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Ezra Brooks 12 Year

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Ezra B Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 12 Years
Barrel 558
49.5% ABV
$35
Website
brbon_ezr4_large1
What the Bottler Says:
Carefully stored away and undisturbed for 12 years inside select, heavily charred White Oak Barrels until it reaches its peak of smoothness, Ezra B 99 Proof Single Barrel Bourbon is truly a smooth, mellow bourbon whiskey. Backed behind seven generations of whiskey producing tradition, Ezra B uses only the choicest of grains, perfect limestone water, and special natural aging to acquire its exceptional flavor and character. Each hand-crafted bottle of Ezra B, topped with a wax sealed cork finish, perfectly personifies its character and sophistication, and should be enjoyed extra slowly to appreciate its unique flavor, aroma and full body.

TASTE: A MEDIUM TO FULL BODY WITH A RICH SWEETNESS OF VANILLA, HONEY, AND A HINT OF CHOCOLATE.
FINISH: TOASTY, LONG FINISH

What Gary Says:
Nose: Deep, rich, thick vanilla and brown sugar, sandalwood & toffee (a tad hot).
Palate: Thin mouthfeel, but nice balance of oak and chocolate, with caramel & honey.
Finish: Moderate in length and drying.
Comments: Very nice pour – although as a single barrel, be prepared for some variation. In full disclosure, I had bought a bottle of this years ago that left me less impressed than this sample (although our tastes evolve – so that could be completely on me). The nose had me braced for a thick and viscous pour, and while it felt thin to me – it was not short on flavor. Really nice balance – some 12 yr bourbons are too woody for me, and this wasn’t even close (my wheelhouse is typically 8-12 yrs old). It isn’t a secret that Luxco sources the whiskey that goes into this label from Heaven Hill, and it absolutely reminds me of their Heritage Center in Bardstown – which isn’t a bad thing in the least (heck – one of my favorite places to visit!) If you are a fan of other Heaven Hill bourbons, I would absolutely give this a shot!
Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich and captivating. Burnt sugar, vanilla beans, and soft deep woody notes.
Palate: Caramel, vanilla cream, woody, and peppery spicy.
Finish: It finishes smooth but heavy on the oak.
Comments: This is sourced whiskey but don’t let the recent cloud around that term dissuade you. It’s the result of a long standing arrangement with Heaven Hill for this Luxco brand. This is a nice, satisfying whiskey that is definitely a bourbon drinker’s bourbon. For those lamenting the recent loss of 12 year old Elijah Craig, may I recommend this as a potential replacement.
Rating: Stands Out

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Old Forester Signature

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Old Forester Signature Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
50% ABV
$25
Website
signature
What the Distillery Says:
A favorite of bartenders, Signature 100 Proof honors the legacy of founder George Garvin Brown, who put his signature on every bottle. And this bourbon is definitely one he would be proud to have his name on today.

TASTING NOTES
NOSE Strong, sweet coffee laced with chocolate, creamy vanilla and rich, warmed oak.
TASTE Ripe apple and other sweet fruit; complex oak.
FINISH Sweet and light, with hints of oak and apple that linger a bit.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Crisp/sharp rye bite, oaky, vanilla with a corn sweetness under the kick (a tad hot).
Palate: Better balance than the nose, vanilla, tapioca, pepper spice (but not as sharp).
Finish: Moderate with the spice kicking up at the end.
Comments: For the money, this is an incredibly reliable high-rye bourbon. The nose is brash and unapologetic with intense flavor. For me, this isn’t a “sit and study” pour. It is the foundation of many of my favorite mingles, and does well with cocktails as well.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Dry and woody by itself. If you agitate it a fair bit then you get more caramel apples and candy corn. It’s like old fashioned Halloween. As it mellows in the glass more of a classic caramel and vanilla nose develops.
Palate: Surprisingly sweet with a very peach cobbler a la mode and butterscotch thing going on. It drinks hot and a little woody but takes water pretty well so use as necessary.
Finish: Peppery with a lingering bit of wood and corn. It’s surprisingly not dry.
Comments: I recently heard someone use the term “card game whiskey” and I really like that. This is definitely in that category. You’re not going to sit there and lament over it for hours but it is solid, tasty, and serviceable in multiple situations. My first experience with Old Forester Signature was back many years ago shortly after I first started drinking whiskey. I was going on a camping trip with college buddies and I wanted to venture out beyond the Jack Daniels I had been drinking at that point so I grabbed one of these. That was a hilarious trip and it was certainly lubricated with Old Forester. As a step up from Jack in terms of flavor it was kind of a revelation. I’ve never looked back. While I don’t frequently buy this anymore it is still a memorable whiskey for me and holds a special sentimental place in my memories.
Rating: Stands Out

