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+

2Bar Amaretto Barrel Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey

VITALS:

- $40

- 90 Proof

- 3 Years

- Washington

Prior to buying this bottle, I had never heard of 2Bar distillery out of Seattle. And, even looking at the bottle, the packaging leaves a lot to desire with it's black and white label that looks like it could have been created in Microsoft Word. 

However, what did intrigue me was the finish. This is the first that I had seen an amaretto barrel finished whiskey. I happen to be a big fan of amaretto. I love the flavor of amaretto liqueur. There once was a time in my youth where I enjoyed the occasional amaretto stone sour. And, it's a note that from time to time I get in my whiskeys, one that I enjoy. So, given the unique finish as well as the relatively modest price tag, I felt this was something worth checking out. 

On the nose I definitely get the amaretto notes. When I first opened the bottle, not so much. But, after it had been open a while, that amaretto finish definitely had its influence. There was a sort of sweet coffee note as well, kind of like a chocolate covered coffee bean. I also got a sweet oatmeal raisin note.  Overall, it smelled pretty great.

As to flavor, I was immediately hit with those notes of youth. This was unquestionably a young bourbon, as I got that overripe apple note that I always find in craft bourbons that just need some more time in the barrel. Here it was pretty prominent right up front.

But, what I really liked about this bottle, is that the finishing then seemed to kick in shortly after, removing those "young" notes from my palate somewhat quickly, and replacing them with far more pleasant flavors of amaretto and coffee liqueur.

Even the chocolate note came through to add a bit of richness and a touch of sweetness. It all blended together with the amaretto, the chocolate, the alcohol liqueur type notes, and even a bit of vanilla, such that it reminded me of a cherry cordial, just without the cherry. 

On the finish there was a rich, dark fruit note that came through, like fig or raisin. I didn't really get this up front, but it was definitely present on the finish, accompanied by a nice brown sugar note. And by the end of each sip, those young notes were pretty much completely gone.

Despite being very young tasting, this was still very enjoyable.  If 2Bar has time to let some of this bourbon age a few more years, this amaretto finish could be something quite delicious!!

Grade: B-

Whistlepig PiggyBack Alfa Romeo F1 Team G-Force Finished Single Barrel Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $45

- 96.77 Proof

- NAS

- Vermont & Canada

Okay, so this is kind of a weird one.  And, while clearly gimmicky, it went so weird that I just had to try it. Luckily the price made it easy to do a bit of experimenting. And, apparently, experimenting is what this bottle is all about. 

First, this is one of the more unique finishes I've seen, as it was finished in lychee and tea barrels.  I'm not going to lie, I had to Google "lychee."  I had zero frame of reference here, and I've never had what is apparently a sweet and floral tropical fruit. And it's still unclear to me whether there are two separate finishes here (lychee and tea) that were then blended together, or whether the barrel previously held lychee and tea together. Either way, it was a unique finish, and on top of that, while finishing, the barrels were subjected to G-forces.  I'm not sure exactly how, but I just imagine the barrels being strapped to the back of an F1 car on a loop track for days on end. Probably not what happened here, but the bottle doesn't give me much more to work with. 

I popped the cork and I was immediately hit with a bubble gum note. This was like those Double Bubbles that used to disappoint me when I went trick or treating as a kid. Or, like the artificial bubble gum flavoring of bubble gum soda (as opposed to organic bubble gum, I guess???).  Remember Hubba Bubba Bubblegum Soda?  Well, I do, and this smelled like that!  I tried to find other notes, but really this just smelled like bubblegum. Already one of the weirdest whiskey experiences I've had, and I hadn't even tasted it yet.

But, not surprisingly, it tasted like . . . bubblegum.  At least there were other flavors to go along with, however, including bright strawberry and raspberry notes.  This was incredibly fruit forward, and it was all bright, sweet berry notes.

On the back end the tea notes came through, more prominently than expected, actually. They provided a bit of an earthy note that gave an interesting contrast. I did get some traditional rye notes, including a light minty flavor, as well as a bit of a cinnamon spice on the finish. Those notes, however, were easily overpowered by the strong, fruity bubblegum note that dominated throughout.

This was a weird whiskey, no doubt about it. As weird as it was, though, the consensus from everyone who tried it was that it was "not bad" to "good."  Good for what it was, anyway. Interestingly, I did find myself from time to time in the mood for this bubblegum whiskey, and when in that mood I found I really enjoyed it, weirdness and all.

Grade: B

Ezra Brooks 99 Proof Cask Finished Series Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Casks

VITALS:
- $25

- 99 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

One of my favorite past times is being sent by my wife on a wine run and then spending more time than it should take while casually perusing the whiskey shelves looking for something new.  I love finding new brands or products on the shelves, especially when I had no knowledge of the release beforehand.

That was the case with this Ezra Brooks Port Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon. I had no idea that Lux Row had plans of releasing a port finished bourbon. The label says that it's part of a "Cask Finished Series," so I can only hope that there will be others. But, what really got me excited about this release was the price tag!!  If I were to run for president, my platform would be "MBAA" - Make Bourbon Affordable Again! And this particular bottle could be my mascot! At $25, I didn't think twice about throwing it in my cart.

