Reviews

Nose: Rich and complex. Brown sugar sweetness with caramel and a little waxy honey. It continues with sweet cherry, strawberry, and raspberry taffy. The sweetness gets balanced out with some great seasoned oak, fresh herbs, and a dash of cocoa powder. Palate: Oily and soft on the tongue with a wonderful progression. The front of the palate is seasoned oak, caramel, and the sweet taffy. As the sip continues into the middle, the waxy honey, herbs, and peppery rye spice swell. The back is reserved for soft oak tannins and bit of bittersweet chocolate and clove. Finish: Lingers fairly long with seasoned oak and barrel char. Summary: An incredibly well made Four Grain Bourbon. Sometimes the rye and wheat can fight each other, but they live in harmony here. The wheat accentuating the sweetness and the rye holding its own. Well worth the price. Can't wait to see what is next in the Sportsman series.

Nose: Initially sweet and citric with orange peel, sweet herbs (mostly basil, fennel, and mint), and maple syrup. A mild white peppery rye spice and clove are deeper in. Palate: Medium viscosity with a beautiful balance between sweet and spicy. Powdered sugar, basil, maple syrup, black pepper, clove, and orange zest quickly layer on top of each other. There's a little bit of dark mint chocolate and seasoned oak when agitating the sip. Finish: Medium length with sweet maple syrup and mild oak tannins. Summary: Using everything as local as possible, from grain to oak, this shows how different a PA Rye is from the 95/5 Rye everyone knows. Definitely one to seek out of you're ever in PA. There's reason it keeps winning awards despite the Distillery being so young.

Nose: Light and sweet for a Rye. Bubblegum, orange peel, and lavender, with light butterscotch, dill, and dash of white pepper. Nothing overpowering. Harmonious. Palate: Despite the low proof, it had a nice velvety mouthfeel. Initially sweet with powdered sugar and toasty grain. It's followed with orange zest and a light floral dill. Peppery spice slowly warms up as the sip progresses, but never becomes too hot or spicy. Finish: On the shorter side. Slightly tannic, but lingers mostly with powdered sugar and orange peel. Summary: A perfect introduction to Rye. Gives you a lot of what makes Rye unique, without the usual punch. Makes a fantastic summer sipper.

Nose: The extended time in the Sherry barrel is immediately apparent with deep notes of prune and raisin. The Pennsylvania Rye quickly follows with peppery rye spice and a generous helping of maple syrup. An assortment of savory herbs and seasoned oak balance out the sweetness very well. Palate: The wonderful harmony continues. Neither the Sherry nor the Rye overpowering the other. Raisins, sultanas, oak, rye spice, cracked white pepper, maple syrup, and a bit of barrel char. There's not a lot of progression here, but the depth more than makes up for it. Finish: A warming rye spice mixed with maple syrup, seasoned oak, and some sultanas gives a long mellow ending to the experience. Summary: This is my first extended finish American Whiskey. We're off to a great start. There's a near perfect 50/50 split between the Sherry and the Rye here. The bottle has the look and the juice to make a great gift for any Rye or Sherried Whiskey lover. $70 is a lot for a bottle nowadays but I believe this is well worth it.

Nose: Very sweet, but also light. Big caramel covered apple with the nuts with cinnamon and clove. There is also a peach cobbler note with a light grassiness. Palate: Soft medium viscosity. Leans onto classic bourbon here. Sweet vanilla and caramel is balanced out by barrel char, barrel spice, and a dusting of cinnamon. There is a little bit of that signature Dickel flavor here. Whether it comes to you as minerality, Flintstones Vitamins, or sweet tarts. For me, it's sweet tarts this time. Finish: Medium in length. Sweet oak tannins and a little barrel char. Summary: $30 for a nice 8 year Bourbon is always welcome. A good one for beginners, but enthusiasts can appreciate it as well. Great daily driver if you like that signature Dickel flavor.

Nose: Sweet honeyed malt and vanilla are front and center. Slightly beyond that the rye shines through with dry savory herbs and grapefruit. Hints of caramel, smoke, and mild barrel spices lie deeper within. Palate: The rye character is much more pronounced here. Peppery rye spice mingles with more herbs, honeyed malt, and a dollop of vanilla custard. Finish: Lingering smoky sweet malt makes a satisfying end. Summary: A unique, yet balanced and consistent blend. Makes a great bridge trying to get some Rye drinkers to appreciate Scotch a little more. Great price and the elevated proof is nice. It really makes me wish the other JW offerings were 90 Proof instead of 80.

Nose: There's a really nice balance between the malt, the grain, and the finish here. The age shows with some dark honeyed, almost musty, malt. The grain shines through with vanilla bean and butterscotch. The finish comes along with fresh picked cranberries, tart cherries, and pomegranate. There is seasoned oak throughout holding everything together. Palate: Soft with a medium viscosity. Sweet vanilla custard topped with cranberries, raspberries, and tart cherries, with butterscotch drizzle. More seasoned oak with barrel spices and baking spices round out the sip. Finish: Lingers for a while with soft oak tannins, vanilla, and barrel spices. Summary: Unmistakably Dewar's at it's heart. The finish doesn't overpower the whiskey, but instead it lends additional depth and complexity. Expertly made. I can't believe this was on clearance for $31.

Nose: A bouquet of sweet and savory herbs. Lemon and lime zest. Orange marmalade. Toasted cereal and rye. Mint dark chocolate. Maple syrup. Rich seasoned oak. A dusting of powdered sugar. Stewed cinnamon apples. The longer it sits, the more it gives. Palate: Very oily and velvety on the tongue. Maple syrup and mint dark chocolate washes over the palate first. Followed by dark rye spice, white peppercorn, and clove. Seasoned oak with soft tannins rounds out the sip. Drinks well under its proof. Finish: Mint dark chocolate, maple syrup, and soft oak tannins linger for quite a while. Summary: Sometimes two whiskies fill in each other's gaps perfectly and forms something truly special. This is exactly what we have here. Easily one of the best two bottles I've ever had. This may not have the age or prestige of some other bottles, it it still a special occasion bottle only to be shared with the closest of people in your life.

Nose: Honey drizzled shortbread cookies, Ripe orchard fruits, like apples and pears, along with a little bit of heather, and hints of barrel spices. Palate: Initially, sweet, rich, creamy, and lots of vanilla. In the same realm as a creme brûlée. The orchard fruits return on the mid to back palate. Holding the sip in your mouth a few extra seconds allows the warm barrel spices to grow, giving the sip an additional layer. Finish: Medium in length with shortbread cookie and warm barrel spices. Summary: Scottish distilleries continue to show why age statements don't matter as much as you think they do. While this is probably on the younger side, the age isn't missed due to the pour being so well executed. Highly recommended.

Nose: Youthful and light, but not off-putting thanks to the casks that were used. Frosted vanilla shortbread cookie. Sweet Sherry with orange and overripe apples. Palate: Thin viscosity, but a little deeper and darker than you'd expect. Rich barrel spices, stewed apples, and a touch of toffee. Finish: Short with a touch of Sherry and Barrel spices. Summary: If you aren't sure about Irish Whiskey, this is a good place to start. Cheap, but still good and an easy crowd pleaser. At the time of reviewing, I've seen this on clearance at multiple places for $5 a bottle.