High West 14-Year Light Whiskey

VITALS:
- $100
- 92 Proof
- 14 Years
- Batch No. 1

I had heard well in advance of the release that High West was going to be releasing a "light whiskey." I had never heard of the term "light whiskey" before, and it certainly piqued my curiosity. I did some very high level research on the subject (in other words, I Googled it once), and I learned that light whiskey has been around for years. While it is not a diet whiskey, as its name might suggest, it is distilled at a higher proof and, unlike bourbon, is aged in used rather than new barrels. This gives it a lighter color. I also learned that it is commonly used as a blending agent, and not typically bottled on its own. Honestly, nothing about what I learned of it made me really interested in searching out a bottle.

However, on my recent trip to Utah I visited the High West Distillery, and, after our tour, I tasted what they called their "Reserve" flight. The second whiskey in this flight was the Light Whiskey. Now that a small pour was sitting right in front of me at the bar, my curiosity was once again piqued, and I was excited to give it a try.

The nose was absolutely amazing! It was butter and marshmallow, layered over vanilla, with hints of the sweet corn grain. It was like a rice crispy treat that got blended into a vanilla milk shake. I couldn't stop sticking the glass under my nose.

So, imagine my disappointment when I put that sample to my lips and, quite honestly, wasn't a huge fan of what I tasted. It was good, but it was sweet and simple. I was looking forward to something special and, while it was tasty, it just wasn't anything to write home to mom about.

Nonetheless, wanting to have something to bring home with me that I can't get back home (and luckily having received a $100 gift card as a present), I splurged and purchased what I knew was an overpriced bottle of merely decent whiskey. If figured, however, that (1) it's something I can't get anywhere else; and (2) it's unique and makes for a nice story.

So I got my bottle home and didn't do much with it for a while, until my neighbor came over and I wanted to give him a taste. We each poured a glass and I couldn't have been more shocked at what I tasted. The nose was still wonderful as ever, but the taste was significantly better than what I remembered at the distillery. My buyer's remorse (as rationalized as the purchase was), slowly began to fade.

With each subsequent pour I found myself enjoying this whiskey more and more. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing like a bourbon. In fact, it's my understanding that this is mostly a corn whiskey. But, it doesn't have the sharp edges and heat that any other corn whiskey I've tried has. Rather, this is soft and smooth, and most of all, buttery! It seemed to coat the mouth with that rice crispy treat flavor that was so prevalent on the nose. Where was this the first time I tasted this stuff?!?!

The flavor profile was more complex than that, however, as a sweet vanilla bean flavor seemed to underscore the other flavors, as did a subtle cornbread flavor. The sweetness seemed less artificial as well, coming across as more of a honey sweetness. It was almost a blend of rice crispy treats, vanilla bean ice cream and cornbread with honey. Put that in a blender and drink it!

Even now that this bottle is long empty, I am perplexed by it. I wasn't much of a fan, bought it anyway, and found myself really liking it! Though the price is prohibitive, its scarcity and uniqueness justify that a bit, and the flavor made it a pretty easy pill to swallow after all.

Grade: B+/A-

Mellow Corn Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey

VITALS:

- $13

- 100 Proof

- NAS

Let me just start off by saying this is by far the ugliest label on any bottle I've ever cracked open. The color scheme leaves much to be desired, and it's a good thing its cheap, because it otherwise does not necessarily scream attractiveness as far as whiskey labels are concerned.

But, of course, none of that matters. I only mention it because, considering how recognizable this label is, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't find a bottle near me. It wasn't until I made my trip to Louisville that I finally tracked down a bottle, and now it represents the last bottle standing from my Kentucky trip haul.

On the nose the ethanol is strong, as is expected from a corn whiskey, particularly a higher proof corn whiskey such as this. The nose is also very sweet, however, reminding me of the smell of a corn processing plant (if you've ever been near one, you know the smell I'm talking about).  

The first sip was sweet to match the nose. The corn provides almost all the flavor, but there's a bit of heat mixed with a cinnamon flavor at the end that was quite enjoyable, reminding me of those fireball jawbreakers I used to break my teeth on as a kid. That burn seemed to linger a bit as well, really warming my insides.

Mellow Corn holds up on its own as a sipper, but it is nonetheless pretty one-dimensional. It lacks in any real complexity, though it held up from the beginning of the bottle to the end. Also, considering the price, I fully expected a thin, watery whiskey. While it's not the most viscous I've ever had, it certainly doesn't come across as watery, and had decent texture.

