Longrow Red 15 Year Pinot Noir Cask Matured Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $180

- 102.8 Proof

- 15 Years

- 2022 Release

- Campbeltown

For those that know me, they know that I love my peated Scotches.  I love them even more when they're matured in wine casks.  And, I tend to love them even more when they hail from Campbeltown.  Release it as part of the Longrow Red series and I'm pretty much guaranteed to have a bottle I know I'll absolutely love. 

So, a 15 year Pinot Noir cask matured bottling from the Longrow Red series is certainly far from a reach for me. Even at the hefty price tag, I really didn't give it a second thought. That said, I certainly recognize that this is at the high end of bottlings at that age, and I'm not suggesting it's a value in any way. I'm just saying that I knew going in that this would be my jam, so the value was there for me.

The nose was full of spiced berries, kind of like a mulled wine that was very cherry and blackberry forward.  There was even a bit of currant in there as well. The Pinot Noir casks definitely made an impression here.  I also got a slight anise note, as well as a light smokey note. All in all it was this sort of sweet barbecue note and it absolutely had me salivating.

As to flavor, although Pinot Noir isn't a sweet wine, the maturation certainly imparted some sweet characteristics. This was most noticeable in the peat, as the smokey notes I was getting were sweet, almost like when you overbake a pie.  That sweet smokey note mixed perfectly with what was a very distinct spiced cherry note that I couldn't get enough of.

And while the smoke was on the sweeter end, that's a bit relative. This was not an overly sweet whisky at all. It wasn't like an over-sherried Scotch. Rather, it was balanced, allowing the sweet notes to come from the peat and the malt rather than from the barrel. 

In addition to the cherry and sweet smoke, I also got notes of plum and, every now and then, a bright honey note. On the finish I found a great dark chocolate note, which worked incredibly well with the sweet smoke and spiced cherry notes. I simply couldn't wait for the next sip.

Once again, Longrow Red has done it for me.  I just can't get enough of these!

Grade: A

Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition 130th Anniversary Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $140

- 108.4 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

This is one of my favorite bottles ever, having nothing to do with the whiskey inside. Rather, it has more to do with the circumstances around the first time I got to try it.  I'm not sure of the exact date, but it had to be late Spring or early Summer of 2019.  I know it was nice out that day. Warehouse Liquors in Chicago held a Four Roses tasting in its tasting room above the store. You had to get tickets in advance, and these tickets sold out very quickly. That's probably because this tasting was being led by one of the most well-known and well-liked ambassadors in the business, Al Young.

I don't remember the price of the ticket, but I know it wasn't cheap. I recall asking a buddy if he was in, and without hesitation he said, "Yes!" So, I grabbed two tickets the second they went on sale. We made it a point to get to the store early, and we were among the first few people in line. This allowed us to make our way straight to the very front of the tasting room, which ended up being right where Al Young spent the entirety of the evening. 

Because we were early, we got to chat up the local Four Roses ambassador, an incredibly friendly and fun guy whose name I now forget, though I have his card somewhere. And, we got to chat up Al Young for a solid 15 minutes before the tasting actually started! We got to ask him everything from what he drinks when he's not drinking Four Roses, to how he likes Chicago, to how his family was doing. Fifteen minutes of one-on-one just casual conversation with Al Young! Absolutely incredible!

The tasting itself consisted of four new private barrel picks selected by Warehouse Liquors, which were offered to event attendees first before they went on sale to the general public. We then tasted the Small Batch Select, which had just been released, and which Al was clearly touring at the time to promote.  And finally, we got to taste the 130th Anniversary Small Batch Limited Edition.

Now, if you haven't noticed by now, this post is not much of a review, but rather more of a reminiscing. But, I can assure you that this was the best bourbon that my buddy and I tasted that night. Absolutely delicious!!  In fact, after the tasting was over and while Al was taking pictures and chatting with everyone there, we asked the local ambassador if we could have another pour. He told us that we could have whatever we wanted, because it just meant less for him to bring home, but he did ask us to be discreet.  So, next thing we know my buddy and I are huddled in a corner, just enjoying pour after pour of the 130th Anniversary, and practically giggling at just how absurd the situation was!!!

After the event, my buddy and I enjoyed a nice, albeit a bit tipsy, walk to the train station to head home. I remember going through my goodie bag they sent me home with and enjoying all the swag I got.  It was one hell of a night, and I didn't realize just how lucky I was until just a couple months later when the news broke that Al Young had passed away.  I don't get very sentimental over celebrity deaths. Of course, I get sad when an athlete or musician that I considered myself a fan of passes. But this hit me differently. I had met the guy once, and I felt like I lost a friend, or, at the very least, someone that I truly admired, enjoyed their company, and wished I could have spent more time with. It was an unexpected blow.

So, after that, I made it my mission to track down a bottle of the 130th Anniversary Edition. It wasn't easy to find, and I certainly paid more than the $140 retail price.  It had already come and gone by that point, so that part wasn't unexpected. But, if only for sentimental reasons, I had to have one. 

