Tastes

I began this taste with a question ~ Is Double Double Oaked really worth spending $199 SRP? ( but typically more, depending on your region ) And I can absolutely say that yes - it is. So there it is... review over. For those that want to read boring tasting notes, here it goes: The nose is sticky sweet but also smokey from that second maturation barrel. Thick maple syrup and caramel creates a viscous nose that is oh-so dessert like. A cool, mellow vanilla bridges that sweet and the caramel turns salted as you take in smokey charred cherrywood. The front of the taste is vanilla, butterscotch and maple syrup. For 90.4 proof this bourbon has a very thick and satisfying mouthfeel. Mid taste brings in cherries and some cinnamon and clove to add a little tannic kick. Tannins stick around for the finish with cinnamon still playing a big role along side black tea. There's a deep, darker overripened cherry quality about the finish as well. It is a long, satisfying finish. Wow! So early in the year and already tasting perhaps one of the best of 2025. Its complex and deep. Where the standard Double Oaked is typically a VERY good bourbon, it appears rough and simplistic next to Double Double Oaked which feels insane to say. Is it really worth 5x the price of Double Oaked? Absolutely, unequivocally yes. Go buy a bottle. Like now.

Compass Box has dropped Hedonism from their core lineup. What has the world come to?! But in all seriousness, I am quite devastated albeit I do understand their reasons for making this decision. However, Compass Box has upped the ante by utilizing more mature whiskys on the first limited annual release of Hedonism. Is it different enough from the original, core lineup Hedonism for you to run out and snag a bottle? The nose is deep, sweet and rich. Vanilla, caramel, butterscotch and honey make for a sweet and viscous nose. It doesn't lose the grain whisky quality. There is also just a bit of baking spice and coconut to balance out all that sticky sweetness. There's a noticeable ethanol heat to the nose I don't remember from the core selection, though. The palate and finish do conjure up original Hedonism vibes but add a bit of complexity. Milk chocolate and custard on the palate. A little bit of spicy peppercorn comes on mid taste along with some vanilla. There's an interesting quality about the spice that's now mixed in to this 2024 edition - definitely getting coconut shavings still but the back half of the taste has a peppercorn and clove thing happening. The finish lingers with that peppercorn and clove. It carries a pretty decent mouthfeel to the finish but surprisingly, a hint of orange pith makes an appearance right towards the end of finish. So is it different to the old core selection Hedonism? Yes, quite different. It's a slightly more complex, slightly spicier and bolder version of Hedonism which was always creamy, soft and sweet. I think this 2024 version pulls this whisky out of the dedicated dessert dram segment that it once occupied. Yes, it is still sweet but has much more to offer. Taste is subjective but whilst I'm not giving this any higher of a score than the original ( in fact, the very same ), I think this bottle is worth the price at around RRP but I would not pay inflated secondary pricing on this.

I tasted Old Emmer's Cask Strength last year and was pleasantly surprised. It was sweet, complex and satisfying. So recently, as I perused the aisles at my local Total Wine for some affordable daily drinker options, I had to snag up a bottle of their non-cask strength to give it a whirl. The nose is quite compelling on this bourbon. Viscous honey with bright, vibrant apples take center stage while slightly tannic oak and creamy vanilla set the backdrop. There's just a tiny whiff of ethanol as you nose down into the glass but it isn't as pronounced as their cask strength selection. The taste starts soft and sweet with honey and caramel. There's a slightly odd, floral character mid taste which I wasn't expecting. As that quality dissipates, some tart cherries come into play which actually stay until the transition to finish. The finish is pretty one dimensional but pleasant. Tart cherries on the front and a little hit of tannic oak on the back. It feels somewhat thin, compared to their cask strength. This is an easy sipper. Although in the $45 segment you can certainly do better but in comparison with their cask strength selection: I'd definitely go cask strength for its complexity and body that allows it to mix easily into a good Manhattan or Old Fashioned.

Many years ago, a buddy of mine bought a bottle of 1792 small batch on a whim from Total Wine and I remember thinking it was passable. Through the years, I'll catch whisperings of the brand but nothing widespread, almost like its some sort of well kept secret. That or maybe I'm hearing people whisper about 1792 who... really haven't delved deep into the bourbon segment. We shall find out. The nose smells strong of fruit. Sugary sweet canned pears, apple peels and bananas open the smell with a bouquet of fruitiness. The nose is quite tame and delicate beyond this, I can get whisps of cotton candy, vanilla and just a light dusting of cinnamon. The palate certainly isn't as fruity as the nose suggests. Right off the bat there is some creamy vanilla, caramel and about mid taste the baking spice kicks in but not overpoweringly so. As you continue to taste, there is definitely some of the fruit lurking in the background. Notably some of that pear but because it comes mid taste, it takes on a drier quality. The finish is dry and spicy. Cinnamon, oak and green peppercorns finish off the otherwise fruity and sweet overall character of the bourbon. This selection is quite mild and pleasant to drink. A great little bottle to share with friends who are new to bourbon.