The nose had just a bit of the port influence, but it wasn't nearly as influential here as I had expected. There were notes of raisin and fig, and even the slightest hint of raspberry. But, those notes weren't strong, and I primarily got those more traditional notes of vanilla and caramel, and even a bit of cinnamon spice.

Similarly, I took my first sip expecting a much more fruity experience. But again, it was the bourbon notes that dominated, with toffee and vanilla taking center stage. The port notes followed soon thereafter, as that fig and raspberry came through in a way that complemented shoe traditional bourbon notes. So often they provide a sharp contrast, but here it all seemed to work together. 

On the finish all of these flavors seemed to blend together to create this figgy caramel note that was sweet, but not too sweet, rich and flavorful.  The finish didn't last as long as I would have wanted it to, and the on ething missing here was a bit of spice that would have really rounded things out.

What this finished bourbon does best is kind of what Angel's Envy does well, which is provide a very approachable, flavorful bourbon for a more casual bourbon consumer. Except this one is half the price!  For that reason alone it's worth picking up!

Grade: B

Longrow Red Cabernet Franc Matured 11 Year Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $150

- 111.8 Proof

- 11 years

- Campbeltown

The Longrow Red series has long been my favorite "series" or annual release, probably in all of whiskey/whisky. In fact, it was the Pinot Noir Cask that I had back in 2017 that turned me on to wine finished, peated scotches, and my insatiable love for sweet and peat!! Ever since then I've made it a point to get my hands on and try anything fruity and peaty that I can find.

While most of those are matured in either sherry or port (port tends to be my favorite), this one was matured in Cabernet Franc barrels. I'm certainly no wine guy, so I have no opinion on or experience with cabernet franc. But, given that I absolutely loved the Malbec Longrow Red, and I know that I don't particularly like Malbecs, I figured I couldn't go wrong with this one either. 

Right up front on the nose I got those rich fruit notes I've come to expect from these bottlings. It was full of bright raspberry and black currant. There was a light smokiness to it as well, along with some black pepper spice on the back end. It had a bit of a sweet barbecue note and I could not wait to dive into it.

The flavor was full of rich, fruity notes, but not quite as bright as on the nose. It leaned more dark fruits like blackberry and plum. It was sweetened, however, by a great honey note. That was all underscored by a malty backbone that came across like a honey wheat bread, but a good one, like the kind you'd buy from a bakery.

The peat smoke was there but not pervasive. Like most Campbeltown Scotches, it doesn't slap you in the face the way an Islay might. But it was still there to provide that great balance and "meatiness" to accompany the sweet and fruity notes. There was also a white peppercorn type spice, particularly on the back end. 

The finish reminded me a lot of sangria. It had the rich wine flavors, with dark fruit notes and a bit of tannins to counter the sweetness, which came from a bright orange note that seemed to appear out of nowhere. The finish wasn't particularly long, but the flavors were absolutely delicious!

Unsurprisingly, I loved this bottle, and I can't wait to work my way through the rest of the lineup sitting on my shelf.

Grade: A

Blackened Total Wine Exclusive Batch Blended Whiskey Finished in Black Brandy Casks

VITALS:

- $45

- 90 Proof

- NAS

- Ohio

There's something to love about vacation whiskey. Perhaps it's the warm weather, or the momentary lack of responsibility, or just the fact that it's whiskey while on vacation. Whatever it is, I find myself really enjoying my vacation whiskeys, whatever they may be.

In this instance, while in Florida I wanted something I couldn't find in Illinois. So, I naturally gravitated towards a store pick. But, I also decided to go with something that has certainly been out and on the shelves for a few years now, but I have yet to try -- Blackened.  This whiskey, blended by Dave Pickerell, certainly carries the credentials, and I was curious about the black brandy finishing. Plus, it seemed like a good easy drinker in the likely event I found myself enjoying a drink in the afternoon sun.

The aroma was full of caramel and vanilla notes, but the brandy influence was immediately noticeable.  That's where notes of grape and apple came through. After a bit of opening up, those notes seemed to transform a bit into a kind of baked pear note that certainly dominated. It also remained very sweet, with a brown sugar sweetness.

While the nose was full and delicious, the flavor seemed to fall a bit flat, especially in comparison.  I definitely got the brandy notes, as flavors of white grape and sweet apple came through. That baked pear note also made an appearance, but it was all quite muted.  I realize that the proof on this whiskey is relatively low, but I still expected more pronounced flavor.

Aside from the brandy influence, there was a layer of vanilla underscoring those other flavors. It also had the lightest peppery spice, to at least make it a bit interesting. That also helped counter the sweetness, as without it it may have been a bit over the top. The brown sugar note was fairly constant.

