Tastes

Nose: Perhaps one of the best noses I have had in a bourbon in a long time.....and I have tasted a fairly large amount of bourbon. Just blooms from the glass the more you let it set. There is cherry hard candy, vanilla bean, caramel, and a hint of oak. I get some sweet brown sugar in there as well. Palate- Tremendously well balanced. The palate stays true to the nose and has a buttery mouthfeel. There is a nice shot of pepper and a small bit of anise on the backend that balances the cherry candy and caramel. There is some tropical flavors also, almost like mango and toasted coconut in there if you dig. The proof gives just the perfect amount of heat. Finish- Intoxicating finish that goes out with a puff of smokiness, oak, and black tea. Lasts on the palate medium length and beckons for another sip. Overall- this is the best OFBB in the last 4 years. I thought 2018 was a standout, I enjoyed 2019 immensely, I thought 2017 was a bit short on taste, and for me 2016 was ho-hum looking at my old notes. This is one of those rare ones that is directly on target. Superbly done!

Nose: Butter, corn meal, vanilla pudding. Palate: reminded me of creamed corn on a slice of rye bread. Very thick viscosity. This is a young whiskey which has that can of cream corn, mashy taste out front. Needs some time in the barrel to gather up all of the spicy, woody notes, and temper all of that corn. Finish: Earthy. Tasted like topsoil on the finish and I wasn't a fan Overall: Marginal whiskey at that. It is new and mashy, thick and syrupy. It is not horrible but not my favorite.

Nose- Caramel, butterscotch, and a dusting of pralines and walnuts are front and center. The nose is not explosive but rather pleasant and light. Palate: Sweet and creamy, a caramel and butterscotch bomb! The palate stays true to the nose and it is delicious. There is a bit of a milk chocolate on the rear of palate with just enough alcohol to make a fine whiskey. I also get a bit of buttercream frosting as this wonderful whiskey goes down the hatch. Finish: the yellow butterscotch candies or werther's butterscotches fade to a bit of ethanol and just a hint of spice. Absolutely no bitterness or signature Dickel vitamin taste whatsoever. This whiskey is crisp, coating, clean, and candylike. Overall: This is an absolute hit. If there is any flaw at all it might be in the sweetness, but I welcome this as a wonderfully balanced candy jar, and lovers of sweet sippers will appreciate this immensely. I did very much like 13yr BiB (last year) but this is better. Also for 45.99 you can't find an 11 yr anything for that and be this good. Drop any prejudice against Tennessee Whiskey, or Dickel "Vitamins" and treat yourself to a damned fine, well balanced, offering.

Binny's #4939 127.5 pf. Nose- Marvelous and so NOT Old Forester as I find most offerings of OF single barrels at 90 and 100 proof to be one dimensional (banana, caramel, a bit of oak, etc.) This is vibrant. Raspberry and strawberry hits me out of the box. Surprisingly not much ethanol for the proof on the nose. There is dark chocolate in the background with some fresher wood which hints at a perhaps a younger to medium age. Palate- Neat this is a spicy beast. Almost takes your breath away with its tartness and spices. There is a nice tootsie roll thing going on that unfortunately gets eclipsed all too quickly. With 3- 4 drops of water in my pour something wonderful happens- spice gets tempered, I get the dark chocolate I found with the nose, with a bit of maple syrup and brown sugar along with some banana- nut bread. Neat it is a bit HOT. With water it is really a nice bourbon. Finish- This is a hammer with or without the water. It does not disguise the alcohol and unfortunately falls a bit on the bitter and woody side for me. If I do have a disappointment it would be a youthful, ethanol type finish. It will however start your mind realing after the second pour! That said I LOVE what OF is trying to do with this- give you an unabashed version of what their whiskey is straight from the barrel and you can love it, or leave it. It is NOT for new whiskey drinkers who want something "smooth" (a descriptive word that to me just means no character and unchallenging). Overall- 3.5/5 at this writing with hopes that some air might tone down the ethanol and turn up the tremendous notes I detect. At the moment I am sipping on the back porch and listening to Jim Croce's "Don't Mess Around with Jim," ( I know some will not get this reference or the song may be too old) but I find this bottle to be "Jim" and like the song says, "you DON'T mess around with Jim!"

