Tastes
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High West A Midwinter Night's Dram Act 9 (All Scenes)
Rye — (bottled in) Utah, USA
Reviewed March 31, 2022Rich, full nose greets you quickly here...plenty of spice, (wet) wood, some vanilla, dark fruits, and what I perceive as a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg...its unique, warming, and enjoyable. Fresh oak, cinnamon, and plenty of rye spice greet you on the sip, but even though this sounds brash, its actually quite gentle, and oh...so...smooth. Could add that there's some leathery feel, and this tastes like it has some serious age to it...much more than it actually does, which deserves a tip of the cap. Where there are hints of ethanol at the edges of the nose, this comes through with a very long, gradual warming, but never an alcohol burn. The finish on this is truly epic...I could have typed up this entire review and still had bits of flavor lingering on the tongue. Swirl this around...give it a bit of oxygen, admire the long lasting legs on this pour, and appreciate something worth the (MSRP) price of admission!105.0 USD per Bottle -
Light amber colored pour brings a nose full of tropical fruit notes - orange is particularly prevalent to me, but also some hints of peach and pear. Otherwise, a floral bouquet that is lively, along with a non-zero burst of ethanol...this would be easily identified as an Irish if nosing blind, as it is soft at the core, but has some tendrils of boldness on the edges. Flavor is quite different from many other Irish pours...the citrus is present, and there's a general sweetness that coats the palate quickly, but it is a bit brash at points, which is probably why this is a somewhat polarizing pour from what I can gather. Peppery notes, some cinnamon, apricot nectar, and some bourbon-like wood and vanilla are all available, though not always at the same time. Of the bourbon, sherry and port cask aging, the bourbon and sherry are more prevalent than the port, at least to my middle-aged palate. I really enjoy this whiskey...and I'm quite content with the somewhat steep price, but 100% get why this is not the pour for everyone...its a 'bring down from the shelf every few months' type whiskey...as opposed to, say, Redbreast 12...90.0 USD per Bottle
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Deanston Virgin Oak
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed March 13, 2022 (edited April 11, 2022)Nose is grainy and sweet honey - light altogether, but a notable dose of ethanol heat that only comes in an occasional wave was a bit of a surprise at the proof point. However, to be clear, this is an enjoyable nose. Sweet, light citrus flavors dominate this malty pour - I think the big surprise is that the palate is heavier than I would have expected based upon the nose. Minimal oak presence, but what is here is pleasant and complimentary. This makes for a better-than-average pour, particularly for the age (and price point), especially if it is a 2 or 3 finger type of night...30.0 USD per Bottle -
George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon — Indiana, USA
Reviewed March 12, 2022 (edited March 27, 2022)Had this bottle for ages...why not open it and rate it (though I have had the whiskey in the past). Pleasant nose offers a general brown sugary sweetness, a bit of oak, some fruity esters, and a healthy dose of rye-like spice (ok this is a high rye - didn't realize that at first, but I believe it). Light and fruit forward on the palate with a general sweetness, and a very mild barrel presence. Not the most complex pour, but it is, to be fair, quite enjoyable, and easy drinking. Sticker says $29.99, and I'd happily pick up a bottle of this anytime at this price. Better than anticipated!30.0 USD per Bottle -
Working through the list, and pulling down the open bottles first...and was happy to see this gem in the line. Nose is outstanding - inviting and warm, but minimal ethanol to get in the way of a charred oak gem...brown sugar, caramel, baking spices, and some fruit as you dig. Water opens up a bit, but is not needed to enjoy this bottle. Flavor isn't a big surprise, but it still manages to exceed expectations...full bodied, rich caramel, oak, sweet vanilla, and wisps of chocolate. Viscous pour, this drinks every bit of its proof, but the proof doesn't define this whiskey, and that's what makes it great! Got this bottle for a song, and would have happily paid more...55.0 USD per Bottle
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Slip in a 'simpler' pour...have tried the Japanese, Caribbean, and Portuguese versions of the Dewar's "smooth" collection, and this was definitely my favorite. Sweet, grassy nose with wisps of light smoke...some irish-like qualities. Flavor profile is more scotch-like, softened (I presume) by the mizunara oak. Incredibly easy drinking, but admittedly not much to think about here...and sometimes that is the right choice. Some astringency on the backend, but not a detractor... Price, which admittedly was a nice find, earns a bonus tick18.0 USD per Bottle
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Slowly gonna work through my various ECBPs for ratings - tonight I randomly pulled down the A120...didn't look at which one until after I poured the glass, nosed it, and sipped it, and let's just say I wasn't surprised to see this was on the higher end of the proof scale. Nose is vocal...screaming spice and heat, but some subtle youthful fruit notes. Flavor is surprisingly drinkable at proof, though probably not for a newer bourbon sipper, as this would have simply come across as hot in my earlier days. The sweet brown sugar notes were immediately evident, but there's some cinnamon, barrel spice, wood, hints of vanilla, and more fruit. Quite good, but admittedly this is calling for a bit of water to open it up...so here we go... About 4-5 drops of water opens up the nose immensely...not necessarily releasing anything that was previously hidden, but just amps up the vibrancy. Cherry and apple notes are evident. Flavor softens up and makes this more approachable, but the brown sugar, oak, and spice are there...and this is unmistakably EC at the core. A very nice pour, but can also say this is far from the best of the ECBP series...just gotta get to some other rates down the road!60.0 USD per Bottle
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Hooten Young 12 Year American Whiskey (Batch No. 1)
Other Whiskey — Ohio, USA
Reviewed March 6, 2022 (edited December 2, 2022)Nose is sweet, sweet corn, hints of orangey tropical fruits, banana, and more corn. Flavor is unique for me...the corn notes are still prevalent, but there's a sticky sweetness...a cross between caramel and butterscotch, some apple notes, and finishes with an important dose of young wood that levels the playing field. Palate is light on it's feet and a very easy drinker.65.0 USD per Bottle -
Fruity esters, brown (slightly burnt) sugars, vanilla, and mild ethanol dominate the nose. Know some folks have mentioned various berries here and though I'm not able to place individual fruits, the berry sweetness is evident. Gets better with a bit of glass time. Flavor is sweet with a bit of underlying spice - keeps it interesting - along with some oak and fruit. Good stuff that seems to evolve from sip to sip. Palate is full...easy drinking even with a bit of backend heat, and a well-above average length to the finish. An interesting dram that will keep you guessing.80.0 USD per Bottle
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Macallan Double Cask 12 Year
Single Malt — Highland, Scotland
Reviewed March 4, 2022 (edited March 22, 2022)Been a while, so time to settle in and rate and old friend. Very sweet nose with hints of marzipan, light oak, and almost a buttercream frosting - the sherry barrel is in control here. People who don't like scotch would like the nose. Approachable flavor remains sweet, but somewhat dry - some almond/honey notes mimic the nose for me - some other fruits emerge. Pleasant and easy drinking. Not the most complex scotch, but one that never disappoints!60.0 USD per Bottle
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