I love the idea of this whiskey, taking a great blend and giving it a unique finish. I just wish the flavor was a bit more focused.  It could have come across as bold and unique, but instead came across as flat and a bit boring. I may have to give this a try at higher strength, but I don't know that I'll be buying a bottle in order to conduct that experiment.

Grade: C

High West Binny's Barrel Select Double Rye! Finished in Tawny Port Casks

VITALS:

- $70

- 98 Proof

- Finished 9 mos.

- Barrel No. 28124

- Utah

I feel like it's been a while since I've last seen Double Rye! private barrels on the shelves.  I've seen plenty of American Prairie single barrels, most of which were finishes that I wasn't really interested in, such as rum cask or vermouth. And, to be honest, the American Prairie Bourbon barrel selects simply haven't done a whole lot for me overall.

But, I have had some amazing Double Rye! single barrels, with all sorts of finishes from Muscat to Armagnac and even a great tequila finish.  So I knew I had to give this Tawny Port finished Double Rye! a try (and I also grabbed a Cognac finished Double Rye! at the same time).  For me, High West has always done really well with their wine finishing, so I felt pretty good that I'd be getting something delicious here. 

On the nose, the most prominent aroma was raisin. In fact, the nose kind of reminded me of oatmeal raisin cookies, but made with about three times the usual number of raisins. In fact, the raisin or even fig note almost came across as jammy.  But, there was also that baked goods or cookie-like note to go with it, and all in all, it simply smelled great!

While the nose was somewhat straightforward, the flavor was actually a bit more complex.  I definitely got rich, jammy notes, but it wasn't singularly raisins or figs. Instead I actually got heavy notes of cherry and raspberry--very consistent with my experience with anything port-finished. It wasn't overly sweet, though, which I absolutely loved, rather relying on the richness of the dark fruits.

The rye gave it a great cinnamon backbone, and there was also a distinct chocolate note that came through, probably due to the combination of the port and the rye. Interestingly, I also got a certain amount of saltiness.  Certainly nothing that made my mouth pucker, but there was a "lightly salted" tone to everything.

On the finished the baked goods notes really came out, providing not only that oatmeal or Fig Newton flavor, but also highlighting some of those baking spices.  The cherry and raspberry notes fell away just enough to allow me to appreciate everything else going on as I contemplated my next sip.

I once again found myself really enjoying Double Rye! with a wine finish. This bottle certainly reinforced what I already knew--that I'll continue grabbing these when and where I can.

Grade: B+

Starlight Distillery Huber's Old Rickhouse Binny's Private Select Single Barrel Rye Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks

VITALS:

- $70

- 111.8 Proof

- 4 1/2 Years

- Barrel No. 22-2043

- Indiana

If you've been in a Binny's recently, I'm sure you've noticed rows of their shelves filled with Starlight Distillery picks. They certainly have an influx at the moment of all sorts of picks, from single barrel bourbons and ryes to whiskeys finished in everything from Bourdeaux to cherry liqueur barrels. In fact, they have so many Starlight picks right now, it's almost paralysis by analysis. There are so many options its hard to pick just one.

But, not being one to miss out, I figured I'd go with my mainstays as far as finished whiskey goes. I tend to enjoy the Cognac and Armagnac finishes, particularly on rye barrels. So, seeing this Cognac finished rye among all the other finishes, I played it safe. I could have gone with something different, but again, I wouldn't know where to start.

The nose really showed off that Cognac influence, hitting me right away with scents of orchard fruits like apple and pear. There was also a certain malty backbone, giving it a sort of bread-like aroma. It also had a light caramel sweetness as well as a light note of rich vanilla. I didn't get much of the rye spice I was expecting, but everything else smelled great!

Right up front the pear note came through on the palate, but it was more of a cooked pear. Here the spice came through, with cinnamon and black pepper notes. It also had that caramelization you get with cooked pears, adding a rich sweetness to the fruity note.

I definitely got that malted note as well. It was somewhat bread-like, but sweet and grainy all at once. There was also a distinct white grape note, which became more and more prominent as I made my way through the bottle. As it became more prominent it took on more of a white wine note, a note which seemed to stick out a bit and didn't seem to play well with everything else going on.

The finish proved to be interesting, with a mix of black pepper, orange peel, honey and walnut. It was spicy, earthy, sweet and citrusy all at once. But, it didn't all seem to go well together. It was almost as if each note was there, sitting in its own respective corner, uninterested in playing with those other flavors.

this Cognac finished rye came across as sweeter than I would have wanted, particularly on later pours, and while the flavors were enjoyable, it just didn't come across as a finished, cohesive whiskey. Rather, it was kind of all over, particularly on the finish.

Grade: B-

Bushmills 12 Year "Triple Wood" Single Malt Irish Whiskey

VITALS:

- $50

- 80 Proof

- 12 Years

- Ireland

It's not often that I find myself purchasing Irish whiskey. There's no particular reason for it, I guess just that there aren't many brands where I feel I must have particular releases. Of course, I love some well-aged Redbreast, and I've certainly tried all of the "Spots" I've been able to get my hands on.  But, it's just not the aisle of the liquor store that draws my attention. 

