Tastes

There's sweetness here, but it's subtle. I get some roasted corn initially, then there's a big hit of smokey oak and peppery spice. It finishes off with a little leather, tea leaves, and a slightly bitter aftertaste. I'm not ready to declare this favorite after one taste, but this is a nice flavorful, sip.

Mellow corn is very light gold in color. The nose is corn syrup and alcohol. Of course corn is the flavor that dominates the whiskey. There's sweetness, but it has an almost medicinal quality to it. I get a little cinnamon and a bit of buttered popcorn, but there's not a lot going on here complexity wise. The finish seems a bit astringent to me, although at 100 proof its fairly easy drinking. This is not one I would sip often, but it might make an interesting cocktail mixer.

Henry Mckenna 10 year bib is robust. It has the classic bourbon flavors but much fuller and richer. No denying this is the progeny of Heaven Hill distillery either. Vanilla and caramel sweetness, with just the right amount of oak and mild char. The finish has what I might describe as a gravely full punch of peppery spice with just a touch of leather. It's so smooth and delicious that I had drained the glass before I could fully assess the tasting notes. Ready for round two!

My first taste of High West Double Rye is a pleasant surprise. Though they taste very different, this rye, like High West Prairie Bourbon has a unique flavor. The sweetness is there, but not the dominant note. I get some cinnamon and a little vanilla, but the main tastes I get are herbal. The finish is what stands out to me. It's a smoky pine taste with nice spicy rye that lasts, with no significant burn or bitterness. This might be my new favorite rye.

Revisiting one of my favorites, Old Grand-dad bottled in bond. In a recent blind tasting this bourbon surprised me by being sweeter and smoother than I thought. Tasting tonight I'm able to notice the extra sweetness I found in the blind tasting. It still has the brown sugar and cinnamon notes I noticed before, and the finish is spicy rye heat, a good heat. Old Grand-dad is a great warm sip for a cool autumn evening.

I've been working my way through a handle of Henry McKenna and now that I'm down to my last third I thought I would review it again. This bourbon has grown on me. It's sweet with classic caramel and vanilla. Nothing too exciting, just a pleasant easy drinking bourbon. There's oak and char that are noticable, but not over whelming. No astringent burn and the aftertaste is mild. I did a bottom shelf blind tasting with this and a couple of other bourbons, McKenna was the winna!

I don't pick up much sweetness with High West American Prairie Bourbon. It's smoky and bit of mint and coffee. The finish is very woody oak and char. It's fairly smooth with not much complexity, and it has a somewhat bitter aftertaste that last long after you swallow. Not a bad sip or a great sip, but it does have a uniqueness, much like it's name sake, that makes me want to explore it further.

Revisiting Knob Creek hoping maybe my tastes for it or the remainder of the bottle have changed. Unfortunately, I still feel much as I did upon my first tasting. The nose is strong with alcohol and that continues on the palate. Not much sweetness, and what sweetness there is smothered by strong oak and leather, and a hint of licorice. There's a peppery burn on the finish and a bitter aftertaste that hangs around a while. I find this bourbon a bit harsh, and best enjoyed on the rocks with some water to mellow it out.

I've never paid much attention to Tincup because it seemed a little gimmicky, but fortunately I found it at decent price and decided to give it try. The color is light gold and there's not much notable on the nose. There's a very light brown sugar sweetness at the start and a little baking spices. It's lightly smokey with just a bit of cereal notes. There's a very mild rye spice on the end. There is a theme here with this whiskey and it's mildness, partly due to its lower proof. It's smooth and drinkable, but very little complexity. I think this would get lost in a cocktail but makes an easy sipper.

So, this is actually better than I remember from my previous tasting. I get a nice sweetness, caramel, cinnamon, and a hint of mint. The oak isn't overpowering and the finish has a peppery kick. Not necessarily a favorite, but it's one that's improved the further into the bottle I've gotten.