Archives Binny's Handpicked Heaven Hill 10 Year American Whiskey - No. 00185

VITALS:

- $120

- 129.0 proof

- 10 years

- No. 00185

- Kentucky/Netherlands

It has certainly been a while since my last post. Quite frankly, keeping up with reviewing everything I finished got to feel a bit like a chore. I'd get busy with work, and the next thing I knew I had four or five bottles sitting on my table waiting for me to write up a new post. And, the last thing I want is for this "hobby" to be tedious -- kind of defeats the point.

But, after take a break from writing reviews for a few months (sadly there will be a number of bottles that just won't be part of my own personal whiskey blog journal), the itch came back and I find myself wanting to write about one of my favorite things in this world, that sweet liquid sunshine!

So, for my first foray back into my whiskey musings, I've chosen to take on one of three bottles sitting on my shelf of Heaven Hill 10 Year single barrels bottled by Archives and handpicked by Binny's. I'm not going to lie, I had to grab three of these because, after all, each bottle had a different butterfly on it, and I kind of dug the design. Dumb reason to buy a whiskey, I know, but I've certainly made poorer decisions in my life!

Released in 2020, from my understanding these were selected by Archives, but then exported to the Netherlands where they were then aged for 10 years, only to be re-imported to the United States for such thirsty whiskey enthusiasts such as myself to try.

The nose had just a little bit of oak to it, along with a rich nuttiness, like walnut. However, it didn't allow itself to be bitter, even though it seemed to teeter on that edge. I also got a decent dark chocolate note, again lending to that rich, but not sweet, quality to the nose.

As far as flavor, friends of mine who had also picked these bottles up when they were released told me that these drank very "hot," with the alcohol burn taking over much of the flavor. One of them even likened to a high-proof corn whiskey. So, I was not optimistic going in. Yet, I first cracked this bottle open at a tasting among friends, and of the seven or eight bottles in the line-up (some of which were very nice bottles), this was the favorite by a majority decision.

This was actually on the sweeter end of the spectrum for Heaven Hill products. It certainly had heat given its proof, but it did not drink "hot" such that the heat took away from the flavor. Rather, there were sweet coffee notes, with that sweetness coming from a burnt sugar profile. It had more of that rich toffee note than a sweet caramel note, but it was still certainly a sweeter whiskey.

It had a great oily mouthfeel to it, and that viscous quality seemed to lend to a butterscotch note that really seemed to come forward on the backend and particularly on the finish. Interestingly, I got a bread note, but, to get somewhat hyperspecific, it was like the crunch crust of a good, hearty bread. I don't know that I've ever considered putting butterscotch on bread crust before, but perhaps I need to try it, as it really worked here.

This was a very unique and interesting, and at the same time delicious bottle of Heaven Hill. It was different than any other I can recall having, and yet it was really good. And, it made for a fun bottle to share with other bourbon drinkers.

Grade: A-

Colonel E.H. Taylor Warehouse Liquors Single Barrel Select Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $80

- 100 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #035; Wrhs. H

- Kentucky

I've had plenty of store picks before, including E.H. Taylor picks. This one is a first, for me, having nothing to do with the whiskey. I bought this Warehouse Liquors Single Barrel Select back in 2021, and it's just like any other pick. What was a bit odd, however, is that Buffalo shipped all of the bottles for this Single Barrel pick in "Small Batch" tubes.

Of course, Gene at Warehouse Liquors caught this, and, rather than ship new tubes, apparently Buffalo Trace sent additional stickers to be applied to the outside of the Small Batch tubes, giving that necessary reassurance that this was, in fact, a single barrel pick.  In the end, tubes don't matter and the bottle was clearly and properly labeled.  But, it certainly was a fun little quirk with this particular bottling.  I think that's why it sat on my shelf for as long as it did before I finally got around to opening it.  I just liked having that little oddity.

No surprise here, but this was a delicious bourbon!  The nose was full of those traditional, Buffalo Trace Mashbill #1 aromas, including toffee and chocolate. It had a little bit of vanilla and a good cinnamon spice trailing behind everything.  These are consistently in my wheelhouse, and this bottle was no different.

When I took my first sip, the cinnamon spice was the first thing that I noticed up front. It was kind of a mix of baked cinnamon like you get on cinnamon rolls and cinnamon candy like redhots. It was very delicious! Interestingly, right behind that I got a decent oak note, adding a bit of tannic bitterness.  

Luckily, though, that bitterness was fleeting, and it made way for rich dark chocolate notes, as well as rich toffee notes. It wanted to be a sweet bourbon, but the spice, the oak, and the richness of those sweet notes seemed to keep it from going too far. 

There was a dark cherry, kind of a Maraschino cherry lurking behind everything.  That seemed to work incredibly well with the chocolate, providing a sort of cherry cordial quality.  It also had a sort of graham cracker note to it as well, again offering just a touch of sweetness without going too far.

