Whisk(e)y Wednesday 2026-10-21

Time for another Whisk(e)y Wednesday... always fun, here we go (:

On the nose, I get cherry, with some toffee and brown sugar. Seems mid-proof, maybe around 50% ABV... nose screams bourbon to me. The taste ... more of the same - cherry, toffee, maybe a touch of floral ... not enough to get me to budge from bourbon though. The finish, more cherry, then it turns to some wood bite in the back.

With water, the nose is similar but a bit more soft, taste as well. The finish I seem to find more proof and wood. I'll stick with bourbon, around 50% ABV - this seems pretty nice overall, I'll rate it a 3.5/5.0.

This was Old Forester, Oregon Single Barrel, WHSE H Floor 1, 50% ABV. This one cost $60 ... not sure if it's better than the standard Old Foresters that are easy to find, but it wasn't bad. Cheers!

Whisk(e)y Wednesday 2026-10-14

Another Wednesday ... time for a random sample for Whisk(e)y Wednesday, let's go!

On the nose, fruity, cherry, bubble gum, sweet, mint. The taste, molasses, bubble gum, proof, pepper, fruit, heat... and the mint. The finish ... minty as well, sweet, syrup, heat that lingers. This strikes me as a high proof (60%+ ABV) bourbon ... but I guess with the minty it could be a rye. 

With water, the nose is more sharp, then more sweet. Sweeter on taste and finish, with lots of heat. This is pretty good, I'll rate it 3.75/5.0 ... it does have a *lot* of heat though. This was the Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye, coming in at a toasty 66.05% ABV. I rated this 3.5/5.0 during 2025 's 24 Days of Whisk(e)y... that night I just couldn't get past the proof. Maybe it mellowed with age a bit (:

Whisk(e)y Wednesday 2026-10-07

Here we go for another Whisk(e)y Wednesday. I was traveling last week, but I'm back and ready for some Whisk(e)y.

On the nose, this one is mild, not getting much other than alcohol. Nose seems a bit flat overall. The taste, fruit, sweet, ash, pepper, bbq, spicy. The finish has heat up front, then sweet, then back to the heat with some char.

With water, the nose is similar, I get some more heat on the nose now, so maybe it's not as low proof as I thought. It is sweeter on the taste, and the finish does linger nicely and has some ash now too. I'm not sure what to think, it feels a bit flat and young. The nose is oddly a let down compared to the taste, and usually I think peated Scotch (which I'm guessing this is) has a better nose than taste. I'll rate this a 3.75/5.0 tonight.

This ended up being Lagavulin 12 Year Cask Strength, 57.3% ABV. I had this back in 24 Days of Whisk(e)y 2023 and I rated it a 4.5/5.0 that night. I do have a woozy of this saved so I'll have to give it another try - but this is one of those Whiskies that if I know I'm drinking it, I enjoy it more because I know more what to expect and I know historically I enjoy it - so I try enjoying it, if that makes sense. Anyway ... that's the fun part of blind tastings.

Whisk(e)y Wednesday 2026-09-23

Whisk(e)y Wednesday ... random sample yet again. Let's see how this one goes (:

On the nose, this is sharp at first, but I do get some sweet and some fruit as well. Maybe apple or pear? The taste, minty, sweet orange marmalade ... I think I get a hint of matchstick as well. The finish, fruity that clings and stays. It hangs around for some time.

With water, the nose gets more sharp, and maybe a hint of the matchstick too. I am getting some malt. The taste is still sweet, and the finish is similar. I'm going to guess this is an unpeated Scotch or maybe an American Single Malt... maybe around 50%. I'll rate it a 4.0/5.0 tonight.

This was Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey, matured in California Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrels, 46% ABV. I had this during 24 Days of Whisk(e)y 2024, and rated it a 3.5/5.0 that night, so I was in the right mood for this one tonight, Cheers!

Whisk(e)y Wednesday 2026-09-16

Whisk(e)y Wednesday Time - cheers!

A random sample tonight, let's see how this goes. On the nose, this one gives me brown sugar, vanilla, ripe fruit... strawberry or cherry? Some sting as well if I try to go in to far. Some sulfur as well, touch of malt too. The taste - brown sugar, hot pepper, vanilla, wood, dry, and some matchstick as well. The finish I'm getting brown sugar, hot pepper tingle, some sweet and some matchstick here too.

With water, it seems to have more proof on the nose. Still sweet, maybe a touch of leather too. Sweeter taste - probably too sweet. Some pepper and brown sugar too, along with wood. The finish is hot and dry with some sweet in the back. This feels like a low-ish Cask Strength peated Scotch. I like the nose quite a bit, for whatever reason, the taste is a bit off this evening, and I'd rate it a 3.75/5.0

This was the McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, Oloroso Cask Finished, Batch No. 5, 56% ABV. This is aged 6 years, distilled by Clear Creek Distillery, Hood River, Oregon, cost was $120. I had this during 24 Days of Whisk(e)y 2025 and rated it a 4.0/5.0. I was a little disappointed with it at that time, and I guess I am still a little disappointed (:

Whisk(e)y Wednesday 2026-09-09

Whisk(e)y Wednesday Time - random sample, let's see what I think.

On the nose, this is peaty, phenol, rubber... this is my type of whisky for sure. The taste, I get sweet bqq meat, savory. The finish, sweet bbq meat, some ash, hot pepper, lingers nicely. I'd guess this is mid proof, 50% ABV or so, and I am thinking peated Scotch.

With water, there seems to be more proof and pepper on the nose, sweeter taste, and a hotter finish. I am enjoying this, I'll rate it a 4.25/5.0 ... I'll guess it's a one off Ardbeg.

Turns out it was the Port Askaig 110 Proof, no age statement. I had this during 24 Days of Whisk(e)y 2025 and rated it a 4.0 that night. Pretty tasty stuff, might have to pick up another bottle sometime. Cheers!

Whisk(e)y Wednesday 2026-09-02

Happy September! Whisk(e)y Wednesday time yet again ... here we go!

On the nose, this seems a bit proofy, but it is the first drink of the night, so I could just need to acclimate too. I am getting brown sugar, touch of orange. Maybe this is a high proof rye, but it could be bourbon ... maybe the orange should steer me to Irish or even Scotch. I seem to get a little dill and wood on the nose too. The taste ... malty, brown sugar, wood, touch bitter, and a bit of heat too. On the finish, I get the heat still, with brown sugar/molasses in back. The sweet lingers, bitter wood in the middle. I'm thinking Cask Strength Irish - likely Redbreast.

With water, the nose is still sweet, but I also get some spearmint now. The taste, sweeter, honey, molasses, woody, malty. The orange has seemed to go away. The finish is malt and wood. Overall, I'm enjoying this - I do think it's CS Irish, and I'll rate it 4.0/5.0

It was Irish - but not Cask Strength. Redbreast Lustau, 46% ABV, Matured in traditional bourbon and sherry casks for a period of 9-12 years, then finished for 1 additional year in first fill hand selected sherry butts that have been seasoned with the finest Oloroso sherry from the prestigious Bodegas Lustau. I rated this 4.0/5.0 during 24 Days of Whisk(e)y 2025, but then during the Irish Whiskey Shootout, I rated it 3.5/5.0 ... tonight I enjoyed it (: