Rich & Rare Reserve

Rich & Rare has a gold-to-chestnut, sparkling-clear appearance and some pretty alcohol legs. Aroma is of base corn distillate, for sure, but it is mild, overall, without much burn. Lots of bready barley malt is detected, too. One can also pick up some of the "natural flavors", with a very deep inhalation. Taste is of those elements, but the taster will find more of the brandy, rum, and sherry flavorings, here, which come across as a vanilla character. Rye is not showing, but it might only be used to balance any off-putting sweetness. Mouthfeel is light to medium, and Rich & Rare finishes medium quick. I find it to be a shockingly-good value, for the price. RJT

Appearance: The color on this old Canadian blend is of caramel syrup and it has the thinnest legs I've ever seen! But it also possesses a good amount of viscosity. Nose: The nose has no surprises, notes of oak and wood shavings with also a good amount of sweetness: caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, frosting on a sheet cake, maraschino cherry syrup and of course, (at the risk of being racist against Canadian whisky) maple syrup. Taste: Going down there is no burn, which is nice, but as a whole there’s not much there. Rye notes and black pepper spiciness, salty almonds, and sweet maple are woven through the thin palate. Finish: There is the lingering effect of the rye and black pepper spice throughout the swallow and finish. The finish is short but leaves a bitter aftertaste. Thoughts: So this whisky for most would be considered a “bottom shelfer,” not there to be taken seriously only bought out of desperation or if you’re in a financial pinch. Personally, I don’t want my whiskey journey to be prejudice against the cheaper guys, I’m sure there are times I’ll be disappointed, but I’m sure other times I’ll be pleasantly surprised. This was one of those times. Now, this wasn’t a whisky that’s worth raving about, but it was nice. It tasted and smelled pleasant, wasn’t expensive, and is readily available pretty much everywhere. Now I had a pretty low bar going into this dram, so because it was met I was satisfied. And maybe that’s the trick, or maybe it really isn’t bad at all. Either way, Rich and Rare, thanks! I’ll probably mix you in a drink later tonight. Cheers!