OK - at it again, tonight I am drinking the four Bourbons from the 2024 24 Days of Whisk(e)y in a blind flight. We'll see what I think this time...
I poured 1oz samples into each of the glasses that have been labeled on the bottom and mixed them up. I then nosed and tasted each one, came up with my favorite two, tasted those again side by side, and decided on the best of the bunch and rated each one again as well.
Glass 1) On the nose, I get some peanut, cinnamon, brown sugar, molasses and a touch of dusty along with some dill. On the taste - this is the first drink of the day, and it initially came across hot - red hot cinnamon hot. With a few more sips, it does tame down a bit, and I get some brown sugar, a touch of lemon, a touch of wood, and the dusty note again. The finish is cinnamon, a touch of spice, brown sugar, some tingle near the end, and a bit of dill way in the back. Overall this is solid - I put it on par with my go to budget Wild Turkey 101 - so I'll rate it a 3.25/5.0
Glass 2) On the nose, I get some floral, honey, brown sugar and some spearmint. The taste is brown sugar, hot cinnamon and mint. The mint carries over to the finish, along with some spice, a touch of wood as well. The finish hangs around for some time and builds. The more I drink this, the more I like it - leaning towards 3.5/5.0 for this one.
Glass 3) The nose I find bubble gum, cherry cough drop, light molasses. The taste is a bit flat, but the cherry cough drop does come through. The finish is not very strong, but it does linger. The cherry sweetness is the biggest note, but I do get a little wood/oak in the back as well. This one just isn't hitting for me tonight, and I'll give it a 3.0/5.0
Glass 4) The nose I get cherry, brown sugar, touch of menthol and maybe some tobacco - though that could just be the menthol suggesting tobacco to me. The taste is a bit watery, some baking spice, cinnamon heat that builds over time. The finish I get a cherry menthol cough drop note, come wood, some cinnamon heat. It's all right overall. Initially I liked this the best, but the more I went back to it, the more I found it lacking, giving it a 3.25/5.0
Glass 3 was the Tin Cup 14 Year. It just didn't do well head to head with higher proof offerings - at least in a quick shoot out format. I enjoyed it more a few months ago, but tonight it just fell flat. Original rating was 3.5, tonight it was a 3.0. Glass 4 was the Cooper's Craft. It wasn't bad, but there was nothing unusual about it. Standard bourbon. Rated 3.00 originally, 3.25 tonight.
Which left glass 1 and 2. Glass 1 was the Baker's 7 Year, 107 Proof. This was solid and tasty, but glass 2 was a touch better, which was the Maker's Mark Cask Strength, 55% ABV. Tonight it was the most interesting. Originally I gave the Baker's a 3.75 rating, tonight I gave it a 3.25. And the Maker's received a 3.50 rating both nights.
Next week, we have 4 Rye Whiskies head to head... we'll see which one I enjoy the most, cheers!
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