Doc Swinson's Exploratory Cask Summery Retreat White Port Cask Finished Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $60

- 105.2 Proof

- 7 years

- Release No. 24-003

- Indiana

I can't say I've had a lot from Doc Swinson's. But, I have had a few of their Exploratory Cask series bottlings, and I've really enjoyed them (not to mention their amazing easy-cracking wax!!).  The Cognac-finished bourbon was absolutely delicious.

So, when a handful of new offerings hit the shelves, all with sharp, newly designed labels, I knew I'd be grabbing one of them. And this one stood out as something worth a go.  Starting with 7 year MGP rye and bottled at cask strength, boxes were quickly being checked. The relatively modest price certainly helped as well. And, it piqued my curiosity a bit with the white Port finish.  So in my cart it went!

Up front on the nose, I got a little bit of a red or purple grape note. It was certainly sweet, and smelled . . . juicy??  I'm not really sure how one smells "juicy," but it was there. I also got a bit of dark, rich cherry. However, that was balanced out by a light bitter note, kind of a mix between red wine vinegar and oak. It wasn't strong, but it was there enough to be noticeable.

Interestingly, the flavor didn't necessary fall in line with the nose. Right away I found the good underlying rye notes, including cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla, along with a light minty note. There was even a good peppery spice to it right away on the tip of my tongue.

But, the Port notes quickly found their way in, as dark fruits like plum and black raspberry took centerstage.  While it was very fruit-forward, it was never super sweet. Rather, fresh notes of raspberry and even cherry and blackberry dominated, giving it a nice sweet and tart combination.

On the finish, the rye seemed to push its way through again, providing a great cinnamon heat on the finish, along with a light dark chocolate note. As each swallow faded away, I also got light lingering notes of maple syrup and even anise at times. 

This was absolutely an interesting bottle, with the rye taking the spotlight at the beginning and the end, and the white Port finish providing robust dark fruit notes throughout the middle. It was a pretty fun ride, and a successful "exploration" by Doc Swinson's.  

Grade: B+

Ardbeg Hypernova 2022 Committee Release Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $190

- 102 Proof

- NAS

- Islay

I'm not gonna lie--I was not happy at all with the price on this bottle. This seemed to be the peak of pricing for the Ardbeg Committee Releases.  While previous releases had been somewhat price, they weren't pushing the $200 range, particularly on a non-age stated whisky.  This seems especially egregious given that the most recent Committee Release came in at a relatively modest $85. 

And yet this bottle still found its way onto this sucker's shelf. I really just can't help myself when it comes to Ardbeg. Time and time again it has proven to be my favorite Islay distillery.  While not every bottle has been an absolute home run, they have released so many bottlings that I have absolutely loved that I just could never quit them!  And when they describe it as their "Possibly the smokiest dram in the world," well, I just had to find out for myself.

And yet, when I popped the cork, my first thought was, "Not nearly as smoky as I expected." The smoke was there on the nose, it just wasn't slap-me-in-the face smoke.  It was balanced out by sweeter notes of bright orange and honey. There was a sweet malty backbone, almost like graham crackers, and even a bit of a honey butter note. All these great notes may have pushed that smoke note back a bit.

On the palate, again that smoke just wasn't the heavy amount of soot or creosote that takes you back. Don't get my wrong, this was still very true to Islay and true to Ardbeg.  That soot note, even a char note, was definitely there.  There was no questioning that this was an Ardbeg.

But, what I've always loved about Ardbeg is their ability to make other notes absolutely shine alongside that heavy peat. Here, those crackery and bready notes along with those bright citrus notes all seemed to really come through and work well with that peat.  I got a sweet wheat bread note, along with citrus notes of lemon and orange. 

There was a grassy or herbal note as well that, at times, reminded me of lemongrass.  And on the bac end I got a spicy black pepper note that again seemed to complement everything else going on.  All of this was sweetened up by a bright honey note, and those smoke, citrus, wheat bread and honey notes all were incredibly well-balanced.  So much so that I wasn't really made that this did not come across as the "smokiest dram" in the world.  In fact, I was glad it wasn't, because it might have thrown off the balance.

Do I think this was a bit overpriced, yes. Do I think this was a fantastic pour and I wish I had more of it? Also yes!!  All in all, this was an absolutely great pour, and I couldn't help but keep dipping back into this bottle until it was gone.

Grade: A-

Kirkland Signature Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $28

- 92 Proof

- NAS

- Lowlands

I'm a sucker for a good deal, and so far it's been my experience that some of the best deals out there are the Kirkland bottlings at Costco. They released a line of 1792 bourbons that have all been excellent. They keep releasing well-age stated Scotches that have all been fantastic. And they've released a sort of non-age-stated series that appears to highlight different regions, including an Islay release that's quite impressive.

So, finding this Lowland single malt finished in Sherry casks was a pleasant surprise. While it doesn't come with an age statement, it certainly comes with a great price tag of less than $30!!  And, I honestly don't get a whole lot of Lowlands Scotches, so it seemed a great opportunity to add one to my shelf.

