Tastes

Elijah Craig is, generally speaking, a 5-star whiskey. This is my opinion after the first two batches I've had. One striking difference with this one is that it sits at 61.1% ABV, which is remarkably low for one of these releases. Let's see if this batch hits as hard as the others despite being in a lower weight class. Nose: Cola, caramel, and brown sugar. Leather and tobacco smoke. Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak. Orange peel, walnut, and almond. Mahogany. Hot, in a good way. I really couldn't tell that it's under-proofed in comparison to its contemporaries. Nice start. Palate: Oak and nutty notes of almond and walnut upon entry. Vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, and Gala apple. Orange peel and sundried raisin. Toffee and another sweet note that sits somewhere between maple and molasses. Solid palate. Finish: Carrot cake note I get from Henry McKenna 10. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, oak. Big caramel. Finish as long as the day. 4.75. Not quite up to snuff with the other ECBPs I've had in the past, but it's right there. Even at the lower proof, it's still an absolute monster. At $60, this is highway robbery. VFM through the roof. If you're into Heaven Hill, barrel proof whisky, or Bourbon in general, give this one a shot. Once again, kudos to HH.

This was an instant purchase. It's rare to find a limited release from 2017, no matter what the distillery. Unpeated Caol Ila also sounded interesting. I know this is the stuff they generally blend into Johnny Walker. 18 years old and cask strength for $100? Absolute no-brainer. Nose: Hot. Even for a 59.8% ABV malt. An absolute blaze of cinnamon red hots and sulfur, with some baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove.) This dissipates greatly with time in the glass and the other notes become detectable. Behind that there's some toffee, malt, honey, butterscotch, and vanilla. There's a sweet bready note like croissant or soda bread. Squeezed lime, orange peel, cucumber, and maybe even some agave. Floral and oaky. Initially, it was way too hot. But given some time, it's actually pretty damn pleasant. Palate: Floral and fruity in the way that Highland malts often are. Apple, pear, and apricot lead the way. Some plum and blackberry as well. Salted caramel, toffee, cola, and butterscotch. The citrus is all orange and clementine now. And heaps of sea salt. Typically, I only pick that up in peated malts. This joins the Old Pulteneys as the only other Scotches that feature that note. Fantastic palate. Finish: More fruit. Apple, pear, apricot, plum, blackberry. It's a nice continuation of the palate there. More of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove baking spice notes. Salted caramel and sea salt mixed in. Toss in a little sun-dried tomato. Long finish, as you'd expect of a gargantuan whisky like this. 59.8% hits like a truck, and in the best way possible. Fair warning, give this its due time to settle. It starts off a bit rough around the edges, but blossoms into one of the most delicious and unique whiskies I've ever had. It starts off hot as hell, but time transforms this into a whisky that has no comparison. I try not to throw 5-star ratings around frivolously. This one earns that by being completely unlike anything I've ever had, in the best way possible. This is a generational-whisky. It fully encompasses the full range of Scotch. It plays the role of a remarkably nuanced Islay and an unbelievably dense and enjoyable mainland malt. You really get the best of both worlds with this one. And for the low entry price of a C-note? I can barely get a mediocre 18-year old for this cheap. And this blows the competition out of the water. I think I've said enough. If you like whisky, buy this on sight. And if you've ever viewed Caol Ila as a mere blended Scotch contributor, forget that, This is the real deal.

In a time when so many distilleries are dropping age-statements, it's refreshing to see Jim Beam expand its Knob Creek portfolio in the way that it has. I was already a big fan of the NAS KC; now there's an upgraded 9 (plus the 9-year SB that I reviewed recently), this 12, and even a 15. This is the first of the three I've gotten my hands on. Based on the reviews around here, I'm excited to give this one a go. Nose: Caramelized apple, ginger, and vanilla. Classic Beam peanut brittle. Maple and more of that sweet candied apple. Caramel and fudge. Apricot and orange peel. Heaps of brown sugar. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, flour, and oak. So fresh and clean. Pungent, as you'd expect at 50% ABV, in the best way possible. Palate: Corn forward. Cocoa and caramel. More oak forward than the nose. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Lots of tobacco. Gala apple and toffee. Rye notes pop on the mid-palate in the form of black pepper and dill pickle. Some more of that caramelized apple hits again at the tail end. Awesome. Finish: Right off the whistle it's black pepper, dill pickle, clove, and nutmeg. Apple, caramel, and vanilla punch through after the spice dissipates. Medium-to-long finish. Very nice. Wow. Another home run for the Jim Beam Distillery. Until recently, my 5-star ratings for JB products were reserved for Booker's batches. I threw KC SB 9 a 5-star rating, but I also called it Baby Booker's, so that doesn't do much to shake precedent. This one is nothing like Booker's. It's also considerably unique to any Knob Creek offering I've ever tried. It's what I'd call a nuanced beast. I'm very happy that this has become a core offering in the JB family. At $50, this is a steal and a half. I know I'm late to the party on this one. If you're more tardy than me, grab this one on sight.

