Tastes

I got this one because I liked the two permanent Knob Creek rye releases. In fact, I like all of the KC releases I come across, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong here. Nose: Toasted almond, cashew, and hazelnut. Vanilla and caramel. Dried apricot and golden raisin. Bready, yeasty notes. Black pepper, rye, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Palate: The yeasty, bready notes appear first. A healthy does of peppercorn, black tea, and pipe smoke. Pistachio and toasted almond. Candied orange/orange citrus. Cinnamon Apple Jacks. Peach tea. Black pepper, rye, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Finish: Cinnamon Apple Jacks. Orange citrus. Toasted almond and pistachio. Peppercorn, black tea, and pipe smoke. Black pepper, rye, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Long finish. Not cask strength long, but definitely on the upper end of the spectrum. This was a fun whiskey. It’s essentially the standard Knob Creek Rye but with a touch extra barrel char. With I think is all that the original whiskey, a solid bottling in its own right, was missing. I’m glad I grabbed this. This definitely won’t be shaking up the bourbon game. If fact, with the benefit of hindsight, I can say that it absolutely did not, otherwise they would’ve made more. But it was a fine idea for a one-off. The Beam-rye profile is just rock solid. I’m settling on a 4.25/5 for this. Another win for the KC line.

The first batch of this series was an overlooked gem. Not in the “it didn’t get quite the acclaim it deserved” way. It’s underrated in the “so under appreciated that they bailed on this line after two batches” way. Which is a real shame considering the first batch was fantastic. I thought that was all the ever made, but I was able to find a single bottle that proved the second batch exists. The recipe seems to be identical to Batch 01. 4, 5, and 11 year-old bourbons and 2 and 3 year-old ryes comprise the blend. Bottles 7/18/2018, 45% ABV. Nose: Orange and tangerine citrus. Mint chocolate and pistachio. Vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Black cherry. Date and fig. Vick’s Vapor Rub. Golden raisin. Cinnamon, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: More of the mint chocolate and pistachio. Almond as well. Caramel, honey, vanilla, and toffee. Lemon-flavored candy. Orange and tangerine citrus. Cola. Fig and date. Nougat. Graham cracker and vanilla frosting. Sweet potato. Dried apricot. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Lemon candy again. Orange and tangerine citrus. Cherry and gala apple. Pistachio and mint chocolate. Red hot tamale. Cocoa and pipe smoke. Cinnamon, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length. This measures up to my memory of Batch 1. It’s got such a unique profile. The bourbon-rye blend really does give this the best of both worlds. It’s a damn shame that this was discontinued. At $40, this was well worth the juice. It’s actually $10 less than I paid for the first batch. I gave that one a 4.5, and I feel like that’s the right score for this as well. Redwood Empire has revamped their line, and I’m looking forward to getting into it in the future. With that being said, I think that they should seriously consider re-exploring this line. Well done.

This is my third entry in the Old Forester bourbon collection. It’s been pretty solid so far. The Original Batch was solid, and the Prohibition was an all-timer. The bottle says this is based on Owsley Brown’s own handcrafted batch. I’ll take their word for that and hope it was worth preserving. Nose: Brown sugar, caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Toasted almond, macadamia, and pecan. Raisin and dried apricot. Nougat, and lots of it. Gala apple. Boiler sweet potato. Flintstone vitamins. Butterscotch. A touch of banana. Orange citrus. Cocoa and pipe smoke. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: Peach tea Snapple. Caramel, vanilla, toffee, and nougat. Toasted almond, macadamia, chestnut, and pecan. Flinstone vitamin. Orange citrus and banana. Sawdust. Dried apricot and golden raisin. Cocoa butter. High viscosity here. Butterscotch, honey, and marshmallow. Cocoa and light pipe smoke. Cinnamon, white and black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. A nice OF barrel encompassing the experience from front to end. Finish: Ginger. Dried apricot and golden raisin. Caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, and butterscotch. Flinstone vitamins. Cinnamon, black and white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Heaps of barrel char and smoke. Medium length. Another excellent entry. Old Forester really knows what they’re doing with these. The basic profile is roughly the same. The Prohibition remains the leader of the pack, and I’ve got this rated comparable to the Original Batch. I’ll give this the slight edge. At $57, this was well-worth the price of entry. It’s easily accessible in terms of price and availability, and has a profile that can be enjoyed by veteran and rookie bourbon drinkers alike. What’s not to like? Well done, Owsley Brown. 4/5.

