Tastes

Managed to find this at an unsuspecting bar and got a huge glass of it. Ordered a double and got a quadruple lol What I really liked about this was that it seemed to represent a balance among the many things bourbon enthusiasts look for. It’s a 10 year but the oak bite doesn’t kill you. The flavor is strong enough and complex enough for you to ponder over, but you can easily relax with it too if you want. Super enjoyable. As for what the actual flavors were, this barrel trended towards roasted peanuts, vanilla, and a bit of a rye herbal note. Zero fruit notes and surprisingly little caramel. Not my favorite selection of flavors if I’m being honest, but the quality of the product can’t be denied. Probably worth the gamble if you can find a bottle.

Tastes like a less insane version of Rip Van Winkle 10, which works in its favor, as the oak bite isn’t trying to rip out your tongue. Lots of maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla. Taste is less sweet than the nose, and has an odd black tea note like the Van Winkle. All around pleasant stuff, but of course not enough to warrant the rarity or the price. Still quite nice though.

Store pick. A world apart from the barrel proof version, which I find oppressive. The main flavor here (take a guess) is caramel, with an orangey note mixed in, which gives it some acidic brightness. Medium char, a little cinnamon, and just a bit of a floral/ethanol punch to keep you awake. Mysteriously absent are vanilla and cherry, in an otherwise typical bourbon, but I’m not missing them too much. This won’t blow your mind, but if you’re just looking for some good everyday bourbon-ass bourbon, this is not a bad choice at all. There are basically no flaws to speak of, which is really nice for a $30 bourbon. You can pay a lot more for a lot less.

Very bright and sweet and friendly, with no mustiness weighing it down like you might get in a speyside. The flavor is a backbone of grains, honey, and maple syrup, but if you swirl it around in your mouth, you’ll taste just about every fruit in existence bouncing in and out of the flavor profile. There’s also a notable bit of black peppery earthiness to offset the sweetness. Bonus guest review from my friend: “This is what I imagine scotch would taste like if I liked scotch.” Take that how you will.

Can’t say I’m a fan. Very very young, bright, shiny, and alcoholic tasting (at a weak 40%). Not totally awful by itself, but it’s begging to be touched up in some way, whether that’s ice or being mixed into a cocktail. Once you do that then it tastes fine. Regardless, I could never get the flavor to be all that interesting.

Not your typical bourbon. Smells a bit like chemicals, but thankfully that goes away on the taste. VERY light flavor, with a bit of woody bite in the back. It’s kind of impressive how bad this doesn’t taste considering how young it must be. It’s fine in a pinch (which I’m currently in, thanks Covid), but I wouldn’t even want to use it in cocktails, because there’s just no backbone to it.

My snobbiness has kept me from trying this out for a while, but hey, it’s pretty good. There’s a weird mix of disappointment/relief whenever you find that a classic well known bourbon actually is good and worth the price. As for the taste: pretty straightforward, just some barrel char and lots of sweetness in the form of cherry, vanilla, and caramel. Not very spicy (no rye) and no astringency at all. The only unpleasant note is a slight medicinal quality that dissipates with a few minutes. Would make a good daily drinker for sure.