It's been a little while since I've done a review; I had a brief stint with a little cold and wasn't up to it. I am just getting over it and wanted to do this tasting flight as a sort of 'recalibration' of my nose and palate. Let's see if I'm ready to get back after it! Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled in Bond Company on Label: Heaven Hill Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 100° Age: 7 years Further identification: Purchased early 2021, this was the last pour of this bottle Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 101° Age: NAS (~8-9 years) Further identification: Bottled 07/06/20 from barrel no 1516, stored in Warehouse A on Rick no 40 Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Settlers Select Rye Company on Label: Wilderness Trail Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 33% Corn, 56% Rye, 11% Malted Barley Proof: 106° Age: 4 years Further identification: Barrel No. 16B21U, Bottle 179 of 250; NCF stated Eagle Rare Single Barrel Store Pick Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 90° Age: 10 years Further identification: This is a store pick from Muckey's Liquors in Lakeville Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled in Bond Blue Fish Glencairn Nose: Salted caramel Malt and vanilla Floral perfume Sesame seed Toasted grains Weathered oak Palate: Malty and earthy forward Right off the bat this feels a little over oxidized Copper metallics Just really funky/off and nothing like what I remember about this bottle; I'm going to disqualify this pour from this tasting Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Red Antlers Glencairn Nose: Nutty Black pepper, high spice Vegetal, seasoned wood Funky, dry Dried earth; dirt Homemade peanut butter cookies (with fork-crossed texture on top) Palate: Peanut butter cookies on the palate transfers well Most improved over time in this glass Hints of licorice Allspice is not overpowering but definitely there Tannic red fruit trying to poke through but are stuck in the background Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Rye Green Peacock Glencairn Nose: Light, dusty allspice & cloves Refreshing, earthy tones Field of clover and grass Nutty funk Dried bark Mediterranean spices Dry, dark chocolate Palate: Woah, fresh fir boughs forward Mint and very lively, earthy, green plant forward Citrus zest is not overly punchy but more of a sizzle on the tongue Mouth coating is biased more rearwards and carries some intense rye spice Mint and lemon tea Very botanical tonight; would possibly pair up well with a gin Eagle Rare Single Barrel Store Pick Black Paw Glencairn Nose: Super cherry forward Syrupy, medicinal Smooth vanilla Plums, toffee and leather splashing over each other Dry pottery clay Dusty oak Candied plum; like a sweet pie filling Reminds me of just getting into bourbon; a classic profile Raisins late in the glass Palate: Thick, viscous, syrupy cherry forward much like the nose Long linger of sweetness that fades towards plum and a bit of tannic red wine Thin in intensity; shows to be a lower proof Citrus zest mouth coating on subsequent sips Great mouth coating and incredibly long linger of light & airy stewed fruits Slight medicinal quality Most consistently enjoyable profile Just the right amount of sweetness for me Final Ranking: Eagle Rare > Wilderness Trail > Kentucky Spirit Heaven Hill BiB was removed from this tasting as I really let that bottle over-oxidize unfortunately. Friendly reminder to kill your low bottles!

