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Introducing Jefferson’s Very Small Batch Blend of Bourbon Whiskey, hand-selected straight bourbons of varying mash bills and ages.
9 Likes
3 weeks ago
Review: Old Ezra 7 Year Rye
This is MGP juice aged 7yrs and undiluted.
57% ABV and dark copper
**Nose:** lemon peel and oak char, dill and classic MGP rye
**Palate:** thick mouthfeel, maple syrup, dill and mint, oak essence, antiqua vermouth, mace
**Finish:** sage, dill, mint, herbal tea, honey, rooibos, oak
**Overall: 7/10**
this is a great barrel strength seven-year, MGP rye. The 95:5 recipe is a modern masterpiece. The high proof seven-year-old juice tastes great and is a solid seven out of 10. It isn’t surprising though. It’s exactly what you’re expecting which is both excellent and disappointing. I would buy another bottle of this at the $70 I paid happily. Hell, can you ever have enough old, solid rye? Maybe I’d get a case…
It doesn’t do anything spectacular, which hold it back from the higher tier ratings. That being said, this is super easy to drink, and will probably not last long at my bar. If I had to pick a daily rye, this would come in second only to the New Riff Balboa rye.
t8ke Scoring Scale:
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
This is MGP juice aged 7yrs and undiluted.
57% ABV and dark copper
**Nose:** lemon peel and oak char, dill and classic MGP rye
**Palate:** thick mouthfeel, maple syrup, dill and mint, oak essence, antiqua vermouth, mace
**Finish:** sage, dill, mint, herbal tea, honey, rooibos, oak
**Overall: 7/10**
this is a great barrel strength seven-year, MGP rye. The 95:5 recipe is a modern masterpiece. The high proof seven-year-old juice tastes great and is a solid seven out of 10. It isn’t surprising though. It’s exactly what you’re expecting which is both excellent and disappointing. I would buy another bottle of this at the $70 I paid happily. Hell, can you ever have enough old, solid rye? Maybe I’d get a case…
It doesn’t do anything spectacular, which hold it back from the higher tier ratings. That being said, this is super easy to drink, and will probably not last long at my bar. If I had to pick a daily rye, this would come in second only to the New Riff Balboa rye.
t8ke Scoring Scale:
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
11 hrs ago
ECBP C923
No better way to end September than with C923.
Rich leather and chocolate. Smells like homemade caramel that’s just slightly burnt on the edges of the pan.
Oh my gosh this is amazing. On the nose I could feel the proof on my nose hairs. On the palate I get an explosion of flavor. This bottle reminds me of C920 and earlier. This bottle drinks like 133 proof in every way. High proof but so much flavor. Oak
explosion but not overoaked. Long finish but I could probably only handle one or two ounces max before my palate gets shot. This bottle is great. I’ll be doing a comparison between this and older batches soon.
No better way to end September than with C923.
Rich leather and chocolate. Smells like homemade caramel that’s just slightly burnt on the edges of the pan.
Oh my gosh this is amazing. On the nose I could feel the proof on my nose hairs. On the palate I get an explosion of flavor. This bottle reminds me of C920 and earlier. This bottle drinks like 133 proof in every way. High proof but so much flavor. Oak
explosion but not overoaked. Long finish but I could probably only handle one or two ounces max before my palate gets shot. This bottle is great. I’ll be doing a comparison between this and older batches soon.
3 Likes
2 days ago
Review: New Riff Winter Whiskey 2022
MASHBILL
65% CORN
20% MALTED BARLEY
5% STEEL CUT RAW OATS
Well thats not anything typical and the juice isn’t either. It’s a very weird and cool entry from NR out of Cinicitucky. I was lucky enough to have a friend bring a bottle back from the distillery on his way back to Cleveland from Nashville. He told me that there was a limited release and I told him to grab me a bottle no questions asked. There aren’t a whole lot of distilleries in Kentucky that I trust to provide an interesting whiskey at a fair price so the fact that this was a no-brainer means a lot coming from me.