On the finish it seemed that graham cracker note stuck around the longest.  The dark cherry note was there, and a bit of the toffee note as well. But that graham cracker, and even the dark chocolate note, were what really seemed to linger.  The spice that I got up front seemed to fade away fairly quickly after each sip.

The quirky tube is gone now, and, quite frankly, the bourbon in side was gone very quickly once I finally got around to opening it. This one checked a lot of the boxes of what I love about bourbon.  I almost don't want to throw my empties away (but I will because I'm not a hoarder).

Grade: A-

Old Grand-Dad 16 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $180

- 100 Proof

- 16 Years

- Kentucky

Somehow news of this release escaped me.  I've always been a fan of Old Grand-Dad. I like the spicy, almost dusty quality that it always seems to have, and OGD 114 is one of my favorite semi-regularly available bottles on the shelf.  And yet, when news of a 16 year OGD hit, it somehow went below my radar.

So, when I saw some new, unrecognizable bottle on the shelf at Costco, and upon closer inspection realized just what it was, I pulled the trigger without questioning it.  Perhaps at its price-point I should have, but, in the end, buyer's remorse is just a part of this hobby.  It's inescapable.  Luckily, though, I managed to avoid it with this bottle, which was pretty much everything I would have wanted or expected from a well-aged OGD!

Upon popping the very fat (dare I say thicc) cork on this wide-mouthed bottle, I got the immediate and familiar note of peanuts that I associate with Jim Beam products. In fact, it was more present than usual with this one, as it really took over.  Behind that peanut note were notes of oak and caramel. It even had a little bit of anise to it, as well as a pretty strong cinnamon note to tickle my nose a bit. 

Not surprisingly, my first sip gave a significant peanut note right away. However, it was definitely on the sweeter side, almost like a peanut brittle, just not quite that sweet. But, other flavors, including fairly prominent notes of honey and caramel, provided a sweetness that I didn't expect and don't usually get out of Old Grand-Dad bottlings.  There were also notes of vanilla bean and nougat that lent to the sweetness and almost dessert-like quality.

There was also a light oakiness up front. At first I was surprised at how little oak came through. However, as the bottle had been open a bit, it certainly took on a more oaky quality, definitely noticeable in later pours.  There was also a cinnamon spice which, along with that oak note, kept this from getting overly sweet. Even a dark chocolate note kept through to try to temper the sweetness.

However, on the sweet-spice spectrum, I'd put this well on the sweet end.  While there was some spice, this was unquestionably a sweet bourbon, and it was that sweet peanut note, that note that reminded me of peanut brittle, that lingered forever on the finish. While it wasn't what I was expecting, it was absolutely delicious, leaving me wanting more and more!

Grade: A-

Knob Creeck Binny's Single Barrel Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $45

- 120 Proof

- 15 yrs

- Bottled 2020

- Kentucky

This is the last of what felt like a series of well-aged Knob Creek private selections that Binny's was getting in on a regular basis for a couple years.  I was lucky enough to pick up numerous Knob Creek picks that were 13 to almost 16 years old, and all for very modest prices.

You see those posts on social media of Pappy Van Winkle just sitting on shelves, priced at less than $100, posts harkening back to a better time before the bourbon craze really hit full steam.  These bottles kind of do that for me.  They were one of the big distilleries, with well-aged bourbon at high proof, single barrel private selections, and only $45!!!  I should have been buying cases of this stuff!  And now, 5 1/2 years later, it's all finally gone.  It would be a sad day for me, if it weren't for the fact that I got to thoroughly enjoy this great bourbon!

The nose on this was great, with strong notes of toffee and dark chocolate.  There was also a distinct unsweetened vanilla note, and all of these rich notes were balanced out by a decent amount of oak. It really just smelled like a well-aged, really good bourbon.  Aside from that, I did get something along the lines of a cola or even a root beer note, adding to the sweet aromas.

As to flavor, this really checked all the boxes for me.  It starts with a dark caramel or toffee note right up front. There is no question this was caramel forward, and that was punctuated by a definite cola note that seemed to take over.  I also got up front sweet notes of butterscotch candy and even milk chocolate. It certainly hit sweet right away.

But, it didn't seem to remain that way, as that sweetness gave way to notes of rich dark chocolate, as well as a healthy amount of oak. Neither made this overly bitter by any stretch, but it certainly kept this from becoming too sweet or landing in the dessert-bourbon zone.

It also had a good amount of spice to it, with cinnamon spice leading the way, but there was also a peppery spice, particularly on the finish, that seemed to linger for quite a bit.  The thick, oily mouthfeel of this bourbon also allowed those toffee and dark chocolate notes to coat my mouth as well, leaving me with fond memories and lasting impressions of my most recent sip, at least until I went back for another (which, in all honesty, was a relatively short-lived moment).

