Oaklore Oloroso Sherry Cask Finished Four Grain Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Oaklore Story Series: Oloroso Sherry Cask Finished Four Grain Bourbon

47.5% ABV
$100
Website
Oaklore Oloroso Sherry Cask Finished Four Grain Bourbon
We would like to thank Oaklore Distilling Co. and Raptor Communications for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

For this Story Series release, we start with Oaklore’s traditional four grain bourbon, which is crafted by our sister distilleries in North Carolina. Distilled on 24-inch Vendome all-copper column stills, the Four Grain Bourbon uses “the big four” American Whiskey grains (corn, wheat, barley & rye). The whiskey combines the best five- to six-year-old barrels of wheated bourbon and rye bourbon mash bills, which are aged separately, hand-selected, and then batched together – producing a final mash bill of 70% corn, 10% rye, 10% wheat, and 10% malted barley. Then, our master blender transferred the whiskey into Spanish Oloroso Sherry Barrels where it rested for 12 to 18 months – picking up the gorgeous Mediterranean flavors and influence inherent to Oloroso Sherry Casks.

NOSE: Dried Fig, Raisin, Vintage Wine
PALATE: Cherry Bark, Cocoa, Apricot
FINISH: Medium Dry Sherry Finish

What Gary Says

Nose: Caramel, sherried fruit with raisins and figs, oak, and chocolate-covered cherries.
Palate: Cherries, raisins, chocolate, honey and cinnamon.
Finish: Moderate in length, drying with honey, cherry and chocolate notes.
Comments: The sherry finish is fairly pronounced here; not what I’d call overbearing but definitely on the heavier side. Good news for me is I like sherry maturation and finishing, but the downside for me is the underlying bourbon doesn’t get to shine through. The nuance of the wheated and rye mashbill bourbons mingling, with a respectable amount of time in the barrel, is unfortunately covered up. Although if you’re a fan of sherry, this likely won’t miss.

Rating: Stands Out

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Tullibardine 25 Year Old

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Tullibardine 25 Year Old
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

43% ABV
$300
Website
Tullibardine 25 year Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

What the Distiller Says

This whisky was matured for a minimum of 25 years in ex-sherry Hogsheads. It is beautifully aged with wonderful hues of red, orange and brown. Amazingly, no oaky notes appear at all for a whisky of this age. You’ll instead find subtle vanilla, toffee and orange chocolate. Tullibardine 25 Year Old has an incredible viscous quality that fills the mouth with baked banana, orange peel and a long, creamy, silky finish.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft and subtle, cereal notes, heather, peaches, grapes, apricots, kiwi, vanilla, oak and cedar.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with butterscotch, orange marmalade, bit of cinnamon, golden raisins, and malt.
Finish:  Moderately long and damp with honey and cereal malt.
Comments:  Very subtle; in fact at first blush it reminds me a bit of a single grain whisky. A polite dram, that isn’t off-putting but honestly was a bit of a let down. I managed to pick this one up on auction for £120 (after hammer price and shipping was around $230, less than retail locally). I wasn’t familiar with the distillery, but with 20+ year single malt I had hoped for more depth and complexity than I got (although I’ve read several reviews that found a lot more of that, so this could just fall into the “apparently not my type” category).

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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State Line Coffee Liqueur

/ / Other Spirits, Review / ,

State Line Coffee Liqueur

25% ABV
$30
Website
State Line Coffee Liqueur
We would like to thank State Line Distillery and Publicity For Good for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Locally roasted coffee, organic grains from Wisconsin’s Driftless region, and pure cane sugar combine to form a decadent liqueur that is velvety smooth with rich notes of coffee and chocolate.

Crowned ‘Best in the World’ multiple years at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition, State Line Coffee Liqueur represents unmatched quality in every sip.

State Line Coffee Liqueur is velvety smooth with rich notes of coffee and chocolate. Produced from locally roasted Kin-Kin Coffee it’s hard not to get hyperbolic about our coffee liqueur. But man — it’s good. Crazy good.

State Line’s neutral grain spirit blends with cold brewed Kin-Kin Coffee and cane sugar for a decadent liqueur that’s not too sweet yet not too bitter, like dark chocolate. Serve it over ice or shake up an Espresso Martini. It’s always good. Too good, even. Okay we’ll stop.

Learn more here!

