Tastes

NOSE Oak, brown sugar, orchard fruit, vanilla, nutmeg and some light cherry notes. A nice pleasant aroma that sits evenly and warmly. It’s not super deep, but there are zero off notes. PALATE Corn-sweet, brown sugar, nuts, orchard fruit, oak, vanilla, nutmeg, baking spice and touches of leather and citrus. Palate of the O.H. Ingram Rye Whiskey is more complex and nuanced though a bit less fruity. Not a significant difference, but more enjoyable than the aroma. FINISH Med -> Oak, fruit, brown sugar and some corn-sweet notes fade out softly.

NOSE: Deep, complex, sticky dark fruit, oak, roasted nuts, cinnamon-heavy baking spice, creamy vanilla, rich caramel, peanut brittle, touches of citrus peels and leather. This is one of the deepest, most complex aromas I’ve had from a Jim Beam product that wasn’t a Booker’s release. This is intense! PALATE Same heavy, sticky, dark fruit character with even more oak battling for dominance, roasted peanut-peanut brittle, cinnamon heavy baking spice, hazelnuts, leather, vanilla custard, pepper, some citrus peel, anise and a warm herbal undertone. Good hell this is an intensely flavorful and compelling dram to sit and sip. Palate of the Jim Beam Lineage Bourbon is even more complex than the aroma with deep, new, notes arriving one after another as it opens. LOVE it. FINISH: Long -> Oak and dark fruit fade out to baking spice, nuts and leather.

NOSE: Oak, butterscotch, dried dark fruit, citrus peels, cocoa, baking spice, herbal, metallic and a touch solventy with the alcohol pops. Water brings out more of the dark fruit and cocoa notes, and tames the alcohol a bit, but doesn’t dramatically change the profile. PALATE: Oak, peanut butter, butterscotch, dried dark fruit, citrus peels, cocoa, baking spice, herbal, metallic and a touch solventy with the alcohol notes. Palate of the A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength 10 Years is almost the same as the aroma. Water adds more dark sweetness with some brown sugar and burnt caramel notes showing and a nice reduction of the alcohol pop that all still sits under a heavy plank of oak. FINISH: Long -> Oak, nuts and caramel fades slowly to an herbal spicy note.

NOSE: Leathery dried dark fruit, oak, cocoa, hazelnuts, cinnamon, caramel icing, vanilla taffy and a touch of citrus. Warm and inviting aroma that's nuanced and complex with a balanced line between sweet and rustic. It's something I want to just keep smelling. PALATE: Oak, spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, anise, cocoa, hazelnuts, caramel and vanilla with hints of banana and citrus. This is a little different compared to what we've come to expect from Wild Turkey. The Russell's Reserve 13 Years is, oddly, a tad fruity but in a way that's complimentary to the darker spicer notes. FINISH: Med-long -> Oak, spice, dark sweets and leather draw out to a dusty cocoa and creamsicle note.

NOSE: Citrus, x-mas spice, candied anise, vanilla pudding, oak and nuts. An odd aroma and I’m not sure how I feel about it. One second I love it, the next I’m questioning that feeling and then I’m right back to enjoying it. Weird. PALATE: Citrus, grapey sweetness, x-mas spice, creamy grits, oak, caramel, peanuts and a touch herbal. It’s a warm fruity palate that’s more concrete than the aroma. I like the way the palate comes together a bit more on this Yellowstone 2020 Limited Edition, but somehow it’s less exciting – it feels muted. FINISH: Medium-long -> Fruity and nutty with a slight spice to it as it fades to oak.

NOSE Plum, golden raisins, brown sugar, oak, vanilla, baking spice and a tad biscuity. It gets a little sweeter as it opens and something that resembles cake starts to peek out, but it’s remarkably similar to the standard. PALATE Brown sugar, molasses, plum, golden raisins, brown sugar, oak, vanilla, baking spice and a tad biscuity with touches of blackberry taffy. Outside of a heavier feel and bigger alcohol punch, there’s not a ton of difference between the regular and the Blackened Cask Strength American Whiskey. FINISH Medium-long -> Cognac, corn whiskey and butterscotch dissipate with an oaky touch

NOSE: Caramel, grits, oak, red hots, anise clove, herbal and some biscuity notes. KO Distilling Distiller’s Reserve Bourbon carries a basic, standard bourbon aroma that isn’t exciting, but isn’t bad either. And for many craft distilleries, that’s an achievement all on its own. PALATE: Leathery dried dark fruit, complex baking and dessert spices, toffee, herbal, oak and brown sugar with some chocolate licorice and a bit of that raw-woody-craft note. I didn’t get that ubiquitous, woody-tannic, craft note on the nose, but it shows up a bit on the palate. FINISH: Med-Long -> Oak, baking spice, toffee fades to a nutty and woody profile.

NOSE: Orchard fruit, butterscotch, herbal, woody, vanilla, char, spice, honey, touch menthol citrus and hazelnuts. It’s a touch raw, but generally sweet with a warm mid-matured craft profile with the woodiness sitting in the middle rather than upfront. It’s missing that mature fullness, but it’s far from unpleasant. PALATE: More woody and brown sugar/butterscotch profile here with some added biscuity notes, but its essence is similar to the aroma with an added touch of apricot. Lost Lantern American Vatted Malt Edition 1 carries a bit more herbal and raw grain touches on the palate than on the aroma but, again, it’s far from unpleasant. FINISH: Med-long -> Grainy, woody, lemon peels, honey and butterscotch, that pulls down dryly and herbally, almost IPA Like (Westward).

NOSE: Lightly musty dried dark fruit, oak, citrus peels, cinnamon-heavy baking spice, hazelnuts and a touch of cocoa and vanilla custard. The warm and dark aroma is elegant and inviting, I’m enjoying just sniffing this one. PALATE: Oak, dried dark fruit, leather, baking spice, hazelnuts, citrus peel, cinnamon-heavy baking spice, graham cracker and toffee. Denser and deeper than the aroma, the palate of the Thomas S. Moore Bourbon Port Casks is a dark and lovely experience. FINISH: Medium-long -> Dark fruit, oak, copper and a light spiced fade that comes down to roasted nuts.

NOSE: Caramel frosting, oak, toffee, grits, vanilla, white grape juice, green coffee beans, pastries and dark fruits with a hint of baking spice. The wine notes pop a bit and as it opens a hint of copper shows along with a deeper wine presence. PALATE: Oak, toffee, grits, vanilla taffy, coffee beans, white grape juice, pastries and dark fruits with a hint of cocoa and baking spice. The Thomas S. Moore Bourbon Cabernet Sauvignon Casks’ fruity grapey sweetness dies down a tad here. Though it’s far from removed and makes the underlying bourbon more pronounced. FINISH: Med-long -> Oaky, spicy, fruity with a touch of cocoa on an easy grapey fade.