Tullamore 12 was solid. Standard Tully is a solid standard sipper. Then there's this 14-year old, quadruple-cask oak single malt. Sign me up. Nose: Vanilla, powdered sugar, and shortbread cookie. Apple, plum, cranberry, raisin, and clementine. Some lime zest. Cereal notes and caramel. Oak, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. All four casks are well-represented. Nice nose. Palate: Vanilla, honey, shortbread cookie, toffee, and malt. Apple, pear, apricot, lime, and white grape. Caramel and custard notes. Olorosso is represented by the milk chocolate, vanilla frosting, and orange citrus notes. Floral and oak notes. The palate is bourbon oak dominant with some Olorosso representation. Good stuff. Finish: Lime, plum, raisin, cranberry. Vanilla, shortbread cookie, malt, and toffee. There's oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Caramel. Medium length. The four casks are more equally represented here than on the palate. Respectable length for 41.3% ABV. Solid. I've got here a well-rounded Irish whiskey. There isn't anything truly remarkable about this one, other than its consistency and cohesive. The combination of bourbon, port, Olorosso, and madeira cask aging creates a solid whiskey profile. A lot to like here. 3.75. If we compare this to scotch, $70 is about what I'd expect to pay for a solid 14-year old bottle. So this hits the mark for VFM. Another good offering from Tully. I feel that their higher end up products often don't get nearly enough credit; this is yet another feather in their cap.

Bowmore Small Batch was discontinued a few years ago. Admittedly, this is the only reason I grabbed it. Otherwise, there was nothing distinguishing enough about this 40% single malt to warrant a purchase. Let's see if Bowmore made the right move when they decided to drop this from their lineup. Nose: Ashy peat and sea salt. Rubber and candlewax. Seaweed and turf. Vanilla and honey. A nice touch of mint chocolate, caramel, and fudge. Maybe some grape. Sounds great, but it's a little disjointed. Shallow as well. Not bad, but not exciting. Palate: Vanilla, honey, and caramel. A touch of earthy peat and smoke. Ash. Black pepper, grapefruit, and lemon. It's on the bitter side. A touch of iodine. There's a sun-dried tomato note that I get in a lot of youngish peated malts. Salted pretzel and hookah. Much like the nose, it has solid notes, but isn't cohesive and doesn't excel in any one area. Finish: Black pepper, cinnamon, and soft pretzel. Lime and grapefruit. Toward the end its all rubber. Short. Uneventful. Which leads me to my score. 2.25. Was Bowmore wrong to discontinue this one? No. It's an unremarkable whisky that fails to make any impression. Here in the States, there are a ton of bourbons that are cheaper and significantly better. There are Scotches I can buy today that are substantially better at the same cost. Hell, Bowmore 12 will me an extra 11 bucks and is leaps and bounds ahead of this. With all that being said, I'm not upset with my purchase. I've got here a little piece of Islay history. And hey, it's drinkable. This is spilled milk. There's no use in crying about the fact that you won't be able to drink it.