Of course that changes when St. Patrick's day is coming. We planned on having neighbors over for food and drinks to celebrate, and having only a bottle of Gold Spot on my shelves to offer my visitors, I felt the need to pick up at least one more bottle. So I came home with this, a 12 year Irish whiskey aged in Oloroso sherry casks and bourbon barrels before finishing in Marsala casks. I figured there's a lot going on there, and even at 80 proof, this should still pack a good amount of flavor.

With my first pour I noticed right away a bright and fruity aroma. The Sherry and Marsala casks definitely made their influence known, as I got raspberry and strawberry, along with a sweet honey note. There were also traditional malt notes of sweet tobacco leaf and butterscotch, but there was also a distinct vanilla note along with a light black pepper note, perhaps showing some of the ex-bourbon cask influence.

At only 80 proof, this whiskey unsurprisingly came across as thin and watery. Despite that, it packed a very good punch of flavor. That raspberry note came through right away, but it also had a bit of tartness to it, kind of like a cranberry note.  Once again, those Sherry and Marsala casks made their influence known, but it was far from overdone.

The sweet tobacco note also came through right away, and it seemed to be sweetened by a bright honey note. There was also a sort of sweet tea flavor that I got, adding a sort of earthy but sweet note that worked really well with the bright berry notes.

On the finish the tea notes certainly came through, but the sweetness seemed to fade a bit. It was more like a basic black tea. Some of the raspberry notes lingered, but even those were faded as well.  What I really noticed, and couldn't avoid once noticed, was a weird metallic note. I'm not completely sure how to describe it other than that, but there was something definitely metallic that bugged me.

For an easy-to-find, off-the-shelf Irish whiskey, this is a crowd pleaser. Everyone that tried it loved it, as it's very approachable at a low proof and offers sweet and bright fruit notes that even a non-whiskey drinker might appreciate. In the end, though, I had a hard time moving past that weird metallic finish that seemed to linger.

Grade: C+

Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Kentucky Straight Rye

VITALS:

- $60

- 96 Proof

- 6 years

- Batch 1 - Distilled Spring 2017

- Kentucky

When Bardstown first released its initial Origin Series bottlings, a high rye bourbon and a wheated bourbon, I jumped at getting them. I opened the high rye bourbon and really enjoyed it! Though I haven't opened the wheated bourbon yet, I've heard good things about that one as well. So, I was certainly eager to try the rye when that was subsequently announced as the next offering in their Origin Series. 

This rye is finished in toasted cherry wood and oak barrels. I didn't know that going in, and I was intrigued upon reading it on the label. What I found more intriguing, though, was the mashbill (which, by the way, I love Bardstown for including on every product of theirs).  This is a 95/5 mashbill, meaning its made of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, much like MGP, whose rye whiskey I've grown to love. So I was really excited to try this to see how it stacks against that other 95/5 rye. 

On the nose I immediately got many of those same notes I'm accustomed to getting from MGP. I got notes of mint as well as a light dill note. Luckily, that dill note did not dominate as I've gotten in some bottles. This did not lean "green" in any way. It also had a very healthy amount of vanilla, giving it a bit of a bourbon quality. It smelled like a rye, certainly, but one that leaned sweeter. I did not get a whole lot of spice on the nose. 

As to flavor, right up front I got that same mint and vanilla. The mint was bright and sweet, and in many ways reminded me of mint ice cream, or perhaps a Shamrock Shake.  I happen to love Shamrock Shakes and look forward to that wonderful time of year when I can actually get them, so while it may sound like a weird whiskey tasting note, I was nonetheless a big fan!

The vanilla was accompanied by some spice as well, kind of like pepper and ginger, perhaps a bit of cinnamon. It all seemed to combine to create a cream soda flavor which, on later pours, seemed to lean more towards a root beer note. This was about the only time that the flavor combinations got a touch weird, but it was still good.

On the finish a cinnamon spice, which had been oddly missing up to this point, finally made a very welcome appearance. The mint notes subsided, but the vanilla notes lingered, providing for a sweet and spicy finish that left a very nice taste in my mouth.

All in all, for their first rye under this line and for the fairly accessible price, this was a very good rye that I would certainly recommend any rye-lovers give a go!

Grade: B+

Castle & Key The Woolgatherer Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Vino de Naranja Barrels

VITALS:

- $75

- 115.4 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

On my most recent trip to Kentucky I made it a point to do the tour at Castle & Key. I had never been, and I was certainly eager to check out the grounds of the old E.H. Taylor distillery, and, of course, the castle itself.  I will say, that tour exceeded my expectations! The distillery and the grounds are absolutely beautiful!  They did an incredible job restoring that property!  And the history of the property is compelling and made for a really enjoyable tour!

Of course, at the end of the tour we took part in a tasting, and, oddly enough, I found I really liked their gin. But afterwards we perused the gift shop, and I saw this bottle on the shelf. Our tour guide saw me looking at it, and she offered to bring me back into the tasting room to try a sample. Needless to say, I was impressed not only with the flavor but the uniqueness of this whiskey, and a bottle made its way back to Illinois with me. 