I’m gonna start by warning you that this is like no whiskey I’ve had and also that it took me a few drinks to warm up to it. The very first time I had it I felt like there was a heavy bell pepper character at the front, which was really pretty bad. After having a pour five or six times spaced over a couple of weeks I think I figured this one out.
Here’s the review:
**Nose:** cocoa nibs, steel cut oatmeal, light oak, honey
**Palate:** light oak again, honey, dark chocolate, oatmeal, grilled corn, nutmeg, milk chocolate all the way to the end of the mouth
**Finish:** chocolate malt, dry cocoa powder, hot chocolate that’s had time to cool, wheat Berry salad?, chewy chocolate chip granola bars, cinnamon sticks, Mexican hot chocolate…
**Overall: 6.5/10**
this is the whiskey that makes me think about my perceptions of what whiskey is. The chocolate malt comes through super strong and tastes, like a really great imperial oatmeal chocolate stout. Some thing in the corn mash gives this juice a peppery flavor that reminds me of Mexican hot chocolate in a very, very pleasant way.
The first sip I had of this I really didn’t like. Pepper overwhelmed everything and it conjured up memories of terrible corn whiskey from my college years. This might’ve been the mythical neck pour or just my brain trying to figure out what was happening with the chocolate malt and oats. I after a few samplings I’m definitely a fan but I don’t think this whiskey is for everyone. People who enjoy a thicc oatmeal stout are going to love this but if you’re looking for a hard-core bourbon, you may not be pleased.
t8ke Scoring Scale:
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
MASHBILL
65% CORN
20% MALTED BARLEY
5% STEEL CUT RAW OATS
Well thats not anything typical and the juice isn’t either. It’s a very weird and cool entry from NR out of Cinicitucky. I was lucky enough to have a friend bring a bottle back from the distillery on his way back to Cleveland from Nashville. He told me that there was a limited release and I told him to grab me a bottle no questions asked. There aren’t a whole lot of distilleries in Kentucky that I trust to provide an interesting whiskey at a fair price so the fact that this was a no-brainer means a lot coming from me.
I’m gonna start by warning you that this is like no whiskey I’ve had and also that it took me a few drinks to warm up to it. The very first time I had it I felt like there was a heavy bell pepper character at the front, which was really pretty bad. After having a pour five or six times spaced over a couple of weeks I think I figured this one out.
Here’s the review:
**Nose:** cocoa nibs, steel cut oatmeal, light oak, honey
**Palate:** light oak again, honey, dark chocolate, oatmeal, grilled corn, nutmeg, milk chocolate all the way to the end of the mouth
**Finish:** chocolate malt, dry cocoa powder, hot chocolate that’s had time to cool, wheat Berry salad?, chewy chocolate chip granola bars, cinnamon sticks, Mexican hot chocolate…
**Overall: 6.5/10**
this is the whiskey that makes me think about my perceptions of what whiskey is. The chocolate malt comes through super strong and tastes, like a really great imperial oatmeal chocolate stout. Some thing in the corn mash gives this juice a peppery flavor that reminds me of Mexican hot chocolate in a very, very pleasant way.
The first sip I had of this I really didn’t like. Pepper overwhelmed everything and it conjured up memories of terrible corn whiskey from my college years. This might’ve been the mythical neck pour or just my brain trying to figure out what was happening with the chocolate malt and oats. I after a few samplings I’m definitely a fan but I don’t think this whiskey is for everyone. People who enjoy a thicc oatmeal stout are going to love this but if you’re looking for a hard-core bourbon, you may not be pleased.
t8ke Scoring Scale:
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
1 Like
2 days ago
Willett 4yr Small Batch Green Top Rye. A little history: I first realized I loved rye whiskey 10 years ago the first time I hit the Willett distillery during a camping trip in KY. I’d tended bar and had an academic appreciation for when to recommend a rye whiskey and the historic prevalence of the spirit in pre-prohibition America and during the first (greatest?) cocktail boom of prohibition. I grabbed a bottle of this then as the spendiest bottle of the year for a grad student… it was the bottle that drew me to rye and I’ve subsequently finished a half dozen bottles over the years. I bought my brother a bottle for his bachelor’s party and we drank a chunk of it in sezaracs and manhattans. In short it’s become a staple that I can only rarely find.
