Whisk(e)y Wednesday - 2020-12-30

Almost the New Years - Hump Day!!! and... Whiskey Wednesday. Today I'm doing a budget bourbon shootout - doing a blind tasting of Eagle Rare, Evan Williams Single Barrel, and Wild Turkey 101. I don't usually do blind tastings - normally I know what I'm trying, I have looked at reviews for some ideas of what to expect on the nose/palate - so today... it's going to be interesting.

I labelled the glasses on the bottom, and then after pouring I randomized the order (which is easier to do the older I get...) until I felt confident I had no idea which glass was where. 

Glass #1. On the nose I got sweet, flowery, vanilla, and some brown sugar. The taste I found a touch of spice, some burnt brown sugar, and a bit of mint. The finish was charred sugar and a bit of metallic shiny notes. With water the sweetness pops on the nose, more brown sugar, with burnt sugar and some oak on the taste. Rated 3.25 / 5.0 - seemed a little better with water.

Glass #2. On the nose my first thought is mustard, which is odd as it's not a note I think I've came across before... some grass and dill pickle as well. The taste is neutral - I kept going back trying to find something, but it just wasn't there. The finish is minty with some oak notes. With water it's a bit more traditional on the nose - I've lost the mustard and dill. More metallic on the finish and a bit sour on the taste. Rated 3.0 / 5.0 - I found it better neat.

Glass #3. On the nose, I found this floral, touch of cinnamon, and some licorice. The taste is spicy with a bit of metallic. The finish I am finding licorice and a minty finish. With water, I get more floral on the nose, more licorice and wood oak on the finish, along with a spicy taste. Rated 3.25 / 5.0. I could drink this either straight or with a dash of water.

#1 was Wild Turkey 101, 50.5% ABV, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. I grew up thinking Wild Turkey was rotgut... but apparently not the case, as this edged out #3 for me as the best of the three. No age statement - which I think would be aged at least 3 years as this is a 'straight bourbon', though online I see comments that state it's 6 years old, so I'm not sure.

#2 was Evan Williams Single Barrel, 43.3% ABV, aged about 8 years (put in oak 2012, bottled 2020). This came in last place for me, but was still pretty good overall. I recall really liking this in the past, so maybe the current batch isn't as good as the old batches. 

#3 was Eagle Rare, Aged 10 Years, 45% ABV. It can sometimes be hard to find, but at around $30 it's certainly worth the price. While in the A/B comparison I felt the Wild Turkey was slightly better - they are really close.

This was a fun experiment - I'll need to do more blind tastings ... cheers!

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 24

Day 24 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y... end of the line, pretty good selection this year - maybe I'll compare my average review to past years (: Tonight we have The Glenlivet Enigma, released in 2019, no age statement, cask strength at 60.6% ABV. The whole idea of this one is there isn't very much information on it. I figured Glenlivet wouldn't release crap - so I jumped in. This cost a bit north of $100 - is it worth it?

On the nose I get citrus fruit, sweet apple, floral notes that are expected, and butterscotch in the background. The taste is sweet, fruity, some marshmallow, but it certainly has some proof burn as well. The finish I get cinnamon and dessert sweetness. Some water tames the alcohol burn a bit, and I find more cinnamon on the taste and finish.

This is interesting. I would be interested in doing a blind taste test of this as I don't know if I'm reaching to find something in this knowing the price. It's good - but I don't currently have much to compare it to. Maybe the Glenlivet Nadurra Peated I had earlier. I wouldn't drink this daily, but I would pull it out for a friend who likes cask strength Speyside Scotch Whisky. Rated 3.75 / 5.0 - going to have to give this another taste and do some A/B comparisons another time (:

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 23

Nearing the end of the road, Day 23 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - tonight we have The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky, The Week of Peat, Aged 14 Years, 48.3% ABV, Story #2. I had Story #1 a few years back and enjoyed it, and in general Balvenie puts out good stuff, so I figured this was worth checking out.

On the nose, I get heavy peat and smoke up front, but not punchy. Butterscotch, citrus zest, malt and hints of apple as well. The taste is citrus, some sweet, and I get some licorice as well, but the peat/smoke is missing. The finish is more citrus and a mint tingle that hangs around.

My thoughts on initial nose and taste was this was comparable to Lagavulin 16. Doing an A/B compare - The Lagavulin is sweeter on the nose, but more ashy and smoky on the taste. Same ball park overall, but I prefer the Lagavulin 16. I could see keeping this around for people that like scotch but don't generally like Islay and want to drift into a bit of peat smoke. Rated 3.75 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 22

Day 22 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y, tonight I had Yellow Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Aged 12 Years, 46% ABV, coming from Mitchell & Son. This goes for about $100 - so that's getting up there for an Irish Whiskey - I've had this before, but was looking forward to having it again.

