Wild Turkey Forgiven Blended Bourbon and Rye Straight Whiskies

VITALS:
- $40.00
- 91 Proof
- NAS
- Batch No. 303

I've always been intrigued by Wild Turkey's forgiven, a blend of their bourbon and rye, packaged in a nice tin more typically associated with Scotches as though it were hiding something special within, something different.

The premise is simple, and not necessarily unique. Take a rye that people like, blend it with a bourbon people like, and sell a product that people will, most likely, also like. I went into this expecting something not to different from High West's Son of Bourye which I had the opportunity to try about a year ago.

This particular batch gave me pretty much exactly what I was looking for in such a product. The nose is softly spice, slightly masking the sweetness behind it. There was nothing particularly strong in the nose, but brown sugar and baking spices were prevalent.

On first sip, I knew it was very much what I would expect from a blend of rye and bourbon by a distiller whose rye and bourbon I happen to enjoy. It has a somewhat watery texture, and, despite being only 91 proof, seemed to have more burn that its proof would indicate.

That higher burn could be attributable to the very noticeable spice. With so many ryes I get a strong cinnamon spice. Not so with this one. This spice was more of the cayenne pepper kind, that blended curiously with a heavy vanilla flavor. All that was underscored by a woody flavor that made for a rather unique taste which I found I enjoyed.

While I don't believe this to be a very aged whiskey, the wood tones were prevalent from the start and seemed to become more so as I made my way through the bottle, somewhat overtaking the other flavors towards the end. Ultimately I enjoyed this bottle and was glad I tried it, but, while unique, didn't strike me as particularly special, but rather a good, enjoyable blended bourbon and rye that offered something a bit different.

Grade: B

Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $21.00
- 86 Proof
- NAS

There are only a handful of entry-level bourbons on the shelves that I haven't yet had an opportunity to review, but Old Forester was one that, for whatever reason, I just never got around to. At just over $20 for the bottle, though, it was a no-brainer to at least give it a go.

The nose, aside from the traditional bourbon notes, had a distinct burnt sugar mixed with alcohol smell to it. It's an 86 Proof bourbon, so I was caught a bit off-guard by the strong presence of the alcohol.

My first impression upon taking my first sip was that this is a watery bourbon, and, despite that it came across as a young bourbon, also seemed woody, having that dryness that older bourbons tend to have.  It also came across as a brown sugar heavy bourbon, with undertones of cherry, a combination that reminded me a bit of Woodford Reserve.

A couple pours in I started to take note of additional flavors. Most noticeably, the burnt sugar flavor I noticed on the nose finally made an appearance, mixing well with the brown sugar to create a sweet but lightly charred flavor that was quite enjoyable. 

There was also a smokey, herbal quality to it that I couldn't quite place my tongue on. It had a kind of a cigar tobacco flavor, sharp and earthy. However, this flavor did not seem to stick around very long, being almost fleeting and difficult to place.

In the end, while I found the different flavors that seemed to come forward in this bourbon interesting, particularly with respect to the contrast between the sugary sweet flavors and the smokey, herbal flavors, I didn't find them particularly enjoyable. The flavors didn't complement each other very well. Among the entry-level bourbons, I found this one to be just average, hence the grade.

Grade: C

High West A Midwinter Nights Dram Blended Straight Rye Whiskey Act 3, Scene 2

VITALS:
- $75
- 98.6 Proof

This bottle was my Valentine's Day gift from my wife! After a long weekend of winter camping with the Cub Scouts, in which my son got incredibly sick and we had to pack up and leave in the middle of the night, seeing this bottle waiting for me in my cabinet when I got home late at night (or, rather, very early in the morning) was indeed the kind of cap to my weekend I needed!

I had not pulled the trigger on any of the previous releases of A Midwinter Nights Dram that High West put out, but luckily they've kept releasing them. I finally got my hands on one, and I'm so glad I did!

