Tastes
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I’m August 7 2023 I’ve previously reviewed this gin, so here’s my latest impression, having finally invested in a bottle of my very own. Background is that being a world class cheapskate, I’ve long been a fan of that bottom shelf gin known as Gordon’s. My latest impression is that The Botanist beats the pants and socks off of Gordon’s on the nose, what with 52 botanical ingredients, but tastes about the same on the palate. So what? Gordon’s is the very clear value winner 🏆.
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Saturday May 6 2023 Picked up a bottle on sale at $5 off at my local government liquor store. Cracked the cap the instant I got home. A 2 oz pour in a tasting glass at rhum temperature. There’s a joke in there somewhere. 😉 Anyhoo, if ya wants nuanced, detailed tasting notes, I highly recommend my Edmontonian compatriot at The Rum Howler online, otherwise read my idiosyncratic impressions. I’m not overly impressed with color. Most spirits, including rhum, are darkened with caramel to what the distiller imagines is a pleasing amber hue, and this lot here is no exception. I was so eager to get this on my lips I forgot to sample the nose, but as the case with most all spirits aged in oak, my first impression is vanilla, and of course the inimitable scent of alcohol, 40% strength by the way. I’d love to be able to tell you I can taste organically sourced American White Oak, or some such nonsense, but I’ll stick with the truth, just for now..ha ha! Ok, for a product labeled Anejo, but no actual age statement, this’s pretty darn smooth, and quite besides the matter, Rum Howler rated it 85/100. Not a whole lot else to say, except it’s above average value for hard-earned dollar. Oh, and just one more thing. There’s a very rough, not necessarily accurate dividing line between mixer rum and sipping rhum, and that is the former usually come with an aluminum twist cap, whereas the latter usually have an actual cork. Brugal Anejo comes with a twist cap, but it’s definitely a sipping rhum!
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January 17, 2023 A 50 ml miniature I bought aeons ago at some or other liquor store in the Vancouver greater area. Bottled in plastic, but what the hey!? Served at room temperature in a bulbous chimney-style tasting glass. A wee bit short at 46 ml. I’d say it’s close to natural color for a 5 yr whiskey, perhaps a bit of caramel added for color. Predominately vanilla on the nose. It’s a 5 yr, so yer not gonna get much of an oak barrel note on the nose or the palate, except for the straight up fact that the vanilla note arises from the oak, right? Right. Likewise, mostly vanilla on the palate, as predicted. A perfectly inoffensive 90 proof Canadian whiskey…
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A 5 cl miniature from my local government liquor store, poured at room temperature into a whiskey tasting glass. Oh, it’s pleasant, almost unbearably so! The nose is frankly mostly vanilla and alcohol. Likewise the palate. Vanilla and alcohol burn. Any oak barrel note is very faint indeed. Realistically, these impressions are inevitably tainted by my imbibing 300 ml dry red wine and 90 ml medium dry sherry ahead of this tasting.
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Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed December 24, 2022 (edited February 26, 2023)December 22, 2022 Preliminary notes for now. Cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, burnt sugar, oaken barrel notes on the nose. A very typical bourbon, but the additional alcohol heat is duly noted. A very sentimental favorite of mine, but that’s quite another story I don’t have time or inclination to tell at this particular time. Anyhoo, great stuff, and highly recommended to bourbon fanciers. -
July 11 2022: Purchased a year or so at a private liquor store in Park Royal South, W. Vancouver. A flat mickey cracked just now, an ounce and a half in a whiskey tasting glass. No color, as expected, as it’s un-aged. Herbal on the nose, herbal and briny on the palate, maybe a trace of smoke? Decent, I’d say, for a basic mezcal, but this’s no sipper. I’m infusing it in Mott’s Clamato Original. A very decent mixer, and the tequila/mezcal Caesar is a favorite of mine from way back. Yessir!
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January 23rd at the Alibi Room in Vancouver. One ounce in a Glencairn tasting glass. $14. Very heady peaty nose. Vanilla notes as always on the nose. The palate is pleasant but secondary to the nose impression. A very mild burn at the throat, doubtless caused by my enthusiastic uptake of the precious liquid!
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December 26 2021 A double @ $17 from an almost full bottle, poured in a snifter at The Wicklow in South False Creek, Vancouver. Fairly ordinary sweet barreled whiskey notes on the nose. Impressionistically, my closest comparable would be Woodford Reserve,and no,I don't have Woodford standing by for side-by-side tasting purposes. A premium bourbon for sure, the overproof duly noted.
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Clase Azul Tequila Reposado
Tequila Reposado — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed November 23, 2021 (edited March 17, 2022)November 23 2021 My 2nd dram from this 200 ml ceramic bottle. An ounce and a half (45 g) at room temperature in a Glencairn glass. Excepting the agave herbal note, the nose is not dissimilar to whiskey.I’ve swilled lots of good whiskey, so it’s pleasant, but I’m not gonna swoon over it. The predominant palate impression is of sweet caramel and alcohol heat. Yes, it’s very smooth, but there’s a slight burn at the back of the throat, even though I’m a cautious sipper. It’s all rather nice, but somewhat sweeter than I’d prefer, and I’m gonna reaffirm my current preference for the vegetal herbal notes of a high quality unbarreled tequila, say Don Julio Blanco, anyone? In closing I can’t resist a parting shot in the direction of the site reviewer. He scored it 97, and listed impressions that seem to me highly imaginative. I suspect he was over-awed by the price, the presentation, and the distiller’s reputation. -
November 21 2021 One ounce off an almost full bottle, poured into a snifter at Darby's Pub in Vancouver. The nose is gentle and at first mostly floral and herbal. If I extend the nosing long enough I get some spicy notes. No, not hot spices, the aromatic ones: cinnamon, vanilla. The palate is similar, very gentle and smooth. Wow! I'm so glad I had an opportunity to sample this before investing in a whole bottle. At about $50 a full bottle plus tax, more bang for the buck than Monkey 47, even as delightful as that latter may be. I'll be investing in a bottle as soon as my liquor budget permits, yessir!
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