We moved in July and hit Willett again while driving from Nashville to Cleveland and this is the second of the two bottles of this I grabbed then. Since my first bottle I’ve gotten more and more interested in rye and cycled through more and more rye. I currently have 14 bottles of cask strength rye and 8 are 7+ years (the sweet spot for me seems to be high 6 into 7+ for wood-to-spice character). The rest are finished with crept for two younger ryes (Willett and New Riff Balboa Rye) and the bottle of Alberta Premium Cask Strength I bought recently and am still trying to decipher… all that to say that this is a bottle I’m attached to, keep around, and enjoy after really diving deeply into the older cask-strength rye spectrum. I’ve never objectively tasted this famous bottle, maybe because it’s a starting point in many ways. Here’s the objective review (trying to mute my nostalgic bias):
**Nose:** oak, rain on green grass, sourdough, orange peel, spearmint. Licorice. Very pleasant.
**Palate:** starts with some oak and a mild burn, caramel and dill on the first swish, then dill and lemon balm on the second. Freshly turned soil. Mint underlying.
**Finish:** dill and mint, anise seed, caraway. A little sweet caramel. Short but nice. Leaves a little kick of herbs that pop back into my palate during a meal or after a cocktail.
**Overall: 7/10**
I’m conflicted because I love a lot of things about this bottle that aren’t related to the flavor. It evokes some pretty special times and I’d drink it any day just for that. On pure taste I can’t give this a home-run review because it’s got an unfinished earthiness on the palate and a short finish. Paradoxically the thing this bottle nails that I don’t find in many other eyes (send recs if you have some) is earthy notes with a spreading backdrop of moist green herbs. It makes one of the best sazerac or veaux carre I’ve had because the deeper earth notes balance the mixers so nicely. And that anise after-note just throws a saz into a whole different level. I think this is a match for NR Balboa on flavor alone (@ $10 more but also a SiB) and they’re the two 4yr eyes I’ll be keeping on hand if given the opportunity. I scored Stellum SiB the same too so that’s be the third in my daily lineup if I needed another.
Final verdict: I’ll buy one of these at current MSRP ($60) whenever I run out. As a straight sipper it can’t compete with Stellum Single Barrels or even New Riff Balboa Rye IMO (although the later is probably mostly my preferences) but as a mixer its a luxe heavyweight with silky mouthfeel and herbaceous notes that compliment Amaro or vermouth perfectly.
Value: worse than same class ryes but not terrible at MSRP. I would never pay over MSRP on principal but value this somewhere in the $40-65 range.
**Bonus:** I did a little back to back w NR Balboa Rye because I have a bottle of that too and consider them in a similar category of 4-yr ryes in the $40-60 range.
t8ke Scoring Scale:
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
We moved in July and hit Willett again while driving from Nashville to Cleveland and this is the second of the two bottles of this I grabbed then. Since my first bottle I’ve gotten more and more interested in rye and cycled through more and more rye. I currently have 14 bottles of cask strength rye and 8 are 7+ years (the sweet spot for me seems to be high 6 into 7+ for wood-to-spice character). The rest are finished with crept for two younger ryes (Willett and New Riff Balboa Rye) and the bottle of Alberta Premium Cask Strength I bought recently and am still trying to decipher… all that to say that this is a bottle I’m attached to, keep around, and enjoy after really diving deeply into the older cask-strength rye spectrum. I’ve never objectively tasted this famous bottle, maybe because it’s a starting point in many ways. Here’s the objective review (trying to mute my nostalgic bias):
**Nose:** oak, rain on green grass, sourdough, orange peel, spearmint. Licorice. Very pleasant.
**Palate:** starts with some oak and a mild burn, caramel and dill on the first swish, then dill and lemon balm on the second. Freshly turned soil. Mint underlying.
**Finish:** dill and mint, anise seed, caraway. A little sweet caramel. Short but nice. Leaves a little kick of herbs that pop back into my palate during a meal or after a cocktail.