On the nose I find vanilla, peach, and some cherry. I taste sweet fruit, some oak, and nuts. The finish is sweet, fruity, touch of oak that lingers. With water I find more oak in the taste and some honey. The nose is about the same for me - I probably prefer this neat.

Overall this compares well with another Irish Whiskey I really like, Redbreast 15. I would probably lean towards the Redbreast - but it's very close, and the two are different enough both can find a spot on the shelf. Rated 4.0 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 21

Made it though another Monday... and since I have the week off - wasn't too hard to make it through the day (: Day 21 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y ... Adbeg Corryvreckan, Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, No Age Statement, 57.1% ABV. I'm curious how this compares to yesterday's Ardbeg Uigeadail.

On the nose, a lot going on and I have to keep going in. Pine, pepper, light smoke, charcoal grilled meat, baking spice (cloves maybe?), some vanilla, and leather. The taste I find peppercorn, fruit, smoke, medicinal, some sweetness. On the finish I get some brine, medicinal, spice, smoked pepper steak. Really amazing and I could sit with this one all night. With water I get a hint of floral on the nose and smoke - it seems to kick up the wood on the taste but tames everything else, I probably prefer this neat.

Really tasty. In the same wheelhouse as Uigeadail, but a bit more peppery, smokey, peaty, and medicinal. I can't say either is better than the other - it would probably depend on my mood, but both are worthy permanent fixtures on the liquor shelf. Rated 4.5 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 20

Sunday-Funday ... Day 20 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y. Today, Ardbeg Uigeadail, Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, No Age Statement, 54.2% ABV. I've had this a few times before, but have been looking forward to having it again. 

On the nose, there's floral, pine, some tar in the background, and smokey meat. Taste I find smoke, port, hints of sweet, and citrus. The finish is zesty, smokey, spicy, and just lingers. Adding water, the taste is milder and more sweet, but the finish seems more present. Might get a bit more meat on the nose too. I probably prefer this neat.

This usually sells in the $70s, so while not cheap, not overly expensive either. It's really well balanced, and if you like Ardbeg, this one cranks everything up. I'd rank this up there with any of my favorite Islay Scotch Whiskies - 4.5 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 19

A nice rainy Saturday here in the PNW ... already getting dark out, the joys of December (: First day of my 9 day staycation... so there is that! Today I'm trying Crown Royal Noble Collection Blended Canadian Whisky, 16 Year Rye, coming in at 45% ABV. I have a soft spot in my heart for Crown Royal as it was my go to drink of choice for many years. I've not had the standard Crown for some time, but I thought the standard Crown Royal Rye was all right, so I figured I'd give this a try to see what 16 years might do.

On the nose I get mint, dill, berries and caramel, pretty nice overall. The taste I get the mint, fruit, some dill and the expected Crown smoothness. The finish I get pepper, mint, a hint of wood and maybe some char. Adding some water seems to bring out more mint on the nose, I get a touch more wood on the taste, and it seems more bitter on the finish, I probably prefer this neat.

While this is certainly rye - it's different enough from others I've had lately that I'm glad I tried it. Pretty good overall, was a bit worried it might be too dull and "smooth", but it has some good flavor going. At about $70 a bottle I probably would buy something else or at least try something new before buying this again. Rated 3.5 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 18

Day 18, tonight I'm drinking Oban 14 Year, West Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 43% ABV. It has been quite a while since I've had this one, and I recall liking this quite a bit, so was looking forward to this - is it as good as I recall?

On the nose - fruity, caramel, light peat, sea salt, mint freshness. On the taste I found citrus, vanilla, and some ash. The finish I got light peat with some oak. Adding water seems to pull some spice and more salt on the nose, bit of malt on the taste, more oak on the finish. I think I prefer this neat. 

Good middle of the road Single Malt - just a hint of smoke an peat but not too much to turn non-Islay drinkers off. I probably would prefer it at a higher proof. Rated 3.5 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 17

Day 17 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - tonight I'm having High West Whiskey Rendezvous Rye, batch 19A29, blend of straight rye whiskeys, 46% ABV. I bought this back in June, had a few pours, then needed to hide it away so I wouldn't drink it all before getting a chance to review it. 