The Knob Creek 25th Anniversary Single Barrel release commemorated the 2017 milestone of 25 years of Knob Creek, a product that Booker Noe instated in 1992. Booker Noe's son, Fred celebrated the milestone with this release. When Dad introduced Knob Creek and the Small Batch Bourbon Collection 25 years ago, he created it with the flavor, care and craftsmanship that defined high-quality, full-flavored bourbon,” said Noe. “I am honored to keep this tradition alive every day, and am proud to celebrate 25 years with our fans by releasing a special product that features Dad’s preferred ‘uncut and unfiltered’ style, combined with my passion for single barrel bourbons. This sample review and photo are courtesy of the ever kind local whiskey guy John Deane. This kind soul also helped me out significantly with Booker’s boxes when I put the call out. Appreciate it! Let's find out how this single barrel offering came out! Your mileage may vary given this is a single barrel product. Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 121.2° Age: 12-13 years per their release statement, assumed 13 based on the barreled date Further identification: Barreled 5/13/2004 Nose: Mmm dusty; caramel, nutty oak and patches of citrus - I can tell I am going to like this profile already. Spices and leather up front followed by proofy vanilla. Light cloves nestled into the oak. The caramel is turning creamy now as some of the proof expires. Very oaky, but it's bright and well charred. Candied apples and molasses now. More vanilla as some touches of white pepper sneak in. The oak almost feels like it's halfway to smelling more like paper (I guess that makes sense)... The vanilla has now started to open up into a sugary marshmallow - a hallmark smell I love to get on a good pour. Trace notes of leather continue to flourish near the bottom. Palate: Syrupy cherry hots forward at the start! The mouth feel wisps around like a flame with some spice tingling from the middle of the tongue towards the front and then flashing away towards the back as the heat is extinguished. Fairly plain profile to this with your typical caramel and vanilla notes dominating without much intensity. The nose has been much more impressive so far. Now on a subsequent sip some flavors begin to build with some lemon peel, cloves, leather and slightly tannic oak. This pour feels unapologetically simple - and that's okay. Not every pour has to knock your socks off and slap you upside the head. Near the bottom of the glass things have leaned back towards a citrus profile similar to a Knob 12. My last sip is small, but enjoyable - creamy caramel is once again well offset by dark leather and a bit of spice. Rating: 3/5

Penelope has really popped into the scene recently (at least in New England) and I've been excited to try it for myself. When my cousin came over with a bottle of the barrel strength I knew we had to get into it right away. It has been part of a numerous flights and tastings I've put on since then and thought it was definitely time for a full review. The Penelope story, from their website: Penelope Bourbon was crafted and created in a classic American tradition – to celebrate an impending birth of a child. In 2018, Mike Paladini and his wife, Kerry, found out they were expecting a baby girl, Penelope. To commemorate this occasion, Mike quickly realized he wanted to create a spirit that embodied the daily joy of celebrating life’s pleasures – big and small. Teaming up with his close childhood friend and neighbor, Danny Polise, they set out to discover and produce a Straight Bourbon Whiskey everyone could appreciate and enjoy. A company was born. Today, Penelope Bourbon is sold in over 23 states nationwide and Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Proving that with enough love and care, and hardwork, anything is possible. Distillery: Penelope Bourbon is distilled at MGP's historic Lawrenceburg, Indiana distillery. The distillery was founded in 1847. Blending and Bottling: Nestled on 113 acres of rolling hills in a castle that holds more than a century of distilling history, Castle & Key blends and bottles Penelope Bourbon under the direction of Mike Paladini and Danny Polise. Cooperage: Since 1947, the family owned Speyside Cooperage has produced the finest casks from the best American Oak. Speyside assists Penelope Bourbon in sourcing unique oak casks for Penelope Bourbon finishes. Company on Label: Penelope Bourbon Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 74% Corn, 16% Wheat, 7% Rye, 3% Malted Barley Proof: 115.8° Age: 3 years (7 months) Further identification: This is Batch 6 of the barrel strength releases from Penelope, which sources from MGP Nose: Pepper, malt and some dark floral notes at the start. Dusty vanilla has a bit of paper characteristics. Creamy caramel. Rose hips. Smooth hibiscus. Really interesting nose to this. Stainless steel and chalky chocolate. Creamy marshmallow has developed now. The empty glass smells of honey, malty oak and nutmeg. Palate: Yum! A unique kind of caramel to this. I think the floral background changes it a little bit. The palate is rich and still malty with a bit of spice lingering. Subsequent sip is vanilla forward and the linger has grapefruit and molasses - a bit of a strange mixture. The overall feel of this pour is definitely caramel driven, with a plethora of undertones weaving throughout. Bits of cola mixed in now with some flashes of nuttiness as well. Back to floral honey and caramel now. Nice pour that I'm enjoying taking my sweet time with. The last sip is sweet in a homey candle kind of way. Rating: 4/5 What a unique pour! I loved all the floral characteristics of this. A great change of pace from your typical bourbons, Penelope does some fantastic stuff with this MGP whiskey!