**Overall: 7/10**
I’m conflicted because I love a lot of things about this bottle that aren’t related to the flavor. It evokes some pretty special times and I’d drink it any day just for that. On pure taste I can’t give this a home-run review because it’s got an unfinished earthiness on the palate and a short finish. Paradoxically the thing this bottle nails that I don’t find in many other eyes (send recs if you have some) is earthy notes with a spreading backdrop of moist green herbs. It makes one of the best sazerac or veaux carre I’ve had because the deeper earth notes balance the mixers so nicely. And that anise after-note just throws a saz into a whole different level. I think this is a match for NR Balboa on flavor alone (@ $10 more but also a SiB) and they’re the two 4yr eyes I’ll be keeping on hand if given the opportunity. I scored Stellum SiB the same too so that’s be the third in my daily lineup if I needed another.
Final verdict: I’ll buy one of these at current MSRP ($60) whenever I run out. As a straight sipper it can’t compete with Stellum Single Barrels or even New Riff Balboa Rye IMO (although the later is probably mostly my preferences) but as a mixer its a luxe heavyweight with silky mouthfeel and herbaceous notes that compliment Amaro or vermouth perfectly.
Value: worse than same class ryes but not terrible at MSRP. I would never pay over MSRP on principal but value this somewhere in the $40-65 range.
**Bonus:** I did a little back to back w NR Balboa Rye because I have a bottle of that too and consider them in a similar category of 4-yr ryes in the $40-60 range.
t8ke Scoring Scale:
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
1 Like
2 days ago
Old Bardstown Estate Bottled Bourbon: Earthy & Girthy
--
I first tried this bourbon during a tasting at the Willett Distillery. The guide told us that this was one of the highest-rye bourbon mashbills that they release, so I was intrigued. I remember liking it, but easily keeping my socks on. I finally picked up a bottle last month, and now she's gone. This was a fun one to drink my way through. I tasted it neat in a glencairn after a 10-minute rest for this review. It was raining outside, so I wept and let out some of my screams as I nosed & tasted. Definitely would recommend pairing this bourbon with weeping, screaming, sobbing, and/or rain.
--
Old Bardstown Estate Bottled Bourbon
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101 proof | NAS | Straight Kentucky bourbon: undisclosed mashbill | $30
--
Nose: earthy anise Willett funk | vanilla | barrel char | peach pie with a slightly burnt crust | leather, big league chew bubblegum, & nutmeg
Palate: big earthy vanilla | pop of butterscotch | hint of peaches | anise & barrel char
Finish: black pepper | big league chew & leather | tobacco | spicy tarragon | earthy dirt funk | barrel char, clove, & anise
Body: surprising viscosity - really great heavy mouthfeel
Thoughts: This stuff is so herbal & earth-forward, it's sure to be divisive. That earthy anise funk is something I've only gotten from Willett distillate. I have mixed feelings about it. The peach notes are easy to miss on the nose and palate (hiding behind that funk), but once you find them, they're great. The palate & finish are wild - I dig what's happening, but I'm not sure it's always pleasant. It reminds me a little of the experience of drinking peated Scotch - I might not think it tastes "good," but I really enjoy it. I was tempted to score this higher. The mouthfeel is great. I really enjoy it, and this won't be the last bottle I own - I actually reached for it almost compulsively when I'd open the cabinet. But I am a demented fuck, and I can revel in the weirdness of this juice. This juice is not for everyone - if you hate it, I understand. But if you want some earthy girthy complexity with a hint of stone fruit - this bourbon will hook you up.
Score: 5.5 | Good
--
I first tried this bourbon during a tasting at the Willett Distillery. The guide told us that this was one of the highest-rye bourbon mashbills that they release, so I was intrigued. I remember liking it, but easily keeping my socks on. I finally picked up a bottle last month, and now she's gone. This was a fun one to drink my way through. I tasted it neat in a glencairn after a 10-minute rest for this review. It was raining outside, so I wept and let out some of my screams as I nosed & tasted. Definitely would recommend pairing this bourbon with weeping, screaming, sobbing, and/or rain.
