Tastes
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Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 17, 2019 (edited October 27, 2019)I was a huge fan of the Small Batch (along with the rest of the Buffalo Trace collection I've tried to date). I've heard that a good bottling of the SB is remarkable in its own right. Let's put that to the test. Nose: Brown sugar, caramel, and vanilla sweetness. Maybe some honey. Juicy red apple. Behind that is a touch of leather, toasted oak, and black pepper. Very subtle. Some of the classic BT Vicks VapoRub. Butterscotch and raisin and other dried fruits. No alcohol detectable. Classic bourbon nose. Great nose. Palate: Much spicier than the nose. It's mostly baking spice: nutmeg, clove, black pepper, and cinnamon. And it's an oak bomb. Beyond that there is sweet apple pie and cherry. Caramel and butterscotch. Vanilla, brown sugar, and honey. A touch of orange citrus. Some licorice as well. There's a lot going on here, and I'm loving all of it. This powerful, vibrant palate compliments a wonderfully subtle nose. Awesome. Finish: Heavy caramel, butterscotch, and oak. A bit of brown sugar sweetness before it ultimately becomes a long stretch of cinnamon, black pepper, and toasted oak. 50% ABV makes itself known here, and in the best way possible. About as good as they make them. I'm on a roll with Buffalo Trace right now. I gave Elmer T. Lee the same score a couple weeks ago. The only issue I have with BT is their ever-increasing prices and decreasing stock. I know I;m not alone in speculating that the scarcity of these products is a strategy to create hype and trigger impulse purchases at well over MSRP. And it works on me every time. I paid $80 for this one, and it was worth every penny. Just a damn fine product. It's a to see that this one is so rarely available. And when it is, it's often ludicrously overpriced. With that being said, this is has now become one of my absolute favorite whiskies. Very impressed with Buffalo Trace once again. I'll give them this: They're doing something right. It's already up $10 at the store where I purchased this, and I can only assume the price will continue to climb. And ultimately, I'll probably continue to shell out. But if you can find this around $80, it's a no-brainer. You've done it again BT.80.0 USD per Bottle -
Aberlour A'bunadh
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed August 12, 2019 (edited August 16, 2020)Sherry-bomb time. My bottle comes from Batch 60, which clocks in at 60.3%. It's my strongest Scotch whisky to date. This has been high on my list for some time. Though I've heard the latest batches are not up to par with its mighty reputation, I was still excited to get into this one. I'm now right around halfway done with the bottle, so it's time for an assessment. Nose: As one might expect, it's a wave of red fruit off the bat. Rather than sweet and juicy, it's much drier than I expected. Sun-dried cranberry, fig, date, and raisin. Behind that are hints of zesty orange and golden apricot. Otherwise, it's a whole lot of spice. Cinnamon red hots, nutmeg, and allspice, as well as a monster oak note. With time in the glass, I pick up a cola note. It's hot, but feels closer to 50% than %60. Quality nose. Palate: More of those dark red fruits. Cranberry, fig, raisin, date, dark cherry, and rich plum. A bit of pound cake and leather behind that. Orange peel and bitter dark chocolate. Heavy cinnamon and baking spices remind you that this is a beast of a dram. Big oak. Golden apricot, ginger, and cola show up after the 20 minute mark. My only qualm with the nose is that some of the notes were a bit of artificial. On the palate, those same notes come across as perfectly organic, making this one hell of an experience. Finish: Long as they make 'em. Cinnamon, oak, and an array of baking spices. Black pepper kicks in just when you think it's finally over. ABV is apparent, but not overpowering. Solid finish. This is great stuff. I've noticed of late that prices have been coming down for this one. I used to see this from $100-115 on average; now, however, I've seen it more frequently around $85. According to some, this may be fitting, as there has apparently been a dip in quality. I found mine for $78. At that price, I'd say this is a no-brainer. A great showcasing of sherried scotch, especially that sublime palate. I'm happy to say that this one met my expectations. I'd known about this one fairly into my Scotch-drinking career, but always shied away because of price point. This particular batch is well worth the money I paid. I'd pay up if I had to. Maybe I got lucky with Batch 60. If this is really inferior to the previous batches, then this must have truly been a godly whisky. Well done, Aberlour.78.0 USD per Bottle -
