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

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Batch No. C922

VITALS:

- $65

- 124.8 Proof

- 12 Years

- Batch No. C922

- Kentucky

I have been lucky enough to get my hands on most releases of a couple of the more popular barrel strength releases -- Stagg (formerly Stagg, Jr.) and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  What's amazing about these two whiskies is that for the most part they've remained fairly reasonable in pricing. They are also both semi-annual releases, so if I don't get a particular one, I know another one will be coming out shortly.

However, I've managed to get a sort of backlog on both.  So, I've been making it a point to start working my way through my sub-collection of ECBP bottles.  It's kind of funny. I just haven't felt compelled to open them sooner, because I already know they're going to be good. It's a bit axiomatic, I guess.  I know it's good, so I drink other stuff instead. But, I'm making it a point to open them and try the different batches, and this one only confirmed what I already knew.

The nose on this was full of sweet cinnamon and oak. It had a nice balance of sweet, dessert-like notes, an earthy and slightly bitter oak note and a cinnamon spice. In fact, it kind of had a barbecue rub type of aroma to it, but one that is heavy on the brown sugar. It even had a little bit of a chili powder note to it. It smelled great, even if a bit unlike most Elijah Craig's I've had.

The flavor really carried that barbecue note forward. I certainly got some cinnamon and oak, though neither were super strong or overwhelming. What really came forward, though, was the brown sugar. It wasn't that brown sugar note that I get off of some Canadian whiskies, though. Instead it was more of a brown butter note. It was sweet and lightly smokey and had a bit of unctuousness to it (I've clearly been watching too much Food Network).

Even the finish had that barbecue feeling to it. The oily texture of the bourbon coated my mouth with that light smokiness and brown butter. But, it also had a bit of a paprika note to really round out that barbecue flavor. I also got cooked cherries on the finish, with a lingering rich sweetness that seemed to perfectly balance out everything else and bring this from a spicy bourbon to a very well-balanced one.

My final thought? Guess what . . . it's good! No surprise there! Perhaps I've had others that have been better (some have been absolutely great), but this one was absolutely delicious, and I kind of appreciated that it was a bit off-profile.

Grade: B+

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+

Jim Beam Old Tub Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $23

- 100 Proof

- NAS (Min. 4 years)

- Kentucky

I've known about the Jim Beam brand Old Tub for some time now, but only as a result of doing some research a few years back when I was planning my first trip to Kentucky. I was researching whiskeys that I could either only get in Kentucky or that were available in Kentucky but not in Illinois.  Old Tub was one that made that list, as it was only available at the stillhouse. Unfortunately, there was none to be found on the shelves when I got there.

So when Beam announced the release of Old Tub on wide distribution, I was actually pretty excited, even if it didn't come with any huge amount of love or hype over the distillery-only release. Then I heard the price and I knew I'd be getting one. It was nuts to me that there was a limited release bourbon coming out that was only going to be $23!  I guess, however, that it is consistent with other very affordable "limited" releases from Beam such as Distiller's Cut and Repeal Batch (both of which I was also a fan). And the best part of it was that when it did finally hit the shelves, it actually hit the shelves, meaning there was no asking for it from the back or finding it at jacked up prices. It was just literally sitting on the shelf waiting for me!

Upon opening the bottle and taking that first whiff, I immediately noticed a soft, nutty nose, kind of like cashew. I also got a soft grainy note, like oatmeal, but with honey added, or even a not-so-strong maple syrup.  There was a light cinnamon spice to it, and also a delicious vanilla scent that also reminded me of marshmallow a bit. The nose on this was really good while avoiding slapping me in the face with strong notes or a bunch of alcohol.

On the palate I first notice the texture. It came across as pretty watery and thin, particularly for its proof. However, the flavor seemed to go right in line with the nose. I first noticed the soft vanilla notes, again at times coming across as a marshmallow flavor. I also got a heavy dose of creamy caramel, like the kind of caramel you'd drizzle over ice cream. In this respect, the flavors worked really well together.

I also got hints of milk chocolate as well as a light, salty peanut note. Again, these are all flavors that have worked well together as long as man has known that each of these things are edible. Interestingly, though, about halfway through my bottle I made a note that over all this whiskey lacked in complexity and was "simple."  Looking back at that note, I'm fairly certain that what I meant by that is there was nothing that really stuck out or separated it from the pack.

