Blackened Whiskey

This is what n00b distillers with unrefined palates would consider a “good whiskey.” Uninteresting, flat.

Much better than expected. Sweet yet not overly so.

Batch 121 I've read about this whiskey for a number of years, but it has never been available in Canada until a recent provincial liquor store release. Having read reasonable past reviews on this I have been intrigued to try it despite being a "celebrity" Bourbon. I was a Metallica fan as a teen and have seen them twice live, however I don't typically have them on my playlists these days. I was able to acquire an autographed bottle signed by Rob Trajillo, however, "Sad But True", the release made it sound like it was autographed by the band. Regardless, the autographed version was the same price as the regular release. I don't really buy into the sound vibration maturing the whiskey, and believe it is just marketing "Fuel", but I am interested to explore what this whiskey has to offer, and hoping that Dave Pickerell proves to be the "Master of Puppets". Nose: Oak and rich cherries, like a black forest cake. After the sweetness, the grains start to come through with bread and subtle rye spice. The empty glass yields some floral and berry notes. Palate: Light and thin at first. Not near the impression Metallica gives when they first take the stage. It does evolve a bit, reminiscent of "the Unforgiven", developing slowly, but overall staying somewhat mellow. The cherry notes carry through to the palate followed by a malty spice consistent with the nose. Overall this is pleasant but I yearn for a bit more that just seems slightly out of reach. Finish: Medium and tingling in the roof of the mouth and the sides of the tongue. I would say the finish is longer than expected with the somewhat thinner palate. Nice spices linger on, coupled with a sweetness that joins as "One" and results in a somewhat harmonious ending. Overall, this is enjoyable. It's probably not worth the $80 CAD I paid but I do enjoy it as a nice sipper and really, "Nothing Else Matters". I like that the name Metallica is not on the bottle at all, which ups its authenticity somewhat. This isn't the "Hero of the Day" I would have hoped, but neither is it "Some Kind of Monster". However, I may go for an encore.

Sweetness dominates. Caramel, dark fruits, mild oak. Solid.

Very smooth with a sweet taste.