I miss this bottle already, not only because it was the last of a bygone era, but also because it was really damn good!!

Grade: A

Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 1985

VITALS:

- $225

- 86 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

This bottle is certainly a first for me.  While I have reviewed one "dusty" previously (an amazing bottle of Baltimore Pure Rye from around 1951), that was based on a sample that my buddy was so generous to provide me.  This, however, is the first time that I've purchased a "dusty" bottle.  This one was bottled around 1985, given the embossed year on the bottom of the bottle.  Based on my very amateur research, that means it would have been bottled around 1985 or 1986.

Of course, I had to go to that dirty, filthy corner of the internet where such secondary market bottles can be procured.  And, quite frankly, it's not a place that I frequently visit. However, when I scrolled past a picture of these old bottles of Old Forester, it gave me pause.  I've had a similar pour, just a few years off, at Bardstown Bourbon Company when I visited there, and I found it to be quite enjoyable. So, despite the asking price (which, honestly, really wasn't all that bad), I pulled the trigger. It helped that the seller worked a block from my office, making the exchange incredibly easy.

Although this wasn't super aromatic, what was there on the nose was pretty delicious.  I got a great blend of sweet caramel and vanilla right away, but tucked just behind that was a light oakiness that I wasn't expecting. I don't know what the typical age of the bourbon in these bottlings is, but I couldn't imagine they're too old. So, I was surprised to get that oak note. On later pours, I got a great nougat note as well.

The flavor went in a slightly different, but delicious direction. Right up front the most prominent note was a rich dark chocolate note--slightly sweet, a touch of bitter to balance it, and an almost creamy richness to it.  There was also a sweet ribbon of caramel in there as well, adding a bit more sweetness to counter that dark chocolate.

It had even more complexity, though, as after that initial sweet caramel and dark chocolate note came a great dark cherry note, perhaps like a maraschino cherry.  All together, it really gave of this great cordial note, with dark chocolate, sweetness added from the caramel, a rich dark cherry note, and, of course, a bit of booze to go along.

The finish wasn't long, which is to be expected given the low proof. But, it was the caramel note that lingered the longest, providing a light, sweet coating on my tongue after each sip.

While this may not be the best whiskey I've ever head, it is certainly one of the best bottles I've ever purchased. It's a talking point, for sure.  But, I really loved pulling it out at the beginning of nights centered around drinks with friends, giving them something special and different, and something that isn't going to burn their tongue with alcohol.  Plus, it's an absolutely great tasting whiskey!!  For all of these reasons, this bottle gets an "A" from me.

Grade: A

Wild Turkey 70th Anniversary Release 8 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $75

- 101 Proof

- 8 Years

- Kentucky

It wasn't that long ago that age statements on Wild Turkey products just weren't a thing.  At least not here in the United States.  You could find 8 year and 12 year (and probably some others) in various other parts of the world.  I know I've had a couple of each muled back from Japan for me a few times.  But, here in the United States, age statements on Wild Turkey bottles were saved for their special releases.

I've had the 8-year 101 brought back to me from Japan. I always found it to be quite tasty, and at about $35, I loved the price.  So, I was excited to see this 8 year get released here--much closer in proximity and I did not need to rely on the generosity of others to get it. However, what I wasn't a fan of was the more than double price for what is likely the same whiskey.  I wrote it off to this being a special release, however, and threw caution (and $75) to the wind.

The nose gave off many of those traditional notes I associate with Turkey products.  I got a bit of cherry and some light oak. There was also a great combination of peanut and caramel in the aroma that I loved. It also had a bit of a peppery spice tingling my nose and just a light amount of that Wild Turkey "funk," kind of mossy or dusty. 

The palate hit a lot of these same notes. Right up front this hit on the spicier end of the sweet vs. spice spectrum of bourbons, with an unsweetened cinnamon spice leading the way, as well as a bit of a black pepper spice. It was also very crackery up front, kind of like a wheat cracker.

Behind all that, though, the cherry notes from the nose came through, almost like a cherry cola note, with notes of dark caramel and even root beer at times.  There was a slight vegetal note as well, kind of like that mossy note I got on the nose.

On the finish, that root beer note seemed to come through a bit more heavily, especially after each swallow.  At the back of my throat lingered this root beer and wheat cracker combination that, while it sounds odd, actually really worked and I found the finish to be more enjoyable than expected, particularly given the relatively thin mouthfeel on this whiskey.

Wild Turkey 8 year is good whiskey, whether it comes from Japan or is released here in the states.  I only hope that it becomes more of a mainstay on the shelves and at a cheaper price, and not just some limited release simply because they slapped an age statement on it.

