Company on Label: Jack Daniel Whiskey Type: Tennessee Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 80% Corn, 8% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 132.1° Age: 4 years Further identification: Stony Brook Wine & Spirits store pick Nose: Roasted peanut and chocolate. A mellow smoke mixed with raisins. Slight meatiness to it, like a steak tip marinade. Nice marshmallow char jumped clean out of the glass as I let it rest in my lap which was impressive. Palate: Instant attack of sweet cherry, caramel, pepper and peanut. The mouth coating is slightly drying early on but folds over into molasses decadence. A rising spice keeps the fire under the caramel burning and it singes and sears the creaminess away as it develops into a spicy raisin. Depending on the day these can drink really hot, but today I am staying cool and relaxed thanks to the thick molasses mouth coating. The caramel is strangely intertwined with a figgy nuttiness I can't quite place. Maybe this is the staple note of the barrel proof select offerings? I like it when it isn't singeing my eyebrows off like the first time I opened this bottle! It has mellowed into a very enjoyable range after some air. Chewing on this one produces much of the same notes. I'd be willing to bet this would improve in complexity with the addition of a little water. Let's try it. With water: The caramel is more pronounced, sweeter and smoother. Pepper spice subsides, but is replaced with a citrus cinnamon mix which is awkward in theory, but decent in execution. Rating: 3/5

Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Rye Mash Bill Proof: 94° Age: 7 years Further identification: Early 2020 purchase Nose: Citrus and vanilla that presents itself almost like a faint Pinesol note. A touch of copper. Typical rye spices, but they're light and more in the background. The oak is faint and sweet. There is a creamy note that is almost rum-like. Oh the vanilla has evolved nicely. This is definitely not the Pinesol experience it started out as. Some stewed stone fruits coming up now. This glass totally woke up after 15 minutes. Palate: So very mellow & sweet for a heavier rye content. The copper note of the nose is also here, but balanced well by a shiny, metallic cherry and lemon zest. Caramel works in delicately. The mouth coating is thin, but present and very toffee forward. A little bit of honey sweetness. A hint of tannic red grape as well. This took a long time to set up; I'd highly suggest letting this one sit because the beginning of the glass had nothing compared to this. The rye spices become much more prominent late. I'd definitely recommend this to someone maybe looking to dip a toe into the rye category. Rating: 3/5

Company on Label: Reservoir Distillery Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 20% Wheat, 5% Barley Proof: 90° Age: 1.5 year Further identification: Batch 27, Bottle 64. Nose: Young oak and plum are first on the nose. A wetted down wood sort of smell texture. Raisin funkiness. Slightly metallic; like iron. Rye grain and a unique wheat that I have not experienced. It smells more like it should be going into a bread or bakery dessert than a whiskey. Palate: Grains again have not worked their way into and through the wood yet. Not what you are hoping for on a sip. Looking past that though I do taste some caramel starting to form on the surface of the dry, young wood. There is the linger of the plum that is actually more enjoyable than the sip itself. Some citrus can be swished out of the depths but it kisses your gums and then darts away. I almost could get a cherry note to kickstart itself in the back of the palate but a lack of proof made it vanish before it could be appreciated. There is a bit of tent canvas and mint that give off a pine forest summer camp vibe to me, which gets brownie points with me. Rating: 2/5 I like where this bottle could get to, but I have to say it is definitely not ready for bottling at 1.5 years. Maybe there is some older stuff available now?

