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Breaking & Entering Bourbon
Distiller Score 89
Warm banana nut bread and vanilla caramels dominate the nose with hints of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg rounding out the aromas. One sip will prove that the sweetness in the nose was supremely deceptive as nuttiness and spice pull forward with dominant cinnamon, white pepper, and a touch of menthol. A moderate finish persists with big wood, baking spice and caramel with lingering banana flambé.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Temperance Trader Straight Bourbon
Distiller Score 93
Roasted cereal grains and dark caramel along with leather and a hint of cherry are found on the nose. The masculine notes continue on the palate with the soft whiskey becoming spicy and peppery on the finish with a touch of cherry cola. Rye whiskey drinkers should seek out.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Hirsch Small Batch Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Distiller Score 87
The first whiff carried a lot of alcohol and promises a fiery, and perhaps a rough-around-the-edges bourbon. After that initial assault, caramel corn, honey, oak, vanilla, and spice emerge. The palate boasts a lot of oak and warm spice, and is just a little rough, but in an enjoyable way. Lots of corn, vanilla, and cinnamon are in there as well. The finish is short but pleasant, with a little spicy orange zest joining the chorus.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Journeyman Distillery Silver Cross Four Grain Whiskey
Distiller Score 91
The corn and barley are most prominent on the nose, offering complex aromas. You know right away you are about to sip a fine American whiskey. The palate has a lot of heat, but there are respectable showings of dried fruits and almonds. The wheat adds a bit of levity to what might otherwise be a heavy spirit. A drop or two of water opens the spirit significantly. The Silver Cross offers complexity rarely seen in such a young craft spirit.
Reviewed by Paul Belbusti
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Treaty Oak Red Handed Bourbon (Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee)
Distiller Score 90
You pick up a lot of vanilla and pecan on the nose with some pleasing wood aromas. The whiskey isn't rich, but is warming and tangy. There's a little red fruit on the palate with no harsh tannins or off-flavors. The char smoke is present, but gentle. All said, this is a solid little whiskey that is easy to drink neat and worth the trouble to seek it out.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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New England Distilling Gunpowder Rye
Distiller Score 85
The nose is bright, young, and grassy. There's hay, honey, and juicy cantaloupe, but no rye spice to speak of. The rye asserts itself on the palate, however, with a healthy dose of spice that melts into something bitter and dry with oak notes and a bit of caramel. Rye often deals with a young age well, and that is certainly the case here.
Reviewed by Keith Allison
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Koval Single Barrel Oat
Distiller Score 86
The aroma, particularly on further inhalations, is heavy on breakfast oatmeal loaded with fresh cream and sugar. Some vanilla and a hint of mint is present as well as savory spices (think curry). The body is soft, but not substantial. The whiskey is young, but not raw. There's enough of a complexity in the whiskey that merits a purchase beyond simple curiosity.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Yellow Rose Straight Rye Whiskey
Distiller Score 85
Dark rye grains, char, and hay are notes found as you stick your nose in the glass. The aroma of a permanent marker is also hard to miss, which sounds oft-putting, but isn't. This rye has a nice balance of sweet and spicy on your palate and you can pick up a little red apple skin as well. Making an Old Fashioned cocktail with this rye isn't a bad idea.
Reviewed by Stephanie Moreno
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Black Maple Hill Limited Edition Orange Label
Distiller Score 91
The aroma is freshly-heated cinnamon rolls, vanilla and some tropical fruits (think mango and coconut). On the palate you'll find dark pit fruits with an alcohol burn taking over after a second. Once that subsides get ready for more cinnamon rolls with extra sugar topping. The finish is long, with warm caramel, leather and Thanksgiving desserts.
Reviewed by Rob Morton
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Journeyman Distillery Federalist 12th Organic Rye
Distiller Score 91
Salted caramel and dried fruits open this spirit along with secondary whiffs of nuts and rye spice. On the palate, there's a smooth richness and the rye is fantastically integrated revealing baking spices, black pepper, and cloves, among others. There's a faint maraschino note on the long finish.
Reviewed by Paul Belbusti
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Leopold Bros. Maryland-Style Rye
Distiller Score 86
The wood is notably light on the nose which allows the depth of the whiskey to really shine through. Aromas of baking spice, fennel, orange zest, and faint notes of eucalyptus and strawberries follow next. Upfront the flavors on the palate display a youthful spirit that has a nice mouth-feel for its age. Flavors of vanilla, cooked sugars, bright citrus and berries are then followed by Baker’s cocoa, clove, cinnamon, and a peppery and smoky rye spice. The finish rounds out this nuanced style of rye with a lingering vanilla and chocolate-covered berry sweetness that simply won’t let you forget this special dram.
Reviewed by Ryan Conklin
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Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey
Distiller Score 91
On first sniff, you’d swear you were getting notes of brine and peat, but wow, this is something quite different. Those expecting overwhelming mesquite on the palate will be pleasantly surprised by its subtle integration and almost gentle mouthfeel. The finish is assertive and long. This is a must try for peaty Scotch lovers looking for something quite different, yet equally satisfying.
Reviewed by Paul Belbusti