Tastes
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Jefferson's Reserve Old Rum Cask Finish
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed January 10, 2020 (edited March 1, 2020)This was an impulse purchase. I didn't know much about it, other than that I've generally had good experiences with other Jefferson's products in the past. So instead of a backstory, here are some stats: This bottle is from Batch 4, Bottle No. 03209. It's bottled at a Jefferson's standard 45.1% ABV and is, obviously, finished in rum casks for an unspecified length of time. Nose: Vanilla, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, and butterscotch. A bit of molasses and sugar cane imparted by the rum cask. Some cherry sweetness and cocoa. A bit of Some pumpkin spice, and very, very mild baking spice. Fairly standard bourbon nose with a slight rum twist. Palate: The molasses and sugar cane are out in full force here. The vanilla, toffee, brown sugar, caramel, and butterscotch notes are now accompanied by milk chocolate and hazelnut. Some graham cracker and toasted marshmallow. More of the pumpkin spice, and a bit of ginger and cinnamon toward the tail end. This is some tasty stuff. Finish: Finish is all spice. At first it's more ginger, then a rush of cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and clove. Vanilla sweetness throughout. It's medium-long, which is very respectable considering the relatively average ABV. This was quite a surprise. I purchased it on a whim, without much expectation, and I've got to say this is damn fine stuff. It's the first rum cask-finished bourbon/American whiskey I've tried, and I've got to say that it is a fine combination when properly executed. At $70, I'd say it was a worthwhile purchase. I wouldn't pay any more, but I feel that it performs well in comparison to others at this price point. The highlight is the palate, but it's really good stuff from start to finish. The classic bourbon profile collides with a nice dosage of rum cask influence, making for a damn fine product. Highly recommend for bourbon fans look to break the mold. It's also a fine way to introduce a friend to whiskey in general. Damn good stuff.70.0 USD per Bottle -
Early in my whiskey-drinking days, Jameson's standard bottling was my go to. When I saw the Gold Reserve, I assumed that this would be the pinnacle of all whiskey. Obviously, I had a lot to learn. Still, upon hearing that this had been discontinued, I felt compelled to try this before it was all but gone; if for no other reason, to satisfy the curiosity of my novice-self. So, let's see if this can live up to those lofty expectations. Nose: Quite grainy. Shortbread cookie, vanilla, and apple. Roasted nuts, macadamia, and almond. Sweet and floral. Caramel, toffee, and malt. Not complex or groundbreaking, but pleasant. It's very subdued and even a bit boring at first but manages to brighten up with time in the glass. Didn't care for it at first, but it's grown on me significantly. Palate: Vanilla, honey, toffee, malt, shortbread cookie. Some red apple and golden raisin. None of the grainy metallic notes I often find in Irish. This is obviously well-aged stock. Instead of the metallic notes, it's a grapefruit bitter note. Even some vegetal notes; maybe cucumber (I've only ever gotten grapefruit and cucumber in tequilas, which makes this interesting).The nutty notes from the nose come through again. This is the definition of easy-going. It may not be the most complex, but it is very enjoyable and remarkably easy to put down. Finish: Relatively short but does provide a bit of much-welcomed heat. Cinnamon and black pepper. Clove and nutmeg. Prominent oak. Where to begin with my analysis? I'll say this. It's good. I enjoyed it. $95 good? No. Worthy of the ostentatious title of "Gold Reserve?" Not particularly. Does this aspire to the level of quality that my novice-mind once imposed upon this product? Not only no, but hell no. Perfectly enjoyable background whiskey. That's all. 40% ABV really holds this one back. It's better than the Black Barrel if you don't factor VFM. But if you do, if score the latter an entire half a point higher. And the Cooper's Croze is just outright better. Ultimately, that is the superior option for Jameson NAS releases. So obviously, I won't too disappointed when this has disappeared from the shelves altogether. Jameson is obviously moving in the right direction with their higher-end releases using the Cooper's Croze as a reference point. My expectations had diminished long before I ever purchased a bottle; however, it's good enough where I'm glad I got to try it before it's all but forgotten. Cheers!95.0 USD per Bottle
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Macallan Edition No. 2
