Corsair Buck Yeah

Rating: 17/23 I recall this being both interesting and quite good. Let's see how it holds up. N: Mellow maltiness with that characteristic buckwheat scent. I get some sweet, lightly chocolatey (a bit like hot cocoa), nutty-oily and smoky earthiness along with fresh grain off of it (the buckwheat scent, essentially), but it avoids smelling chalky. There are perhaps faint notes of nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon. It smells young, but full and not harsh. If I get any alcohol, it's only the faintest bit. This is really tame for the proof and age (I imagine) without coming across as weak or flat. Digging deeper, I get a faint hint of floral apricot coming off of the malt, but it is really barely there. Mostly, the nose highlights the blend of grains and it does so nicely. P: It has much the flavor of the nose. I get the nuts, earth, chocolate, spices. I get a bit more cinnamon now. There's actually a faint mustiness that reminds me a little of Westward, though less extreme. There's a bit more of a tartness and bitterness and the oiliness comes out somewhat more. The floral flavor of the apricot is enhanced and brings in some vanilla. There are light minerals, but they're well under control. The new tart-bitter flavor is perhaps a bit loud, but the palate is otherwise very nice. And it's very smooth. The complexity is solid and the balance is great. F: It's a clean and balanced finish. There's a drying element from the bitterness, but it's nothing too strong. The buckwheat comes through, giving this an interesting twist that is a little more savory earthy, but that fits in nicely. I'd be kind of interested to try a peated malt whiskey with buckwheat, actually. This is interesting not only because it showcases buckwheat but also because it has a great balance and solid complexity despite its (presumed) youth. It's actually a very easy sipper. While its youth isn't hidden, it doesn't hold it back. Unlike a lot of Corsair's releases, this doesn't beat you over the head with its profile. Expressions like Mosaic and Wildfire often feel like they're shouting at you a bit, whereas here the buckwheat is very present, but well integrated. This was well worth the $50. It's also not a bad intro for a novice, so I will grant that it's a kind of weird one. Yeah, that's the gist. This is an easy 15. I think an 18 would be really pushing it given the only decent complexity and flavor profile that is a bit more on the interesting side than the actively delicious side. Still, I really enjoy this. I gave a 16 to Westward but a 17 to Amrut Peated and I think that both are very close to this in quality. So it's going to be a 16 or 17. In the end, I think that the mellow richness and moderate complexity here put this closer to the Amrut Peated than to Westward, so I'm going with 17.

15: The nose is sweet with that young malt character. It reminds me both in smell and flavor of Westward, though this is more flamboyant. The palate is sweet and super malty with a taste of youth, but still a viscous smoothness. It's also really nutty. I eventually settled on chestnut, but the description says pistachio. I get where they'd find sort of a pistachio paste in here. The flavors are all good, though I'd really like to try a more aged version of this. The 1/3 buckwheat mix works really well. There's a fair amount going on here with subtlety and still prominent flavors. There is a bit of an odd vegetal funk from the buckwheat (at least, I think that's where it's from) that I don't really love, but appreciate the complexity of. There's some kind of rich milk chocolate too and a bit of spiciness that is (surprisingly) more prickly than like baking spices. This is thoroughly drinkable. Definitely at least a 15, though there's a broad range above there that it could be. This is a stellar example of a young whiskey.

While not exactly my style, this is a very unique whisky that I wholeheartedly different than anything I've tried before. It tastes like Milwaukee smells: an off yet desirable brewer's yeasty funk. It's almost reminiscent of a stale beer. The maltiness shines through the palate but the finish is sweet and surprisingly refined for a young whisky. There is a distinct pistachio nuttiness here that is off-putting at first, but grows on me quickly. I keep coming back to this very interesting spirit to keep my palate sharp and find a break in the monotonous offerings by so many other distillers.

Dark chocolate and bitter tones

Smells like honey and berries, some malt notes. Palate doesn't seem to follow the nose. Earth notes initially, then some strong wood flavor, followed by roasted brown rice and tea. Vanilla as well. Sweet in stages. Hotter than I expected for the proof. 6/23/17

Has a frangelico aftertaste

I've had one Corsiar before---their Triple Smoke, which I didn't like at all. But, like High West, I really admire their maverick approach and trying to carve a different route than your run of the mill whiskey. This is a beer drinker's whiskey, similar to St George single malt, which I loved. You get a distinctive hoppy taste, like a mild stout. With a bit of ice or water, it takes away what would be a harsh finish due to its youth. Really worthwhile to,try--something different and unique. Thanks to Scott for the generous sample! A fitting drink sitting here on a Sunday evening watching Manning and company squeak one by the Boys.