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Yellow Rose Rye

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey / ,

Yellow Rose Straight Rye Whiskey
45% ABV
$35
Website
yellowrose-straight-rye-whiskey
What the Bottler Says:
Yellow Rose Straight Rye Whiskey is hand selected, blended and bottled in Texas. Enjoy whiskey as it was before prohibition with this small batch limited production spirit. Made from 95% rye, this whiskey is a true American classic perfect for fine cocktails.

COLOR: Copper, amber.
NOSE: Mild vanilla and pine with hint of brown sugar.
PALATE: Slightly sweet, spearmint with mild pepper and maple.
FINISH: Medium finish with less pepper than other rye whiskey’s.
COMMENTS: One of the best rye whiskey’s ever! Makes for the perfect Old Fashion or Manhattan!

What Gary Says:
Nose: Young and brash, bright rye spice, orange zest, and subtle fresh pickles.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, softer on the palate than the nose, mellow, light fruit, orange zest, bit of spice kicking into the finish.
Finish: Fairly short.
Comments: Interesting rye whiskey – on the nose it screams MGP high rye (which I suspect is its origin), but on the palate it was out of sync for me – feeling a bit more like a “barely legal rye”. While the nose is brash and sharp (as you expect in a rye), the palate is much more mellow and soft; lacking that rye kick, although it picks up in the end. It reminds me a bit of Dickel Rye with how mellow it is on the palate, and I like that – although that is 2/3 the price of this, so not sure I’ll rush out to grab a bottle.
Rating: Stands Out

What Richard Says:
Nose: Minty, floral sweet, grassy, and fresh. Classic (relatively) young MGP rye. We smell it so often that if we aren’t careful we all begin to believe that MGP’s rye is what all rye is supposed to smell like just from the numbers of bottles of their rye on the shelves.
Palate: Herbaceous and minty sweet.
Finish: Slightly bitter and rather short.
Comments: Ah…another in a long, long, LONG string of bottlers giving us their particular slice of MGP’s stock of rye whiskey. There is nothing wrong with this particular expression of MGP rye. Rather, it’s that this rye is becoming so ubiquitous that it’s hard for newer bottlers to stand out. My advice…if you are going down the MGP rye route you need to do something to the damn whiskey to give it your own stamp. “Blending” various barrels of it just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Yellow Rose Distilling for sending us a sample for review.

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Yellow Rose Blended Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Yellow Rose Blended Whiskey
40% ABV
$35
Website
yellowrose-blended-whiskey
What the Bottler Says:
Yellow Rose Blended Whiskey is a fusion of character just like Texas culture. A perfect blend of southern charm and rustic cowboy ensures a smooth drinking whiskey with plenty of heart. Our blended whiskey is fuller flavor than typical Canadian blends due to a higher bourbon content.