Here to kick off something new and challenging! An interesting way to get back into bottles I may have put to the side... I’d like to introduce Un-Gnome Whiskey! Every once in a while, when I can’t figure out what to pour, I have my lovely assistant @amongstthefernsco pour me a glass completely blinded for a review. Some of these things are samples I’ve saved off from bottles I’ve put into backup storage locations, some are samples I have swapped with other whiskey friends, and some are provided by kind souls who just want an honest review. See if you can guess the whiskey from the notes below before you swipe to the other images above... Bottle information will be posted after the glass reveal at the end. Scroll slow if you don't want spoilers! Color is noticeably darker than most; just a bit past caramel. Nose: Big, flavorful, fruity and slightly proofy to start. Can smell it from across the table. Fruity like something with a barrel finish. Nose is sort of similar to Old Forester 1920. Anise, dark plum. Oak is just barely dipped into a light citrus. Sweet and easy. Still pretty dark. Maple syrup, vanilla, pepper. No leather comes with those scents which makes me believe this is on the younger side; maybe around 5-6 years. It's all fruit from here! Very well flavored stone fruit. Definitely a little mossy/earthy funk happening here. Maybe a higher malt content. Vanilla comes back to save this from becoming something weird. Palate: Woah, pretty well crafted. Earthy undertones like a good Irish whiskey. Sweet fruit forms a thin mouth coating that lingers forever. Definitely have a wine barrel finish in mind here. Creamy in texture. Scotch-like... Proof is low, probably around 90. Definitely feels like a sherry finish. Creamy floating sweetness. Profile loses out on complexity, but makes up for it in high quality sweetness that lingers long. Rating: 3/5 Guess: Stranahan's Sherry Cask Finish Single Malt Whiskey Reveal: Correct! I knew this was something from my collection I had tasted. The sherry finish was unmistakable by the end and I only have a few that would fit this bill. I was split between Stranahan’s and Town Branch for a while but finally went with a final guess of Stranahan’s which was correct! Company on Label: Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey Whiskey Type: Finished Single Malt Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 100% Malted Barley Proof: 94° Age: 4 years Further identification: That sweet maroon label and the shot glass on top is a sure identifier; I purchased this sometime mid-2020

I'm giving this another go since my last review. I fight with this pour. It seems like when I go for this as a follow-on pour (not the first of the day) I enjoy it thoroughly. When I try to sit down for tasting notes it feels like it loses some of it's magic. Let's try this again! Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Finished Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 109.2° Age: NAS Further identification: Barrel No 20G1711 Nose: Spicy, potent red wine sweetness. Sharp vanilla that is layered like a light linen over a basket of fresh plums. Syrupy funk similar to the sweetness of Michter's toasted barrel sour mash. Right nose stings a bit, left nose highlights creamy caramel. Sweet lemon glaze. Hints of dark chocolate shavings. Shiny light metallics now, like a kitchen sink smell. Caramel fades into a nice raisin late. Vanilla continues to dominate all the way through. Some cardboard and pepper are parting gifts of this wild pour. Palate: Instant cherry mouth coating. Cinnamon. Funky double oak influence. Really creamy feeling; the linger is a blend of many rich stewed stone fruits. While the palate is little bit one directional, the linger and finish are exceptionally flavored and long: featuring all the rich fruits you could want. I think where this really shines is maybe as a follow up to a traditional rye. As a first pour of the day there's not much of a frame of reference to make you appreciate these flavors. For that reason I'm going to have to rank this similarly to my previous review. For some reason this (and E.C. Toasted Barrel for that matter) is just too hit or miss glass to glass on the palate for me. Rating: 3/5

I've tried this many different times, many different ways; in neat pours, in blind lineups, in an old fashioned... you name it. This review will be a neat pour. Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 37% Corn, 51% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 112.2° Age: NAS Further identification: Purchased early 2020 Nose: Mint and leafy spring greens. Copper note with a slightly earthy oak. Bubble gum and dust. Citrus is like an orange zest, but it's not sweet. A lot of dill now that I've had a sip. Cotton balls. Copper metallic note is all throughout this now. It's kind of off-putting. By the bottom of the glass a nice vanilla and caramel show up, but are quickly pulled off the surface and that volume of sweet air is consumed completely on a deep inhale. Palate: Whew! Big citrus spice right on tongue. Quite a bit of mint and a strange wood funk I can't place. Anise. Little to no linger. I let this rest a while longer hoping for a better experience. Still really only astringency I'm experiencing. There might still be some citrus or stone fruit hidden in these depths but they are fleeting. Minty and still funky, I can't say this is my favorite profile; I've loved absolutely everything else from Wild Turkey, but this bottle is a bit of a miss for me. Rating: 3/5