This is not a super-high rye at 63%, so some of the sweeter notes were allowed to come through, and that was definitely the case with the nose. Right up front I got sweet notes of brown sugar and, not surprisingly, orange. It definitely had a bit of an old fashioned aroma to it, but with some vanilla added as well. I did not get "orange creamsicle," as the back label suggested, but it definitely had a nice nose.

Quite frankly, I didn't get the "orange creamsicle" in the flavor either, which was just fine by me, as I tend to avoid overly sweet whiskeys. And, quite frankly, initially my reaction to this whiskey was that it was just okay. But, this was one of those bottles that seemed to just get better with every pour.

Despite it not being a high-rye whiskey, it nonetheless had a healthy dose of cinnamon spice, both on the front end and the back end. That cinnamon spice was paired with a rich, brown sugar sweetness to keep it from ever getting either too spicy or too sweet.

Of course the orange was there, but again, not the sweet, artificial orange flavor, but rather bright and even slightly bitter orange peel, and even a bit of burnt orange. It definitely had that old fashioned quality to it, and it did, in fact, make for a pretty tasty old fashioned, leaning right into the Angostura bitters.

On the finish, the cinnamon spice certainly came through, and that burnt orange note lingered as well. But it was here that, while I don't believe this is a very aged whiskey, it provided some oak notes, a bit of earthiness and bitterness to continually balance the orange and brown sugar notes. 

I don't know that I'll come across this again, but this was a fun bottle to enjoy.  It was not only something different and unique, but it was really good! And by the time I got to the end of the bottle, I was a bit disappointed that it was over.

Grade: B+ 

Wigle Phil's Shadow Rye Whiskey Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels

VITALS:

- $30 (375 mL)

- 92 Prof

- 3 1/2 years

- Pennsylvania

The timing of this post was almost appropriate, as Groundhog's Day was only a week or so ago. Had I made the connection, I would have made it a point to finish this bottle and get this post up that day. But here I am, a week late, and now it's just another review on any given day. I really screwed that one up.

In any event, this was a bottle that I had seen on the shelves many times, but was simply never interested in buying it. The fact that it's finished in maple syrup barrels tells me right away it's going to be too sweet for my taste.  And I know very little about its maker, Pittsburgh Distilling Co.  But, when a buddy of mine decided to be generous and gift me a bottle, well, who am I to turn it down! So I gave it a go!

On the nose I got a ton of (you guessed it!) maple syrup.  This is probably going to be a trend here.  Of course I expected a good amount of maple syrup, but this was all maple syrup. It did have some notes I identify with a younger whiskey, particularly a green apple note, but even that was lost behind the heavy aroma of a waffle house floor.

As to flavor, I got notes of vanilla and caramel and a hint of raspberry . . . just kidding!  I got maple syrup.  Lots of maple syrup!  At times I thought I might have caught notes of something else, like a hint of oak, some black pepper spice, maybe even some vanilla. But I'm fairly certain that was my imagination, because whenever I re-focused, all I ever got was maple syrup . . . and cavities. To be fair, as I wrote my notes, I did get a cereal note a couple times, kind of like corn flakes.  Still breakfast, though.

I don't think I need to go into the finish. I'm guessing given the pattern here you can fill in that blank.

Some people love whiskey finished in maple syrup barrels.  I am definitely not among them. Not only does it sweeten up the whiskey to the Nth degree, but, unlike some honey barrel finishes that I've actually enjoyed for what they are, the maple finish overpowers with flavor as well.  It's like making out with a Canadian.  If it's your thing, go nuts. But it's not for me (the finished whiskey, that is, I'm completely on board with making out with Canadians).

Grade: D

High West Binny's Barrel Select American Prairie Bourbon Finished in Brandy Casks

VITALS:

- $45

- 101.6 Proof

- NAS

- Finished 1 year, 1 month

- Barrel #18910

- Utah

Although they don't seem to be coming out as frequently as they once did, I still love finding new High West barrel selects on shelves. They've tried all sorts of finishes, including wine finishes, barreled cocktail finishes, and even finishes in barrels previously used to finish whiskey. And for the most part they've been really good!

The ones I've found I gravitate toward the most, however, are the brandy finishes, including Cognac, Armagnac and Calvados finishes. For whatever reason, it's a finish that High West has done well.  And while my preference tends to be their ryes, I wasn't about to pass up this bottle of American Prairie Bourbon finished in brandy casks for just over a year. 

The brandy influence is fairly heavy on this one. Right way I was hit with orchard fruits. It was a nice mix of peach and pear, along with some sweet but rich brown sugar. It was kind of like a pie, particularly with an added note of pecan pie filling. It smelled like a rich and delicious peach and pear pie (is that thing?).