Peated Japanese whisky? That's a first for me. It's also my first Japanese whisky with an age statement. So far, I wouldn't hold this category in the same esteem as Scotch, Bourbon, Irish, or even American Rye. yet, I've enjoyed much of what I've had from Japan. Now I've got one of the country's premier products; hoping it delivers. Nose: Fruity. Green apple, apricot, and orange peel. Spearmint and parsley. Green and grassy. A touch of seaweed and a pinch of sea salt. Mild smoke appears as ash. Vanilla, honey, and oak. Palate: Green apple, pear, apricot, orange, and pineapple. Grassy and floral notes. Cucumber and maybe even a bit of kiwi and watermelon (the latter is a first for me.) Honey, vanilla, caramel, and milk chocolate. A touch of sea salt. No peat presence. Solid. More robust than the nose. Finish: Fruity and floral. Green notes with apple and apricot. Caramel and vanilla. Heavy malt. Cinnamon and oak. Moderate length. Nice way to round this one out. Overall? Pretty good. It's a different animal altogether; tough to compare it other whiskies I've reviewed. In a sense, it's the Oban 14 of the Japanese category. Not in terms of notes--at all actually. I draw that comparison only to highlight the uniqueness of lightly peated non-Islay whiskies. This has a completely unique profile. It's a great representative of Japanese whisky. It embodies some key characteristics of Scotch. It even hits like a blanco tequila at times. It's uniquely Hakushu when push comes to shove. And it's damn good dram. My only gripe is that is the price. I've heard through the grapevine that this used to be an affordable purchase. I got mine for $120 and that's the cheapest I've seen it for by a good amount. That aside, it's great whisky. With every bottle, I'm appreciating the Japanese category a little bit more.

If my memory serves me correctly, this was the very first single malt I ever tasted it. It was years ago, and I can't say that I was too focused on notes. Essentially, this is a fresh take for me. I know it isn't too popular on this site, but I'm going in with an open mind. Nose: Floral and green. Plum, honeydew, golden raisin, and apricot. Vanilla, honey, and butterscotch. There's even pineapple and a sorbet note. It's very sweet. Plenty of oak as well. Strong perform notes. Pretty good start. Palate: Apricot, orange, golden raisin, and apple. Vanilla, honey, toffee, and marshmallow. Milk chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. Coffee notes. It's sweet, like the nose, with a few deviations in terms of notes. Sold either way. Finish: Apricot, honeydew, and pineapple. Malty notes, and then it's cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Short to moderate. I've got to run through some stats before I give my score. 12 years old. 46% ABV. Bourbon and Olorosso cask. $33. Quality notes. It's the second cheapest single malt I've ever purchased. And yet it punches with some entry level malts almost double its price. 4.25 stars. Value was a massive factor here. Even without that considered, I'd still have this rated high. It just wouldn't reach the 4 star mark. Either way, this is a fine value, and in my opinion, an underrated whisky. It's not a bad place to start for a new drinker. I can say that from experience; this one set me down the right path.

Knob Creek at 60%? Sign me up. Might as well call this Baby Booker's. Only, at 9 years, it's actually older. Quickly, I'm not sure when this was bottled, but I can tell it's at least a couple years old, as it dons the label these bottles had back when the base KC was still an NAS (I think the look has been changed twice since this the bottles looked like mine does.) Mine is from Barrel #9187, hand selected by Longhorn Steakhouse. Yes, you read that correctly. No, I did not purchase this from a Longhorns. Regardless, let's see if they've got a sense of good SB bourbon. Nose: Heavy cherry and vanilla with some caramel and peanut brittle. Brown sugar, nougat, maple, and baked apple. It's got plenty of spice, but is devoid of the ethanol. Instead, I get cinnamon, oak, clove, and nutmeg. It's a powerhouse; great start. Palate: Standard caramel and vanilla. Maple, brown sugar, and the classic Beam peanut brittle note. Behind that I get a hint of barrel char and a sizable hit of the steak sauce note I often find in Booker's. The mid-palate also adds milk chocolate and chewy fudge. More of the cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak spices round out an awesome palate. Finish: Long and hot as hell. The finish takes you right up and to the edge of your breaking point, but hits the brakes just before it reaches the cliff. That may scare of some, but a Booker's fan will feel right at home. A blitz of peanut brittle, barrel char, caramel, and fudge come crashing forward in that order. Just when you think it's over, steak sauce piles on, followed by cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and oak spice once again. This finish is as long as they make them, and damn near puts a hole in your just--in the best way possible. If you've read any of my Booker's reviews, you'll know that I love them all. And if you haven't, I'm sure that reading this review belies my affinity for the line. Well, consider this an honorary Booker's batch. Not just in quality but also in terms of specific notes. This is the only whiskey not named Booker's that's ever given me steak sauce. Beyond that, it shares a lot in common with batches like Center Cut and Bluegrass. How's the value? I'll put it in perspective. At $44, this is less than half of what I spend on Booker's (to be fair, it was probably only a $10-15 difference when this bottle was produced.) The only cask strength whiskey I've purchased for cheaper was Wild Turkey Rare Breed by $1, and I can't find it that cheap anywhere these days. My point? This is fantastic juice, even when you evaluate all whiskies in a cost-free vacuum. If we consider price as a factor? It becomes one of the best values I've ever had. 5/5 for this one. It's a single barrel, so your mileage may vary. But after trying this one, I say go for it.