I'm always excited for a new Booker's batch! I'm playing a little bit of catch up as I was away on a little hunting trip earlier this week. This review was actually live on my Instagram first. Let's get into this one. Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 125.5° Age: 6 years (5 months, 0 days) Further identification: 2021-03 Bardstown Batch comes bearing a dark pink rose label in a wooden box with a batch information card Nose: Dusty cherry and slightly nutty on the first nosing. Syrupy and punchy with pepper, plum and birch bark. Musty but in a light way like a mellow cigar. Post sip has good oaky vanilla to it. There are lovely hints of citrus through the heavy older oak. Slightly malty and meaty later in the glass now, that was a surprise change in this glass. Now we are back to a smooth vanilla texture. The empty glass smells of chocolate covered peanuts. Palate: Syrupy cherry, plum and prunes. Very nice fruit forward profile. It's definitely powerful at this proof point but not overly hot. After a few sips the black pepper comes back in strong. There's plenty of caramel notes but they are very faint and light in intensity. Flashes of cloves gives this a good level of complexity. The major vibe of this pour is dusty oak and syrupy cherry. There is a slight linger of faint peanut butter on deep exhales. Very approachable pour even at 125.5 proof; I really like this barrel proof sipper. Towards the end of the pour I start to experience a little bit of proof imbalance which is surprising. The last sip is very oaky with plum, vanilla and sharp pepper that all lingers long in a tingly mouth feel. Rating: 4/5 Another solid Booker's batch with this one! I love when these batches get fruit forward. I like this one much more than 2021-02, 2020-03 and 2020-02 of recent memory.

Knob Creek picks! Doesn't it feel like everyone's got one of these? Are they fairly consistent, or does a good barrel picker have a chance to find something exceptional? I'm taking my first foray (I know, how?) into Knob picks with this one from Kappy's. I love the bottle style, let's see how I like the whiskey inside! Company on Label: Knob Creek Distilling Company (Beam) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 120° Age: 9 years Further identification: Warehouse 1, Floor 3, Rick 036. Barreled 5/24/2011. Selected 11/18/2020. Single Barrel Selected by Kappy's Nose: Super powerful & punchy on first inhale - intense cherry and nuttiness. Caramel, vanilla bean and fresh ground black pepper. This noses a bit hot which is unsurprising for 120 proof. After 10 or so minutes of resting things are much more mellow, but still powerful. There's a bit of cranberry, fig and a deeply dusty textured oak. Slightly smoky, but in a light & silky kind of way. - as if a faint vanilla incense was burning a ways off. Walnut shells and salted pistachios make for a slightly dry base to the nose on this, but I like a nutty profile like this. Later in the glass the vanilla develops marvelously and brings with it a very silky nose-feel. Some light dryer sheet aromas now as the nutty base continues to dominate. The empty glass smells of honey, leather and caramel. Palate: Oh that's sweet. Cherry, raspberry and a hot flash of cinnamon are a lovely greeting to the palate. That reminded me a lot of a Stagg Jr Batch 14 opening sip. The mouth coating is viscous, sweet and manageably spicy. The linger is long even on a single sip. A subsequent sip reveals great layers of milk chocolate, allspice and more fruity cherry notes. Still very punchy, powerful and proofy. I wish it was a little more rich than dry given how intense and proofy this pour is, but it's a solid high test offering. It is starting to get some of the citrus characteristics I know and love from the 12 year offering, but it's not fully developed here yet. Nearing the bottom of the glass, the spice completely disappears and now it's all caramel and vanilla across my tongue. The rest of my mouth is not as coated as the fruit and spice flavors were giving me earlier. While I've gained one new thing here, I've lost another. I actually like pours that have some kind of evolution like this compared to something that tastes relatively close to the same all the way throughout. If you blinded me and told me this was a new Booker's batch I'd probably believe you! My last sip is a smooth cherry medley. Yum. Rating: 4/5 Good pick! As Fall creeps in - my proofs creep up. This one definitely scratches the high test itch for today.