The nose is soft and subtle, revealing the dark fruit character of this rye. I noticed a blend of plum and dark cherry, along side vanilla and sweet tobacco leaf. While the traditional rye notes came through, this immediately came off as something different and unique . . . and tasty!

On first sip, it was clear that this is what many people describe as a "dessert whiskey," sweet and rich and, well, yummy! The port certainly lends a fruity profile to the rye, with notes of plum and blackberry. I'm not sure if it's the blend with the rye that provided the flavor or the port itself, but the dark fruit notes were complemented by a distinct dark chocolate flavor, so rich that it made me think of a dark chocolate and blackberry mousse (not that I've ever had such a dessert, but I'm sure it exists on some restaurant menu somewhere).

And that sweet, rich flavor was balanced out by the traditional rye flavors and spices, again offering a perfect complement to the other flavors. The rye provided a cinnamon and brown sugar flavor on the back end, offering just enough spice to add to the complexity of the whiskey and not to detract from the many other flavors.

The whiskey was smooth and coated the mouth well, but did not come across as too thick or oily. On the spectrum of viscosity, from watery to thick, I'd put this somewhere in the middle. It had plenty of "legs," though, to let me enjoy the flavors well after each swallow.

It's not a super-high proof whiskey, coming in at 98.6 proof, but even at that proof the alcohol burn is non-existent. Ultimately, this is an incredible rye, with the traditional rye flavors but the added bonus of the well-balanced port finish. High West did something incredibly right here.  I had to force myself to slow down on this bottle and savor it a bit, otherwise I would have gone through this bottle in no time, it was so good.

Grade: A+

Kentucky Vintage Small Batch Straight Kentucky Bourbon

VITALS:
- $30.00
- 90 Proof
- NAS

I know that Willett has somewhat of a cult following, at least with respect to their limited releases and private bottlings, and the more of their products I try, the more I get it. Kentucky Vintage is one of their regular bottlings, though, one that's easy to find and easy to afford. At right around $30, it stands in with the baseline offerings from other distillers, as opposed to the higher-up-the-line products such as Rowan's Creek or Noah's Mill.

Aside from knowing that it's a Willett product, though, I knew nothing about this bourbon going in. I was completely unfamiliar with others' thoughts on the product, whether from reviews or message boards or otherwise. That's probably a good thing, though, allowing me to go in without any preconceptions or subconscious bias.

The nose carried the traditional vanilla and toffee notes one would expect from a Kentucky Bourbon. However, an underlying layer of acetone also hit the nose, characteristic of a younger whiskey. At only 90 proof, I couldn't attribute it to the high proof of the bourbon.

On first sip, though, the first thing I noticed was that it had a higher burn than a 90 proof whiskey should, and it was tough to get past. In addition to the somewhat hidden vanilla and caramel flavors, the bourbon had a distinct white pepper spice that, if it weren't for the other flaws, could have provided a great complement to the sweetness of the bourbon.

After the bottle sat on the shelf for a few days after opening, all the rough edges seemed to disappear. While it still possessed the characters of a younger whiskey--watery texture, lack of complexity--it nonetheless became a much more enjoyable pour. It sweetened up considerably, with the vanilla coming to the forefront. What spice was there previously had almost transformed to a light, smokey and nutty flavor on the back end.

Kentucky Vintage reminded me to some extent of Old Grand Dad 114, primarily in the vast difference in flavor from the first pour to the last. It started rough, but really transformed into a very enjoyable, entry-level bourbon, one that was worth the price.

Grade: B

Redbreast Single Pot Still 12 Year Irish Whiskey Cask Strength Edition

One thing that I have always loved about Irish Whiskeys over other whiskeys is the nose. To me, Irish whiskeys have a distinct, sweet tobacco and cereal scent that I can never get enough of. The cask strength Redbreast 12 Year is no different. In fact, I enjoyed it so much it took me a while to actually get around to the first sip. Even at the high proof, there was absolutely no burn or alcohol smell in the nose.

