Probably Pass

Traverse City American Cherry

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Traverse City American Cherry Edition
35% ABV
$35
Website

What the Distiller Says
MASH: CORN, RYE, MALTED BARLEY

When you live in the “Cherry Capital of the World” and come from a multi-generational cherry farming family, a cherry whiskey is a bit of a must. Our American Cherry Edition is different than most cherry whiskies on the market today and is steeped with Montmorency cherries grown on our family’s farm. We like to say that its flavor profile resembles “whiskey with a hint of cherry, not the other way around.”

What Gary Says
Nose: Cherry cough medicine.
Palate: Less heavy cherry than the nose, but still a LOT of cherry; barely “whiskey” essence.
Finish: Short and sweet.
Comments: I’m not a huge fan of flavored whiskey, but this one to me is less a flavored whiskey, then a cherry liqueur with a hint of whiskey. The cherry is really overpowering. If you like cherry, this might be a great thing. If you’re looking for whiskey with some cherry – I’d recommend checking elsewhere.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says
Nose: A mix of Luden’s cough drops and cherry flavor Popsicles.
Palate: All cherry. Cherry Fanta maybe.
Finish: Basically not even there.
Comments: I agree with Gary. This really seems like more of a liqueur instead of flavored whiskey. I don’t think I would drink this straight but maybe as a substitute for cherry herring or Luxardo liqueur in your favorite cocktail.
Rating: Probably Pass

We would like to thank Traverse City Whiskey Co. for sending us a bottle for review.

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Stolen Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Stolen Whiskey Aged 11 Years
46% ABV
$49.99
Website

What the Bottler Says
STOLEN American Whiskey begins with a mature 11-year-old whiskey. Ever insatiable, STOLEN tapped into industry experts by adding a layer of artistry rooted in extracting staves from ex-whiskey barrels and toasting them in a 360-degree rotation over an oak wood fire. Turning the staves at key points during the toast allowed STOLEN to capture richly nuanced flavors across the entire wood gradient, resulting in a smoky consistency for every barrel stave.

To impart these fire roasted notes into the whiskey, STOLEN employs a secondary, barrel-finishing process where “the juice” is continually analyzed for taste and nosed for aroma until it peaks in boldness resulting in an additional layer of finished flavor complexity that differentiates STOLEN Whiskey from other traditional American whiskies and bourbons. On the nose is a roasted coffee bouquet that enhances dark fruits and lingers through an exceptionally long finish. On the palate, natural flavors of toasted caramel, dark molasses and smoky chocolate mingle. STOLEN Whiskey’s initial buttery mouthfeel ultimately balances out a bold and lasting finish. For a list of recipes, check out our Cocktails.

What Gary Says
Nose: Oak, smoke, char, burnt sugar, alcohol, solvent, tobacco.
Palate: Smoke, oak, subtle sweet brown sugar.
Finish: Moderate in length, drying and peppery.
Comments: Important to note that this isn’t bourbon (so don’t expect that). It isn’t labeled as “straight whiskey” either, despite having an age statement beyond 2 yrs (which could mean a few things, but likely that there are additives). Nothing wrong with all that (Early Times is an example of non-straight whiskey), but it should be clear to align expectations. This isn’t in my wheelhouse. Smoke and oak, and not much else. The nose had a tinge of solvent or cleaner that I didn’t care for, which thankfully wasn’t on the palate. I expect less in terms of flavor and complexity from ‘just whiskey’, and this fell into that squarely – although I think the 11 yr age statement set me up to expect more than I got. Just too one dimensional for me (even at a heck of a lot less money).
Rating: Probably Pass

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Rabbit Hole Bourbon

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Rabbit Hole Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
47.5% ABV
$50
Website

What the Distiller Says
Bourbon is an act of faith. The barrel builds a strong foundation of vanilla and wood. Atop that, we bet on an unorthodox, four-grain mash promising spice and honey and a fresh apple breeze. When we first poked the thief into the darkness of the barrel, our faith was rewarded: a whiskey of remarkable maturity and self-possession, with spice on the front and custard in the finish.

