2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 14

Day 14 ... things are clicking along. Tonight, I'm trying Lagavulin Offerman Edition, 11 Year Charred Oak Cask Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 46% ABV. This is the 3rd Offerman Edition - last year's Guinness Cask finished was all right overall, let's see how this one is.

On the nose, I get sweet bbq meat, peat, some smoke, and a touch of iodine or brine. The taste I get some charred wood, meaty sweetness, sweet peat, along with a salty brine characteristic. The finish I get wood, sweet peat, some tingle, and warmth in the back. The finish hangs around for quite some time.

Adding a bit of water makes the nose more alive with more brine. Taste is more mellow and sweet, and the finish is a bit more tame. I probably like this one better neat, but it's pretty good either way, and it's worth trying it as it did change. This one is very good, it reminds me of an Ardbeg scotch in many ways. Rated 4.25/5.0 

2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 13

Hump ... DAY! ! ! Whisk(e)y Wednesday... bringing out a hard hitter - Jack Daniel's Single Barrel, Barrel Proof Tennessee Whiskey, 63.4% ABV, bottled on 2022-09-21. Let's see how this one is.

On the nose, this one is hot - takes a bit to get used to. But then I get maple syrup, toffee, vanilla, cinnamon red hots, and a touch of mint. The taste - that cinnamon comes in with a punch, maple, pepper, wood and a ripe banana. The finish clings, hangs around for some time - with wood and sweetness. It is a bit surprising how quickly you can adjust to the proof - after a few sips, this is much more enjoyable and balanced. You can forget the proof after a bit. 

Adding a dash of water, the nose is more sweet, the taste is a bit less hot, but somewhat oddly the finish has more cinnamon. Overall, this one is really good. Best so far - it is better than the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, but only a bit. I rate this 3.75/5.0 (the same as the ECBP)... doesn't quite cross the threshold of 4.0 land.

2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 12

All righty, day 12. Tonight, Knappogue Castle 14 Year Old Twin Wood Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 46% ABV. I've been wanting to try this one, so tonights the night (:

On the nose, I get the malt along with green apple and a sweetness. The apple carries over to the taste, along with some peppery spice and the malt. The finish I get a cereal like syrup, with some wood on the back.

Adding water, there is a touch of pepper on the nose now, it's more smooth on both the taste and finish. This one is a solid Irish Whiskey costing about $55 or so. I'd buy it again, rated 3.5/5.0, cheers!

2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 11

Happy Monday! I was able to get out for an urban hike today ... wearing shorts. Was a bit chilly at the start, but nice in the afternoon. What better way to relax in the evening but to have a tasty Compass Box Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, trying out the Orchard House, 46% ABV.

On the nose, this one reminds me of Juicy Fruit gum along with apples, orange peel, malt and some fudge chocolate in the back. The taste I get malt, white grapes and syrup. The finish is malty and fruit zest. The nose is really good, but the taste is growing on me.

With water, the nose is more floral and I'm getting some syrup now too. Still fruity and a bit more mellow on the taste. The finish is more subtile with water. I could drink this either way. I like this one quite a bit, and when I ordered it - I accidentally ordered two bottles. I'm now glad that I did (: Rated 3.75/5.0 ... one of the best so far.

2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 10

Sunday ... started off as a typical Portland winter rainy day... but then it cleared out a bit. Monday is looking reasonably good too - freaky! Tonight, we are having Dorado from Whiskey Del Bac, a mesquite smoked American Single Malt - batch D'21-8, 45% ABV.

On the nose, the first thing I get is the alcohol, This isn't overly high proof, but it does seem to dominate initially. I get some burnt sugar, malt, and a touch of chocolate as well. The taste I get a campfire smoke dominating, but on smaller sips I do get the malty and a hint of sweet chocolate as well. The finish is malt, ash and a touch of barrel funk at the very end that does seem to linger.

With water, the nose is similar, I get more malt on the taste and the finish is about the same. This does seem to open up some in the glass over time, and it got better the longer it sat. I was hopeful this would be better, I thought it might be similar to the Peated Balcones Single Malt that I really enjoy, but this was a bit of a letdown. Even so, it's pretty good, and it presents as a peated Scotch Whisky, which I'm guessing the makers would be happy to hear. Rated 3.5/5.0

2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 9

Enjoying the weekend, the decent weather we had yesterday has turned to rain, rain ... and more rain. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little better. Drinking Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey tonight, 55% ABV, stated as at least 6 years old on the label. 

On the nose, this isn't as rye as I was expecting, but at least according to the internets it's a barely legal rye (51% rye), so that could be the reason for the bourbon-ish nose. I get brown sugar, some citrus, and I do get quite a bit alcohol burn too trying to find other things. The taste is peppery, hot spice - maybe from the alcohol, but I don't think so. I do also get some citrus and brown sugar too. The finish is more citrus and hot peppers that lingers.

I thought maybe water would open things up, but at least for me it didn't seem to. More or less the same with water, maybe a bit more wood on the finish. Overall, this one falls into the all right category - nothing wrong with it, nothing great about it, and it's not overly interesting. I'll rate it a 3.25/5.0, cheers!

2023 24 Days of Whisk(e)y - Day 8

Day 8 of 24 Days of Whisk(e)y ... happy Friday! Tonight we're drinking Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Whiskey, Batch A123, 62.8% ABV, age stated at 12 Year. Elijah Craig releases 3 Barrel Proof batches each year, and Batch A123 looks to be the last one with a 12 Year age statement - but the newer batches still say how old they are.

On the nose, I get a touch of mint, marshmallow, brown sugar, vanilla... the proof is there so you need to go easy. The taste is similar; vanilla, caramel, some wood, a rich cherry or maybe a berry of some sort. The finish is cinnamon and chili spice, berry, wood and it does linger for some time. Smaller sips make the spice a bit easier to take, but overall this does drink hot. 

With water, the nose is more alcohol hot at first, but over time it does tame down. The mint is more present on the nose. Taste has more wood, maybe cinnamon and pepper too. The finish has more wood. Letting this sit for a while, this does seem to get better and more balanced. It's certainly one to sip slowly over time to enjoy. Overall, this is really quite good. This one runs $75 in Oregon, so it's starting to get up there a bit in price and there are certainly better values out there. This is one of the better bourbons I've had, and I'll rate it 3.75/5.0.