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Wild Turkey Bourbon 101
Distiller Score 82
The nose is subtle yet full of rich sweet aromas of butterscotch, honey, vanilla caramel crème, with a touch of delicate underpinnings of citrus brightness and white flowers. The palate gives way to flavors of toasted wood, caramel, vanilla, and with just a couple drops of water reveals a rich chocolate maltiness with hints under ripe stone fruits. The finish with this whiskey has a lingering richness of spice and bold notes of toasted oak.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Dark Horse Long Shot White Whiskey
Distiller Score 78
The whiskey itself comes in at 80 proof and is as clear as water. It has a very raw nasal character as you should expect. For a white whiskey it is very mild. The aroma has a faint resemblance of rising bread. And a slight floral character I’m going to chalk up to good Midwestern water.
Reviewed by Brock Schulte
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Evan Williams White Label Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Distiller Score 80
Big aromas of vanilla custard, caramel, and baking spices dominate the nose of this whiskey. With your first sip you will enjoy banana nut bread, almond nougat, toasted oak and a bold spicy collection of baking spices. The finish is smooth but biting with lingering flavors of corn, oak, white pepper, and more caramel. Although this is not a marquee bourbon, for the price, it is an amazing value for your casual celebrations or a sturdy classic cocktail recipe.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond Bourbon
Distiller Score 84
The nose on this whiskey is round with a good amount of wood, baking spices, toasted oats, and light chewy pralines. Old Fitz BIB can be a little hot out of the gates, but as you get past the 100 proof-welcome you get some rich flavors of vanilla, clove, and toasted walnuts sprinkled on oatmeal. This whiskey could easily benefit from a touch of water, but truthfully, why reach for a BIB if you are simply going to add water? That said, with a little water, you will coax a bit more nuanced subtleties like cinnamon-coated walnuts, maple syrup and hints of mint from this delicious wheated bourbon.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Pendleton Original Canadian Whisky
Distiller Score 75
There is a strong initial whiff of something chemical, like Elmer's Glue, which quickly vanishes and gives way to a near overpowering sweetness. Toffee, vanilla, and artificial maple syrup all carry from the nose directly to the taste. Despite heavy flavors, it's a very light whisky. Fruity, floral notes lurk beneath the sweetness, along with a faint hint of oak and grass and dark chocolate. Nothing sticks around to produce a finish. This is a casual sipper that would be well-suited by the addition of cola or other mixer.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon
Distiller Score 88
The initial nose boasts a powerful whiff of alcohol that fades to yeasty bread. Given a little time to breathe, the scent of crème brûlée, brown sugar, and woody floor wax make themselves known. Taste starts off with minty bitterness and chocolate, like an Andes Mint made with dark chocolate. Vanilla and oak appear shortly thereafter, followed by dryness, wood, and fire from the high proof. The finish is warm and lingers, giving off a rye spiciness, though not particularly long. This is a business bourbon with little in the way of subtlety but an excellent reflection of Brown-Forman's urban setting.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Jim Beam Bonded Bourbon
Distiller Score 90
It's Jim Beam and then some. Honey and spice on the nose, along with oak, cherry, and butterscotch. It's a bold taste, rustic but refined, with vanilla, strong mint, bitter chocolate, and pepper. There's also charcoal, tobacco, and hay. Finish is short but warm, with more wood and mint as well as a bit of caramel. Water tames a bit of the bitterness and accentuates red fruits, chocolate, and pepper.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Old Heaven Hill Gold Label Bottled In Bond Bourbon
Distiller Score 77
This whiskey boasts some serious complexity on the nose for such an affordable offering with aromas of clove-spiced orange peel, charred oak, buttered toast, and caramel corn. The flavors of butterscotch, toffee, baking spice and big oaky notes dominate the palate with hints of spearmint and dried dark fruits in the background. Old Heaven Hill has a finish that only slightly lingers with light spice notes, toasted oak, and a delicate stone fruit sweetness peach pie.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Speyburn Bradan Orach
Distiller Score 78
The nose is full of rich malt, lemon, and some vanilla. There is a bit of a dirty quality on the nose, but despite the unevenness of the whisky, it is a good value for its price. The finish is full of fruity and honey tastes followed by a slight bitterness.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Jack Daniel's Old No. 7
Distiller Score 85
Nose shows banana, vanilla, yeast and a strong corn profile. Palate is more of the same: strong banana, corn, char from the barrel and some heat even at 80 proof. Finish is long and full of candy corn, more tropical fruit and a little heat.
Reviewed by Rob Morton
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Jim Beam Pre-Prohibition Style Rye
Distiller Score 90
This is a rye that tastes like what you think a rye whiskey would taste like: big rye spice and pepper on the nose, but also strawberries, chocolate covered cherries, and faint floral notes. Flavor is big and bold, with a burly helping of spice alongside a medicinal tang. Licorice, bitter mint, and caramel come along for the ride. It's heavy and substantial, the kind of whiskey that holds up to a cocktail while still being sippable neat.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Paddy's Irish Whiskey
Distiller Score 78
As you bring this Irish to your nose, light floral and nutty cereal grains will greet you with lots of fruit aromas, and hints of honey, spice and vanilla. One taste will reveal the mild, distinctive cereal maltiness, and delicately sweet floral flavors with subtle background notes of spiced vanilla and butterscotch. The finish is gentle, spicy and dry with more mellow malts, black pepper and a lingering woodiness reminiscent of its time in oak.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin