Tastes

For me around 100 proof is the sweet spot for whiskey, and Rittenhouse 100 falls right on the mark. I get a hint of cherry on the nose. The rye spice and proof give this rye some nice heat. There's a nice sweetness along with baking spices and cloves. You get a bit of oak and char , and a short finish with only a little bitterness. This is a neck pour, so I'll be exploring this one further. I can imagine this makes a fantastic old fashioned.

This is very sweet. I get just a slight nuttiness with lots of vanilla, caramel, and corn. There's just a hint of something medicinal. Not too spicy. The finish is short with no bitter aftertaste. This a great bourbon for the price, but just ok as a sipper.

My single barrel Old Forester is a barrel pick from John's City Diner in Birmingham, Al. The owner told me it had a nice grilled pineapple flavor, and I have to say that's a fairly apt description. The nose has a light, sweet fruitiness that continues to the palate. I've noticed that many Old Forester offerings have sweet fruit or fruitcake undertones. As mentioned, there's subtle hints pineapple and maybe cloves. I taste just a bit of the oak barrel with a pleasant spiciness. There's a nice wash of sweetness on the end, with an bittersweet after taste that leans to the sweeter side. This is a nice, unique bottle. Im glad I picked it up.

Killed my first bottle of ECTB last night, and I can't wait to get another. The last pour may have been the best, too. Elijah Craig sweetness on the nose, and plenty of sweetness on the palate. Toasted marshmallow, soft notes of floral oak, and just a tingle of spice on the end. Sadly, this is hard to find on the shelves so I'm hoping maybe woodford double oaked or old forester 1910 will be a worthy replacement until I can secure another bottle of ECTB. This is my favorite Elijah Craig expressions, in addition to being one of my overall favorite bourbons.