What Gary Says

Nose: Medium to dark roast coffee with a bit of chocolate.
Palate: Sweet coffee with a bit of caramel and dulce de leche.
Finish: Short in length with notes of coffee and sweetness.
Comments: This is a delightful and coffee-forward coffee liqueur! That might sound like a given, but trust me – it was really eye-opening to experience. After tasting, I decided to pull out the “coffee liqueur” I had in my cabinet (Kahlúa) for a side-by-side comparison, and the two really aren’t that similar. This is less syrupy and a tad lighter in the glass (because of course I tried both in Glencairns because I’m a whisk(e)y geek!) This is coffee first, with sweetness playing a supporting role – where the other is syrupy sweet and more chocolate forward, with coffee falling well behind. It was only then I noticed that the other is ‘coffee AND RUM liqueur’, which I had forgotten. All that to say, don’t think of this as a substitute for the other – it really does stand on its own, and if you’re a fan of coffee, this is a gem!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Blue Note Honey Rye Cask 2025 Release

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Blue Note Honey Rye Cask 2025 Release
Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Honey Barrels

58.245% ABV
$65
Website
Blue Note Honey Rye Cask 2025
We would like to thank B.R. Distilling Co and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Blue Note Honey Rye Cask begins its journey by embracing the art of fusion. American oak barrels used for finishing are repurposed to produce a delicious, locally sourced, barrel-aged honey. We then return the bourbon to these honey-infused casks for another round of aging to create a distinct and harmonious profile. Blue Note’s bold and spicy notes blended with nuanced flavors of wildflower honey guarantee that with each sip, you’ll enjoy an intricate balance strength and sweetness.

Honey Rye Cask Tasting Notes
Nose: Very Light Apricot, Vanilla, All Spice, and Oak
Taste: Caramel, Hints of Apricot, Oak, Floral Finish, All Spice
Finish: Soft and Balanced, Light texture with lingering hints of Wildflower and Honey

Blue Note Honey Rye Whiskey is now available for purchase online at BlueNoteBourbon.com and in select U.S. markets. Approximately 13,000 bottles are available for the suggested retail price of $64.99.

Blue Note’s whiskey portfolio is distilled in partnership with Lofted Spirits (parent company of Green River Distilling Company) and then aged just north of downtown Memphis where the Mississippi and Wolf Rivers collide. The long summers filled with infamous Memphis heat and cooler evenings forces the whiskey deep into the oak, creating an unmistakably rich flavor that’s bold yet smooth.

Technical Details
AGED: A minimum of three years
PRODUCT TYPE: Straight Rye Whiskey
MASH BILL: 95% Rye and 5% Malted Barley
PROOF & FILTRATION: 116.49 Proof, Unfiltered
Crafted in Memphis, TN

What Gary Says

Nose: Honey, caramel, mint, oak, vanilla wafers and brown sugar.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel with honey, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, chocolate, apricots, apple and a bit of mint.
Finish: Moderate in length with honey, spices and a touch of oak.
Comments: Similar to the Blue Note Honey Bourbon Cask, honey is prominent here. While I enjoyed that quite a bit, I like this even better as the spiciness of the rye gives this more balance. I’ve also always found that at three years old, rye can be ready and enjoyable where bourbon needs just a bit longer. This is a really nice pour, and this replaces the Blue Note Honey Bourbon Cask as my favorite selection from Blue Note! My one critique would be the price, but as a limited edition offering that’s less of an issue.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Jack Daniel’s Bonded

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Jack Daniel’s Bonded
Tennessee Whiskey

50% ABV
$30-$35
Website
Jack Daniels Bonded Tennessee Whiskey

What the Distillery Says

High standards delivered at 100 proof

We’ve been making exceptional Tennessee Whiskey since before the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. Our Jack Daniel’s Bonded Tennessee Whiskey is created from our classic Old No. 7 recipe made in one distilling season, aged for at least four years in our federally bonded barrelhouses, and offered at 100 proof.

Aroma: Seared corn and caramel with light hints of vanilla and butterscotch
Taste: Toasted marshmallow and maple
Finish: Oaky, sweet, and slightly herbal

What Gary Says

Nose:  Slightly burnt caramel, charred oak, cocoa, banana nut bread and burnt marshmallow.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, chocolate, pepper, marshmallow, nutmeg, maple candies and a hint of banana.
Finish:  Moderate in length with chocolate and banana nut bread.
Comments:  No surprise to me that Jack Daniels at a higher proof is better than the standard bearer. This definitely has all of the hallmarks of Jack Daniels, and while solid it is a tad sharper than I’d expect for only 50% ABV.

Rating: Stands Out

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