This was a really good bourbon, and I thoroughly enjoyed the last few pours. In fact, I had quite a few in my last sitting with this bottle, as I just found myself pouring just a bit more, and then just a bit more. This is a classic bourbon with all the right sweet and dessert-like notes that you want to pull from a barrel. While it may have been "simple" to me, it was nonetheless very tasty, full of vanilla and caramel, and at an incredible price!

Grade: B+

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Rye

VITALS:
- $60

- 112.2 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

It's been a while since I've been really excited for a new release, but when Wild Turkey announced the release of Rare Breed as a new regular in its line-up, I was practically giddy.  I've made no effort to hide my love for Wild Turkey ryes, and a barrel proof Turkey Rye under the Rare Breed label would have been on my wishlist of whiskeys I want to see produced.  

When it got near the anticipated release date, and when I started seeing people in other parts of the country start posting pictures, that's when I began hounding my local liquor store manager. I'm sure I couldn't have been more annoying, but each time I went in I simply asked, "Did the Rare Breed come in?"  "Not yet" was all I was ever told . . . until I wasn't.  When I finally got a bottle in my hands it was all I could do to wait until I got home to crack it open. I only hoped it would live up to all the hype I had built up in my head.

On the nose I got that familiar cinnamon spice. However, there were also softer notes as well. I also got a sort of buttered toast note, which reminded me of cinnamon sugar toast (a very underrated snack, by the way).  I also got a root beer note that I really liked. The vanilla undertones gave it hints of a root beer float. 

While the vanilla wasn't strong on the nose, it was very present in the flavor. This was one of the more vanilla forward ryes I've had in a long time. The cinnamon spice was also present, and it seemed to hit from front to back. It hit the tip of my tongue immediately with each sip, and it seemed to linger on the long finish.

That cinnamon paired with a honey and graham cracker note to provide a sweet, crackery flavor. There was also a healthy dose of caramel to add to the sweetness and give it a little bit more richness in flavor. This was certainly a sweeter rye, but it never got anywhere near being too sweet. As far as sweeter ryes go, this was right in my wheelhouse.

The vanilla that lingered throughout also stuck around for a long time on the finish, and on later pours seemed to pair with a sweet spearmint note that I couldn't get enough of. It added a light crispness to the whiskey that seemed to round it out.

Overall, I thought Wild Turkey hit this one out of the park. This rye is full of rich and complex flavors but is completely balanced. The high proof is almost not noticeable, and it provides the right balance of sweet and spicy. What's great is that it's not some super rare limited release, and we should be seeing this on shelves semi-regularly.  This is my whiskey of the year so far for 2020, and I need to go get more . . . like now!

Grade: A

Russell's Reserve Binny's Private Barrel Selection Kentucky Straight Bourbon - Barrel #20-0015

VITALS:

- $55

- 110 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #20-0015

- Kentucky

It feels like it's been a while since Binny's, or any liquor store near me for that matter, got in any Russel's Reserve private picks. I've always had a tendency to gravitate towards them, and I've come across some absolutely stellar bottles. But it seems like for the past year or so we've been in a Russel's picks drought. Luckily for me, though, a couple weeks ago Binny's got in a nice haul of a few different Russel's Reserve barrels as well as some Kentucky Spirit barrels.

A buddy and I each grabbed a different barrel (if only I could have gotten one of each), and he got around to opening his before I could get to mine. His impression was essentially that it was just fine. It was a good whiskey, but not great, nothing to write home to mom about. That was a bit disappointing, and unfortunately I don't know what barrel he had. That being said, that's the best part of single barrels--each one is different. So his initial impressions motivated me to go ahead and crack mine open.

The nose on this was absolutely delicious. Right away I got rich notes of chocolate and cherry. That was balanced by a spicy cinnamon note, kind of like cinnamon sticks. There was also a layer of aroma that smelled a lot like chocolate chip cookies. These flavors all worked so well together, like some new type of amazing Christmas cookie that my wife needs to learn how to make.