It took me a long time to eventually get around to opening it, but I ended up popping the cork when my daughter''s hockey team went to the state championship game. It was a delicious pour that myself and all the other hockey dads and moms enjoyed at around 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday as the game got started. Since then, it's been the bottle I break out when I have friends visit that I haven't seen in years, or when we have something worth celebrating.

Of course, now it's gone, but I certainly don't regret drinking it. Every time I brought out this bottle I got to tell my story of meeting Al Young.  Plus, every time I brought out this bottle I got to enjoy a fantastic bourbon.  Given that each time that I poured a glass I was busy enjoying the company I was with, I wasn't taking notes on my phone, or spending minutes sniffing my Glencairn to discern what notes I could.  I was instead enjoying the moment and the company. As pretentious as that may sound, it's the truth. And so, I don't have tasting notes for this review, and I'll just say it's a damn good bottle!!  My grade below might be a bit biased, but I nonetheless stand behind it 100%!!!

Grade: A+

Bomberger's Declaration Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2021

VITALS:

- $90

- 108 Proof

- NAS

- Batch #21E1349

- Kentucky

I have always been a big fan of the two regular Michter's releases, Shenk's and Bomberger's.  These were always special releases that weren't overly difficult to find, somewhat reasonably priced, and always solid pours. In fact, this one was one that I just happened to see sitting on a shelf and I remember being initially caught off guard and then immediately taking one off the shelf.

I haven't picked any up recently though.  That's not due to availability but rather due to price. The price for both Shenk's and Bomberger's has doubled in the last four years, perhaps in an effort by Michter's to try to reach that ceiling of what the bourbon hunter is willing to pay for their limited releases. I've had them enough that I had no problem turning down a newer bottle at $150.  That said, I'm sure it's still solid bourbon, and I do wish it were more price-friendly, as I'd like to keep some on my shelf if I could.

The nose was rich and delicious.  Right away I got this great, spiced cherry note, with a bit of black pepper to accompany the sweetness of the cherry.  There was a light cinnamon note, as well as a distinct toffee and dark chocolate note, really hammering home that "rich" characteristic.

The flavor was actually a bit more interesting, and even a bit more punchy. Right away I got a sweet clove note, bringing together those notes of cinnamon, pepper and black cherry, but in a more in-your-face way. There was also a smooth caramel sweetness to it that seemed to ride along with the cherry note, which came through right after it first hit my tongue.

On the back end it came across a bit more dark fruit forward and a bit more nutty. The black cherry remained, but there was also a sort of fig or raisin note that came through. In a way it was like black currants but slightly less sweet. There was also a sort of almond extract note that I got, though not strong.

The finish was almost all cherry and almond, however. None of the spice that I got up front really lingered, and that would be the only thing I missed in this whiskey. A little bit of cinnamon and/or black pepper spice would have really knocked this one out of the park. But, that cherry and almond still had the desired effect of making me immediately want another sip. 

I really wish the price on these bottles hadn't jumped so much and so quickly. I do love these releases, and this 2021 release was no different.

Grade: A-

Blaum Bros. Old Fangled Knotter Bourbon Cask Strength Straight Bourbon - Batch 9

VITALS:

- $80

- 105.7 Proof

- 12 Years

- Batch 9

- Indiana

This is one of those products that has come and gone, but while it was here, it was amazing! It was one of those whiskeys where people didn't realize what they had at first, and then when people started drinking these bottles, suddenly they were flying off the shelves. And for good reason! I've had the benefit of trying multiple batches, and every one of them has been absolutely amazing.

So, I guess it's no surprise that I milked the last bit of this bottle for quite some time. I didn't want to let it go. This is one of those where once it's gone, it's gone for good. I'm sure a bottle could be found on secondary, but not for any price that I'm willing to pay. So, this post is very much a goodbye to one of my favorite bottles.

This bottle really hit all the highlights of MGP goodness. Right up front I got rich, sweet notes of caramel and chocolate. It had a bit of cinnamon spice to it as well, along with a sort of sweet crackery note, like pretzels coated in milk chocolate. There was also a nutty note, kind of like sweet pecans.

As to flavor, this was a cinnamon and toffee bomb! It was full of that rich, dark caramelized sugar flavor, balanced out, particularly at the end, by a great cinnamon spice to counter the rich sweetness. This bourbon absolutely packed a punch of flavor right up front that never seemed to let up through the finish.

In addition to the huge toffee note, I also got that pecan note I got on the nose. Not surprisingly, it was like candied pecans, with a good amount of sweetness to balance out the earthy, nutty notes. But it was absolutely delicious. At one point I also got a distinct amaretto note, and even a light cherry note.

On the finish, a light black pepper spice came through, working well with the rich toffee notes. It added just a little bit of heat to not only counter the sweet notes, but to make me dive back into my glass for the next sip. The amaretto seemed to really come through on the finish as well, and lingered for a long time as the great, oily texture of this bourbon really coated my mouth. 

As I mentioned, this bourbon really showcased everything I love about MGP whiskey. It was a prime example. I sat on this bottle for four years before finishing it, and now as I write this, I see why. I'll never get a bottle like this again at that price, and now that it's gone, it's gone for good.

