Tastes
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Weller Antique 107 Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed June 13, 2023 (edited September 24, 2023)I am embarking on what could be a very expensive journey. I knew I had to get here eventually... and that one day I would start collecting bottles of Weller's vertical set. So far I have 12 year, I did have Special Reserve ( not a fan of that one ) and now I'm the proud owner of a new bottle of Antique 107. Right now this bottling is actually pretty readily available for a decent price. Well.. by decent I mean about double RRP if you look hard enough and about $130-$160 if you don't. Which seems like a relative bargain compared to what CYPB, Single Barrel and Full Proof are going for these days. ( Not store pick Full Proof. I know those are pretty easy to get, too. I'm talking about the original Full Proof ). The nose immediately resounds with a pretty heavy ethanol kick, reflecting the higher proof. Breathe this one in gently. When you look past the alcohol hit, you're greeted by the wonderful vanilla sweetness found in 12 year swirled with a little spicy cinnamon and some interesting dark fruit like over ripened cherries and plums. As you hold the bourbon in your mouth for a moment, there's a hint of brown sugar to open the bold taste. This whiskey is loud, sweet and a little spicy. Its like the extroverted party animal next to Weller 12's sweet quiet demeanor. Yes, there is the familiar vanilla and caramel sweet of Weller 12 that sets the stage for cinnamon and oak tannins. Through mid taste leading into the finish, some dark cherries wash through and you notice, quite vividly; how viscous this whiskey feels in your mouth. Its quite oily and coats the tongue well. The finish is drier, bringing back some tannins and spicy cinnamon. As the heat dies down, you're left to savor a trace of that sweet, familiar Weller vanilla. Its more noticeable if you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth for a bit. This one was solid, if not a bit spice heavy for my taste. I remember seeing bottles of the stuff touching $300 and I would have been pissed if I bought a bottle for that price. But for the $110ish mark? Worth a try for sure. -
Casamigos Reposado Tequila
Tequila Reposado — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed June 12, 2023 (edited June 24, 2023)Not one to leave well enough alone, I was at the store purchasing a bottle of Casamigos Anejo and I had to pick up a bottle of their Reposado. Now admittedly, I bought both bottles with the intent of making mixed drinks from them ( Tequila Old Fashioned from the Anejo, Tequila Sunrise from the Reposado ). Not sure if that is blasphemy for the die hard Tequila fanatic but hey, I'm just starting to dip my toes into the tequila pool. The nose of this Reposado smells pretty similar to their Anejo, sans the underlying butterscotch flavor. These tequilas all seem to have an herbaceous, citrusy smell. But underlying this one is something brighter and sweet... some vanilla perhaps? The palate of this tequila is significantly closer to that fresh cut grass, earthy flavor that I remember tequila having in comparison to their Anejo. However, there is complexity and a remarkable sweetness that tails in the palate that tastes of sweet pineapple juice. It isn't overwhelming and it is barely there but it comes on in a flash and is gone for the finish. Why can't that pineapple sweetness stay a bit longer? The finish offers up more of that familiar, herbaceous cut grass and pepper. A bit of tobacco leaf brings a bit of tannic bite but then, quite unexpectedly; that finish bows towards sweet. When breathing through your mouth during the tail end of the finish, you get a surprising whiff of caramel chews. Wow, where did that come from? Tequilas are opening up a whole new taste experience for me, being a die hard whiskey fan. I'm not sure they'll ever win my heart over, but they are a nice change of pace from the usual and actually quite pleasant. -
Casamigos Añejo Tequila
Tequila Añejo — Highlands, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed June 12, 2023 (edited June 20, 2023)My friends are a bad influence on me. I am arguably a die hard whiskey fan. Of every taste I have written up on this beautiful and sacred website, only one was non-whiskey and ( surprise surprise ) it was another Anjeo Tequila. I think some of my friends are just trying to bounce Anejos off of me as they are the most "whiskey like" of tequilas. I was tricked one day during a dinner outing. A friend of mine ordered an old fashioned for me at a nice restaurant. I was surprised... the taste caught me off guard. It was an old fashioned but.... sweeter. The notes were somehow brighter than I remember... with a twang of herbal kick. What was this wonderful drink? Then it was revealed to me. The old fashioned was made from Anejo Tequila. After asking around, the majority of Tequila folks around me recommended Casamigos as a good starting point. So I picked up a bottle of this stuff, some bitters and an orange and decided to make myself a Tequila old fashioned. But before I did, I poured myself a dram of Casamigos Anejo neat in a Glencairn and set off to tasting... The nose smells of bright, zingy citrus and that familiar herbal, fresh cut grass tequila hit. But there's also something a little sweeter underlying that bright nose, perhaps a bit of butterscotch. The palate is incredibly subtle, almost undetectable. When I smell tequila I almost instantly expect the jarring, medicinal herbaceous lightning bolt of