Grade: B

Russell's Reserve Binny's Private Barrel Selection 10-Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $75

- 110 Proof

- 10 Years

- Barrel #: 24-0375

- Kentucky

While in recent years there seems to have been a flood of store picks and private selections, particularly at the big box stores like Binny's, there are certain ones that I will still pick up nearly every time I find them. Russell's Reserve is one of those. While the demand for these picks isn't what it once was, the quality continues to be there, and I keep finding myself impressed with every one I try.

This bottle was no different for me.  Many of these are hovering around 9 years, even 8 years old.  So, I was pretty excited to grab a 10-year bottling (with an extra month thrown in for good measure).  Not that the age really matters, and I would have purchased the bottle regardless, but I'm still pulled in by those double digit age statements.

Right away the nose told me this was going to be good.  I got notes of cherry and caramel, and even a bit of cinnamon spice. It definitely had a cherry cola note, but with a little something extra to tingle my nostrils.  There was a light oakiness as well, along with some chocolate notes, but that cherry cola note really took hold.

And, much to my delight, the flavor carried those notes forward. Right up front were the cherry and caramel notes, even bordering on rich molasses. But, together they gave this distinct cherry cola note, almost like a concentrated version, that was rich and delicious.

It never go to be cloying, though. That's thanks to the cinnamon and even at times peppery spice that not only hit the tip of my tongue right up front but lasted throughout the finish. The light oak I got from the nose was also present, and that also helped keep this from becoming too sweet.  

I don't comment much on viscosity, but this bourbon was just oily and absolutely coated my mouth, lending to an extremely long finish that filled my mouth with cherry cola and chocolate notes, as well as the aforementioned (lawyer talk) cinnamon spice.  

This was one of those whiskeys that just checked every box for me. I know I love Russell's Reserve picks, and that I have a certain predisposition. But I was even shocked at just how much I loved this bottle.  Once it was opened it was gone within days, because I just found myself not wanting anything else until it was all gone.

Grade: A+

Star Hill Farm 2025 American Wheat Whisky

VITALS:
- $100

- 114.7 Proof

- 8 years

- Kentucky

Maker's Mark has always been somewhat limited in its offerings. After all, it just makes a wheated bourbon, and everything else they offer is some sort of play on that, whether that be their Maker's 46 with the stave finishes, the Cask Strength, their Private Selection program, or, more recently their limited releases. They all at least start with the standard wheated bourbon mashbill.

So, when they decided to release something a little different, I was pretty excited to get my hands on a bottle. This Star Hill Farm bottling is not a wheated bourbon, but rather a wheat whisky. So, while the focus is still on the wheat, it's not a bourbon. Quite frankly, other than Heaven Hill's Bernheim Wheat, there's not much out there on the market like this.  Plus, the bottle is pretty sweet -- it's substantial in weight and the cork is like it's made from a chunk of quartz countertop.

As to the whisky itself, the nose is very fragrant. I got notes of cherry and cinnamon, as well as a decent amount of oak. The cherry note, however, came across as that artificial cherry--not quite like cough syrup, but fairly close. And the cinnamon was more of a dry, unsweetened cinnamon note, kind of like smelling a cinnamon stick.

The flavor was interesting, because at first I wasn't a big fan. Right away I got that cherry note along with a healthy dose of oak. However, unlike on the nose, the cherry note was more medicinal in nature. And, to add to that, the oak note really didn't offer much other than a significant amount of bitterness.  Pair all that with the high proof, and this was not an easy sipper.

But, having then let the bottle sit for a couple weeks before going back to it, I found that I actually really enjoyed it. The cherry note seemed to transform form the artificial to the natural. It took on more of a black cherry note, not like candy but more like fresh black cherry off the tree.  The oak note didn't come across nearly as bitter. In fact, the whisky as a whole sweetened up, with notes of brown sugar and even a slight hint of maple syrup, to not only counter-balance the oak note, but to even complement it.

While the heat remained, it certainly was much more enjoyable, and the high proof helped provide a long and oily finish that was dark cherry, brown sugar and cinnamon. The oak seemed to fade a bit, leaving a rich, sweet and dark finish to linger at the back of my throat.

I was really quite floored at how disappointed I was with this whisky at first, and how much I enjoyed it at the end. It makes it a bit tough to grade, but I'll just say that in the end, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest with my purchase.

Grade: B+

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

Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Batch 17 - 128.7 Proof

VITALS:

- $60

- 128.7 Proof

- NAS

- Batch 17 - Winter, 2021

- Kentucky

It's been no secret that I do love Stagg Jr. (and now just Stagg).  In fact, it got to the point that between the regular releases and store picks I came across, I had enough of a backlog that I actually started turning down bottles.  So, I've made it a bit of a point lately to start working my way through some of them, with this one being the most recent bottle killed.

I do believe I'll have to start grabbing these once again, however. Their price remains reasonable. They have just enough rarity to them to keep my FOMO going, but not enough that they're impossible to find. And most importantly, they're consistently delicious!  After this I only have four more bottles on my shelf, three of which are store picks.

