per Bottle -
Balcones Rumble Cask Reserve
Other Sugarcane — Texas, USA
Reviewed November 24, 2019 (edited March 29, 2021)The Bottle: Fairly straightforward glass-work with a lot of good information on the label about the spirit itself. The dark color label with the gold and white text looks quite pretty against the color of the spirit, though I do wish that they would tone it down with the number of different fonts that are in use. All-around, this is an attractive one to have on your shelf. In the Glass: Dark, burnished bronze. The Nose: Similar to its less powerful cousin (the standard Rumble), but with everything amped up to 11. This stuff is nearly 66% abv, so I highly recommend a little bit of water. The turbinado sugar is the primary component here with lots of deep molasses notes. I don't get a lot of the honey behind the brown sugar, but the figs are definitely in there. Everything integrates nicely together into a "Toffee/Christmas Cake" kind of thing. Taste: This is where this spirit represents somewhat of a challenge. It's 66% abv, but it also drowns fairly easily so you have to find that really delicate balance between Lighter Fluid and Shirley Temple. I have a tendency to underdo the water, so a lot of what I'm getting has an alcohol note underneath everything. BUT, what that's propping up is really quite good. This doesn't read like a whisky, it doesn't read like a rum. It reads like its own, unique spirit. In the taste is where you start to get some of the honey mixing in with the sugar, but everything is bundled together by dark fruit, fig & date notes. The sugar and sweetness is very quick to show up front, which then moves into holiday cakes and dried fruits. It finishes with a bittersweet note that’s really quite pleasant. This one certainly isn't for beginners. It seems like a simple enough thing, but the delicacies really need a practiced hand and palate to get right with the water. When you hit the mark though, it rewards you for it. "Brandy soaked, sugar coated figs" really sums this one up for me, so if that sounds good to you then you probably won't hate this.45.0 USD per Bottle -
New Southern Revival Sorghum Whiskey
Other Whiskey — South Carolina, USA
Reviewed November 17, 2019 (edited February 20, 2021)The Bottle: Heavy. You could bludgeon someone to death with this thing… The base is nearly an inch of solid glass which gives it a very “rocks glass” kind of feel (reminds me of Kirk & Sweeney). The label has a crazy mix of different font faces, just shy of being over-the-top. There are some nice blurbs about the distillery itself as well as the spirit inside. In the Glass: Light bronze. On the Nose: Sweet and fruity. Banana, grain and a touch of boot polish? It’s 44% abv., but you can get your nose in here and not have any burn from the proof. Without seeing the label, it’d be hard not to think that this a rum! It smells nothing like any other American spirit that I’ve tried. Taste: This is totally a proper Sothern gentlemen vacationing in the Caribbean. Barbados with a bourbon backbone. The taste follows the nose very closely; a well-integrated tropical sweetness with a grain-heavy finish. You will want to add a few drops of water to this one given the abv., as it helps tame down some of the bitterness on the end. Everything with this happens fairly quickly; arrival, development and finish. This doesn’t have the heft for any real staying power after the sip is over, but I really don’t hold that against it. There’s no age statement on the bottle, but I’d be willing to bet that you could count on one hand the number of New Years Eve’s that this stuff spent in the cask. Honestly, I am often disappointed with a lot of the newer American whiskies that I’ve tried. Mostly, they usually just try to emulate the established big names (and often fail). A lot of this comes down to maturation and the rush to market. Occasionally though, you find one that’s trying to forge its own path. That’s what we have here. I’m not sure how common sorghum is as a base grain for a spirit, but it totally works. This isn’t trying to be a Jack Daniels or a Maker’s Mark. It’s so very different from the other offerings out there and you can tell that it has been put together by someone that knows what they are doing. It’s comfortable in its own skin, so-to-speak. As an aside, I purchased this when I visited the distillery recently and I had the privilege of trying out their Jimmy Red Corn Bourbon….and it may have been the best bourbon that I’ve ever tasted. It’s pricey, but I highly recommend it if you ever come across it.40.0 USD per Bottle -
The Bottle: Similar to my review of its sister, Tobermory, this is a very classy bottle to have on your shelf. There's some nice relief in the glass that refers to the Isle of Mull and the distillery's founding in 1798 and the label is straight-forward and unpretentious. Like the Tobermory, it makes reference to being un-chill filtered, but it doesn't say anything about natural color. In the Glass: Honey & bronze. This one's hard to read from a natural color perspective. I'm going to presume that there isn't any E150 caramel color in the mix, but it'd be nice if they would just say that. I should also call out that it’s now a bit darker than the last time that I had it. The image on distiller is very lemon-yellow, which is what it used to look like. No longer. On the Nose: Coastal peat and a hint of underlying coal smoke. This is definitely a salty islander, and you could easily be forgiven for thinking that it's from Islay. Just behind the chimneysweep, there's an interesting mix of marine notes and what I would think figs would smell like if you removed all trace of sweetness. A little bit Laphroaig, a little bit Talisker. What’s really interesting is that this doesn’t just ready like “peated” Tobermory. Blindfolded, I wouldn’t be able to tell you that this has anything to do with the unpeated offering from the same distillery. This is its own thing. Taste: This is where the sweetness comes in, barley sugar and dried fruit. Then the marine note comes back in with a smoky/saline/fisherman kind of thing (it sounds ridiculous, but you probably know what I mean). The development is mostly sweetness and the finish turns bitter and slightly astringent. There’s no mention of it, but maybe this has seen the inside of a sherry cask? It would explain the color… You will want to add a few drops of water to this one seeing as its $46% abv., it helps tame down the finish. Where this differentiates itself from its Ileach brethren is in the finish. There's something more savory going on that you don't necessarily find in many of the Islay malts of the same caliber. It's interesting, unique and pleasing to the palate. I quite like this. I’m a sucker for interesting and peated malts, and this doesn’t fail to deliver. If you’re looking to branch out beyond Islay, give this a go. It’s a touch more expensive that some of the more well known and similarly aged malts, but I like to think that more of the money is making it back to the distillery so that they can afford to take some creative risks in the future (this could be complete codswallop, but hey…). Update: Tobermory has confirmed that it is natural color.60.0 USD per Bottle
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