Tastes
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Blanton's Straight From the Barrel
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed November 4, 2023 (edited December 2, 2023)Yet another neck pour as I continue on with my birthday pours. Vanilla comes in strong on the nose, maybe a caramel behind it. Their is a clear nutty flavor that is the main focus. After breaking through that there is a subtle sweetness that is fleeting, it comes in almost like pineapple. The longer I sip the more spice starts to come through. On the finish it has some serious bite, the burn is sharp but fades after the first sip. The main flavor that comes back and lingers is that roasted nut flavor. Overall, not what I would normally go for. But it is a good pour and gladly drink it anytime.149.99 USD per Bottle -
A preface, this is the last pour on a bottle I have slow rolled over the last 5 or 6 years. I likely let it relax too long in the bottle and the flavors are now muted due to this. I am finishing this as part of my birthday pours and tracking it as I likely won't get a pour of this for quite sometime. On the nose I get the sweet caramel or vanilla that I love in this. A hint of oak comes in behind it. The flavor on the first sip is oak forward but comes in behind with the sweetness. But it comes in on the end with a mineral taste. The finish is nice but it continues the mineral taste through to the next sip. Overall, I am probably mixing my bias towards this with how this final pour tastes. I know that what I am tasting today is not as flavorful or sweet as I remember it being. But with all that said, is it worth the cost on secondary, no. Is it worth it at MSRP, yes. I believe if this was a fresh pour I would put it at a 5 star. But it could be my palete is shifting, idk.119.99 USD per Bottle
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For my birthday my wife got me a fancy Glencairn from one of the youtubers I follow, so decided to open a fancier bottle. So this is a neck pour off this bottle. The nose is very caramel forward, I get hints of spice and the oak. The taste is very oak forward, more than I expected but very smooth. The oakiness is a bit bitter. Behind the oak is a very nice caramel. There is some cherry in there too. The finish is really nice, its a smooth burn that settles in a nice sweetness in the back of the throat. Overall, it is a very nice pour. It is smooth and delicous. There is a bitterness that I am not in love with but it is really smooth. I will review this again in the future and I would bet I would like it better beyond the neck pour.149.99 USD per Bottle
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The nose has the spice of a rum with the sweetness from the corn. It is hard to get past the rum finish, honestly not smelling much past it. The taste is almost a honey in sweetness then the spice from the rum barrels washes over your tastebuds into the finish. On the next few sips there is a touch of oak that is then drowned out by the spice. Behind that spice is a solid sweetness. The hug is pretty standard. It does present with the spice from the rum barrels that sticks around. Overall I really enjoy the balance of the spice to the sweetness. I may have a bias with this pour as well. I have drank a few bottles of this and my typical pour is over sphere of ice. The rocks seems to open up and tames the spice out a bit leaning more into the honey from the first sips.
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I will preface this with, Maker's is the standard that I taste all whiskey against. It was the first bourbon I really started to enjoy after college. In college I drank Jack mainly, but found Maker's as I aged and it is my first love on the journey into whiskey. The nose has vanilla and caramel, there is some slight oak in it as well. On first sip I get very sweet fruity floral note, then the caramel comes in. In the subsequent sips there is the oak and a bit of spice. The spice is very subdued. The finish is pretty standard length and a nice sweetness. Overall regardless of my bias it is a great whiskey on my palate. Have I had better, yes but the value and consistency I find with it. It is hard to beat for an everyday pour.
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Redwood Empire Grizzly Beast Bottled in Bond Bourbon (Spring 2017 Vintage)
Bourbon — California, USA
Reviewed October 28, 2023The nose is cherry and sweet. Not much else is there. The taste is oak forward with a nice rich fruitiness following it. in the following sips the caramel from the corn comes through bright and strong. The mouth feel is really good, it coats your mouth nicely. There is a very slight sour note in the aftertaste. The finish is shorter than expected but its nice and present. Overall, this is a wonderful drink. I have enjoyed this before and definitely a good bottle that speaks to my palete. Had to find it on one of my trips and I am happy with the choice. -
Off the nose I get a sweet caramel, I am a bit concerned because my nose isn't matching my memory. I remember not enjoying this in the past but the nose smells good. Smelling it longer there is a hint of flowery perfume that comes off it. The taste doesn't follow through with the caramel for me. It is sweet and floral to me. There is a good amount of oak as well. Behind all of the nice flavors comes a bitterness. Near the end of the glencairn I found some of that caramel. The finish is shorter, but I think that follows the proof of 90. Overall, it is a pretty complex whiskey. I enjoyed it more than I remember enjoying it. I wonder if a cube just brings out more of that bitterness that lies in wait.
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Benchmark Full Proof Bourbon (125 Proof)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 27, 2023 (edited October 31, 2023)Note: Neck pour off this bottle this is. Caramel is the firat and strongest smell. There is a heat or spice that is shows up. The taste is HOT and spicy, continuing into a lengthy finish. Digging deep there is caramel flavors and a touch of honey. But those are quickly overwhelmed by the heat this has. I can alao say it has some oak in ther but damn it's hot. Stopped and added a small cube. After adding the cube I get a smokey flavor off the nose and it follows through with it in the taste. It has a nice caramel and sweetness to it. Overall, it is a rough whiskey. If you want to feel alive, go for this whiskey. I will likely mix this. -
Filibuster Single Estate Wheated Bourbon Single Barrel
Bourbon — Virginia, USA
Reviewed October 26, 2023I am on a quest to find a true Virginia whiskey that could become my mainstay... picked this bottle up a while ago for a wheated flight I did with some buddies. Nose has a smokey caramel to it, there is a bit of rye spice behind it. Very oak forward, then comes the caramel with a nice mouthfeel included. On second sip the rye spice comes through the oak. Further in there is a strange bitterness that cuts into you. The finish is a bit stronger than I would like, but the length is pretty standard. Overall, I think it doesn't have the sweetness that I am looking for. The caramel is there but isn't the star like I want my whiskey to be. Then the strange bitterness is off putting. -
Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed October 25, 2023 (edited October 26, 2023)The nose is caramel forward and then a spice or hazelnut comes through behind it. The smells and flavors might be more muted as we are towards the end of the bottle. The taate is very caramel that has a nice toast behind it. I remember the taste before this pour being more oak and toasted. On second taste the toasted burnt taste comes through stronger. The finish is longer than I would like but not overwhelming. In the end I wasn't ever a fan of the toasted flavor through the whiskey. This pour it wasn't overwhelming, but I believe that is just the oxygen changing the whiskey.
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