As to this particular batch, it was, naturally, quite delicious! On the nose I got a healthy amount of caramel balanced by a bit of black pepper. It had a light oakiness to it, betraying at least a little bit of age, as well as a dark chocolate note to keep it from leaning too sweet. There was also a distinct anise note that I was getting to keep it interesting.  

Surprisingly, despite its proof and my experience with other batches, the heat on this one didn't hit my tongue right away.  Rather, I got a rich and sweet toffee, along with a rich but tangy amaretto note and a good amount of dark chocolate. The dark chocolate was much more prominent on the palate than it was on the nose, and it absolutely made every pour delicious.

This was very drinkable neat, but it still provided that great, warm Kentucky hug I knew would eventually be coming. In addition to those rich notes of toffee and dark chocolate, there was a bright orange peel or orange zest note along with a spiced cherry note that just seemed to complement everything else going on.

That spiced cherry note really carried through on the finish, and it reminded me a bit of mulled wine, especially with the cinnamon and pepper and other spices lingering seemingly forever.

This is one of the better bottles of Stagg Jr./Stagg that I can recall having, and it just may have rekindled my love for the line!

Grade: A

William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2022

VITALS:

- $120

- 124.7 Proof

- 12 years, 8 months

- 2022

- Kentucky

It's always weird writing reviews of products like the Pappy or BTAC lines. After all, it's not as though someone presented with the opportunity to purchase a bottle from either line at retails is going to say, "Hold on, let me check out reviews first." For the most part, anyone is going to simply buy.  So, writing a review doesn't make a whole lot of sense, as people are just going to come to their own conclusion anyway.

But, I've always maintained that I don't write these blog posts for that purpose. Rather, this has very much been my own personal journal of my whiskey journey for the past ten years (it's crazy that I've been doing this for ten years now!!).  So, while it's a foregone conclusion that yes, of course this good, and while nobody is consulting this page before making the decision to buy a 2022 William Larue Weller, I'm writing this up nonetheless for no other reason than that I finally finished my bottle!

On the nose the most immediate note I got was oak. The barrel certainly had a significant influence here. However, behind that I got all the traditional notes I've come to expect, with a good amount of rich caramel and vanilla, as well as a surprising amount of cinnamon spice. I don't typically get that much spice off a wheater, but I certainly did here. There was also a sort of a graham cracker or even a shortbread note that seemed to lurk in the background.

The flavor, again, was more spice forward than I expected. But that certainly wasn't a bad thing in my book. In fact, it provided a great blend of sweet and spice, as the caramel and vanilla notes were right up front, followed almost immediately by a cinnamon spice that seemed to coat the tongue and mouth. 

As that subsided, though, it gave way to many of the sweeter notes you'd expect. I definitely got a cherry note, like a maraschino cherry that gave off Old Fashioned vibes. At times that rich, dark fruit note leaned more towards chocolate covered raisins, and even seemed to bounce back and forth between the flavors.

As I got to the finish, the cinnamon note remained, though it wasn't strong. The cherry note continued, and the oak I was getting on the nose finally made its way through. But what really seemed to press forward on the finish was the rich vanilla note, which started small and by the time I swallowed each sip seemed to get big. That finish of vanilla, oak, cinnamon and cherry had me wanting more and more after each sip.

Again, you knew this would be good coming in, so the grade is no surprise. The only reason it didn't get the "A+" grade is I've had other W.L. Weller's that I feel like really knocked my socks off, moreso than this one. But make no mistake, I absolutely loved this bottle.

Grade: A

Parker's Heritage Collection Double Barreled Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2022

VITALS:

- $200

- 132.2 Proof

- 13 & 14 years

- Kentucky

The Parker's Heritage releases are, for good reason, some of the more highly sought after releases. However, it seems that interest may have waned just a bit, perhaps due to the ever increasing prices of these bottles, the already existing frustration over their being hard to find, and the release of a few less-than-stellar bottlings in recent years.

And yet, when I was offered this bottle, I just couldn't help myself, despite the steep price tag.  While it is a blend, at least it's a blend of bourbon (as opposed to American single malt like I'm seeing sit on shelves everywhere theses days) and at least it provides the percentage and age of the blends. Effectively, this is a cask strength 13 year bourbon, although 33% of the blend is a 15 year bourbon. Only the 13 year was double-barreled, apparently. 

The nose was rich and deep in aroma, with healthy notes of dark cherry and oak. It had a rich sweetness to it, like a dark toffee, along with some dark chocolate. It also had a bit of an anise note to add to the richness and to keep it a bit interesting as well.  I had a really hard time taking my nose way from my glass, as I would just sit there sniffing it over and over before each sip.

