Tastes

If memory serves me right, this was the second sipper rye I ever purchased. It’s been too long since I’ve had one of these—my last bottle before this predates my review-writing days. It’s a foundational whiskey in my journey and one that got me into the rye genre—it’s about time I get around to a formal review. Nose: Vanilla and pistachio. Rye spice. Brown sugar. Toasted almond. Plenty of clove, nutmeg and black pepper. Leather. A touch of lemon citrus. Cotton candy and bubblegum. Irish soda bread. Palate: More of rather vanilla and pistachio. Dill. Black licorice. Big time Cinnamon Apple Jack’s note. Irish soda bread. Caramel. Cacao, pecan, almond, walnut. More of the black pepper and lemon citrus. Clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Gala Apple, vanilla, and caramel. Black pepper and some cocoa. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Pistachio. Dill. Plenty of oak. Lemon citrus. Irish soda bread. Moderate length. This is as good as I remember. It’s a great introductory rye but can keep an experienced sipper entertained. It’s a fairly standard rye profile, beautifully executed. Personally, this edges out the bourbon for my favorite entry-level Michter’s expression—which is an excellent core range. As far as value goes, this hits the mark. At $48, this is well worth the price of admission. It’s a very modest increase from a paid almost a decade ago, almost $1/yr exactly, which is very meaningful when you’re talking value. I’ve got this at a 3.75 boosted to 4/5 with consideration to VFM. Great stuff.

Balcones has been on my list for a long time. There wasn’t any particular expression that was a greater priority than the rest—I just like the bottles and found it to be an intriguing. Took almost a decade after discovering them to actually get a bottle, but we can’t just buy everything that we see, can we? Looking forward to this one,and, in doing so, I’m reviewing my first Texas whiskey as well. Let’s check it out. Nose: A little sickly sweet out of the gate. Beyond that is a nice mint chocolate note—as well as rich dark chocolate. Cranberry/craisin and dried apricot. Flax seed. Root beer. Almond, macadamia, and hazelnut. Sugar cookie. Clove and nutmeg. White pepper. Palate: The mint and dark chocolate combo is strong here as well, along with vanilla and caramel. Raspberry Valentine’s chocolate as well. Black licorice and salt water taffy. Brown sugar. Almond and pecan. Plenty of oak. Ginger snap. Cornbread. Finish: Heavy flaxseed. Dried apricot. Raspberry Valentine’s chocolate again. Brown sugar and caramel. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Cornbread. Heavy cinnamon, white pepper, oak. Moderate-long finish. I really didn’t enjoy this one all too much on the first couple tastings. And now that I’ve given it some time to go through oxidation and really dug into it, I think this is awesome. It really opened up, and until I try some more Texas-based—or maybe other Western states—distillery—I really couldn’t compare this to anything else. Looking back over these notes, this really is an eclectic profile. Dry, dark, and oak-driven. And notes are just notes. One whiskey with the same notes an another may be infinitely more interesting than another—this leans toward the former. It’s a profile that isn’t inherently compelling, but everything comes together extremely nicely with this one. At $39, this was an absolute steal. A 100-proof, quality heavy hitter shy of $40? These are absolute rarity today. This is a phenomenal effort from Balcones. I need to start doing some research because I’m definitely getting another bottle from these guys. 4.5/5 after VFM boost.

