Green River Bourbon

Warm spiced pear liqueur on the nose, orange zest, lime, and mixed nuts. On the palate fancy vanilla ice cream, soft honey, strawberries, and a touch of cedar. Very alluring grain spice on the finish. Fantastic texture.

Ezra Brooks Cask Strength Single Barrel

Honey, mint, apple. Sweet nose intially, then woodsy. Was likely Heaven Hill sourced but under a Non-disclosure agreement so can’t officially say, though that would make it almost 6 yr, barrel proof HH, and now $10 cheaper. The charcoal filtering brings out licorice and a touch more barrel spice. Good ol’ Kentucky chew at a great price.

Benchmark Bonded 100 Proof

Buffalo Trace mashbill #1 (Stagg, Eagle Rare, EH Taylor, Buffalo Trace) at 4 years old and 100 proof, officially bottled in bond. The nose presents soft floral aromas, along with warm hay note, and almond joy, chocolate, and coconut. On the palate, mandarin orange, mint tea, and a generous spice note. If you are in the market for a younger, more brash, but higher proof buffalo trace which tends to be on the mellow side, then give this one a try. Big, bold, and under $30!

Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing BRT-02

“BRT” or Maker’s speak for “barrel rotation” is the 2022 Wood Finshing series’ attempt to highlight “high” rickhouse flavor profiles (01) vs. “low” floor rickhouse flavor (02). This paricular bottling starts off with intense and rich floral aromas, with sorghum, molasses, and a subtle nuttiness. On the palate lots of chocolate notes, baked cinnamon, and a long creamy finish make this a rich dessert worthy whiskey. I’ve always thought bottom floor barrels tasted maltier and this is no exception. Big, round, and juicy!

Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7

So much history with this brand, it’s almost impossible to summarize in a short review, so let’s stick to the basics. This is a non-age stated Tennessee Whiskey which undergoes the Lincoln County process (new make dripped through charred sugar maple) then aged a minimum of 4 years, and bottled at 80 proof. It’s arguably the most valuable whiskey brand in the world. The nose is soft woodsy oak, banana runts, and brown sugar. The palate is light oak, slightly sweet, slightly spicy. Jack is great as a premium everyday drinker as it’s not going to overhelm your palate (if you drink a reasonable amount) but it also just tastes good. Smooth and flavorful at the same time. All things being equal, a Jack Daniel’s on the rocks, whether it be a friend’s open bar wedding, random hotel in Europe, or high rise in Asia is a little familiar piece of American liquid history that’s still going strong today. You can’t go wrong.

Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel

Six year old, Buffalo Trace mashbill #2 at cask strength. In this case, a 124.6, and as always from Warehouse H. Rich walnut and caramel with woody, nutty, spice notes. Hint of lemon merangue. On the palate, a force of nature. Hot and sweet in the best way. Buttescotch, maple syrup, oat cakes, and chocolate/caramel swirl.