Macallan Fine Oak 10 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed August 6, 2019 (edited April 23, 2021)I recently stumbled upon this one for $55. And while I assumed that this would not be a particularly great value, curiosity got the better of me. This one was a core component of the Macallan portfolio until it was recently discontinued, seemingly replaced by the NAS double cask Gold Edition. Let's see if Macallan made a mistake or were right to let this one die off. Nose: Floral, fruity, sweet, and "perfumey." Standard Speyside notes of vanilla, honey, toffee, malt, sugar cookie, banana, and apple. There are also the classic Macallan date, plum, fig notes, evidence of sherry cask aging (no leather notes, surprisingly). Notes of caramel, butterscotch, walnut, hazelnut, and dense oak aromas suggest bourbon barrel presence. Decent. Palate: Sweet, light, floral, fruity. More apple, vanilla, toffee, honey, caramel. Walnut and hazelnut as well. There are now distinct notes of zesty orange, milk chocolate, and truffle. Maybe even a slight pineapple to compliment the orange citrus. Reminiscent of the 15, just not quite as impressive. Nevertheless, it's tasty. Sherry notes are largely the same, plum, fig, raisin, date. But despite the presence of this darker notes, this drinks as a lighter Speyside. The lower percentage of sherry casks used in the Fine Oak line causes this to deviate from traditional Macallan. Finish: Moderate in length. Here, it's completely oak driven. Cinnamon and baking spice. Quality oak. Lighter notes of vanilla and honey persist. It's perfectly pleasant, but lacking. 40% ABV was not the right choice here. 43 likely would've made a considerable improvement to what is an acceptable but unremarkable finish. And here we are. Middle of the road. Nothing really to write home about. I'd never complain about receiving a pour of what I'd consider a decent whisky, but you also won't find me lobbying Macallan/Edrington for the dismissal of this one from the lineup. Everything that this one does, the 15 year does much better. It's deeper, richer, and more refined. The extra 5 years and 3% ABV do wonders for this one. Even though it's almost double the price, it's a much better VFM. This would've been a solid deal at $40 or less, but at $55, I've gotten both 12s for less. And those statements end any discussion on the merit of keeping this one around, at least for me. It's a shame to see an age-stated staple disappear, but I won't cry over spilled Macallan. Not this one at least.55.0 USD per Bottle -
Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed August 4, 2019 (edited October 27, 2019)Elmer T. Lee: yet another elusive Buffalo Trace bourbon that continues to increase in cost and decrease in availability. When I saw this one, I knew I had to pull the trigger. It's a single barrel, sour mash release, making it a little unique to the BT portfolio. Nose: Spicy but refined. Clove, black pepper, and baking spices. Classic Buffalo Trace leather and cherry jump right out of the glass. There's also vanilla, toffee, Gala apple, cocoa, honey, and caramel. Maybe even a little peach in there. And of course, a very prominent aroma of quality oak. Phenomenal. Palate: The cherry and leather are still present, but they take a back seat to apple, vanilla, caramel, raisin, and toffee. Very mild orange citrus. Here and there I pick up a nice slice of apple pie. The spice from the nose is still detectable, but the sweeter notes really take over here. There's even some maple syrup and honey. Once again, big oak, and it's damn good. While the nose delivers a profile that is distinctly Buffalo Trace, the palate encapsulates what I'd call the classic bourbon character. Finish: Moderate. Cinnamon, black pepper, and baking spice provide a kick. Once again, the oak shines here. About as good as it gets on a hot summer day. This is subtle, nuanced, and one of the most drinkable whiskies I've had to date. Dangerously easy. Yet, there's enough going on here to distinguish this one from some of my other favorites from Buffalo Trace. I nabbed this oen for $70, though I've seen it for about double. $70 is fair; maybe a bit high, but I understand the game BT is playing here. It's still one of the more affordable options in their lineup, even considering inflation. It's so good that I'd gladly overpay, though anything north of a C-note is absurd. Either way, this is one hell of a dram. For now I'll leave it a 4.75. It's simply amazing. Of course, I'd highly recommend this to any fellow BT fanboy or for anybody who appreciates a subtle, nuanced bourbon. Might add to this post in the future. I've got Col. Taylor SB and Rye, as well as Weller 107. Can't wait to get into some comparisons between these heavy hitters.70.0 USD per Bottle -
Highland Park Valknut