Still easy to drink and slightly sweet, Yellow Rose Blended whiskey is great on the rocks or as a mixer

COLOR: Deep gold
NOSE: Light aroma, fruity banana with caramel
PALATE: Sweet with banana
FINISH: Medium finish
COMMENTS: Full flavored blend that is still easy to drink

What Gary Says:
Nose: Very light, faint sweetness and a bit of wood & alcohol.
Palate: Sweet but thin, with just a hint of oak & fruit.
Finish: Fairly quick.
Comments: I set my bar lower for blended whiskey than bourbon, and this managed to limbo in just under my expectations. I definitely didn’t get the fuller flavor they mentioned. On the nose, my mind drifted more towards cleaning chemicals than whiskey. To be fair, I like to sample something multiple times over a period of time, and I threw my notes out from my first go (as I think the pollen-apolypse we experience here in Georgia every spring was throwing me off). Maybe it would grow on me, but for the price point I don’t think I’d give it a chance.
Rating: Average

What Richard Says:
Nose: Banana Mama cocktails on the beach in Cancun.
Palate: Smoked honey drizzled over a fruit cocktail with bananas foster on the side.
Finish: Sweet and mellow with a hint pepper.
Comments: This was a surprise. I really expected it to be awful. When I see “blended whiskey” I tend to think of Seagram 7 or something equally awful. This is a bit too sweet for my taste but it is very easily drinkable and not offputting in the least. $35 is a bit steep but I wouldn’t turn down a glass.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank Yellow Rose Distilling for sending over a sample for review.

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High West 14 Year Light Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

High West Very Rare Light Whiskey 14 Years Old
46% ABV
$99.95
Website
14-year-bottle-_-web
What the Bottler Says:
Come see the light! High West Distillery, Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, releases a limited edition 14-Year Light Whiskey. Beginning March 19, this special bottling is available exclusively to visitors at the High West Distillery at Blue Sky Ranch, followed by a roll out at the High West Saloon & Distillery in historic Old Town Park City on April 16.

“At High West, we believe education leads to appreciation so we wanted to shed some light on this rarely discussed type of whiskey,” says High West founder David Perkins. “This is a spirit that’s not likely to be available again for a long time.”

Light whiskey denotes a grain spirit that’s been distilled at a higher proof than a straight whiskey — between 80-95% alcohol by volume (ABV) versus less than 80% ABV respectively. It’s typically used as a component in about 95% of the world’s blended whiskeys. In the U.K., what they call grain whiskey is essentially the same thing as light whiskey.

“This whiskey was distilled at a higher proof on the still, which reduces the heaviness of the flavors, and reveals more floral and fruit subtleties,” said High West master distiller Brendan Coyle. “It was aged in used barrels, as opposed to first-use charred barrels, which lends more elegant complexities with a spirit-forward character.”

High West discovered 100 stunning barrels of light whiskey at MGP made from corn that was distilled between 1999 and 2001, aged in second-fill barrels. That wood aging imparted a traditionally light spirit with lovely vanilla and white chocolate notes, and an intriguing Concord grape overlay—to anything but typical results.

High West encourages you to indulge in this special offering all on its own—neat, with a touch of water, or on the rocks. The 14-Year Light Whiskey will retail for $99.95.

What Gary Says:
Nose: Subtle all around, faint oak, lightly sweet fruit, hints of cinnamon rolls (baked the day before) or apple pie (baked two days before).
Palate: Deliciously delicate, starts off soft and lightly sweet before some stronger fruit notes (figs and orange marmalade) and a bit of a nutty-spice kick in.
Finish: Lingers before slowly/softly slipping away.
Comments: For me this is a thinking/pondering dram. It is dangerously drinkable, but I don’t want to just throw it back – it begs to be studied carefully. It is very subtle and nuanced; more like a scotch than a bourbon (the aging and second-fill barrels certainly contribute to that). For a whiskey geek who is looking to experience “light whiskey” and try something different – this may be right up their alley, and I’d call it a “must-try”. For the casual whiskey drinker, you may not be happy dropping $100 on something you find “too subtle”.
Rating: Must Try

What Richard Says:
Nose: Lightly floral sweet.
Palate: Exceptionally creamy with a rich vanilla sweetness mixed with poached peach parfait.
Finish: The finish is almost non-existent. It is clean and short.
Comments: This is light in many more ways than name alone. This is an exceptionally delicate whiskey. It doesn’t necessarily have exceptional depth but it is very drinkable and intriguing for being a rare example of extra aged “light” whiskey. It reminds me more (as you would expect) of aged grain scotch much more than anything normally made in the U.S.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank High West for sending us a sample to review.

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