The flavor hit all the marks of what I love in a bourbon, starting with one of my favorite words when writing these reviews -- "rich."  This had an incredible depth and richness to it that I just couldn't get enough of.  It started with deep dark fruit notes like cherry and blackberry, which was accompanied by a great amaretto note that kept anything from ever getting too sweet.

There was a healthy amount of oak to it, betraying its age but never leaning too bitter. That is perhaps due to the healthy amount of dark toffee that countered any bitterness, but still never leaned too sweet. There was also a rich (told you I like that word) dark chocolate that seemed to act as a sort of undercurrent to everything else going on.

The finish provided a touch of cinnamon spice, but that really gave way to the toffee, dark chocolate and cherry notes that I was getting on the front end. And, the best part was that these notes seemed to never subside and lingered in my mouth long after each sip, allowing me to really savor every single pour.

This was one of those bottles that I just hesitated to finish off the last few pours, because I just didn't want it to be gone.  I don't know that this release got a ton of love, but it was definitely one of my favorite pours in recent years.

Grade: A+

Knob Creek Jewel Osco Private Pick #3 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 120 Proof

- 9 yrs, 11 mos.

- Kentucky

It really feels like store picks have flooded the market these days. It seems that every store I go in has at least two or three store picks on the shelves, with the big liquor stores having dozens to choose from, including multiple picks of each brand. With so many to choose from, I almost experience paralysis by analysis, and often find myself grabbing something else of the shelf.

But, for whatever reason, this Jewel Osco Knob Creek pick made it into my shopping cart.  I don't know if I was feeling particularly randy that day, or if it was the fact that this was only one month shy of double digits. For whatever reason, I gave this particular bottle a go, and, quite frankly, I'm pretty glad I did!

The nose was sweet and rich toffee, but balanced out with a bit of milk chocolate, kind of like a Heath bar. It had a light oak note to it as well to balance out some of the sweetness, along with some warm cinnamon spice. There was also a bit of a pecan or walnut note as well. This was one where I sat in my recliner smelling my glass to the point it completely annoyed my wife. 

So, when she finally snapped, "Just drink it already!", I felt I had no choice but to oblige.  And (but don't tell her this) she was right. I should have put that glass to my lips far sooner than I did, because this was a super caramel-forward pour. It was that rich, smooth caramel like you get from a candy shop.

But, it also had a spicy backbone, with cinnamon and perhaps even a bit of chili spice. It was rich and full of flavor, and as I enjoyed more sips, I got the milk chocolate I had found on the nose, as well as a bit of a dark cherry note. All in all it was kind of like a spiced chocolate cherry cola. I don't know if such a drink exists, but it should!

While the caramel and cinnamon seemed to linger the longest on the finish, it was there that the walnut came through as well, offering a somewhat different, but very enjoyable, experience. And this finish seemed to last for an exceptionally long time.

It's been a while since I've enjoyed a Knob Creek pick quite this much. Again, I don't know what brought me to buying this bottle on that fateful day (other than I simply can't help myself), but I'm very glad I did!

Grade: A-

Elijah Craig Toasted Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:
- $50

- 94 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

I feel like I'm usually up on new releases, particularly mainstay products from the big producers. Yet, this one caught me by surprise. In fact, when I was in the store and saw it on the shelf, I initially walked right past it thinking it was the toasted bourbon. I did a double take, as something was a bit different about the label, and I saw it was a toasted rye.

While I'm not big on toasted bourbon, I've has some positive past experiences with toasted ryes, so I didn't even bother with researching it.  I had no clue if this was a special or limited release or something that was going to be around consistently. I just put it in my basket without a second thought, and cracked the bottle as soon as I got home, just to satisfy my curiosity.

The nose provided a great mix of sweet and spice. I got a bit of a sweet malty note, as well as a distinct cinnamon note. But it didn't come across as spicy, but rather sweet cinnamon, kind of like the inside of one of those Fireball hard candies I remember from grade school.  There was also a bit of sweet spearmint to it as well.

The flavor brought that same balance of sweet and spice as well, and perhaps leaned a bit more to the sweeter side.  There was an undertone of shortbread cookie that I absolutely loved. Layered on top of that was a sweet honey note as well as a woody, earthy pine note. Yet it never came across as bitter.

There were malty notes, but sweet. It reminded me a bit of Honey Nut Cheerios. But along with that was a vanilla note, adding a sort of frosting quality. There was also a bright minty note, but, again, always leaned sweet.  It was that sweet mint and vanilla that really seemed to stand out on the finish, and I think that's what I liked most about this bottle.

I mention "sweet" a lot, but it was never overly sweet. It was just on the sweeter end of the rye spectrum. But it was delicious, and I was very impressed by what is otherwise now a mainstay on the shelf. I was surprised as the grade that I couldn't help but give this, but I liked it too much to give it anything lower.