Grade: A+

Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch No. 16

VITALS:
- $60

- 130.9 Proof

- NAS

- Batch No. 16

- Kentucky

Over the past few years I've managed to accumulate a pretty nice lineup of Stagg Jr. and what is now just Stagg.  Between the regular releases and store picks, I ended up with seven different bottles without even realizing it. I guess it's the burden of a bourbon collector, but certainly a good burden to have.

So, realizing this backlog of Stagg on my shelf, it was certainly time to start opening and drinking them. They are doing me no good just sitting there on the shelf. The question then became, do I try them one at a time, or open a bunch and compare? Perhaps after this one I'll go the latter route, but for now I just opened up this Batch 16 bottle and enjoyed it pour after pour. 

The nose gave off everything I've come to love about Stagg, a certain consistency with all of their releases. Right up front I got rich, dark chocolate along with a dark cherry note. But, it wasn't that artificial cherry that I get in some other bourbons. It was just rich and spicy dark cherry, like the kind baked into a pie. I also got sweet notes of toffee as well as a cloves spice that really had my mouth watering.

I did find this release to be more cherry-forward in flavor than other releases.  I guess that should have come as no surprise given how prominent that note was on the nose. There was a dark chocolate note that accompanied it, along with a vanilla note. All together it gave of a cherry cordial note that was sweet and rich and decadent.

To further that cherry cordial note, there as a bit of an amaretto note as well, to add just a touch of booziness as well as a light tanginess to it.  Unfortunately, though, I didn't get that great cloves note I was getting on the nose. Stagg has always had a certain spiciness to it that has always put it right in my wheelhouse, and from the nose I thought this going to give me that. But, that is the only area where this one fell flat.

Even on the nose there wasn't that lingering cinnamon or cloves spice I was hoping for. Rather, as the cherry notes faded, I was left with a chocolate and amaretto flavor coating my mouth. Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely delicious, but I really did want that spice, particularly on the back end.

Now that this bottle is done, I can only wonder what the hell I was waiting for on these. I think tonight I've got myself an easy choice for my first pour.

Grade: B+

Remus Gatsby Reserve 15 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey

VITALS:

- $250

- 97.8 Proof

- 15 years

- Kentucky

I never did get my hands on the Volstead Reserve that MGP (now Ross & Squibb) had released, its entry in to the super-premium bourbon market. But, I heard some really good things about it. And when I was offered a bottle of Remus Gatsby Reserve, I was really excited . . . and then I saw the price tag. $250 is a hefty price to pay for any whiskey to be sure.  And this was one I hadn't tried yet.  But, I had the benefit of a recent bonus from work, and I decided to splurge.  I was too intrigued by not only the age, but the fact that it was cask strength at only 97.8 proof. So not a heater, but not watered down in any way.

This came in some fancy package with a box that kind of splits open from the top. It's a nice hefty bottle and it came with a solid, really heavy stopper. I normally don't give a shit about packaging, but I tell you all this because, as I was carrying it into my house, I grabbed it by the top of the box, which separated from the base, and the bottle went tumbling, bouncing off a shelf, then my step into my house, and ultimately on to the cement floor of my garage. My stomach sank as this happened! But, the only damage was that the heavy, paperweight of a stopper separated from the cork. While I hate that box, the sturdy bottle held up and prevented what would otherwise have been a costly disaster!!

But, on to the whiskey!  Unfortunately for this bottle, my first couple pours were enjoyed with some other, high-end whiskeys, some very good whiskeys, and this one got lost in the shuffle. However, I did make it a point to give this a go on its own, and it really is a damn good bourbon! The nose was full of brown sugar and caramel, rich and sweet. It also had some delicious cherry notes. But the spice was the most interesting part. I got some black pepper that tickled my noes, but also rich clove spice and even root beer notes.  The nose was very complex and smelled great!

The flavor really seemed to grab ahold of those root beer notes I was getting on the nose. In fact, the first notes that I jotted down were that it tasted like root beer candy. It reminded me of root beer flavored Dum Dums, and certainly brought back some childhood memories. It also had a bit of a butterscotch note to it, which isn't too far of a divergence from root beer, but nonetheless added to that hard candy sweetness.

As the bottle opened up, and as I enjoyed more pours of this, I found that the sweetness did subside a bit, allowing the spice to shine through much more. I got that black pepper spice, particularly on the finish. But the cloves note seemed to eventually make its way through as well, to the point that by the end it was taking more of a center stage.

There were some oak notes, but only in flavor, never in bitterness. And I found that those oak notes lingered most on the finish, along with a rich caramel note and a bit of that clove spice. Despite the low proof, each sip seemed to really coat my mouth in all of these flavors, and the finish was quite enjoyable!

I still hate the price tag on this (and while I try not to let price factor into my final rating, sometimes you just can't help it). I certainly don't see myself spending that on a similar product in the future.  But, this was still a really good whiskey, albeit an expensive one, and I'd certainly urge you to try a pour if you get the chance!

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+ 

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2021

VITALS:

- $160

- 104 Proof

- 12 Years

- Kentucky

I've been lucky enough to try Birthday Bourbon pretty much every year for the past seven years or so, mostly because I've had friends that have been lucky enough to snag a bottle, and I was, in turn, lucky enough to have them share with me. A couple years I managed to try a pour at a bar. But, I've never actually purchased a bottle for myself.