The flavor didn't come across quite as bold. In fact, it didn't seem to drink up to its proof, if that makes sense. It wasn't as strong in flavor as I expected it to be given that it was 110 proof. That being said, the flavors were nonetheless delicious, and it had a sweet complexity to it that I really enjoyed.

I got a bunch of the traditional notes of brown sugar and caramel. Neither one was really dominant enough to be bomb-worthy (i.e. a "caramel bomb" as the kids on the internet would say). It actually had a really good balance of both flavors. 

What was missing, though, was the spice. I've become used to a certain level of spice in my Turkey products, at least in their bourbons certainly. Here, however, while there was a slight cinnamon flavor and spicy tingle, it just wasn't very strong. This came across as more of a sweeter bourbon, a profile which I would liken to a wheated bourbon, with any heat coming solely on the finish.

This was certainly a sweeter, dessert-like bourbon. It had this buttery quality to it, not in texture but in flavor, that was a lot like buttercream frosting. There was a healthy-enough dose of vanilla to make this work really well, and with the brown sugar seemed to come across like a frosted chocolate chip cookie (like those giant cookies you used to walk past at the mall).

This bottle was interesting. I expected a certain profile going in, and found that it wasn't at all what I expected. However, it proved to be a very tasty bourbon, and one certainly on the sweeter end. While I tend to lean more towards a spicier bourbon, this one was still really good, and I found myself working my way through the bottle at a pretty rapid rate. It certainly keeps me interested in finding more Russel's private picks.

Grade: B+

New Riff Backsetter Peated Backset Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

VITALS:

- $45

- 100 Proof

- 4 years

- Kentucky

This was one of my more anticipated releases in recent memory. When New Riff announced that they were releasing Backsetter Rye, I had no clue what that meant at all. When I looked into it, I knew I was going to have to track down a bottle, and luckily I was able to do so without too much effort, though it didn't remain on shelves for very long.

Certainly bucking norms, New Riff used a peated sour mash backset, so a portion of a previous mash that's used in a new batch (kind of like sour dough bread). So it's not a peated whiskey, at least in the traditional sent of using peat to smoke the malt. I was very curious as to just how much smoke flavor would actually be imparted by the use of the peated backset, as I do love me a smokey Scotch from time to time.

On the nose I definitely got a char note, but it certainly wasn't very strong, and it was certainly a far cry from the smokey notes you get from Lagavulin or Laphroaig.  In addition to the light char, I also got some mild pine notes, as well as brown sugar and vanilla. The vanilla was almost minty in character. I also got some soft caramel notes as well.  All in all, I thought this smelled great, and I couldn't wait to dive into my first pour.

The smoke definitely shows up on the palate. Again, not quite like the heavily peated Scotches, but certainly more present than on the nose.  It was alight smokiness, kind of like a burnt marshmallow, where you get the char but it quickly subsides and makes way for the sweet, vanilla notes. In fact, the more I drank of this bottle, the more the smoke came through, particularly on the finish. I've often found that's what I've liked most in peated Scotches was the finish where the smoke lingered, and I really enjoyed it here.

Underneath the peat I got a healthy dose of caramel as well as a sweet graham cracker note. That sweetness went well with the burnt marshmallow notes. I also got a certain salty quality to it, kind of like salted caramel. One of the more interesting notes that I got, though, which I noticed from the first pour to the last, was a baked sweet potato flavor. That was certainly a first for me, but it worked with all the other flavors going on, and I did actually enjoy it.

All in all, the peat character is front and center, but that's not unexpected. I've seen a lot of love it or hate it reviews, and I'm not surprised.  Peated whiskeys tend to be divisive. If smoke is not your thing, then this is probably not for you.  I, however, loved it. In a way, it kind of reminded me of the bark of a good smoked brisket--smokey, salty and sweet.  I hope this makes its way around again, because I will absolutely be after another bottle.

Grade: A-

Redemption Binny's Single Barrel Select High Rye Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $40

- 105 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel No. WES-060-06-11

- Indiana

Redemption is one of those brands that I just haven't paid all that much attention to.  I've tried their rye a few years back, when it was in the tall, skinny bottle. I will say, I really do like their re-branding, and they've been putting some interesting, more limited products on their shelves, including their 10-Year barrel strength rye sourced from MGP, which I'm about half-way through.

