Tastes

I was very excited to get into this one ever since Green River announced its release. Admittedly I’m not the world’s biggest fan of wheated bourbons but Weller FP is up there for one of my all time favorites and I’m hoping this can hold it’s own for a significantly lower price. Nose: rich caramel, oak, and vanilla with virtually no burn. It’s very subtle and mellow which I actually like a lot, it doesn’t punch you in the nose as much as other full proof offerings might (including Weller FP) Taste: I am really surprised by this one. Buttery oak and vanilla hit you right off the bat, no hint of burn or astringency whatsoever. Following this is the main “flavoring” if you will. Big hits of smooth caramel corn that lingers for 10-15 seconds before leading to a satisfying finish. No burn, minimal tannin throughout. I would guess this is closer to the 95-105 proof range if I had to guess off of a blind taste test, and I mean that in a good way. I feel as though this is a nice change of pace from full proof “flavor bombs” like Stagg Jr (which obviously have a higher proof contributing) Final thoughts: I went into this review expecting something similar to Weller FP but I was pleasantly surprised by the mellowness of this pour. For $50 this is excellent value and it’s low enough proof that it might not be as intimidating as other full proof products out there. Very buttery and smooth with notes of caramel, vanilla, and mild oakiness throughout. Would definitely recommend if you like FP products and even if you don’t, there are definitely worse ways to blow $50 so it’s worth a try in my book

I found this bad boy on sale at a liquor store in Cleveland and it’s been a great intro into the world of RR SiB. Nose: for my own curiosity I nosed it straight out of the bottle without resting and quickly got a load of astringent oak and not much else. After resting in a glencairn for 10 minutes it opened up nicely I get nothing but heavy nuttiness that I typically associate with Jim Beam products. Taste: Incredibly smooth and buttery, although not as oily of a mouthfeel as I might expect from a 110 proofer. The nuttiness from the nose follows through big time along with general oakiness you expect from any bourbon. Very light overall but nice depth from the hits of peanut butter throughout. Notes of smooth sweet tea on the finish, really refreshing on this hot summer night. Final thoughts: I wish I knew where to find what specific warehouse this bottle’s from, I’m sure there’s a way to find out but I’m too lazy to figure it out at the moment. I’m really happy with this particular SiB and at $65 I feel like that’s pretty good value. It’s hard to go wrong with any Wild Turkey product in my book and this is no exception

Long time drinker first time reviewer of this classic. If I had go choose one bottle to be my benchmark for reviews as welll as a recommendation for beginners just getting into bourbon, this would be it. Nose: Sweet oak, vanilla, and a light touch of leather that reminds me of leather car seats and that “new car smell” oddly enough Taste: Starts with a buttery soft mouth feel, coats the palate nicely before a wave of vanilla and clove hit. A weak note of butterscotch/toffee follows this but doesn’t linger long. The finish is clean but relatively short lived. Oak is present throughout but oddly enough the leather from the nose doesn’t come through for me much. Final Notes: It should go without saying that I sort of just freeball these reviews. I’m by no means an expert, just a guy that enjoys bourbon and has a bad memory so i benefit from recording my thoughts. For me, the main attraction with this pour is the affordability along with the softness/smoothness of the juice itself. Buttery smooth and it packs enough of a flavor punch to be interesting enough to enjoy even if you only like 115+ proof stuff (in my opinion). The flavor profile isn’t anything crazy, but for $27 it’s a must buy for me and a great intro into the bourbon world for a beginner.

I tried this months ago and remember not loving it but never did a review but decided to revisit and see if my opinion has changed on it. On the nose i get big hits of dark cherry which is pleasantly surprising given this is only 93 proof. Worth noting that the color on this pour is amazing, deep red amber and looks like something that’s been sitting in a barrel for 12+ years. Taste-wise the dark cherry follows through as well as deep notes of chocolate and a sweet hint of oak throughout. It really drinks like a dessert bourbon in my opinion, full of depth and deep fruity notes which make for a clean finish. I enjoyed this much more than I remember and for a 93 proofer this is full of flavor.