A new core offering from Compass Box, you say? While I lament their decision to turn Hedonism into a limited, once-a-year release, I'm rather pleased to see them serve up two more blends in their core lineup. Very citrusy on the nose with explosive orange peel underlined by just a little bit pear pie with candied pears, cinnamon and buttery crust. Some tannic oak and honey swirl in that mix, too. The palate is incredibly bright and vibrant. There's zest, sweet and spice all fighting for center stage here. Orange and vanilla start off the taste then about mid-palate a little bit of creamy caramel before taking a turn towards dry and spicy. Toasted grain and tannic oak with a surprising raspberry tartness just before the finish. Lemon pith on the finish along with lasting cinnamon spice tingle then it switches over to tannic black tea which actually works well with that bitter-tart lemon pith. This is a blend just exploding with vibrancy. Citrus is definitely the overwhelming dominant taste. Absolutely unique and I wouldn't have expected anything less from Compass Box.

Oh boy. I just want to be very clear here: I don't like rye and I typically don't like anything finished in rum or wine cask. But this bottle was given to my roommate and I'm never one to turn down a free pour. There's exceptions to the rule but when I saw the description on this bottle, I was immediately weary. Also: the Distiller community really seems to like this bottling so please have mercy on me if my palate immediately rejects this with disgust. Here we go: The nose is sticky sweet and spicy. Cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. There's some underlying vegetal notes from the rye there but you've really got to dig deep to get them under the thick, sweet top layer. Some cut grass and herbaceous mint leaf. The front of the taste is mega sweet and really, I do wish that sweetness lasted the whole taste. Maple syrup, brown sugar and sugary cereal open the taste with an almost cloying sweetness. As the taste transitions to mid-back of taste it dries up with some tannic oak, cinnamon and allspice. And yet becomes spicier towards back of taste. The finish is predominately rye spices, green peppercorn, cinnamon, tannic oak, leather and a tiny hint of cherry cordial more noticeable when breathing through the mouth. This isn't the worst thing I've ever had but it isn't really my cup of tea. A unique tasting experience, without a doubt.

Look: we've all heard it. Inflation is out of control. The economy is suffering. Everything is too expensive and everyone is struggling. So would you blame a guy for trying to revisit some cheap and cheerful whiskys that I used to enjoy many many moons ago? I never really noticed how interesting the nose is on Famous Grouse bourbon cask. Besides underlying vanilla, there's an almost tropical fruity character to the nose with pineapple and coconut. A little deeper in and you'll discover caramel. It isn't complex, as all of the scents hit at once but it is unique, for sure. Not a very complex taste at all. The underlying note is incredibly sweet, almost cloying. Vanilla and sticky sweet caramel. Candied mango slices, milk chocolate and just the tiniest bit of cinnamon right before the start of the finish. The finish is sweet, simple and long. The cinnamon dies off and lets itself be overtaken by caramel, milk chocolate and a little dusting of honey roasted nuts. Yes, its a simple whisky for sure but it is super sweet and actually very mellow and enjoyable. You can do so much worse for $26.

You know, every time I try something new from Angel's Envy; I'm not immediately blown away. Maybe it's because I was never really a fan of the port finish on the original bourbon. Always too heavy into the realm of red fruit for me, especially for a bourbon. But here I am trying yet another new release by Angel's Envy. This time, Triple Oak as a new member of their core line up. The nose on this selection seems delicious enough. Sweetened cream, vanilla and caramel create a sweet, viscous first impression on the nose. There's fruit by way of bakes apples and cherries, like pie filling. Diving deeper into the nose, you're greeted with a much more spicy and tannic profile including charred oak and baking spice. Begins innocently enough with milk chocolate, vanilla and caramel on the front of the taste. That chocolate takes on an almost chocolate covered roasted nut quality mid taste and then it really blossoms into something significantly more dry and spicy than I was expecting. Tannic oak, black peppercorn and cinnamon all take over the palate from 3/4 to the very back of the taste. This bourbon leaves your tongue a bit tingly from the spice. The finish is overrun with tannic oak, bittersweet dark chocolate powder and black peppercorns. I think as the newest of Angel's Envy's core offerings this one is probably the best of the bunch. But just a bit tannic and spicy for me to truly enjoy. Tastes are subjective but I like my bourbons somewhere on the line of sweet and cloying.

Four years ago, I was just starting to explore very good whisky, whiskey and bourbon. I wrote a very short and simple review for Highland Park 18 year, declaring it one of my top 10. My recent stroll down memory lane has ignited a desire for me to revisit some of my older reviews and well... re-review them. The nose smells of deeper sweet notes surrounded by savory peat smoke. Not in any way acrid but more a savory, smoked pork shoulder type smoke. Bittersweet dark chocolate and cherry cordials set the stage for baking spices like cinnamon. The spice factor isn't sharp, it doesn't tickle the nose. And of course, the nose ends on the aforementioned peat smoke. All of the scents are mellow and meld together beautifully. The front of the taste is sweet and creamy. Buttercream, honey and dark chocolate. The peat smoke on 18 year is quite a bit more pronounced than the 12 but it isn't at all intrusive. The salty, savory smoke underlies the mid-back half of taste. Some zingy grapefruit adds a slightly citrusy twang mid taste and then baking spice pads the tongue giving just the slightest tingle. The finish is dry and spicy but very soft and approachable. Baking spices keep the tongue tingle there along with tannic oak and leather. Soft as it may be, the finish is long and coats the tongue quite well. Although this is less sweet than I remember, this is still top 10 in my memory. It really encompasses all of the flavors one might find in a top shelf single malt, softens the edges and blends them together expertly. Yeah, it is quite pricey but at least Highland Park 18 isn't allocated and rarer than unicorn blood. If you can spring the cash, it's well worth the buy.