That carried over to the taste as well. 116.4 proof is nothing to laugh at, and yet it's hardly even noticeable in this whiskey. It was soft, smooth, velvety and incredibly easy to drink from front to back. It's a heavier whiskey, and it coated my mouth and throat, allowing me to really savor every single sip.

Although my experience with Irish whiskeys is not extensive by any stretch, this one is certainly bolder in flavor than any other one I've had. It immediately hit me with vanilla, but not a sweet vanilla like you get in bourbon. Rather, the vanilla flavor was blended with a cereal flavor that, quite frankly, reminded me of Frosted Cheerios, one of my favorite breakfast cereals.

After a second or two, however, a slight bitterness hit my tongue, like burnt orange peel. I can't tell you now as I sit here and write this whether I enjoyed this contrast in flavor, but at the very least I found it . . . interesting.

The vanilla flavor also took a back seat to prominent sherry notes and a lingering plum flavor on the back end. The sherry was not quite as in-your-face as some sherry finished whiskeys I've had, but rather was balanced very well with the other flavors. Considering Redbreast highlights their use of sherry casks in their advertising, I was worried that the sherry might be overdone, but such was no the case.

This is one of the more dynamic whiskeys I've tasted in terms of not just the different flavors, but the contrast in the change from one flavor to the next from sip to swallow. There's a lot going on in each sip, and it makes for a really enjoyable pour!

Grade: B+

Balcones Brimstone Texas Scrub Oak Smoked Whisky 106 Proof

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grade: C+

Angel's Envy Caribbean Rum Cask Finished Rye Whiskey

VITALS:
- $70
- 100 Proof
- NAS
- Kentucky

I've been trying to track down a bottle of this stuff for a couple years now. When I was first finding my way into bourbon, I really enjoyed Angel's Envy, and I was told that I had to try their rye. But now matter how often I looked, it simply wasn't anywhere. For years I've known I've wanted to try this one and, as far as I knew, it didn't even exist.

But, on my way back home from out of town one day, having some time to spare before I had to be anywhere, I made a few extra stops at whatever liquor stores I found on my way, and in the first one I visited, there they were, about ten bottles of the stuff, just sitting on the shelf like any other bottle. I had to look twice to make sure I was seeing what I saw. Perhaps it's just the area I live in or the stores I go to, but according to the clerk, it wasn't any special release, they just happened to get a batch in a few days prior. So, though the price is a bit steep at around $70, I didn't hesitate to grab a bottle.

When I opened the bottle, I was punched in the face by the cooked/caramelized sugar smell that filled the room. This is one of the most pungent whiskeys I've ever had in that respect. The nose had a little bit of spice behind it, a cinnamon sort of scent, but the burnt sugar smell was overwhelming. I knew instantly I had something on my hands that was completely different than anything I've had before.

I've had other whiskeys finished in rum casks before, like the Balvenie Caribbean Cask, but with this one, the rum casks had a far greater influence on the whiskey. While the typical vanilla and cinnamon spice came through, as would be expected from your typical rye, it was incredibly sweet, almost mouth-puckering-ly so. The caramelized sugar smell that seemed to explode out of the bottle upon opening had a flavor to match, which seemed to overwhelm every other flavor.

Behind that sugar, though, were still noticeable butterscotch notes, along with cereal or bread flavors that offered a little bit to soften the sugar rush on the back end. As I made my way through the bottle, the flavor evened out a bit, and it really took on a Butterfinger-type flavor, combining the sweet flavors of chocolate, butterscotch and brown sugar.

I was surprised at how much influence the rum casks had on this rye, as rye typically is a bold-flavored whiskey to begin with. At first I wasn't sold that I enjoyed it. However, that may have been more the shock at the sugary nature of this whiskey. I eventually found that behind that up-front sugar are some really enjoyable flavors that provide a nice complement, and this is a pretty complex finished rye with a lot to offer.

Grade: B-