As I worked my way through the bottle i noticed additional hints of almond and brown sugar to mix with the corn and cinnamon that initially dominated. These flavors were not strong and were ultimately overwhelmed by the cinnamon red hots flavor.

For the price I paid, Mellow Corn is a very good whiskey. As far as value whiskeys go, it's always nice to find one that is worthy of sipping neat or with an ice cube. It's nothing great, but it is certainly a better than average whiskey at a nice price.

Grade: C+

Orphan Barrel the Gifted Horse American Whiskey

VITALS:
- $50.00
- 115 Proof
- Bottle No. 29073

Orphan Barrel released its newest "orphaned" whiskey, only this time it is not a well-aged bourbon that was somehow forgotten about, but rather it's, per their claim, a mistakenly blended whiskey, the result of accidentally emptying barrels of a younger whiskey into a batch of 17 year old Kentucky straight bourbon. Per the label, this results in a whiskey that is 39% 17-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon and 61% 4-year-old corn whiskey and Indian bourbon.

As with all Orphan Barrel releases, internet talk, speculation and dismay at this release abounds. One interesting theory that, considering my experience with earlier releases, may have some legs, is that this whiskey was made in response to initial reactions to the bitter, oakiness of those extra-aged releases Orphan Barrel previously put out. True or not, I personally agree that those releases were very oaky and could perhaps benefit from being blended with a much younger whiskey.

Considering this is by far the least expensive release from Orphan Barrel, not to mention the highest-proof of their releases, I was more than happy to give this one a try. The nose is soft and mellow, with light corn notes, tobacco leaf and caramel. It's very inviting, despite the high alcohol content.

On the first sip, however, the burn was unavoidable, though not necessarily overwhelming. The up-front flavors of caramel and vanilla, along with baked cinnamon apples provided for a very sweet, very enjoyable pour, with no bitter tanins or dryness to it. The cinnamon, along with a black pepper spice on the back end, also provided a nice complement to the dulcet, up-front flavors. The impact of the corn whiskey is very noticeable. The corn notes are readily present, and it certainly bears the sweetness of a corn whiskey.

My initial impressions were that this is in my top three of the Orphan Barrel releases to date, probably top two. I really enjoyed it, and as I worked my way through this bottle (and I say "work" with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek), other flavors seemed to come out of hiding. I eventually noticed a distinct cherry flavor, though not the offensive, cough syrup kind, but the more natural cherry flavor. Some of the oak and char also began to come through, but managed to fit right in with the cinnamon and caramel.

This bottle was really enjoyable from beginning to end, and for anyone that can look past marketing gimmicks and labels, I definitely suggest giving it a try.

Grade: A-

Balcones Brimstone Texas Scrub Oak Smoked Whisky 106 Proof

When I grabbed this off the shelf, I honestly had no clue what I was getting. I knew only what the label told me--that it was a corn whisky and that it was a smoked whisky. In the mood for something peaty and campfire-y, I took a gamble, despite a somewhat hefty price of $60. Balcones makes good product, and I figured I had little to lose.

Upon popping the top off this one, I was pummeled with the heavy smell of liquid smoke. This stuff smelled like a mesquite grill, and it was strong! Even before pouring it out of the bottle, I could smell this whisky from across the kitchen. Admittedly, though, my mouth watered, much like it does when I walk into a barbecue joint or when I'm hovering around my neighbor's grill in the Summer as he slow cooks a giant piece of meat.

I don't usually comment on color, but with this whisky, the color was very noticeably red, lending even further to my premonition that I was about to drink smoked brisket in a glass.

As I fully expected by this point, though, upon my first drink, the smoke was all I tasted, from beginning to end. There was whisky in there somewhere, I just couldn't find it through all the smoke. And keep in mind, this is not the peat-bomb type smoke you'd find in certain single malts like Laphroaig. It was a whole new smoke flavor that I wasn't used to.

After a bit, the mesquite smoke flavor died down, only just a touch, but at least enough to notice certain flavors that were still subtle and hidden away. It was a sweet smokiness, underscored by brown sugar and even hints of crisp apple barely noticeable underneath. Some peppery spice was able to come out behind the iron curtain of mesquite smoke as well, and for fleeting moments I thought I was really enjoying this whisky.

In the end, though, the mesquite flavor overwhelmed throughout, almost completely masking the flavor of the whisky, rather than complementing or enhancing it. I did find it easier to enjoy on later pours, perhaps due in part to my getting used to it. However, the flavor was so strong that it comes across not as a peated or smoked whisky, but rather a flavored whisky. While I liked the flavor, I would like it much more if it were toned down to allow the flavor of the whisky to actually come through.

Grade: C+