5 years ago I probably wouldn’t have hesitated to call Jim Beam the premier bang for buck distillery in the US. There were a couple other contenders even then, but I think the variety of options and the cost of entry stood out most with JB. Their quality hasn’t declined in my opinion, but the prices have jumped. Enter Wild Turkey. It’s one of the other contenders I had considered at the time, and probably the only one on that short list that has seen only a modest price hike in that time. So what better way to herald the era of the new US VFM king than to try to finally review its most budget-friendly offering of all? This is the old label pictured, meaning it’s a slightly older bottling at the time I’m writing this. Nose: Heavy on the ginger and peppercorn. Black pepper and pipe smoke. Sawdust. Cocoa. Vanilla and orange citrus. Gala apple. Caramel and brown sugar. Palate: There’s some ginger, but more muted than on the nose. A bit of orange citrus. Vanilla and toffee. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Gala apple and raisin. Apricot. Some dill and rye spice. Finish: More ginger and peppercorn. Gala apple and caramel. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper. Dill and rye spice. Some apricot and peach. Moderate to short length. Wild Turkey 101 is probably the closest expression to this one across the board in terms of comparability. I must admit, as the internet experts will tell, that is clearly the superior budget option here. But this is fine. Relatively innocuous but also a lot less memorable than its higher-proof counterpart. There is a direct correlation there. This bottle cost a mere $24. It’s one of the cheapest you can find that makes for an acceptable supper. The VFM is there—by a mile. It’s a 3.25 boosted to a 3.5 for VFM. That is pretty damn good for a bottom shelf offering. Hats off the value king, WT.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Dewars 12. It was a substantially better experience than the White Label for a very minimal price bump. I jumped over the 15 for this one—for no reason at all. It’s a odd that I would skip and I’m not sure what my rationale was when I purchased this. But smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. Nose: Butterscotch, honey, toffee, and vanilla. Pear and apricot. Golden raisin. Some of the soapy notes I often get in blends. Sugar cookie. Almond and walnut. Cinnamon and white pepper. Palate: Apple, pear, golden raisin raisin, and a heavy apricot note. Heaps of cereal grain. Some milk chocolate, vanilla, and toffee. Almond is prominent, along with walnut. Honey. Coconut flakes. Butterscotch in heaps. Apple cider. Sugar cookie. Finish: Apple, pear, apricot. Golden raisin and some green grape. A bit of apple cider. Light cinnamon and white pepper. Moderate to short length. We’re not re-inventing the wheel. This is an amazingly easy-drinker. It’s the oldest blend I’ve reviewed to date, and the pronounced rough edges I get from blended Scotch are blunted to the point that they present as notes as opposed to the crux of the profile. You just get a subtle reminder from time to time that it’s a blend. But it’s really quite pleasant. At the same time, it isn’t all that interesting. There were plenty of notes, and I’m not calling it non-descript, but it’s definitely generic and walks a well-traveled path. At $75, it’s still a hell of a volume for the significant age statement. The 40% ABV is what kills it here. I understand that this is budget juice, but if you’re going to through the trouble of aging it for almost two decades, what is a slight kick in ABV really going to do to their bottom line? Probably more than Bacardi would stand to lose, but even a slight increase would allow this to develop into something a little more impactful. 3.25/5.

So this is essentially an 8-year from Calumet after their rebrand. Not too sure what to expect, but it’s my first go at the revamped line. Lets check it out. Nose: Caramel and honey. Butterscotch and brown sugar. Flinstone vitamins. Almond. Raisin. Cola. Cinnamon AppleJacks. Welsh’s White Grape Juice. Nutmeg, clove, and black pepper. Some background rye, cocoa, black tea. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, and nougat. Toffee. Heavy on corn. Some of those chalky, vitamin notes. Huge butterscotch and brown sugar notes. Some sawdust and a tingle of rye spice. Finish: Pistacchio and oak. Wintergreen. Mint chocolate. Raisin, fig, date. Cinnamon Apple Jack’s. Caramel and vanilla. Light heat and oak. Moderate-short. I’ve never really seen a distillery actively advertise two separate age statements as prominently as this. Sure, I’ve had some Little Book batches where the 6-part component breakdown includes all of the individual ages, but never one like this, where they really leave up to your imagination with so little context. My verdict? I’d say the 8 is more heavily represented despite not getting top-billing on the label. Not that this tastes overtly green. 8 years is actually a respectable age statement for a bourbon—you’ll often see lower numbers boasted about on the label. This initially feels like a corn dominant bourbon, but the rye pokes its way in there from time to time in the form of these spicy and cocoa notes. It’s by no means revolutionary but it embodies a classic bourbon profile, done quite well here, and offers solid value, especially considering its age statement(s.) 3.75/5.