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed January 7, 2020 (edited January 27, 2020)On the heels of underwhelming performances by the Macallan Editions 3 and 4, I turn to Edition 2 to save the show. Not that the former two were bad whiskies; it's just that they were not worth the hype or the $100 price of entry, let alone the absurd secondary market prices. Let's see if No. 2 can redeem the limited edition line. Nose: Orange, vanilla, milk chocolate, apple, apricot, toffee, and malt. White/green grape. Sherry notes of plum, poundcake, raisin, date, fig. Very little spice; maybe just a hint of baking spice. Nowhere near what I'd expect at 48.2%. Huge oak note. It's very clean and elegant, maybe just a bit restrained. A quality Macallan nose. Palate: Orange peel, apricot, and apple come through in a big way. More dry red fruits: raisin, date, fig. I get the milk chocolate and vanilla ice cream cake note I find in quality Macallan bottlings. Some cinnamon, black pepper, and ginger provide spice. There's also honey and toffee, some walnut and almond, and loads of oak. It's the standard Macallan profile done just right. Finish: Orange peel zest and ginger spice. Some more of milk chocolate/vanilla ice cream cake. A bit of coffee to wash it down now. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg provide a little kick to conclude what makes for a medium length finish. This is the clear winner of Editions 2,3, and 4. I'm giving it a 4.25, which, if I remember correctly, puts it a full star ahead of the other two in my book. Seems like this one was a tough act to follow. I put it up there with the 15 year Fine Oak as the best Mac releases at this price point. There are a lot of similarities between the two. Both relatively light, but very refined and elegant. Is it worth $100? Yes. Will you find it at that price? At this point, probably not. Collectors have scavenged these bottles; you can still find 3 and 4 pretty easily, and based on the results of my tastings, I don't think it's a coincidence. I lucked out and found this a few months back at retail price. They've since been cleaned out, as has every location I've checked out since. With that in mind, just buy the Mac 18. It's probably the same price as this one when you consider what the latter goes for on the secondary-market. Regardless, this is a great effort by Macallan. They pulled out all the stops here. So after a couple of highly critical reviews, I think I owe Macallan a retroactive "job well done" for this fine product.100.0 USD per Bottle -
Back to NY. My last NY whiskey review was over ago. That was of the Hudson Baby Bourbon. Was not a fan by any means. Let's see if the Empire state can redeem itself with this one. Nose: Classic bourbon notes. Caramel and vanilla. Apple and black cherry. Honey and butterscotch. A touch of leather, barrel char, and oak. Maple and pecan. It's rich and vibrant, and is an exemplary classic bourbon nose. Good start. Palate: Gala apple and brown sugar out of the gate. More caramel, vanilla, and butterscotch, now accompanied by toffee. In the background I still get black cherry, with just a hint of leather. Orange peel and ginger become prominent with time. Finish: Long, especially for 45.5%. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Finally, a bit of a kick. Until now it's been perfectly easy-going. Some barrel char and oak. There's also a bit of brown sugar sweetness before baking spices and ginger carry this one to its long-drawn conclusion. New York, you are redeemed. Excellent bourbon. As I said before, it's an exemplary classic bourbon. Both in terms of notes and quality. There's also something unique about it. The folks at Widow Jane would tell you it's a product of their limestone mineral water. I'm in no position to comment, but I'll just throw it out there: there's something special going on here. Highly recommend this one. The palate is a slight letdown in comparison to the superb nose and finish. Just a half step behind. On the other hand, it boasts a 10-year age statement, repsectable proof, and a unique spin on what is, for the most part, a quintessential bourbon profile. Well done, Widow Jane.63.0 USD per Bottle
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Glenfiddich Project XX
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed January 2, 2020 (edited July 23, 2021)Installment #2 of Glenfiddich's Experimental Line. I found the Fire & Cane to be decent, but I wasn't sure what to expect from this when I bought it. At any rate, I like the packaging. Nose: Fruit bomb. Plum and raisin. Apple, pear, orange, apricot. Cereals, malt, toffee, honey, vanilla. Oak and caramel. Very floral. A bit of cola. While it may not deviate from the standard Speyside profile, it is one of the more vibrant than many of its regional counterparts. Palate: Big pear and apricot. Still a bit of plum, now with dark grape. Really nice caramelized apple note. Toffee, honey, vanilla, shortbread cookie, and marshmallow. Orange zest and milk chocolate. Finish: With an unusually high ABV for a Glenfiddich (47%), this offers a medium finish. It's fruity and floral, into cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice. It's the first time the extra 4-7% ABV becomes palpable. Dangerously drinkable, typical Speyside, nothing truly noteworthy. Those are the first things that come to mind. It's very good Scotch. It takes the average Speyside profile and amplifies it just a bit at every turn. I really like the product, whether or not the marketing is accurate. It's going to have to be a bit more eventful to break the 4-star plane at $68, but I'd be lying if I said this wasn't real nice stuff. It's edition #2, and they're up to edition #4, so availability is limited. If you're looking for a quintessential background whisky with enough character to surprise you on occasion, this is worth a grab. 4 stars and my second favorite from Glenfiddich at the moment, after the 14 year. Regardless, this is very well put to together.65.0 USD per Bottle -
Booker's Bourbon Batch 2018-04 "Kitchen Table"
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed December 29, 2019 (edited February 5, 2020)Booker's Kitchen Table. Bottled in 2018; this is the fourth and final batch of the year. Aged 6 years, 8 months, 7 days. Bottled at a whopping 64% ABV. If you've read one of my previous Booker's reviews, you'd know I'm a huge fan. Let's see where this ranks among the better batches. Nose: Gala apple, toffee, brown sugar, caramel, cocoa. Peanut brittle and peanut butter. New car leather shines through. Some barrel char and some baking spices: Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Big oak. In the background, there are some sweet notes of peach and carrot cake. Orange peel and apricot. Ginger, rosemary, allspice, and something akin to sun-dried tomato. Deeply complex but far from overpowering. Palate: Caramel, cocoa, brown sugar, toffee, fudge, vanilla, butterscotch, and graham cracker. Huge peanut/peanut butter note. Very oaky and maybe even a bit of grass or hay. The barrel char makes this drink like a crispy, charred steak, if that makes any sense. The carrot cake is still there, but now more subtle. Peach as well. Black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove add spice on the back end. Finish: Spice and oak bomb. Nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon persist from nose to finish. Apricot and orange peel. More peanut/peanut butter. Caramel, cocoa, vanilla, and brown sugar. More spice resurfaces as the long finish finally dissipates. Another winner. It might not be the first or second best batch of Booker's I've had, but it's less than a step behind. And it's probably got the best nose of any I've had. It's tied for best if not the outright best. It's a beast of a whiskey, like any other Booker's batch. But it's extremely balanced and very unique, even in this line of titans. It's unfortunate the Booker's has jumped from $55 to $90 in the past 3 years. Still, with a product like this, I'm fully prepared to keep shelling out my hard-earned cash for these releases. 5/5.90.0 USD per Bottle -
Knappogue Castle 12 Year Marco de Bartoli Marsala Cask Finish
Single Malt — Ireland
Reviewed December 26, 2019 (edited July 28, 2022)This is the 2nd installment of Knappogue Castle's Cask Finish Series. It's my first but I'll be doing all three in time. I've never had a Marsala cask-finished whiskey, but I've been a huge fan of every KC product I've had to date. Let's see what a Marsala finish adds to the experience. Nose: What I'm assuming is the marsala cask really shines through. Very reminiscent of sherry. Red/purple grape, plum, and cola, raisin, date, and fig. There's also malt, toffee, shortbread cookie, vanilla, and caramel. Almond and cashew. Banana-walnut muffin. Floral and perfume-like. The traditional Knappogue Castle green apple is there, but here it is secondary to the cask influence. Finally, there's cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice. I could nose this all day. Palate: More plum and cola, date and fig. Slight Christmas pound cake. Sweet and sour raspberry jam and cranberry bitterness. More of the almond and cashew, as well as the caramel, vanilla, toffee, and malt. Maple sweetness. Not a trace of alcohol. Finish: Medium-long. Spice-bomb right off the bat. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg erupt as the palate turns over. Once that settles down, I can detect a strong Granny-smith apple which I generally associate with KC. There's also more plum and dry red fruit. Raspberry. Drying and oak. Surprisingly hot, though it tames with each sip. Awesome. I really wish I could distinguish between sherry and marsala; the fact that I've never had a glass of either wine probably plays into this. At any rate, 5-star nose and palate, 4.5 star finish. 12 years old, very respectable ABV of 46% and a unqiue choice of cask. A lot to like here. It's one of 1200. I'm glad I got one, even at the high asking price of $80. Well worth it. Looking forward to reviewing the other two. If you're a fan of wine cask finished single malts, buy this on sight. Bumped up from 4.75 to 5. Palate got even better to match the nose after a few months.80.0 USD per Bottle -
My first Compass Box. My first blended grain. I've long been excited to try one of the masterful blends of the former. I haven't thought much about the latter, but it's an intriguing proposal nonetheless. Here we go. Nose: Grainy, nutty, and spicy. Walnut, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, and shortbread cookie come to mind. Like a spicy Irish whiskey. Even a bit metallic. Hints of orange and coconut. I'd say it's decent at best, but I give it credit for being interesting. Palate: The orange zest pops to the forefront. Vanilla and toffee behind that. Some walnut and shortbread cookie. Some more coconut. Almond and walnut. Still very grainy and a bit metallic. Once again, respectable, but nothing to write home about. Finish: Vanilla and orange. Shortbread and walnut. Nutmeg and clove. Some grain, some spice, and a small bit of sweetness and citrus. Cinnamon. Soapy. Metallic. Short. Underwhelming. If you couldn't tell, I'm not particularly excited about this. Average at every turn. Young, unrefined. 97 on distiller? I don't use an x/100 scoring system, but the score I'll allot this one is far from such. It's not a bad drink. But it's definitely not an interesting one. I had to pull out the Glenlivet 14, my most recent tasting, just to confirm that my palate isn't off. Certainly is not. At $93, this is a major disappointment. Interesting idea, unsatisfying result.93.0 USD per Bottle