The nose gave off great aromas of orchard fruits. Specifically, I got a great mix of fresh pear and fresh green apple (as opposed to that over-ripe apple note I tend to get in underaged whiskies).  There was a slight malty backbone, but those fruity notes really took center stage. On later pours the sherry seemed to come through, providing a bit of a raspberry note, but it seemed that pear apple combination continued to dominate.

And that pear note continued right through the palate. That fresh pear note was the first flavor that hit my tongue when I took a sip. That was immediately followed, though, by a sweet crackery note and a honey note, kind of like a graham cracker but lighter, if that makes sense.  Maybe a bit like Honeycombs cereal?

Interestingly, it developed a slight spiciness, but not like a pepper or cinnamon spice. Rather, it was more of a ginger spice. I'm not sure where that came from, but it did work really well with the pear and honey notes, making for a pretty cohesive and interesting pour.

On the finish, I did get a bit of a black pepper spice that lingered in the back of my throat. Those pear and honey notes seemed to evaporate a bit as well, leaving me with a crackery, malty note as well. This was where this whisky did fall flat a bit. While it was tasty and interesting up front, it left a bit to be desired on the finish. 

Nonetheless, this was, without a doubt, a great value, as it was a delicious whisky at an even more delicious price!

Grade: B

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Batch No. B523

VITALS:

- $70

- 124.2

- 11 yrs, 5 mos.

- Batch No. B523

- Kentucky

Somewhere along the line I got to a point where I stopped buying these bottles. My guess, given this batch number, is that point occurred somewhere around Summer of 2023.  At one point these Elijah Craig Barrel Proofs were pretty scarce and it was a good day when you'd stumble upon one sitting on the shelf.  Now, however, I can go into my local Binny's and see stacks of boxes of the newest release sitting on the floor.

While they're not all 12 years, they're close enough as far as I'm concerned. And I do like the transparency on the age. And, it's not as though it's decreased in quality in any meaningful manner.  In fact, when I get those cravings for a good, high proofed bourbon, these are frequently the bottles I've been grabbing. But there's just something about knowing that I can run and grab a bottle just about whenever that makes it feel a bit unnecessary to pick up each and every release like I once did. That said, these are still very good bottles, and this one was no different.

The nose was full of those traditional caramel and vanilla notes. But, it wasn't super sweet. It had a bit of dark chocolate to add some richness but also a touch of bitterness. It also had some walnut to it for some earthiness. There was something about it, though, that it took me a few sniffs to get. Eventually I got there, though, and I wrote down, "molasses cookies."  It's been a while, to be certain, since I've had a molasses cookie, but that is what I was getting here.  

When I took my first sip, I immediately got something I hadn't gotten from the nose.  there was a definite cherry note, which was paired with a cinnamon note that was a bit like the Fireball candies we used to break our teeth on as kids.  There was also a light oak note up front as well that I didn't necessarily get from the nose.

Towards the middle, though, I did get a certain shortbread note, which eventually transformed into that molasses cookie note I got on the nose.  It was sweet, but not too sweet.  The chocolate also came through in the middle as well, but again never leaned too sweet.

Interestingly, the finish seemed to go a bit of a different direction. The chocolate remained, but I also got a peanut note along with the cinnamon. There was also a light oak on the finish as well. It was almost as though it came full circle back to those notes that I got when I took that first sniff.

These are always very good and this Batch B523 was no exception. I certainly got notes I don't recall getting in other releases, but it was still well-balanced and checked all those boxes I look for in a good, sturdy bourbon.

Grade: B+

Springbank Palo Cortado Cask Matured 10 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $200

- 110 Proof

- 10 Years

- Campbeltown

I feel like every time I review a Springbank I profess my love for anything coming out of Campbeltown. But, I'm all for consistency, so once again allow me to profess my love for anything and everything coming out of Campbeltown. I don't know what it is about this tiny region of Scotland, but they just seem to be able to do no wrong in my book when it comes to making whisky.

So, of course when I got the chance to grab this 10 year matured in Palo Cortado casks, I had to jump at it! Afterall, I can't say I've ever had anything matured in Palo Cortado casks, let alone a Springbank. It was about one of the easiest decisions I've ever made.

Right away on the nose I got a rich dark cherry note. Interestingly, that was immediately followed by a sort of mustiness, like walking through the woods after the rain. It was kind of mossy smelling. I did get a bit of light smoke and there was also a bright citrus note, giving it a sort of a burnt orange quality.

The peat smoke wasn't big on the nose, but it was significantly more prominent on the palate, hitting my tongue immediately upon my first sip. The cherry note was also there, kind of like a Maraschino cherry but with tempered sweetness.

I definitely got that same mossy or musty note, but oddly I found myself really enjoying it. It added a sort of an earthy note to the cherry and smoke, keeping either one from being overpowering. It also seemed to make that cherry note lean more toward blackberry or even fig on later pours.