--
Old Bardstown Estate Bottled Bourbon
--
101 proof | NAS | Straight Kentucky bourbon: undisclosed mashbill | $30
--
Nose: earthy anise Willett funk | vanilla | barrel char | peach pie with a slightly burnt crust | leather, big league chew bubblegum, & nutmeg
Palate: big earthy vanilla | pop of butterscotch | hint of peaches | anise & barrel char
Finish: black pepper | big league chew & leather | tobacco | spicy tarragon | earthy dirt funk | barrel char, clove, & anise
Body: surprising viscosity - really great heavy mouthfeel
Thoughts: This stuff is so herbal & earth-forward, it's sure to be divisive. That earthy anise funk is something I've only gotten from Willett distillate. I have mixed feelings about it. The peach notes are easy to miss on the nose and palate (hiding behind that funk), but once you find them, they're great. The palate & finish are wild - I dig what's happening, but I'm not sure it's always pleasant. It reminds me a little of the experience of drinking peated Scotch - I might not think it tastes "good," but I really enjoy it. I was tempted to score this higher. The mouthfeel is great. I really enjoy it, and this won't be the last bottle I own - I actually reached for it almost compulsively when I'd open the cabinet. But I am a demented fuck, and I can revel in the weirdness of this juice. This juice is not for everyone - if you hate it, I understand. But if you want some earthy girthy complexity with a hint of stone fruit - this bourbon will hook you up.
Score: 5.5 | Good
3 Likes
3 days ago
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Private Barrel
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I found out about this pick the morning it released - a neighbor texted me when he saw Cellars' social media post announcing the drop. My immediate reaction was "fuck." I was at work, 40 miles away from the store, and I was going to stay that way for several hours. This was the first Elijah Craig single barrel I'd gotten wind of in the area - I was worried it might sell out in three or four hours. Thankfully, my good buddy agreed to run over and pick one up for me - what a fucking mensch he is. There was a 1-bottle limit, and usually he would've wanted it for himself - but he was on a bourbon-buying hiatus at the time - this worked out fucking great for me. This pick was 10 years old and almost 130 proof, so I was psyched to get my dirty claws on one. I tasted this neat in a glencairn, after about 10 minutes of rest.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Private Barrel – Cellars Wine and Spirits Selection
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129 proof | aged 10 years | Barrel No. 6088351, Rick X, Floor 4 | Straight KY bourbon: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malt | $74
--
Nose: barrel char | rich dark cherry & vanilla extract | brown sugar | leather |oaky cocoa | tobacco | rich clove & fun sassy ethanol. Hints of peanut at times.
Palate: vanilla | buttercream frosting | fudgy chocolate brownie | rich caramel | little hint of peanut & nougat. Rich and sweet.
Finish: spicy baking spices | thai chili pepper numbing spice | black peppercorn & clove | hint of black cherry | tobacco, leather, & brown sugar | fades to rootbeer & cardamom. Medium-long finish.
Body: Rich, syrupy, and viscous on the palate. It dries out on the finish with grippy tingly tannins and a big Kentucky bear hug.
Thoughts: The smells are phenomenal - it's rich and powerful, and has all the notes that originally made me fall in love with bourbon. Overall, the profile reminds me of a combination of ECBP batches B520 and A120 - it brings the fudgy brownie and cherry of B520, with the aggressiveness and chili pepper spice that I got from the finish on A120. Interestingly, when I first popped the bottle, it had a ton of peanut - lots of peanut brittle on the nose, and the palate seemed to manifest whatever peanut-riddled candy bar you could think of. But it settled down into the notes listed above, with just little hints of peanuts (although there's still a good deal of peanut stuff happening if you don't let it rest in the glass). The peanut party was fun, but I definitely prefer it the way it is now. This store pick does what some of the recent (relatively) lower-proof ECBP batches did not do for me - it slaps you around a little - not hard - not mean - just a little aggressive fun. Considering the proof, it drinks easy. But if you can't handle a solid Kentucky hug, you should probably get the fuck out of this bourbon's kitchen.
