Tastes
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Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Select
Tennessee Whiskey — Tennessee, USA
Reviewed June 30, 2019 (edited September 2, 2019)I once bought this as a gift for a friend who almost exclusively drinks the Old No. 7. When he gave me some, I remember thinking it was pretty good, much to my surprise. I'm not a fan of the Old No. 7, but based on my past experience I do have some expectations for this one. Nose: Musty and oaky. Heavy leather, tobacco, and cocoa. Some standard bourbon notes lie caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, baking spices. A hint of classic JD banana floats somewhere in the background. A little cherry somewhere in there. Good start. I'm guessing this is a high-corn mash based on the lack of rye characteristics; interestingly though, it's not all that sweet. Palate: Chewy caramel and vanilla sweetness. Instead of the past-ripe overly sweet banana I get with the old No. 7, this one presents more like a banana bread. Great note. Cherry, honey, brown sugar, walnut, leather, and cocoa round off the palate. Good stuff. Finish: Long, and it comes in two waves. The first is all banana, vanilla, and a creamy sweetness. After this subsides, there's a kick of cinnamon and black pepper to remind that at 47%, this is not your run of the mill Old No. 7. All things considered, I think a 3.75 is fair. Maybe a bit generous. I'd like to point out this is a prime example of why the glencairn is the best way to drink whiskey. Maybe it was just an off day, but I tried this two nights ago in a rocks glass. The nose was a mess, and everything else was mediocre at best. Yet, tonight, in a glencairn, everything just seemed to come together. At $48, I think this is a respectable effort. I'll give credit where its due, and JD is on the mark with this one. Considering that I associate these guys with youthful misadventures followed by horrendous morning hangovers, I'm impressed with the quality of this one. It's good to see that the big guys are capable of putting out a solid product. Let it be known that this is far superior to Old No. 7 and Gentleman Jack. Well done JD.48.0 USD per Bottle -
Ah, Jameson Black. I remember when I considered this to be a high end whiskey. I've since come a long way, but I do have some fond memories of this one. It's been a couple years, so let's see how this one has held up. Nose: Classic Irish. Vanilla, cereal, toffee, and caramel, shortbread cookie. It's malty and grainy, but more so the former. I suspect there's a high percentage of single pot still, and it definitely comes across as older than the standard Jameson. A faint hint of jam in the background. Some baking spice, cashew, chestnut, and oak. Palate: Once again, standard Irish. Cereal, malt, toffee, vanilla, shortbread cookie, and caramel. Into the mid palate I get raspberry and strawberry. Once again, it's apparent that there's a respectable percentage of single pot still whiskey in this blend. Finish: This is where the 'black' comes into play. Until this point, the barrel hasn't appeared. However, it's prominent right off the bat with this finish. It's accompanied by cinnamon and other spices, and rounded off with the sweet red fruit from the palate. I'll say it right now. This one is head and shoulders above the rest of Jameson's core range. Damn good stuff. Are there better Irish whiskies? Absolutely. But when you look at balance, quality, and VFM, this one will always be a solid option. Must try for any fan of Irish whiskey. If you don't like standard Jameson, don't write the brand off until you try this one because I'll bet you'll be pleasantly surprised.39.0 USD per Bottle
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Apparently it's illegal for non-Americans to use the word "Bourbon" on their packaging, regardless of context. This one says "Bourbon Mash" (which is nothing but the truth) and "This is not a Bourbon Whiskey." Nevertheless, it's illegal. The good thing about this is that in their efforts to liquidate the remaining supply of these bottlings (its since been changed to Blenders' Mash), this one has seen some heavy price reduction-- plummeting from $35 to $17. This lone factor is what ultimately drove my purchase. Nose: This one is a barn house. Green and musty. Corn, hay, sawdust, and wood. Maybe even a bit of manure in the background (I'm not kidding). Very bitter. Some cocoa and baking spices. Leather and apple. I worked on farms in high school, and while I can appreciate the aromas that come with the territory, the nose on this one fails to evoke any fond memories of my youth. It's more sawdust than anything else. Not the best. Palate: Bland. Vanilla, caramel, and baking spices. Some of the cocoa from the noses. It's off. It's bitter where it feels it ought to be sweet. Sawdust and flour. When it's not bitter, it's neutral tasting, and there's nothing inspiring about it. Not horrible, but absolutely nothing to write home about. Finish: Short. About right for an 80 proofer. It's all bitter oak off the bat. It takes a sharp turn into spicy cinnamon, but it's gone before you know it. Unsatisfying but fitting end to this one. You get what you pay for. It's not always accurate, but it's generally a rule of thumb. And hey, it's a whisky. I can still drink it. That's about all I've got for this one. The only box it checks is price, and even then it'd be a stretch to call this a good value. The moral of the story is, the word bourbon is off limits, no matter how you actually use it. And yet, their flub is the only reason I gave this one a shot. At $17, what the hell? I'll generously round this up to 2 stars. I don't regret the purchase, and that's about the best compliment I can conjure up for this one.17.0 USD per Bottle
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Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 3, 2019 (edited October 24, 2019)Quick note: If you like this one, it's been replaced by a 14 year old Quinta Ruban that comes in teal packaging. I believe the packaging will change for all of the (former) 12 year Glenmorangie offerings. Also, the price of this one is set to jump $10-15. If you're a fan, be aware of the change. Nose: Sweet and malty. Mostly dark fruits. Plum, blackberry, raisin, grape, cranberry. Jam. Some orange, chocolate, and vanilla. Cereal grain, toffee, and malt. As I can recall, this is the only port-finished scotch I've had. With little basis to work with, I'd say this noses similar to a sherried Scotch, only with darker fruits. A faint trace of cinnamon and black pepper spice. Rich and tart nose, solid stuff. Palate: Jam is the word. Strawberry and blackberry. Pomegranate and plum. Later in the palate there's rich dark chocolate and vanilla in the background. Apple, pear, and honeydew behind that. I also get toffee, walnut, caramel, and a bit of honey to round this one off. Some sun-dried tomato. Sweet and balanced, especially on arrival; here, it's noticeably different from a sherry finished scotch. Finish: Moderate. There's chocolate and blackberry sweetness followed by oak and cinnamon spice and black pepper. Raspberry adds a sour note. Solid finish. When I do the math, there's a lot to like about this one. Pros: Respectable ABV of 46%, interesting notes with the Port cask finish, very good nose/palate, great value at $52, age statement, non-chill filtered. Cons: It isn’t sensational in any one way. Not too hard a criticism.. I've always been fond of this one. If it's not the Lasanta, this is the best of Glenmorangie's 4 'budget' malts. Great dram for a drinker at any level, and while it receives a bit of criticism, I've always had a soft spot for this one. I can only hope the extra 2 years is worth the bump in price. I'm looking forward to trying the 14, though I'd buy this again if I come across it. 4.25 for this one.52.0 USD per Bottle -
I firmly believe that the best Island distilleries can go to toe-to-toe with Islay's finest. Talisker, Highland Park, and now this Ledaig from Tobermory. Nose: Salt and brine jump out of the glass. Beyond that it's medicinal peat smoke and iodine. A bit of sulfur. Seaweed and a big lemon citrus note. Fresh-cut grass. Honey sweetness. And that delicious bacon note featured in the tasting notes here on distiller. Cinnamon spice at the tail end. This one is pungent enough to fill the room with a mere uncorking of the bottle. And I'm glad it does because this nose is nothing short of superb. Palate: Oily, smoky, salty, briny. Salt, salt, salt. It's like taking a bite out of a soft pretzel. More zesty lemon. Honey, vanilla, butterscotch sweetness. Caramel and and fudge. Some darker fruits like plum. Maybe a bit of tobacco. Strong black pepper and maybe a bit of vinegar. Edit: After reading a review by @Richard-ModernDrinking I have to add hookah smoke to my notes. Now that I've read it, there's absolutely no mistaking it. Finish: Moderate-to-long. Some cinnamon and black pepper, the rest is all sea salt. It'll leave you feeling like you just spent a day in the ocean. If you don't like salt, don't even bother with this one. Fortunately I do, and this one is an absolute winner for me. It's certainly worthy of being in the discussion of best flagship Islay/Island expressions. Is it No. 1? Maybe not, but it's not too far off. At $60 I'd buy again. It may be a tad high but I'm not complaining. A background dram by no means, this one is enough to command the attention of an experienced peat-head. This one checks all the boxes for me. After this, I'm looking forward to trying another malt from the Isle of Mull.60.0 USD per Bottle
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Longmorn 16 Year (Discontinued)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed May 29, 2019 (edited December 26, 2020)This is the newer Longmorn 16 that comes in the purple packaging. From what I've read, there is a significant enough difference between this and the older, gray Longmorn 16 (featured in the picture^) that it's worth noting. Nose: Classic Speyside sweetness. Big butterscotch and lemon citrus notes. Granny Smith apple and pear, as well as honey, toffee, and raisin. I also get cinnamon roll and shortbread cookie. Finally, there is a burst spicy cinnamon, no doubt of a result of the higher ABV (48%). Great nose. Palate: Roasted nuts, caramel, vanilla, honey, and toffee. A bit of white chocolate. The lemon note is still present, but it's somewhat reminiscent of a Riccola cough drop here. I also get more of the cinnamon roll immediately after pouring; however, this dissipates the longer it sits in the glass. The other notes become more prominent with time. Before the finish, another cinnamon kick. Solid palate. Finish: Moderate to long, leaning toward the latter. It's all cinnamon spice, and coupled with some residual citrus, though it's more like lemonade now. Nothing new here, but a satisfactory end to a great pour. Yet another whisky that only gets better with time. I was not impressed when I first cracked this one. However, it's gotten significantly better with oxidation. Initially, this one seemed disjointed. It was all Speyside sweetness up and then an abrupt gear shift heavy spice. Like hitting a brick wall. With time however, this dichotomy has disappeared, and the transition has become smooth and subtle. This is precisely why I wait til I'm at least halfway through a bottle before reviewing it. This one bats above average in both nose and palate. My only complaint would be the price. $110 is a heavy price tag. However, it boasts a respectable age statement and ABV, and it delivers in the glass. I wasn't sold at first, but I've grown quite fond of this one. Looking forward to trying the gray box-Longmorn next.110.0 USD per Bottle -
Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 Cask Strength Quarter Cask Edition
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed May 26, 2019 (edited October 27, 2020)Earlier this year, I worked my way through a bottle of the standard Quarter Cask. Looking back, that was a superb bottle in its own right. Enter the 2017 Cairdeas edition. I'm a sucker for cask strength whisky, so when @PBMichiganWolverine told me about this one, I was immediately intrigued at the opportunity to try what I am expecting to be the QC on steroids. Let's get into it. Nose: It's undoubtedly recognizable as a part of the QC line. Heavy campfire smoke, iodine, salt, seaweed, ash, sulfur, and damp wood. A true maritime behemoth. It's a direct reflection of what I put in my QC review. True to form, I get vanilla, malt, lemon, orange, pepper, coconut, and almond. Big chestnut note. Following all that, an intense burst of cinnamon heat overtakes my senses. This one noses like a true cask strength Islay. In essence, it's the standard QC kicked up a notch or two, as you'd expect. Awesome. Palate: This one starts off as a medicinal, maritime peat bomb. More smoke and iodine, coupled with seaweed and salt. It's simultaneously leafy and herbal, with spearmint and fresh spinach present. Smoked meats with some black pepper and chili. As the palate progresses, it suddenly becomes much sweeter. Honey, vanilla, toffee, apple, and white chocolate. Lemon and grapefruit. Peppermint. On the tail end, it's darker sweet notes of dark chocolate and cocoa. If I don't cut this off now, this will never end. There's a hell of a lot going on here, and it's all hitting the right notes. Finish: Through and through, this one's a beast. This one goes on for days. Shortly after pouring, the finish is all campfire smoke, sulfur, seaweed, and sea salt. Then it's back to spice. Chili, red pepper, black pepper, and cinnamon. Massive ABV in the best way possible. Beyond 30 minutes the peat and smoke are replaced by sweeter notes. Some of the chocolate, vanilla, honey sweetness carry over from the palate. The spicy notes still take over from here on out. The way this one evolves over time is astounding. Great stuff. I compared this one to the standard QC several times for obvious reasons. This is one of those times when a great whisky is able to reach new heights when bottled at cask strength. In fact, I'd say this one is the epitome of such a phenomenon. Gritty Islay? Check. Cask strength? Check. Remarkable complexity? Check. Reasonably priced? Check, again. I nabbed the last bottle on the shelf, and I'm lucky to have done so. It's since been replaced with the 2018 Fino Cask, which I can't wait to try. I came in a subscriber to Laphroaig, and now walk away a subscriber to the vaunted Cairdeas line. Thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for making me aware of this one. Absolute must buy if you can still find it. Simply amazing.90.0 USD per Bottle -
Michter's US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed May 25, 2019 (edited September 3, 2019)The demand for this one has gotten quite high, and it's actually somewhat rare these days. When I finally found one, the price had jumped up to $45. Let's see if it's worthy of its new price tag. Nose: Gala apple, brown sugar, shoe leather, oak spice, and black pepper. Especially oak and leather. Fairly standard bourbon notes, but it comes together very nicely in this one. Solid nose. Palate: Caramel, vanilla, leather, oak spice, raisin, and black pepper. Prominent banana note. A bit of honey sweetness coupled with toffee and butterscotch. Big oak spice. Finish: Moderate to long. It's all spice here: oak, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper. Nice way to cap off a fine pour. This bottle improved greatly with time. It was barely a 3 star pour when I first cracked it. It's grown on me, and I'm glad for that. With that being said, there's nothing remarkable about this one either. The banana note is unique; it's much more pleasant here than it is in JD products. Is the bump in price warranted? Well, considering that I've purchased Col. Taylor Small Batch and Old Ezra 7 for $45, I'd say this is hardly worth it. It doesn't hold a candle to either of those products. If we ignore that, it's a solid bourbon. I had it pegged at 3.0 before this tasting (I'm more than 2/3 through), but it was surprisingly good this time around. Maybe this one takes well to oxidation, or maybe it's just my palate today. 3.5 seems right for this one.45.0 USD per Bottle -