On the nose, I find rye, spice, toffee and a bit of sour funk in the background. The taste is spice, pepper and brown sugar. I get some herbal notes on the finish, with pepper lingering. A bit of water seems to boost the spice, I think it's better neat. 

This isn't as good as the Willett 4 Year Family Estate Rye I sampled a while back, but it's close, and this is a lot easier to find. This could be a fixture on my shelf for some time. Rated 3.75 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 16

Day 16 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y. So I had this last night, but got sidetracked and didn't get the review posted. It happens (: Compass Box The Peat Monster, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, 46% ABV. I've really enjoyed the Compass Box blends I've had and I've been looking forward to this...

On the nose, I get smoke, peat, phenols ... everything I like in an Islay, and what one would expect out of a scotch with a name of "The Peat Monster". The taste is peat smoke, phenols and some spice. The finish has ash, iodine... long and pleasant. Adding water, I get some sweet notes on the nose, a bit more bitter on the taste.

I compared this to Ardbeg 10 and An Oa. This is better than both of those. Better balanced, more interesting. I really like this, and will likely get another bottle when this one is gone. Rated 4.0 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 15

Day 15 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y. Today I'm trying The Glenlivet Nàdurra Single Malt Scotch, Peated Cask Finish, coming in at 61.5% ABV, batch PW0715, bottled 07/15. This has been in the bottle for 5 years before opening, and the cork is starting to go some - will need to find a replacement. A number of years ago, I had The Glenlivet Nàdurra 16 Year cask strength and thought it was pretty good, though strong. Back then I wasn't really drinking much scotch though. I saw this on clearance, so I figured I'd pick up a bottle and give it a try. 

On the nose, the alcohol is hard to ignore, but I do find fruit, sweet vanilla, a light hint of smoke, and I find some tobacco too. With the taste I find fruit, chocolate, vanilla and a hint of smoke. The finish gives me tobacco, smoke, wood and the punch from alcohol. Adding water I found more wood and ash on the nose, seems to bring more sweetness and maybe black licorice on the taste. Interesting both ways. 

At 61.5% this is one of the higher proof Scotch Whisky I have tried. It's not boring, has some interesting things going on. The peated cask finish leads to just a hint of smoke for me, would have liked to have seen a bit more there. Might have been better aged longer - No Age Statement so age is unknown. Doubt I'd pay full price for it, and this bottle will likely last me a while as this isn't something I would drink often - but I do like it. Rated 3.75 / 5.0 

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 14

For Day 14 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y we have Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, Triple Distilled from Mitchell & Son, coming in at 40% ABV. I had this several years ago, and at the time I wasn't too impressed, but I thought I would give it another try.

On the nose, I find apple freshness, and a hint of sherry. The taste I find spice and more apple, with some sherry notes as well. The apple hangs around on the finish, with a hint of coconut and some spices. Adding water, I find more green apple on the nose, and the taste is a bit more spicy, I believe I prefer this neat.

Glad I gave this another try, as I enjoyed it much more than I remembered. I do not currently have a bottle of Redbreast 12 to compare this to, and neither the Redbreast 12 Cask Strength or the 15 Year would be a fair comparison, but I'd say from memory Green Spot is different enough from the Redbreast 12, but probably just as enjoyable. I would probably like this better at 46% ABV or so - but even at 40%, it's worth finding a bottle. Rated 3.75 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 13

Day 13 - Sunday evening, back to work tomorrow. Got some stuff done around the house, so now it's time to relax and give this one a try. Tyrconnell Double Distilled Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Aged 10 Years, Madeira Cask Finish, 46% ABV. 

On the nose, I find orange and citrus along with the sherry. The taste, I get citrus, candy sweet along with the sherry. For me the finish is fruity tart along with the sherry. Water doesn't change things too much. I gave this an A/B vs the NAS Tyrconnell I tried on Day 1, and I do like this one better. I probably need to give this another try sometime see if I can find anything different. Rated 3.25 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 12

Half way point - Day 12 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y. Today we have Johnnie Walker Green Label Blended Malt Scotch, Aged 15 Years, 43% ABV. This is a blend of single malts from Talisker, Linkwood, Cragganmore, and Coal Ila. I've been meaning to try this for some time, finally got around to picking up a bottle - let's see how it is.

On the nose, I get sweet fruit, something that reminds me of air freshener that I can't quite place, and a hint of smoke. On the taste, I'm finding peppery spice, some smoke, apple fruity, and a touch of candy sweetness. The finish gives me pepper that lingers, some oak, and a bit of ash. Water didn't change things very much, seemed to push the smoke to the back, and bring the fruit up some, probably not needed. 