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Glenlivet 14 Year Cognac Cask Selection
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed December 19, 2019 (edited April 11, 2020)New Glenlivet as of summer 2019. Interesting concept; I've never tried a cognac-aged whisky let alone a cognac-aged Scotch. Let's see if this was a worthwhile attempt by Glenlivet to diversify their portfolio. Nose: At first its a lot of the standard Glenlivet notes: apple, pear, apricot, peach, honey, vanilla, caramel, and toffee. But behind that I get some darker notes, akin to what I get in sherry cask finished-malts. Plum, raisin, and cola comprise the second layer of flavor. Beyond that it's grainy cereal, oatmeal, shortbread cookie, and marshmallow. A bit of nail polish. With time, I get some pineapple. Maybe just a hint of tobacco and black tea. It's a bit muted at first but surprisingly becomes very good given some time to open up. Palate: Malty toffee and orchard fruit. More apple, pear, apricot, honey, vanilla, and a bit of raisin. A bit of milk chocolate and walnut. Some orange and banana. Slight maple syrup. Cereals and grains. It's decent, but unspectacular following that stellar nose. The cognac influence seems to be all but gone save that one subtle raisin note. Finish: Apple and pear persist for all of two seconds, and then it's a puff of cinnamon and oak before it's all gone. Short, uneventful finish. Nosed it first, and thought it was great. Nuanced, complex, and unique. If I was just nosing this, I'd say it's up there with the best of them. I didn't expect much from this when I heard it had been released, and my initial impression as I nosed it was that this was an improbable home run. But I paid $60 for this. And the palate was as regular as they come. Not bad, but in no way memorable. I think it'd best be described as even-keeled. And then the finish.... I enjoy a little intensity in a finish. If Mott's Apple Juice is a 10/100 on the intensity scale, this is a 12/100. If they were going for "smooth"--nailed it. If they wanted this to be remotely interesting, not even close. A great nose is awesome, but I'm here to drink the whisky. And this one drinks like a tentative tea ball player. I'm sure I'm being a bit harsh. But after such a promising start, I just feel utterly let down. I've always been a big fan of Glenlivet, the 12 year was the first single malt I ever purchased, and I loved it back then. I understand what they're going for here, but I just can't appreciate it. Seems to me like they just needed a 14-year counterpart to match their Speyside rival--Glenfiddich. This scent would make for an amazing car freshener or bedroom candle. But as a whisky, I'd say pass, people.60.0 USD per Bottle -
Ardbeg Perpetuum
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed December 18, 2019 (edited December 24, 2019)I love the Laphroaig Cairdeas series. I love Ardbeg 10, Corry, and Ugi. So it only makes sense that I'd venture into the Ardbeg annual-release series, which is their Cairdeas equivalent. I jumped at this one because it's a 2015 release; naturally it's become quite exclusive and thus worth an immediate buy. Let's check it out. Nose: Heavy brine and campfire smoke and ash. Iodine and sea salt. Brine and peat smoke dominate this one. There's a sweet custard note. Beyond that are heavy lemon and grapefruit citrus notes. Vanilla, honey, and butterscotch, and black pepper. A nice combination of peat, brine, citrus, sweetness, and just a little spice. Liking it so far. Palate: Nice campfire smoke, iodine, band-aid, briny sea salt, seaweed, and ash. Citrus bomb: Lemon and grapefruit, again, now with lime. Meaty ham/pork note. Vanilla, butterscotch, honey, and toffee. Some milk chocolate. Not a hint of spice or ABV. Finish: More of the smoke and salt. A spice kick of oak, cinnamon, and black pepper hits hard once the smoke passes. As the spice fades, I pick up milk chocolate and hazelnut. Then, as the moderate-long finish fades, I'm hit with one last puff of tobacco smoke. Interesting finish. 4.0 stars. Well above average, not quite enough to be considered a standout. For the $85 I paid, it's worthwhile change of pace from the standard Ardbeg releases.If you're thinking about paying secondary prices to get this one, well, stop thinking about it. The nose is great, the rest is very good. I cut this one some slack since it's not egregiously overpriced like many of the other one-off releases. There's a lot to like here, and I think this is a great embodiment of both Ardbeg and Islay character. At any rate, I'm glad I was able to nab one of these so late in the game.85.0 USD per Bottle
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