Tastes

131.0 Proof 65.5%ABV - Bottled 9.13.19 My second bottle of JDSBBP. This gold label will be a permanent resident on my shelf. Nose: Maple syrup, warm caramel sauce, A bushel of plantains, and the little burnt kernels at the bottom of your popcorn bag. Taste: More of the same from the nosing but with a scoop of brown sugar and more oak. I have heard that Jack Daniel’s doesn’t keep anything more than 6 years old on site, so the oak is there but definitely not overpowering, but a beautiful touch. The first bottle of this I had was pure peanut brittle, but this one is showing a bit more candied pecans. Finish: Leaves your mouth *feeling* like you just ate a banana. All of the dark sugary goodness, subtle wood spice, and on the exhale some baker’s chocolate chocolate shows up. This. Bottle. Is. A. Must. Buy.

Appearance: Rustic amber brown. Run of the mill legs. Nose: Baked vanilla custard, wood, sweet mint. Taste: Rich and spicy. At the core there is a delicious vanilla richness surrounded by dried citrus, and rye spices. Woody finish, but not over oaked. You can taste some of the age WT is blending in to this. Finish: Wonderful finish. Warm, and reminiscent of all the wonderful things tasted in this juice. Overall: A phenomenal bottle for less than $50. Will buy again! Try it and buy it!! WT anything is hard to beat.

Not for sipping. I went in and was told this was a rye. This must be made with cocktails in mind. I was at a party when I sipped this. I have not been able to get the taste out of my mouth and it has spoiled my appetite for whiskey in general for the time being. Again. My experience is probably standalone and unique, and I am a whiskey guy, but for me, I wont touch this with a 10 foot pole.

Musty funk, sweetness, assorted fresh fruit box from local grocery store. The taste and finish present grape runts, spices, vanilla effervescence. Definitely worth a try, but I wont be purchasing a full bottle of this anytime soon while WT101, Knob Creek 9, and other bangers still sit on the shelf at retail prices.

Dried red apple crisps dusted with cinnamon from start to finish. Light and easy sipping. Quality dram. Not worth the hype IMO. Buy some WT101 or Woodford Double oak if you cant find this at retail.

Rich rich caramel, bing cherries, chocolate nougat, slight oak, mouth coating sweetness, warm finish, caramel goodness. An incredible whiskey!! Lucky to have tried GTS.

Appearance: Ruddy brown. Thicc oily legs that coat the glass and then fall slowly. Typical for JD Single Barrel Barrel Proofs. Nose: Maple syrup over fresh banana rye bread. You can smell subtle rye spices, but the sweetness of this nose is mesmerizing. Very faint pecan nuttiness, cocoa powder, and raw sugar. Taste: An initially sweeter rye than most. A quick flash of toasted rye bread sweeps low across the tongue, followed by a rising rye spice buzz. Everything then cools with a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream. There is also a very sweet end to it that is hard to pin down... bubblegum? Cocoa powder closes. Finish: Sweet, a bit snappy like the gold label JDSBBP. That “I just ate a green banana” mouthfeel. A sweet rye for sure. Succulent through and through with plenty of notes to chase. Retro nasal presents dried fruits, golden raisins and fig. Maple syrup. Overall: A fantastic rye!! I am glad to have found a bottle of this stuff. I will whip it out on cold nights, or share with others who are looking for a one-of-a-kind rye! Delicious!

Effervescent ripe banana, rye spice, and grainy complexity. Truly enjoyable!!

Balmorhea - 2020 Release Appearance: The deepest hue of mahogany/brown I have ever seen in a whiskey. Dark brown. Darker than most maple syrups I have enjoyed and nearly as thick. Texas has treated this spirit well. This is an oily one. This stuff is aesthetically succulent. Nose: The succulence continues. Werther’s Caramel candies, rising dough, cinnamon, and Luxardo cherries slowly roll around in the glass. Faint ethanol from the hefty proof. Taste: What!?? The notes from the nosing are just as present in the taste but with the added characteristic of a fruit cocktail. I have never tasted pineapple in a whiskey, but on the finish (and with the retro-nasal action) there is a pineapple/fruit punch sweetness. Deep sweets like caramel and maple syrup are the most dominant, followed by cherries and wood tannins and spices, and then a surprising fruit cocktail quality that works beautifully with it all. Oily, rich, deep, and sweet. So incredibly delicious. Finish: Not necessarily a one-dimensional profile, because there is a lot going on in the glass, but the dominant flavors are present from start to finish. Caramel candies, maple syrup, Luxardo cherries, spices, robust woodiness with a little mustiness, and that awesome accent of a fruit cocktail. All in all this is a phenomenal whiskey. I would even venture to throw it out against the BTACs. I know it is pricey, but I would be tempted to shell out the money for this if I saw it... almost. If you had it in your budget and came across a Balmorhea, I would recommend picking one up. I wouldn’t spend more than $200, though. Phenomenal stuff. This only further amplifies my pride in being a Texan. I am grateful to have tried a sample from a good friend. Thanks, LM.

Appearance: A pale hue of rich amber. Very viscous legs. Nose: Thin mints, caramel sauce, delicious dill (which is fascinating), and spices. Taste: My taste buds did “the wave” to the roaring cheer of rye spice. The rye spice sits on the perfect center of my tongue, afterwards. Once settled, there is brown sugar, barrel char, rye grain (not necessarily rye bread), and more spices. Cinnamon, oak, and faint old-fashioned root beer bow out on this dazzling performance. Finish: The feel of this rye rushes across the front of my palate, perches on the middle, rests there for a bit, and then slowly rolls down the back of my throat. Rye spice through and through, but there is much complexity throughout. Milk chocolate (like Kisses candies), candied grapefruit, malty funk (in a good way), and cinnamon stick. After a long while a faint nuttiness appears. Overall: A very delicious dram. Incredible rye with some bourbon attributes. Spicy, complex, and commanding. Delicious stuff. I was graciously given a 2oz sampling of this by a good friend. Thank you, LM.