face puckering alcohol hit that I received from cheaper tequilas of my youth but....no. This stuff isn't even close. In fact...I rather LIKE this. Oh no.. am I converting? The flavor profile is decadently sweet, tasting of nilla wafers and marshmallows. There is a hint of smoky, charred oak but really... the taste is overwhelmingly sweet. I can pick up a little bit of spice - not herbal but more peppercorn type spice, too. The finish brings back the familiar herbaceous taste of tequila. A bit of mint ( not the cooling, rather the herby punch of it ) mixes with some lemon peel for a more classic tequila finish. The finish is quick and light ( compared to whiskey, not sure how it compares to other Anejos ). What a pleasant surprise this was indeed. Thinking of tequila conjures up memories of scantily clad girls in night clubs pounding down shots of Patron to the ubiquitous party anthem by the same name by Lil Jon. But a tequila to sip and enjoy like whiskey? One that has a great presence in an Old Fashioned? Hell... sign me up. -
Gold Spot 9 Year Single Pot Still
Single Pot Still — Ireland
Reviewed June 12, 2023 (edited July 24, 2024)After tasting the incredibly delicious and sweet Green Spot whiskey, my perception of what Irish Whiskey is and can be; changed. I thought Irish whiskies were unremarkable, rather boring blends that didn't capture any imagination. Don't get me wrong, there are some very good Irish Whiskies ( Redbreast, for example ) but I thought if you've tasted one, you've tasted them all. Boy was I wrong. And after tasting Green Spot, this set me off to find all of the "spot" whiskies I could find locally. Imagine my surprise to see this gem, sitting in the glass cabinet at my local favorite money pit of a liquor store. I just had to have it. What a delicious nose indeed. First off, you notice the presence of higher proof immediately ( vs Green Spot ). A bit of ethanol tickles your nose but doesn't overtake the other smells rather, they are enhanced. Juicy and sweet apples mix with sugary caramel and baking spices. There's a wee kiss of citrus right about 3/4 through the nose. Oh boy, I am so excited to try this taste. The palate starts rather sweet and tart, candied apples but just for a moment. A burst of caramel, vanilla and baking spice coats your tongue with a surprisingly thick mouthfeel. The feeling ( not the flavor ) is reminiscent of Blanton's Single Barrel. A bit thick and oily but not syrupy. As you get into mid taste, apple comes back on full song with some raisins and dates. The sweetness ends just for a moment as it blends to the finish. Tannic oak sweeps you off your feet and this is the dominant trait of the finish but you will notice a little sugary creme brulee shadow hanging behind the tannins. At this point, open your mouth and breathe through it a little - the sweetness hits you quickly and fades away, like a ghost sighting. My God. This is by far and away one of the best Irish Whiskies I've ever tried. In fact - if you are lucky enough to have a bottle and you've got a friend who judges Irish whiskies on swill like Jameson and Proper 12, feed them some of this stuff. Open their eyes and help them achieve enlightenment. It is that. damn. good. -
Stagg Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch 18
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed May 31, 2023 (edited August 3, 2023)I've been wanting to try a Stagg Jr. for a while now. Although batch 18 has dropped the Jr. designation, I rushed at the chance to pick up this bottle for a decent price once I learned that the Stagg Jr. product has been discontinued. I had to snatch up what could be my last chance to own a bottle of Stagg (Jr.?). Man, this stuff is 131 proof? I basically went into this review expecting damn near rubbing alcohol levels of heat. The nose is surprisingly gentle and well rounded for this fire breathing proof. Sweet, dark cherries swim in a sea of caramel and dark cocoa powder. Yes, upon a deeper sniff, you will catch the ethanol heat from the proof but you also grab a hint of spicy sweet cinnamon. Wow! What an incredible hit of cinnamon on the palate. Yet somehow... not unpleasant. Its sweet and spicy like red hots candy. That cherry from the nose peeks its head out as the spice rounds off. But that spice is definitely there throughout both the taste and finish. Rolling into the finish, tannic oak takes over the show. There still remains a faint hint of cherries but really, the finish is dominated by cinnamon and spice. Are all Stagg Jr bottlings this hot? What is your favorite? Not sure if starting off with the 18th bottling is giving this bourbon a fair shake but I will say that this is incredibly drinkable for 131 proof bourbon. Pretty much the opposite of Booker's which in my opinion is just way too ethanol hot to be likeable. -
The nose on Lustau is incredibly fruit forward. Red orchard fruits, figs, prunes, orange peel and cloves all make for a bright and acidic smell. The palate is extremely vibrant and full, after tasting 12 immediately before Lustau; it can be a bit jarring. Milk chocolate and honey make a brief appearance before the taste explodes with heaps of baking spice, bitter tannins and dried plums. The finish tastes bittersweet and powdery; think dark cocoa powder. Spices continue to be a theme to the end, this time taking on a distinct cinnamon and clove quality. Yikes. This one wasn't my favorite. The other Redbreast selections seem tame compared to this taste bud destroyer. But if tannic spice is your jam this might be right up your alley. It is not mine, though.