It's been quite a while since the last Un-Gnome Whiskey review. This was a fun thing I started to keep myself honest & remove any label bias that might have started to creep into my reviews. @amongstthefernsco is once again helping me out on hiding what sample I have been given tonight. We will be switching it up a tiny bit for this one as I will have 10 options to guess from once I am completely done with my review and ranking. Part of the fun is trying to get the whiskey right too! Let's get into this one. Bottle information will be posted after the glass reveal at the end. Scroll slow if you don't want spoilers! Nose: Mmm stone fruit, coffee grounds and a touch of malt to start. There is a touch of ethanol burn on deep inhales, so maybe a little higher on the proof side. Chocolate, meaty, malty aromas are very heavy in this glass. Popcorn kernels are sitting in the middle of the glass with a bit of dry flakiness to it. Some fleeting caramel. Incredibly dusty oak aromas now, more-so than usual in a pour I'd say. An older, dried out black pepper aroma is also wafting through on deep inhales. Now that I am nosing a little heavier I am wondering if I was misled on the higher proof as it is now it is presenting fairly low. The overall feel is still very malty. There's also a copper with a heavy patina smell now. Very herbal and metallic. Time for a sip. Now the nose feels much lighter and sweeter. The oak is even presenting brighter with floral undertones. Now moving towards a bit of baking spice later in the glass. There's a touch of smokiness that smells like a grill that is burning off the remnants of a big batch of burgers. The base layer to this is some kind of creamy yet floral note. The empty glass smells of sweet malt, oak and honey. Palate: Wow, way different than the nose. Punchy vanilla and strawberry sugar. This tastes like a strawberry daquiri. What on earth! I have never tasted something like that out of a whiskey before. The sweet flavor was so powerful for a few fleeting moments before settling into a vague, unshapely strawberry smoothie finish. A good swish and chew reveals honeycomb and something that reminds me of fresh, pressed flowers. This is incredibly tasty and unique. There's something different about this; either a strange mash bill or a finish I think. Regardless: just an incredible flavor to this; it reminds me of eating those wildflower honey sticks you might find at a farm stand or country store. There is a great thin yet syrupy mouth feel to this. I wish the flavors stuck around a little longer, but only because they are so delicious. Oh! This reminds me quite a bit of elderflower liqueur. Incredible orange creamsicle flavors now. Wow, impressively tasty. I feel like this stands up very well as a first pour of the day, but may not do well after a few other pours. My last sip is incredibly delicate, maybe one of those surprising ~90 proofers that work well as first sip? Rating: 4/5 Options: Old Tub BiB Rebel Yell 10 Year SiB Bakers 13 Year Chicken Cock Bourbon Hill Rock Rye - George Washington Hickory Hill Bourbon Amador Double Barrel Legent Sherry Finish Bowman Brothers Small Batch Town Branch Sherry Cask Guess(es): 1. Amador Double Barrel 2. Hill Rock Rye - George Washington 3. Hickory Hill Bourbon Reveal: Hickory Hill Bourbon Surprising result yet again! This is why I do these! Hickory Hill Bourbon... Would you ever go hunting for this? It's 25 bucks at Total Wine. Never thought I'd like a 3 year age statement nor a 90 proofer as much as this! Company on Label: Gulf Coast Distillers Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 90° Age: 3 years Further identification: This is the flagship release of this; I probably purchased this in ~2019

The 2020 release of Angel's Envy Cask Strength comes in a phenomenal wood display box. With this being a fresh bottle crack, and me wanting to simply sit and savor this pour a little bit tonight, I am going to keep this to a shorter 'flash' review. I will be revisiting this soon once I get to know the bottle a little more. I'm also looking forward to sharing this with some company soon! Company on Label: Louisville Spirits Group Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley Proof: 120.4° Age: NAS (supposedly up to 7 years) Further identification: Batch No C9, Bottle No 7043 Nose: Definitively some fantastic port wine casks were selected for this, as the rich finish is present and powerful from the get go. Buttery smooth fruit mix well with a dusty old oak aroma. Some tropical fruit hide out in the corners. Bright white flour and a rich malty plum swirl through the glass. The sharp sting of some cinnamon stick can be wrestled with on deep inhales. Leather. Post sip there is touches of funky malt behind all the fruit sweetness. There's something like a mincemeat pie also here that is very strange, but really enjoyable for me with Fall starting to really show up here. Palate: Oh wow. Incredibly rich first sip. Vanilla forward at the very start, then molasses, raisin and dark, tannic cherry flavors take over. There is quite the bite to having this as a first sip of the day. Another sip has a similar experience with a flash of smooth vanilla at the start and then a wave of fruit that coat the mouth heavily. The finish is on the shorter side with smaller sips, but the intensity of the flavors is very high. Overall intensely sweet. I feel like this could really give Midwinter Night's Dram a run for its money! Very tasty. Rating: 4/5

