I lived in this realm for quite some time, not actively seeking anything beyond what was comfortable, malted barley, this was likely the best way to enter the rye category, after being hot and heavy with bourbon What I knew was I liked rye, and, at the time, I didn’t run across this bottle in the wild very often This bottle taught me what my palate was capable of, what it really enjoyed, and how it differed from It woke me up from my comfort zone of predictable bourbon and barely legal rye and pushed me into the

Blanton's Black Edition is a Japan export version of the traditional single barrel bourbon from Buffalo Company on Label: Blanton Distilling Company Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 (Higher Rye 12-15%) Proof: 80° Age: 8 years Further identification: This single barrel bourbon

I happened to see what Drew was sharing with his wonderful wife this past Valentine's day. Company on Label: Four Roses Distillery Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: A marriage of Four Oddly, this nostalgic memory serves perfectly to show just how comfortable this bourbon is on the senses It's reminiscent of some of the older stocks that were being sent over to Japan from a bygone era in bourbon

The extraordinary expression marries Gold Spot’s established use of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, with here in the States, but pricing seemed to be all over the map, as if Pernod Ricard couldn't figure out what bottle format at an MSRP of about $285 Buy Gold Spot 13 Year Irish Whiskey Nose:  The nose leads with what Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the

ASM, or perhaps there are market signals suggesting it could be the next hot thing behind the great bourbon They also produce rye, bourbon, and a bou-rye whiskey blend. As neither of us would describe ourselves as single malt experts, both preferring bourbon and rye, I Caramel and milk chocolate show up at the end, reminding me this blend favors some of those classic bourbon This could very well serve as a solid gateway for bourbon drinkers to explore the American single malt

Iberian Series release from Redbreast that first released in late 2021; it is initially matured in both bourbon There's a dusty oak here that I definitely associate with a bourbon smell. From the perspective of someone who is coming back from a long bourbon and rye kick, it's quite impressive I really get a ton of the bourbon barrel influence here with caramel and vanilla really sitting pretty

and reinventing themselves, the Wild Turkey lineup has almost always consisted of just two staples: a bourbon The likes of Jimmy Russell would respond in his calm, Kentucky tone, "I told you, we make a bourbon and Bourbon has always been the focus of the Wild Turkey brand. The finish matches the duration that was adored on the Russell's 15 year bourbon : infinitely long. Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the

