Tastes

I have found through my journey that I am challenged with enjoying some of the more traditional peat and smoke flavors of scotch, but this tidy little dram really agreed with me. Upon firs sniff I thought this was going to be like a lot of the scotches I didn't really care for, there was a lot of smoke and peat and a little trace of lilac, but its hard to pull out over the smoke of this bad boy. My first sip felt a little over powered by the smoke, so I twirled it around in my glass a bit and it started to open up with some dry berries and cream. This had a very enjoyable mouth feel, but the smoke is the dominant feature here. Quite bitter, but still smooth. Scotch may not be my jam, but this I can get down with.

Apparently I used to make a ton of "The Big Smoke" when I was in college and lived on West Kent Road in Duluth, MN. Little did I know I could have turned a hobby in to a money making venture. The nose on this bit of juice is a little like a medicine cabinet and a lot like a bonfire with 8 kegs at the intersection of Island Lake Road and nowhere. When this one hits your palate, you may not be able to place this taste exactly, but I can. I have had this before. When I lived over on The West Kent, I used to hold poker night at my house. This particular night I was playing with Tony and Big Tom. It must not have been my night, because Tony cleaned me out pretty quick. He then made me an offer to get back in the game. He said he would sponsor me $50 if I took a shot of bong water. I did. I also threw up right after. Then after I was done being a sally I sat back down at the poker table and turned that $50 in to $200. This particular dram tastes just like that bong water, just don't go expecting 200 bones to magically appear in your pocket.

The nose on this salsa is very simple, it smells like a brewery and toasted rye bread. I must be getting ready to run a marathon, because this nose is all carb loading. The palate on this is not too enjoyable for me, fragrance from the nose comes off on the palate almost in its entirity. There is a tiny bit of smoke that happens, but its basically all toasted rye bread. I have had a few Few products, and they all seem to have a similar kind of flavor. I have had a barrel aged gin that was pretty decent from this company, but this particular dram is a pass for me.

This dram looks unassuming, it has a pale color, like a champagne. I was in for quite a shock, this juice is all over the place. The nose on this is green NyQuill cough syrup and Lucky Strike cigarettes. Its a weird combination because it seems really counter productive to smoke heaters if you have a cold. You should probably take a little break from the cigs if you need cough medication. The palate is also a little weird. It tastes candied applewood bacon dipped in a Jägermeister mushroom sauce. It did this and remained fairly delicate and sweet. Its like a college BBQ back before The Rona where there was a ice cold bottle of Jäg in the cooler and everyone just walked up and took pulls off it with out a care in the world. I can't even imagine that giving someone a sip of your drink will ever become normal again... FRIEND: This Old Fashioned is legit, wanna sip? ME: I don't know, have you had the COVID vaccination? Ummmmm, awkward!!!! 2020 is weird.

This is a no trills straight bourbon whiskey. It has all the things you would expect from a decent bourbon, but nothing charges out at me to make this stand out from the others in this price range. I'm interested in the mash bill on this, seems like there is enough rye, but its also quite sweet and smooth. I must have read a good review on this bottle, because it was on my wish list, it came in my advent calendar, so it saved me the purchase of an entire bottle. The nose is basic bourbon, oak and vanilla heavy, with a strong rye. The rye was so heavy on the nose, I was expecting a spicier little lady when I had a sip, but you get a sweet Tootsie Roll with major oak and vanilla. The rye is still there but you don't get the spice until about halfway through the finish. Overall, I would say this is a fine bottle, especially if you aren't in to the very rye forward bourbons, this would be a nice step in that direction if you are looking to take your whiskey adventures in that direction, but I can name a dozen bourbons I would rather drink.

This one is up there with some of the best things to come out of Canada since Carly Rae Jepsen and Avril Lavigne. This reminds me of the day I had in Vancouver with Michael Clarke Duncan. We toured the city and every one stopped us because they wanted picture a with the guy from The Green Mile. Everywhere we went, we got free food and drinks, it was fantastic. The nose on this one reminds me of Neapolitan ice cream. It smells sweet like a Milk Dud and you get a little grassiness if you keep sniffing. The palate is quite nice, the age mellowed the pepper spice to a lovely baking spice. You get vanilla and the finish is not long and doesn't linger. I would say this is a nice easy drinking sweet Canadian, its not offensive and meant to be enjoyed once a year around the holidays much like the the amazing voice of an angel God gifted Michael Bublé with to serenade us with the Christmas classics.

Well this is a delicate little gem. A lot like 45s ego after he lost the election. Very light in color, so light in color even though its from Japan, at first sight it won't offend The Proud Boys. So "stand back and stand by" while I tell you about this delicate little gem. The nose is light and refreshing sweet apple and berries, and a little bit of peanut brittle. Very gentle on the nose, what you would expect from its light color. The palate it also quite gentle, but I can pick up quite a bit of complexity. A smooth mouth feel with a long finish that starts with a dash of creaminess and a green caramel apple sucker, not the real thing. It then finishes pleasantly sweet and long with no burn or spice. Overall, I liked it, but I won't be adding it to my collection.

This is a unique rye, I have had many rye, none like this. It is very fresh on the nose like being the first on the golf course in the morning. You also get a ton of rye bread, like your fixin to make a delicious peppered pestrami sandwich. The palate is a bit thin, but a lot of classic rye flavors really come through. Pepper, spice, rye and grass are all here, but it tastes a little thin to me. Most of the rye I have on my collection is cask strength, so this feels like the Miller Light of rye, but that's how the Europeans roll, apparently...

The nose smells of Werther's Originals and the dish of potpourri grandma kept in the guest bathroom, you know, the one with the fuzzy mint green toilet lid cover that matched the rugs and the towels. It is very sweet and does not sting the nostrils. It actually tastes like you ate the candy and the potpourri and chased it down with a shot of 99 Bananas, but the finish is so long, its more like two consecutive shots of 99 Bananas.

I know this flavor. It is so familiar to me. But first the nose. Vanilla and fruit, maybe a strawberry and cream. Then when you taste it, its like an old friend. If you have ever been to Duluth and got drunk at Grandma's Sports Garden, this drink is the after party. Imagine you went to the Garden, bought rounds of Scooby snacks and water moccasins for you and your friends and this cute girl you just met, then you get too tipsy to close the deal. Then you head over to Perkins family restaurant to see if Tina is working. She is, so that's a bonus! Then Tina brings you pancakes and toast, because you need to sober up, its Thursday and you have school tomorrow. So you get ready to dig in to those pancakes, but before you do you smother them with the proper proportion of twin berry and apricot syrup, you take a bite of your toast and your crush that stack of pancakes. That's what this tastes like.