Taste #200. It's been a few years, a lot of great whisky. I didn't pick this bottle for any particular reason, but it's a fitting selection coming from one of my absolute favorite distilleries. I love that Laphroaig releases a cask strength version of their baseline age-stated offering. So often, I'm left wondering how an uncut rendition of one of those baseline whiskies would enhance quality. Off the top of my head, Laphroaig is the only distillery that provides that answer. Let's check it out. Nose: Lots of standard Laphroaig notes. Chestnut, peat, brine, campfire smoke, sea salt, seaweed, iodine, bandaids, tennis balls. Brisket and smoked ham, with some black pepper and lemon citrus. There's some toffee and chocolate in there. Hookah smoke and ash. As you'd guess, it's an amplified version of the regular 10 year. And it's awesome. Palate: Shockingly easy-going at 58.6%. But it's incredibly vibrant. A blast of campfire smoke, peat, and ash. Surprisingly, there's little brine. The peat instead registers as earthy, with more of the brisket and smoked ham, as well as black bean red pepper chili. Cinnamon and black pepper. A touch of seaweed, with heaps of iodine, complimented by sweet notes of honey, vanilla, and toffee. While the nose hit like an amped up version of the standard 10, the palate is completely different. Finish: Long. This is the first time the whisky belies its cask strength status. All of the peat notes: Campfire smoke, ash, brine, seaweed, sea salt, iodine. Then the dark chocolate hits. When that settles it's black bean red pepper chili, followed by a burst of black pepper, cinnamon, and finally a nice touch of mint. The finish isn't just long; it comes in layers, rolling in one after another the way only an Islay whisky could. 5/5. Fantastic whisky. If my notes didn't portray that well enough, I'll just say it flat out. $70 for an age-stated cask strength whisky? It's not a steal, it's a highway robbery. After sitting down with this one and taking the time to give a proper review, the interesting part of the discussion is something I brought up at the top. Should every distillery release a cask strength version of their trademark release. Yes. If you've made it this far (and you're a trooper if you have) I'd like your opinions on what baseline whiskies you'd like to see released as in cask strength edition. I've got more than a handful I'd like to throw out. As for this one, I say a job well done. It's completely different than the standard 10 year. This was my first Laphroaig 10 CS, and I'm certain your mileage will vary. What I've got here is a stunning take on a classic stalwart dram. Kudos to Laphroaig for setting the standard at every turn, and not charging an arm and a leg for admission to boot. If you can still find this batch, grab it. And if you can't, I'd throw my money on the latest batch being worth a shot in the dark. Cheers!

When you want Sazarec, but Buffalo Trace is nowhere to be found and the higher-end offerings might as well just be doubling in cost every six months, you've always got Barton 1792. I had the Full Proof way back at the beginning of my whiskey career, and don't have much of opinion based on my memory so I'm getting a fresh take on the guys with this one. Nose: Brown sugar and cocoa are the most prominent notes. There's also some apple, apple cider, and orange peel. Carrot cake and caramel. Tobacco smoke and mahogany. Lots of spice: oak, cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and rye (also rye bread). Strong start. Palate: Caramel and vanilla. Rye bread. There's also some apple and maple. There's light cinnamon, nutmeg, and oak. It's definitely the weakest part of the dram for me. A little simple, but also dangerously drinkable. Finish: Cocoa, caramel, and vanilla. Nutmeg and rye spice. Heaps of oak and tobacco. Cinnamon and clove. It's a long finish, which is impressive at 46.85%. It's slightly hot, but I don't mind that one bit. Surprisingly, this is one of the better entry-level bourbons on the market. Price is absolutely a factor in my rating. At $30, this is a fine value. The palate was the only drawback. It was very standard. The nose and finish are powerful. They definitely stand out amongst the crop of daily-drinker bourbons. 3.75 for this one. Like I said before, price is a factor here. I only bumped it up it a quarter of a star though. The whiskey is respectable tasted on its own merits. I may be in the minority here, but this is definitely a dark horse in the entry-level bourbon category. If you're looking to diversify your lineup, this makes for a solid addition.