I was at a wedding and this was the well bourbon offered so I figured it’d be fun to actually sit down and do a proper tasting rather than choking it down like I did in college. Unfortunately, my memory did serve correct and this was as unpleasant as I remember it being. The nose is quite weak which isn’t surprising due to the low proof. Mild notes of oak and baking spice but it’s short lived and if you blink you’ll miss it. Taste-wise it’s harsh right off the bat with overpowering bitterness to finish. Some mild notes of oak and tobacco but they’re short lived. The bitterness masks any other subtle flavor notes that might be hiding in the background but the finish was clean and surprisingly pleasant. I had extremely low expectations for this one but it was fun to revisit a college classic, plus it was an open bar and bourbon is bourbon at the end of the day

I’ve had this several times but first time reviewing it which gave me a new appreciation for the depth and complexity of this pour. On the nose I get rich mahogany/oak, chocolate, leather, and a hint of cherry at the end. These flavors follow through on the palate, especially the rich roasted chocolate, and oak. Exceptionally smooth and the flavor lingers for what feels like minutes once it’s gone. If I had one word to describe this one it would be “depth”. Rich, deep flavors permeate throughout and are present on the nose to round this out into what makes for an excellent pour and excellent BiB. I live close enough to the distillery where I can find this for $40-$50 consistently so this is a bottle that’ll always have a spot on my shelf. Arguably my favorite Buffalo Trace product which says a lot.

It took me forever to fine an ECBP but I finally found one at my local Total Wine for $80. Right off the bat the nose gives off rich oatmeal, cinnamon, and vanilla. Full bodied and reminds me of a sugar cookie from Great American Cookies. Flavor-wise it’s incredibly rich and buttery with a bit of pleasant funkiness initially. Notes of baking spice and a hint of oak at the end finish it off leading to a clean finish. This drinks much smoother and sweeter than the proof and although this batch got mixed reviews online it’s a home run in my book. Very pleased with this one for $80 and worth the wait.

For $10 a pour I couldn’t turn this down and seeing as I generally like barrel proof products I had high hopes for this one. On the nose you get a sharp cinnamon vanilla note with a fair bit of burn as well. After letting it sit for ~10min I went in for a taste and ho boy was this hot. This heat lingered throughout and seemed to hide some of the other flavors but I was able to pick up a swirl of butter and caramel towards the end. The heat lingered on the tongue for a good 15-20sec afterwards before dissipating, leaving a pleasant coating of musky oak. I was a bit disappointed if I’m being honest, the heat overpowered everything a bit too much for my liking, but as with most pours I’ll have to revisit in the future to see if my opinion changes.

While visiting the new Wild Turkey visitor’s center today I saw they had a special release in the gift shop so i gave it a try, like it, and bought a bottle to bring home. I was told it was just released for purchase only at the visitor’s center starting yesterday. On the nose you immediately get that signature sweetness and vanilla I associate with Wild Turkey products. Taste-wise it follows through with a smooth, sweet, buttery hit initially that fades to a graham cracker finish. The flavor pleasantly lingers for a bit which adds to the enjoyment. If you’re in the area I would highly recommend the new visitor’s center and if you can find it this bottle is worth a try.

I was checking out the new Wild Turkey visitor’s center and had to try this for the first time at the bar there. First off, the bew visitor’s center is phenomenal. Tremendous panoramic views of the Kentucky River and a great patio/second floor bar to relax and sample some of their more difficult to find products. Back to RR13, it smells like honeysuckle and vanilla with a hint of leather to finish. Taste-wise it’s exceptionally smooth with a thick, oily+buttery mouth feel that makes for a wonderful sipping experience. Notes of brown sugar and oaky molasses hit immediately followed by a pleasant, clean woody finish. Well worth the hype in my opinion and paired with the new visitor’s center it made for a great bourbon experience.