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed August 1, 2019 (edited March 13, 2020)The Valknut is the second installment of what I'll call the Highland Park 'Valk Series.' It follows the Valkyrie (which I've yet to try). The third is the Valkfather, which I don't think has been released. There has been a recent proliferation of HP NAS releases. This one is of the more affordable and abundant of the lot. The Valk series feels like it's one level below the core range, if that makes any sense. They're not quite part of the core range, but aren't one-off, random releases either. Let's get into it. ***I came back to this one about a month or two later. A handful of reviews I did around this time came out strange and I'm thinking I burnt out my palate. I came back, and it's much better.*** Nose: Hardly any peat smoke is detectable. Instead its more of a sulfuric note. There is also some sweetness. Bubblegum, green apple, honey, toffee, and vanilla. There is also some cinnamon, black pepper, and clove spice. Walnut and sun-dried tomato round this one off, giving it a unique profile. Palate: Butterscotch, honey, vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Red berry (strawberry, cranberry). More of that sulfur note, but otherwise very little peat influence. Virtually no smoke. Some milk chocolate on the back end. Nutty and oaky. Finish: Moderate-long. Hot with cinnamon, black pepper, baking spice. Oak heavy. More of the sulfur and some delicious dark chocolate. This is a tricky one to rate. When I first cracked this a few months back, I thought that was a pretty good dram. Fast forward to last night, and I found it be atrocious. I had to postpone my review until tonight because it was so wildly different than I had remember it. I even compared to HP 15, which I'm quite fond of, and it held up. The nose, which was initially my favorite part of the dram, seems completely disjointed. That and the palate are overrun by the sulfur notes. I love those notes in Laphroaigs, but this one is too thin to in other areas to compensate for such a strong and potentially off-putting note. The finish was too harsh for 46.8%. I really wanted to like this one. And, strangely enough, I did when I first cracked it. But unlike with most bottles, I found that this one got significantly worse with time. I've had the HP 12 and 15, and now this Valknut. The score is: Age-Statement releases 2-NAS 0. I love the homage to Nordic culture as much as the next guy, but dammit Highland Park, focus less on the bottle design and more on what you're putting into it. ***Came back to this and I'm convinced that my previous assessment was a symptom of a burnt palate. The notes are much the same, but the nose is now pleasant, the palate robust, and the finish much more satisfying. Confidently bumped up from a 2.75 to a 3.5. I'm happy to see that as I'm finishing the bottle, my initial liking to this bottle was warranted.70.0 USD per Bottle -
Lagavulin 9 Year (Game of Thrones-House Lannister)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed July 30, 2019 (edited September 11, 2019)I haven't watched GoT, but I've seen bits and pieces of the show. From what I do know, House Targaryen would've been the most logical selection to pair with Lag with their connection to dragons. That aside, I was skeptical of these releases. I figured that they'd be simple and inoffensive, ideal for the whisky novices that would inevitably buy these releases in droves. That being said, age-stated Lagavulin is age-stated Lagavulin. Loved the 8 so I can actually justify having expectations for this 9-year. Nose: Classic Lag campfire-peat smoke. Sea salt and seaweed give this some maritime quality. There's also quite a bit of cirtus: grapefruit and lemon. Smoked brisket and spicy cinnamon (from the respectable 46% ABV). Also heavy chili note. A nice touch of oak in the background. Classic Lag. Great start. Palate: Oily and smoky. It's that same campfire smoke, smoked brisket, and spicy chili. The sea salt is still present, but it becomes less prominent as the cinnamon and black pepper spices step to the forefront. Lemon and grapefruit citrus notes are ever-present. There are some unexpectedly light notes of green apple, vanilla, custard, toffee, and maybe a slight honey and milk chocolate. Oak presence is still strong. Finish: Long, smoky, and spicy. Big cinnamon, black pepper, and oak notes. Some drying sea salt on the way out. I can't speak on any of the other releases (I'd expect good things from the Talisker as well). But I'll say this: this is not just some gimmick. I'm sure that most of this lineup was little more than a cash grab, but Lagavulin did not take this assignment lightly. It may well be my least favorite Lagavulin, but that really isn't much of an insult. The 8, 12, 16, and DE all scored at least a 4.5 if I remember correctly. Lagavulin has always done me well, and nothing changes with this one. $80 is a bit steep for what this is, but I understand that this release is tied to the greatest cultural phenomenon of the decade. If you're a Lag fan or a peat-head, this is worth your time if you can spare the money. It's the most subtle of any Lag expression I've tried, but still holds its own as a worthy dram. Re-tasted a few days later and decided that the 4.5 is more appropriate. Still may rank it last on Lag list, but once again, it doesn't mean much when I rate everything from them through the roof.80.0 USD per Bottle -
Aberlour 16 Year Double Cask Matured