Score: 8.4 | Excellent
--
I found out about this pick the morning it released - a neighbor texted me when he saw Cellars' social media post announcing the drop. My immediate reaction was "fuck." I was at work, 40 miles away from the store, and I was going to stay that way for several hours. This was the first Elijah Craig single barrel I'd gotten wind of in the area - I was worried it might sell out in three or four hours. Thankfully, my good buddy agreed to run over and pick one up for me - what a fucking mensch he is. There was a 1-bottle limit, and usually he would've wanted it for himself - but he was on a bourbon-buying hiatus at the time - this worked out fucking great for me. This pick was 10 years old and almost 130 proof, so I was psyched to get my dirty claws on one. I tasted this neat in a glencairn, after about 10 minutes of rest.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Private Barrel – Cellars Wine and Spirits Selection
--
129 proof | aged 10 years | Barrel No. 6088351, Rick X, Floor 4 | Straight KY bourbon: 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malt | $74
--
Nose: barrel char | rich dark cherry & vanilla extract | brown sugar | leather |oaky cocoa | tobacco | rich clove & fun sassy ethanol. Hints of peanut at times.
Palate: vanilla | buttercream frosting | fudgy chocolate brownie | rich caramel | little hint of peanut & nougat. Rich and sweet.
Finish: spicy baking spices | thai chili pepper numbing spice | black peppercorn & clove | hint of black cherry | tobacco, leather, & brown sugar | fades to rootbeer & cardamom. Medium-long finish.
Body: Rich, syrupy, and viscous on the palate. It dries out on the finish with grippy tingly tannins and a big Kentucky bear hug.
Thoughts: The smells are phenomenal - it's rich and powerful, and has all the notes that originally made me fall in love with bourbon. Overall, the profile reminds me of a combination of ECBP batches B520 and A120 - it brings the fudgy brownie and cherry of B520, with the aggressiveness and chili pepper spice that I got from the finish on A120. Interestingly, when I first popped the bottle, it had a ton of peanut - lots of peanut brittle on the nose, and the palate seemed to manifest whatever peanut-riddled candy bar you could think of. But it settled down into the notes listed above, with just little hints of peanuts (although there's still a good deal of peanut stuff happening if you don't let it rest in the glass). The peanut party was fun, but I definitely prefer it the way it is now. This store pick does what some of the recent (relatively) lower-proof ECBP batches did not do for me - it slaps you around a little - not hard - not mean - just a little aggressive fun. Considering the proof, it drinks easy. But if you can't handle a solid Kentucky hug, you should probably get the fuck out of this bourbon's kitchen.
Score: 8.4 | Excellent
3 Likes
3 days ago
Bone Snapper Rye r/Bourbon Pick - Brain Drain IV
My good good buddy brought the tail end of this bottle over to share the other week. We finished all but an ounce or so, and he left that ounce for me. He did this because he is a class-act motherfucking mensch. I didn't see any reviews of this pick posted here (although honestly I didn't look that hard), so I figured I'd post this one for the record. Spoiler: I think u/t8ke crushed it once again. Tasted neat in a glencairn after a 20-minute rest.
Bone Snapper Straight Rye Whiskey Single Barrel - r/Bourbon Selection: Brain Drain IV
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120.8 proof | aged 6.5 years | bottle yield: 171 | straight Indiana rye: 95% rye; 5% malted barley | $75
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Nose: vanilla | toffee & honey | rich mint | dark dried apricot | gingersnap cookie | leather | tobacco. Pungent & rich - beauteous.
Palate: molasses | cocoa | barrel char | mint | vanilla
Finish: clove | big anise | cinnamon red hots | thai chili numbing spice | gingerbread cake | leather, tobacco, barrel char, & anise. Yeeehaw.
Body: viscous, oily & rich. It could be a little thicker for my liking, but it's great. Grabby tingly tannins on the finish.
Thoughts: This is a big spicy rye exactly how it ought to be. The nose is big, but gentle - the palate is rich & powerful - the finish is a dark & spicy wild ride. What more do you want from this rye? Has it not done enough? Answer me, god damn it.
Score: 8.2 | Excellent
My good good buddy brought the tail end of this bottle over to share the other week. We finished all but an ounce or so, and he left that ounce for me. He did this because he is a class-act motherfucking mensch. I didn't see any reviews of this pick posted here (although honestly I didn't look that hard), so I figured I'd post this one for the record. Spoiler: I think u/t8ke crushed it once again. Tasted neat in a glencairn after a 20-minute rest.