The top of the line; Redbreast 27 year is presented here under the Batch 3 bottling. I have just started to see Batch 4 coming around in MA, so hopefully I'll have a chance to give that a try too at some point. This bottle in particular was an amazing gift from my friend Eric - another stalwart example of how great the generous whiskey community can be. Many thanks to him for making this an easy choice to have open and share amongst friends in the Whiskey Study. The Redbreast lineup consists of quite a few exceptional bottlings: they have the 12 year, Lustau, PX Sherry, Kentucky Oak, 12 year cask strength, 15 year, 21 year and this 27 year. There also was an obscure 19 year release that had a very limited run. I have sampled all of these listed except for the 19 year and they do range in quality from release to release. Without fail though, a Redbreast release has always dominated my yearly Irish whiskey bracket. While I am clearly a fan of the 12 year and PX edition releases, not every release has been a hit. So you might be wondering... Is this thing worth 500 bucks? Let's find out. Company on Label: Pernod Ricard (Distilled at Midleton Distillery) Whiskey Type: Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Malted and Unmalted Barley Proof: 106.2° Age: 27 Years Further identification: This Batch 3 edition of Redbreast 27 year comes in a stunning wooden box with metal inlays and a magnetic wooden latch that keeps the nigh 500 dollar bottle comfortably contained within its bounds Nose: Upon lifting the glass to my nose I find a thick wave of crème brûlée. Deep vanilla bean sweetness carries much more heft than your typical 80-90 proof Irish whiskey. Nougat, anise, leather and black treacle ooze rich barrel influence across the senses. The hallmark sugar cookie note is distinct yet missing its typical oily backbone. Rich oak and syrupy bakery sweets emanate elegance and comfort. Frosted vanilla cupcake aromas breath softly. Let's jump into a sip, where this glass usually shines. Coming back after a few sips I find that the glass has settled into the backdrop of a quaint, old woodworking shop. I find myself set into the countryside of pine boughs and cranberry bogs in early Spring. Deep inhales continue to produce cool waves of infinitely sweet vanilla. Swirling the glass wakes up the darker, brooding, warm tones of dusty cigar box, dark grape, and the damp dinge of the forest floor. As the glass gets low more fruit come forward on the nose; I find mulberry, prune and blackberry predominantly. The empty glass smells of sangria, tea and smoky honey. Delicious. Palate: Right away you can tell this is going to be a full-volume pour. Punchy citrus tones accentuate a juicy array of red fruit on the first sip. The mouthfeel is thick, oily and viscous - a staple of a good Irish whiskey in my mind. Buttercream frosting, soft & chewy vanilla cookies, and creamy banana cheesecake with a hint of lemon produce a sumptuous linger. Another sip and swish confirms the tenacity of the spinning flavor wheel. Lemon pudding comes across lightly textured with a layer of granulated sugar. There's so much sweetness up front that it can be easy to overlook some of the nuanced layers hiding behind that first punch. Tart raspberry is tantamount to the fruit itself; it reveals itself in a near holy way where I could clearly envision the fruit shrouded in a bright light as the flavor bounced off my gustatory cortex. Lemon glazed scones produce an irresistible sweetness that keeps me coming back for more. As I exhale after a sip I find notes of freshly brewed coffee, black forest cake and chocolate covered raspberries rising up from the chest. Excellent layers come together cohesively on my last sip. I find macerated cherry, plum, creamy vanilla, and ground espresso bean settles perfectly in the middle of the tongue for a medium to long linger that maintains poise and volume well. Rating: 5/5 (Just wow. One of my favorites.) Overall this is an exceptional Irish whiskey bottled at its peak performance. This would make an excellent addition to any whiskey enthusiast's bar. I am despondent every time I finish a glass from this bottle as I know it's not an easy one to keep stocked. I've been thoroughly impressed by every tasting I have had from this so far (this is my fourth try) and tonight is no different than previously. When I first opened this one I actually did a head to head comparison to the 21 year, and on that night the 27 year blew the 21 out of the water. Since I have some extra time and it's a Saturday with no further plans, I'll add a small comparison to the 21 year here below. While the 21 year is quite a bit more oily, it's also distinctly more boozy despite being lower in proof. It lacks the fruity balance of the 27 year release, but does shine in a completely different way as notes of sweet cereal, smoke and earthiness flesh out a very different final product. I could certainly see folks being a bit divided between the two based on personal preferences. I definitely find myself gravitating towards the fruit and bakery sweets that the 27 year showed off. The 21 feels quite simple in comparison, but it does share that freshly brewed coffee quality across both releases. While there are things to love about both I definitely still agree with former me that the 27 year shines quite bright and is a perfect example of the high quality whiskey coming out of Redbreast these days. Cheers!

the barrel is tasting as of now - I've tasted it many times before, as that is how we are determining what The latest additions came from @barrettimbibes who sent along some Penelope Bourbon and Still Austin Whiskey Type: Four Grain Bourbon Blend Mash Bill Percentages: 72.18% Corn, 3.25% Wheat, 13.10% Rye, and sweetness and the cherry hots profiles clash and almost negate each other - which is a definite hallmark of what

They've certainly shown up for Cedar Ridge through the years, keeping their home state Cedar Ridge bourbon as the number-one-selling bourbon bottle in the state of Iowa since 2020. Further identification:   First aged in Cedar Ridge ex-bourbon A few swirls release a beautiful barrel funk that reminds me of a distant memory of what dusty old single WRITTEN BY: JES SMYTH W ith what started as a genuine curiosity for the “water of life,” fiction writer

One could easily mistake this for a bourbon at first glance. I would love to blind this against a good 6-8 year 95/5 rye from MGP or Bardstown Bourbon Co. It's approachable & just fine for what it is.

As with all my full whiskey reviews, I've tasted this three times —a bit of a testament to what's really available in 2024 at an MSRP of $129.99 Nose:  Old-school barrel funk leads the way, something that classic bourbon in the nose and a touch icy—like stepping out into frigid winter air after a long swim in a steamy heated Beginning in Irish whiskey before expanding into bourbon, rye, and beyond, he has long been taking the