I've had opportunities, but I've passed and let friends get one instead.  And I've found that some releases have been way better than others, so I never really felt like taking the chance. But, for 2021's release, it was offered to me and I finally bit the bullet, despite the relatively steep price. I certainly made this bottle last a while, but the other night I was itching for something from the top shelf, and, despite having nothing to really celebrate, I finally finished it off. 

I popped the cork and was immediately impressed by the nose on this bourbon. Right up front I got loads of cinnamon spice, along with rich and sweet chocolate and cherry. There was also a very distinct oaky note, but without any bitterness to detract from all the other great, mouth-watering aromas I was getting.

Much like the nose, the flavor was also very cinnamon forward. That seemed to be the predominant note, along with a healthy amount of dark chocolate, bringing with it a little bit of bitterness.  The oak note that I got off the nose was also present, but it, too, brought with it some tannic notes contributing to the bitterness.

The cinnamon note seemed to turn, at some point, into more of a cloves note.  It developed a cherry note as well that complemented the cloves well. That cherry note seemed to land somewhere between an artificial cherry note and a fresh cherry note. There was also a distinct cereal note as well, kind of like plain Cheerios. 

The viscosity was off the charts, and this had a very oily texture, which provided a nice, long finish. There I got even more of that Cheerios note, coupled with the cloves and cherry notes. That combination of flavors seemed to linger in my mouth and at the back of my throat forever between pours.

All in all, this was a good bourbon, but it just had those sharp tannic notes which, while not overpowering, nonetheless detracted from everything else going on. I also wasn't super high on the cherry note. Given the price point, I think I'll be a try-before-I-buy guy going forward on Birthday Bourbons.

Grade: B

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

Old Forester 150th Anniversary Batch Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Batch 01/03

VITALS:

- $170

- 125.6 Proof

- NAS

- Batch 01/03

- Kentucky

This is one of my favorite purchases I can recall.  When these came out, I honestly knew very little about them. I didn't read any of the press releases, and I really hadn't paid any attention to reviews. One day, however, they hit my store and my guy gave me a call and asked if I wanted one. I honestly didn't know if I did or not, and I certainly second-guessed the price given the lack of any age statement.

But, at that point I started doing my homework. I learned that there were three different batches of the 150th anniversary, each blended from a batch of about 50 barrels and each batch being blended to its own, unique profile. This particular batch, Batch 01/03 was blended to achieve more of a rich, spicy, dark fruit-forward profile, which sounded absolutely incredible. So, I was sold, and I called him back to hold my spot for one.  After I purchased my bottle, I invited him to my office after work, where he and I were both completely wowed by this bottle!

The nose absolutely hit that as-described profile. I immediately got notes of chocolate and walnut. There was also a dark cherry note on the nose, almost like a Luxardo cherry. I also got a decent amount of rich oak, but without any of those bitter tannic notes.

The flavor was a rich and decadent mix of dark fruits, including dark cherry and blackberry, which all seemed to commingle with a rich (yes, I'm using that word a lot here) dark chocolate note. It tasted like a dessert you might order at a very fancy and very expensive restaurant.

Despite its proof, the heat on this bourbon was very minimal, yet it absolutely maintained a nice, thick viscosity.  Accordingly, what heat that was there was well-balanced by a rich, molasses like sweetness. That sweet and dark note paired with the constant dark fruit notes only further led to that super expensive dessert experience.

The finish provided a bit of a peppery spice to go along with the dark cherry, and thanks to the high proof, those two notes, which went great together, also stuck around for a really long time. In fact, it felt as though I had just eaten a bourbon-soaked cherry and that flavor just lingered. It was kind of like eating the Luxardo cherry after finishing an Old Fashioned, only more bourbon-soaked.

This is one of the best bottles I've enjoyed in a long time. For a while I was saving the last few pours, and then I decided that I couldn't bear it any more, and family movie night became as good an excuse as any to polish this off. And I'm so glad I did, because this was an absolutely amazing bourbon.

Grade: A+

Weller Full Proof Niche "Forrest Bondurant" Single Barrel Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $250

- 114 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

Alright, the first thing that needs to be noted here is the price. That is, in fact, the price I paid for this bottle.  That is, in fact, nowhere near retail price.  That said, I'm not mad at it. It's kind of a funny story how I came into getting this bottle.

Niche in Geneva, IL is a favorite local restaurant of mine, not only stocking a phenomenal whiskey selection, but boasting an incredible menu as well.  In the Summer of 2020, most restaurants in Illinois were shut down due to COVID, with staff and management alike all looking for work or trying to weather the storm. While I was on an isolated beachy vacation with my family, the owner of Niche posted that they had just gotten this barrel pick in and that 100% of the proceeds from the sale would go back to their staff.  So, wanting to make sure one of my favorite places remained just that, I jumped on the phone and reserved my bottle.  For better or worse, I didn't bother asking the price. 

So, once I got home from vacation, I excitedly drove over to Niche to pick up my bottle only to discover at that time the price I paid for it! Needless to say, my wife wasn't exactly thrilled.  As I said, though, I wasn't mad about it. I'm sure my money helped someone else out at a time when they needed it more than I did. And if it kept Niche the institution that it's always been, I was happy to provide some funding towards that as well. And, in any event, Niche has always had amazing barrel picks, and I was sure this one wouldn't disappoint in flavor.

The aroma out of the glass was soft and pastry like. It had sweet dough and cinnamon notes, reminding me very much of cinnamon rolls. It even had a sweet vanilla icing quality to it. That sweetness was balanced, however, by a nice oak note that provided just the slightest bit of bitterness to round things out.

On the palate I got loads of sweet, rich caramel and soft vanilla. That soft vanilla was kind of like a sweet cream, or perhaps melted vanilla ice cream, but not so sugary. That light cinnamon note from the nose came through, as did the pastry note, though it actually reminded me more of a waffle batter.  The sweets didn't stop there, though. I got a rich chocolate note along with a rich (yes I'm using that word a lot) salted caramel note that was like something you'd get from a chocolatier.  

The finish provided something new, something along the lines of Maraschino cherries. It had that cordial note to it, as those cherry notes mixed with the chocolate and cinnamon to provide, once again, a rich and sweet chocolate treat type note.

This was an absolutely delicious pour, and it drank well-below its proof. I'm not sad I didn't grab two for the price, but I'm so glad I at least grabbed this one. Not only did it help do well by others, but it tasted incredible!

Grade: A

Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur's Choice Glen Scotia 25 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky

VITALS:

- $200

- 110 Proof

- 25 Years

- Batch 18/015

- Campbeltown

This is certainly not something that I went out actively looking for.  But, when I saw this sitting behind the glass at Woodman's, I was immediately intrigued. This checks all sorts of great boxes. It's 25 years old.  It's bottled at cask strength. It's aged in a first-fill bourbon barrel.  It's a very limited bottling at only 157 bottles. And most importantly, it's a Campbeltown single malt!  

Of course, it's pricey, but that kind of comes with the territory of such well-aged whiskey, and with all of those boxes checked, it's just the kind of whisky that will loosen up those purse strings.  Plus, it's one of those bottles that even the most avid of whisky drinkers will not have had a chance to try.  So, onto my shelf, and eventually into my belly, it went.

The nose was bright and light, with notes of strawberry and hay. It had a light smokiness to it as well, along with a touch of salinity. There was a natural sweetness to it, kind of like a honey note, as well as a light cracker note, all of which came across almost like Honeycombs cereal.

The flavor was incredible. While this wasn't aged in wine barrels, it was still bright fruit-forward, with a delicious raspberry note coming in strong up front. I also got a sweet and spicy cinnamon note to go with. There was also a sort of a funky, musty note. I know that sounds bad, but it had that kind of Saisson flavor to it, which actually balanced really well with the raspberry.

The finish is where this whisky really stood out!  It had a lingering spicy finish, with a nice mix of cinnamon and black pepper spices. There was also a bit of that salinity I got from the nose, and the bright fruit notes that I got up front seemed to reappear even stronger. I got great flavors of raspberry and currant, and behind that was a great, smooth butterscotch flavor that coated the back of my throat. I found myself just enjoying that butterscotch note for as long as I could.

As I mentioned, this was pricey, but I certainly don't feel as if it weren't worth the price. This was incredibly complex and, most of all, delicious!

Grade: A

The Whisky Exchange A Toast To Christmas 19 Year Blended Malt Scotch

VITALS:

- $120

- 88.6 Proof

- 19 years

- Scotland

This is certainly my favorite gifted whiskey ever. This past Christmas, my family gave this bottle to me. It's a Christmas exclusive release from the Whisky Exchange, complete with personalized, dated label informing me, "Congratulations, you made the nice list!"  If I knew this was the reward for making the nice list, I would have been trying a whole lot harder this whole time!

This bottle is a 19 year blended malt matured in a sherry butt.  There is no indication as to the source of the whisky, with the only indication on the bottle being that it was "Obtained from a Private Collection."  Not really sure what that means. In fact, it doesn't even identify the region(s).  It does, however, indicate that this bottling was limited to only 520 bottles.  So, a review of this particular bottle might be pointless. But, I finished the bottle, so now I'm reviewing it.

As would be expected from a whiskey matured for 19 years in a sherry butt, the nose was very fruit forward. It was full of bright and fresh berries, including raspberry and strawberry. There was also some dark cherry mixed in as well. That was all accompanied by a sweet honey note, along with some light cereal notes, and even a hint of vanilla. This was, however, very fruit forward.

The flavor followed suit for the most part. Those berries all came through, with the raspberry note being the most notable. What I loved, though, is that these fruit-forward notes were always bright and fresh, rather than being rich and dark and heavy, as is so often the case from sherry cask whiskies. 

There was a layer of vanilla, as well as a very welcome and rich butterscotch note that seemed to underscore everything. The honey sweetness I got on the nose was also there.  I also got some darker fruit notes, like raisin or fig.

On the finish that raisin note seemed to actually linger a bit longer than the bright berry notes.  The vanilla also seemed to stick around as well. It was also on the finish that a black pepper spice creeped in, adding a bit of an unexpected but welcome surprise to it all.  

