Tastes

Appearance: Semillon Gold. Beautiful legs that stick to the glass and fall slowly. Nose: [The best part of this whiskey.] To the uninitiated, like myself, a first nosing may bring to mind acrylic paints like those used in elementary art class. But after I was able to move past it, and look deeper and try to break apart what I was really smelling I found several things. Smokey aromatic tendrils carry sweet bread, sea spray, smoked meats, and Kompot out of the glass. There is a nice honey sweetness to it all. Chasing these notes was a thrill, there is a lot going on in the nose. Taste: Cracked black pepper flew in a V formation over my tongue and dropped a smokey napalm of lemon rind on my taste buds. There are saltine crackers, Kompot, blistered shishitos, and a faint malty note. The mouthfeel is very smokey and zesty. Finish: The finish is quick and wet, not oily, but wet (if that is a thing). Not much happens past the mid-palate. More smoke, white grapes when chewing, and a smokey vegetal note between my molars. Faint malt. The front of my tongue still feels like I opened the pepper shaker on the dining room table and left it in there for a bit. This was my first Islay, and is by no means a bad whiskey. There is a lot going on in the nose and I thought this was a fun palate training exercise. The taste and finish just aren’t quite up to the hype. Zesty and smokey. I think I might like this more if I were watching the sea from an old wooden bench on a dock in Scotland. Will drink again. [3/19/22] UPDATE: Ardbeg Uigeadail broke my brain and I WILL have to try this again. So good!!

Beast Masters Barrel Pick - Joie de Beavre 119.5 Proof Appearance: Like Maple Syrup in color. Very thick and viscous legs. Nose: Toasted Rye Bread, dark berries, wine-like, milk chocolate. Taste: So very syrupy. I was blown away at how it rolled across my palate. Chocolate, apricot marmalade, warm rye bread. Subtle spice. Finish: Wonderful. More of the red winey-ness, rye bread, spices, and chocolate. Feel it all over. This stuff is rich. I was generously given a sample of this by a good friend. Thank you LM.

Appearance: The color of raw honey warmed on the kitchen window sill. Great legs. Nose: Tres Leches cake, heavy on the Dulce de Leche. Fragrant red apples. Sweet cherries. Woody. Taste: Incredible. The funnel cake note from the Distiller review is spot on. Big dulce de leche and cherries through the mid palate. Little to no burn at all for the proof, I was even tempted to see how long I could hold it in my mouth or how slow I could move it across my palate. A very full and “fluffy” mouthfeel. Delicious barrel char comes in and out on some sips. Finish: Wowza. This is where GTS shines for me. There is almost the sensation that I drank something or ate something with great umami. I wouldn’t necessarily say this GTS is savory, but there is a savory *feel* to it. Clove is the predominate spice I am picking up, but the woody spiciness is phenomenal and well balanced. Dulce de Leche is the winning note from start to finish. There isn’t much else I could put in to words. Phenomenal stuff. These BTACs just have a quality to them that goes beyond most. 1+1=more than two. This has the “it” factor. I was fortunate to receive a 2oz sample from a generous member of a whiskey group I am a member of. Thank you, KM.

Nose: Overwhelming cherry. Subtle oakiness. Faint smell of rising dough. Taste: Holy toledo! What a treat! No bite whatsoever. Cherry pie filling or cherry syrup. Sopapillas (dough and sweet spices). Palate: I hate using the “S” word to describe a whiskey... but “smooth” is really the best I can do to put in to words the experience I had with this. Not overly complex, but very sweet, and syrupy smooth. You can easily sit with this for long hours. I was generously granted a 2oz sample from a member of a local whiskey group, thank you KM.

Nose: Cherry turnovers. Streusel. Toasting wheat bread. Ethanol is very faint. Woody. Taste: Madagascar vanilla bean (sticky vanilla sweetness), Cherries Jubilee, red fruit jam, and caramel complexity on the mid-palate. Spices throughout. Finish: Sweet oak. Vanilla wafers. Cherry turnover. Faintest coffee note when tipped to look for it. Overall deliciously big and complex. A very filling bourbon. Best wheater I have ever had the privilege sipping. I was granted a 2oz sampling of this from a generous member of a whiskey group online. Thank you KM.