Mash Bill:
70% Corn
10% Malted Wheat
10% Honey Malted Barley
10% Malted Barley

What Gary Says
Nose: Young, corn sweet with sour oak and a hint of cinnamon.
Palate: Sweet entry – caramel, vanilla, corn syrup – with a bit of a spike kick at the end.
Finish: Short and drying.
Comments: I wasn’t familiar with Rabbit Hole when I first tasted it. On my initial nosing, I have to admit I wrote it off as another craft whiskey producer using small barrels – as it smelled young, but more oak influence than you’d expect (a combination I often find as a tell-tale sign that small barrels were used). That isn’t the case – they verified that they are using 53 gallon barrels (although they are done to a lower char than some others, and are wood fired). On the palate, it hits me much better delivering the quintessential “bourbon” highlights of caramel, vanilla and a bit of a kick. While still young, it fares better on the palate than on the nose. When I’m evaluating a new, typically young (craft) bourbon – I ask myself “Do I like this better than Evan Williams Black Label?” (and yes, I talk to myself – the whiskey is strictly medicinal). For almost all new/craft bourbon, I find the answer is “Nope”. Rabbit Hole is definitely a step up, as I’m not quite sure the answer is no (although not a clear “Yes!” either). While better than most new stuff in that regards, I couldn’t justify shelling out the money for this. I do think this has the potential to be really tasty down the road, and will keep an eye out on future releases. But for $50 – I’d be pretty disappointed, and don’t expect offerings with more age to be priced more reasonably. Although I would love to be disappointed on that note in the future!
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says
Nose: There is a general lightness to the nose more reminiscent of grain alcohol than a bourbon.
Palate: It comes forward very aggressively with black pepper, cinnamon, corn pudding, and malted milk balls.
Finish: Hot. More pepper, oak, and general heat.
Comments: The youth of the spirit shows in the aggressiveness of it. However, hot and peppery flavors and finishes are not exclusive to the young. The lack of depth in the nose really shows that this needs more time in the barrel.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Rabbit Hole for providing us with a sample for review.

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Ellington Reserve 8 Years

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Ellington Reserve 8 Years
Fine Canadian Whisky

40% ABV
$18
Website

What the Bottler Says

RICH . CARAMEL . OAK . LONG
Canada- Premium Canadian Whisky aged to perfection in charred oak barrels for eight years. This aging produces a smooth, mellow flavor for the discerning whisky connoisseur. Great sipped neat or on the rocks.

What Richard Says

Nose: Acetone and vanilla extract.
Palate: Reasonably sweet and one dimensional. Brown sugar cooked to a light caramel.
Finish: Hot, burning hot. It finishes rough.
Comments: I’m having a hard time confirming or disputing the origin of this spirit but it seems to be connected to Total Wine as one of their house spirits. And like most of the rest of TW’s house spirits this is a pretty sad imitation of a quality spirit. It’s pretty damn bad. If you need to experience this for yourself then bring plenty of cola.

Rating: Probably Pass

What Gary Says

Nose: Acetone with vanilla and cheap maple syrup.
Palate: Thin, sweet with light caramel, vanilla and a hint of maple.
Finish: Short with a chemical aftertaste.
Comments: I bought a 50 mL of this not realizing Richard had already reviewed it (as clearly had I read his review from 2017, I wouldn’t have wasted whatever pocket change I spent on it). Crown Royal was my gateway whisky, so it isn’t that I don’t like Canadian whisky. But this is pretty lousy stuff. Acetone isn’t something I look for when nosing a whisky, and doesn’t compel me to want to drink it. Couldn’t find any reference to in 2021 either, so assuming it is a Total Wine label – and some of their stuff isn’t bad. But this is bad. Just bad. I wouldn’t even use it as a mixer, because at 40% ABV, it has the same calories as anything else at 40% ABV (and there is a LOT of stuff I’d rather drink than this).

Rating: Probably Pass

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Willett Family Estate Rye 25 Years

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Willett Family Estate Rye – 25 yr (barrel # 1776)
50% ABV
$250
Website
WFE 25yr
What the Distillery Says:
Willett doesn’t say anything about their estate bottlings on their website.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Big oak, molasses, burnt fruitcake, raisins, prunes, cigar paper.
Palate: Very oaky, sharp dry spices (allspice?) and bitter chocolate, sour raisins.
Finish: Long but quite dry.
Comments: This was the most expensive bottle of whiskey I had ever purchased at the time (which I purchased from their gift shop in September 2012). And it will go down as “lessons learned” in my book, that age doesn’t equate to quality, and if I’m laying down that much money – I need to get a sample first. I think this whiskey was past its prime, and probably would have been amazing at 15 – 20 yrs. For my taste, this is just too oak dominant. I have to really work to pick flavors out from beneath the oak, and I don’t like to work that hard to enjoy my whiskey. I have been blessed with the opportunity to try some amazing older Willett ryes, and I made the mistake of assuming they were a representation of most ryes of that nature (rather than the rare-exceptional barrels that they were). For the retail I paid 4 years ago (which it would be double or more than that today I’m sure), I wouldn’t buy it again – so knowing the current market, I can’t recommend this.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says:
Nose: Light mint, peach cobbler, black strap molasses, and polished leather.
Palate: NyQuil, heavy on the wood, cocoa powder, spearmint, and cinnamon.
Finish: Dry, minty, and long on the oak.
Comments: This is a thick, almost gooey whiskey that coats the inside of the glass. Some people tend to prefer bourbons no older than 10 to 15 years old. Some don’t even go that far. The warm Kentucky summers and new oak can quickly over power a whiskey with heavy notes of wood. I usually like “woody” or “oaky” whiskeys. It’s not as much of a turn off for me. But that said, this rye from Willett is exceptionally far on the woody spectrum. There is a great nose to it but the taste and finish are just in your face with the oak. This probably should’ve come out of the barrel about four years sooner.
Rating: Probably Pass

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