Tastes

Nose: Maple syrup, Arnold Palmer effervescence, mixed berry jam, rye bread dough, wood polish, and youthful grain. Taste: Bright light lemon, oak tannins, full mouthfeel, Swedish Fish, drying spices. Finish: Spices, lemon, oak, oversteeped black tea, full mouthfeel but short finish. Swedish Fish again! Fun! Overall: I think the youth of this spirit is the greatest detractor from the overall experience. It tastes full of potential. Looking forward to great things from this distillery. I purchased this bottle after having tasted a buddy’s store pick which initially blew my socks off. If you purchase this in the immediate, I would recommend buying a special pick rather than the standard bottling. Good things are coming for Catoctin Creek.

Benchmark Full Proof (125 Proof) [Neck Pour] Screw Top: I had a hard time getting this sucker opened. The lack of perforation made things harder than they should have been. I am usually fan of screw tops, but this one was definitely cheap. The lid is there. Rests atop the bottle with an apathy beyond that of most nihilistic 19 year olds. ISO cork. Nose: Very Buffalo Trace. Smells like EHT Small batch with more sweet caramel, and way more ethanol. Cherries, werthers caramel chews, and oak. I was surprised at the nose. Woah just came back and nosed it after 5 or so minutes and it is very caramely (and doughy?) Taste: Full caramel! Oily cherry entrance. High heat. Very sweet and sugary. Not very complex and a little rowdy, pretty thin, but fun nonetheless. Finish: Quicker to finish than most, but although hasty in its exit, it is intentional with the Kentucky Hug it leaves behind. This is where the price point shows, but it really isnt terrible. This has me all over the place. Disappointing lid. Incredible nose. Sweet palate. Short finish, but long hug. For the price, I rate it 3.75. Gonna give it more O2 and see how it develops. Delicious treat from BT. All in all incredibly high VFM. FOR THE MONEY: This is a great time for anyone who loves high proof whaskey. Just buy this and enjoy it for what it is; barrel proof BT for under $20!

Appearance: Ruddy amber. Nice legs that take a moment to form. Nose: I spent a while trying to work this out this nose as it was one of the most delicious noses I have had the pleasure smelling in a long time. The first thing I noticed was an “almond joy” type nose. Coconut chips drizzled in caramel, milk chocolate, and dusty almond. There is cinnamon stick and a typical bourbon cherry note. And an oak presence is noticed as well. I can tell this is proofy by the amount of heat rising out of the glass. Taste: Starts out sooo smooth and then builds in to a lively hotness. Cocoa nibs, cinnamon, and graham crackers are the most prominent flavors hanging-ten on the heat wave blowing across my tongue. There is an interesting metallic note that flashes as the wave peaks, I wonder if it is a result of (what I assume) is limestone water used in distillation?? Finish: The finishes lingers but is probably overridden by the heat wave that subsides on the palate prior, so the finish feels shorter. The finish is a bit dry with roasted nuttiness. Overall: Very dense flavors to pick apart. Proofy, but not overpowering. Succulent nose and an exciting palate. If the finish was as thrilling as the start I would not hesitate ranking it 4-4.25. But this is a solid 3.75, nonetheless. Delicious stuff!! I was generously given a 2oz sample from @TravHernandez to taste blind. I thoroughly enjoyed picking this apart with no context. Thank you, sir!

Nose: Black tea, cinnamon stick, cherry sours, slight cocoa covered almonds and banana chips. Taste: Spicy fruity pebbles, woah! Way more dynamic on the palate. The proof is noticeable for sure, but flavors fly out like quail up from the tall grass on a hunt. Cherries again, and chocolate. Oakiness for sure, but not indicative of the age. Is this double oaked? There is something that reminds me of Woodford DO or GB Balmorhea. Plenty of warming spices that round things out. The burnt edges of corn bread? Finish: Very pleased with how long the finish lasts. I would want this on a cool fall evening or camping trip. It isn’t cloyingly rich, but spicy and dynamic. The initial Distiller review lowered my expectations, but the sample @TravHernandez generously gave me sure did impress! If this is at MSRP and you are looking for something new to explore, I would definitely recommend. Solid 4/5 in my book. Maybe higher depending on the day. Great stuff.

Appearance: A pale gold, slightly bronze. Nice legs. Nose: Pancakes covered in syrup, Mandarin Orange fruit cup, subtle cherry and oak, and wafts of Monkey Bread. Taste: Runny maple syrup, mandarin oranges carry over on a fresh honey-bun yeastiness. There is also a nutty note more prominent in the taste, like unsalted peanuts. Cherries. Nice spices round out and warm the palate. Finish: Not too long, but very enjoyable. Very much like the remaining syrup in your fruit cup as a kid. Nice oak lingers as a testament to the age. Overall a very complex dram for 90 proof, not too thick or attention grabbing, but enjoyable nonetheless. Is it worth the secondary prices? Heck no. Is it worth the ~$30 MSRP if you can find it? Heck yes. Enjoying this on father’s day 2021. #DAD

Incredible integrity. For a low-mid shelf bourbon, this expression from Heaven Hill delivers everything you could want in a bourbon. A “Bourbon’s Bourbon”. In the nosing and on the palate there are black cherries, caramel sauce, worn wood, and fuji apples. On the tongue it was full-feeling and never tasted watered down. Many reviews of higher proof whiskies (of which I enjoy most) mention how well they “drink below their proof”, but I say Elijah Craig Small Batch drinks “above” its proof, in that it delivers an experience full of quentessential flavor from start to finish. Some of the best whiskey below 100 proof in my opinion. My thanks to @TravHernandez for the sample!!