Of course, store picks are always intriguing to me, and for a relatively modest price, I figured I should certainly try a private select single barrel of their high rye bourbon, also sourced from MGP. I tend to lean towards the more spicy bourbons, so I figured this one, even if it might be a bit young, might be in my wheelhouse.

And young this one was. I noticed that familiar note of a young bourbon immediately on the nose, with notes of corn and cooked or over-ripe apples. It did have a nice bready quality, like a hearty wheat bread, and there was a certain amount of brown sugar sweetness. The alcohol was very noticeable on the nose, though, even on later pours, which was a bit surprising, as the proof is up there, but certainly not what I would consider to be high.

The flavor was very much toffee forward, with a good alcohol burn backing it. Just like the nose, though, the young notes came across pretty heavily. I got a lot of creamed corn notes, and I also got that over-ripe, or cooked, unsweetened apples that I usually get in young bourbons. If I enjoyed those notes, that wouldn't be a problem, but I don't, and this seemed like a barrel that was bottled too early.

There was a buttery cracker note to it, like Ritz crackers, as well as a heavy dose of brown sugar sweetness. It's a combination that I've never actually tried, but perhaps it'd work in real life. Despite the young notes, the combination worked here.

After I had this bottle open for a while (and I had it open for quite a while, as I just wasn't motivated to go back to it very frequently), it seemed to lose some of the sharp edges. That tangy, apple note seemed to fade a bit, perhaps coming across as more of an unsweetened apple sauce. The toffee and brown sugar notes seemed to come forward a bit as well, and the last few pours were certainly more enjoyable than the first few. 

That being said, overall, I just wasn't very impressed. While it had promising notes here and there, ultimately I just felt that it was bottled way too soon, and wasn't allowed to develop into what likely could have been a very tasty bourbon.

Grade: C

Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $55

- 115.2 Proof

- NAS

- Indiana/Nevada

Smoke Wagon has been getting a lot of love these days, at least in the blogs and Facebook groups that I've been following. And for good reason! So far I've tried their straight bourbon and their Desert Reserve 10 year bourbon, and both were pretty fantastic. The hype must have something to it.

So, I'd expect no less from their Uncut Unfiltered, which is essentially a cask strength, non-chill filtered version. It's got so many key words that make us bourbon dorks excited that I had to bring one home and try it. At first these flew off the shelves--I found this at a small gas station liquor store.  But now I see it sitting around pretty available with just a bit of effort and looking.

On the nose the first thing I noticed were baking spices. I got allspice and cardamom, as well as a slight anise. That anise flavor came across as somewhat of a dark cherry note at times. I also got a woody scent, like nutmeg, as well as more of a cinnamon-type spice, like cloves. In addition to this spice cabinet of flavors, I got something doughy and sweet, like some sort of caramel pastry. This was one of those whiskeys where the nose really had a lot going on, and at one point my wife was yelling at me, "Stop sniffing your whiskey, you weirdo!"

The flavor was absolutely delicious. It was very forward with notes of caramel and sweet cinnamon spice. It also had that same woody note that I got on the nose, a nice nutmeg flavor to counter the sweet caramel and cinnamon flavors. 

Dark cherry notes came through as well, but different from what I got on the nose.  They didn't lean anise, but rather the rich dark cherry that you'd find baked into a pie. 

I also got some fresh orange notes at times that really seemed to brighten up the flavor, particularly in the face of the decent burn and lingering warmth that this bourbon had. Don't get me wrong, though. That burn was not off-putting, but rather was welcome with all the other flavors going on here. 

And it certainly had that dessert-like quality to it. I got a distinct pie crust note, and all the other flavors seemed to mix together to give off a kind of peach pie vibe that was delicious, and matched very well with the consistent cinnamon note that I got throughout. I really enjoyed this bourbon and have been recommending it to anyone that has asked (and anyone that hasn't asked for that matter). This was an incredibly solid pour at a very reasonable price, and Smoke Wagon just continues to impress me.