Nose- Vanilla, stewed peaches, caramel drizzle. Nose is not as pronounced as III and is slightly a bit boozier Palate- big on vanilla, caramel, with some nice spices like nutmeg and allspice. I find it spicier- which is odd as this is predominately lower rye whiskies than the last one. I like the spice but I miss some of the fruitier notes like the fig and plum I found in the earlier version. Where III seems more subtle on spice IV, seems unabashedly spice forward-- a palate preference and not a knock. Absent for me is the anise note that I liked on III. Finish- A bit drier than III and perhaps a bit more woody. Not in a bad way but definately a different finish. Like wine-- some like a dry red, some like a fruitier white. This is all about preference and not anything against craftsmanship. Overall the finish is nice and full, with the same vibrance. Verdict- I am still a III devotee. Although I really dig IV and it is worth the ticketed price, III is more for me. Where IV is a triple in my book, III knocks it more out of the park. I think the blenders at MGP did it again! Another quality, well under $100 limited release. No idea why these sit on shelves.

Taste- neat, 1.5 oz in mini- glen cairn. Rested for 15 minutes Nose- Caramel and toasted marshmallow are dominant. There is also a mustiness like wet cardboard that I am not really into. Palate- caramel, bit-o-honey followed by a nice kick of all-spice. The marshmallow is still there followed by a bit of smokiness, almost like you might find in a single barrel Jack Daniel's. Campfire-ish, not smokehouse or bbq. Texture is just a bit thin, but the palate here outshines the nose. Thank God thr wet cardboard is gone. Finish- Butterscotch and caramel are lasting and lingering. I found a bit of graham cracker pie crust also on the back end. There is a nice gradual warming on the finish that can be a sneaky one. Overall- best of times, worst of times for me. The wet cardboard on the nose really got to me. Was the note I had trouble getting out of my head. The thinner palate was a a bit of a let down. But then a really nice change of pace in the way of marshmallow, smoke, honey came in on the palate. The graham cracker and butterscotch finish with the sneaky warming was a hit. A nice addition at srp to showcase how the same mash, same proof, same aging BUT then a second barrel can influence a bourbon. This shares the mash, proof, and original barrel management of regular EC....but then on the palate and nose they seem nowhere the same. Would I pay anything past srp???? No. This whiskey is like a pitcher who has a nice changeup- it may induce a groundball out and was effective to retire the side, but it will never be as sexy as a 100 mph strikeout in the bottom of the 9th with the bags loaded. I will leave it at that.

Taste: 2 oz neat in Glen Cairn. This is Kenwood Liquors Private Barrel. 101 proof NAS, straight bourbon SiB. Nose: Corn pudding, vanilla, ethanol. It is a younger nose that has promise to it. Not complex, but nicely done. Palate- Cream corn, vanilla pudding, and a bit of caramel. Creamed corne dominates. The mouthfeel is thicker, but in a grainy way. I don't hate it, just know that it is younger whiskey that needs more time in the barrel. The thick viscosity is both welcomed and objected to. At times it is mashy, at others it coats superbly. Jury is out for me Finish: Surprisingly long, it is full, hearty, and filli g with a lingering sweet corn note. I am not against it, but it tells me that this might be a bot rushed. Overall: Better than what I anticipated. Heavily corn forward on the palate, and propped up with a thick viscosoty, barley backbone. My impressions are that this at 8-10 years could bark with big dogs. For now, it is ho-hum sweeter corn malted whiskey.

