Tastes
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J.T.S. Brown Bottled In Bond
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed January 5, 2023 (edited September 15, 2023)I'll provide this brief review twice. This whiskey noses very grainy and lacks notable complexity with some stale wood notes. Flavor is sweet with notes of caramel and a circus peanut vibe. Short finish. Ok, round two - this is one of the best values you will find. No, it isn't complex, and it doesn't belong on the top shelf, but there are no true off flavors (the wood thing does kind of get me on the nose...it isn't a pleasant oak), but there is enough depth to the flavor, hints of vanilla if you dig a bit, and almost a bit of mint at the tail end. This is, with little doubt, the best "lowest shelf" whiskey I've had, and something I would always willingly drink, esp given the BiB stamp!13.0 USD per Bottle -
Batch 1a - Picked up at the distillery in Nov 2021...Nose is a bit tight, but a grassy rye spice is there...water helps a skosh and brings out some baking spices and some vanilla/caramel, but it remains relatively light, and left me wanting a bit more. Flavor is notably better (and pretty damn good) with a full rye profile - plenty of spice, earl grey tea, and more vanilla up front than I might have expected. An easy sipper with or without water, this is nice and warming with a more-than-respectable finish. I really enjoy this pour...just feel like its holding itself back a bit, even with some shelf time...but at the same time I would happily buy this again80.0 USD per Bottle
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Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond 17 Year (Spring 2022)
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed December 27, 2022 (edited November 3, 2023)(Short Note) - A truly sublime pour...the nose is glorious, but pales in comparison to the taste, which is fruity and sweet, but balanced with an amazing level of barrel complexity for something at this age. This bottle is not on my shelf, but on a friend's about a half mile away, and I feel compelled to offer my services to house sit for their next vacation. Top ten, likely top five, and possibly top 2 or 3 whiskey I've ever sipped. I'll give it a 5...there's only so many that can be better! -
Ok, still cold, let's rate another. Nose screams rye - spicy, grassy, piney...simply 'outdoorsy'. Get plenty of mint as well...and water doesn't really do much either way, but I would add that the nose on this, poured neat, is supremely approachable, considering this is pushing 120 proof. Flavor is quite bold...still a lot of grassy rye notes, an herbal tea quality, but a notable, yet underlying sweetness that keeps this interesting. Not a challenging sip in terms of either complexity or heat (surprising lack of heat on this pour for the ABV). I find this to be a very nice value pour at $50/bottle...50.0 USD per Bottle
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Full details - Rackhouse #1, Batch 2, dumped 11/23/21, and 116 Proof...nose is light (as is the body) - corn and a nutty note emerge quickly giving me a feel of a light whiskey, but a few deeper inhalations produces more of the rye spice...including some grassiness and lemony citrus, and there's surely some ethanol at the backend. Interesting...I can see how this could be polarizing (and, to be honest, confusing), but its unique at any rate. Flavor starts off a bit on the hot side of the spectrum - definitely some cinnamon, before some of the spice and citrus emerge. While a bit of water doesn't do much to change the profile, a bit of glass time brings out a bit more on the palate. So, this is on the sweeter end of the spectrum for rye whiskey pours, and admittedly it does feel a bit youthful at times, so I understand a bit of the criticism. A touch of oak at the initial sip, but it fades quickly, and the finish isn't particuarly long, which is a bit surprising for the proof. I've warmed up to this pour over time, appreciating the unique qualities, but recognize that it isn't the best value pour on the market right now. Now, I've nipped the KY Sweet Mash, and look forward to rating that down the road...70.0 USD per Bottle
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Ok, its cold out...time to pull down some dusties and see if I can get in a few ratings before the end of 2022...considering I have five of these LBP bottles on the shelf, and have rated zero, let's get cracking. A121...which I purchased somewhat reluctantly as I have not been a huge fan of Larceny 'standard', was a pleasant surprise. The nose needs a bit of glass time, and water does some wonders, as the ethanol is quite intense, even for the proof. A bit of patience and dihydrogen monoxide brings out some bold fruit notes (orange seems to be the most dominant for me), spice, and some pretty bold oak. The flavor is kind of muted at first with a lot of oak and almost a sawdust like quality...some cereal/oatmeal feel, but the water also helped a lot here. Orange and vanilla come through quickly after a few drops, though the wood remains present. More caramel starts to emerge as well. Having enjoyed 3 of the 5 bottles, I can say this is my least favorite thus far, but was still good enough to continue to buy future renditions when I saw them at MSRP. A great value bottle (assuming no gouging)...solid pour for those cold, early winter nights!55.0 USD per Bottle
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Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed July 26, 2022 (edited August 26, 2022)Admittedly bought this to have on the shelf (at a reasonable price), having sipped it a few times before and always leaving satisfied, but not particularly impressed. Nose is standard...plenty of vanilla and brown sugar, barrel presence is notable...almost leathery. Flavor has some citrus notes, an ever-presence dryness (yet sweet throughout the sip), and herbal tea notes. It is good...but I just feel like there's a bunch of tentacles that never really come together... Let's be fair, its a good bourbon for the price, but stay away from secondary prices. Many of the rye-forward Willett products are more interesting/have greater depth.38.0 USD per Bottle -
As usual, go months without rating, but get at least two in when the time comes around. Dusty nose...has an aged feel...loads of oak and vanilla, and a hint of sweet raisin. There is a ton of wood on the nose...queue the jokes...but this is a completely different pour than the 12 year that I'm accustomed to. Flavor is oak forward...a general dryness, with notes of clove, dark chocolate, and vanilla on the edges. Easy sipper for the age, I didn't love this at first sip, but I have warmed to it over time90.0 USD per Bottle
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Hot damn / Holy shit... Mind you, this isn't the first time I've poured this, and this rating is meant to synthesize both my knee jerk feelings on the dram as well as my considerations with time. Beautiful. If allowed three syllables to describe this whiskey, it would be an easy task. Beautiful. Only two you say? Complex. Feeling generous and giving me four? Chameleon. Sweet, mildly peaty, smoky, fruity, sherry-filled, nutty...it just goes in a different direction each time I swirl the glass or take a nip. Regardless, it is an incredibly smooth pour, and is, I hate to say, grossly underpriced for what this offers. I don't pull this down often, because it actually taxes my senses, but the ride is always worth the price of admission. On a more traditional rating vibe, there really is a lot going on. If I get to brass tacks, there's a contrast between sweet and smoke/peat that wavers back and forth. Some cinnamon-like spice (nutmeg / banana bread?) kick in, and there's definitely some almond/hazelnut-like notes that come in mid-sip. Easy drinking, but has some ethanol on the backend. Wow...one of the best pours I've had, even if it doesn't come off the top shelf often.70.0 USD per Bottle
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Few prior tastes, and finally pulled the trigger on this truly unique bottle. Nose is a boozy tropical paradise, blended with a boatload of rye spice...a few drops of water really opens things up, and allows the fruit to shine even more...great entry here. However, the gem of this pour is the flavor - vibrant on the palate, and absurdly complex, and I seem to pick up something new each sip. Orangey apricoty peachy up front before the rum barrel influence takes the wheel for a few moments. Brown sugar, hints of maple, some oak, and an overall intense, but not-at-all offensive sweetness finish things off. Moderate length finish has a bit of heat, but this is super easy to drink neat. Water allows a bit more vanilla to shine for me, and this is definitely better at room temp than on a bit of ice. On the viscous end of the spectrum, but not syrupy per se. There is nothing I've had quite like this pour...and its damn good from start to finish.75.0 USD per Bottle
Results 21-30 of 85 Reviews