Right in line with the nose, the flavor was packed full of cooked peaches and pears. I couldn't get over how fruit forward this bottle was. It was sweetened by the same brown sugar note I was getting on the nose, and it even had a little bit of cinnamon spice to kick it up a bit. 

I also got that pie crust note. It wasn't strong, and it didn't necessarily make the whole thing taste like a pie, but there was certainly a flaky, buttery crust flavor going on here. It also had a nutty note, but it leaned sweet like a candied pecan.

The finish was syrupy and sweet. Whatever minimal heat I got from the cinnamon notes didn't quite make it that far. It certainly coated my mouth but it left that feeling in my mouth like I had just eaten waffles with maple syrup.

I certainly liked the flavors going on here, but I feel like the bourbon itself got somewhat buried. This seemed to be dominated by the brandy notes.  Perhaps a rye would have held up better against the finish, and if I come across a Double Rye! finished in brandy casks, I'm sure as hell buying it. But this one didn't quite do for me what I had hoped it would.

Grade: B-

Carl T. Huber's Malloy's Finest Wine & Spirits Private Select Cigar Batch Bourbon Finished in Brazilian Amburana Barrels

VITALS:
- $80

- 110.2

- 4 Years

- Barrel No. 22-2124-2

- Indiana

I've only had one of these Cigar Batches from Starlight before.  I had picked up a Binny's pick a while back when saw it on the shelf for the first time.  At first blush it seemed gimmicky -- just throw some bourbon into some other type of barrel and call it "Cigar Batch" so it sells.  After all, other brands had released "Cigar Batch" bourbons, and with some decent success.

However, the more I looked into it, the more intrigued I was as to what the Amburana barrels might add, and I was glad I did because I absolutely loved that bottle. So, when I got a chance to get another, one picked by a different store and a different palate, I jumped at the chance. While I don't necessarily have a specific recollection of previous bourbons I've tried, I certainly recalled that this was unique and interesting, and, of course, delicious!

The nose on this one immediately told me this would be no different. Right away I got rich notes of chocolate and hazelnut. There was a very distinct nutty quality to it, almost like a dry roasted peanut note. It had a spice to the nose as well, almost like a cardamom. It also had this sweet pipe tobacco note, which gives justice to naming this "Cigar Batch."

The flavor absolutely followed suit. It had significant pastry-like qualities, with a bready note as well as notes of vanilla, cinnamon and even a rich raisin note. The chocolate and hazelnut notes came through shortly after it hit my tongue as well and gave an almost creamy, rich and sweet quality to this.

Behind those rich, pastry and dessert-like notes were some welcome flavors that reminded me of an old fashioned. I certainly got a bit of orange peel, just enough bitterness to help temper all the sweet notes. There was a bit of a cooked cherry note as well, and underneath all of that was a healthy layer of brown sugar.

Aside from the tobacco note I got on the nose, I'm not sure what exactly makes this a "Cigar Batch." That said, I'm not a cigar smoker, and it's quite possible that this would pair excellently with a great cigar. What I do know, though, is that I once again found this to be unique, interesting, and absolutely delicious!

Grade: A 

Laphroaig Cairdeas Islay Single Malt Scotch Finished in Pedro Ximenez Casks

VITALS:

- $90

- 117.8 Proof

- NAS

- 2021 Edition

- Islay

I have really grown to love the Cairdeas releases from Laphroaig. Quite frankly it started with the 2020 release finished in port & wine casks. I absolutely fell in love with that bottle, and since then I've not only grabbed each subsequent release, but I've also grabbed older releases whenever I've happened across them.

This one, however, was the one that got me the most excited. I absolutely love that combination of sweet and peat, so any Islay single malts matured in any kind of sherry or port casks immediately pique my interest.  Throw in that it's cask strength and I knew this was going to be really good before ever tasting a drop.

On the nose the peat smoke is very up front and in your face, like a dying campfire. I also got a great big fat note of rich dark fruit, like blackberry and currant. Even the aroma on this whisky was jammy. It also had a black pepper spice to it that kind of tickled my nostrils as I inhaled.

Of course, the flavor was much the same. This was a big and bold whisky.  The peat smoke was big and bold, kind of like a campfire barbecue in a glass.  The rich, dark fruit notes were also big and bold. It was as though I took a big swallow of black raspberry and black currant jelly, swished it around in my mouth, and then took a sip of a heavily peated scotch. 

While the peat took a strong hold up front, this whisky finished sweet and peppery and funky (in a good way).  I'm not sure how to describe that funk, other than that it added a dusty and cheesy note at the end.

While at first the peat seemed to take center stage, in the last few pours the sherry notes really seemed to come forward, making it more sweet than smoky. In fact, once I got to about four pours left, this became my after-dinner dessert with regularity until it was gone.  This bottle was absolutely everything I wanted it to be!

Grade: A

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2022 Limited Release BRT-02 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $70

- 109.4 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

While I don't actively hunt these out, the Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series releases have all been great whiskeys.  So, when I see one on the shelf, I'm sure to grab it. Luckily, these aren't the target of the typical bourbon hunters, so running across one of these hasn't been all that difficult.

This year, though, they decided to release two of them. So, I was put to a decision, because I just didn't really want to buy both. For no reason whatsoever other than that's where my hand went, I picked up the BRT-02. This one was finished with 10 virgin toasted French oak staves. While I like the use of French oak in Maker's, so far I haven't been high on toasted finish bourbons. But, I was hopeful that this one would provide a different influence than other toasted finishes I've tried.

The nose on this is a great combination of caramel and wood. It lacks that tannic bitterness, but provides the nice, oaky notes that I love. I also got a decent amount of dark chocolate to go with, as well as a sort of walnut note. It smelled rich and delicious.

As much as I liked the nose, I enjoyed the flavor even more.  The chocolate and caramel really came through, providing a great baseline of flavor including some rich, sweet dessert-like notes.  There was also another sweet note, kind of like a honey note to go with that chocolate and caramel. As sweet as all this sounds, it never leaned too sweet. It was, though, on the sweet end of the spectrum.

It had a nice, light cinnamon spice to it, more noticeable on the finish than on the back end. That seemed to be folded into a sweet nougat note. Once I got the nougat note, that was almost all I could notice, and it was great! That nougat along with the chocolate and caramel gave this bourbon a real Milky Way vibe.

The finish had that little bit of cinnamon spice, and the chocolate and caramel notes carried through as well. However, those notes were all fleeting, and the finish simply didn't last very long. Usually that's the case with a lower proof whiskey. This had plenty of viscosity, but those flavors just didn't stick around nearly as long as I wanted them to.

That said, this was still another great release from Maker's in the Wood Finishing Series, and I'll continue to grab these as I see them!

Grade: A-

High West Double Rye! Binny's Private Selection Blended Rye Whiskey Finished in Spanish Brandy Casks

VITALS:

- $55

- 99.6 Proof

- NAS

- Finished 6 mos.

- Barrel #25183

- Utah/Indiana

I am an absolute sucker for the various unique finishes that High West gives us as part of their private barrel program. Some of my favorite whiskeys over the years have been these bottlings, including a number of different wine finishes and an Armagnac finish that was absolutely amazing.

This is the first I've seen of a Spanish Brandy finish, though. Obviously different locations are going to provide different grape varietals. It's obviously seen in wine, and, while I don't profess to know a whole lot about brandy, I certainly see it there as well. The differences from American brandy to French brandy can be pretty significant. I've never tried Spanish brandy, that I know of, and maybe I'll have to make it a point to remedy that.

In the meantime, this Spanish brandy finished rye offered all sorts of deliciousness that tells me I'm missing out. On the nose I got brought back to memories of hot apple pie topped with caramel sauce. It had the fruity notes, the baking spices, the pie crust notes and, of course, that sweet and rich caramel note. I could have sat on my couch nosing my glass all night it was so good.

The flavor, while it wasn't strictly limited to apple pie and caramel notes, was nonetheless just as good. It still had the rich and sweet caramel notes, and up front I still got a lot of those baking spices. It also provided a bit more heat, almost like a blend of cinnamon and chili spice. 

Instead of apple, though, I was getting a lot of dark fruits. I got sweet and rich blackberry notes, as well as vibrant plum notes. Perhaps that's where the baked apple notes from the nose went. Those dark fruit notes also provided a bit of welcome tartness which helped offset the sweet caramel notes.

What I think I loved most about this bottle, though, was the finish. It was full of cinnamon spice that lingered in the back of my throat. But, it had this sort of cinnamon chai tea latte flavor to it, perhaps even a bit of a horchata note, that was absolutely delicious. I kept pouring glass after glass just so I could continue to enjoy that finish!

I want more of this, but sadly it's gone. That said, on my next trip to the liquor store I think I'm going to have to inquire about a nice Spanish brandy if this is the kind of influence their barrels are going to have on whiskey.

Grade: A

Copper & Cask The Wry Canadian 15 Year Cognac Cask-Finished Single Barrel Canadian Whisky

VITALS:

- $80

- 118 Proof

- 15 Years

- Canada

This release was certainly an intriguing one to me. I've enjoyed the couple of Copper & Cask single barrel ryes that I've tried so far. However, this release was something much different. The Wry Canadian is a 15 year Canadian whiskey that was aged in a second-use Cognac barrel that had previously been used to age rye. So, it's a well-aged Canadian whisky that is going to have additional influence not only from the Cognac cask, but also from the rye that had previously been aged in the same barrel. 

With all that going on, including the fact that it's a single barrel product bottled at cask strength, the $80 price tag certainly seemed reasonable enough. I don't exactly have my thumb on the Canadian whisky market, but compared to well-aged American whiskey, this would be a steal.

On the nose I got a significant amount of brown sugar. That note completely dominated anything else I was getting.  I did get some other behind-the-scene notes, including a bit of black licorice and even a little bit of cinnamon, but otherwise I might as well have shoved my nose into a cannister of brown sugar.

