Tastes

Tasted at room temperature in a Norlan, no water added. The nose is the very definition of "bourbon." Vanilla, Caramel, and Oaky barrel / char. Comes off as a bit hot, but it's pure and simple Kentucky Bourbon here. The palate drilled me with hot spicy cinnamon. I didn't really get that on the nose (just a certain heat). On the palate I've lost that vanilla / caramel to some extend. It's all spice now... and the rye is showing up well too. The whiskey has good viscousity and accordingly full mouth feel with hints of plum. The finish lingers for a bit and is quite pleasant. I get more cherry, more cinnamon, and a slight return of the vanilla from the nose.

Tasted at room temperature in a glencairn, no water added. First off, I rarely comment on color, but the deep reddish-copper color of this whiskey was a surprise and a pleasure to behold. I will also say that I have not been the biggest fan of Sons Of Liberty expressions so far. I find them mostly bearing the signs of youth. However, this special release is an entirely different presentation from them. The nose is dark fruit and wine, nutmeg and cinnamon. Very satisfying while not overly complex. In the background, there is still a little of that Sons Of Liberty youth, but it is minor and overpowered by the Sherry. The palate is a joyful experience. The whiskey it viscous, great legs and accordingly full mouth feel with hints of cherry and plum. It is a sweet whiskey and a very nice sipper. The finish lingers for a while and is quite pleasant. I get more cherry, a little sherry lingering, and (oddly) a Welch’s Grape Juice note, but I say that with the clarification that it’s a nice, enjoyable, complimentary note. This is a new high for Sons If Liberty.

Tasted at room temperature in a glencairn glass. No water added. 94 proof. The nose is subtle, gentle, and pleasant. I'm not trying to say "weak" in any way. I get brown sugar and apple pie. On the palate, single malt steps forward. It's just that profile... you know it when you taste it. Sweet, syrupy, vanilla, butterscotch... with lots of mouth feel. The finish doesn't hang as long as I'd like, but while it is present, it's back to the apple pie for me. Lighter than I'd like, honestly.

Tasting notes: glencairn, neat, room temperature. No ice added, no water added. Nose: all sugar. Nothing but sweetness on the nose. Vanilla? Maybe. Not too complex. Palate: thin, even for 80 proof. Still stays on the sweet side. Maybe still a little vanilla but it's faint. No meat on this bone. Probably a good guest whiskey or a good starter whiskey. Finish: Quick. Doesn't hang around at all.

Tasted at room temperature / 2 Norlan glasses, side by side - 1 straight from a freshly cracked bottle, and the second from the same bottle, but run through a Venturi aerator / no water or ice added. 107 proof. The nose was greatly affected by aeration. Unaerated, the nose is vanilla and cherry, but with a notable presence of ethanol. Aerated, this is luscious... Still vanilla forward but more dark fruit. Certainly cherries and maybe ripe plum too. Could nose this for hours. On the palate, the aeration had the effect of reducing the proof bite a bit, though that wasn't really a deterrent in the non-aerated glass. Both glasses delivered cherry, cherry, cherry with great mouthfeel. Rich and heavy. It's got a little spiciness to it too. Overall the aerated glass was more enjoyable only for the reason that all of your focus is drawn to flavors and layers. The finish seems unaffected by aeration. Both glasses lingered nicely and left a nice, warm coated feeling in the mouth. The cherry vanilla enjoys a little side of caramel in the finish. Any way you look at it, it's like my favorite ice cream in a bourbon bottle.

Tasted at room temperature / Denver & Liely Whisky glass / no water or ice added. 92.6 proof. Note: this bottle has been in my collection and open for a long time. Likely 2 years or more. I'm sure this will affect the tasting to some degree. The nose has pear, cherry, and vanilla, and a little alcohol to it. Quite pleasant overall. Worth nosing a few times to get the full experience. The aromas definitely triggered my taste buds. Funny side note, when I first nosed this and tried to identify the first word that came to mind, it was "bourbon." As in - the bourbon characteristics you get from a bourbon infused maple syrup, or bourbon ice cream, bourbon coffee, etc. It's what bourbon smells like when it is the flavoring ingredient in something else. On the palate, this shows a little more "young whiskey" than I was expecting based on the nose. Orange, cinnamon, vanilla and a little hint of a ginger-like bite... Maybe it's the rye influencing this? It's interesting that this is very subtle on the palate without being boring. In fact, it's somewhat complex. The only other whiskey I remember coming across as this subtle yet still clearly layered and complex was Elmer T. Lee. These don't taste alike, but the layering is similar. For all this, I can't say I'm in love with the flavor. It's good. It's interesting. It's not great. Young is forward. The finish is pleasant and floral. It lasts. Getting a little vanilla, orange or orange zest in the finish that I wasn't really expecting.

Tasted at room temperature / Norlan glass / no water or ice added. 82 proof. The nose is honey, vanilla, and orange peel, and far exceeded my expectations. There's a bit of alcohol in the nose as well, but I suspect that has dissipated since I first got this bottle as it has been open for some time prior to this tasting. On the palate its an entirely different whiskey, coming across as hot, young, and rough-edged. If you let it move around your mouth fully, you will get some maltiness to offset the alcohol you're first confronted with. Kind of hard to isolate flavor profiles here. Aside from malt, maybe a little citrus? The finish is respectable mid-tongue, but non-existent throughout the rest of the palate. What does linger is an enjoyable orange-vanilla.

Tasted at room temperature / Norlan glass / no water or ice added. Batch 03. 88 proof. The nose is alcohol, leather, and oak... Maybe the slightest hint of vanilla too. So far, it's screaming "youth" to me. On the palate this befuddles me. I was so expecting a young, hot whiskey that I was very surprised by the less than expected burn. It's not mature, and it needs more time in the barrel, but the palate is a pleasing mix of holiday spices, especially cinnamon, a bit of citrus zest, and a touch of caramel. It's still drinks more like a 110 proof than a 90, but this exceeded expectations. The finish is medium to long, leaving a orange peel and cinnamon notes lingering. Not a whiskey I'd buy again until they get more age behind it, but it's on the right track and exceeded my (exceedingly low) expectations.

Tasted at room temperature / Glencairn glass / no water or ice added. Batch 04, Bottle 05199. 94 proof. The nose is alcohol and dried fruits... cherries and raisins. It's got a woodiness about it too, but not a traditional oak. Maybe I'm catching the variant aging process. Maybe I'm catching the black cherry wood finish. I'm also getting some holiday spices. On the palate this has more burn than I'd expect from a 94. It's showing youth. It really seems underdeveloped to me. Maybe a little orange or orange peel too? The finish is actually the best part, though it doesn't linger as long as I would like. Subtle vanilla, spice, and more orange finish this one off.

I usually give a more detailed and thoughtful review. Here, I just can't. I am a fan of Knob Creek. This Maple Whiskey is not in my zone however. Too overpowering, too sweet, too much nose. There's no whiskey left. I hate to say this, but I honestly found this revolting. Maybe I'm just a purist, but I'd rather have whiskey with a side of bacon than whiskey that tastes like maple bacon instead of bourbon.