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Redbreast 12 seems to be a staple in most home bars and my aim was to find out why. Orange and ginger sing on the nose. This whisky smells like its going to be viscous and oily. Just the tiniest kiss of coconut and melons finish off this interesting and complex nose. Honey opens the taste to dried raspberries and apricots. An oily nuttiness kicks in mid palate, bringing with it some walnuts and recalling that sweet honey on the other side of the fruits. The finish adds baking spice and sweet cream but also a slightly tannic tail at the very end of the finish. So far, my favorite of the Redbreast selections for sure.
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My buddies tell me I ought to try more Irish Whiskies. So what better than a 3 bottle sampler of what is, apparently, one of the best Irish Whiskies around? Of course I had to start with the most expensive of the three, and so begins my evening of Redbreast... The nose is quite strong, don't go in too heavy with the smell. Immediately you're hit with citrus zest, honey and some lemongrass. Its vegetal and bright all at once. The taste is a little bit of everything. Initially you get some baking spice layered with citrus fruit. Mid taste takes on a very interesting butterscotch and caramel vibe while the spice and citrus lingers. The finish is much more dry: bringing in some grapefruit pith while keeping the baking spice on board. If you close your mouth and breathe through your nose you get a bit of mint. Not the cooling sensation of mint but rather, the taste of the herb itself. This is an interesting one. Spicier than I imagined it would be. I wish that Butterscotch and Caramel really made it presence more known throughout the taste.
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As I was pouring a dram of Juveniles, I kept hearing an odd dinging noise. At first I thought someone was walking their dog outside but then realized it was coming from the bottom of the bottle. In the bottle is a built in recess with a little jingle bell in there. How fun! Now on to the whisky: Immediately I am getting bright notes on the nose. Honey, green apples and pears dominate, bringing sweet and tart to the party. The tail of the finish turns drier, with a bit of tannic oak and grass. On the taste, the wine cask is immediately noticeable but not in the form of tart red fruits. No, this is a bright and acidic mix of green apples and pears. If you swirl the whisky in your mouth, you will make out sweet vanilla and honey on the inside of your lips. The tail end of the taste brings in some tannic charred oak. The finish pushes the whisky fully into the "dry" category, again bringing tannic charred oak with black pepper and tongue tingling baking spices. Remember those apples and pears from the front of the taste? If you wait right until the tail end of the finish, you can catch a glimpse of them as this whisky makes its exit. Although not my favorite, if nothing else; Compass Box is never boring, especially their limited selections. If you can still find a bottle of Juveniles, give it a try!
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Let the Compass Box train roll! I'm quickly becoming a full fledged Compass Box fanboy and recently had the chance to pick up Experimental Grain and Juveniles for a great price. The nose is so gentle on this whisky that it is almost undetectable. Honey and toffee set the nose into motion with a wave of creamy sweetness. Deeper in, some apples and pears mix it up and at the end just the tiniest wisp of peat smoke. If this whisky tastes anything like it smells, its going to be stunning. This tastes unlike any whisky I have ever tried. Sweet and tart apple takes center stage but then mixes with milk chocolate. There's an odd, earthy grassy mix to the flavor that I've never detected in any other whisky. The taste ends with the faintest kiss of peat smoke. Through the puff of peat smoke, the finish turns spicy which is not what I was expecting. It is moderately long and drier than the taste but not brimming with complexity. This is the first whisky I ever had a taste of and was left scratching my head as to what I actually thought about it. I'm now on my 5th taste and I still can't decide if I like it. It fits into a rare category of Whiskies that taste unlike any whisky that came before it, breathing rarified air with the likes of Compass Box Hedonism and Green Spot to name a couple. This whisky is light, whimsical and sweet. You know something? I think I DO like it, just not quite as much as Hedonism. But I can very much tell that this would be an extremely polarizing whisky.
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