As to flavor, that brown sugar sweetness was, not unexpectedly, prominent right up front. It hit me as a sweeter whisky right away.  However, at least as to the palate, that brown sugar was accompanied by other notes, one of which was a distinct maple syrup note.  It also had a certain bready quality to it, kind of like a sweet bread along the lines of a King's Hawaiian roll.

On the finish, a great spicy kick seemed to come out of nowhere. It was a great combination of cinnamon and cayenne pepper, providing some heat and a nice tingle on my tongue and the back of my throat. Of course the sweet brown sugar notes remained, but that sweet and spicy balance was really delicious!

In the end, this is still a Canadian whisky, and that brown sugar note is a common theme I tend to find in most Canadian whiskies. I wish the Cognac played more of a role here, but at least the Rye cask had a decent influence, throwing in some nice spice at the end. I don't know that I'd say this was great, but it was worth the price of admission in my mind, as I did really enjoy it.

Grade: B

Blaum Bros. 5 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Puncheon

VITALS:

- $80

- 108

- 5 yrs.

- Illinois

I do love Blaum Bros. distillery. Of course their sourced product, Old Fangled Knotter Bourbon, was absolutely phenomenal bourbon.  Unfortunately, much of that is long gone. I have also enjoyed their ryes, and I do make it a point to support local distilleries.

So, when I was offered an 5 year age-stated bourbon from Blaum Bros. that was finished in Cognac casks, I really couldn't turn it down, even if it was a bit steep at $80.  I can't help it, I'm a sucker for those Cognac finishes in the first place, and I definitely wanted to give their Blaum Bros.' bourbon another try now that it has more age on it.

The nose had a certain woody and nutty note to it. It was like caramel and chocolate covered oak, with some peanut thrown in. Kind of like a Snickers, but instead of nougat it was a soft and chewable wood.  Okay, I'm stretching here, but it didn't really provide the fruit notes I expected from the Cognac, but rather seemed to come across as tannic with hints of sweet caramel and chocolate.

As to the flavor, it came across as a bit young and corn-forward.  The corn notes were inescapable and they provided for some sharp, rough edges on top of making it come across as hot.  The sweetness inside came across as a brown sugar note, and there was a bit of green apple underscoring everything.

The Cognac notes did come through here, where they were missing on the nose. Along with that green apple, I got some quite delicious notes of pear and melon. There was also a creamy vanilla note that accompanied these flavors.  Unfortunately, they didn't seem to match up very well with the brown sugar and corn notes I was getting right up front.

On the finish the brown sugar note seemed to last the longest. However, it was here that I got a mild, but off-putting tannic note adding a bit of bitterness that seemed to linger for a bit on the sides of my tongue.  

This was not my favorite offering from Blaum Bros. Whatever they were going for just never seemed to materialize. I'm all for the experimentation, though, and I hope they keep putting out new and interesting releases such as this.

Grade: B-

Springbank Madeira Cask Matured 17 Year Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $250

- 95.6 Proof

- 17 Years

- Campbeltown

This was absolutely a splurge bottle. I bought it a couple years back, and it was one of those bottles that I ordinarily wouldn't drop that kind of coin on, but at the time I had just gotten my bonus at work and was looking for a "splurge" bottle to celebrate, and this had just landed at my store. Even then, I certainly gave it a second thought. At that time the tariffs on Scotch imports were still in place, and even with that additional tax, the price seemed a bit exorbitant.

However, my love for Springbank and my intrigue over the Madeira cask finish got the best of me (as well as the availability of some expendable funds), and I pulled the trigger. I don't know that I'll ever spend that kind of money on a 17 year Scotch again, but I will say that in this case, I don't regret it and I don't have buyer's remorse, as this was truly delicious!

On the nose I got great notes of strawberry and dark chocolate. Chocolate covered strawberries was one of my mom's favorite treats, so we had them around my house frequently, and this took me right back to then. There was also a light smoke to it as well.  It's certainly not heavily peated, but just a touch of char added to the mix.

The flavor was full of rich, dark fruit notes. I got bright and deep blackberry, blueberry and currant notes. It also had that bright and fresh strawberry note that I was getting on the nose. That was all accompanied by the notes of dark chocolate, with even a touch of balancing bitterness.

It was certainly on the sweeter end of the spectrum, with that sweetness not only coming from those bright fruit-forward notes, but also notes of honey and even burnt sugar. It was more of a natural sweetness, in that sense, accompanied by a light char or smoke note.

On the finish, that all came together to kind of provide a sweet and tangy barbecue note that just kind of stuck around in my cheeks. There was a light pepper note as well as a bit of that smoke note that also seemed to linger a bit, but those sweet and tangy notes really stuck around forever, making me want more and more.

Again, this was a very pricey bottle, but it was also incredibly tasty and I'm so glad I got my hands on one. I tried to do a slow-burn, enjoying it periodically, but by the time I got to the bottom third of my bottle, the rest just seemed to magically disappear! Not sure how that happened!

Grade: A