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed July 29, 2019 (edited January 5, 2020)Quick note before I get started. Distiller has this one listed at 43 ABV. But my bottle is only 40. In doing some research, I see that my bottle is the normal proof. Maybe it used to be 43 ABV (and it really should be). Nose: Fruity and floral. Apricot, pear, green apple, peach, and orange. Honey and vanilla sweetness. Brown sugar, pecan, and caramel from the bourbon cask. Butterscotch and toffee as well. The sherry cask adds a layer of plum, fig, and a big-time raisin note. It's a nice combination of lighter and darker fruit. Heat is nonexistent. Nice nose. Palate: Peaches and cream is the big note here. There's also a heavy dose of classic notes of honey, vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Beyond that, it's a slightly toned done version of the nose. Orange, apricot, apple, plum, raisin, and fig. A touch of leather just before the finish. Not nearly as cohesive as the nose, and also lacks of the depth. Not bad, but adds nothing substantial outside of that peaches and cream note. Finish: Moderate in length. It's more of the same from the rest of the experience. Light fruit complimented by dark fruit, rounded off with vanilla and honey. A nice touch of oak and a puff of clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon stays with you until this one cuts out. I was compelled to buy this when the price dropped from $90 to $65. At the former rate, this is a decent value. However, at $65, it's worth every penny. Of course, I'd love to see what a slight bump in ABV could do for this one. Sure, Aberlour going for subtle and pleasant, and they hit their mark. But I think that a bump to 43 ABV would bolster what is a relatively shallow palate. Perfect if you're in the mood for something easy-going and approachable, but just complex enough to distinguish itself from the herd. I've come to love in-your-face Islay and cask strength bourbons, but I can still appreciate a subtle, friendly Speysider every now and again. This is exactly that. If you see it for around $65 and are in the mood for a date that's easier than she is interesting, I'd say pull the trigger without hesitation. 5 months later and I've put this through some comparisons. Decided to drop to a 3.5. 40% ABV hurts this one. I think this would be a stellar malt at 43-46%. Still enjoying it otherwise.65.0 USD per Bottle -
Macallan Edition No. 3
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed July 28, 2019 (edited January 18, 2020)The Macallan Edition series: Highly sought after, ridiculously-inflated on the second-hand market, and widely polarizing in terms of quality and value. These are the first things that come to mind. This No. 3 is my first experience with one of these, though I plan to go for 2 and 4 at some point. Let's what all the noise is about. Nose: Quite pungent. After reading the blurb about the involvement of a master perfumer in the creation of this whisky, I had some steep expectations for the nose in particular. The notes I get are more akin to what I'd expect of the Fine Oak series as opposed to the more traditional line. It's sweet and fruity. Heavy orange, honey, green apple, vanilla, and toffee. Some date, plum, fig, grape, and date behind that first layer. Apricot and honeydew tucked in behind that. New couch leather. There's a trace of caramel, likely a result of the heavy use of bourbon barrels in this blend. Much less than I would've expected given the high proportion of ex-bourbon aged malt. Heavy, heavy oak. A little bit of nail polish, which I could do without. But other than that it's solid. Palate: Darker than the nose. The background sherry notes from the nose of poundcake, plum, fig, date, grape, and leather are now at the forefront. Still getting the apple, apricot, and toffee. Fruity tartness and some white chocolate and vanilla ice cream. And once again, it's quite oaky. Black pepper spice as well. While that may sound great, I really have to dig for those notes. Solid palate, though it can’t hold up to the stellar nose. Finish: Oak bomb. It's surprisingly bitter. Some plum and raisin hit heavy. Milk chocolate and orange zest. Beyond that, it's really just cinnamon spice, likely a result of the 48.3 ABV. Medium-long finish. So where does this leave us? I am quite impressed with the nose. Other than the artificial aroma of nail polish, it pretty much hit the mark in every way. From there, however, I was underwhelmed. I wouldn't say it was bad, just that the palate and finish were subpar compared to the nose. I'm here to drink, not to sniff. Ultimately, that's going to hurt the score for this one. This one seems like it was a nose-driven operation from the start. The master perfumer, Roja Dove, certainly held up on his end of the bargain. But this simply was not a $100 whisky. If you want to spend $100 on Macallan, stick with the 15 year. This is really only worth purchasing if you're a die-hard collector like myself. With that being said, I've got to say I respect Macallan's effort here. They are go to great lengths to provide the consumer with insight into the aging