The Cream of Kentucky brand was originally introduced in 1888 by I. Trager & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Just prior to the end of Prohibition, the brand was acquired by the famed Schenley Company and subsequently re-introduced in 1934. Through the 1930s and 1940s Cream of Kentucky grew to become one of the leading bourbon brands, with renowned artist Norman Rockwell provided much of the award winning artwork for the brand during its heyday. Cream of Kentucky is now owned by J.W. Rutledge, and Jim has recently purchased a limited supply of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey he feels is worthy of the rebirth of Cream of Kentucky Bourbon as a premium whiskey. Company on Label: J. W. Rutledge (Sourced from an undisclosed KY distillery) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 102° Age: 12 years Further identification: Batch #3; 12.3 year age stated; "Double Rich" Nose: Sweetness I can smell from a distance here. This glass aired out quite a bit while I messed with a few projects that came up. Now that Fall temps are here I may be nosing some colder glasses or bottles, which is definitely true of this glass as I review from the porch tonight. Smooth citrus sweetness is delightful on the first nose. It's like a lemon vanilla frosting. Vaguely oaky, but more like crushed acorns or walnuts. This is a very crisp and bright pour on the nose. Ooh now some cherry perfume rolls through with a bit of dark earthy grass and more lemon zest. Okay now the oak presents itself more naturally. There's a deep lemon note persistent all throughout this that reminds me a little bit like Willett, but it present a little more like Knob 12. Post-sip the nose does not drastically change with more grass, oak and perhaps a touch more malt. On a swirl more vanilla abounds and citrus pepper presents fondly of an old-style cooking aroma. I took a break here to have dinner; notes from here are about 30 minutes of further resting in the glass. Oh a very fleeting group of stone fruit aromas unfortunately just vanished after one long inhale. The remainder of the glass has some meaty aromas, a smell I often get when there is some interaction with the cooking smells in the house. The oak has developed into an older, more seasoned wood now. Before I even thought about what age I was actually drinking my mind wandered right to the number 12 on this one. It is starting to get some of that dark leather and spiced cherry cola characteristic I would expect on an older age statement. Super vegetal and funky now on the tail end of my pour. This really screams 12 year Beam to me. The final aromas that feel trapped in the glass remind me of a New England lobster cookout at a big banquet hall; it reminds me of the local VFW in the town where I grew up. Nearing the last sip the nose turns a bit dusty and nutty; like a Booker's Granny's Batch peanut experience. The empty glass smells of fruit parfait, vanilla, and sawdust. Palate: First sip pre-dinner is thin but zesty with plenty of that lemon forward profile coming out, but here it has a little more backbone with sweet tart sugar, smarties candy and a caramel linger. Finish is definitely short, but the flashes of flavors on the first sip were incredibly enjoyable. The first sip reminded me of the 2020 release Michter's 10 year bourbon. Slight chalkiness to the mouth feel after sitting a while. My next sip builds well in the spice and intensity. Malted popcorn, molasses and cinnamon dart across my tongue and leave a slight copper residue behind. A long chew makes this almost taste like an Irish produced on a pot still. There is that oily consistency and some sugar cookie flavors bubbling up now. The mouth feel improves very well if you swish and savor this sip. I took a break here to have dinner; tasting notes from here are about 30 minutes of further resting in the glass. Oh wow, there is a very punchy cherry and cinnamon present now later in the glass. The sweeter and richer profile is now inviting me to take larger sips with touches of nuttiness, dry tobacco then waves of syrupy cherry. This pour had quite the arc of flavors throughout it. I actually really like where it settled in the end, but wasn't as big of a fan of what was happening early on - if the notes didn't let on to that fact. Plum and a slightly tart raisin note now join the cherry sweetness. There is definitely a bit of bitter red wine in the finish or linger somewhere, but it's well hidden. The last sip is surprisingly vanilla forward, with a little ethanol linger and thick cherry cola effervescence. Rating: 3/5 I wanted to like this a lot more than I did, but the overall experience isn't my favorite journey through a glencairn. I will say this was incredibly improved with time, but I fear many will not have the time or patience to allow it to reach the point at which I tasted. Kudos to you if you do!