Taste: .5 oz neat in glen cairn and then .5oz with 2 drops in glen cairn rested for 15 mins. Nose: Neat this is all Menthol and wintergreen. There is some vanilla, marzipan, and lots of spice. The sweeter notes come forward with the addition of water. The nose on this is an eye opener! Palate: neat this is very condensed rye. Almost like rye concentrate, but that is exactly what it is supposed to be at this proof and being NCF. The mouthfeel is exquisitely oily and buttery. Water brings forth some butterscotch, Christmas cookie, almost like a snickerdoodle or those spiced cookies with the sugary sprinkles on top. The wintergreen is noticeable along with rye bread. Finish: Finish is long an lasting. This rye doesnt play one bit. There is a nice cherry pop with oak on the end that I wish I had more of throughout and less of the wintergreen. Overall: I was hyped for this one. Being a huge fan of Cornerstone Rye and a Russell's SiB Rye devotee, I wanted this to knock my socks off. In some ways it did- pronounced flavors, thick mouthfeel, an "in your face" finish. In other areas I was kind of disappointed- really strong menthol and wintergreen that overshadowed sweeter flavors, was very condensed, and a bit overpowering with spice. My thought is.....and hopefully not wishful thinking.... is that air and time could make this very special once it opens up. For now, though......I would stick with good old Russell's SiB Rye. I will re-rate this one later but for now I will go 3.75/5

Taste: 2 oz. neat, and then 3 drops water in glen cairn. This is Binny'sBarrel #308, 8yrs at 62.85% Nose: Simply spectacular nose. Notes of caramel, brown sugar, oak, and cinnamon. Leaps from the glass. Palate: The mouthfeel is oily and thicker. Upon entry this reminded me of a soothing sip. The notes are browned butter, nougat, and prickly baking spice. This bourbon is not for the faint of heart. It challenges you in a rustic way with traditional caramel tones and spicier rye notes. The water tones down the spice and tunes in some oak. Have it any way you like it, but this bourbon is rough, ready, and willing to deliver. Finish: If there is a flaw it is in the finish which is a bit drying. It doesn't trifle and is in your face. The spice is forward, but there is a butterscotch send off making me want to dive more. Overall: Hard to fault good cask strength MGP. This bourbons flaw may well be its greatest strength- it is not complex but rather traditionally caramel and cinnamon forward. It will challenge the novice on how hard it hits. As compared to the uncut, unfiltered version this had a better mouthfeel and richness about it, but is in the same taste profile wheelhouse- not vastly different. Think of it as the best of the best of uncut/unfiltered. Where it lacks is that the very same whiskey aged longer in a more changing climate (Illinois) that is found in Old Fangled Knotter Bourbon 9 year for comparison is more polished. Perhaps the Galena climate smoothed out some rougher edges or the extra year mellowed OFKB a bit. Side by side- 9 year OFKB is just more sophisticated and polished. That said, from the cowboy themed, cross gunned bottle, to the rough and rugged finish, Smoke wagon doesn't try to be sophisticated and proudly so. It is rough, ready, in your face and delivers as it intends to. I welcome that with open arms and will certainly search for more private, and perhaps older barrels. As Jimmy Russell once said about Wild Turley," I don't find all the tastes all of you find in our bourbon, but I do know what is good bourbon and what is bad bourbon." He then took a sip and proudly exclaimed, "Ahhh! Now that's good bourbon!" Like Jimmy, I feel the same about Smokewagon.

Taste: 2oz. neat in glen cairn. Barrel 20E906 Nose: Immediately hit with wintergreen, chocolate, and tart berries (cranberries?). The nose reminds me of Christmas time. There is a marzipan note in the background. This is very nice. Taste: Rich, buttery rye greets me on entry. Chocolate, spearmint candy leaves, and toffee are front and center. The spicy rye seeds linger on the palate into the finish. A hint of cranberry is again detectable. The tartness is well received, and is tempered by the chocolate note. Finish: This is a finish for days. Chocolate and the marzipan I got on the nose is balanced by spicier wintergreen and anise, but the anise does not make it bitter like black licorice. Overall: This is an absolute hit for me, and Michter's has done it again! To me, Michter's does much better with their rye than their bourbon. That said I feel their bourbon is stupendous which makes their Rye extra special. Often I balk at the price, but I am always a buyer. I am from the camp that bourbon and rye that go in at a lower entry proof than the industry standard 125 (in Michter's case 103!) results in a richer, fuller, more condensed and flavorful whiskey because less water is used as a cut. You pay for that though because the yield is so much less. Don't be put off by price here- in this case you are getting what you pay for. This one is special.