process. Painstaking transparency. If you want the box score, check their website, because I'm not about to transcribe paragraphs of info. The point is, a lot of distilleries frivolously pump out sub-par, overpriced, NAS annual-release crap with no conscience. But with this one, I can tell that there was a genuine and concerted effort to produce a top-notch blend. It just didn't pan out. The result is a great nose, and an otherwise middling malt. Yet, I can sense the effort, and thus would not be prejudiced toward the other Mac. Edition releases in the future. Edit: Same night as this above tasting. Been working on it a bit more. Given considerable time in the glass, the palate becomes much more respectable. The notes are the same but become far more pronounced as it sits in the glass. Bumped from 3.25 to 3.75, where it'll stay.100.0 USD per Bottle -
Oban Distillers Edition
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed July 27, 2019 (edited January 16, 2020)Diageo's Distiller's Edition series takes their Classic Malt Range offerings and puts them in sherry casks for an additional 6 months. So for this one, it's the Oban 14 +6 months in sherry. I'm a fan of the latter, and I loved what those 6 months did for the Lag 16. This should be a good one. This is the 2018 Edition. Nose: Classic Oban. Light whiff of smoke is detectable. Heavy on the honey, vanilla, and apple. Distinct soapy note that I associate with Oban. The sherry influence is minimal, though I do get a bit of strawberry jam if I search for it. Relatively light but solid nose nonetheless. Came back to this months later and I've got to say, the nose is much vibrant. Additional notes of pear, apricot, honeydew, cantalope, marshmallow, and custard. I now think it is the most interesting part of the whisky. Palate: Similar to the nose but gets it up a notch. It's still heavy on the vanilla, honey, and apple. This is followed by honeydew, cherry, roasted almond, and toffee. Here, Oban's coastal quality becomes more pronounced. The soapiness is now coupled with a noticeable saline characteristic. Just a puff of smoke. Once again, the sherry influence is in the background. It's cherry and maybe some dark grape. All good things here. I'm a big fan of the honeydew note. Can't say I've picked it up anywhere else. Finish: Respectable for 43 ABV. It's a cross between fruity sweetness coming in the form of cherry, dark grape, and red apple, and a spicy oak and cinnamon punch. The smoke is a bit more prominent here, and the sherry influence shines at this point. Overall, it's good stuff. It won't blow you away or change your perception of Single Malt Whisky. But it does bat well above average from start to finish. It's an easy-going dram that's just complex enough to command your attention. Perfect for a summer evening. Initially, I passed on this one due to price. My local liquor store had this pegged at a hefty $98. However, when this went on sale for $75, I had to pull the trigger. Well worth the money. So far these Diageo Distillers Editions have done me well. Looking forward to trying the rest of the lineup. As for the Oban DE, I'll say 4 stars flat. Well done. Came back to this months later and time has really done this well. Bumped up to 4.25.75.0 USD per Bottle -
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed July 24, 2019 (edited August 17, 2020)Barrel proof bourbon for under $50? Count me in. Nose: An assortment of baking spices and the smell of fresh-cut hay jump out of the glass. Darker sweet notes of caramel, brownie, brown sugar, and cocoa. Maybe some basil and even green tea. Some sawdust in the background. Layers of complexity mask any evidence of a barrel proof whiskey. Palate: Chewy caramel and toffee. Vanilla, cocoa, brown sugar, and plenty of baking spice. Slightly nutty (almond, walnut) and dry fruit (think Trail Mix). Big ginger note. Well-balanced; not too sweet, but not too spicy either. Pepper and cinnamon spice indicates high proof, but it's far more easy-going than you'd expect at 58.4%. Finish: Here comes the wave of cinnamon and pepper. The ABV reveals itself at this point. Long spicy, fiery finish. Very oaky. Great way to finish off a great dram. This is an amazing value. This bottle cost me $43. Normally, I have to spend more than double that amount to get this level of quality. For that alone, I bumped this up half a star. A lot to love here. A complex, balanced, barrel-proofer for a bargain. Wild Turkey really outdid themselves with this one. It can go toe-to-toe with any of the great American heavyweights. This one is up to $50 where I bought this one. Seems it's gotten a small bump in price. Even so, it's still a great value. Only Old Ezra 7 offers this level of quality at this general price point. If you're a lover of high-proof bourbon, I'd highly recommend this one. And if you're not sure if you can handle a barrel proof whiskey, I'd say start here. It's incredibly subtle considering just how strong this one. Well done, WT.43.0 USD per Bottle
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