Tastes

It's called campfire, it smells like a campfire, and it tastes like a campfire. If you've ever poured water over a campfire's dying embers to put it out, the steam that comes off is what this tastes like. Think the burning of Alexandria's library from Spaceship Earth. Having said all that, this isn't a bad whiskey, and certainly it gives the palate something that can't be mistaken for anything else on the liquor store shelves. I tip my hat to High West for the uniqueness of this whiskey, but it's probably not one I would choose to drink on the regular.

This was a blind tasting of Whistlepig 10 year rye. I was surprised by this one. It was a gold straw color in the glass so I assumed it was a lower proof young whiskey. The nose had a very light floral note, but not much else. It comes to life on your tongue, and you know It's a spicy rye. It starts off smokey with just the faintest fruity taste. I get some mild dark chocolate flavor too. Then you get a big peppery, cinnamon blast that hangs on for a while.There is a little sweetness, but it's the rye spice that dominates here. I wouldn't mind having a few more pours of this one.

This is my first taste of a Barrell Bourbon product, and it comes in the form of a blind sample. It has a rich amber color, with alcohol and light vanilla on the nose. It has nice rich caramel notes with just a hint if citrus and chocolate. It has a nice spicy sweet kick. Toward the finish I get a bit of leather and oak, and just a little bitterness on the aftertaste. I wasn't blown away by this, but it was an enjoyable sip.

My taste of George Dickel 15 year was in the form of a blind sample given to me by a friend. Dickel products get a lot of hate, which I feel is unwarranted. I've enjoyed just about every Dickel offering I've tried. Their stuff tends to skew toward the sweeter side, which may explain my affinity for their juice. It shows it's age with it's dark amber color. The nose is very fragrant floral and honey. On the tongue this is a rich sweet bourbon. It has all the classic flavors like caramel and vanilla, only deeper and richer. I get some nice toasted oak notes, and a bit of candy cherry or possibly twizzler flavor. So smooth too, no bitterness to speak of. There isn't much spice, but it does have a nice warmth. I get some barrel char on the finish. If I can't find a bottle of this for myself, I will definitely be hitting my friend up for another pour.

Dark amber in color with a very pleasing burnt caramel on the nose. My first impression is chocolate and dry oak. There is sweetness, but it's not as sweet as I have come to expect from other double oaked offerings. The oak and char notes are definitely there, but muted to me. This is very smooth and drinkable, but on the flip side of that there isn't much spice or complexity. The finish is short and dry. All in all, this is a very nice sippable pour.

Bottle kill and final thoughts on E.H. Taylor Small batch. I've thoroughly enjoyed this bottle. It hits almost all the right notes for me, ample sweetness, just enough oak, char, and smoky tobacco. I think this is one I would definitely keep in my liquor cabinet. Unfortunately it's very hard to find on the shelf, and I don't think it's worth what it's going for on the secondary market. Fortunately, Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare both hit close to this same flavor profile and are just a little easier to find.