2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 2

Saturday... Day 2 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y. Tonight I'm reviewing something I've had many times before, but have never actually reviewed... so tonights the night. Plain ol' Buffalo Trace, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45% ABV. Let's see how this shakes out.

On the nose, I get some citrus, reminds me of orange furniture polish. I also get some caramel, and a touch of spice. The taste is mostly brown sugar bourbon sweetness, along with some vanilla, oak and some spice as well. It drinks fairly easy, as you might expect at 45% ABV. The finish is decent, with oak and a touch of mint freshness as well, it does hang around for a bit too.

With water, on the nose I get more spice, the taste is more sweet and easier to drink, and the finish seems to have more wood. This is similar either way, I probably prefer it neat. Overall it's what you would expect and at $25 a bottle or so it does fall into the daily drinker. My main complaint is that it's simple enough you might end up drinking more of this than something more interesting. I give this a 3.0/5.0 

2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 1

December! The weather is sure feeling more like winter in in the PDX area... rainy, chilly... exactly as expected. We are starting 24 days of Whisk(e)y 2023 with this one - we're starting things off with Blackened, Blend of Straight Whiskeys Finished in Black Brandy Casks, coming in at 45% ABV. This is listed as a blend of bourbons and ryes - so it falls into the "American Whiskey" category.

On the nose, this one reminds me of simple syrup, and some spearmint or similar. The taste I get the same neutral sweetness, some baking spice, and the mint shows up as well. The finish is better than I was expecting it to be - with mint freshness and a clingy feeling that sticks around for some time.

Adding some water, the nose is a bit more open - the taste is a bit more mellow and the finish is similar. I could drink this one either way, and this would likely be nice over ice as well. Overall, I give this a pretty good. It's not great, but there are no real faults for me, and it did have some interesting things going on. I give it a 3.5/5.0 - cheers!

Whisk(e)y Wednesday - 2032-10-04

Let's see if I can make this a habit (: Tonight, I'm drinking Old Overholt 114 Proof, Straight Rye Whiskey, Aged 4 Years, and at 57% ABV, costing $32.95 here in Oregon... so budget-ish.

This bottle was hanging on, so I figured it was time to finish it. On the nose, there is cinnamon, rye spice, some fresh bread notes - going back to it I find a touch of dill too. The taste is similar - lots of cinnamon, some oak, rye spice and a bit of proof punch, but surprisingly easy to drink. The finish has a touch of mint, cinnamon heat with some tingle, wood in the back. Considering the price, the finish is the biggest surprise, it doesn't let you down. 

Adding water tames the nose a bit, and the taste is more sweet with some cherry syrup coming in. I probably prefer this one neat, but I bet this would do fine over ice or in a cocktail. Overall, I give this one a 3.5/5.0 - it's good, and it's really good considering the price. This bottle is empty, but I think I'll pick up another one at some time. Cheers!

Whisk(e)y Wednesday - 2023-09-27 (I'm back!)

Hello! Well, it's time to start getting back in 'whiskey' shape for the upcoming 24 Days of Whisk(e)y... tonight, I'm drinking Maker's Mark No. 46 - Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky (no e?). This one was finished with ten virgin French oak staves, coming in at 55.05% ABV, batch 23-02.

Time to give this a try. On the nose - there is a lot going on, there is some citrus, along with a candy cherry note. I get some milk chocolate and/or toffee, and some peppery spice. It's quite nice and isn't overpowering. 

On the taste - the peppery spice comes through first for me, along with the chocolate cherry and a bit of grass in there too. The finish is similar with the candy cherry / chocolate up front, peppery spice in the back. The finish lingers for quite some time and you do get some wood bite eventually. 

With a dash of water, the nose is more sweet and herbal, while the taste is a bit more sweet and with more chocolate - the finish gets a bit more wood... it might be better with a dash of water to be honest. Overall this is quite good - what you would expect from a large distillery releasing a cask strength bottle around $65 or so. I give this a 3.75/5.0 ... the bottle disappeared a lot quicker than expected. Cheers!!!

2022 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 24

Day 24... end of the road. And today... Ardbeg!!! We're having the 2022 Ardbeg special release - Ardcore. This is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky coming in at 46% ABV. The last two Ardbeg special releases were not very special in my opinion, let's see how this one is.

The nose on this is amazing. Sweet BBQ Meat, peat, smoke, some brine, some black petter. I sat with this for at least 10 minutes just smelling it. Fantastic. The taste is a bit of a let down, but really - it would have been hard to match the nose. I get pepper, sweet and meaty, some smoke and earthy peat. The taste is a bit thin compared to the nose... I get a hint of vanilla too. The finish is effervescence along with some heat that lingers a long time. It's a bit weak at first, but I do get some earthy peat, a little bit of pepper and some brine.

With water, it's sweeter on the nose, some mint in the back too. The taste is similar while the finish is more spicy - this is good with or without water. The nose on this fantastic - but the taste and finish is a step back. Overall it's very good. Rated 4.25/5.0 - cheers!!!

2022 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 23

Day 23 ... almost there (: Tonight, we're drinking West Cork Limited Release, blended Irish, Barrel Proof - NAS (but stated as at least 3 years old). 62% ABV! Not many Irish Whiskeys are high proof ... so I'm interested on how this will turn out. 

On the nose, I get vanilla, bread/cookie, malt, apple juice and honey. The taste, I get sweet, malty, some herb, apple and vanilla... with a heat that builds from the proof. The finish is some good heat from the proof, fruity, malty... lingers for a long time. 

With water, the nose is a little more subtile, more apple, more malty. On the tast, it's still hot, but it is tamed down a bit. The finish is still malty and vanilla. Overall... I like this quite a bit. Boozy, malty... quite tasty. I give it a 3.75/5.0... cheers!

2022 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 22

Thursday! And I'm off until Wednesday ... so, Whiskey Time! Day 22... nearing the end. Tonight I'm trying out the Remus Repeal Reserve Series VI, 2022 Release at 50% ABV. This is an annual release of several Ross & Squibb (formally MGP) sourced bourbons, a blend of 8 - 14 Year bourbon. I've had a few of the past releases and they've always been very good. How will this one be?

On the nose, this one is pretty mild. I do get some floral notes, some mint, and occasionally sweet brown sugar, and maybe some vanilla. The taste... initially I found it oddly sour. Maybe it's wood, but I'm not actually certain. Not a strong sour, just a bit off sour? Can't quite place it. Going back I do get some sweetness, and a bit of rye like spice. The finish, I get the wood, some heat, but some of the sour carries through. Still not sure how to exactly describe it.

With water, I seem to get more rye like spice on the nose, taste and finish. Some vanilla on the taste, and a sweeter finish. Seems to be a bit better with water for me, but still not something I like too much. This bottle runs about $100, and it can be hard to find, at least around here. Considering how good I liked past releases (Series II I rated 3.5, Series IV I rated 3.75, and I'm pretty sure if I had rated Series V I would have placed it at 4.0 as it was really good) I admit I'm disappointed. I split this bottle with a friend, so there isn't much left, but enough to go back to it on another night to see if I enjoy it more. Rated 3.0/5.0