Grade: A-

Jim Beam Repeal Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $22

- 86 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

In honor of the repeal of prohibition, Jim Beam released a "limited edition" prohibition repeal tribute in its Repeal Batch. At $22, it certainly wasn't priced like a limited edition whiskey. And, as much of it as I saw on the shelves, nothing about its availability told me it was somehow limited.

That was until I started noticing the lack of any Repeal Batch at the stores. It seems this limited edition was "limited" in that it wasn't going to be an ongoing production by Beam, making it available only for a limited time. It was at that point I decided I needed to find a bottle before it was gone from the shelves for good, so when I saw one at my local Jewel, I made it a point to grab one.

The nose was light and somewhat faint. However, what was there was really good. I got a good mixture of nutty and sweet, with pecan and apricot notes. There was a bit of bitter orange rind, but with a brown sugar note that seemed to cut the bitterness a bit. At times I got a cardamom note, and I even noted a cherry licorice scent a couple times, though that one didn't really stick around.

Much like the nose, the flavor also came across as nutty and sweet. However, rather than pecan and apricot, it was more like honey roasted peanuts with a bit of a toffee note. From the start I really liked this flavor, and my first few pours reminded me of Payday candy bars, with the salty peanut and caramel center.

Kind of like what happened on with the nose, towards the end of the bottle I was getting a sort of sweet and sour vibe, with a sort of tart cherry coming through. It reminded me of cherry pies, but the kind that don't rely on twenty pounds of sugar. 

I also got an amaretto note, that could just have been me tasting the nutty note differently. But it certainly seemed to develop a sort of tang between the sour cherry and the amaretto. It was different, but it was a good different.

Ultimately, I liked this bottle to start than I did on the last few pours, which is really the opposite from what I usually experience. While it had good flavor, it's lower in proof at only 86 proof, and that really comes across. The watery texture seemed to hide some of the flavor, and I think this would really have been much more robust if it were bottled at a higher proof. That said, however, I was fairly impressed, particularly for the price.

Grade: B

Jim Beam Distiller's Cut Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $22
- 100 Proof
- 5-6 years
- Kentucky

When Jim Beam first released this product, it seemed to be without much fanfare. Rather, it was just a new product from Beam that one day started appearing on shelves. Given that Beam seems to regularly change or add to their line-up, I barely blinked the first time that I saw it, and I was certainly in no rush to grab a bottle.

Then people started reviewing it, and the returns were overwhelmingly positive--at least what I was seeing online. I added it to my ever-evolving list of whiskeys that I wanted to make it a point to try, but I still always seemed to have something else I wanted to grab. And then it started disappearing from shelves.  Despite that the bottle states "Limited Release" right on the front, I guess I didn't take it seriously.  However, I don't believe it was THAT limited, and with just a little bit of effort, despite it now being out of production, I was able to locate a bottle and finally give it a try.

The nose had some of that traditional Jim Beam spice to it, with a nice, rich and spicy mix of cinnamon and amaretto. It also had a sweet bread-like note to it, almost like a pie crust. At times I got a crackery quality, like a good Pilsner. On later pours I was getting a kind of root beer aroma from my glass. The nose was somewhat all over the place, but it was at least interesting and bold.

The flavor was spicy and nutty, but also had a certain level of sweetness to it.  It was like a mix of brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. The nutty notes that came through reminded me of pecans or walnuts, something more on the woody end.

There was also the sweet bread note as well. It created a sort of unfrosted cinnamon roll flavor. At times I also got a sort of cherry-cinnamon flavor, and this was particularly noticeable on the finish, as the cinnamon seemed to linger for quite a while. However, so did that cherry note, and unfortunately on the finish that translated to more of a fake cherry or cherry cough syrup note that was a bit of a turn off.

Aside from that note on the finish, though, I really liked everything else about this bottle. It was bold in flavor, and provided a nice mix of different notes that all complemented each other. All in all, it reminded me sticky buns topped with chopped walnuts -- not too sweet, but carrying those delicious brown sugar, cinnamon and nutty notes throughout. And for the price, this was pretty stellar!