"First introduced to great acclaim in the Fall of 2014, Michter's US 1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon is a groundbreaking whiskey expression. It is made by taking Michter's US 1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon and then aging it for an additional period in a second custom made barrel. This second barrel is assembled from 18-month air-dried wood and then toasted but not charred. The truly unique and delicious taste of Michter's US 1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon represents a remarkable achievement given that it is Kentucky Straight Bourbon with nothing extra added or done except placement in a second toasted barrel." Michter's Monday and I just took this beauty home. Right open and into a review? I think so. I've done quite a few of the toasted barrels in the past here, and they can be quite fickle beasts to me. Here's to hoping for a good experience tonight. Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 86° Age: NAS Further identification: Barrel No 21G0244 Nose: Mmm, I can smell some sweetness from across my desk coming off this glass. First smells are apricot, nutmeg and apple. Some musty baking spices are also present early in the glass. Some wet, earthy tones are coming up now like a muddy field on a heavy rain day. Subtle clove spice shows up at the very tip of my nose, oddly. A good bit of chocolate malt is starting settle in. Molasses. Touches of maple sugar. I am a bit amazed at how Michter's in general can create such diverse flavors and get them all to present themselves at the lower proofs. Post-sip the nose is more mellow and sweet with a very dry vanilla note forming a subtle base. Honeysuckle sweetness is nice, but gives the air that this is some kind of forbidden fruit. There's something sandy; like a dry, sandy beach while you are still far from reaching the ocean. Very subtle spices hang out in the back, and I anticipate these will probably show up in the empty glass a bit more; they are foundational along with the floral characteristics that give the fruit some real depth. Oh wow. Something finally just 'clicked' in my nose where I recognized a familiar toasted barrel finish characteristic. It's kind of like a tiny bit of funky skunked oak (I know that sounds weird, but bare with me here). There's some darkness in the wood, but it's not heavy. It just has... "it" for a Michter's toasted barrel release. Not overly powerful, but a nice journey of aromas. Very milk chocolate forward on the empty glass. Palate: Subtle sweet (my kind of sweet) with plum, cherry, raisin and dates leading the charge with some walnut linger and cranberry finish on the first sip. A lovely natural-tasting fruit profile, really. It kind of reminds me of a walnut, cranberry and feta salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing, but in the best way. Now things transition pretty drastically towards a caramel forward profile. There is a surprising amount of proof imbalance here for me tonight, but I may have just eaten too recently. Very tart red fruit are still lingering heavily in this glass. The mouth coating is on the thinner side, but the flavors are just delicious. Honey and light rose hips are very unique and welcome flavors tonight. my prior point about a proof imbalance is definitely gone now, and the fruit linger is building upon every sip. I would be disappointed if I tried putting this in a pairing, or in a head to head as I really think it shines as you drink more of it. Molasses shows well on the palate as well as the nose. Late in the glass the complexity mellows out into a simpler cherry base with touches of orange peel. Tastes like the fixin's for a good old fashioned without any added ingredients. The last sip leans back more on the honey and floral flavors. Very tasty, but I do wish it had the punchiness of some higher proof. Rating: 4/5 I am digging this one tonight!