I don't know where this whisky came from, but I enjoyed every drop of it. Hopefully this becomes some sort of family tradition!!

Grade: B+

Evan Williams Master Blend Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Gift Shop Exclusive)

VITALS:

- $60

- 90 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

Whenever I go to Kentucky, I always feel like I have to come back with something special, something that I can't get in Illinois. Of course, it's always easy to go the route of a local store pick, but it's the stuff that's only available at the distillery gift shops that I really want to try to bring home. Luckily for me, during my last trip to Louisville I had a brief moment to swing through the Evan Williams Experience, and I was able to snag a couple bottles of this Master Blend (I passed on the over-priced Evan Williams 12-year).

This is a blend of five different Evan Williams products, including their Signature Black, the Bottled-in-Bond, 1783 and Evan Williams Single Barrel, as well as some of the 23-year-old! Of course, how much of the 23-year-old is in this blend is not disclosed, but I think it's a fair assumption that it represents a very small percentage of the blend. Nonetheless, this came highly recommended to me, and I was eager to give it a try.

The nose came across as sweet but earthy. My first note was sweet tea. It had that honey sweetness to it, but also a light bitter and dry note from the tea leaves. I also got some sweet oak as well. In that sense the nose was interesting in that it had a balance of bitter and sweet, though it did lean a bit more to the sweeter end, so perhaps "balance" wasn't the correct word.

Despite the lower proof, there was a certain unexpected richness to this whiskey. It still had that sweet wood note I got off the nose, but it was more of a mix of dark molasses and rich oak notes. The combination worked fairly well.  

There was also a bright and bitter note, kind of like an orange peel note, that I really enjoyed. It seemed to cut through the rich notes while adding further depth of flavor. It also had the tea leaf note from the nose, but it didn't come across so much as a sweet tea. Rather, the unsweetened tea note seemed to stand on its own.

On the finish I got a nice cinnamon spice that seemed to almost appear out of nowhere.  That was a pleasant surprise. That and the orange peel note seemed to stick around the longest, while the oak and molasses notes seemed to fade away a bit. The finish wasn't very long and it didn't exactly coat my mouth, but that's to be expected given the proof.

If you're in Kentucky and are looking to bring something back that you can't get in your home state, this is a good grab. At $60, it's far more accessible than many other gift shop exclusives (though, for Evan Williams products, a bit on the higher end), and it was quite tasty.

Grade: B

E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2020

VITALS:

- $90

- 130.3

- NAS

- Kentucky

While I really enjoy the E.H. Taylor line-up, I've come to absolutely love the Barrel Proof Taylor. I'm not sure why it hits me differently, perhaps it's just the great combination of high proof and lack of filtering, leaving all the goodness in the bottle. Whatever it is, while I like the single barrel, these Barrel Proofs have always been amazing to me.

And apparently I'm not the only one that has taken notice. Of course scarcity and the fact that it's a Buffalo Trace product have something to do with it, but the secondary pricing on these bottles is just nuts, hovering in the $600-800 range. Though I'd never bring myself to pay that much for something I'm just going to end up drinking, it tells me I should consider myself blessed to enjoy these when I do stumble across a bottle.

On the nose I got a lot of cinnamon and chocolate. It was a spicy cinnamon, though, and it reminded me of Mexican chocolate. That chocolate note was actually quite strong and really dominated the aroma. There were also some cherry notes buried in there as well, which, mixed with that cinnamon, gave of a sort of cloves aroma.

Right as the first sip hit my tongue, I was hit with a blast of flavor, full of caramel and cherry. It even had a sort of tangy amaretto note to it as well. It was certainly sweet, but had a rich fruitiness to it and even a bit of an earthy note to keep it grounded.

It also filled my mouth with a nice, warm cinnamon spice. it wasn't biting, but rather just there to be enjoyed. That warm cinnamon spice stuck around long through the finish as well. And it wasn't just heat from the high ABV. In fact, this wasn't overheated at all, regardless of its proof, making it very drinkable.

The finish, as mentioned, was full of that delicious cinnamon note, but there was also some sweet butterscotch on the finish. Almost as though someone took that caramel note from the front end and melted some butter right into it. There was also a bit of nutmeg as well, which again kept the sweetness from going too far.

Everything about this bottle was right down my wheelhouse. I hesitate to give an A+ grade too freely, but the fact of the matter is that as far as my ideal bourbons go, this bottle was it! This was absolutely superb and more than deserving of the grade.

Grade: A+

Blanton's Straight From the Barrel Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $150

- 127 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel No. 538

- Dumped on 6-15-18

- Kentucky

This bottle represents a "first" for me.  Perhaps that's why it took me so long to actually finish it.  This was the first bottle I purchased on the much maligned secondary market. Back in 2018, when there was a prolific Facebook group that since got shut down, I got my first taste of access to bottles that I could never get my hands on otherwise. Granted this bottle is now available in the United States. But, back then it was only available in other countries, and not being much of an international traveler, the secondary market was my way of obtaining one.

I actually purchased this along with a gold version.  I subsequently purchased a black and a red version available in Japan only, and my work friends and I did a complete vertical of Blanton's, with the regular single barrel, two different store picks, black, gold, red and two Straight From the Barrel bottles, including this one. That was a hell of a tasting, and this particular bottle was the near-unanimous favorite among the group.