Overall, this is a solid blend, but at around $60 a bottle, I was expecting more. I do think it's better than the JW Black, Double Black, or 18. Not a go to Whisky, but would be good to keep around as a gateway to smokey Scotch Whiskies. Rated 3.25 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 11

Friday! Day 11 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - today we're sampling Blanton's, "The Original" Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, dumped on 2020-06-04, Warehouse H, Barrel #108, Rick #5, Registered Bottle 209, 46.5% ABV. I couldn't find any sort of age statement - so not exactly sure how long it's been aged. This one can be hard to find and sometimes marked up to the point it wouldn't make sense to buy it - but I bought it in Oregon for about $60 - so I figured it was worth seeing if it earned the hype.

On the nose I get more alcohol than expected, but also vanilla and caramel. The taste I get sugar, caramel, some baking spices in the background. The finish is long lasting, with baking spices and a hint of oak. Water does tame down the alcohol a bit, but doesn't change things all too much. Generally I probably prefer it with a bit of water. This is pretty good overall, happy to have picked up a bottle, but I wouldn't pay over retail for it. Not overly sweet, well balanced - a bit more alcohol burn than I would have expected. Rated 3.5 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 10

Day 10! Today we have McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt, coming in at 42.5% ABV. Batch No W18-01, Bottled Aug 13, 2018, 3 Years old. This is an Oregon Whiskey that is trying to be a peat malted Scotch. Does it pull it off?

On the nose, I get more bourbon sweetness than scotch. In the background there is some smoke and peat. The taste is bright - pretty tasty overall, with smoke along with some fruity notes. The finish is longer than expected, with some earthy peat and spice, along with some wood and grass notes. Overall this is quite good. Rated 3.75 / 5.0 

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 9

Day 9! Big Peat Small Batch Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, 46% ABV, from Douglas Laing & Co. This is a blend of single malts from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore, and Port Ellen. I picked this up on clearance and have been holding off trying it until ... today!

On the nose there is a lot going on, I find coastal brine, phenols, citrus, toffee, smoke and some floral in the background. I keep going back and finding more. The taste has salt, spice, smoke and citrus zest - with the smoke and peat hanging around. The finish is dry, smoke and peat that lingers. With water, I find more smoke and ash on the nose. It seems to smooth things on taste, but I find a bit more ash, I prefer it neat.

This reminds me of Ardbeg 10 - enough that I had to get out the Ardbeg and A/B compare. The Big Peat does have more smoke and oomph. This is good, not great. If I stumble upon another bottle at a reasonable price I would likely buy it, but I won't search it out. Rated 3.5 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 8

Day 8 ... today we have another Balcones. Brimstone Whisky, 53% ABV. This is made from roasted blue corn, Texas scrub oak smoked, then pot distilled. Batch BRM20-1, "aged at least one day in oak". I've watched a few reviews of this, and it sounded interesting, and at around $50, I figured I could give it a try.

While I've not really been mentioning appearance / color because Scotch is often artificially colored - American spirits generally cannot be colored (not sure of the full rules). So while this claims "aged at least one day" ... my guess is it was in the barrel a bit longer than that.

On the nose I find BBQ meat, campfire, and a smokey popcorn ball. The taste I get smoked pepper, burnt oak, popcorn ball sweetness, all cranked up to 11. Nothing subtile here. The finish is BBQ smoke that lingers, along with pepper spice. Adding a bit of water seems to bring a bit more smoke on the nose, taste is slightly tamed, but the finish seems to have more punch. I could see drinking it either way, depending on my mood.

This has a lot going on, it reminds me of a hot salsa that is so hot you don't really enjoy it - but then you just keep going back to it over and over. I could sit all night and just nose the glass over and over. Rated 4.0 / 5.0 - BUT this is something I would need to be in the mood for.

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 7

Made it through another Monday - tonight I'm having a gift from my Brother from last Christmas, waiting patiently until today... Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whisky, 46% ABV, aged "at least" 6 months. Balcones is in Waco, TX - and the summer heat can age booze mighty fast. They make interesting Whisky, usually using corn. Baby Blue uses Roasted Blue Corn. How does it taste? Let's find out...