I just recently purchased this one - and despite having a whole slew of other store picks to choose from, I had a strange feeling this one would be worth trying right away. I think I have 4 different Blanton's letters open at this point. I may need to have more company over soon as I usually choose this as my sharing pour for folks that don't usually drink whiskey. I shared a pour of this with @AmongstTheFernsCo and she really liked it. Company on Label: Blanton Distilling Company Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #2 (Higher Rye 12-15%) Proof: 93° Age: 6 years Further identification: Dumped 8-23-21 from Warehouse H, Rick 21, Barrel 260, Bottle 239. This is a store selected barrel pick from Wyman's Liquors Nose: Mmm, very caramel forward. It's silky in texture. Bits of level oak influence meander across the top of the glass, while malt and sweet herbs slowly builds in the background. Light, fluffy vanilla is starting to build now too. Time for a sip. After tasting, some faint black pepper and earthy, woody molasses combine well. Light linen undertones do well here and are a hallmark Buffalo Trace characteristic that must have something to do with their local grain sources or processes. Definitely more peppery later in the glass. As I near the bottom of the glass there's a comfortable floral characteristic that comes off as very 'easy'. Palate: Oh yeah, a lot of that same powerful caramel from the nose, with an added layer of maraschino cherry syrup. It reminds me of licking the spoon clean after scooping out a few cherries for a cocktail. It also has a darker profile than I am used to on Blanton's; it kind of drinks above its proof here, which is a great thing considering the low 93 proof starting point. There are some characteristics of this (mainly on the slight bit of punchy spice delivery to the top of my tongue) that reminds me a little of the Straight from the Barrel release I reviewed. Some plum sweetness is also present near the bottom of the glass. There is actually a fairly long linger to this, where some orange peel and caramel just sits on the top of my tongue for a while. The last sip has slight hints of chocolate and more caramel. The biggest proponent of this pour is the strength and consistency of the caramel note. Yum! Rating: 4/5

What a beautiful early Fall Sunday in New England! Managed to sneak away from projects for a few moments to spend some time with family today - we picked apples, ate cider doughnuts and drank some sweet apple cider. As a great way to wind down the day as the coolness creeps into the air, it’s time for an @elijahcraig Barrel Proof pour. First time trying it in a @snuteglass. On par with a Glencairn for sure in regard to nosing and tasting experience. I’ll let the review below be testament enough! Snute was kind enough to send the double wall stainless steel Neat glass to me for free. The Elijah I bought because I've been a big fan of previous batches. Let's see how it reviews below! Company on Label: Elijah Craig (Heaven Hill) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 118.2° Age: NAS, but used to be 12 years Further identification: Batch B521 Nose: Peppery caramel. Simple syrup sweet cherry, feels like the start to a great cocktail. Light tinges of pine boughs along the edges of a solid oak forward profile. Still sweet with some fig and strawberry marmalade. Interesting slight rye grain pokes through here. I wonder if this batch is significantly different in base age than previous batches. Palate: Sweet, but zesty! Orange peel is prevalent on my first sip. Stinging lemon zest and still very sweet forward, but slightly synthetic flavors come out at times. A good swig and swish is very hot on the palate, with only some tannic wood, lemon peel and something like a beer wort. I think this pour is better suited for either rocks or a cocktail for sure! Nutty at times as it mellows out drastically towards the bottom of the pour. Not bad. Rating: 3/5

MGP rye anyone? I'm a little too tired for an in depth review tonight, but it's Friday Rye-Day so I thought I'd pour this one up for a quick taste before I give myself a well deserved rest for the remainder of the evening. Company on Label: Proof and Wood Ventures Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley Proof: 120.36° Age: 6 years Further identification: This single barrel is sourced from MGP; it was picked by the LJ Whiskey Family (Liquor Junction in MA) Very zesty and spicy early on the nose, but not sharp or biting now that this bottle has been open for a little while. I remember my first experience with this pour being hot hot hot, but I'm going in expecting a new experience to this. Very dusty oak, with lemon and vanilla trying to poke out from the background. Herbal forward on the nose. Wow, a ton of that lemon zest and dill on the palate. As the proof rises up more dill and a new fresh sprig of mint leaf is rolling over me. This is an MGP rye lovers' rye through and through. Slightly malty back on the nose, but a majority of this is just super dusty. Subsequent sips of this definitely build upon the last. A slight tart cherry and cacao nibs build, with traces of cardamom coming through on the back end. Really solid sipper, but lacks a bit in the wow-factor. Rating: 3/5