About a year ago, I walked into a restaurant that was shutting down at the end of the day. There was indication this was happening from the outside, but the bartender made it pretty clear that there was essentially a fire sale behind the bar. This was my first pick. There wasn’t much left so I got the second pour free as it finished the bottle. What a great choice. And the rest was history. I knew I needed a bottle if I was lucky enough to find one in 2023. And here we are. Nose: Classic Beam peanut brittle. Brown sugar, cocoa, and caramel. Raisin and dried apricot. Plum skin and cola. Toffee, vanilla, and butterscotch. Very citrusy and has almost a seltzer pop. Like a Sprite. A tad bit of steak. Mint. Black pepper and pipe smoke. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: More peanut brittle. Steak as well. Roasted almond. Caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and toffee. Chocolate syrup. Cocoa, pipe smoke, and peppercorn. Orange citrus. Rye spice. Ginger. Red hot tamale. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Finish: Peanut brittle. Brown sugar, caramel, toffee, vanilla. Pumpkin spice. Ginger. Cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. This was as good as I remember. Maybe the best nose I’ve ever gotten on a bourbon. It’s certainly up there. It’s a unique profile for a Booker’s overall—it reminds me of some of the batches from 8-9 years ago that got me into the brand. For $100, I was quite glad to find this so late in the game. It’s not the oldest or the highest proof Booker’s batch, but is easily one of the most remarkable. I’m always impressed with this stuff. 5/5.

It’s great to see a bourbon line get expanded in the way Jim Beam has done with Knob Creek. The additions of the 12 and 15 year were fantastic (especially the 12) and I’m really excited for this one. It cost me a couple bucks, but the age statement and the quality of this one’s younger brothers, I have confidence in my purchase. Nose: Gala apple/apple pie. Brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Peanut brittle and toasted almond. Fudge, cocoa, and milk chocolate. Black tea and tobacco. Maple. Rye, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak spice. Red ginger. A touch of sawdust and baking soda. Palate: More of that peanut brittle and toasted almond. Gala apple. Heaps of brown sugar with some caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Dried apricot. Pumpkin spice. A peppermint/baking soda note. New couch leather. Carrot cake. Cocoa, black tea, pipe smoke. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, black and white pepper, rye spice, dill pickle, and oak. Finish: Brown sugar, caramel, fudge, vanilla, milk chocolate, and toffee. Pipe smoke, cocoa, and black tea. Rye spice, red ginger, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. Long finish. Very nice. This does the classic bourbon profile perfectly. Plenty of sweet, a healthy dose of dry fruit, barrel char and smoke to boot. And of course, a truck load or two of spice notes. It’s not overoaked, which is a concern for a lot of bourbons once you get into the teenage years. Instead, it’s got depth and sophistication, and does a beautiful job of encapsulating the finer elements of the Knob Creek line. This is really something. I’d say it measures up to the 12 and beats the 15 in terms of VFM. Which is impressive because it cost quadruple the former and almost double the latter. This was $200, which is exactly what I paid for the Elijah Craig 18. This is at a much higher proof, and matches the EC18 for quality. It’s amazing, and I’m really glad I managed to nab it. This was crafted to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Knob Creek, and I’d say this did a heck of a job honoring the line. 5/5. And that’s what I’m going with. Fantastic. It’s such an interesting profile. I am generally more of a fan of rye-mash bourbons than wheat-mash ones. Because the rye adds more to the profile—more times than not. Not the case here. Unbelievably rich profile, and for $70, this is an absolute no-brainer.

It’s great to see a bourbon line get expanded in the way Jim Beam has done with Knob Creek. The additions of the 12 and 15 year were fantastic (especially the 12) and I’m really excited for this one. It cost me a couple bucks, but the age statement and the quality of this one’s younger brothers, I have confidence in my purchase. Nose: Gala apple/apple pie. Brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Peanut brittle and toasted almond. Fudge, cocoa, and milk chocolate. Black tea and tobacco. Maple. Rye, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak spice. Red ginger. A touch of sawdust and baking soda. Palate: More of that peanut brittle and toasted almond. Gala apple. Heaps of brown sugar with some caramel, vanilla, and toffee. Dried apricot. Pumpkin spice. A peppermint/baking soda note. New couch leather. Carrot cake. Cocoa, black tea, pipe smoke. Clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, black and white pepper, rye spice, dill pickle, and oak. Finish: Brown sugar, caramel, fudge, vanilla, milk chocolate, and toffee. Pipe smoke, cocoa, and black tea. Rye spice, red ginger, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak. Long finish. Very nice. This does the classic bourbon profile perfectly. Plenty of sweet, a healthy dose of dry fruit, barrel char and smoke to boot. And of course, a truck load or two of spice notes. It’s not overoaked, which is a concern for a lot of bourbons once you get into the teenage years. Instead, it’s got depth and sophistication, and does a beautiful job of encapsulating the finer elements of the Knob Creek line. This is really something. I’d say it measures up to the 12 and beats the 15 in terms of VFM. Which is impressive because it cost quadruple the former and almost double the latter. This was $200, which is exactly what I paid for the Elijah Craig 18. This is at a much higher proof, and matches the EC18 for quality. It’s amazing, and I’m really glad I managed to nab it. This was crafted to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Knob Creek, and I’d say this did a heck of a job honoring the line. 5/5.

Ardbeg Drum is my 4th bottle of the annual Feis Isle releases, and the first I managed to score as a full-proof “Committee Release.” Your standard Ardbeg aged a little extra in rum casks. It’s a simple formula, but one that I’m looking forward to nonetheless based Ardbeg’s previous performances. Nose: Heavy peat, campfire smoke, brine, sea salt, seaweed, and iodine. Tennis ball and bandaid. Vanilla custard, toffee, and caramel. Sugar cookie/Graham cracker. Banana with some grapefruit and lemon citrus. Agave. Shrimp cocktail and oyster. Grilled pineapple. Black pepper, cinnamon, and oak spice. Smells like dinner on the waterfront. Palate: Vanilla custard, caramel, toffee, and sugar cookie. Banana, grapefruit, lemon, and bell pepper. More grilled pineapple. Campfire smoke, ash, and peat. Sea salt, seaweed, and brine. Tennis ball, iodine, and bandaid, and a little rubber. Agave and celery. Red pepper, black bean chili. Cinnamon, black pepper, and oak. Finish: Lemon and grapefruit citrus. Campfire smoke, ash, sea salt, brine, seaweed and peat. Chestnut and hazelnut. Dark and milk chocolate. Cocoa and pipe smoke. Black bean, red pepper chili. Cinnamon, black and white pepper, and oak. Long as they make finishes. This is peat, sweet, and heat blended into one magnificent bottle. I love the the way the rum casks add those tropical notes to the cold, austere coastal Ardbeg profile. It’s quite a marriage, and the fact that the rum casks aren’t washed out by the peat and ethanol are testament to the distillers. This beats the Perpetuum, Kelpie, and Grooves for my favorite Ardbeg annual release. This had the advantage of being the only Committee Release, so it may be unfair to compare them in this manner. But this is the winner. One of the best whiskies I’ve ever had in fact. Now, I paid $300 for this. I found it years after it was released, and the store knew what they were doing. Had Ardbeg priced it this way at the time of its release, I’d have a bone to pick. But I’m a completionist, and I allowed this particular store to take advantage of me, knowing full well that it was happening. With that in mind, I’m going to ease up on the VFM consideration and view this through the lens of someone who bought this when it was more time appropriate. 5/5. It’s the best of the Ardbeg annual releases. Sensational.

Maker’s does a really nice job with these annual releases. The 2020 was my favorite, but the 1st 2021 release was also excellent. I’ll be knocking out both of the 2022 releases in a relatively short span of time, but I figured I’d start with 01. Nose: Toffee, brown sugar, caramel, malt, nougat, and mocha. (Very) ripe banana and orange citrus. Toasted almond and cashew. There’s even something akin to orange meringue. Red hot tamales. Cinnamon, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Palate: Vanilla, brown sugar, toffee, caramel. Classic Maker’s cherry pops in a big way, accompanied by more or that orange citrus. Banana again, not quite as overripe as the nose, accompanied my some caramelized apple. Cola. Plum skin. Almond and walnut. Peanut brittle. Graham cracker and marshmallow. Red hot tamales. Crispy bacon. Cinnamon, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, and caramel. Orange meringue and ripe banana. Mocha. Raisin. Dried apricot. Crispy bacon. Red hot tamale. Cinnamon, ginger, white peppper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Long as they make them. Another absolute winner. This is just an amazing bourbon, no way around it. It’s why I continue to return to the Maker’s well for their annual releases. You can’t beat the quality and the value. This beats last year’s first release and ties the 2020. Speaking of value, this gets a little boost for VFM. This ran me $70, which is the cheapest I can find any annual release whisky out there. Bar none. And if Maker’s rewards me with a fair deal, I’ll pay them back by letting people know about it. It shouldn’t be, but it’s a luxury in life to something that is enjoyable, comes as advertised, and is reasonably attainable. This is all of the above. 4.75. Looking forward to the other release from this year.