Grade: B+

New Riff Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Rye

VITALS:
- $45
- 100 Proof
- 4 years
- Bottled Spring 2019
- Kentucky

I could not have been more excited when New Riff finally made it into our market here in Illinois. In fact, I grabbed the Single Barrel Bourbon at the same time I grabbed this rye, and I ended up plowing through that bottle.  I had heard only great things about their bottled in bond rye, and so I held off on opening that one, saving it for a time when I was in the mood for a good rye (which, quite honestly, was only a few days after I finished the Single Barrel).

This is a mashbill of 95% rye and 5% malted rye, so 100% rye, which already differentiates it from pretty much every other rye out of Kentucky. New Riff is certainly aware of what's trending as well, as they state right on the front of their bottle that this is "without chill filtration." Just what us whiskey geeks want to see!

The nose was everything I've come to expect from younger ryes.  It had the usual cinnamon, but it also had a light sweetness to it, a sort of essence of caramel that was really nice. I did get a light pine note, which at times just came across as more of a woody or oak note. At times I got something floral off of it, but I had a hard time narrowing it down beyond that. It just came across as a light whiskey.

The palate was pretty consistent with the nose. It did not have any sort of viscosity to it, which lended to it coming across as a lighter whiskey on the palate as well.  Up front the light sweetness was there, somewhere between caramel and toffee--a bit more rich than what came across on the nose. There was also a fleeting but distinct mint note that came across the tip of my tongue.

Pine notes seemed to come through now and then, but other than that caramel note, none of the flavors seemed to linger very long. It had the nice cinnamon and peppery spice that I love in rye, and those flavors were in sufficient abundance to keep me going back for that next pour.

The finish was short, but it did have that nice balance of sweet and heat, with caramel and vanilla blending with cinnamon on the back end. I did find a bit of a dill flavor lingered after each sip, however, which, while certainly not offensive, just seemed to be out of place with everything else going on with this whiskey.

Ultimately, this is a very solid rye, and if you're a rye guy (or gal), by all means give this a go. While it may not have knocked my socks off, it fits solidly in the rye category and perhaps it'll do something more for you!

Grade: B

Weller Antique 107 Binny's Small Batch Select Batch #4 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $35
- 107 Proof
- NAS
- NCF
- Kentucky

A short while back a good friend of mine picked this bottle up for me. During this time I had a lot going on, and it was a really nice positive amongst a see of negative at the time. Did I mention he's a really good friend?

Weller Antique, which was once a regular shelfie, is now locked away in back rooms or displayed on shelves behind counters in nearly every store, either saved for their best customers or marked up beyond reason. The store picks seem to be even more sought after at this point, and so, as far as free bourbon goes, this is about as good as it gets!

While I've always preferred bourbon with rye as the tertiary grain, as far as wheated bourbons go, Weller Antique and Maker's Mark Cask Strength have always been my preference. This one had a nose that was a bit different from any previous Weller Antique I've had before. It had a very bready quality to it. It smelled sweet and reminded me a lot of graham cracker at first. At times I also got raisin notes, giving it a nice cinnamon raisin aroma as well. The nose was absolutely delicious on this one.

The flavor tended to match the nose, with cinnamon and raisin being the first to flavors I picked up. However, it wasn't quite as sweet as the nose. Rather, it had a spicier cinnamon note to it, as well as a distinct wood note that helped offset the sweetness. I still got that sweet, graham-crackery note to it as well.

As wheaters tend to be, though, this was still a sweeter bourbon. The sweetness really kicked in towards the middle of the palate, with a sugary and vanilla-like note, almost like cake frosting (which I love on graham crackers, by the way). It all seemed to work together for a sort of Frosted Flakes flavor.

The finish was very short-lived. It was sweet vanilla and corn notes, again taking me back to Frosted Flakes. But it was gone in an instant. I was actually surprised at the watery texture of this one, particularly given the proof and the fact that it's non-chill filtered. I guess those two things don't automatically mean you'll get an oily or buttery texture, as this one certainly came across a bit thin. This is about the only criticism I have for this pick, however.

Some buddies and I had this bottle among others for a whiskey tasting, including Weller Special Reserve, Weller 12 Year, Weller C.Y.P.B. and another private select single barrel. While the consensus favorite was the Weller 12 Year, this one got the nod from me. This was an excellent pick, and as I type this I sit here wishing I only had more.

Grade: A-