Grade: A-

Colonel E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch 10 (2021)

VITALS:

- $90

- 127.3 Proof

- NAS

- Batch No. 10

- Kentucky

I know the secondary market for anything E.H. Taylor is a bit nuts, with bottles selling on Facebook for far more than their retail price. But it's crazy to me that people don't just want to drink the stuff! For the most part, while they're hard to get ahold of, the price on the E.H. Taylor limited releases has remained more than fair. And, more importantly, the quality has always been there.

I think I've loved every single E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof that I've tried. I know I've had three others that I've reviewed here on this blog, as well as others I've had the pleasure of trying at bars or friends houses. So when I can pick it up at retail, I'm for certain going to be drinking it and enjoying it. There aren't any guarantees when it comes to buying a bottle of bourbon, but these are pretty close.

The nose was rich and sweet, with toffee and milk chocolate taking center stage. It reminded me a bit of a Heath Bar. It also had a bit of a graham cracker note to it, and even some oaky notes.  At times I also got a sort of a burnt sugar note that I really liked, as weird as that may sound. 

Not surprisingly, given how forward it was on the nose, the palate led with that toffee note.  It was a rich and sweet caramel and that milk chocolate came along for the ride as well. It never went too sweet, though, as the slight bitter notes from the oak and burnt sugar kept that in check, while also adding a different dimension. 

Towards later pours additional flavors seemed to develop -- or at least I wasn't finding them at first. I started to get a cherry and dark chocolate note, kind of like a cordial, that was absolutely delicious and seemed to work perfectly with everything else going on. In fact, it was that dark chocolate and cherry note that I found lingered long on the finish.

Once again, a great bottle!!! I think I may go ahead and open the next one tonight!

Grade: A

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Batch B522

VITALS:

- $70

- 121 Proof

- 12 Years

- Batch B522

- Kentucky

I feel like it's been a while since I've written a review on Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  It's not as though I stopped buying them (though I have held off on buying the last few releases).  Rather, it's just that I have a backlog, with three more to go after this one. And, it was almost paralysis by analysis.  I wouldn't know which to open, so I'd just open something else. 

But, I've been making it a point to have at least one open to enjoy. It is still, after all, 12 year cask strength Heaven Hill bourbon, which means, quite frankly, it's really good. That's pretty much regardless of batch. Some just turn out to be better than others. But, when I finally landed on that plan of keeping at least one open, I've been glad that I did, because it's an easy go to when I'm just in the mood for a good bourbon.

The nose on this one was absolutely delicious, which is good considering how quickly it filled up the room when I popped the cork. I was immediately hit with rich and sweet vanilla and toffee notes. There was also a touch of anise to keep it interesting (and just a touch, which is fine by me as I'm not the biggest fan of those anise notes). 

Interestingly, it wasn't the sweetness that hit right away, but rather the oak. I've found I don't typically get a lot of oak on the Barrel Proofs, but on this one it hit me right away. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't over-oaked or anything, just noticeable right up front is all. 

The rich dessert notes came through immediately after, though.  I was getting hazelnut and dark chocolate, as well as rich vanilla bean notes. I also got the toffee, but it wasn't nearly as pronounced as it was on the nose. It provided a great balance of rich and sweet and oak that kind of hit all the hallmarks of what I love in a well-aged bourbon.

The finish allowed the dark chocolate notes to linger most noticeably. The oak faded a bit, and the toffee seemed to find its way forward a bit more on the finish. There wasn't much spice to this one, but I didn't even miss it. Everything else was pretty great!

Grade: A-

Benchmark Top Floor Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $17

- 86 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

I do love a value bourbon.  And I've already sung the praises of Benchmark Full Proof and Benchmark Single Barrel, two in the Benchmark line that recently got a brand overhaul, and even more recently became available here in Illinois.  There's certainly a place for good bourbon at bottom-shelf prices, and I thought both those products filled that void very well.

So, I felt that it only made sense to go down the line and try the next one -- the "Top Floor."  This one bottled barrels that had matured on the top warehouse floors. Presumably those would be the hotter portions of the warehouse, thus giving the bourbon more interaction with the wood over time. In theory, it sounds great!  And for the price, I had very little to lose in trying it.

The nose had the traditional notes of vanilla and toffee. It also had a bit of a corny note, like that of a young whiskey. While the nose wasn't strong, what was there was "sharp." There was a bitterness on the nose that seemed to prevent nice, rounded notes of caramel and vanilla that I would hope for. There was a bit of oak tanins, which surprised me given that this is not a significantly aged bourbon.

Those sharp edges carried through in the flavors as well.  It had a young note, and while not necessarily "corn," it did have those notes of over-ripe apple that I get in young, craft bourbons. It just tasted young, and that seemed to highlight those same sharp edges I got on the nose.