I've long had an internal argument about this bottle. Do I like it or not? I finally sat down to try to decide with tasting notes. Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Finished Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 109.2° Age: NAS Further identification: Barrel No 20G1711 Nose: Meaty and nutty notes immediately. Dark, lean, raw red meat. Caramelized molasses. Pepper. Leather. Walnuts. Malty nose; smells like this is going to be heavy and syrupy. Floral notes are heavy too; like pressed flower petals, or some kind of extract. A powdered chocolate weaves into the rye spice. Slight graininess. I want this to be sweeter, but the heavy meatiness is still lingering. Wait... Suddenly things are lighter. Actual cotton now mixing with a sweet cotton candy. What just happened? It's like I'm smelling a completely different whiskey now. I swear it can't be, because I haven't put this glass down yet. Caramel and vanilla are now here to party. A bright, shining singular cherry is being displayed. Better experience than I've previously had with this. Maybe it needed a longer rest time. Slight tannic note like I've experienced out of a madeira finish comes out late. Ok, finally (!) there is a hint of marshmallow I was hoping for on the toasted barrel. It has evolved very well in the glass, with the later scents being more enjoyable than the early ones. A dusty old oak that reminds me of my grandmother's attic I would play in as a kid. Palate: Instant syrupy plum mouth coating that also thins quickly, leaving caramel and a bright linen / citrus. The spice of cinnamon and allspice are well checked by these lighter flavors. A good chew reveals much more hot cherry and clove. After a few sips it falls a little flat; while the finish is very long & lingering it just feels like a sting with little flavor coming along with it. Very drying, I can feel my tongue start to become abrasive against my gums. With how the initial nosing went, I was expecting a lot of different things that did not transfer to the palate. The citrus has been a constant, but the parts of this pour that I really enjoy are so fleeting. There one moment, gone the next. A rollercoaster pour to say the least. With how hit or miss a glass of this is for me, I am going to air on the side of caution and give this one the lower end of the two ratings it has received from me in several reviews. The nose is really fun but I am always left confused on tastings. Rating: 3/5

Company on Label: Nevada H&C Distilling Co Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley Proof: 92.5° Age: NAS Further identification: Purchased mid 2021. Red, White and Blue specialty label Nose: Apples! Through and through. Bright zesty caramel. The smoke of the fire in front of me is getting in the way of pulling more smells out of this at the moment. Some cinnamon-like sandalwood incense smells showing up how. Dry, light vanilla more like a paper or cloth smell. Very mellow and pleasant when not trying to dig too deep. Palate: Pear forward. Some citrus zest. Younger oak probably around 3-4 years? After taste is something like a dry paprika spice. Cloves and orange peel zest. A hint of rye grain is the only flash of youth that presents slightly metallic. The predominant mood of this pour is a spicy caramel linger. It's a nice warming sensation on this cool, rainy New England day outdoors. Rating: 3/5

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: Muckey's Liquors Store Pick Nose: Synthetic spice & caramel. Dusty, worn out oak. Very faint leather, like smelling a bound book sitting down in your lap. Very light, airy & open space feel to it. Fresh, floral Spring air. Brought back to reality from a dreamlike state by a level sour cherry. Occasionally the nose still drifts off to a farm somewhere with the mash bill grains showing off. Palate: Silky vanilla and pear. Cherry transfers well and is more sweet here on the palate. Creamy butterscotch opens the door to new tannic dark fruits. I could never get tired of this flavor & mouthfeel, dreaming forever of some impossibly perfect countryside. Finish is low & slow, but a creamy presence asserts itself still. This one could definitely do more in the way of complexity, but for enjoyment value, how can you go wrong? I have yet to explore how this pick differs from the normal profile head to head, but I’d imagine the nuances are small in magnitude. I’m so glad we have access to so many barrel selections in MA. Rating: 4/5

Michter's Sour Mash Small Batch Whiskey Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: American Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 45% Corn, 45% Rye, 10% Malted Barley Proof: 86° Age: NAS Further identification: Barrel No 19K2140 Shenk's Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: American Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 91.2° Age: NAS Further identification: Batch # 20F1432, Bottle 1777 of 1807 Michter's Small Batch Bourbon Company on Label: Michter's Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 79% Corn, 11% Rye, 10% Malted Barley Proof: 91.4° Age: NAS (around 8 years?) Further identification: Barrel No 20E892 Michter's Sour Mash Small Batch Whiskey Review: Slight marshmallow and coffee bean on nose. Caramel, pepper, spice. Sweet fruit come out on swirl of the glass. Very mellow. Fresh sawn oak. Slight grass note. Low proof but a spice and a thin creaminess spread over tongue. Shenk's Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey Review: Butterscotch, citrus & heavy leather nose. Sour & toasty. Rich marshmallow nose with some citrus hints. Caramel. Way more of a rich syrupy palate with citrus fruits and oak. Dark fruit shows on finish. A clear step above the other two glasses. Michter's Small Batch Bourbon Review: Peanut nose... Muted. Nothing specific jumping out on this one. Maybe a light citrus fruit and leather. New found spice on tongue. Leather for sure now. Lowest (toughest) proof to taste on this flight. Final Ranking: Shenks > Sour Mash > Bourbon

Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Bourbon Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 101° Age: NAS (around 8-9 years?) Further identification: Warehouse A, Rick No 40, Barrel 1516 Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 116.8° Age: NAS Further identification: 2019/early 2020 purchase Kentucky Spirit Review: Citrus primarily, but also pepper, cherry and spice all present on nose. Really punchy & alive. Late nose after resting turns much creamier, with other notes of butter and soup herbs. Citrus & cherry carry well into the palate. Rye spice continues to dance well in the background. Citrus can't hide a slightly unwelcome white wine tannin mouth feel. Nuanced & thin, but slightly oily and herbaceous. This beats Rare Breed on nose and finish, but falls slightly short on palate. Rare Breed Review: Creamy caramel, leather, darker black pepper and a hotter cherry on nose. Late nose turns really dusty with a cherry pop still present. Cinnamon candy and pine are also still coming through on the nose. This one is a conundrum; it is both mellow and easy on the palate at times and others super spicy and rich. The variations on the palate are interesting and keep you guessing. At times the creaminess subdues the spicy cherry. I would guess based on this experience that this is older. Light marshmallow & vanilla is perfectly rich. Only lacks in finish; but has a more experienced palate than the Kentucky Spirit. Final Ranking: Rare Breed > Kentucky Spirit

Booker's Little Book Chapter 01 "The Easy" Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Blended Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Blend Proof: 128.2° Age: 4 (Blend of 4 year old bourbon, 6 year old rye + malt whiskeys, and 13 year old corn whiskey) Further identification: 2017 Release Booker's Little Book Chapter 02 "Noe Simple Task" Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Blended Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 118.8° Age: 8 (Blend of 8 year Kentucky rye, 13 year Canadian Rye and 40 year Canadian corn whiskey) Further identification: 2018 Release Booker's Little Book Chapter 03 "The Road Home" Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Blended Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Blend of several mash bills (77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley & 63% Corn, 27% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley) Proof: 122.6° Age: 9 (Blend of 9 year, 11 year and 12 year bourbons) Further identification: 2019 Release Booker's Little Book Chapter 04 "Lessons Honored" Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Blended Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 122.8° Age: 4 (Blend of 4 year Kentucky brown rice bourbon, 7 year bourbon, and 8 year Kentucky rye) Further identification: 2020 Release Chapter 1 Review: Strikes me similarly to the start of Michter's 10 year. Rich oak says old but refined. Nose is really balanced though, falling almost too bland. Peanut, shiny metallics, and an overly buttery/rich mouth coating that lingers. Really tastes like it should be a regular Booker’s batch. Chapter 2 Review: Lightest! Dusty oak, citrus/Pinesol note I love, chocolate and sweet fruit like strawberry cereal on nose. Rich full proof mouth coating with no burn. Marshmallow sweet creamy char. YUM! So good I went for a second glass of this; second pour: Vanilla, spice and fruit immediately on nose. Deep, rich citrus nestled into a strong oak. Floral first, then caramel. Thinner, but rye spice packs a pretty mean jab into you but that fades into a nice, creamy cherry finish. Pepper and floral notes linger long. A little too spicy at times is my only complaint. Chapter 3 Review: Light caramel, graham cracker (no, ginger bread!), slight cherry nose. Pepper. Way better mouth feel than nose. Cherry cola, spice, butter, creamy caramel. Rich stinging finish! Feels like something that would be a really nice "in the woods" drink to me for some reason. Chapter 4 Review: Clean, citrus; high proof, summer grass with old oak. Smells like a farmhouse beer hall. Instant THICK mouth coating w/ cherry & caramel. Ginger bread and pepper. Thinner like a Weller Special Reserve. Nice. Final Ranking: Chapter 2 > Chapter 3 > Chapter 4 > Chapter 1