There was also a distinct dark chocolate note that I really enjoyed, and that note seemed to really shine on the finish. This had a great, oily mouthfeel allowing for a long-lived finish. A light bit of smoke lingered a bit as well leaving me with an interesting smokey dark chocolate dessert like flavor.

This was somewhat different from other sherry matured peated Scotches, but I really liked the nuance here as well as its uniqueness.  I found myself frequently grabbing this bottle over other sherry-finished peated single malts because of what set it apart.

Grade: A-

Jim Beam Lineage Limited Batch Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $250

- 111 Proof

- 15 Years

- Kentucky

I really don't like paying this much for bourbon. However, not only is this one nearly impossible to find (it's travel retail exclusive and I just don't get out of the country that often, let alone to go somewhere that I can actually find this), but it was released three years ago.

And, in the end, it's a 15 year Jim Beam, which I knew going in was going to be great. That aged Beam seems to land right in my wheelhouse of what I love. This is a blend created by Fred Noe and his son, Freddie Noe.  It comes in a solid wood box, which I managed to break within minutes of getting this bottle, and a great bottle design. Not that any of that really matters, but it is worth noting the very nice presentation.

The nose was rich and spicy, with notes of dark chocolate and cherry, followed by a slightly sweet but spicy cinnamon note.  I did get a bit of oak, but not nearly as much as you might expect given the age. There was also a bit of a black pepper spice to it as well, but it all seemed to be rounded out by a rich amaretto note that I couldn't get enough of.

As to flavor, right up front I got that rich cherry note, kind of like a maraschino cherry. But, that was accompanied by a wheat note that I wasn't necessarily expecting. It kind of caught me by surprise and gave this bourbon a bit of a bread-like quality. But, it was a sweeter quality, as it was accompanied by a smooth caramel note up front that seemed to linger consistently throughout.

That wheat note seemed to transform a bit into more of a sweet pastry note, kind of like a cinnamon and vanilla coffee cake.  I also got a bit of brown sugar at times that gave a bit of a chocolate chip cookie note. I was surprised a bit how sweet it leaned given that the nose did not betray such notes.

However, the finish kept it from getting too sweet. That's where the oak notes really came through, adding a touch of earthiness as well as a slight bitterness to temper the pastry notes. I also got a good amount of chocolate on the finish, which just seemed to round off and balance everything out. 

This was a complex, roller coaster of a bourbon, but in a good way. It never went too far on one end of either spectrum, and the differences I got from the front end to the back end seemed to just play off one another in a way that made this one of the more fun bourbons I've had in a long time.  

Grade: A

James E. Pepper Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $70

- 107.8 Proof

- NAS

- Batch No. 0034

- Kentucky

I have to admit, I haven't tried a whole lot from James E. Pepper, and what I have had has consisted strictly of their ryes.  I didn't have any significant recollection of what specifically I've had before, and I had to look up previous reviews to even recall that I had had them, which included the 1776 Straight Rye and an Old Pepper Rye Binny's Selection.  I was apparently a big fan of that Binny's pick, but it was an MGP rye. 

Why I decided to give this one a go, I'm not really certain.  Probably three things: (1) I'm a sucker for barrel proof bourbon; (2) I hadn't had much from this distillery (bonus points for being a Kentucky distillery); and (3) while it shouldn't influence my decision, I am a fan of the bottle design.  So, for $70, I decided to give this a go.

The nose was full of those traditional notes of vanilla and caramel, along with some cinnamon spice. But, what stood out most was how much cherry I also got on the nose. The cinnamon was also more forward than than the sweet components, and that mix of cherry and cinnamon was great.  It also had (fittingly) a bit of a Dr. Pepper note to it. While there is no way that was intentional, it made me really appreciate the coincidence.

Not unexpectedly, the palate was very cinnamon forward. This was definitely on the spicier end of the bourbon spectrum, as opposed to the sweeter end.  The decent amount of oak I got, in addition to showing a little bit of age, made sure that this stayed away from that sweet side.

Don't get me wrong, there was some sweetness.  Some of those cherry and cola notes from the nose came through.  I even got a touch of rich toffee and some semi-sweet chocolate. But it was never enough to consider this a "sweet" bourbon, as opposed to a "spicy" bourbon. Rather, these sweet notes were there more to complement the spice.

Unfortunately, I found myself wishing there were a bit more sweetness on the finish. Instead, this finished dry and slightly bitter.  I got a lot more oak on the finish, as well as a walnut note that added even more of a bitter component. All the sweet notes seemed to die away entirely, and even those cinnamon and cherry notes faded quite a bit.  

This started out as a fantastic bourbon, particularly for someone such as myself who prefers them on the more spicy side.  That was up until the finish, at which point it then really fell flat, leaving a significant dry and bitter note for me to reflect on.

Grade: B