This is my second Pinhook rye, the first being Bourbon-n-Rye. That one was a solid effort. Didn’t blow me away by any means, but was good enough to earn repeat business half a decade later. I actually had a pour of this from a friend years ago and made a note of getting one for myself. Here we are. Nose: Caramel and vanilla. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Cinnamon Apple Jack’s. Black licorice. Maybe a little black cherry in there. A little oil in there. Pistachio. Again. Very light. Palate: Vanilla and toffee. Big on the black pepper and pipe smoke. Gala apple/Cinnamon Apple Jack. Leaning toward the former. Rye and dill are strong here. Black licorice. Soda bread. Lemon citrus. A bit of sawdust. Finish: Heavy on the black pepper and cinnamon. Rye spice. Clove and nutmeg. Rye and dill. A bit of pipe smoke and cocoa. Another solid effort from Castle & Key. There’s absolutely nothing groundbreaking here. Personally, it’s a bit mild for me as far as profile goes. But the notes I pick up are quite enjoyable. And the VFM is unreal. $28 for a 48.5% rye whiskey? That takes this up from a 3.5/5 to a 3.75. Well done.

Batch 4/510 It’s been too long since I revisited one of these batches. This appears to be a 15 year old version. Same concept—basic Lagavulin finished in PX sherry. It’s a fantastic combo and one I really enjoyed on my first go almost a decade ago. Nose: Peat smoke, iodine, sea salt and brine, seaweed, vanilla, and sherry sweetness. Ash. Raspberry. Dark chocolate. Black currant. Caramel and salt water taffy. Lemon and ruby red grapefruit. Honeydew and cantaloupe. Cinnamon and black pepper. Oak. Some mint as well. Cashew and almond. Some hookah and some barrel smoke. Palate: Peat smoke, vanilla, coffee, rich dark chocolate, raspberry, hazelnut sea salt, seaweed, and dry, dark fruits. Black currant. The sherry cask influence is strong here. Plum, raisin, cranberry. Chewy caramel and toffee. Ballpark pretzel and a touch of hookah smoke. At the same time, the smoke and peat seem toned down a bit as compared to the 16. It's a great balance. Finish: Long and hot. Fiery smoke, cinnamon, dark fruit, and a distinct oakiness. Black currant. Mint. Almond and macadamia. Cinnamon and black pepper. Dark chocolate. Moderate-long length. Presictably, the PX and Lag peat played fantastically off of one another. Plenty of sweet, plenty of peat. There’s a definitive minty quality to the profile that I typically don’t find in Lagavulin malts. It’s also one of the least brine-forward expressions I’ve had from them—maybe the least period. I really enjoy that feature as a Lagavulin cornerstone, but the deviation is appreciated in this instance. At $100, this is more than worth the price of admission. It blows your average 15 year old malt out of the water and is probably cheaper than most of those. Well done, Lag.

I managed to get ahold of the Mighty Fine and the Storyteller batches, both of which are phenomenal. This may be as far as I get with the 2023 Booker’s releases, as I barely remember seeing the Apprentice Batch when it was released. Now, time to turn my attention to Charlie’s Batch. Nose: Cinnamon and black pepper spice. Gala apple. Hay and sawdust. Cocoa. A touch of sweet peach tea. Banana and toffee. Milk carrot cake. Clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: Nougat and brown sugar. Gala apple. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Vanilla and caramel. Cola and raisin. Date and fig. Black tea and pipe smoke. Plenty of ginger. All kinds of smoke and spice of competing on the palate. Finish: Vanilla and caramel. Heaps of cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Big on the almond as well. Peanut brittle and some barrel char. Raisin to boot. Oak and more spice on the way out. Long finish. The nose is shockingly muted for a Booker’s batch. I might have said it was a refreshingly easy-going nose had it more complexity to speak of. Not my favorite. However, the palate picks up the slack and the finish is a behemoth. Overall, it’s a very good bourbon. But within the pantheon of Booker’s releases, it doesn’t measure up to the big dogs. It’s damn good in a vacuum, but lives in the shadow of its contemporaries. At $120, this is a touch high for my liking but is acceptable in this market. I give it a 4.25/5. If you see it, I say you can pass on it unless you’re a completionist. There are better Booker’s batches. But if you do buy it anyway, I think you’ll be satisfied with your purchase. Good effort.