The wood note was also there, but it was kind an odd oak note. It wasn't the type of note you get from a bourbon that spent too much time in the barrel. Rather, it had a sort of a damp wood note to it. There was certainly a touch of oak, but there was something green to it.

There was a sweetness that did, however, punch its way through, and this was most noticeable on the finish. There was a brown sugar note here that lingered, reminiscent of a Canadian whiskey. So much so that I even got a sweet maple syrup on the finish as well. The odd damp oak note faded away, but it left a lingering sweetness that just wasn't what I want in a good bourbon. 

Grade: C-

Clermont Steep American Single Malt Whiskey

VITALS:

- $60

- 94 Proof

- 5 Years

- Kentucky

I'm not going to lie.  I was weirdly excited for this release.  I've done the American Single Malt thing. I've tried some that I've really enjoyed, and I've had some that were clunkers. What excited me about this one was that it was Jim Beam getting into the American Single Malt fray. 

There haven't been too many single malt releases from the Kentucky big boys. And, I'm particularly fond of most Beam products. So, when these finally hit the shelves, I made it a point to grab one right away. I figured, as with most of their other stuff, Jim Beam would at the very least produce a new and interesting and delicious product that would be a mainstay on the shelves.

I was wrong.

The nose was pretty good, and gave me a bit of hope, even if it didn't smell anything like the single malts I've come to know and love. It had notes of pear and cinnamon, almost like baked pear. It had a brown sugar sweetness to it, as well as a sweet tobacco leaf note. It also gave off a sort of brown butter note.

As to flavor, though, the predominant note was Cheerios.  And it wasn't even Honey Nut Cheerios, or Frosted Cheerios. It was just plain old, tasted like cardboard Cheerios.  There was also a fruitiness to it, but it wasn't a light or crisp note, but rather that baked pear note again. From there it seemed to go downhill.

I got a medicinal cherry note that is immediately a turnoff for me whenever I find it in a pour. I love a good cherry note, I hate the cough syrup note I get in some brands. And this was that cough syrup note. It also went beyond the pear note to include other weird stewed fruit notes, perhaps apple and plum. But there was no spice to go with those notes--no cinnamon, no allspice, no anise. It was just a bit weird.

And the finish kind of sealed the deal for me. I never did get that malty backbone that I love in a single malt. I never got any of the bright notes or floral notes or even fruity notes I've experienced in good single malts. Instead, what I was left with on the finish was an artificial sweetness, like corn syrup.  It wasn't even something I'd put on pancakes. It had that fake, syrupy sweetness of hard candy, and that seemed to linger longer than I wanted it to.

I wanted to like this, but I just struggled to find a reason to.  I think I'll just stick to Beam's bourbons from here on out.

Grade: D

A. Overholt Monongahela Mash Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $40

- 95 Proof

- 4 Years

- Kentucky

I love finding new products on the shelf. I have a tendency to visit my local liquor store with considerable relativity, to the point that when something knew makes it on the shelf, I notice mostly due to the fact that something has changed, there's a new face in the crowd so to speak.

Even more exciting is finding something from one of the big boy distilleries that I wasn't even aware was coming out. Such was the case with this A. Overholt rye. Jim Beam's Overholt line has been around for quite some time now, and though it's made in Kentucky, does not state on its front label as such, as it seeks to re-create the traditional Pennsylvania rye. Such is the case here, which uses a Monongahela Mash of 80% rye and 20% soft malted barley. So, it's really an introduction of a new mashbill.  But still, it was something new and the price was reasonable enough.

On the nose I got notes of cherry cola along with a light black pepper. It's an interesting combination, but in a weird way it worked and I kind of liked it. There was a sweetness, but one that was tempered, kind of like a burnt sugar note. And behind that was a cedar note, like the cedar chests my grandparents used to have. It kind of swung both ways from me really liking it to me not being much of a fan, sometimes all in one sniff.

The 20% malt really showed up in the flavor. This had a malty backbone to it that provided a kind of breadiness, with notes of yeast and wheat bread. It certain made this a softer rye, what I would call a more approachable rye.

But, it had those rye notes as well.  Notably, I got a sort of fennel note that, while not a dominant note, was certainly a prominent note, one that you couldn't help but notice each sip. I also got notes of ginger and, while similar to fennel, different enough that I picked out a slight anise note.  This all provided a certain "bite" which contrasted with, and didn't necessarily complement, the strong barley tones.

The finish, however, was oddly quite enjoyable. There I was left with notes of cooked pear, providing almost a cinnamon cognac flavor on the finish. It came off sweeter on the finish than anywhere else, and those fennel and ginger notes seemed to just fade away. 

If the whole experience had been what I got on the finish, I would have loved this. But, The nose was a bit odd, and I didn't feel like the balance between the barley and rye notes was there. You could certainly pick out the notes from each, but it lacked a bit of cohesion.

Grade: B-