Old Forester Birthday - 2018 12 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, rich mahogany with a hint of orange. The nose is incredibly fruity ranging from baked pears and apples to black cherry with waves of honey, Earl Grey tea, charred oak, roasted nuts, and toffee. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and robust fruit and caramel-centric core with supporting notes of brown baking spices, honey, and citrus zest. Full-bodied with ideal balance and an amazing depth of flavor that keeps building towards the 30 second finish. One of our favorite Birthday releases to date. $99.99 – 5 Stars
King of Kentucky 14 Years Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Brilliant deep cherry wood color. The nose is amazingly harmonious and complex even before a water addition. (It's better after a splash of water.) The nose is filled with scents of charred oak, baked apples and pears, caramel, brown baking spices, and leather. The palate echoes the nose delivering a dense fruit and chocolate focused core with generous waves of brown baking spices and oak with subtle hints of mint, pineapple, and pepper. Full-bodied with a complex and dense palate that greatly evolves with water and aeration. Sip slowly as it's not cheap and there are just about 1,000 bottles available. $199 – 4.5 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery Ole George Straight Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear with a bright amber/gold color. The aromatics are complex with scents of ripe orchard fruits and toasted grain with supporting notes of black pepper, toasted oak, dried black fruits, caramel, vanilla, allspice, and pralines. The palate is full agreement with the nose offering a lush fruit-driven core with caramel, pepper, and brown baking spices that linger on the palate for minutes. This full-bodied Michigan Rye is for the hardcore Rye Whiskey lover as it delivers classic and bold rye flavors. $53.99 – 5 Stars
Egan's Single Grain Irish Whiskey
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, golden color. The aromatics are beautifully perfumed with layers of vanilla, salted caramel, and blanched almonds with accents of allspice and brown butter. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich caramel and vanilla focused core with flanking notes of oak and brown baking spices that finishes dry. Medium-bodied with perfect balance and long, lingering flavors that become both dry and sweet. $45 – 4.5 Stars
Old Forester Birthday 2017 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, deep amber color. The complex aromatics certainly go to 11! It features generous scents of oak, dark chocolate, dried orchard fruits, orange zest, black pepper, toffee, dried herbs and flowers, with loads of brown baking spices. The palate echoes the nose delivering pepper and oak with lush and spicy fruit, caramel core, and dark chocolate with rising accents of allspice and clove. This is a full-throttle Bourbon that marries intensity with complexity. $79.99 – 4.5 Stars
Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, deep copper color. The nose is beautifully complex while also straightforward offering scents of caramel, orange zest, wild honey, and cinnamon dusted tea biscuits with accents of cocoa, oak, and ginger. The palate echoes the nose delivering a caramel and citrus-driven core with waves of brown baking spices, ginger snaps, dark chocolate, and oak. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced offering a rich core with very nimble flavors, which is quite a feat considering the strength. $22.99 – 4.5 Stars
Palm Ridge Reserve American Whiskey
Brilliant, deep copper color. The aromatics leap from the glass offering scents of baked orchard fruits with supporting notes of caramel, honey, and roasted nuts with accents of orange peel and nutmeg. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich fruit and caramel core with flanking vibrant spice notes with hints of black pepper and toasted oak. Full-bodied with a dense grain center that never feels cloying thanks to a bright dose of fresh acidity. $55 – 4 Stars
Palm Ridge Reserve Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, deep copper color. The aromatics are quite intense with waves of rich, malted rye with supporting notes of baked peach and apple with accents of caramel and brown baking spices. The palate fully confirms the nose delivering a grain-driven core with generous notes of wood and spice with accents of orange peel and allspice. Full-bodied with a dense grain center that never feels cloying thanks to a bright dose of fresh acidity. $53 – 4.5 Stars
Booker's Batch 2017-01 6 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear with a deep mahogany color. The aromatics are wonderfully complex and bold, dense vanilla fudge, gooey caramel, and brown baking spices supported by waves of baked fruit, toasted oak, and brown butter. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and velvet-like caramel and oak-driven core with generous fruit and assertive spice notes that rise on the finish. Full-bodied and so incredibly silky and lush while also showing balance and restraint. $71.99 – 5 Stars
West Cork Sherry Cask 12 Years Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Brilliant, deep copper color. The aromatics are complex and delicate with malted barley and grain notes in the lead supported by accents of spring flowers, orange peel, toasted almonds, and dried apricot with subtle hints of the Sherry cask. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and round malt and grain core with flanking notes of citrus, honey, nutmeg, and oak with the rich Sherry notes riding on the finish enveloping the toasted malt. Medium to full-bodied with layers of grains and fruit presented in perfect proportions with a bright dose of acidity as well. $64.99 – 4.5 Stars