Stagg Jr. - Batch 14 Nose: My first words were, “it’s beautiful”. Cherries and spices lead on the nose. Soft with low ethanol. A sweetness like the filling in a mixed berry pop-tart. Frosted flakes. A *faint* rick house note flashed through in a whiff. My hunch is that this got to know it’s barrel(s) better than most. Taste: Oaky spices lead. Cinnamon toast crunch. Maraschino cherries OR cherry cola!Opening a bag of corn flakes. Figgy. Finish: Maple syrup. Medium-long finish. Syrupy smooth with spice and oak all the way through. There is a warming aspect to the finish in my throat, the beginnings of a Kentucky hug. Sits low in the front of my mouth with subtle tannins. Cherries are still very present, almost a cherry limeade retro-nasal impression. Very faint leather note on the way out. If I had to list the most dominant notes I would highlight the following: * Oak * Robust Cherries * Baking Spices * Corn Flakes De. Lish. Us. All notes above are from a blind tasting. I tasted this blind courtesy of @thechad! Thank you, sir!! Throughout the whole tasting I estimated the ABV to be between 100-110. When revealed what was really in the glass I nearly fell out of my chair. This drinks soooo easy. This is cherry cola, apple pie, and inviting oak. Worth every penny and something everyone should seek to taste let alone own. Incredible stuff.

Neck Pour - Glencairn - Neat 134.2 proof / 67.1% ABV Appearance: Polished Mahogany. Legs are incredibly slow to form. Nose: Carmel custard (Flan), Brown sugar, woody, spices. The ethanol is faint and you can put your nose close to the glass. After letting the glass sit for a while, a subtle note of wet charcoal appears. Taste: Big brown sugar (bordering on dominating), Ceylon cinnamon, very subtle barrel char (or toasted bread), and salted peanuts. Faint banana, like if someone made banana pudding with underripe bananas. Does not drink hot for the ABV. Very drinkable. Finish: With the neck pour, the original mouthfeel was as if I had just eaten an underripe banana. Sweet, but smacky dry, as if just eaten some peanut butter. The underripe banana really shows in the retro-nasal action. There is definitely a nuttiness of sorts on the finish. Like natural peanut butter you find in those hippy dippy grocery stores. Lastly, there is a very faint dill note in the aftertaste. I only caught it once but it wasn’t terrible. Overall: This is a testament to the integrity of barrel proof whiskies. This whiskey is full of bold flavors. Coats the mouth. I felt and tasted it under my upper lip. Very rich. Delicious. Worth a try, if not the purchase of a bottle. The fact that this is so readily available knocks it up a mark or two in my ratings. Great stuff! (This being a neck pour, I may come back with edits and updates to my tastings. I have heard this improves with oxidation.) UPDATE: Oxidation of two weeks has already leant to more complexity in the burnt sugar tastes. The crunchy top on a Creme brûlée comes to mind. More banana nut bread on the palate. Definite nuttiness complexity developing. Peanut brittle. Will buy this bottle again.

Appearance: Like the setting sun reflecting of off polished bronze. Legs are slow to develop. Nose: Subtle notes of peach sun tea, box chocolate cake, cereal, and earthy herbal fragrances hidden under a heavy blanket of cream soda sweetness. Taste: Cinnamon-raisin rye bread uppercuts its way through raw honey and marmelade sweetness. The punch is so fast you don’t have much time to take in the sweetness, but it is so worth it. The rye spice/rye bread dominates within an herbal atmosphere that dries quickly and coats your mouth. Finish: It is quick to finish, but by no means is it a quick finish. The flavors do not disappear, but rather flutter everywhere like fallen leaves in the breeze. The finish more than pleases with a retro-nasal “cherry sours” candy sweetness, fermented cocoa nibs, spices, and mature wood. Dry, but VERY full. Every sip was absolute bliss. Proof is just a number here. No challenge presented by the ABV. I was fortunate to receive a 2oz sample from a generous member of a whiskey group I am a member of. Thank you, KM. An absolute must if fate or fortune provides the opportunity. To date, the best whiskey I have ever tasted.

Nose: Like opening the oven while your favorite cinnamon rolls are baking. An initial wave of heat that rewards you with the smell of sweet baking bread and complex spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove). Some light sweetness and fruit too. You can pretty much smell the rick house this barrel sat in for 12 years. Taste: Same baking cinnamon roll bready profile, with dark, rich maraschino cherries dancing on the mid-palate, and apple fritter. Succulent brown sugar that is ever present. Creme brûlée has been mentioned by other reviewers and I can testify to the accuracy of that description. Finish: The longest finish I have ever experienced with the cozy “Kentucky Hug” in the middle of your chest. ECBP shows its age with mature oak tannins dominant throughout the dram, and especially present in the exquisite finish. This is my fIrst bottle of ECBP. I can see why it is so highly revered. Not the “woodshed experience” I was anticipating for the proof. Delicious stuff. I will buy ECBP any chance I can, and am especially grateful to have come across this extraordinary B520. Get some.

An effervescent orange-creamsicle of a dram with milk chocolate undertones. Classic bourbon profile throughout, and heavy citrus that even tends toward peaches too. Overall incredible value for the money! Tried a dram from a bottle my cousin had. Will eventually add to my collection as a “daily sipper”.