Bone Snapper Straight Rye Whiskey Single Barrel - r/Bourbon Selection: Brain Drain IV
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120.8 proof | aged 6.5 years | bottle yield: 171 | straight Indiana rye: 95% rye; 5% malted barley | $75
--
Nose: vanilla | toffee & honey | rich mint | dark dried apricot | gingersnap cookie | leather | tobacco. Pungent & rich - beauteous.
Palate: molasses | cocoa | barrel char | mint | vanilla
Finish: clove | big anise | cinnamon red hots | thai chili numbing spice | gingerbread cake | leather, tobacco, barrel char, & anise. Yeeehaw.
Body: viscous, oily & rich. It could be a little thicker for my liking, but it's great. Grabby tingly tannins on the finish.
Thoughts: This is a big spicy rye exactly how it ought to be. The nose is big, but gentle - the palate is rich & powerful - the finish is a dark & spicy wild ride. What more do you want from this rye? Has it not done enough? Answer me, god damn it.
Score: 8.2 | Excellent
3 Likes
3 days ago
Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon 100 Proof
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100 proof | NAS | Straight KY bourbon: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malt | $24
-- Read More> Nose: sweet oaky vanilla | brown sugar | easy clove, cinnamon, nutmeg - spices, but not spicy | banana & light cherry. Something about this combination reminds me of cream soda - it's really fun & pleasant.
Palate: vanilla extract | stone fruit | light molasses. The palate is pretty tight - tough for me to pull apart.
Finish: banana | spicy cinnamon & clove | cocoa | nutmeg | bananas & cream. The finish lingers quite a while - something about the tail end reminds me of eggy noggy.
Body: Light, but pleasant and not overly thin - especially for being proofed down. The tail end of the finish is a little astringent.
Score: 5.75 | Good
Thoughts: This bourbon does its job. Unless you have a major aversion to banana, you'll probably find this to be an excellent value. And the banana is not dominant - I bet you could drink it without noticing it - especially if you don't let the glass rest - it seems to come out more over time. For me, it can't compete with Wild Turkey 101 - but it's a nice change-up for the bird. Cheers!
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100 proof | NAS | Straight KY bourbon: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malt | $24
-- Read More> Nose: sweet oaky vanilla | brown sugar | easy clove, cinnamon, nutmeg - spices, but not spicy | banana & light cherry. Something about this combination reminds me of cream soda - it's really fun & pleasant.
Palate: vanilla extract | stone fruit | light molasses. The palate is pretty tight - tough for me to pull apart.
Finish: banana | spicy cinnamon & clove | cocoa | nutmeg | bananas & cream. The finish lingers quite a while - something about the tail end reminds me of eggy noggy.
Body: Light, but pleasant and not overly thin - especially for being proofed down. The tail end of the finish is a little astringent.
Score: 5.75 | Good
Thoughts: This bourbon does its job. Unless you have a major aversion to banana, you'll probably find this to be an excellent value. And the banana is not dominant - I bet you could drink it without noticing it - especially if you don't let the glass rest - it seems to come out more over time. For me, it can't compete with Wild Turkey 101 - but it's a nice change-up for the bird. Cheers!
2 Likes
4 days ago
Willett 4-Year Rye
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Nose: perfumey & floral | clean herbal onslaught - mint, anise, tarragon | citrus | vanilla | dried mango
Palate: gingersnap cookie - vanilla, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, clove - all at once | hints of light fruit | bubblegum | mint
Finish: almond | thick rich mint & molasses | leather | peppermint | tobacco. Long.
Score: 7.7 | Great
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Nose: perfumey & floral | clean herbal onslaught - mint, anise, tarragon | citrus | vanilla | dried mango
Palate: gingersnap cookie - vanilla, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, clove - all at once | hints of light fruit | bubblegum | mint
Finish: almond | thick rich mint & molasses | leather | peppermint | tobacco. Long.
Score: 7.7 | Great
2 Likes
4 days ago
