Reviews

N: Nice nose on this that tries to go Sherry, but doesn't get there. I'm not really pulling out Bourbon notes either. This may just smell like a Highland Scotch. This is peated, but I wouldn't have known that without reading it. I'm surprised I'm also getting some ethanol which was unanticipated at only 43%. It's sweet as well with some honey and heather. P: This is big sweet on the palate! The honey and then the heather hit. A touch of heat. A bit thin. No smoke to speak of. Not too complex. The star here is the big initial hit of sweetness on the palate. F: Medium finish with an excellent exhale experience.

Balcones Texas Rye Cask Strength Max's Bottle Shop pick Barrel #20118 Bottled 3.3.22 46 months in New American Oak. Proof: 126.4 N: Cinnamon to red hots to undercurrents of vanilla and then to a spiced chocolate. This is Mexican Hot Chocolate! P: This is Mexican Hot Chocolate! Everything on the nose translates to the palate and in the same order you smell them I think. A touch of heat that I won't fault it for since we're in the mid 120s. This is a treat and unlike pretty much anything else I've had. Kings County Barrel Strength Empire Rye comes the closest, but it's dialed back a bit. This is fantastic! F: The Mexican Hot Chocolate notes just hang around. Amazing!

N: Intense nose that smells like there is some age in it. The caramel and vanilla lead and are followed by some mellow oak. Not very proofy. P: A little thin on entry, but then the caramel and vanilla, followed by mellow oak! If you like whiskey that tastes like it smells, this is a contender. A little more heat on the backend than I anticipated. It also has a bit of a soapy, floral note upon subsequent sips. Not necessarily in a bad way, but I'm now more aware of it. Yeah, now as I'm sitting with it, the soapy note is starting to take over. It's still nice, but this will be a one and done. F: Medium with the soapy floral note that hangs around.

Four Roses OBSQ Private Select Citi Wine & Spirits Alc./Vol.: 58.8% Warehouse: RS Barrel 24-3T 10 years 8 months Note: this has about 4oz left in the bottle. This had been a pretty good pour, but now has really opened up, so do with that what you will. N: Cherries and oak! This is new. I think it was leaning more floral (as expected) for most of its life, but has now transition into full dark cherry. Not quite Luden's, but very close. If I didn't know what I was drinking, I would guess something from Barton. P: Dark cherry, oak, and a little oak with char to boot. I wish this one had started out this way and just maintained this flavor profile. I'll still finish it soon and open a new OBSQ, but it will be missed. F: The dark cherry, charred oak experience continues on the finish. I'm a huge fan of Four Roses, but I know several people who aren't. I'm tempted to sneak the last 2oz of this one into a blind to see the reactions on the reveal.

N: A very inviting and well rounded nose. Just some hints of Sherry. I had to check the pamphlet, and it was finished in Oloroso Sherry for 36 months. This could be a good introduction for someone just getting into Scotch (they should be so lucky...). There is something else going on behind the scenes that may be tropical. Mango, pineapple, and coconut? This is a nose you could easily spend some extended time with. P: Oily and coating when it hits your tongue. The tropical is here again and then it goes a bit sour, but not in a bad way. It's like essence of a tropical fruit cup. This is not what I was expecting, but it's amazing! The sherry makes an appearance on the exhale and begins to linger. If love to try this at a higher proof, but I'm wondering if it would be a well put together. I'll trust Dr. Bill on this one. If you are looking for a fully coating, tropical Scotch that then transitions into a more traditional sherry finish, I've found it! Absolutely one to sit with and share with friends. It has increased significantly in price since I picked this one up at the absolute edge of two digits, but I'll need a replacement bottle when it's gone. F: More of a traditional sherry finish. It takes its time getting here. The whole experience is really a journey, so please take your time with this one. Just exhale slowly once you've swallowed your sip and enjoy the ride!

