Tastes

Apicot forward, allowing other rich notes to cascade throughout. You’ll find vanilla, toffee, light floral and tropical tones, citrus bursts, and a buttery finish. It’s honestly fantastic, lovely around the edges with residual heat in all the right places.

What a delightful dram. The whiskey is full of flavor, has a nice residual heat, and has a gentle balance as it presents itself and unfolds as you drink it.  I look forward to more expressions from Altered State and the Pennsylvania whiskey market.

This is delicious. CBD is definitely on to something with this entry in their line and I cant wait to see whats coming down the pike. To the team at Chambers Bay Distillery, way to go!

What this whisk(e)y lacks in complexity, it makes up for in value for the money. This is a dram you can enjoy freely, neat, on the rocks, or in a hot toddy. It’s delicious in its own right, but has versatility and could easily be a go-to low cost Japanese standard, squarely fitting around the likes of Suntory Toki. It’s smooth, sweet, and worth a try.

This was the first whisk(e)y I’ve had from Barrel Craft Spirits, and it didn’t disappoint. There was a lot to chew on in this dram with plenty to enjoy including layers of spun sugar, caramel, oakiness, and a lovely composed edge. It truly was delicious; however, the cost to value of such a bottle just seems disproportionate. A single dram of this is as much as some bottles I thoroughly enjoy, and while I love an adventure and this was very fun, the product simply doesn’t merit such a cost.

The Chita immediately reminds me of Suntory Toki, but it holds several additional layers of complexity. For me, thats a good thing. While I love Toki, its simple and doesn’t flaunt. The Chita, on the otherhand, has nuance. Here you find vanilla and herbal tones. It’s light, but playful, and the finish is more bold than you’d expect from a spirited grain whisk(e)y. It’s not for everyone, but if you like offerings from Japan, I’d recommend it as a nice alternative to your standard Hibikis and the ever-growing list of mediocre “Japanese,” whisk(e)ys we’re seeing fill tne shelves of local liquor stores.

There is no denying that Castle and Key is releasing really wonderful product for the price. While I relish opportunities to try their more exclusive releases, their core line entries are lucious, full bodied offerings that position themselves alongside the likes of Blade and Bow, Eagle Rare, and Freeland Spirits. This small batch is balanced with residual heat in all the right places. Sweets abound accentuated by mild bitter tannins, and baking spices. The finish is full with a lingering toastiness. When I can find it, I plan to have this as a regular bottle alongside C and Ks Restoration Rye.

Not gonna lie: this KOVAL tastes like I’m licking a 2x4 in the wood isle of a Home Depot…and I kind like it. It’s nothing like I expected, and the more I sit with it, the more I really like it.