On the nose I get sweet candy, butter, and caramel. The taste I find pepper and caramel. The finish gives me some wood notes and leather. Adding water seems to open up the alcohol on the nose, more pepper on the taste. I probably prefer this neat. A bit too sweet overall for me, but would likely be good over ice or mixed, overall enjoyable. Rated 3.25 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 6

Sunday evening, relaxing for a bit, getting mentally prepared for the start of the work week, but for now, Day 6, Oban Little Bay Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, NAS, 43% ABV. I enjoy Oban 14 but haven't had it recently, and I thought I'd try its Little Brother.

I find sweet fruit, mint, and floral on the nose - really nice. The taste I find apple, mint, spices, and cinnamon. This finishes with mint freshness and spice tingle. Water kicks up the spice for me, overpowering the other notes, I prefer this neat. Quite enjoyable, well balanced, could sit and enjoy this one all night - 3.5 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 5

Day 5! Today we have Bowmore 12 Year Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 40% ABV. I bought this one near the start of the year then stashed it away for this year's 24 Days of Whisk(e)y. Today is the day to crack it open (:

On the nose, I'm getting quite a bit of citrus, some grass, with a touch of smoke in the background. I get quite a bit of the bright citrus on the taste, sea mist and an herbal spice of some sort. The finish is citrus and spice. I don't really get much smoke or peat on this, but I usually drink more peaty/smoky Islay Whiskies. At 40%, this probably doesn't need water, but adding water did seem to bring out a bit of smoke on the nose, and brought the spice to the front. With water I also get a slight earthy smoke on the finish. Easy drinking, not bad, but at this price point I would be buying other things. Rated 3.0 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 4

Ah, the weekend, and an Ardbeg Day! Things are looking pretty good (: Today we have Ardbeg Wee Beastie, Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 5 Year, coming in at 47.4% ABV. I've had this before, and I was looking forward to having it again... 

The nose has your typical Ardbeg smoke, along with vanilla, pepper and some sweet wood. The taste is smokey meat, some bitter chocolate and a touch of minty freshness. On the finish that minty freshness lingers. This is a bit rougher around the edges than Ardbeg 10 or An Oa, which are just slightly more than this one. The roughness actually works though - making this in some ways better than the 10 or An Oa, but it would't be my go to choice every night.

Water opens up the nose a bit - I find more dark smoke and the minty freshness. Smooths out the taste a little and I find some brine on the finish. I probably prefer this with a little water. Rated 3.75 / 5.0 ... which is what I rated both Ardbeg 10 and An Oa, I can't say it's better or worse. Cheers!

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 3

Today we have Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Warehouse VW, Barrel No. 4-1I, coming in at 50% ABV. Pretty sure I have not had this one before - let's see how it is...

On the nose, I find brown sugar and caramel with some sweet fruit. With the taste I find oak all day, not as sweet as the nose, and I'm getting some spice I can't quite place. This finishes with the oak that lingers along with some spice that reminds me a little bit of rye. Adding water seems to open things up - still a lot of oak, but I get more of the sweet notes in the background. I probably prefer this with a little water.

Overall this is quite enjoyable - but given the reputation I was expecting a bit more. Rated 3.0 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 2

Hump Day! Today we have Basil Hayden's Dark Rye, 40% ABV. I had this a few years back and remember enjoying it, figured I'd try it again. This is a Kentucky Straight Rye, blended with Canadian Rye and Port. The Port is certainly noticeable on the color and does make this different than most ryes I've tried.

On the nose I find sweet fruit, wood and maybe some caramel. The taste I find caramel, fruit, oak and some spice. This has a dry finish, possibly from the Port, with a hint of spice and oak that lingers. With water I get more of the oak finish, but it doesn't change much. Not much rye on this one, it's a bit different and I probably do not like it as much as I had recalled. It can be found for under $40 usually, so for that price point it's all right, and it is fairly unique. Rated 2.75 / 5.0

2020 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 1

Here we go! Day 1- I've been buying these bottles throughout the year, and have been looking forward to reviewing some of these. First up Tyrconnell Single Malt Double Distilled Irish Whiskey, coming in at 43% ABV with no age statement. It can be found for under $40 around here in Oregon, so while not expensive, it's not really budget either.

On the nose, I'm finding citrus, floral, some sweet notes as well. The taste is a bit different than expected, finding quite a bit of citrus, some honey and oak. The finish lingers with the citrus and I do get some heat from either some spice or the alcohol, along with an oak wood trailing off. With water, I find it a bit more sweet and a bit less sharp, I probably like it a bit better. Overall, for me this is not a typical Irish Whiskey, at least not compared to other ones I am familiar with. Not necessarily bad - but different. I might have to revisit this one and A/B compare with other Irish Whiskeys. Rated 3.0 / 5.0 ... cheers!