The nose was rich, sweet and spicy, with everything I've come to love about Buffalo Trace's Mashbill #2. There was a sweet and crackery graham cracker note, along with a light chocolate note. That paired perfectly with a nice cinnamon spice and even a touch of red pepper flake. I also got a slight tea leaf note off the nose that added the slightest bit of earthiness to it.

As to flavor, the cinnamon was front and center. It offered both that sweet cinnamon flavor I associate with cinnamon rolls, but also that spicy cinnamon I associate with cinnamon flavored candy. Up front I got a light black pepper spice on the tip of my tongue as well. There was also a light layer of anise that was just the right amount that I found it enjoyable.

The anise and black pepper seemed to fade pretty quickly and made way for the real star of the show. I got an incredible buttery caramel flavor that seemed to coat my mouth and worked to drown out everything else, and for good reason. That note had me wanting more and more and more of this bourbon, and I didn't want it to leave.

Luckily, it did hang around for a really long time. This bourbon had a nice, viscous quality that made for a really long finish, and it was that buttery caramel note that seemed to invade every nook and cranny of my mouth. It also had a slight cinnamon spice on the finish as well, just hanging around at the back of my throat.

This was far and away better than any other Blanton's bottle I've had. It was fun, it was interesting, it was delicious, and it had me constantly wanting more.  I'm salivating as I type this just thinking of that butter and caramel flavor.

Grade: A+

Longrow Red Malbec Cask Matured 13 Year Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch

VITALS:
- $150

- 102.6 Proof

- 13 Years

- Campbeltown

The "Red" series from Longrow is hands down my favorite series among whiskeys.  Every single one has been absolutely fantastic, finding a great balance between the salty smoke of the peat and the rich fruit-forward notes provided by the cask finish. 

This particular one, released in 2017, was matured in Malbec casks. I don't drink wine any more, but when I did, I gave Malbecs a try a few different times. I just did not enjoy them, for whatever reason. So, while I, of course, grabbed this one nonetheless, figuring how bad could it be, I went into it thinking this might be the first one that didn't blow me away. I couldn't have been more wrong, though. This was an incredible dram!

On the nose, the wine notes do seem to overpower the peat smoke, making the smokiness of it almost secondary. The aroma is dominated by rich blackberry and dark cherry, along with a good amount of oak offering a balancing bitterness. The peat is there, but comes across as more of a char note.

The flavor, though, was everything I could have hoped for. This bottle was all sweet, fruity smoke, and I loved it. Cherry and fig dominated the fruity notes, providing a dark and rich sweetness.  And yet, it was never a super-sweet whisky. There was a lot of balance to it, as it also had a cranberry note that added some tartness, and that same oak from the nose to add a bit of earthiness and a touch of bitterness.

What stood out with this bottle, though, was something rich and almost meaty. It reminded me of cherry wood smoked barbecue, or perhaps a reduced cherry barbecue sauce. It had smoke, it had sweet cherry, it had sweet brown sugar and it had barbecue spice. I've never had something like this before, and I wonder how much of that was the Malbec influence. I certainly don't get notes like this from the sweeter Port or Sherry finishes.

This might just be one of my favorite whiskeys I've ever had. The nose was just good, but whatever. It's the nose. The flavor absolutely floored me, with an incredible balance of rich sweetness, peat smoke and spice that made everything go perfectly, like each note had a purpose, even down to the cranberry.  I saved the last pour for quite some time, not wanting to finish the bottle, but now I just may have to track another one of these down.

Grade: A+

New Riff 6 Year Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Malted Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $45

- 100 Proof

- 6 Years

- Kentucky

One thing I have loved about New Riff is the approachability of their whiskeys from a pricing standpoint.  Not only have they been able to keep their mainstay bourbons in ryes at a very reasonable price point, but even their special or limited releases have always come in lower than what I believe they could command at retail.  Whether it was the Backsetter Rye, the Balboa Rye or the Winter Whiskey, they've always been right in that $45-55 price range. And while they're not bottled at cask strength, New Riff has a proclivity for keeping it bottled in bond and at 100 proof.

This malted rye proved to be no different. The price stayed the same, even when the age statement increased to 6 years! This one is certainly different from their typical rye products, though, as this is 100% malted rye. No secondary grains to be found. That was far from a deterrent for me, though, and I jumped at the opportunity to grab a bottle. 

The nose on it was rich and sweet and spicy. I got spiced cherry and cloves. That seemed to match up perfectly with a rich brown sugar note that even leaned towards molasses at times. I didn't expect such a bold and rich aroma to come from my glass. 

The flavor, much like the nose, also provided a nice mix of sweet and spicy, along with some added heat. The sweet part came across as caramel and brown sugar. It had that same level of the sweetness as the nose thanks to a noticeable amaretto note.

The spice was, not unexpectedly, a nice cinnamon spice, but certainly on the sweeter end. It was more like cinnamon candy than cinnamon sticks. It also had a bit more oak to it than expected. At 6 years, I wasn't expecting any at all. But, it just added another layer without detracting in any way.

The finish was what I liked most. For whatever reason, it was only on the finish that I got a nice, rich chocolate note. It wasn't sweet and it wasn't bitter. It was somewhere between milk chocolate and dark chocolate. On top of that, it also had some heat, almost like a chili pepper heat that went great with the chocolate.

Once again New Riff has produced a limited release whiskey that is different, fun, and most importantly, really damn good! I'm glad I happened across a bottle!

Grade: A-

Doc Swinson's Exploratory Cask L'esprit Straight Bourbon Finished in Cognac Casks

VITALS:

- $70

- 114 Proof

- NAS

- Release No. 21-003

- Indiana

I wasn't sure when the next time I picked up a bottle of Doc Swinson's would be. I'm not casting aspersions or anything. I've only had one of their products before, their Triple Cask Bourbon Finished in Sherry & Cognac Casks. That was a somewhat weird experience, though, as I really enjoyed that bourbon up until the finish, at which point I didn't. That one literally and figuratively left a bad taste in my mouth.

But, when I saw this Cognac finished bourbon sitting on the shelf, I once again considered it, and in my cart it went.  What can I say, I'm a sucker for those Cognac and Armagnac finishes. As an added note, I looked at the back label and it had this note set off in red text: "Easy-Cracking Wax, Simply Twist to Open."  Had I not already made the decision to buy this bottle, that alone might have persuaded me. My interest was even further piqued!

I cracked this bottle open (yes, with just a simple twist of the wax top--why don't more brands have this?!?!), I got notes of raisin and brown sugar. It was like a rich dessert, perhaps even like baklava.  The nose was soft, but buried in there were also notes of orange and burnt sugar. On later pours I could swear I was getting waffle batter. 

The flavor was where this whisky shone. The texture was nice and viscous, really coating the mouth in flavor. More significantly, though, was that the alcohol burn was nowhere to be found. This was dangerously easy to drink, and it was all flavor. Right away I got rich candied pear and brown sugar, all on top of a healthy amount of vanilla.  Again, it was like a rich dessert in many ways, but it managed to never get too sweet.

It always kept some of those more savory qualities, at times reminding me of fig newtons or candied pecans, pairing a bit of earthiness with the sweetness.  It also had a slight oakiness to it as well that help keep the sweetness from taking over. The one thing I'd say was missing was any real spice, but given how well everything else worked, I certainly didn't miss it.

The finish was long and just carried forward those rich dessert notes, but perhaps with the pecan notes taking more of a center stage. If anything it finished with less sweetness which kind of made me love it even more. It also had a bit of tea note that lingered and just the slightest amount of cinnamon spice was left on my tongue.

This bottle certainly renewed my interest in other things Doc Swinson's may be doing. I loved this bottle and I'm glad I took a chance on it. And that easy-crack was still impresses me!

Grade: A

Yellowstone 2019 Limited Edition 9 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $100

- 101 Proof

- 9 years

- Kentucky

Limestone Branch had really been hitting homeruns lately with their Yellowstone bottlings. I've enjoyed every one of their annual limited edition releases, though I haven't tried this year's release. And the single barrel picks that only hit the market recently have all been very good, at least the ones I've tried. 

This bottle, however, is the cream of the crop, as the cool kids would say. There is no finishing to this whiskey. Instead, they just bottled some very delicious 9 year Kentucky straight bourbon.  It's not clear who actually distilled this bourbon, but it is clear that they didn't go with any gimmicks or other variants in the whiskey for this limited release, and what they gave us was an outstanding bourbon.

On the nose I got rich and delicious notes of toffee and dark chocolate. There was also a light cinnamon spice to it. In addition to that, however, I got a sort of a blackberry note that somehow seemed to go perfectly with the chocolate and toffee notes. Perhaps that's some kind of candy combination I need to try, because it was really good.

While the cinnamon was light on the nose, it was much more prominent on the palate. I got some nice, warming cinnamon spice as well as a sharper black pepper spice immediately on the tip of my tongue, and it lasted through the finish. 

As to actual flavor, the cinnamon spice came with a cinnamon flavor (if that makes sense), which was sweetened by vanilla bean and milk chocolate flavors--the kinds of flavors that are sweet but never too sweet. There was also something nutty and roasty, kind of like a hazelnut note.

At times it did go a touch sweeter, kind of like a caramel icing note. There was also a doughnut-like pastry note to it as well. However, again, it was never allowed to get too sweet, and even these notes were balanced out by a macchiato flavor that provided more of that roasty note and even a touch of bitterness to keep things even.

The finish was almost all sweet warm cinnamon and that vanilla bean flavor that seemed to work so well together. And the cinnamon and black pepper spices lingered long enough to keep me wanting that next sip.

When this was first released, I got to try it side by side with the Van Winkle Lot B 12 year old bourbon, and the consensus among the group of us was that this bourbon beat out the Van Winkle, and it didn't seem all that close. So when it suddenly hit the shelves again a year later, I had to have one. And then I had to drink that one. And now I have none, which makes me sad. But, I really enjoyed what was an incredible bourbon, and hopefully they'll go back to doing a simple but great bourbon in future Limited Edition releases. 

Grade: A