Garrison Brothers - Balmorhea 2021 Neck Pour Glencairn - Neat Appearance: Oversteeped black tea. Veryyy dark brown. Very viscous. Aunt Jemima vibez. The thicc legs fall in slow motion. Nose: Dense boozy cherry. Old musty wood, bordering on antique shop. Very prominent funky rising dough smell (in the best way). Very succulent. Taste: Homemade caramel sauce. Oaky oaky oaky, but sooo good! Dense flavors are everywhere. A dusting of cocoa powder (like I tucked some in my gums). A flavor like the cherries in your mixed fruit cup in elementary school, essence of pineapple nearby. Finish: Sizzling oak, rich brûléed sugars (roasted marshmallows). Cherries reach back up on the exhale along with funky yeasty rolls as well. My wife surprised me with a bottle of this for my birthday. What a woman!!! ♥️ Overall this is incredible whiskey. I have tried the 2020 Balmo and now the 2021 and am a Garrison Brothers fan! Proud to be a Texan [This is a neckpour and I will update over time.]

Really great easy sipper!! A must try/buy for your “everyday dram”. Nose: Cinnamon candies (more sweet than spice), and white bread (Wonderbread to be specific). Palate: Pure Ceylon Cinnamon, Oolong Black tea, and corn syrup. Subtle orange citrus. Finish: More of the cinnamon and black tea, and that sour mash tang. There is cinnamon from start to finish, but it isnt necessarily super spicy. Very sweet and buoyed by other unique flavors. I have never tasted such prominent Black/Oolong tea in a whiskey and was very surprised. This is a great “everyday dram” and is worth the money in my opinion. This isnt the most complicated, but what it delivers is unique and interesting. Again, easy to get into and excited about without it stealing the show. If you want a change in your usual line-up, sub this guy in for your everyday.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Neck Pour Nose: Chilled maple syrup, lemon frosting, and all of the components of a snickers bar. Subtle cherry. Palate: This is comparable to the classic ‘dots race’ at a baseball game. The runners are vanilla simple syrup, balanced oak, classic cherry, and warm brown sugar. Each flavor jockies for position, vanilla leads for a bit, oak is there, cherry now speeds ahead a bit, brown sugar looks to lead but falls again to balanced oak. For a moment milk chocolate almost got away with streaking across the field but was caught by security before going too far at all. My taste buds were dazzled by it all. Good old-fashioned fun! Finish: Sweet oak, maple syrup, and cherries hang around patting each other on the back. Sweet, easy, dark, and refreshing finish. The oak is so perfectly balanced and presented in this Woodford expression. Sweet, oaky, dark chilled maple syrup, milk chocolate, and cherries. I get very little rye spice (which I appreciate!!). This is an incredibly delicious easy sipper. I am reviewing this in March ‘21 as baseball season approaches and have no doubt this will be in my hand through the ball games I am able to watch. Was generously gifted a bottle of this from @TravHernandez. Thanks, man!!

Michter’s 10 2020 Release Neck pour Appearance: Light amber. Pale bronze. Wavy legs form and fall in synchronization. Nose: A dusty barrel full of salted peanuts, dried peaches, trail mix, cherry blossoms, and chewy caramel candies. This really has one of the most intricate noses I have ever experienced. Taste: Immediate honeyed oak, cherries, and musty funk. There are other orchard fruits mixed in as well. The musty nuttiness in this makes me want to believe the rumors that this is sourced from Heaven Hill. Maybe Beam? Finish: By no means dry or drying. Juicy sips across the lips from start to finish. Complexity abounds. Dried stone fruit pops (maybe even some banana??) out on the exhale, and I keep rubbing my tongue across the roof of my mouth trying to catch the last few traces of that dusty nutty barrel. *Almost* all of the integrity of flavor you get in a barrel proof, but without the intensity of the ABV or Kentucky hug. Delicious stuff. Can’t wait to see how it changes with oxygen. Docked in rating for price and availability. While this is still fantastic, I wouldnt pay retail for it if I saw it again. A friend of mine was incredibly generous to me so I did not have to pay as much. Very grateful! 3/20/22 UPDATE: I really do not find myself seeking this bottle out over time and have considered giving it away or trading it somehow. Dropping to 3.75.