I don't think this one needs much of an intro. If you frequent this site, you've probably already read a good deal about it. I've been sort of hit or miss with Eagle Rare in the past; always good, but only great about half the time. Let's how this store pick stacks up. Nose: Gala apples and leather are the stand out notes. I also get classic Buffalo Trace cherry. The palate is rounded out with baking spice, fig, and cocoa. Very oaky and a bit musty. Overall, solid nose. Palate: Caramel, leather, and cherry dominate the palate from the start. The gala apples now take a secondary role. Beyond that, I get vanilla, baking spice, chocolate, and a hint of black tea. Not the most complex, but incredibly balanced. Not too sweet, not too spicy, not too bitter. Nice touch of oak. The palate reflects a lot of what was in the nose, and I think that's for the better. Finish: Moderate to long finish. Caramel, leather, apple transition into black tea, and then just a bit of cinnamon and black pepper spice at the tail end. I'd hardly call it spicy, but there's just enough of a kick to let you know that 45 ABV was the right choice for this one. Balance, consistency, and value. That's the name of the game here. At the $40 the store was advertising, I'd have thought this a good deal. They gave it to me for $35, which is a downright bargain. From start to finish, this one delivers the goods. It checks all of the important boxes and leaves little to be desired across the board. As I indicated earlier, I've had mixed experiences with ER. If I were to score my last bottle based on memory, which was from over a year ago, I'd probably give it a 3.75. This one is significantly better; I'd say it's the best I've had. Your mileage may vary. With that being said, I've never had an ER that I didn't enjoy. I like the variability that a Single Barrel line offers, even if it means I won't always get my favorite rendition of that product. Fortunately, I won big with this one. As always, well done Buffalo Trace.35.0 USD per Bottle
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Booker's Bourbon Batch 2015-03 "The Center Cut"
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed April 30, 2019 (edited October 24, 2019)This one was a damn lucky find. I popped my head into a liquor store right before it went out of business. Slow product turnover is bad for them, but great for collectors like me. I was able to score this 2015 Booker's, which Distiller has listed as a rare bourbon. Nose: Standard Booker's. No real deviation here; it's simply damn fine. Roasted nuts, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar. Big oak. Black tea as well. This one sits at 63.6%, yet the alcohol is masked by richness and complexity. Great nose. Came back to it months later. Getting a prominent sweet maple note. Only makes it better. Came back to it again at the end of the bottle. It's been open for about 8 months. I'm now getting almond, cherry, and leather in addition to those original notes. So impressive how this has evolved. I'll miss this one. Palate: Rich and vibrant. Sweet and spicy. Vanilla, cola, caramel, brown sugar, but also tobacco, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, and oak spice. Peanut brittle. And this could just be the power of suggestion (and it probably is) but I could swear I'm getting a chewy ribeye steak note. It could even just a note akin to what you'd get with a quality steak sauce. Either way, it conjures up this image in my head. Top notch. Months later, I'm getting the same maple note I now found on the nose. Great touch. Finish: Very long finish. Very spicy as well. Black pepper, cinnamon, oak. The basic bourbon notes of vanilla and caramel make themselves known before this finally fades away. Maybe even a bit of tobacco or black tea. I'm a Booker's fan boy. This one confirms this for me. This is my fourth unique bottle and I've absolutely loved each one. This one ranks in my top 2; if you put a gun to my head, I'll probably take Kentucky Chew. But this is by no means a step down and the palate here my even be superior. This was a great find. For $80, this was easily worth the price of admission. I'm sure that some places still carrying this one will realize that they can milk the rarity of this batch. But if quality is your only concern, don't waver for a second. I'm glad I've had the chance to cross this one off the list. If you like Booker's, buy with confidence. Well done, Beam. And months later, as I return to this one, I've gotta say it's better than a remember. And I already had it pegged at 5 stars.80.0 USD per Bottle
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