Garryana 7th Edition N: Sometimes you have to hunt for the nose on a whiskey. This is not one of those! Big floralness followed by some oakiness. I wouldn't be able to tell you what this was from the nose. I'd probably settle on whiskey or whiskey adjacent but it is so different from most other spirits I own. If you have the time, just spend 5-10 minutes with your nose in the Glencairn absorbing this. It's starting to reveal itself as an American Single Malt after about 10 minutes. P: This hits your tongue with very bright notes and then settles into a lovely vanilla coated maltiness. I'm not going to be able to do it justice. I'm curious if more of my favorite Scotches would have this kind of taste explosion if they were around 100 proof. All of the flavors are rounded off really nicely. This is a great example of what is possible with American Single Malt. If you like Highland Scotch and like the thought of dialing it up to 11, rounding off any rough edges, and then having the finish hang around, I implore you to find a pour of this. Baking spices with cinnamon highlights are revealing themselves after giving this time to open up. F: Medium to long going floral and then cinnamon on the exhale. Excellent, oily mouthfeel as well.

N. A rich nose on this one. Smells like a finished high rye Bourbon (which makes sense seeing that's it's 24% rye). You get some of the jamminess that you would expect from an Ice Wine influence. I've tagged it with most of the fruit notes in getting so I won't repeat them here. P. Some heat showing up now as well that wasn't on the nose. This is really nice. A easy desert sipper. Much of the nose shots up on the palate as well. F. Desert notes hang around for a medium finish. Take my review of this whiskey with a grain of salt. I think I may be penalizing it a quarter point because it is not the Ice Wine Finish Private Select Whiskey from Barrel, which isn't fair. The Private Select has more of the finish shining through which is what put me onto Ice Wine finished whiskey in the first place. If you like more subtle finishes, you may find this to hit your palate just right. Of the 3 Ice Wine finishes I've had from Barrell, this has the least Cask influence.

I will say I wasn't planning to review this since it was just opened and I like for my whiskeys to breathe for several weeks to see where they go, but here we are. My initial experience has compelled me to review this right away. N: A dark, rich, face punch in the best possible way! Dark, rich cherries (and maybe some other stone fruits, but everthing I'm getting screams "red" for what that's worth). It's almost syrupy. Old, rich, and 105 proof. The kind of nose you want to dissappear into. P: Cherries! Expected from the nose, but not from the brand. I'm a huge Jim Beam fan, but this feels off profile. I'm getting no nuttiness. Easy entry onto your tongue and then just hangs out. The cherries are the big note, but then it hits you with other flavors and then puts the cherry as an exclamation point to each statement. Take a sip and then just let this Bourbon tell you it's story. I may be getting hints of all that went into this blend, but it feels like it is reverse chronological order where it starts with the 22 year and meanders towards the 7. This is so well put together! If it opens up any then it's a 5.25? I'll have to revisit. There is absolutely no bitterness here, but it still drinks so old! I'll say it serves up the 20+ year old Bourbons on a platter and then rounds off the edges so you are left to sit with the goodness for an extended period of time. Bravo! The Noe family is just showing off at this point. You know, blending flawless whiskey is actually hard for some people...This is an all time favorite! It has exceeded my expectations and that is very rare. F: Literally goes for a minute if not longer and slowly replays all of the notes from the palate. Just amazing! If you are lucky enough to encounter this one, get your dram and then just take the next hour and let the Bourbon take you on an adventure.

Bottle 806 of 2650. Batch#23E1951 N: Toasted wood. Smells like it has been finished or cane from a special type of Barrel. The craftsmanship of the barrel drying process really shines through and I appreciate it. P: Roasted, toasted goodness! Lots of nice oakiness going a tad bitter at the end, but then pulls back and returns to a nice roasty finish. F: The kind of finish you can just sit with and enjoy. It hangs around for awhile and lets you bask in the roastiness with occasional cinnamon pops. This is a really amazing Bourbon!

N: Light Single Malt nose. I'd call it bright and floral. Very inviting. There might be a slight sherry influence, however I'm not picking up any smoke. P: Smooth and light on the palate as well with very little burn. Very easy drinking, but not terribly interesting. This could serve as a good introduction to Japanese Whiskey. It's very well put together, it just won't wow you in any particular areas. F: Pretty short and doesn't reveal anything new from the palate.