On the heels on my review of the 12 year, I think now is a good time to tackle its older brother. The 15-year Solera. On an interesting concept; as a result a good portion of this juice is well older than 15 years old. Ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, virgin oak. Let's check it out. Nose: Heavy vanilla, caramel, and orange citrus. Honey, toffee, ginger, and oak. Classic Fiddich apple, pear, and apricot, kiwi, and floral notes. Graham cracker and walnut. Some golden raisin and white grape, but otherwise, not a huge sherry presence. Maybe a bit of cranberry. Some citrus notes, manifesting almost like a freshly-cracked Sprite. The Bourbon cask definitely exerts the most prominent influence on the nose. I read French Toast on the internet. Not my note, but it it's undeniable that's there. Good start. Palate: It's a fruit bowl. Apple, pear, orange, plum, apricot, golden raisin, fig, date, cranberry, white and red grape. Even coconut. A lot going on there. A bit of cola and some chewy caramel. I'm getting some those raspberry-flavored Valentine's chocolates (don't even know what else to call it). Big toffee, big malt, plenty of vanilla and oak. The sherry and bourbon oak share the load this time around. The sharp vanilla note bears proof to the virgin oak aging. Good stuff. Finish: Some dark fruit (cranberry, date, fig, raisin), coupled with vanilla and toffee. More of the apple, pear, and kiwi. A bit of a cinnamon and oak kick. Candlewax. It's somewhere between short and moderate length, leaning toward the latter. Not all that long, but there's plenty of complexity while it lasts. Another 4 star outing for Glenfiddich. To me, they offer a very consistent product. But as long as they're bottling at 40%, they'll never crack the threshold that divides very good and great. The 14 remains the best of the age-stated GFs I've tried, and, no coincidence, it's bottled at 43%. Honestly, I think all of these could use a 3% bump to really achieve their potential. While they cut corners on the proof here, they certainly did not hold back on the aged-stock. The Solera aging method works wonders here. It's a refined yet flavorful expression; I think the interplay between multiple generations of malt makes for a fantastic product. Great job here Glendfiddich; I doubt you'll ever increase the ABV on your products because, ultimately, the bottom line rules. So I've heard. At any rate, thanks for a solid bottle.

Glendronach is a consistent winner for me and is certainly in contention for my favorite of the sherry cask-heavy distilleries. Unfortunately, the price spikes significantly once you exceed the 15 year, so it’s taken me quite a while to get around to this. Let’s see if it was worth the pinch. Nose: Dried apricot. Fruit cake. A pine note. Hazelnut. Plum, date, fig, and raisin. Cranberry and raspberry. Some orange citrus and plenty almond and walnut. Butterscotch and vanilla. Caramel. Like sherbert. Palate: Plum, grape, date, and fig. Raisin and raspberry as well. A little bit of fizzy cola. Plenty of orange/tangerine citrus. Milk chocolate and vanilla, reminiscent of ice cream. Chewy caramel. Lime or maybe raspberry sherbert. Finish: Almond and walnut. Plum, date, fig, grape. Blackberry jam. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, white pepper, and oak. Red hot tamale heat on the way out, producing a moderate-long finish, bearing credence to the 46% ABV. This is a superb whisky. There’s a ton of complexity here, with the rich, dark fruit notes taking center stage throughout. The dessert sweet notes are also prominent, and the profile is rounded by some nice citrus notes. This has all the hallmarks of a stalwart sherried scotch. The only issue here is the price. At $280, this is a heavy, heavy price tag for an 18-year old, which I consider to be the bridge year between premium and ultra premium. This bears a decidedly ultra premium price tag, and generally, it delivers. I’m going to say that this falls a tad short of hitting its mark for VFM, so I’m taking my raw score of 4.5 and knocking it down a quarter star with consideration to value. It’s difficult to suggest a purchase of this at its current, bloated market price, but from a pure enjoyment perspective, this is absolutely excellent. Also, just to throw in one more note, it did not enjoy my first couple pours of this. It developed tremendously through oxidation and time—this is why I’ll never review a bottle until I’ve had at least two pours out of it. It really made a difference here, because, for as complex and rich as it is now, it just felt flat and devoid of the layers I’m finding at this point. 4.25/5.