I can barely find any information about this other than what’s printed on the bottle. I liked their 10 and 12 though, so this seemed like a fair gamble. Batch #6, Bottle #466, bottled 2022. Let’s see what it’s all about. Nose: Vanilla, honey, toffee, and toasted marshmallow. Brown sugar. Some mint and a subtle floral note. Caramelized apple. Raisin and dried apricot. Toasted almond and walnut. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Palate: Chewy caramel and milk chocolate. Brown sugar. Toffee, vanilla, and sugar cookie. Heavy ginger, black pepper, rye, and even pumpkin spice. Dried apricot, gala apple, and a hint of black cherry. Mocha. Candied yam. Orange citrus. Cocoa, black tea, and pipe smoke. Plenty of oak. Finish: Toffee, caramel, milk chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar. Gala apple and dried apricot. Toasted almond and walnut. Pipe smoke, black tea, and cocoa. Black pepper, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate-long, leaning toward the latter. Really glad I grabbed this. Definitely the best Widow Jane product I’ve had to date. 100 proof and a 10 year age statement? Very respectable. It’s just a classic chewy bourbon profile done to a tee. I’ve had a couple people in bars tell me that they knew for absolute certain that it isn’t bourbon if it isn’t made in Kentucky. Legally. Not only is that patently untrue, but this also proves that the spirit of bourbon can be captured anywhere, given the right circumstances. Like I said, 10 years, 100 proof. At $86, this was easily worth the price of entry. It’s so rare to get both respectable age and ABV in the same bottle. Widow Jane celebrated their 10th anniversary in style with this one. If you’re lucky enough to spot one of these on the shelf at this point in the game, I highly encourage the buy. 4.75/5.

This new Basil Hayden’s line seems to be a replacement for those experimental whiskies that were blended with wine and rum. Those were pretty awful, so I welcome a more traditional approach to experimentation. Even that has its limits in the world of whiskey, so let’s see if they’re getting it right with the toast-charred oak. Nose: Vanilla, brown sugar, toffee, and caramel. Sugar cookie. Apple and apricot. Big apricot. The smoke is present, but it’s more in the background. Cocoa. Foam hand soap. Ginger, rye spice, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Palate: Cocoa, sawdust, black tea, and pipe smoke. More apple and apricot, though it’s more like apple pie and dried apricot on the tongue. Apple cider and cereal grain. Vanilla (frosting,) toffee, caramel, and brown sugar. Mocha. Orange citrus. Toasted almond and walnut. Black pepper, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. Finish: Apple and dried apricot. Cocoa, black tea, and pipe smoke. Caramel, toffee, vanilla, and brown sugar. Cinnamon Apple Jacks. Toasted almond and pistachio. Black pepper, ginger, clove, nutmeg, rye spice, and oak. Short-moderate. Upon reading up on this one, I’ve learned that rye was subbed out for brown rice in the mash bill. Interestingly, I still get trace rye spice at times, but the heavy-handed rye notes I generally get from Basil Hayden’s are absent. As for how this scores, I’ll use some points of reference to put it in perspective. I think the Basil Hayden 10 edges this. And this is definitely better than the standard BH. And all of three that I just mentioned are substantially better than those funky experiments that Jim Beam was trying under the BH banner. That in mind, I’m optimistic about the direction Jim Beam is taking Basil Hayden. This is a 3.25, though I’m going to dock it slightly for VFM at $50. Wouldn’t go above $40 for a 40% ABV NAS bourbon that, let’s face it, isn’t boasting any truly unique attribute. Toasted barrels? They’re a dime a dozen. The mash bill is interesting, and I’ll give them credit for that. 40% ABV is unacceptable if you’re trying to get into the good graces of a bourbon-head. Depth is important, and this is could be fantastic if it had more than the bare minimum. 3/5 as it is.